Frederick didn't usually have a hard time sleeping, but it wasn't uncommon for him to wake up at 5;00 AM and be unable to fall back asleep. He would still feel exhausted, and his eyes were sore, but no matter how long he laid in bed, sleep wouldn't come to him. Over the years he had given up trying to fight it.
So when Frederick woke shortly before dawn one morning, he just sighed and got out of bed. He thought for just a moment before getting dressed for the morning. He wore clothes he could exercise in, as he had soccer practice later in the morning, but he also made himself look at least somewhat presentable for going out.
Frederick didn't like to just sit around his house when he woke up early. It was so quiet and lonely, and made it far too easy to wallow and let it dictate his mood for the rest of the day. So if he woke up earlier than planned, he would go out. During the school year he would grab some coffee, and then pick up some donuts for his first class of the day. Seeing the kids' excitement at getting donuts always made his day a lot brighter.
During the summer he would normally take his laptop to a local cafe and spend a lazy morning there going over the curriculum for the coming school year. Frederick grabbed his computer bag, as well as anything he might need for soccer. He left his home and began the twenty minute walk into town.
He walked past the park. He casually watched the people that he passed. It was mostly just a couple of early morning joggers, but he also saw a child sitting under a tree. Frederick frowned and slowed his pace as he spared the kid another glance. They looked really young to be out on their own so early in the morning.
As he watched the child he started when he realized that he recognized the boy. It looked remarkably like Fred. That lonely boy at soccer who just couldn't get a hang of the game.
Frederick couldn't help but approach the boy. "Fred?"
The boy's head snapped up. He smiled broadly when he saw Frederick, and there was no doubt that this was Fred. The kid always seemed to excited to see him. "Coach!" Fred got to his feet and ran to him. Frederick knelt to meet him.
"What are you doing here at this hour?" Frederick asked. "Practice isn't for several hours. You weren't planning on staying here until then, were you?"
"Mommy and Daddy bring me to practice before school." Fred said. "School is early today, so I'm early."
Frederick furrowed his brow. "You walk home from practice. Couldn't you walk to practice too?" He didn't like the thought of such a small child walking around on their own, and he didn't think a six year old should be left unsupervised even in their own homes. But he thought that letting Fred get some proper sleep and just having him walk to the park would be preferable to dropping him off at 5:30 in the morning and leaving him out in the open for four hours before practice started.
"I did that." Fred said. "But I got lost and couldn't find the park. It was kinda scary."
Frederick felt a spark of panic. "You got lost?" He knew that Fred had missed a practice last week, but he hadn't thought twice about it. Knowing that Fred had been wandering around the streets of town, probably incredibly stressed and anxious, it was concerning and heartbreaking. "Did you get home okay?"
"Oh, getting home is easy." Fred said cheerfully. "I always know how to get home. It's getting away from home that gets weird."
Frederick didn't like any of this, and today he was determined to speak to the boy's parents. That was something he would have to worry about a little later. For now, Fred needed his full attention.
"Did you have breakfast?" Frederick asked. Fred made a face.
"No." The boy said. "Mommy made oatmeal. I don't like how it feels in my mouth."
Frederick wondered if he would hear anything about Fred's home life that would not raise concerns. "You didn't eat anything?"
Fred shook his head. "Daddy says if I don't eat what's made for me, I don't eat at all."
Frederick could understand the sentiment. Young children were notorious for being picky eaters. But he didn't know if he agreed with this particular lesson when a child had a busy day. Fred wouldn't get home until lunch time, and Frederick knew that it was never a good idea to exercise on an empty stomach. And if Fred's parents were still in classes when he got home, he would somehow be responsible for getting his own food.
This was a very extreme way of trying to encourage a child to eat more diverse foods and be grateful for what was made for them.
"I was on my way to get some breakfast." Frederick said. "Do you want to come with me?"
Fred's eyes seemed to light up. This boy was like the embodiment of sunshine, and that just made the knowledge of what he'd been through hurt even more. And Frederick was sure he didn't even know everything. He was terrified that there was something worse.
"Yes!" Fred rocked on his heels. Frederick got to his feet and adjusted his bag. He held a hand out to Fred, who eagerly took it. "Where are we going?"
"A cafe I like." Frederick said. He mostly got tea or coffee there, but he knew they had simple sandwiches and breakfast pastries that a child would like. Between that and the snacks they got at soccer, Fred should be fine until lunch, which Frederick was absolutely going to get for the boy as well. He'd been putting off talking to Fred's parents, but he was determined to see it through. Even if he had to wait several hours with Fred until his parents got home, it was something that needed to be done.
Fred was perfectly content as they walked into town. When they got to the cafe he ran to the display shelf and stared at the treats inside. Frederick knelt to his height. "Do you see something you want?"
"They have brownies." Fred sounded in awe. Frederick smiled slightly.
"Maybe let's get something a little less sugary." Frederick said. He browsed the selection, offering a few suggestions. Eventually he ordered two different biscuit and egg sandwiches, a fruit smoothie, a coffee, and, as a compromise, a chocolate filled croissant. They sat at the counter that looked out into the street.
Frederick needed to lift Fred onto the high chair. It would be easier to just sit at one of the shorter tables, but Fred was ecstatic about the way that the counter chair spun around. He laughed as he spun his chair. Frederick smiled as he watched the kid have fun.
Fred was able to amuse himself until their stuff came. Frederick stilled the chair and cut the sandwiches into smaller sizes to make it easier for Fred to handle. He didn't even think about it. Frederick just knew that back when he babysat that really young children had a hard time grasping things. Fred seemed to struggle with his dexterity, more than Frederick had thought that most kids his age would.
Fred ate happily as he kicked his feet. They talked for a bit. When Fred heard that Frederick was a school teacher he started asking if he could be his teacher, because he seemed a lot nicer than the one he had last year.
Fred was so disappointed when Frederick said that he only taught older kids. He cheered up a little when Frederick said he might be his teacher when he eventually went to middle school.
"Do you like school?" Frederick asked. Fred frowned as he squished his sandwich.
"I don't know." Fred said. "It's kinda fun, and I liked playing with the toys, but it was always loud, and I don't think Ms. Teacher liked me. Mommy and Daddy didn't like her."
Frederick frowned. "Why not?" Had Fred had a bad teacher? Crystal Cove wasn't a massive city. Most of the teachers across all of the schools at least knew of each other, and Frederick didn't think there was a harsh kindergarten teacher.
"She had a big talk with them." Fred said. "They talked for a really long time, and then Ms. Teacher said I wouldn't be going to big kid school with the others next year."
Frederick realized what had happened. Fred was being held back. Frederick didn't necessarily see a problem with this, as he thought plenty of kids could benefit from repeating a grade. Children learn in different ways and at different paces, and it could benefit a child to relearn things, just to make sure everything stuck. What he thought was most important was why a child was held back, and that a change was actually made so they weren't just struggling all over again.
"Do you know why?" Frederick asked.
Fred shrugged. "Daddy says it's 'cause I'm a crybaby." And Frederick hated that. He didn't think that anybody should say such a thing to any child, let alone their own. "Mommy says it's 'cause I need to be better at making friends."
Fred pouted as he picked at his sandwich. "I don't know how to make friends. Everybody else is so good at it. They make it look so easy."
It was like listening to a younger version of himself. Frederick could remember when he was a lonely little kid. He hadn't really had any friends when in school. He had gotten along with the other kids, and there were those that he might have seen as friends, but he really hadn't been that close to them.
Frederick had thought there was something wrong with him. He'd had a number of tear-filled nights, not necessarily because he'd been lonely, but because he'd felt broken. He'd grown out of his feelings, even if he'd never figured out just how to make friends in a way that seemed to come naturally to many people.
Frederick cut the chocolate croissant in half, passing one of the pieces to Fred in an attempt to cheer him up. "I have a hard time making friends too, but you're a lot nicer than I ever was." Fred was awkward around people, but Frederick could tell that he cared about them. He'd never had that natural kindness that Fred had, and he hoped that the boy never lost it.
"I'm sure you'll make friends." Frederick said. "But don't worry about it. If it happens, it'll happen naturally. You just have to be yourself."
Fred giggled. "Of course I'll be myself. Who else would I be?" Frederick smiled. This boy's happiness was contagious.
They took their time at the cafe. They weren't in a rush. When their food and drinks were done and Fred started to get restless Frederick thought it was time to go. There was still a lot of time until soccer practice, but Frederick had an idea. They left the cafe and made their way to a small toy store. Frederick found a cheap soccer ball. It might help Fred if he had a way to practice more at home. As he went to purchase it he noticed that Fred wasn't at his side.
"Fred?!" Frederick looked around. He'd only taken his eyes off of him for a second. Where could he have gone? He started searching down the aisles frantically. He was just glad that the store was so small. It wasn't long before he found Fred browsing a shelf full of stuffed animals. Frederick breathed a sigh of relief as he put a hand on Fred's shoulder.
"Don't run off like that." Frederick said. Fred didn't really respond to him. He was enthralled by the stuffed animals, running his hands across their plush fur. "What's that you have there?"
"They're so soft." Fred said. He grabbed Frederick's hand and pulled it against the toys. "See?"
"I see." Frederick said. "Do you like stuffed animals?"
"They're soft." Fred said again. "I had a teddy bear when I was a baby, but Daddy said I was too old for it."
Frederick had known people in college who had some well-loved stuffed animals. He didn't care for plush toys himself, but he didn't think there was anything wrong with a child having a favorite toy or a comfort item.
Frederick was tempted to buy one of those toys for Fred. He just wanted to spoil this boy, because he felt like he wasn't getting enough of that at home. But it didn't feel right to go directly against his parent's decisions more than he already had. Besides, if he got Fred a teddy bear or something similar then his father would probably just get rid of it as well, and that could upset or even traumatize someone as young and sensitive as Fred.
So Frederick just took Fred's hand and took him to the front so they could get the soccer ball and be on their way. It was still early, but the sun was up by now and there were more people around and about. They went back to the park and Frederick helped Fred with some extra practice while they waited for the others to arrive.
Fred had gotten better than he'd been on the first day, but it wasn't by a lot, and he still didn't enjoy soccer. The one exception was being a goalie. Fred had fun catching the ball, and he was getting better at keeping a firm grip at it. Frederick may be biased, but thought he saw actual potential with Fred as far as being a goalie went.
They did some goalie practice for a bit, to get Fred eager to play, and then Frederick had him work on kicking for a bit. Fred couldn't hit the ball consistently, but he'd been able to figure out how to get it to go straight. When Fred got frustrated with that, he went to go play on the playground for a bit before they did goalie work again.
When William arrived to start setting up for practice, they stopped their personal practice. Frederick gave Fred a package of crackers and made sure he settled down and rested until they started. Frederick then helped William set up.
"You're here early." William commented.
"Fred was here earlier." Frederick looked over his shoulder towards the boy. "I saw him here around dawn, and I have no idea how long he was sitting here by himself."
William's brow furrowed in concern. "That kid's always here when I arrive. I didn't think he was that early though. Where are his parents?"
"Med school." Frederick said. "I'm going to take Fred home after practice. I want to have a few words with them."
William grimaced. "Better you than me." And he seemed to consider the matter settled after that.
Soon the other kids began to arrive, and practice went as usual. All of the kids struggled, but they seemed to be having fun. Even Fred seemed to be enjoying himself more than usual, and Frederick wouldn't be surprised if a big reason why Fred didn't like practice was because he was left on his own for so long.
Hopefully going forward it wouldn't be an issue.
Eventually practice ended, and the kids ate snacks and one-by-one left with their families. William and Frederick didn't leave until they'd seen every kid picked up by their parents or at least an older sibling. Finally Frederick could take Fred home. Fred was tired of being on his feet for so long, so Frederick ended up carrying him.
He didn't have his car with him, and Fred was just big enough that carrying him for an extended period of time wasn't exactly the easiest thing in the world. He didn't mind it though. Fred really wasn't too heavy, and fortunately he didn't live too far.
Fred's home was large and old, but well-kept. It was the fancy kind of house that Frederick might like to have in another life. Somewhat antique and probably with a lot of historical significance. But there was no way he could ever afford a place like this, and he was too content with his career to consider a change just for a better salary.
The door was locked, but Fred grabbed a key from under the door mat. It wasn't the most responsible thing he'd ever seen, but if these people were sending their six year old out on his own, there wasn't much else they could do. Even Frederick knew that Fred was too young to responsibly keep a house key without losing it and being locked out of his home.
They went inside, and the first thing Frederick did was order some pizza. It wasn't something he'd done since college, but it was an easy way to feed a child. It wasn't quite time for lunch yet, but it almost would be by the time it got there.
The two of them probably didn't need much, but Frederick ordered a medium. He figured if Fred had to feed himself regularly, he might appreciate some leftover pizza.
As soon as he finished making the call, Fred was quick to grab his hand and pull him along to give him a tour of the house. The whole place seemed too large and impersonal to be the home of a child like Fred. Everything was spotless and almost looked more like the set of a movie than a happy home.
Frederick relaxed a bit when he saw Fred's bedroom. Finally he saw toys and books on the floor. It wasn't unbelievably messy, but it was just untidy enough that it looked natural. This was clearly where Fred spent most of his time, and at least his parents gave him the freedom to do what he wanted with it.
"Look!" Fred grabbed a book from off the bed. "It's a circus book!"
"Yes, I see." Frederick said. He sat at the edge of the bed and let Fred show him all the pictures. "Do you like the circus?"
"It's so cool!" Fred said. "Daddy took me for my birthday. There were guys that could fly!" Fred turned some of the pages. "Like that!" He pointed to a picture of a trapeze artist and some acrobats.
"I want to fly like that, but Mommy won't let me climb the tree." Fred said. He looked longingly at the picture. Frederick thought that while a little unfair to ban tree climbing, it was at least a rule that he could understand. It could be dangerous. Especially if a child tried to do it unsupervised, and it wasn't as though Fred had a lot of supervision in the first place. Still, he didn't like seeing Fred so upset.
"Have your parents thought about signing you up for a gym class?" Frederick asked. It could be great to improve Fred's dexterity, and if he pretended he was in the circus he would probably be more enthusiastic about it than he was about soccer.
Fred didn't seem to understand the question, and Frederick wasn't sure how to explain it in a way the boy would understand. This was something he should talk to his parents about.
Fred showed him the circus book until the pizza arrived. They went downstairs. Fred was nearly bouncing on his heels as Frederick answered the door and paid for the pizza. Fred ran to the kitchen and grabbed some small, colorful, plastic cups and plates. He set them at the table while Frederick brought the pizza over. The man didn't say a word about the dishes being too small for him.
The slices were too big for their small plates, but it was easy to cut them in half. Frederick filled their little cups with water and grabbed some napkins. By the time he was ready to eat, Fred had already gotten pizza sauce all over his hands, his face, and on the table. He was happy though, and Frederick couldn't ask for more.
About fifteen minutes after they started eating they heard the door open. Fred's head popped up. "Mommy! Daddy!" He pushed away from the table and ran to the front door. Frederick followed close behind him.
"Hey, Squirt." A broad-shouldered man lifted Fred into his arms and swung him around a little, making the boy giggle. "How was soccer?"
"Okay." Fred said. "We-"
"Oh, Freddie, look at you." The woman who had dropped him off that first day gave Fred a critical look. "You're a mess."
"Lunch got a little out of hand." Frederick said. Both parents turned to look at him. "Please, excuse the intrusion. I'm Fred's assistant coach."
"He gives me a ride home." Fred said. "I told you."
"Oh, yes, I remember now." Fred's dad said. He put his son down and held a hand out to Frederick. "Brad Chiles. And this is my wife, Judy."
"Frederick Jones." He shook Brad's hand.
"He has my name!" Fred tugged on his father's shirt.
"Lot's of people share names." Brad said in a tone that was just bordering on the edge of patronizing. "Isn't that right, Judy?"
"That's right, Brad." Judy said.
"I hope you don't mind that I got Fred some lunch." Frederick said. "I've been meaning to talk to you, and he got hungry while we waited."
"Is something wrong?" Judy frowned slightly.
"I hope he hasn't got in trouble." Brad said. He gave Fred a stern look. "He can be quite a handful."
"He's no trouble at all." Frederick said. "I'm just a little concerned. I couldn't help but notice how early Fred was dropped off." He didn't want to speak so politely, but he knew that laying on the charm was how to get what he wanted. That was one lesson that had stuck during college.
"We're really busy." Judy said. "We're learning to be doctors."
"Obstetricians, Judy." Brad said.
"Right." Judy said. "Obstetricians. Thank you, Brad." They sounded so sickeningly polite. Frederick could barely stand it
"I know you have classes." Frederick said. "I understand. But I worry about Fred on his own in the park so early. I've been driving him home from practice. I was wondering if I could pick him up as well. I could even get him ready."
Brad and Judy looked at each other for a long moment. "It would make mornings easier, Brad."
"That it would, Judy." Brad nodded. He looked at Frederick. "I think we'll take you up on that offer."
"Just make sure you give yourself plenty of time to get him ready." Judy said. "Freddie gets grumpy in the mornings."
"No I don't." Fred pouted. Frederick thought that maybe Fred wouldn't be so grumpy if he wasn't woken up so early.
"Sweetie, the grown-ups are talking." Judy said in that same nearly patronizing tone as Brad used. "Why don't you get yourself cleaned up before you get sauce all over the furniture?"
Fred frowned, but he did what he was told. He began to walk away, looking really dejected.
"I'll see you on Thursday for our next practice." Frederick said, because he wanted to see that boy's smile again. Sure enough Fred looked back towards him, grinning broadly.
"Okay!" Fred said. He ran off, looking more at ease already.
"So, Mr. Jones, can we offer you a drink?" Brad asked when Fred was out of sight. "Tell us, how is Fred doing at soccer? You know, I was the star of my team when I was younger. I'm sure he's just a chip off the old block."
Frederick had always hated parents like this. People who wanted to relive their glory days through their children. "All of the children are really young. You can't really expect to see true skill from them for a few years." Not unless the child was especially gifted in that area, and while Frederick thought that Fred was great, he definitely wouldn't say that he was gifted at soccer.
"I just hope he's not tripping over his own feet." Judy said. "He's always been a really clumsy child."
Frederick saw an opening. "I've read that gymnastics can help a child improve their gross motor skills."
Judy looked intrigued, but Brad didn't give it a thought.
"Any problem he has is nothing that can't be fixed with soccer." Brad said. "If he's going to do a sport, it'll be a real one."
There were a lot of things that Frederick wanted to talk to these two about, but for now he held his tongue. They might think it odd if an assistant soccer coach tried to convince them to let their son drop soccer and try tumbling or something instead. Frederick had achieved what he had come here to do. He was allowed to personally see to it that Fred got the care he needed at least a few days every week. It wasn't as much as he wanted, but it was a big step in the right direction, and he wasn't going to risk it by asking for too much too soon.
Though Frederick was going to try to keep his interactions with Brad and Judy to a minimum, because even this short meeting was grating on his nerves. He'd tolerate them for Fred's sake though. That sweet boy deserved it.