"For the last time! No means no! I refuse to sell you my land! I don't care how many slaves you have or how big a plantation you're goin' to build! I made this farm from scratch and have been livin' on it for 30 years. This is my family's home. I plan to give this farm to my grandson when I pass away but until then I want you to go to your boss and tell him to take his offer and put it where the sun don't shine! Otherwise I'll go there myself and give him a good ol' kick in the keester!"

The man apologized and ran away terrified. This was Mr. Jenkins' sixth time turning down the deal and he was getting very impatient. A man by the name of Johnson Wittacker wanted to buy his land to build another plantation. "Running out of room to put all my slaves," he'd say everytime he'd buy (or most of the time black-mail someone into letting him buy) new property. Wittacker was a very rich, successful man. He earned his fortune by taking advantage of the weak and stepping on those smaller than him. He had a wide number of slaves, houses, and women (even though he was married).

Mr. Jenkins loathed him. Not just because he thought slavery was wrong or because he disliked those who took part in infidelity but also because he hated how he would always go around flaunting his money and success in other people's faces when in reality he was once a poor farm boy. Those two had grown up together back in Massachusetts. He used to be a polite, hard-working man but politics and greed had turned him into a selfish, money-grubbing monster who only took pity on himself.

"Mr. Jenkins?" asked Alfred quietly. He knew the blood in Mr. Jenkins' veins was brewing with abhorrence. "Are you alright?"

Mr. Jenkins formed a fist with his hand. It took all his might now to not unleash his anger on those around him. He looked down to Alfred and saw frightened, apprehensive eyes. 'Alfred,' he thought. 'I didn't want you to see me like this, but it's so hard trying to be a role model when that filthy Wittacker won't leave me alone! He knows exactly how to push my buttons and I'm positive he'll be back.'

"Mr. Jenkins? I'm sorry," apologized Alfred, interrupting the old man's thoughts.

"What do u-"

"This is all my fault. I saw the man earlier and told him to leave us alone but he wouldn't listen to me. Then he started following me so I ran here as fast as I could. I thought I had lost him but I guess not. He was making me late for work! I know it was a bad idea but he wouldn't leave me alone! I'm sorry! It's my fault he found out where you lived. If I had gone somewhere else then he wouldn't have found your house and instead would keep sending letters addressed to you to the mail place like before! I'm so sorry!" Alfred was on his knees, begging for forgiveness.

The man began to snicker. "Al, did you really think this was your doing? Wittacker's workers were bound to find out where I lived. You shouldn't be sorry. It's them who should be ashamed."

"Yeah!" agreed Addison. She walked to Alfred and held him in a tight hug. "Taking advantage of such a cute boy. If they even think of doing anything to my sweet Al then they have another thing coming!"

"Still. You should be more careful, Al," warned Mr. Daniel. "I don't want you going off alone anymore. I'll tell the kids to be on the look out once they get home from school."

"But I'll be alone when I walk back home at night," argued Alfred.

"Which is why I think it would be a great idea for you to live with us now!" screamed Mrs. Addison.

"Mrs. Addison. We've been over this. I have my own house and besides you dont have enough room. You have seven people in your house and only three beds. There's no space."

"So? You can sleep with us! Right honey?" she looked to her husband. He answered her questions with worried eyes. They already had to share the bed with their daughter, Leslie. And it's not like he minded but it had been a while since him and Addison got any...'alone time'.

"Leave the boy alone, Addison," called Mrs. Lily.

"But mother!"

"No buts! The boy has his own home. You said your friend built it for you. Arthur, I think. You have to go back just in case, right?"

Alfred was surprised. He had only mentioned Arthur once before and even then all he said was that he had built him the house and lived with him until he had to leave for business back home. Did Mrs. Lily discover their bond.

Suddenly she gave him a wink. She knew. Mrs. Lily may old but she knew how to read the atmosphere. 'Did she really find out by herself?' asked Alfred.

"Now let him go and get back to work!" she ordered. Everyone, even Mr. Jenkins immediately started working again.

"Come here, Al," said as she entered the house. Alfred followed still in astonishment as to how such a small woman could control three of the most stubborn people he had ever met.

He followed her into what he presumed was her room. As they entered, she looked the door. This confused Alfred but he decided not to question it. Mrs. Lily sat on the bed then motioned him to sit next to her. He hesitantly obeyed.

"So," she began. "Where is he? Arthur, that is."

"Arthur? He's in England on a special business trip."

"When did he leave?"

"One hundred days today." This was strange. Normally Alfred didn't like talking about Arthur but he felt so at ease with Mrs. Lily.

"And how often does he do this?"

"He leaves every once in a while for a couple weeks. Months at the most. He's very busy."

"I see. What is your relationship with him?"

"Relationship?" Alfred had never thought about that. What reationship DID they have? Arthur raised Alfred and took care of him but he would suddenly leave for business. It was as if he chose work over Alfred. No. He wouldn't do that. He said that he HAD to do the work so that him and Alfred could be together. But were never together anymore. Arthur was always in England working. The trips got longer everytime. But Arthur promised and he wouldn't break a promise...would he? These conflicting emotions made Alfred light headed.

"Well?" waited Mrs. Lily.

"Brothers," said Alfred pointing out the obvious answer.

"You love your brother very much, don't you? You miss him. I can see it in your eyes. I can tell when you work with my husband. It's almost as if you're trying to keep something out of your mind. And when you go home, you seem almost sad. Like you're going home to something you don't want. What is it?"

Alfred couldn't believe it. This woman had read him like an open book.

"The house," replied Alfred without thinking. "The loneliness inside. The darkness. The dreadful silence. The emptyness that it gets when he leaves." Alfred couldn't believe his ears. Where was all of this coming from? Where these the feeling he kept bottled up from even himself?

"It's okay to feel that way, Al. When someone you love very much leaves these feeling begin to flourish. Don't be ashamed of them."

"But...but...I promised to become a man. A man doesn't cry...or get sad...or feel these stupid feeling." At this Alfred began to weep. Why was becoming a man so hard? Why did he always get like this when Arthur left? Why was it so difficult for him talk about this?

Wrinkled arms wrapped around Alfred's small body. "A true man," stated Mrs. Lily, "knows that showing weakness is bad. But he also knows that sharing his feelings with people he trusts will make him stronger. You don't have to be alone, Al."

Alfred's eyes widened. That's right. Arthur had told him that the day they first met. You have a family now he said.

"Thank you." Alfred stopped crying and stood up. "You've reminded me of a very important lesson. I have to get back to work now." He unlocked the door and went back to the fields.

"Goodnight everyone." Alfred had finished dining with his family and was about to head home.

"Wait Al," called out Mr. Daniel. "I told you I didn't want you going home alone. I'll walk you."

"You don't have to. You've hard and it's five miles. I'll get there in no time."

"Definately not!" yelled Mrs. Addison. "I want you to take this plate of food and let Daniel walk you home!" Alfred knew better than to argue.

"I'm sorry you have to walk me, Mr. Daniel."

"It's fine. I like walking outside when the moon is out. Makes it look a lot more peaceful, don't cha think?"

"You're right."

An akward silence fell upon them. Alfred looked up to the older man and saw him blindly starting at the night sky. He was so fascinated by the small things. Just like Arthur.

Alfred blushed remembering the times he and Arthur would spend camping under the stars. The nights would be cold so they had to share all the blankets to avoid catching a cold. When Alfred would try to find figures in the bright dots above then Arthur would sneak him arms around Alfred's small frame. It was embarrasing now that he thought of it but it kept him warm as he slept.

"We're here," said Mr. Daniel.

Alfred broke from his thoughts and saw that they had arrived at his home. Did he really zone out for that long?

"Thank you, Mr. Daniel."

"No need. Happy to help. And by the way you should try to get in as much sleep as you can. You've seemed pretty unfocused lately. I think you should take a couples days off."

"I'm fine. Really. Just a little tired."

Mr. Daniel lowered himself to meet Alfred at eye-level.

"Don't lie to me, Al. I know when you're acting weird. Look, I think a few days off would do you some good."

Before Alfred could reply the man had already left.

"Ah," sighed Alfred. "I picked quite an interesting family didn't I?"

As Alfred made him way into the house he couldn't help but notice a letter lodged in the door.

"What's this?" He opened the letter and began reading.

"Dear, Alfred. You haven't forgotten about me yet, have you?"

Alfred wanted to scream with joy.