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"Sam? I rang the airport and there's a flight the day after tomorrow. I haven't booked a return because…erm, I don't know what's going to happen. Just thought I'd tell you. Bye…"

I listen to the message as I take my coat off. So soon! We haven't seen each other today- I was working 8am-6pm; he was working 6pm-4am. Luckily both of us have tomorrow off so we can spend it together. Packing probably.

"Mom, what's for dinner?" Alex calls as he bound through the door, trailing shoes, bags and gym kit from the hall to his room.

"Pizza. Now come and pick all of this up!" He bounds back out, scoops all the stuff up and throws it into the hall cupboard. I shake my head, why did he have to inherit my untidiness?

"Where's Luka?"

"Work." I unwrap the pizza.

"Where's my gym kit?"

"Hall cupboard!" I put the pizza on the tray and slide it into the oven.

"Where's my homework?"

"Coffee table." I set the timer and turn round.

"Where are my fish? They've been moved!"

"I cleaned them out yesterday. There on your dresser. Now quit with the questioning!" I pour him some juice and hold it out. He runs in, gulps it down in one and runs back out, holding a tatty piece of paper and a pencil. "Hold up! What's that?" Alex stops and turns round slowly.

"Work." He holds it to his chest.

"What for? English?" He nods. "Can I read it?" he nods again.

Written in pencil, my son's scruffy handwriting scrawls across the page;

The person I admire most.

The person i admire most is

i really admire

The person i admire most is my friend Luka. He's my mom's boy friend now but he was my friend first! But I don't mind that they are dating cos he's fun and he makes my mom laugh. Plus he plays ball with me and helps me do my maths and he even said that he will buy me a puppy soon. If mom lets him.

Luka isn't from this country. He's from a place called Croatia which is quite far away. He has a funny accent and somtimes he doesn't know what we're talking about but he's really good at English! He's gonna teach me some Croatian.

He's a doctor at the hospital where mom works and he is really good. He has saved millions of people but he has explaned that somtimes the doctors can't save them cos there really sick. It's sad when that happens.

About 2 months ago Luka moved in with mom and me. It was really exciting cos he had loads of video games and he said he'd let me play on them. Since he came to live here mom has been nicer to everyone. She cooks dinner better now, and lets me stay up a bit later.

Last week Luka pr prop proposid to mom and she said yes she would marry him. That means Luka is going to be my step dad. I can't wait! I'm not going to have his surname-Kovac- which is so much better than Taggert but that doesn't matter.

I admire Luka cos he's cool, and funny, and he makes me and mom smile, and he's a doctor and saves people, and he lets me play his games but most of all cos he's better than my real dad.

Alex Taggart.

I look at him as he blushes.

"I had to read it out in class today cos Ms Winter said it was the best for a change and I got a star and 5 points." He beams suddenly and I realise I've just had the deepest insight into my son's life than I've had for about a year.

"I'm so proud of you." I say, reaching out and hugging him. "Is this all true? Do you like Luka better than your dad?" He nods.

"Of course! Luka has games and he cooks nice food, and says stuff in another language, and he makes you laugh." I shake myself, noticing it's the second time he's said it to me in 2 days. Did I not laugh before? "When's dinner ready?" It sounds muffled as he speaks into my stomach. I laugh and let him go.

"10 minutes. Now go and…play some games." He punches the air and runs off, probably so I can't change my mind.

We have a quiet dinner, like old times except I spend more time cracking jokes and talking about the wedding than snapping at Alex, or yelling. We figure out that Alex wants to be the ring bearer but he doesn't want to look stupid and babyish so I'm going to talk to Luka about getting Alex a smaller version of his suit. That way, Alex will look smart as well as feeling grown up.

That night, I fall asleep thinking about the wedding and dream that everyone has wings and Alex is all grown up. Scary thought.

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