When Tom arrived in the parlor, Howard was already there in front of the fireplace holding a glass of whiskey, just before asking the dreadful questions he had in mind Tom poured himself some whiskey too.

"I set him in bed, he weighs as light as a feather. I've got so many question that I don't know where to start, maybe I'm only afraid of the answers." "Tom sit down it's better I do the talking"

Tom nodded his agreement and sat down waiting for his friend.

"Tom I've known you since we were kids, and I won't sugarcoat anything. You know up in the bathroom as the grime and the dirt were getting washed away I was seriously tempted to break my Hippocratic oath to do no harm. The boy's back, buttocks and legs are covered with bruises, whip and belt marks but luckily non of them deep enough to leave any deep scarring, I reckon there will be only some faint scars." He started out "He's clearly malnourished, I've already talked with Silas regarding that"

"Howard, since he needs food why did you stop me before"

"He needs to eat more but not all at once. You see his stomach has shrunk and you need to put small quantities of food or he will get sick, for the next several weeks, Heath will need to eat small quantities of food throughout the day, he will need to eata little bit of everything and you won't force him to eat more than there's on his plate. Silas knows which kind of foods and how much of it to serve to Heath"

"I understand Howard but he's skin and bones he's weighs as much as Audra"

"With time and good food he will fatten up."

"Howard what about his arm, how long he will have to keep the cast? It was his uncle, isn't it?"

"He needs to keep it for two more weeks...you know when I asked Heath about it I foolishly thought that he broke it maybe falling from a tree but he answered that he broke it in a mine cave-in."

"A mine is no a place to play." Rebuffed Tom.

"Those were exactly my words, but he replied that he wasn't playing, that he was working"

"What!"

"It's not finished he thinks it's his fault, it seems that his uncle had drilled in his head that it's his fault that he wasn't quick and smart enough to avoid the rock during the cave-in..."

At that point Tom's anger erupted and smashed the empty glass in the fireplace.

"I will kill that son of a bitch"

"Tom"

"What!" He barked out.

"You have to learn to maintain your nerves, you will scare Heath with your anger, he will think that you are going to punish him. His uncle is a violent man who channeled his anger on Heath. He thinks that when someone is angry he will beat him. I know it will be difficult but you have to learn to simmer down"

For several minutes, Tom took deep breaths trying to calm himself only when he was sure he could maintain his temper he looked at Howard with unspoken questions.

"Physically, there's not too much to add...it's easy to heal a broken body but it's more difficult to heal the mind"

"What do you mean that? He's not right in his mind"

"No I didn't mean that, Heath must learn to gain confidence in himself, he's very subdued child, he's afraid to be in the center of the attention. I noticed before that he doesn't express his wishes and he must learn to do so. I'm sorry if I can't help you in this matter but the study of the mind is a pretty new branch of medicine, all you can use is old common sense."

"Thank you, Howard for everything but I think I overstepped your kindness, it's time to go back to your family"

"I will be back the day after tomorrow, goodnight Tom"

Tom stared at the dying fire, trying to recap the afternoon then he smothered the lasting cinders and headed toward Heath's room.

He wasn't sure what made him woke up, he was still in half awake state and he didn't recognized the room he was in, he was laying in a bed this made him panic,if his uncle foundhim here, for sure he would be whipped, so he rearranged the covers and headed toward the kitchen. His tired mind didn't recognized the house or the kitchen but the fear for his uncle's wrath, was stronger than the awkward situation. He laid near the stove and he wrapped himself in his tattered blanket that he had took from his bag and fell asleep.

Tom gently opened the door and quietly approached Heath's bed, his heart sank when the lamp he was carrying lighten an empty bed, he checked around but there was no sign of his son, his boots were still near the bed,but there was no sign of the bag. He started to search each room of the second floor but with no avail. While he was descending the staircase a thought flashed in his mind; the kitchen, it was one of the first places in the house that Heath had spent some time as he entered Tom took a breath of relief; his son was curled on the floor sleeping peacefully. He was perplexed on the reason why he chose this uncomfortable place to sleep when he had a warm bed upstairs. He tried togently wake him whispering his name then he gently touched his shoulder.

Heath was sound asleep when he felt a hand on his shoulder this made him awaken in a instant; he had overslept! His uncle would be furious with him.He saw a dark silhouette looming over him and he thought it was his uncle, he pulled himself into a ball hoping that this time the punishment wouldn't as harsh as the other time.

"I's sorry uncle...I's sorry...I will work harder...I's sorry...it my fault, I overslept." He kept on repeating like a mantra.

"Damn, I did it again," murmured Tom between his teeth. "Heath, son, sorry I had woken you but I reckon a kitchen floor isn't a good place to sleep." It took a little bit,but at last Tom's words penetrated in Heath's brain.

"Sorry, sir, but I didn't know where to sleep...I found myself in a bed but I didn't know how I ended it up there." "I took you there, it's your bed and room from now on"

"I have a bed?" asked a disbelieving Heath.

"Yes, where do you think you should sleep"

"Dunno, maybe in a cot or near the stove?"

"No," said disheartened Tom. "here you will sleep in your bed"

"I've never slept in a real bed...before I slepton a cot, and after my uncle said that my place was in the kitchen"

"Heath, here you won't have to sleep on the floor anymore, you have your own room and bed, come I will take you upstairs"

He held out his hand to Heath, and he was glad to find out that Heath, after taking his sack and blanket, took his hand.

When they arrived in Heath's room, Tom placed the lamp on the nightstand and helped Heath with the nightgown, while he undressed his little boy he was able to see all the bruises but he was able to mask his anger then he tucked in the near asleep Heath in bed.
He wanted to stay with his son for the first night, so he climbed on the bed and sit beside Heath cradling him and he started to sing, a little bit off key, a song he had learned several years ago.

"But this is mama's song." Said a now wide awake Heath.

"Yes, I know, she sang it to me when I was sick"

"She always sang it to me just before sleeping, she sat near me till I was asleep." Said Heath with a sad voice remembering those happy times.

"If you want, I can sing it to you...even though I'm a little bit out of tune"

"Yes"

It took only a few minutes but finally Heath fell asleep, Tom stared at his son for several moments, then he turned down the lamp and laid down next to him, wrapping him with one arm as trying to protect him, and silently wowing to himself that nothing and no one would ever harm him anymore.