"Hey Simon." Morgan said as Simon sat down at in the chair.

"Hey."

"How are things going?" Morgan asked.

"Okay I guess."

"I heard something about you taking a trip, what is that about?" Morgan asks in concern.

"I was going to go to Moreno Valley to see if I could find Jack's real mom."

"Why? Just think, why do you want to find her and what would you tell her?" Morgan asked Simon.

"Well um." Simon tries to think but Morgan figured it out.

"That's not it is it?"

"No." Simon said.

"You are using that as an excuse to leave?"

"Yeah." Simon responds.

"Why?"

"Since they died I feel like everyone is watching what I do. They didn't like the fact that I and Ruthie don't go to church that often, because it's hard to sit there and watch the minister give a sermon when it isn't him." Simon says as he starts to cry and Morgan consoles him.

"It's okay." Morgan tells Simon.

"I just don't want to be like him. But I feel like that certain situations where I'm being looked at as if my dad did the same thing when he was my age. Like when Chandler who is taking over for my dad, was talking to Ruthie and I didn't like that he was in her room. I told Lucy I didn't like it and next thing I knew that Julie told me I sound like dad."

"Maybe in certain situations you are, but just because you happen to do the same things your dad did as a young man means you will become him deep down as a loving caring person and you will be a minister." Morgan says.

"My eldest brother was doing the same things as my dad did and he didn't become a minister, he became an accountant for a law firm in Massachusetts and doing very well I might add."

"I see what you mean." Simon says.

"Just don't worry about what people say, just be yourself and you will do fine."

"Thanks." Simon says.

"No problem."

"You know, I feel better." Simon says.

"Good, and if you need to talk don't be afraid to come to me, alright."

"Okay. Thanks again. I better get to the library, I have a report due. Bye." Simon says.

"Bye."

Simon then leaves for the library as Julie, Lucy, Hank, the Colonel and Ruth are at the house talking about Simon while Hank was cooking dinner then Kevin came over since Lucy was there.

"You know, I'm worried about him." Julie says

"Yeah, I don't know if it's because of the accident or what but he doesn't seem like himself." Hank says.

"Well, has he done anything that could cause you to be concerned for him?" Kevin asks.

"Nothing major, but he wanted to go to school yesterday and I could tell he was protesting that I kept him home, this morning he said he wanted me to tell the school that he was going to a doctor's appointment so he could go see his friend's mother in Moreno Valley which Hank and I told him no. I don't know what happened between this morning and him dropping off Erica and his siblings since he hasn't come back yet."

"How do you know that he dropped off Erica and the kids?" Hank asks.

"Ruthie told me that Simon was going to see someone when she and the kids came home."

"Oh. Then maybe he didn't go after all I hope." Hank says.

They continued to talk then Julie calls Ruthie and the kids to dinner then a few minutes later Simon walks through the door. Happy then starts barking the minute she sees the bag of dog food that Simon had brought home then had to wait for him since he went to put his bag away then he fed her and sat down to eat. Then Ruthie and Lucy did the dishes as Julie and Hank were watching TV with Erica and the twins while Simon was laying on his bed thinking of his friend and what Morgan said while the Colonel and Ruth left. Simon and friends of Jack went to his funeral few days later then Thanksgiving and Christmas came and it was a rough time since they would think about their parents and how much they loved them. Hank, Julie, The Colonel and Ruth helped them through it by telling them stories about Christmas time.

2004-

Lucy, Mary and the Colonel would take turns picking up Ruthie and the kids since Simon started playing baseball for his team. Simon got a cell phone for Christmas from the Colonel and he got his own room as well as the twins got their own room. A month and a half later of baseball and going to school, everyone got concerned for Simon since he would come home very late, was very tired in the morning and worried that his grades were slipping and ironically his manager asked to see him in his office about his grades.

"Simon, even though you are a junior, the athletic program keeps an eye on students who are playing in all sports since they may play in the college system which is has more tougher rules for students who play if they are eligible or not concerning their grades. I spoke to all your teachers and your grades have slipped in Math and U.S. History and English is starting to slip so you have three weeks before the mid semester grades come out. So you will not be playing in the game Saturday, there will be the make up tests coming up next Monday and I want you to do well." The manager says.

"Okay. Am I allowed to practice?" Simon asks.

"No. But I do suggest that you go to the library during the last period and study. What are your studying habits like?" The manager asks.

"Well, after practice, I go home take a shower, eat then go to the pool hall to study and I stay up late then go home and sleep." Simon tells him.

"How late is the question I have?"

"Sometimes 11:30 at night or even 12:30am. And I have been turning in assignments when they were due." Simon says.

"Is it the tests?"

"Yeah. But how do I know when I can practice?" Simon responds.

"You will take the tests during lunch, then you can come in here and find out okay."

"Okay. Can I be there when you tell my teammates?" Simon says.

"Sure.

After his teammates told him to not worry he went to the library to study then when the school let out he went to the city library to study till it was time for dinner. Simon then realized how he was going to tell them that his grades had been slipping then he decided not to tell them but it would be a bad decision. Simon went to his room to study then just before going to bed he spoke to Ruthie and asked her how she was doing in school which he told her she was doing good then they went to bed. Simon did the same thing he did last night but Wednesday night was different but Simon didn't know why? The Colonel, Ruth, Matt, Sarah and Mary were over after dinner was finished.

"Now, there is something I found out today and it has to do with Simon."

"It does?" Hank asks as Julie held his hand.

"Simon!" The Colonel yells in a commanding and loud voice.