The snow arrived on swift wings like a ghost during the night. One day the muddy parks and wet leaves made everyone curse of annoyance. The next day a thick layer of sparkling crystals hid all the dirt under its white cover. The winter break started with Bobby being called to the study adviser's office.

"Mr. Zimmeruski," Ms. Lisa Quincy, started but Bobby interrupted.

"Just Bobby's fine," he pointed out, putting one leg over the other and leaned back in the chair. It was not a comfortable one and the redhead started to long for his bed at home. Lisa smiled.

"Bobby then. I want to talk to you about your efforts here at the school," she now sounded serious but there was something in her voice, something warm that reminded Bobby about Mrs. Anderson. Nevertheless he would not let this chick try to play nice on him and he sighed heavily at the mention of his failed efforts.

"First, I'd like to point out to you that this is not a mandatory education, this is your own choice and hence, regulation says that I would have to throw you out. But..," she raised a hand when Bobby tried to protest. "I won't," she continued. The teen twitched and sat up straight to focus on the woman in front of him.

"Why?" he finally asked with surprised voice. The study adviser laughed heartedly.

"Because I think that everyone deserves another chance and it is of my belief that if you're here, you want to do something with your life. Now, I will write you up for a complementary test after the break. If you make it, you won't get more then the lowest grade but you will pass all the subjects you failed during the first term." While she was talking she was looking through her drawer after papers and because of this she didn't see the student's shocked face as he slowly leaned closer to her. It wasn't until he was half lying-half leaning over her desk that she finally looked up with a questioning expression on her face.

"Are you serious?" he almost yelled at her with eyes nearly popping out behind his shades.

"Yes, Mr. Zimmeruski, I'm very serious," Lisa answered obviously amused over his reaction.

"Dolly that's… that's pure awesomeness!" Bobby ran up from his chair, almost knocking it over. "Thank you, ma'm," he said shaking her hand enthusiastically with a wide grin written all over his features. He thanked one more time before heading for the door.

"Oh and Bobby," the blonde woman said before the student opened the door. He turned and looked at her like she was about reveal that everything was a joke and that he should have to pack everything for good.

"Don't call me 'Dolly'," Ms. Quincy said. Her voice sounded harsh but Bobby could sense a little laughter hidden behind the words. He smiled and saluted her with a bow.

"Yes, ma'm!"

"Have a nice Christmas."

"You too, miss."

"Bobby, come on!" Max shouted when he saw the slim teen walk out through the heavy school doors. He looked like had just woken from a long sleep and grinned widely at the sun.

"Man, are you coming or not?" PJ said as he threw the last of the heavy bags in the trunk of the mini-van. Bobby walked down the stairs with his hands in his pockets, happily sauntering towards his friends. The two other boys looked at him in confusion. They weren't sure whether or not the redhead had been thrown out and if the smile was just a charade.

"Are you alright, man?" Max asked cautiously and tried to catch Bobby's eyes.

"Alright?" Bobby said loud. "Alright!? I'm better than alright? I'm awesome, guys! I just have to do some test or whatever it was and then I'm like… I'm like in the game again!" he waved his arms above his head like a mad man, almost knocking Max over. Mocha Girl simply smiled. Hopefully this could be the starting point, from where on Bobby would begin to take responsibility for his own life and feelings. She kissed PJ gently.

"See you in two weeks," she said and waved her goodbye to the three friends before heading towards her apartment.

"We have to go guys," Max said. "My dad has probably already started with dinner."

"Then we better hurry before he burns the house down," PJ said mockingly and climbed in to the backseat.

Bobby walked up the gravel-path that led to his parent's house. He had had a great time together with the Goofs and PJ's father (even though the last one was an all too loud person in Bobby's eyes). But every good time must come to an end. He looked at the red front door and considered whether he would knock or not. He decided to just walk in.

"Hello?" he called as he took his jacket and boots off. The TV was on in the living room and Bobby heard the footsteps when his father, got up and walked towards the hallway.

"So you're home now?" the man asked and looked at his youngest child with tired eyes.

"You waited up?" Bobby asked and gazed at the wall-clock in the kitchen, which could be seen from the hall. It said eleven pm.

"I wanted to wait 'til you came home so I could help you with your bag," the older man said.

"Thanks," Bobby mumbled. The two men stood quiet for a moment, not knowing what to say next. Since the…incident…when Bobby was still in High school, the two men had never really bounded again and their relationship was uneasy and tensed. They barely chatted other than if they had to and the father was a big reason to why Bobby had chosen to go to college after he graduated. Max was another. But somewhere, deep inside Bobby, there was a third, smaller reason; one that said that he wanted to make something out of his life and actually be someone. Mocha had seen this, but for Bobby, this reason was still too deeply buried in his mind.

"Where's mum?" Bobby finally asked. The father looked away.

"I told you in the letter," he answered, staring at the floor.

"I never got any letter," Bobby mumbled and lowered his eyes.

"No? I must've forgotten. She's…"in" again." Bobby sighed sadly.

"…how is she..?" he finally asked. It took a few moments before his father finally answered.

"She's stabile for now." Bobby nodded.

"What was it this…"

"Enough now, Robert!" Mr. Zimmeruski suddenly raised his voice and made Bobby shrug back a little. The father sighed again and stroke his face in frustration.

"You better go to bed. Your sisters are coming tomorrow." And with these words he left, turned off the TV and went in to his bedroom. Bobby looked after him and rolled his eyes. He picked up his bag and went up the stairs towards his childhood room.

Bobby's mother, Cindy, was a fragile, red-haired little woman. She was beautiful, loved to sing and there was always a smile hidden in the corners of her eyes. But just as Bobby, she was hiding a darker side within herself. During the past twelve years she had fallen down a deeper and deeper depression with periods which she was spending at a mental hospital, mostly for hurting or even trying to kill herself. It all started with the death of her mother and Bobby's failures in school. It wasn't that Bobby's bad behavior in school was the reason to her depression. But losing Bobby's grandmother was hard for her and Cindy felt that because of her beginning depression it was her fault that Bobby wasn't doing well, which made her even sadder, causing some kind of catch 22. Bobby knew this (like children always seem to know more than their parents think) but he still blamed himself in silence, maybe because his father Harry, even though he never said it with his mouth as much as with his eyes, did so.

And here Bobby now was. At the bottoms of the pecking order of his family. He slammed his head hard against the wall, cursing quietly. Why did everything have to be so damn difficult? He didn't care about his sexual orientation or his problems in school, so why did everybody else? He decided that the next morning, before his sisters arrived, he would visit his mother at the hospital. Alone. He lay down in his bed, still dressed and curled up in a fetal position.

Max hesitated with the fist still raised to a knock. What the hell was he doing? Her monster- daddy would probably kill him before he could even react. But this was it. If he didn't knock now, he would never dare to. He took two deep breathes and let his fist hammer against the door in a rapid tapping. Immediately the door was opened with a loud slam and reviled Roxanne's massive father. He stared down at Max, obviously with recognition and Max felt how every fiber of his body wanted to run off.

"Hello, sir, uhm… My name is Maximillian Goof, bet you remember me…yes? Okay… Well I understand if you are a bit mad at me but I just thought that, maybe…" he was interrupted by a muffled growl from Roxanne's father. Max started to instinctively back away. This was a bad idea!

"Dad? Who is it?" a soft voice called from somewhere inside the house and suddenly, to Max's delight and dread, a young red-haired woman appeared behind the huge man. She looked at Max with wide and confused eyes before gently placing a hand on her father's back.

"Its okay dad," she said with a smile, receiving a smile in return. Her father glared one last time reproachfully at Max before leaving the two teens alone.

"What are you doing here?" Roxanne asked, leaning against the terrace rail with her arms crossed over her chest. She had her hair in a loose ponytail with two strands hanging out at either side of her eyes. She was dressed in light blue jeans and a red blouse and the only word that showed up in Max's head was 'wow'" He was abruptly ripped from his thoughts by Roxanne's wondering eyes.

"You look good," he finally said without thinking. Roxanne laughed dryly.

"You won't come far with shallow compliments Max Goof," she said and went to go inside.

"Wait!" Max said, grabbing her wrist gently. She turned and looked at him with fiery eyes and snatched her arm from his grip.

"What? You disgrace me in front of the whole school, we broke up two years ago and I haven't heard from you since! And suddenly you're standing here on my porch and…"

"I was a jerk. Roxanne!" The girl looked at him with surprise and relaxed a bit.

"What!?" she asked, now in a much softer voice.

"I was a jerk, I admit that and I'm sorry. I just… I guess I loved you too much…" he finally said and looked down at his feet. Roxanne stood quiet for a moment and when she didn't say something Max continued.

"If you want me to go, I'll go. I just wanted you to know." He started to walk down the wooden stair. Roxanne rolled her eyes.

"Hang on," she said, making Max stop and look at her with beating heart.

"Why are you here?" she said and crossed her arms again.

"I wanted to see if we could give it another go, now when we both are more mature…"

"You mean now when you is more mature?" she said with a raised eyebrow. Max nodded with a smile. She threw her arms up in the air in an 'I give up'-movement.

"How do you expect me to believe you?" she asked and glared at him.

"You don't have to. I'll just have to show you that I've finally grown up, well, a little at least," he answered and laughed gently. She eventually broke into laughter.

"Okay. I give you one chance. We'll meet tomorrow downtown at noon. Don't be late!"

"You got it, girl," Max said, smiling like an idiot. Roxanne watched through the window as Max went down the stairs and left. She felt how a little fluttery feeling started to move in her stomach. It was something about that Goof-boy that was…irresistible.

"Robert Zimmeruski. I'm her son." The receptionist eyed the redheaded young man in front of her skeptically. Bobby shook his head.

"Look, lady, how many Zimmeruski's do you think there is in this town? She has red hair and blue eyes, her name is Cindy. She has four kids, I'm the youngest and…"

"Okay, okay, sir. There's no need in overreacting. She is in room seven, down the corridor on the right." Bobby thanked and strutted off. He knocked on the door softly and went inside. The room was white, sterile and smelled funny. In a bed at the ulterior wall lay his mother. She looked up from the book she was reading and a big smile spread over her face.

"Bobby," she said and sat up, putting the book down on a side table. He pulled a chair to the side of her bed and sat down.

"How are you?" he asked and leaned closer to her, resting his elbows on his knees. She took one of his hands between hers and Bobby winced when he saw that around her wrists were thick bandages. He looked away hastily, knowing that she wouldn't want him to realize. He was used to that by now.

"I'm fine," she said tiredly. "The doctor says that I will be home for Christmas." Bobby smiled.

"That's great, mum." They sat quiet for a few moments, looking at the snow that quietly fell outside the window.

"How's school?" his mother suddenly asked. Bobby thought for a moment before answering the question.

"It's okay. They say that I will have to do some extra test, but it's okay," he said, avoiding the part about that the extra test was instead of him being kicked out. Somehow he felt that she understood.

"And everything is good with your friends?"

Bobby gulped and closed his eyes for a moment, suddenly feeling hot tears burning on the inside of his eyes.

"Mum…" he whispered. "I need to talk to you…"

"Come here, baby-bro'!" Bobby barely had the time to close the front door before he was caught by Rose in a headlock. He found himself facing her belly of four months pregnancy for a few seconds before she finally released him. She grinned at him and he met her eyes with a tired look. Rose was the middle-sister, 28 years old, had a fiancé and was now pregnant with her first child. She was the pretty one with her red kissed, blonde hair and an always positive attitude. She was a real teaser and worked as a surgeon.

"You look good, sis," Bobby declared and corrected his shades lumpy. Rose bowed theatrically and giggled softly.

"Cut it off you two! We need to plan the Christmas food!" Selena, Bobby's oldest sister, snapped as she walked pass them on her way to the kitchen. She was 32, married with three children and was a successful lawyer who barely lost any cases. Her hair was dark like her father's and she was the proper sibling, the one who knew how to behave in which situation and she was the one who took charge over, well, everything.

"A real party pooper that one," Rose said and rolled her eyes.

"Tell me 'bout it," Bobby agreed and the two went into the kitchen to help their older sister.

"Robert! I started to wonder where you've been!" a black-haired young girl ran up to him and hugged him tightly in a bear hug. Bobby put his arms around her and patted her back absentmindedly. She pulled away and eyed him carefully.

"You look thin. Do you eat properly at the college?"

"Yes, Mave, now please let me breath," Bobby said and laughed loudly. Maven was the youngest of the sister, 24 years old, single and worked as a designer. She had dyed her hair black and before Bobby she had been the rebel in the family. She was the one of the sisters that Bobby had the best relationship with.

"Can I get some attention here, please? Some help, maybe?" Selena waved an empty note and a pen in the air. Bobby and Maven looked at each other and slowly sat down at the table.

"So, Christmas dinner; what do we need?" Selena started and put the pen against the piece of paper.

"Turkey, of course," Rose said and leaned back on her chair.

"Fruit cake," Maven suggested.

"Cheeze Whiz!"

Everybody turned their faces towards Bobby who observed them behind his shades. Rose burst out into laughter, Selene shook her head and Maven rolled her eyes. Outside the snow fell another inches. Christmas was only two days away.

Author's note

Woho! Finally another update! Thank you so much for reviewing and supporting me! :D

So, Roxanne is a bitch but one might understand her.
And I'm sorry for Bobby's mother but I needed a dark twist to explain the big gap and tension in the family.

This is just a transport distance to where things will be really interesting, so I'm sorry if you wanted to see more about Spoonerville but this will probably be it. Please, stay tuned J