"It will be fine." Noah assured Josh, noticing how much he stiffened as the doorbell sounded.

Josh sighed deeply for a moment and then stood to open the door to his mother.

"Hey Mom." He said.

"Hello, son." She gave him a weak smile.

"Come in." He stood back and as she entered Noah walked over to take her coat.

"Hello Marion. How are you?"

"Good." She said simply, gripping up suddenly at the handbag that hung from her shoulder, as though using it for comfort of some kind.

"Please take a seat." Noah said as he hung up her coat. "Would you like a drink?"

"No… no thank you, Noah."

They sat in a heavy and awkward silence for a few minutes until eventually Marion spoke up again.

"I just wanted to say, Noah. I'm really glad your sight came back."

Noah smiled at her and nodded.

"Um, how are you?"

"I'm fine Marion. Absolutely fine. Thanks for asking."

She seemed to be looking anywhere but at Noah or her son.

"Where is Luke, today?"

"Oh, he wanted to be here, but he had to work. Um, Marion, there's a reason I called and asked you over."

She looked at him then.

"There's something you should know. Something Josh needs to tell you."

Josh shifted uncomfortably in his chair. He hadn't wanted to tell Marion about the drug thing at all. He had begged Luke and Noah not to make him do it. But they were adamant. As his mother, she had the right to know.

"Josh?" prompted Noah.

Josh looked at him with pleading eyes and Noah smiled his assurance.

"It's best she knows Josh."

"Knows what?" asked Marion, getting concerned.

Josh licked his bottom lip and, looking down at the carpet said, "Mom, I haven't been myself lately… with everything. And… I've been a little lost I guess and…"

He paused for a while prompting Marion to asked, "Yes?"

He looked up at her beseechingly, "Thing's got really messy with… with Dad and… you and I..." He sighed with frustration, trying to find the words that would make her understand. "You know how I got grounded because of the weed?"

She nodded at him.

"Well… I mean I used to just smoke now and then. Because it was fun. But… when everything happened… it was…"

His mother was frowning now. "Josh, what are you trying to say?"

"I moved on from weed and then suddenly it was like an escape and… now… I've become addicted."

His mother's hands flopped limp into her lap and her eyes widened. "What?"

"Marion." Noah said then. "He's been doing really well. He hasn't touched the stuff in weeks. He'll be okay, but we just thought you should know. You should at least know he has the potential."

"I see." Her reply was strange; almost deadpan and dreamlike.

"Josh was really brave to come to us and ask for help with this, Marion."

She nodded again, still not looking at either of them.

"It's over Mom, okay? It won't happen again."

"Right, well," she stood, "Um… I have to go and pick your sister up from swimming so… I'll see you soon."

Josh cocked his head sadly at her.

Noah rose to follow her to the door.

"Marion?" He said. "Is that all you're going to say to him?"

Her eyes were like glass as she returned Noah's gaze. She turned from the door to look back at Josh where he sat in the armchair.

"I'll see you soon, Josh."

He didn't reply, just nodded at his mother.

Noah opened the door and she walked out, without saying another word.

As Noah closed the door Josh said, "You see...? She doesn't even care."

When Noah turned he caught the strangest expression on Josh's face. It was almost like apathy.

Josh stood, walked down the passage, entered his room and closed the door behind him.

...

Luke didn't like Jenna.

He didn't like her almost manly face, her foxy smile, or the way her eyes met his; so direct, so openly honest, that it felt she was hiding something even when she wasn't.

He'd feel her eyes on him whenever he walked past her desk. But when he'd look over she'd look away.

Eventually the waiting became intolerable. He wished she would just spring her trap and get it over with, so that they could both move on and he could do his job; without having to keep his guard up all the time.

Finally he decided that the best course of action would be for him to make the first move.

"Morning Jenna."

She looked up from her screen, unable to hide the slight glint of surprise at his approach. But her usual mask of control quickly covered it.

Luke smiled his brightest smile at her.

"Morning." She replied, suspiciously. "Can I help you with something?"

"Oh no, nothing." Luke sweetly said. "I just wanted to bring you these."

He handed her a box of deluxe chocolates. She looked down at the box with a distrustful frown.

"Simon said they're your favourites." Luke continued.

Simon was the handyman, so Luke wasn't sure how reliable this information was.

Her eyes rose to meet his and her face remained passive. "Why?"

"I thought it might help to… you know… break the ice between us?"

She glared at him. "Getting mad takes up too much of my time and my energy. I'm a busy woman, Luke."

"Why would you be mad at me for giving you a box of chocolates?" Luke innocently asked. "I thought all woman liked chocolates?"

"Except when the giving is a cover for manipulation." She replied. "Besides which, you insult me by assuming I'm anything like other women."

"I don't know what you mean and I'd never assume that." Luke smiled.

"Look Luke, or Luciano, or whatever the hell your name is today!"

She leaned forward in her chair and punctuated each of her words.

"I – don't – like – you. I'm not going to like you so you might as well just give it up right now and save us both some precious writing time. If you want to do something nice for me, forget the chocolates. The best thing you can do for me is stay out of my orbit."

"But…"

Jenna's eyes returned to her computer screen and she shooed him away with one floppy dismissive hand. "Go on genius! You're a reporter now! Go write!"

"Okay now look!" Luke was getting seriously annoyed. He hated not being liked.

She sighed with contempt at him but he powered on.

"I'm trying here." He stated. "This is like my dream job and I want to be successful at it. I want to work hard and prove my place here. But you're making things really difficult for me!"

"Difficult?" She asked and then snorted condescendingly. "You don't know the meaning of the word."

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that I've got little patients or time to waste on a little rich boy playing out his next fantasy at the expense of everybody else!"

Luke's mouth gapped open. How dare she?

"I'm sorry?" he asked, the words dripping with disbelief.

"You heard me!" She continued, standing now. "You swan in here like you own the place. You're holding back vital information on a really big story. One that could make this newspaper some serious money. But for some strange reason I'm not allowed to be the reporter I am and ask you about it. And less than a week after joining, Jarvis is already offering you your own editorial?"

"Just what the hell are you getting at?" Luke protested.

Her eyes squinted at him. "How much did the privilege cost you, Luke? Talk about fucking teachers pet and all that!"

Luke was too shocked to speak. He couldn't believe what this woman was accusing him of.

"Do you know how long I had to work before I was even allowed to write outside of the entertainment's section?" She raised herself out of her chair at the same time as she raised her voice. "Do you?"

Luke shook his head.

"Three years! Three years of begging that man to move me into serious journalism. Where I happen to belong, by the way!"

"And you're saying I don't?" Luke countered.

She didn't get to reply because at the point Jarvis popped his head out of his office and called, "Luke? You got a minute?"

"Teacher wants you." Jenna said with a sly smile, returning to her work.

Luke wanted to say, "This isn't over." But then thought better of it.

He walked away, hating the feeling like she had somehow won that round.

"Close the door Luke, take a seat." Jarvis indicated to the guest chair opposite his desk and waited for Luke to get comfortable. "I'm sorry I've not had the time to see you as yet but I've been rather tied up as I'm sure you can understand."

Luke smiled and nodded.

"Anyway, have you given any thought to my suggestion that we print your detention centre stories?"

"I have." Luke replied.

"And?"

"And I think it's a good idea. It would be a great springboard for me."

Jarvis smiled widely. "Yes it will! And I think the public will eat it up with a spoon. I'm willing to bet there will be people who buy the paper just to read it."

"Wait!" Luke interrupted, "How often do you want to print one?"

"Daily, of course." He replied.

"Oh, no." Said Luke, shaking his head, "Jarvis I don't see how I could do that. At the moment I spend an hour interviewing inmates every Thursday while Mia visits with her dad. Then I have to have time to put their stories down on paper. And they have to be good, you know? I want them to be right, not rushed."

Jarvis nodded. "I see. So what are you suggesting, Luke. Weekly?"

"Possibly, or maybe even monthly, if you think that would work."

Jarvis considered this for a moment. "How many stories have you written? I've read four of them, I believe."

"I've written eight so far"

Jarvis nodded. "Okay then. If you'd be willing we can start with what you wrote about yourself.

Luke thought about this for a moment. He had always planned to include this part in the book. It was important. It was the thread that bound all the stories together. So he nodded his agreement.

"Great! We'll start printing from next week! And in the meantime, is there anything else you were considering?"

"Yes actually." Luke told him. "I'd like to research an article on drug and alcohol addiction amongst teenagers? I have personal experience in this issue and I'd like to find out how prolific it is amongst middle and upper-income kids. You know? Kids you wouldn't expect because they come from stable homes."

"Hmm, sounds interesting."

"I want to find out how easy it is for these kids to get the drugs and where they're coming from. Perhaps even track down the supply."

Again Jarvis spent a few minutes thinking over Luke's story idea.

"I like it." He said eventually. "You have the green light."

Luke smiled. "Thanks Jarvis."

"Absolutely my boy! Now if you would excuse me I have a conference call in five minutes."

Luke stood to leave but then turned back, "Jarvis, can I ask why you seem to be giving me so much freedom to choose what I want to do?"

"Luke, I've been doing this job for a very long time. Some reporters need to be shown the way; given a direction. But there are others, the rare few; that are best left alone to find their own path. That's where the best writing comes out I find!"

Luke felt warmed inside by this. He was realising for the first time that Jarvis really did believe in him.

...

It was lunchtime. He was sure it must be because his tummy was talking and that usually meant it was breakfast, lunch or dinner time.

But it was during the day so it was lunchtime.

Lego was fun. You pushed all the little bricks together and you made something. Josh was good at Lego. He could build ANYTHING. Once he even made a robot.

Sometimes Josh took care of him. Sometimes Luke and Noah had to go to work and then Jasmine would take care of him. But today it was Josh.

Nicholas wanted to go with Noah because Mia was going. And that wasn't fair! But then Noah said Josh would take care of him and that was cool! Josh was so cool!

And Josh was very clever and he knew everything! And Josh could surf! That was really cool!

But Josh wasn't really playing with the Lego today. He was watching the TV even though it wasn't on.

"Build, Josh!" Nicholas told him. "Build."

Josh looked down at his blocks and he built for a little while, but then he stopped again.

"Look what I did make!" Nicholas told him, lifting up his creation which immediately fell apart as he did so.

"That's great, Nicky." Josh stared at him for a while. He had a strange look on his face and Nicholas didn't like it. He felt like he'd seen a big person with that look before. "Hey, um, Nicky?"

Nicholas nodded.

"Do you think you could maybe play Lego on your own for a little while?"

"Why?"

"I… I need to do something. Can you just stay here until I get back?"

Nicholas didn't like the sound of that at all.

"But I'm hungry." He moaned.

"It's not time to eat yet, okay. You just play here and do as I say."

Josh left him then, disappearing to his room.

Nicholas chewed on a block for a while, frowning.

That's not what was supposed to happen. Josh was supposed to play with him and then give him lunch.

He was confused but he tried to be a good boy and play on his own for a while. Then he got bored so he went to find Josh.

Josh's door wasn't closed so he pushed it open.

The sight before him elevated him instantly from that house in Los Angeles to another house in Branson, Missouri.

...

His mommy is trying to catch him. She's angry, REALLY angry. He hadn't meant to but he'd knocked her hand and she'd spilled the stuff on the spoon and now she's chasing him.

She grabs his arm and he covers his face with the other and his knees begin to shake.

Smack! Smack!

The first blow knocks his arm away so that the second one gets him above the right eye. The hit burns his skin.

Her rancid breath is in his face.

Suddenly she reaches over and lifts his head by his right ear.

"I fucking hate you, child!" she screams into it. "Look what you did you little fuck?"

His lips tremble and he crawls up as tightly into a ball as he can, so that the blows hurt less.

"Why the fuck can't you listen?" she spits, swaying on her legs like a tree in the wind, while she continues to rain blows on him.

...

Josh was on the floor with a needle in his arm.

Nicholas didn't like this! He didn't like Josh doing this! His mommy would do this and then she would yell and scream and hit him.

Josh looked up and his eyes were misty and faraway. For a moment Josh's face became his mommy's and then back again.

Nicholas started to shake and he couldn't breath.

"Dammit Nicky!" Josh screamed at him, "Why the fuck can't you just listen! Get out! Get out now!"

Nicholas stepped back with shock and he tripped over his feet and fell onto his backside with a thump. He started to shiver and cry with fright and then sniffing, scampered terrified to Luke and Noah's room to hide in the closet.

Josh wouldn't find him here. He curled into a ball and sucked his thumb, tasting his tears.

Alone, frightened and hungry he shivered in the dark.

...

Thanks for all the support with this story! It means a lot!