It was around 4:30 in the afternoon. Ryan sat down with his mom in the stands; his dad was on his way. Jeff could never miss his son’s football game. Beside them were Oliver and Nancy’s parents, the Collins. Since Oliver’s parents died, his Uncle Erwin, Nancy’s dad, had adopted him. He was taking good care of him and always ensured Oliver felt at home.

Nancy’s mom was also happy to have Oliver, as he was a good and sweet boy, and she loved him. Nancy always wanted a little sibling, a brother or a sister. That didn’t matter. Her parent’s financial situation didn’t allow them to have another child until a year ago when they moved into the neighborhood. Her dad got a job as a manager for a new branch in his corporation after his previous boss recommended him for the job.

Carla’s Place, 0500 hrs:
Carla didn’t know why she didn’t think of this sooner. She takes a sip from her second cup of coffee. While she was asleep an idea popped into her head. Her subconscious wouldn’t allow her to sleep, so she got up and sent a text message to the one person who she should have used from the beginning.

She then sent a text message to Ripper as well. She was waiting to hear from the first person she should have called in right away. As for her friend Rita, she was still in critical condition.

I think unless something happens soon to change his life significantly, something that gives him a place in life, a rôle, a purpose and some light at the end of the tunnel he’ll end up committing suicide before long. Such a mind set is dangerous in people who have kids they care about because their minds become so disturbed they often take the kids with them rather than risk them ending up in even worse circumstances. Keep that to yourself. None else who can’t reason it out for himself needs to know. His lack of self confidence and the fear he’ll lose the children is crippling him to the point of being barely able to function. Christ his whole life has been one unending pile of shite, whatever happens has got to be an improvement. A decent single bloke with no life experience worth a damn and even less self confidence who has clearly been reviled and abused all his life by women as well as men was given the custody of his sister and brother in law’s three orphaned kids because his parents are too old and his sisters already have a family and cant afford to take the kids in, and with no bloody support at all he was expected to cope playing mother and father both to the kids. He’s doing his damnedest, but what the f*** were the powers that be thinking of?”

The Courtship of Cerridwen Circe Whitethorn
Chapter 9: Mother's Advice