Note: This story came as a request from a friend, so I'd like to thank her for the idea.

One evening, Perry and Della were hanging out with their children, June and Michael. Recently, they found out about each other through a friend of Perry's. Now that they found each other, they're able to get the chance on getting to know each other and trust.

"Why don't you tell us about your father, Perry?" June asked.

For now, June and Michael haven't known him and Della very long to call them Mom and Dad, so they're going with this for now.

"All right. I'll share a story about him, since you asked."

"What gave you the idea to reopen one of his cases?" Michael asked, remembering Perry recently solved a longshot case from George.

"Something I wanted to do for him since he raised me and your grandmother had issues when I was born, but knew how to take care of herself."

"What sort of cases did he have?" June asked.

"The Goodwill store was one of them. I don't know why I reopened this case, but I somehow thought it had to do with the car accident I was involved in a few months ago," Perry answered.

They were at his house and finished eating dinner, and now it was time for them to know each other more until he and Della decide when the right time for June and Michael to start calling them Mom and Dad.

"I will share this case with you, but I was young at the time," Perry began.

"How old were you?" Della asked.

"Even you don't know this story, Della, so I was probably thirteen or fourteen."

"That's young," Michael replied.

"Yes, it is. Here's what I remember in this case:

Flashback:

It was Valentine's Day and the moon was starting to come up.

George Mason, former defense attorney was at home with myself and Mom. We heard something going on in the neighborhood, but we couldn't tell what it was.

June interrupted Perry could continue.

"You said defense attorney?"

"Yes, I did. They still called him Counselor when he stepped down to help my mother with me."

"So that's why he quit the practice?"

"Yes, Michael. That was one of the reasons. To tell the truth, he was getting into trouble more since I became a teenager."

"What kind of trouble?"

"If you keep interrupting, dear, I can't share the story," Perry told June.

Della was quiet because she wanted to hear this story. She didn't know much about Perry when he was younger, so now she's getting that chance.

Flashback continued

"Where is Perry?" Mom asked, looking from the kitchen.

"He was here not long ago," he told her.

"I know. I'll go check and see if Perry's in his bedroom."

"I'll do the dishes, Ada, while you go check on him."

"Why don't I do that instead, George?"

"I'll worry about them. Just go check on Perry."

She didn't want to start an argument with him.

Once she checked my room, she knocked. I wasn't anywhere in the house.

So she opened the bedroom door when I didn't answer.

"Perry, where are you?" she repeated.

I wasn't around when she knocked on the bedroom door to check in on me.

Then Mom returned to the kitchen while he did the dishwasher since it was full.

"George, go call the police."

"Why do you want to do that?" he asked.

"Because Perry's not in there either."

"WHAT! I'll go call them after I finish the dishwasher."

"I'll worry about that while you call the police, George."

"If you say so."

So he made the phone call to the police like she wanted him to.

"Yes, George, we'll be on our way," John told him.

"Thank you, John. I appreciate it."

"Let me tell the sheriff where I'm going first."

"All right. I'll tell my wife where I'm going. She needs to know," George replied.

"Of course she does. See you shortly, Counselor."

"Okay."

Then George hung up.

"Ada, the police are on their way over."

"All right. I'll hang out and see what they say."

"It's John by himself, Ada. Nobody else is coming with him to take the case," George told her.

"Who is John again?"

"A friend of mine."

"You'll have to introduce me again since I don't remember."

"I will," George said, giving her a hug and kiss.

"I still don't understand why Perry would run away like this."

"We'll find him, Ada. Maybe he's at a friend's house. I don't know."

"Maybe something scared him off," Ada guessed.

"Maybe."

It took a while for John to show up at the house, but when he did, hose to ring the bell instead of knocking.

"I'll get it," Ada said after they finished the hug and kiss.

"I'll just wait here then, Ada."

She left to answer John.

"Hello. Come on in," she told him as she opened the door.

"Thank you, Mrs. Mason."

"You're welcome. George, your friend is here."

"Thank you, Ada."

"Why don't you tell me about your son, Counselor?"

John remembered seeing me a few times, so he was about to remember.

"What do you mean?" Ada asked, closing the door.

"Why don't you tell me what happened?"

"We don't know, John. We didn't seem to notice that he left. We're guessing it was because of what happened a while ago when I reported it."

"Is he home now?"

"No. We don't even know where he went," Ada answered.

"He's never done this, John. We just don't understand why it has to be now."

"We'll keep an eye out. You can tell me what you know when you noticed he was gone. George, you can come with me."

"Ada, I'll call you when I'm done with him."

"Good idea."

"We'll look also, Mrs. Mason."

"Thank you."

John had almost always helped him whenever he was in trouble or when he showed up on a case.

"Good – bye, Ada."

"Good – bye, George. Come back right away when he's done with you."

"I'll see what I can do, Ada. I'll call."

"Thank you, George. I'll call you at the station if Perry's back before you are."

"You do that, Ada."

At the police station:

"Counselor, we have someone here to see you."

"Who? I think I should call my wife."

"Don't worry about her yet, Counselor. We know you've been in trouble in the past, but since it looks like you're not a good example to your son right now."

"I know that. How long do I have to be here?"

"We haven't decided yet, so you might need to stay overnight. We'll keep an eye out for Perry."

"And I got into trouble for him? That doesn't make sense."

"We'll send your visitor now."

"Who is it? Anyone I know?"

"No, Counselor. We're trying to help you out."

"I have to go back home to my wife. She has a hard time to raise Perry by herself. This is why I quit the practice. I'd like to reopen it."

"Listen, George, when you were in trouble last time, I guess there wouldn't be a second chance to start your practice again," his friend John replied.

George had been close to John, so he was able to help him when he was in trouble.

"Before we bring your visitor, there is a question I'd like to ask about Perry or two," John replied.

"What's that, John?"

"Has Perry ever run away from home before?"

"Of course not. Ada and I don't understand why it has to be now. This is why I need to call her at home."

"After your visitor leaves, you can."

"All right. Want to tell me who my visitor is?" George asked.

"No, but it's a woman."

"Who set this up, John?"

"The sheriff did. He thought it made sense for somebody to listen to you on what you have to say."

"What is her name?"

"Let her introduce herself to you, George."

"Whoever she is, I don't think I can afford to pay for her, John."

"Let's not worry about that quite yet. Only both of you can decide that."

"Bring the visitor in."

"I'll go see if she's still here."

"I don't need anybody to help, John. All I care about is my wife and son."

"This visitor is a social worker."

"WHAT! I don't need one, John."

"Sheriff thinks you do because of the trouble you've been into the past."

"What is there for me to say?"

"Whatever you think of. She's a good listener, too. That's a good thing, George. I'll bring her in."

Once John left, George didn't like the idea of a social worker around to share his problems with.

What would Ada think of a social worker? She'd probably freak out also, George told himself.

Just wait until she hears this.

"George, before your visitor comes in, one of us will keep looking for Perry. Do you remember what direction he went after you called us to report something in the neighborhood?"

"No. Ada and I weren't around when he ran out of the house. He's never run away from home before," George answered.

"How about his friends? Would they know anything?"

"I don't know," George said, and then thought of Jeffrey Taylor, one of the neighbors and classmates Perry was in middle school.

End Flashback

Michael interrupted.

"Then what happened? Were they able to find you?"

"I'll share more of the story another time. I have some stuff to do in the morning. Della, I want you and June to go to my parents' house and go see if that file is still there. I'm curious to see what it looked like when the file was made up. Maybe they would mention the runaway from home thing I had," Perry told her.

"Do you want us to go there now?" June asked.

"No. I don't want you driving in the dark," he answered.

"I know, Della, but now you're getting a story."

"Yes, I am. Keep going with it on everything you remember."

"That's the plan, Della. You don't need to call when you and June find that file when you get there tomorrow. It's too dark outside."

"I need to head out to Jeffrey's place. I'm tired. I know you don't have many guest rooms," Michael told Perry.

"Just now since it's a remodel."

"June, I'll tell him you're spending the night."

"Thanks, Michael. I appreciate it," June replied.

"I know you do."

That's when Michael left.

"Be safe out there, Michael."

"That's what I'm doing, Perry."

"You can sleep in the guest room, June."

"Okay. Thank you for letting me stay over for the night."

"You're welcome. Della, you can sleep in the other room."

"We'll both leave the bedroom doors open in case we hear you," Della told him.

"I don't think I'll need you, but thank you for offering."

"Leave it open anyway, Perry," Della repeated.

He didn't want to complain, so he stayed quiet.

June walked her brother out to the car.

"We know this is still hard, Perry, I still think you can't stay home alone anymore let alone the office," Della told him.

"I know how you feel, but it makes sense."

"From what you shared in the story so far, Perry, did the police ever have the chance to find you to bring you home?"

"Yes, they did. They found me after a day."

"Where did you stay for a whole day?" Della asked him as June returned to the living room.

"I'm going to bed if you don't mind. I have a busy day tomorrow," June told them.

"Good – night, June," they both said together.

"June, before you go to work tomorrow morning, you can help Della out at my parents' house and find that file in the story I shared," Perry said.

"I wouldn't mind. I have a court date in Colorado next week, so I need to get ready for the trip back home."

"You can't stay in both offices at the same time, June," Della told her.

"I know, but I do it anyway. I still need to figure out who to reach out to for the price of my house out there."

"Wish we could watch your case in Colorado, but there's no way Perry and I would be able to do it because of his disabilities at the moment."

"I understand. Maybe when things get better."

"Maybe. Speaking of putting houses on the market, Della, I still have to figure that out with my parents' house. I keep putting it off for a long time."

"I forgot about that. I thought you already did that," Della said as they heard June get into the shower.

"No, but I've been busy with June and Michael as well on trying to know and spend more time with them."

"I know, Perry. June sure does have all of that energy to have an office in two different states."

"I don't think that would work on me. This place is enough."

"June has a good idea about going to bed."

"I want to stay awake for a bit longer since I'm not ready yet, Della."