Alice Zahn was a stay at home Mom, but that did not mean she did not have a job. She worked from home part time as a reservation specialist for a chain of resorts. The job met her needs. It allowed her to bring in some money while being a stay at home parent. Feeling like she contributed economically to the household and having a parent whose primary focus was the kids were important to Alice.

Today was a hectic day at home and work. Instead of working her normal 4 hour shift, Alice worked two hours overtime. This led Alice to feel like she was in a rush to get everything done around the house. The pressure of doing what was on her agenda came from within. None of the housework which was on Alice’s list was urgent. Also, her husband Fred would be more than happy to help get anything off the list done which his wife deemed too important to wait.

Alice was still finishing her own to-do list, when the frantic energy of her home increased with the kids arriving home from school. Her son and daughter, Luke and Lori, were seven-year old twins. Kids that age were not known to be a calming force, and those two brought more energy wherever they were compared to the average kids their age. They also bickered with each other.

Bickering and fighting between siblings so close in age was normal. Alice would have been able to handle hearing those two act like normal 7 year olds if only the bickering and fighting was normal. The issue with the bickering was exacerbated by how Lori reacted. Alice’s daughter would always end up bawling her eyes out. Luke's sister was sensitive when it came to her brother. Luke seemed to know exactly how to push her buttons and Lori would end up crying.

Today’s debate between Luke and Lori was about who rules, boys or girls. Lori started the dialogue with the strong opening statement of “Baseball caps were stupid”. Luke quickly retorted with “No, dresses are stupid because boys rule, girls drool”. Lori found Luke’s statement to be against the protocol of the discussion. He was not allowed to put her down. Lori went running to get the moderator to file a grievance. Seeing the tears forming in Lori’s eyes added to Alice’s stress and as the arbitrator of the dispute, she wanted to diffuse the situation.

When Alice got into the living room she was not happy with how nonchalant Luke was about the situation. His sister was hurt by his words and her son was acting like he did not have a care in the world. If Luke’s heart was not going to be in the discussion, then Alice was going to end it. The twin’s mother made a ruling that Luke would drop the subject.

Lori smiled, once again, she got her way. The ruling was to her advantage. There was the added bonus of her mom not telling her to quit. Once their mother left the room Lori was going to continue the debate. This time the dispute would go how she wanted, one sided, with her winning.

When Lori stated her new opening statement of “Girls rule, boys drool”. Luke took this as a start of a new dispute. In his eyes, how could it not be? Luke responded with “No”. Lori said “Yes, because dresses were better than baseball caps”. Luke disagreed with that statement. “If dresses were better than baseball caps then some boys would also wear them, just like girls also wore baseball caps”.

Lori getting her mom to come back into the living room flustered Alice. She needed time to get the work done. She blamed the interruption on Luke for not following orders. The twin’s mother was really not in the mood to be called back in the living room once more. To put a stop on Luke and Lori’s debate she made a new ruling. If Luke started to fight with his sister again Alice was going to put him in a dress to prove Lori right.

Alice was not in the mood to be called into the living room every five minutes by her daughter. The mother went for the easy solution instead of the right one. This ruling was supposed to stop the constant interruptions. If Luke stopped joining in the bickering Lori would also. Alice should have gave both of her children a reason to stop.

With this ruling, Lori not only had free reign to continue the debate, but now she had too many incentives to goad Luke into bickering. Getting Luke into a dress would let her get one up on him. Lori loved when her brother got into trouble and she did not. That reaffirmed in her eyes that she was their mom’s favorite child. Luke’s sister thought it would be so funny to see him in a dress. Plus, she could tease him about wearing a dress at school. There was too much to gain for Lori not to get Luke to start bickering again.

After their mom went back to finishing her household chores Lori went upstairs. The conniving girl was going to have an outfit picked out for her mom to put Luke in. She went to her closet and picked out a blue and white jersey dress. She chose this one, because it was the most grown up dress she had. After Luke was in the dress Lori could easily remind her dear brother by pointing one out. Then after laying the dress on her bed Lori finished off the outfit with white cotton panties with unicorns on them, white lace ankle socks and black Mary Jane shoes.

After getting the punishment ready Lori went back downstairs to enact the next part of her plan. This phase of getting Luke to start bickering with her was harder than Lori thought it would be. Luke was not taking the bait. His mom made a threat and he knew she would carry it out if her orders were not followed. Alice and Fred knew the power of keeping their word, good or bad. Luke and Lori knew they could trust their parents and understood Mom and Dad meant what they said.

Lori knew she had to trick her brother into saying something bad about girls or dresses. She feign sincerity as best as she could and asked Luke why he was stupid and thought baseball caps were better than dresses. Even with trying to be as nice as possible Lori could not resist calling Luke stupid. She was smart enough to know that, while just being nice would not get Luke to answer, the name calling might provoke him to respond. Also Luke would know something was up if Lori was too nice. His sister could never totally hid her contempt for him.

Luke fell into Lori’s trap. His sister would pester him but they would sometimes talk about why they liked something the other did not. Luke’s answer was “Because both boys and girls wore baseball caps and only girls wore dresses”. The answer was innocent, but was good enough for Lori. She started to cry and ran to the kitchen.

Alice was so mad at Luke when she saw Lori crying. The mother just wanted some peace in her house and was at a loss at what to do. She did not even think of the threat she made until Lori was nice enough to point out what she said. That gave Alice an idea. Repeat the threat and make sure that Luke understood he had to be nice to his sister. As soon as her son said it would not happen again she would relent on the punishment.

Luke was worried when he saw Lori running to the kitchen. He knew his mom was going to be madder at him than a teacher at an unruly class. As soon as Luke and his mom made eye contact she told him to go up to Lori’s room and put on the dress on the bed.

Lori added don’t forget the panties, socks and shoes. She taunted her brother to irk him. She knew that if Luke said he would stop her mom would relent. Lori wanted to see Luke in a dress too much to let that happen. She wanted something good to make fun about her brother. Plus, after Luke was in a dress he could never say only girls wore dresses. Lori would point out he did also.

Luke Zahn could not believe what his mother was doing. “Mom, Lori asked me a question and I answered it. She asked me why I was stupid and thought baseball caps are better than dresses. I was not bickering. This is so unfair.” He said in protest to the punishment which his mom was giving him for making his sister cry once again. If Lori was going to make fun of him she should be able to take the teasing back from him. That was fair and his mom taught him that everyone needed to be treated fairly.

Luke’s response was not what his mom wanted to hear. She wanted him to say sorry and it would not happen again. If the threat of being in a dress was not enough then Luke was going to be in one. Alice Zhan started the petticoat punishment by saying in a demanding voice. “Young man, I told you to stop it. I am sick of you making your baby sister cry. You should know better for you are older, so get upstairs right now and change. You will be wearing that dress for the rest of the day.”

Luke was dumbfounded and started to protest more. Yes he was the older sibling but it was only by 3 hours. He was quickly stopped by his mom when Lori started to cry louder. He marched upstairs and told his mom he would never forgive her for this.

Lori started to laugh and make fun of Luke as he stumped down the stairs in the outfit she picked out for him. When the boy in a dress tried to fight back his mom scolded him. His sister kept on saying demeaning remarks at him and his mom just sat back watching. Alice believed this punishment, along with bringing her peace in her household, was going to be an empowering moment for her daughter. Lori would learn how to stand up for herself instead of running to Alice all the time.

Luke was not going to cry. After a couple of minutes, Alice figured out that Lori’s words were not having the desired effect on Luke. The mom made a bad decision to help push Luke over the edge. She started to laugh at him. Her laughter hurt him but still he would not cry. Still Luke would not give Lori and his mom the pleasure of seeing him cry.

Finally, the pain from his mom, the woman Luke looked up to the most in the world, laughing at him broke Luke. A tear fell from his right eye. That moment when Luke showed weakness, was when his sister really went after him. Lori got her face right next to Luke’s and kept on calling him a sissy. Kept on calling him a sissy, that he looks so cute in that dress that maybe he was her sister not her brother. Luke’s mom was agreeing with Lori. Hearing his mom thought he was a sissy hurt Luke the most. Still he was not going to give Lori the pleasure of seeing him cry. He got up from the couch. Then as he was holding back the wailing he ran upstairs. Luke did not start bawling until after he slammed his bedroom door.

His mom was so relieved that he finally broke, she was tired of the same thing over and over again. Lori was sensitive and would cry when Luke would tease her. Luke should just put up with his sister teasing him some, instead of teasing her back. Little did Alice know protecting Lori from taking what she gave out would make Lori a self-centered person.

Luke heard the door of his room open and he asked to be left alone. His Mom did not like seeing how loud his crying was. To make herself feel better Alice lied. She said to herself Luke’s reaction was for her son’s own good. He had to learn to be the better person and turn the other cheek when dealing with people who were not as strong as him. She did not do this to teach him that lesson, she just wanted to have peace in her house. She did not think it would cause any lasting harm. Little did she know that Luke was not far from telling the truth when he said he would never forgive her for this punishment.

Alice tried to console her hurting son and he recoiled from her touch. She told him he needed to quit crying or else he would have to stay in that dress longer. He snapped at his mom “Fine keep me in a dress all you want and make me cry more. Why aren’t you going to get punished for making me cry? I did nothing wrong. Lori said boys look stupid in baseball caps so I just told her girls look stupid in dresses. She started it and you know it. Leave me alone, I hate you.”

Even with the knowledge of her son not meaning those words Alice was hurt hearing them. She also knew from hearing them she went too far with the punishment. She was going to have to make this up to him and also somehow get Lori not to be so sensitive. “Luke how about when your father gets home you and me go and get some ice cream.”

Luke was not in the mood for ice cream or to be with his mom. Luke said “Yeah, have me go outside in a dress. You are a meany. Leave me alone!”

Alice knew she messed up. She did tell him that he was going to be wearing a dress for the rest of the day if he kept crying. Luke believed her when she made that threat. Alice forgot that when someone always kept their word they needed to watch what they said. She did not mean that but Luke did not know. She corrected herself “Luke, you can change before we go.”

Luke said “No, you said I will be in this dress for the rest of the day if I kept crying. I am going to do so, so that you do not punish me again for not listening to you. You are a meany, leave me alone!”

Alice was lost at what to do. She went with his fear of getting into more trouble to try to get him out of the dress. “You know that your father is not going to like seeing his son in a dress, so you better change now mister.”

Luke was not fazed by that threat. Luke said “I will tell daddy it was punishment from you. You will be in trouble for this not me. You did this, not me. You are a meany, leave me alone!”

Now, Alice was not looking forward to her husband coming home. Fred was going to flip when he finds out what she did. Fred was not happy when his wife would try to protect Lori from taking what she dished out. Her husband wanted Lori to handle what she gave other people.

Alice pleaded with her son. “Please get out of the dress right now. Luke I messed up and I am sorry. I should have never done this. I should not have laughed at you and made fun of you. I just wanted you to feel how your sister felt for she is so sensitive. She is not as strong as you so you need to take her teasing.”

Luke said “No, I am staying in this dress. You were mean to me, so mean and I did nothing wrong. I stood up for myself. I do not like to be picked on and Lori was doing so. You should have stopped her instead of being mean to me. Now leave me alone, you are a meany!”

Alice knew right then it was useless to try to reason with Luke. Luke was stubborn. He might have only been seven years old but he stood his ground when he thought he was right. Alice resigned herself to the fact that she was going to have a huge fight with her husband.

Alice’s concern about messing up were lessened when she got downstairs. Lori was smiling and ran to hug her mom. As they embraced the Brat Princess thanked her. Lori’s mom thought the thanks was for helping her daughter find the strength to stand up for herself. But the thanks was for now, Lori had something to tease and torment her brother about.

**************

Fred felt relaxed and happy as soon as he saw his front door. Another day at work in the logistics department at Paulson Corp was over. The tired man was finally going to be able to spend time with his family. Being around those he loved was the best part of Fred’s day. There will be little chores to do, but they were for his family not a paycheck. He enjoyed being a good father by being involved with the household.

The endorphin high of coming home was gone before Fred fully enter his home. The man of the house was greeted by his daughter, Lori, gleefully announcing that Luke was in a dress. Then she added that she could not wait to tell everyone in school how much her brother liked being in a dress and how cute he was. The loving father was concerned about how happy Lori was. He swore part of the joy in his daughter’s voice came from true malice she had towards Luke.

Neither Alice nor Fred could believe what they heard, that she was happy about telling people at school something bad about her brother. Fred was also concerned that Lori was starting to lie. Before Fred said that, he knew he was going to be mad at his wife. This was, because before Fred could question what Lori was talking about, Alice started her explanation with “Don’t be mad”. In Fred’s eyes, don’t be mad meant you should be mad but the person saying it did not want you to be mad.

Fred heard the story and was livid, he just looked at his wife and said they would talk about that later. Before he went upstairs to comfort Luke, Fred told Lori she would not tell anyone at school about her mom putting her brother in a dress. He then went upstairs to comfort Luke. Luke was leery of his dad because of the threat that his mom made, and as soon as he saw him he started to cry more saying “Mommy made me do it.” Fred calmed down his son and got him to change. He promised his son that he would never have to wear a dress again and no one would know about it.

After they put the kids to bed, Fred and Alice had a talk. The discussion was one sided with Alice doing all the talking. Fred’s wife started the conversation by saying how wrong she was and that the petticoat punishment would never happen or be brought up again. She also agreed to the fact that she was going to have to do something extremely special for Luke to make this up to him. The way Alice came clean, and that she knew she had to rectify the situation and the cooling down period made it so there was no fighting between the Zahns.

The next day at school was the first of many of the worst days ever of Luke’s life. Even with Lori being told not to tell anyone at school, she could not wait to share. Lori betrayed her brother and told everyone right after their mom dropped them off at the bus stop. As soon as the Brat Princess closed the car door, she opened her mouth and with joy in her voice Lori said “Luke likes wearing dresses.”

Lori was as carefree about the ramifications of saying those words as what she said was about the truth. Her dad might be mad, but Lori believed that she would not get into that much trouble. After all, Lori was told not to tell anyone at school, and they were at the bus stop. When that fact came to light, Lori’s mom would do everything she could to be lenient on her daughter.

When those words left Lori’s mouth, the truth did not matter. All the kids left the conversations they were in and their attention gravitated towards the lie. Something new to tease a kid was like a shiny object to a 7 year old. Most of the kids waiting for the bus started to tease him. Tracy Armstrong did not.

Luke did try to defend himself by telling the truth, but there were too many kids ganging up on him for his words to matter. Even if it was only a couple picking on him, Luke’s words would have been useless. For words to have meaning, others needed to pay attention and those kids were not listening to Luke. Those kids did not care about the truth. The lie they heard was juicier.

The only one who listened to Luke’s words was Tracy. What he said made more sense to her than Lori’s story. She spoke up to defend the boy. Then Lori said that Tracy liked Luke. The other kids started the sitting in a tree chant using her and Luke’s name. The taunting made Tracy feel small. She did like Luke and they made her feel like there was something wrong with it. She was past the stage of thinking boys carried the cooties. Even if they did, being around Luke would be worth catching them.

Being Cootie infected might not be bad, but having your friends pick on you was. The teasing was not the type to get a laugh with the target, but to laugh at the person. Tracy did not want to cry so she bit her bottom lip. Then just to distract the kids from her standing up to them she blurted out. “I don’t like Luka.” Right then the boy who was the subject of his classmates’ ridicule name went from Luke to Luka.

Even with christening Luke with his new name and declaring not liking him, Tracy could tell that some of the kids were still not convinced she was with them and not the new exile. To make sure there was no doubt Tracy was with the group she became even more vocal by asking Luke to tell her about the dress.

Tracy turning on Luke was the second act of betrayal he had to endure this morning. This one hurt more than the first. He was not surprised that her sister told everyone about his mother putting him in a dress. She was always trying to be seen in a better light than him by everyone. Luke knew she did not want to share anything with him. The spotlight should always shine on her and never on him.

Luke had been silent the entire time. He told himself to just not say anything. Maybe if he just ignore the kids, they would find someone else who was shinier and get their attention. This was starting to work up right until Tracy asked about the dress. Lori joined back in and said it was the blue and white jersey dress she was wearing and that Luka asked her to wear it.

It was not the lie which made Luke give up on the vow of silence. Lori’s smirk was what made him speak up. That smirk was her way of showing she got one up on him. Luke needed to set the record straight. His sister did not get one up on him. His sister did not make him cry. His mom was the one who got credit for accomplishing Lori’s goals.

Luke blurted out “You picked out the dress.”

The pause Luke made when trying to get the next sentence out, was enough time for Lori to step back in the conversation and change the narrative. Instead of her brother being able to tell the truth of their mom putting him in a dress as a punishment, Lori was able to make Luke correct another lie. “Yeah but you liked it. You said the blue complemented your eyes and your hair.”

Luke’s eyes were the same shade of blue as the dress and Lori was jealous. She thought it was so unfair her brother’s eyes were prettier than her own brown eyes. She also yearned to have her brother’s golden hair. Her hair was as black as her heart was feeling towards Luke’s this morning. She blamed him for getting her in trouble with their father.

As Lori was making Luke pay for her actions, Tracy saw a chance of making sure she was seen with the other kids and not Luke. She started the chant of “Luka likes dresses.” The other kids joined in and formed a circle around Luke. Them repeating the new taunt over and over droned out Luke’s attempt to get the truth out.

The teasing of Luke came to a sudden stop when the kids saw the school bus pulled up to the corner. The tormentors were not even going to take a chance that the bus driver, Mr. Ray Ray, would hear them. They knew he would not be happy. He demanded his passengers to be well behaved as he drove. Kids being loud and unruly could be a huge distraction to the driver, and he wanted the trip to be as safe as possible. If a kid would act up, Mr. Ray Ray would go to their home to tell their parents.

On the way to school Luke looked out the window. He was hoping that if he didn’t interact with his fellow passengers, they would then forget about the teasing. Them having a break from the fun of getting under his skin might make them find something new to occupy their time. Deep down Luke knew his hopes coming true were as possible as a child forgetting Christmas.

The sight of the sad boy trying to disappear hurt Tracy. The guilt stricken girl sat right behind and could not escape seeing what she was responsible for. She knew that she was part of the reason why Luke was withdrawn from everyone. Tracy did not want to hurt Luke, she only was trying to protect herself. To make herself feel better, Tracy leaned up to the seat in front of her and whispered “Sorry.”

Tracy’s words were too faint for Luke to hear them. His body was on the bus but his mind was so far away. The boy not responding to Tracy’s apology made her feel worse. Luke should have said OK to make her feel better. Now she was mad at Luke because of the pain her actions caused her. She was going to make sure the other kids kept up on picking on Luke.

The bus got to the school. As the bus turned into the parking lot the chattering of the kids got louder. Hearing that none of the topic was him in a dress made Luke think that maybe his hope was as misguided as he thought. The belief that today was going to be like any other day at school was quickly squashed as Luke got in line to exit the bus. Tracy was behind him and said hurry up Luka. Hearing the new name forced upon him, made Luke dread the day.

Then as Luke got off the bus a smile came to his face. He saw he had backup. His best friend, Blake Sellars was in the schoolyard. Having real support made Luke feel better about facing whatever Tracy and his sister were going to say. Blake would defend him just like Luke defended Blake when the other kids got on him for crying for his mom on the first day of kindergarten. Enough of the other kids would listen to Blake and this would not be an issue.

Then the third betrayal happen, this time by Blake. As soon as they were in the school’s courtyard, Tracy declared that Luke liked to wear dresses. Blake laughed. He waited a second to join in. He followed Lori’s lead. Blake liked Lori and wanted her approval. He already had Luke’s and thought he would not lose it. After all, Luke was there for Blake when he needed him. Blake’s assumption was wrong. Not helping Luke in his time of need did indeed end their friendship right then.

Luke’s ex-best friend thought that the teasing about the dress would not last long. The kids razzing Luke would last only a day. Today was Friday and they would all forget about how much fun razzing Luke was over the weekend, Plus, Luke was a good kid and his fellow classmates liked him. Blake’s best friend was always willing to help others. As soon as one of their classmates got help from Luke the other kids would stop making Luke being in that dress the focal point of who he was.

Little did Blake know that his actions made what should have been temporary permanent. Little did he know he was going to become one of the Luke’s biggest antagonists. Little did he know not treating Luke how Luke treated him had made them foes. Turning his back on his friend created a divide between them. This divide came from Luke being hurt by Blake’s actions and Blake believing his best friend was overreacting.

Now Luke was all on his own. He was the other. Luke became an easy target. There would be no one else to say stop it. The kids would be able to bring up Luke to get unwanted attention away from them. They would be able to put him down to get a cheap laugh.

Facing so many people making fun of him did not get to Luke. His best friend joining them was what made Luke go in the school before the first bell. His classroom would be a place of refuge. Their teacher, Mr. Noth, would not take any bullying in his classroom.

Mr. Noth was doing some final prep work for his class when Luke came in his homeroom. The teacher looked up and saw his pupil was feeling down. Mr. Noth knew to ask Luke what was wrong. Being in this profession for over 30 years gave Mr. Noth the insight to when it was the right time to inquire on his students.

After Luke replied to the question by softly saying nothing. Mr. Noth knew that Luke was not being honest with him. The caring man knew that his students were cautious about opening up to adults. The reason was the child thought that the adult would treat the issue like it was trivial. Mainly those adults who forgot how hard being a child could be in those situations and thinking them now insignificant, was mainly due because other adults treated the situation seriously when they were young.

Mr. Noth repeated the question. This time Luke’s teacher had a more sympathetic tone. The man who wanted to help, also reassured the sad child the problem would be treated seriously. As Mr. Noth had once been young and knew it could be hard.

Luke opened up to Mr. Noth and his teacher was true to his word. The teacher was saddened by how Luke was treated by his fellow classmates. Mr. Noth was also saddened that his opinion of Lori went down so much. The teacher knew she was only seven years old and hated that he thought she had told that secret in spite. Not giving the benefit of the doubt was not in Mr. Noth’s nature. Now Mr. Noth would have to make an effort to make sure he treated Lori just like any other student.

Damage control started. Mr. Noth promised the young boy that no one would get away with calling him Luka in his class or bringing up the humiliating punishment Luke had to experience. Those words were true. His classroom had a zero-tolerance policy about bullying.

The other students came in and they laughed and snickered as they walked by Luke. Even with them knowing their teacher would not approve, it was hard for Luke’s fellow students to hold in the involuntary response. As Luke spent his time in the classroom feeling small, Lori spent her time telling tall tales about Luke. She talked about how Luke spun around in the dress and pranced. That he insisted that they put a bow in his hair and call him Luka.

Tracy hated hearing those lies. She knew that none of this was true. It made her feel bad that her blurting out the name Luka was now being used against Luke. Tracy also knew there was nothing she could do without joining Luke as an outcast. Not feeling good about oneself might be bad, but to some people not being accepted by others was worse. Tracy was one of those people, so she just kept her mouth shut until she walked in the room and forced herself to join in the laughter.

Lori had a smug look on her face. How could she not? She was enjoying the fact that Luke was being treated as an outcast. The best part was that she hardly had to do any work now to keep Luke in this role. Maybe, the way Blake laughed at Luke would help her brother know his role in life. As a distant second fiddle to the star of the show, herself.

Mr. Noth, staying true to his word, asked the kids what was so funny. There was no answer. The question was a way to get the kids to stop laughing. After a couple of seconds of silence, Mr. Noth instructed the students to stop laughing if nothing was funny. The kids listened, they respected Mr. Noth as a person and also his authority. The reason was Mr. Noth treated them fairly. There was no favoritism in his class.

The day was going like any other day until Mr. Noth started to pair up his students to work on a math worksheet. The teacher would always make sure to pair up someone who was good in the subject with someone who needed help. Blake needed a little help in Math and Luke needed a little help feeling better, so he paired the two friends.

Lori was sitting next to Blake and whispered to him in a disapproving manner “You are working with Luka.” The words were not loud enough for the rest of the class to hear. Those words made Blake upset. Lori was not seeing him in a good light because of something out of his control. Wanting to stay in Lori’s good graces, Blake without thinking said “Don’t put me with Luka.”

Other than Luke the rest of the class started to laugh. Mr. Noth quickly corrected Blake and told him to never use Luka again in his class and that he had to stay in the classroom for recess. Then the rest of the class was informed that if they laughed about Luke’s punishment again they would also be punished.

After dealing out Blake’s punishment his judge wrote a note. The guilty boy knew exactly what the note was. A reminder to inform his mom and dad about his misbehavior. Blake now had a real concern, being punished at home. Lately he had been disruptive in class and his parents were starting to take privileges away from him. Mr. Noth doing his job was so unfair. Blake thought that losing recess should be enough.

Matt Thayil was one of the few second graders who still believed in Santa Claus. This came from his faith that people would not lie to him. His logic of lying was wrong so people did not do it. Matt saw the best in people. Him believing every word that Lori said when Luke was not there made the boy correct the teacher.

Lori sat there oozing smugness as the other kids started to laugh again. The punishment which was about to come to the class was going to push her brother further away from them. Lori being pleased with herself was short-lived. Mr. Noth did not investigate it and sent Lori to the principal's office. Her spreading those lies about her brother was bullying.

Even with knowing better than to protest Lori did. She repeated the story which was becoming the class’ myth as the reason why Mr. Noth should not send her down to see Ms. Goldberg. The protest was not going to change the outcome. Mr. Noth sent down Luke to make sure the principal got the truth. This was the best Lori could hope for in stating her disagreement with Mr. Noth. Her brother might get flustered by her lies enough to have him not be able to contradict her story.

************

Alice Zahn was having a nice day at work. The morning’s weekly conference call with the home office was quick. When the targets were being hit there was nothing more for management to say other than thank you and keep up the good work. The customers she dealt with were all a delight. They were all patient when she was filling in their information. The internet connection was not acting glitchy so there were no long delays in getting confirmations. Alice’s day was going so good that she decided to change her mind about doing overtime.

Her last second plan got changed as quickly as she made it with one phone call. It was from Ms. Goldberg about her son being bullied. Alice did not think she should be dealing with this. Luke was a boy and they needed to be strong. They had to deal with people not being nice to them.

Then when Luke’s mother was told Lori was the main culprit of the bullying made Alice defensive. In Alice’s mind there was no bullying involved. How could Ms. Goldberg be telling Alice what really happened when Lori could do no wrong. Hearing Lori went directly against what she was told to do, made the mother start to justify her favorite child’s actions. Lori was just joking with her brother about wearing a dress. Alice knew her daughter was told not to tell anyone, but she meant no harm.

Before Alice could get a word in and explain that Mr. Noth misinterpreted what went on, Alice got the last bit of information. Luke told the school his mom forced him to wear the dress and also mocked him. Luke should have known better. Her son should have never told the school what happened last night. There was no need for the teachers and administration to know the truth.

Hearing that Luke told them got Alice livid. Those people would judge Alice without caring about the rest of the story. Her parenting skills would be looked down upon by people who had no right to judge her. Ms. Goldberg and Mr. Noth did not know why. Any money that her son left out the fact he was not listening to her, and that he was also making Lori cry. Alice in thinking that the entire story would make people sympathize with her, conveniently forgot the parts which made her look bad. That Lori started the teasing between the siblings. That Alice instead of doing what was right to stop the bickering, did what was the easiest by only telling Luke to quit. Deep down Alice knew that Lori would not listen to her.

Once Alice was ready to talk she did her best spin doctoring to try to do damage control. Everything she said was met with I know. Even with it becoming apparent Luke told the entire story in an unbiased manner, Alice still thought her son went out of his way to make her look like an unfit mother.

After hearing out Luke and Lori’s mom Ms. Goldberg asked Alice if she would like to set up a plan on handling Lori’s treatment of Luke. This request was standard procedure for the school in any case of bullying. Alice took the request personal. There was no need for a meeting when Lori just went a little over the line in friendly ribbing of her brother. She forcefully declined the request. The answer was expected by how Alice responded, so Ms. Goldberg quickly said her goodbyes.

While Luke and Lori were in the Principal’s office their classroom was a little tense. All their fellow students were mad that they were going to miss recess. This was the end of April and the weather in the Mon Valley was finally nice enough for them to not have to wear coats during recess. Being out in the sun was a real treat.

Mr. Noth understood why the kids were upset. They did not understand the punishment. He knew that 7 year olds sometimes needed to be reminded of the rules. He took a break from today’s lesson and talked about treating others how they wanted to be treated. That picking on someone and lying about them was not nice. That they would all have felt as bad as Luke if they were being laughed at.

During the little moral lecture the mood in the room changed. Most of the kids started to feel bad. A couple felt so bad about being mean they started to cry and say sorry. Kids that age are very sympathetic. Most of the class learned the lesson. Mr. Noth gave them a chance to make amends by saying sorry to Luke. The ones who did would be able to go outside. Punishment was about behavior modification and not revenge.

The walk back to class was long for Luke. He knew the other students were going to blame him for missing recess. Lori reinforced Luke’s feeling of dread saying that now the other kids liked her better than him. Friendship in a social group was not a competition, yet Lori had to win.

Then they finally got to class and to their surprise everyone in class except Blake and Tracy gave a sincere apology. Blake because he blamed Luke for whatever punishment his parents were going to give him and Tracy because she could not admit out loud how much a part she played in Luke being hurt today.

Then Mr. Noth gave Lori a chance to make reparations. She stayed quiet. Lori had no remorse. Telling that tale put Luke in his place for a little while. She might lie to get Luke in trouble, but there was no way she would do so to make him feel better. Saying an unforced sorry would give him the upper hand in their personal battle that only she was waging.

The rest of the day went back to being a normal day in Mr. Noth’s classroom. Luke thought that the ordeal of being forced to wear a dress was over. He was wrong. During recess Lori, Blake and Tracy talked about how much they did not like Luke anymore. Lori knew she had two allies in the War of the Twins. These two should be able to get more kids on her side. Lori also learned to wage the war only without adults around. They were impartial moderators who would side with her enemy.

If being unaware of having a war declared on him was not bad enough, Luke was going to have to deal with his mom when he got home. She was going to make him learn the lesson of what happens in their home stays in their home. This afternoon was just the calm before the storm.

Renee Wahla was fearless. When some of her classmates started to cry after finding out they hurt Luke she joined them. They started to cry because they were still learning to control their emotions. Renee, on the other hand, started to cry because she was not going to deny her sadness. She was in control of her emotions, but was never scared of showing them. Renee wearing her heart on her sleeve was the reason why she was Mr. Noth’s favorite student.

During recess Renee made sure that she spent time with Luke. Even with getting apologies from most of his class, the boy was still a little reserved. How he became an object of ridicule of the entire class so quickly made him feel a little alienated from his fellow students. Before being mocked, Luke thought that his friendship with them was permanent. Now, he knew how his classmates saw and treated him could change on a whim.

Renee knew Luke liked riding his bike and started to talk with him about it. Her enthusiasm about riding bikes was genuine. Renee loved her bike. Seating in that bike and pedaling made her feel strong. Riding that bike gave her independence, and the young girl would ride it to the neighborhood playground on her own.

As Renee was regaining Luke’s trust, Matt Thayil joined their little group. His opinion of Luke did not change when he believed Lori’s lie. To Matt, what was really important about people was how they treated others. Luke treated others with caring and kindness, so Luke was someone he liked.

When Matt found out they were talking about bikes, he was happy that he came over to see Luke. Like the other two, Matt thought that bikes were the best thing ever. He loved how fast he could go on a bike. Feeling the breeze on his face as he rode his bike always brought a smile to Matt’s face.

The first bell to end recess rang. Luke was feeling more confident about belonging. He wanted to make sure Renee and Matt knew, so he made two pacts, one to himself and one to those two. Luke vowed that he would always be there for those two. While making a vow to himself Luke also made a promise that all three of them would ride their bikes together as much as possible this summer. Matt and Renee quickly agreed.

As Luke walked back into the school he thought about how great it would be if Blake also was part of the bike riding fellowship. Blake also loved riding his bike. Even with his best friend being a great fit, Luke knew Blake would not be involved in those rides. Something had changed between them and Blake and Luke were not going to be close anymore.

*************

Luke got confirmation that his friendship with Blake had changed. After the last bell Blake just walked by Luke and in a cold voice informed him that they would not be hanging out this weekend. This felt wrong to Luke. They usually walked out together. When they did not, Blake would have a smile on his face and warmth in his voice saying goodbye to his best friend.

Blake left the classroom alone. The simple reason was that he did not want to be around Luke. Luke was the reason why Blake was in trouble. Plus, even if Blake was not blaming Luke for being in trouble, the boy knew that he was not going to be able to see any of his friends this weekend. His parents were going to at least ground him for the weekend.

The bus ride provided another bad sign for Luke. Lori and Tracy sat together and right behind Luke. The new sitting arrangement made no sense. Those two were not friends. Also, Lori normally made sure she did not sit anywhere near her brother. Those two sat down next to Luke because they were up to no good.

As the bus pulled away from the school, Tracy and Lori started whispering to each other about how Luka liked to wear dresses. They used the roar of the diesel engine to ensure the bus driver, Mr. Ray Ray, did not hear them putting Luke down. They leaned forward to make sure that only their target of ridicule could hear them, whispering loud enough for Luke. The two girls did not want anyone to be able to back up Luke telling the truth. Both girls sitting behind Luke wanted to get under his skin without the bus driver knowing. The two girls in the Anti-Luke Society wanted him to shout shut up to them. This would cause Mr. Ray Ray to yell at him. Getting Luke in trouble was one of the main goals of the newly formed group. This was one of the plans those two along with Blake came up with, to get back to Luke.

The flaw in their plan was exposed when Luke did not take the bait right away. Luke went back to his old strategy of just ignoring being picked on by others. Lori knew exactly how to make Luke fall into their trap. Luke corrected her when she lied about making him cry, so she did it again. For the second time Luke could not hold his silence, he had to correct Lori. He was frustrated that she was trying to make it seem like she got one over him. Luke wanting the truth to be known yelled. “Shut up, you are lying.”

The plan worked because Mr. Ray Ray scolded Luke. The bus driver made it clear that no one told anyone else to shut up on his bus. Luke tried to plead his case, but the judge would not hear him out. Luke was reprimanded for not listening. Then on his way off the bus Luke was told by Mr. Ray Ray to never do that again on his bus. Luke was now in Mr. Ray Ray’s dog house.

**********

Life was an inside job. Once a person has their basic and psychosocial needs met, their mindset was what determined their life. The great beginning of her day was erased by her talk with Ms. Goldberg. After the phone call, Alice’s mindset was bad. Having a negative point of view made Alice take more notice on any inconvenience. As if having other people knowing her family’s business was not enough, the last two hours of work were bad. Although she only dealt with a couple of impatient customers, to her, every one of them were in a hurry. The internet as well had some lag time during one of the reservations calls.

Alice was fuming when her children came home and she let the twins know why. Lori’s mom shook her head in disappointment as she scolded her daughter. Lori should have known better than to tell the kids about Luke being in a dress. Then Luke’s mom had pain in her voice as she told him it was not right for him to tell people she put him in a dress. That was a family issue and should have stayed private.

Lori was shocked when her mom was blaming her for what happened. Lori was not used to being in trouble with her mom. For once Alice was not playing favorites. The favorite child did not know how to deal with being in trouble with her mom. The Brat Princess always got the benefit of the doubt from her benevolent queen mother.

Lori started to play with her hair. This was her nervous tick. Pulling a little on her ponytail gave her an idea to restore the status quo to what it was, blame Luke. Just say that Luke started it by pulling her ponytail. The spotlight was on Lori and she started to give one of her best performances. She started to sniffle a little bit and said it was all Luke’s fault.

Even if Lori’s act was not as convincing as a performance by Katharine Hepburn, Alice would have believed her daughter’s words. The mother let confirmation bias take over instead of thinking about the likelihood of the story being true. Luke has never physically teased his sister. The story she gave was believed because it gave credence to Alice’s existing belief of Lori. Luke starting this would let her golden child remain golden.

Instead of asking if this was true, Alice asked her son why he pulled Lori’s ponytail. Luke defended himself the only way he knew how, by denying the false accusation. As Luke was making his case against the bogus claim, Lori started to cry louder. She wanted to use her tears to drown out the truth coming from her brother’s mouth.

Hearing the high-pitched scream from Lori and Luke not answering her question got Alice even more frustrated. She just wanted some peace and quiet after dealing with her long day. Her kids needed to give her a break from the bickering. She told Luke not to lie to her.

Luke again told the truth. Alice wanted to give her son one last chance to come clean in her eyes. She wanted to hear Luke just confirm what she believed. Alice was just going to tell him not to pull his sister’s hair again once he admitted to the wrongdoing. She told Luke to say why he pulled his sister’s hair. She added that if he would not say why, then she would have to punish him.

Luke was hurt. How could his mom have thought he would pull Lori’s hair? He might not get along with Lori, but he would never do anything which might hurt her. Also, being punished was just wrong. It was only his word against hers. Luke said Lori was lying. How adamant her son was, made Alice’s faith in her daughter start to waver.

Lori saw that her mom was starting to change sides, so she amped up the crying to keep on drowning out the truth. Lori also reminded her mom about the punishment she promised Luke for not saying why he pulled her hair.

Lori’s constant wailing was starting to give Alice a headache. The crying was hurting Alice’s ears and she just wanted it to stop. The mom went for the easy way out of the situation and punished Luke. She told her son he was grounded until tomorrow morning.

Alice went with the quick fix solution because she thought it was no big deal. The sentence was really not taking anything real away from Luke. Her son was going to be in the house tomorrow until the afternoon, so this was not a real punishment in the mother’s eyes. Alice was just trying to smooth over Lori’s hurt feelings in order to get her to stop crying. To her this was a win-win situation. Luke lost nothing and Lori would stop crying.

Luke was not going to take the unfair punishment. Luke with conviction said “No.” Alice was not the only one in the kitchen who had a bad day. Luke was not going to have anything else bad happen to him today.

Luke standing up to Alice made her rethink again if she was doing the right thing. Luke would always take his discipline when he did something wrong. Then Lori reminded their Mom Luke tried to defy her yesterday about the dress. This made Alice doubt that Luke was standing up for what was right, but thought he could get away with refusing to listen to his mom.

Lori bringing up the dress gave Alice an idea. She was going to use an idle threat to get Luke back in line. Alice said “Fine you do not want to be grounded tomorrow, I will just put you in a dress again.”

The bluff worked, but not how Alice expected. Luke and Lori believed their mom. Lori started to mock Luke about being in a dress again. The scared boy got real fear in his eyes. He ran out of the kitchen calling his mom a big meany. As Luke ran up the stairs, each one of his steps thundered throughout the house. Then there was a huge boom as Luke slammed the bathroom door shut.

************

Fred was even happier today than he was yesterday coming home from work. Today was Friday, and just like every Friday, his office had an upbeat mood. He and his fellow coworkers were like Loverboy, working for the weekend. The man wanted some downtime and had the next two days off. Fred was one who believed he worked to live not live to work.

Another reason for Fred’s good mood, was the expectation of the peaceful household which was going to greet him. The drama which greeted him yesterday meant that there was a ceasefire between the warring twins. Yesterday’s flare up in hostilities was bad and that was a concern. But there would be a lull in fighting for the next couple of weeks. Fred knew that would be the time for the peacekeepers of the house, him and his wife, to hammer out an armistice between Luke and Lori. Hopefully this time the peace would be permanent.

Then as Fred opened the front door, he heard the sound of the warring twins. Lori gloating to him about Luka being in a dress again, and his wife pleading with Luke to get out of the bathroom to his son yelling, “No, you are going to put me in a dress again. You are a meany.”

The normally even keeled Fred lost his composure. His level headedness capsized. Fred shouted for his wife to come downstairs right away. As soon as Fred gave those orders to his wife, Lori shut up. The Brat Princess was hoping that her dad would not remember what she was saying. She knew if her dad registered what she had said she would be in trouble.

Alice was not going to be talked to like that by her husband without standing up for herself. Right then, she knew her and her husband would be in a fight. Instead of thinking about the reason behind the fight, Alice was mad that Fred went against their agreement of never fighting in front of the kids. They both knew that they needed to have a united front in front of Lori and Luke. Plus, they did not want their kids to see them fight. Luke and Lori might blame themselves for the argument.

To try to calm down her husband Alice said “Fred we agreed to not fight in front of the kids. Never talk to me like that again when Luke and Lori are around.”

Fred knew he was wrong. “I am sorry my love. Lori get upstairs, go to your room and do nothing.”

Lori gulped hearing the instruction. Being told by her father to do nothing was a sure sign she was in trouble. Lori also knew this trouble was bad. To Lori her dad was never on her side. He just wanted to punish her for trying to make people see she was better than Luke. In reality, Fred just tried his best to treat both of his children the same.

Even with the chaos of her son locked in the bathroom and her daughter egging her on about keeping her word about the punishment, Alice saw the situation under control. Alice finally got Luke to start talking and there was no way that she was going to listen to Lori. Her husband came in without knowing what was going on and made something out of nothing. If she had had ten more minutes, Fred would never have known anything was wrong.

After Lori listened to her father Alice started to explain what was going on “Fred, instead of coming in here and starting to yell, you should have seen what was going on. I had everything under control.”

Fred was as skeptical as a meat eater was to an Impossible Burger about his wife’s claim and said “Really.”

“Yes, I had it under control. You see, Luke pulled Lori’s hair, so she told the kids about him being in a dress. Luke overreacted to the kids harmless ribbing so the school got involved. He told them I put him in the dress. The principal called me and she wanted me to explain myself.”

Alice took a break from explaining the situation to see her husband’s reaction. She could tell by the look on his face Fred was not happy. “Why wasn’t Lori sent to her room. We told her not to tell anyone.”

“Like I said, Luke pulled her hair.”

“Come on, you really think that Luke pulled her hair. You know our son better than that.”

“Lori was crying and every time Luke denied doing so, she started to cry louder.”

“That does not change the fact that Luke has never touched Lori. Even when Lori would push him, Luke never pushed her back. He knows he is so much stronger than her. Plus, you know that Lori would have told the school had Luke pulled her hair. Did Ms. Goldberg say anything about Luke acting up?”

Alice thought about it and knew that Lori’s story was just that, a story. She did not see the story as her daughter lying to her. Lori meant that Luke must have done something to provoke her. “OK, Luke did not pull Lori’s hair, but he had to have given her a good reason to tell the kids. Plus, he should have never told the school I put him in a dress. That was not right. You should have heard how Ms. Goldberg talked down to me.”

“Honey, there is no good reason for Lori to go against what we told her to do. Also, you being mad at Luke. Our son told the truth. Him telling the truth was right. If anything, you should have never put him in a dress. You did something bad and now, you are mad that people found out. If you don’t want people to know you put your son in a dress you should never have done it.”

Alice got defensive “We covered this yesterday. I know I messed up. Other people should not know what I did.”

“So other people should think that Luke likes to wear dresses?”

“I’m not saying that. He should have never told anyone why he was in a dress.”

“Sweetie. No, Lori should have never told anyone he was in a dress. Luke had the right to say why. Anyway, why is Luke in the bathroom saying you would not put him in a dress again.”

“Oh honey, don’t get mad. Luke said no to me grounding him so I made an idle threat about putting him in a dress. It was just tomorrow morning so he was not really grounded. I just did so to make Lori stop crying. She was hurt by whatever Luke did to her.”

“Don’t get mad? Don’t get mad? Alice, you saw how hurt Luke was yesterday, and you threatened to put him in a dress, again? I told him that would never happen again. We agreed you went too far. No; you said you went too far without me saying anything.”

“Fred, I just said I was not going to put him in a dress.”

“I know you did. Luke did not know you were bluffing. An idle threat only works if the person believes it.”

“I messed up. Luke needs to quit teasing his sister. They have been coming home from school and being so disruptive. I need him to listen to me.”

“Alice, you cannot make just one of them quit. Lori keeps it up after you tell Luke to back off.”

“Lori is just having a little bit of fun. Getting on older Brother’s nerves is what younger Sisters do.”

Fred needed a time-out from this talk. He hated when his wife would say Lori was the younger sister. Technically, Alice was stating the truth, but they were twins. People who were born on the same day were the same age. “Alice, I am going to get our son out of the bathroom.”

***********

The pleading at the locked door stopped. Luke not hearing his mom saying she was not going to enforce the petticoat punishment anymore made Luke feel even safer in his solitary confinement. The feeling of security would leave Luke if he left the bathroom. After all, last night he was promised that he would never have to wear a dress again and just a couple of minutes ago his mom was going to put him in one.

Luke’s fear came from how real the threat was to the little boy. His mom did say she was wrong putting him in a dress, but she never apologized to him. Admission of wrongdoing without showing remorse and empathy were just words. Today’s threat contradicted yesterday’s admission of a mistake. How could Luke’s mom thought the punishment was wrong if she was going to do it again?

Lastly, actions were needed to back up Alice’s confession. Luke’s mom never made the restitution. She never took action to provide an act or service to make up for the transgression. Taking Luke out for ice cream never happened last night. The promise fell to the backburner when Alice realized there were more important issues than soothing her son’s feeling.
Luke feeling safe did lift his spirits until he heard his parents arguing. Luke could not hear everything his mom and dad were saying. Their raised voices were muffled by the bathroom door. Luke’s spirits lowered when he heard his parents fight. The little boy was hurt that he was causing his mom and dad to be mad at each other. Luke’s mom and dad loved each other and the bad feelings between them were wrong.

Then there was a light tapping on Luke’s barrier to the outside world. The tapping got no response. Then the light tapping started again. This time the tapping were followed by words. Fred asked his son if they could talk. The tone in Luke’s dad voice matched the lightness of the tapping and the boy said yes.

Fred asked Luke what happened today. Luke started the story and at first did long pauses after each sentence. The break between the words came from Luke wanting to give his father a chance to talk. Luke did not want his dad to get mad if he had to interrupt. The only words which came from the other side of the door was go on.

After a couple of pauses Luke finished the story without stopping. He felt listened to. Fred asked Luke to open the door. Luke did. The safe zone grew from the story being heard without assumptions. There was no wearing a dress in Luke’s future.

After opening up the door Luke apologized. Fred asked him what for. Luke replied for making his mommy and daddy fight. The response hurt Fred. He was going to set his son straight.

“Luke, you did nothing wrong. Lori should have never told the kids about what your mom did last night to you. Your mom should have never said you would be in a dress. If your mom ever put you in a dress again, she will be in big trouble.”

An adult being in big trouble was a foreign concept to Luke. Thinking an adult could do something wrong was as outlandish to Luke as his sister being nice to him for no reason. Could this mean his mom would be punished? Confirmation was needed. “Mommy would be punished?”

Fred held in the laughter the question brought to him. The concept of an adult being in trouble with another adult needed to be translated to a manner which a child could understand. He did not want to get into details about what the trouble would be, two equals having a huge disagreement. “Yes, she would be punished in an adult way.”

Luke believed his father. Luke not listening to his mom about being grounded still felt wrong to the boy. Knowing that he was not going to be in a dress Luke wanted to show he was sorry to his mom. Restitutions were needed. Luke accepted his mom’s original punishment. Not for lying but for not obeying. “Dad, I am grounded until tomorrow morning.”

“No. You are not. You did nothing wrong. Now go to your room and play with your Gameboy until supper. I need to talk with Lori.”

Even with being out of trouble Luke was still feeling a little sad. He knew when his dad had to have a talk with someone they were usually in trouble. Even with Lori being a pain, Luke did not want to see his sister in trouble. He cared for her. Also her being in trouble made her even more of a pain to him later. She took retribution for the perceived transgression out on him.

Luke listened to his father and went to his room. Playing Poke-Gi-Oh, a monster collecting game, took his concentration and took him away from feeling sad. To be good at catching monsters Luke needed to be totally focused on the game. The only way to find the hard monsters was to notice the little details within the game. There was a good chance a new path was made by a wandering monster. Not looking meant to miss the path. After a couple of minutes of playing Luke’s mind went from being chased by the events of the day to him chasing monsters to catch.

**********

Time was dragging as Lori laid in her bed. She knew how long each second was. This knowledge came from the ticking of her watch being the only noise in the room. Each tick was a loud announcement of how slow time was moving. The feeling of dread which came when a person was waiting for something bad to happen added to the time dragging. Each space between the ticks was filled with how bad her dad was going to punish her.

Lori needed something, anything to take her mind off while her dad came into her room to talk. She then smiled when she remembered her mom and dad saying they were doing nothing while watching the television. Lori turned on the television to take her mind off of the trouble she was in.

Lori knew it was wrong, but would coyly give the answer her mom and dad used when watching television when asked why it was on. She knew that being cute would not work on her dad. This did not matter because her parents had to agree to the punishment and her mom would buy it. The appeal judge of the harsh punishment would be lenient. After all, Lori heard them say watching television was doing nothing.

Fred was going to knock on Lori’s door. The father respected his daughter’s privacy. His mind changed when he got closer to Lori’s room. He heard the television. This was the second time she acted against direct orders. His daughter was openly disrespecting his command. He went straight in Lori’s room so as not to give her time to turn off the television. Fred knew Lori well enough to know she would try to get rid of the evidence and deny what she was doing. Fred looked right at his daughter when he opened the door and asked her what she was doing.

Lori was more concerned about getting out of trouble than being truthful and said nothing. She was laying the groundwork to getting away with not listening to her father.

Fred knew the game Lori was playing. He was going to put a stop to right away. She got away with defying his and his wife’s wishes too much by being cute. “Don’t lie to me. You were watching television.”

Lori response was not for her father. She made the mistake of playing to her mom instead of answering her father. “You and mom say you are doing nothing when you watch television.”

“You know that is just a saying. You know we meant we are doing nothing special. Now tell me what you were doing.”

Lori did not want to admit that she was watching television. That would be confessing to not following orders. Saying she was guilty would make it so the appeal judge could not be lenient on the punishment. “Dad, I was just waiting for you to talk with me. “

Fred hated pulling teeth. Had he like it, he would have been a dentist. He gave out a sigh and said “Did you turn the television on Lori?”

Lori was smart enough to answer the yes or no answer how her father wanted her to. “Yes.”

“What were you told to do?”

“Nothing.”

“Is that doing nothing?”

Lori got upset by the questioning. She knew her father was at his wit’s end with her. This meant that the Brat Princess was going to have to be responsible for her actions. She wanted her father to see he was making a big deal about nothing. To try to get him to calm down Lori said. “I was just watching some television.”

“Lori, is that doing nothing?”

Lori tensed up hearing the question again. Her tactic of trying to get out of trouble acted like an out of tune car and backfired. Lori admitted the truth “No. It’s not.”

“When I tell you to do something, you listen. Now turn off the television so we can talk about you not listening to me.”

Lori went into full Brat Princess mode. She made no pretense to hide her, we are not amused attitude with what was happening. Lori made a big production out of following her father’s order. Instead of using the remote in her hands, she slammed it down on the stand next to her bed. Then she got up from her bed and paused to look directly at her father. Then, she stomped her little feet as she marched to the television. Then another little pause before she manually turned off the television. Finally, looking directly at her dad, gave him the are you satisfied look.

Fred paid no attention to Lori’s temper tantrum. There was a bigger issue than her attitude to deal with at the moment. When Lori was done following orders, Fred said “Now Lori. You are in big trouble. I told you not to tell anyone about what your mom did to Luke. You not only told people, but you lied about it. I am disappointed in you. “

Lori started to perform again. She was sniffling when she said “Luke started this. He pulled my hair first. He was being mean to me.”

“Don’t lie to me young lady. I know what happened. I know you told the kids at the bus stop as soon as you got out of the car. I know you did not report Luke to the school about pulling your hair. You would have. Now, did Luke pull your hair?”

Lori knew there was only one option, to tell the truth. She said no. Fred just looked at his daughter. The father was not happy with Lori’s short answer. He wanted her to fully admit to the lie. Lori needed to take full ownership of her wrongdoing.

The silence was making time drag again for Lori. The only way for time to get back to normal speed was for the punishment to go from Lori’s imagination and become reality. What was going to happen could not be as bad as what Lori thought. The only way to move to the punishment phase of this trail was for Lori to freely give a full confession. “Luke did not pull my hair.”

“OK Lori, you are grounded for a week for lying about Luke liking to be in a dress and not following what your mom and me ordered. Your television will be taken out of your room until you show that you can follow what you are told to do.”

“You cannot punish me without Mom agreeing to it also.”

Fred had enough of his daughter’s backtalk and attitude. “Lori, I am the parent here, You do not tell me what I can and cannot do. You are showing me that you cannot follow what you are told so I am taking your Gameboy away also.”

Lori was wrong about what she thought was her punishment being worse than the sentence given down by judge Dad. Hearing the harsh punishment made Lori start to sniffle again. This time the tears which followed were as true as the aim of a marksman. Lori knew that there would be no appeal. The conviction in her dad’s voice told the convicted girl that judge Mom would not be able to overturn the ruling.

Fred left the courtroom and went downstairs to have the last hard conversation of the day. The one with his wife.

************

Alice’s bad day was getting worse after her husband went upstairs. She stood at the base of the stairs to eavesdrop on what Fred was going to say to their kids. Hearing her husband’s words to their children got her ire up. The main gist was them not being a united front. Alice was wrong. The overturning of the punishment. The threat of her being in trouble. Lori was grounded.

Noticing the division made Alice ready herself to make sure her husband got on her page again. The front needed to be united again. Division between the authority figures of the Zahn’s household could led to their kids rebelling. Peace needed to come from the top now.

As soon as Fred got to the base of the stairs, Alice started the process of them being on the same side again. “Fred you had no right to do what you just did!”

Not wanting their kids to hear their parents fight again Fred kept his voice as calm as when he was talking to Luke. “Alice, let’s go to the den before we talk.”

Alice agreed. Ensuring the kids did not hear the second part of this fight would help them appear as a united front. Perception can help reinforce a reality. They walked to the den and closed the door. The closed door created a barrier to help what was said in the room stay. The kids did not need to hear the heated discussion on what was the best way to raise them.

As Fred closed the door, Alice opened her mouth to say “Never undermine my authority again with Luke. You had no right to say I was wrong. You telling Luke he is not punished makes my words hollow to him. Now it will be harder to have him listen to me.”

“Alice, you were wrong. You punished Luke for something which he did not do. Now that, will undermine your authority over him more than what I did.”

“Our son was not listening to me.”

“Oh, yes he was Alice. You just did not like what he was saying. He was telling you the truth and you wanted to ground him for that. What kind of message would that send our children?”

“I know. You should have had me tell Luke about him not being punished anymore.”

“Alice our son was upset and thought he deserved being punished. I wanted to make sure he knew he did nothing wrong right away.”

“He needs to know that decision also came from me.”

Fred knew his wife was going to relent on giving out the grounding. “He will. We will tell him.”

“Now that it is covered. You had no right to be mad at me for punishing Luke yesterday or today without your input. You just did the same thing with Lori. Grounding her for a week and taking away both her television and Gameboy was overboard.”

“Yeah, I did. You were not doing anything about Lori’s bad behavior so I did. You are always too harsh on Luke and too lenient on Lori. You need to treat them the same.”

Alice felt that Fred was calling her a bad parent. “Don’t you dare say I’m an unfit mother.”

“Don’t put words in my mouth. I did not say that Alice. I am saying that the situation was not under your control and you did not see it. I stepped in and took control. I did nothing which you would not agree to do after we talked. We can change the punishment to Lori. What do you think it should be?”

Fred admitting that he might be wrong eased the bad feeling Alice had about the situation. She saw that they were becoming a united front again. Being in the same chapter of the book of parenting, made Alice change her mind. She thought about the punishment Fred doled out. She knew it was the right one. “Honey, you are right. I just wish that you would have talked to me first. Lori would not have been so hurt hearing about being grounded if it came from me.”

“Sweetie, I know. Next time I will handle it better and you will also. We are both going to mess up. That does not make us bad parents.

Now how about you go upstairs and talk to Lori. I will start supper. She needs you to help her feel better and to understand what she did wrong.”

Alice and Fred hugged before starting their parental tasks. Alice stopped in to see Luke before she went to see Lori. The mother told the son that she was in on the decision to get rid of the grounding. Luke believed her. Then Alice was able to make Lori feel better about being grounded. This was because Lori knew that she was going to be able to manipulate her mom to lessen it. The punishment was on paper only. Lori would get something if she really wanted it. It would just be a secret from the harsh judge Dad.

The rest of the night was as uneventful as a Wednesday episode of a soap opera. The family ate a nice dinner together. Then they retired to the living room to watch television together. Luke and Lori went to bed a little early. Luke was tired from the emotional draining day. Lori did so to make plans to make Luke pay for what was done to her.

The kitchen in the Walha’s household smelled of cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and ginger. The kitchen counter was a little bit of a mess. There was some flour, spices and sugar on it. Renee just finished mixing the batter and was pouring the batter in the cake pan. As she was handing the pan to her dad, the first-time baker could not be prouder of herself. Renee was going to be able to say she made the cake when she gave it to Luke.

This cake was going to be a gift to Luke. This gesture of making amends for picking on the boy had to be from her. She did not want the cake to just be given by her, Renee wanted it to be from her. The cake was coming from Renee’s heart so she also wanted it to come from her hands.

Alfredo “Al” Walha could not be prouder of his daughter as he put the cake pan in the oven. His daughter insisted that she made the cake. Other than putting the cake in and out of the oven Renee was doing the rest. She measured the ingredients, mixed and pour them in the pan and would ice the cake after it was baked.

As soon as the cake was in the oven, Renee set the timer for 45 minutes. Then she went over to start cleaning the counter. Al motioned his daughter to join him. Cleaning the counter could wait, making this Father-Daughter bonding moment into a family memory was more important. Then the father and daughter walked together and sat at the kitchen table together with Renee’s mom, Meg Walha as the cake baked. As he walked over, Al was so proud of his wife who was just sitting back, sipping her coffee and enjoying watching the moment.

Meg found watching this father daughter interaction baking together sweeter than the molasses in the batter. The love of Al’s life knew that the moment was more special because it was only them, father and daughter. She was going to have enough of those special childhood moments with Renee that she did not need to add herself in to this one. Meg was going to have her fair share through make-up sessions with Renee, buying her first bra, helping her solve algebra problems, and teaching her how to drive and how to shoot free throws. Lastly, the mom was proud of her daughter for wanting to make the cake. She was also proud of her husband for skipping his golf game to help with the cake.

As the cake was cooking, the family talked. The only thing which was warmer than the oven was when Renee said this cake was going to be the best gift ever because it came from the heart. Al and Meg got a fuzzy feeling inside. The loving parents knew that they were doing a great job raising their child.

***********

Vroom Vroom Vroom was the sound filling the Thayil’s front yard. Matt was playing with his Matchbox Cars as his parents, Romesh and Shanthi, pretended to do some gardening. In reality, those two were more involved watching and enjoying their son being a child than watching out for newly sprouted weeds. Fulfilling his need for speed by moving the toy cars as fast as he could, was enough to bring happiness to Matt. This care-free moment needed to be soaked up because the age of their son’s innocence was beginning to come to an end.

The coming of adolescence, the next age, came last night. After coming home from school Matt asked his mom why do people lie. The question had to be of the utmost importance as Matt always asked questions when both of his parents were around. He wanted to hear what their answers would be.

Shanthi asked her son why is it that he was asking the question. More information was needed before the loving mother could give her inquisitive son a good answer. Matt told his mom about what happened to Luke at school. There was not a single interruption in the story. Shanthi listened before talking. Even when Matt brought up that Lori was right about Luke liking to wear dresses there was silence coming from Matt’s audience of one. Shanthi wanted to hear as much as possible before she passed judgement on her son.

After the tale was done, Shanthi soaked in the information. The mother needed to think before she talked. The answer needed to be in the Goldilocks Zone, neither too simple nor too complex. A smile came on her face. The smile made Matt start to pay even more attention to his mom. That smile was a sign an answer was coming.

Shanthi said “Sometimes someone wanting something, blinds themself from seeing what is right and wrong. Lori let her desires win over doing the right thing.”

“I will never do that Mom. I want to do the right thing. I want to be good.”

Hugging her son Shanthi said “I know Matt.”

Even with the first sign of the Age of Innocence being over for her son, Shanthi did not correct Matt. Her son can still think in absolutes. Both she and her husband would be there to teach him about the infinite colors between black and white when the time was right. Now the time was for Matt to think he can achieve his goals instead of always striving towards them.

The goal Matt was working on, having his Matchbox car go as fast as possible was suddenly interrupted by a ring ring. Matt looked up to see what caught his attention. The distraction was a bike’s bell followed by a greeting by his classmate, Renee Walha. She was riding up his street with a box in her bike’s basket on her way to give her gift to Luke. Right behind her were her mom and dad.

When Matt made eye contact, he waved to her. Renee smiled back, she liked riding her bike but was not good enough to steer it one handed yet. Seeing his classmate on his street changed his goal. Now the goal was about keeping his word. Matt quickly pushed himself off the ground and rushed to his parents. He told them he wanted to ride his bike now, so as to join his friend Renee. Those two said yes at the same time. They knew the Walhas from school functions. Al and Meg were responsible parents and would keep an eye on Matt. They had done the same with Renee when her parents had to leave her out of their sight for a couple of minutes.

Romesh pulled out his cell phone to text them. The message was that Matt was joining them. Al would text him back when they got where they were going, then Romesh and Shanthi would join them. It would be nice to catch up with the Wahlas.

Matt took his time putting on his helmet. Sometimes the fastest way to achieve a goal was making sure each step towards it was done correctly. Then Matt jumped on his bike and started to pedal as fast as his little legs allowed him. The wind was blowing in his face as Matt started on his new goal of catching up to Renee.

***********

A fate worse than being grounded was being able to go out and having nowhere to go. This was Luke’s Saturday. His best friend Blake told him at the end of school yesterday, that they were not going to play together today. The only option left was spending time with Lori. He and his sister were the only two kids in their age range on their block. He was still mad at his sister about yesterday, so he did not want anything to do with her. If this had been any other day having no friends to play with, Luke would just have ridden his bike on the block. Not today though, riding alone was not appealing to Luke.

Then there was an unexpected knock on the door. It had to be from a kid as the knock was too light to be from an adult. Luke was hoping that Blake changed his mind about them hanging out. Luke’s best friend was upset at him and the little boy did not know why. Maybe Blake was not mad anymore and came over.

Alice opened the door and saw Renee with a box alongside Matt. Regretfully she told the visitors that Lori was grounded today. Alice assumed that those two were there to see Lori. After all, when the mother and daughter were alone, Lori would tell tales about how the kids really did not like Luke. Alice was fine with this false narrative. Not everyone could be popular like she was as a kid or her daughter was now.

The saying “Perception is reality” is not true. Perception is the driving factor behind how people interacted to reality, but does not magically change what is true. The further away a person’s perception was to reality, the more out of touch their reaction would be. The more mental gymnastics would be done in a person’s mind to have their perception and reality match. On learning they were there for Luke, Alice rectified her perception with reality by thinking Renee and Matt had pity for her son instead of them being his friends.

Renee’s face recoiled upon hearing that Luke’s mom thought she was here to see Lori. Luke’s sister was the last person she wanted to see. Lori had not been nice at all yesterday. Even after their teacher explain why it was wrong, Lori still was not nice. Mistakes are how people learn, but the Brat Princess did not learn from hers.

Matt on the other hand did not held his tongue about the assumption and corrected her assumption when saying “Ms. Zahn, we are not here to see Lori. We are here to see Luke. Renee was nice enough to make a cake for Luke to say sorry. I came along when I saw her riding up on her bike. I wanted to see if Luke would like to play.”

Renee then said “The cake is from us.” She knew that Matt would have wanted to be part of the giving of this restitution. If she had asked, the boy next to her would have jumped at the chance to help. His heart was behind giving the gift so her friend also deserved some of the credit.

This lie made Matt look even better. The lie also made Matt feel better. He would have done something special for Luke if he had been asked or had thought of it. He knew that lying was wrong, but also knew that Renee was not doing anything bad. Matt felt that Renee was just saying what she knew would have happened if she had asked him. He knew he was going to have to remedy this with his parents later.

Luke was so happy to see his bike riding buddies standing on the other side of the door. Being around them, made him feel better about himself. Also, now he had something to do. The fate worse than being grounded was averted. This Saturday was going to be as bright as the May sky behind Renee and Matt.

Once the two visitors were in the home, Lori was not happy. She did her best at alienating Luke from his classmates and now he had more friends. Then, they also brought a gift to make Luke better. To Lori, them just being nice to her brother was more than he deserved. He was only a background player and people should pay him no mind.

At least some good came from life not following her script. Lori was going to get a piece of that spice cake. That spice cake was one of the most delicious piece of cake she ever had.
Renee’s parents would always bring one to the school’s bake sales. Lori would make sure that her mom or dad bought her a slice.

Alice suggested that the guests come along with Luke. Lori interjected herself in line for cake and told her mom she would eat her slice in her room. Alice seeing her daughter was getting upset about the situation, wanted to make the Brat Princess feel better. Lori being grounded and losing her television and Gameboy was enough of a punishment in her eyes. Giving that slice of cake was not a problem to Alice. Her son should not mind that Lori got something sweet to brighten up her day.

Luke quickly said no to Lori having a little treat. It was his cake and he did not want to share any of it with his sister. She was mean to him and he wanted to make sure his sister knew he would not take it. Luke saw Lori getting a slice, as his sister being rewarded for bad behavior.

Alice just ignored her son’s wishes. Giving Lori a slice was no big deal. She started to slice up the cake. Luke told his mom to make sure she gave herself the end piece. The end slice of cake was the best to Alice. The change of the consistency from crusty to moist was the reason.

Fred saw this situation as a way to start the peace process between the twins. He asked Luke if it was fine if Lori had a piece of cake with them. The compromise would have his children both eating a nice treat together. Having cake together was the kid’s version of adults having a drink together. It was a good time which made people enjoy the company of whoever they were with.

The suggestion was good. Everyone should have agreed with Fred. This was not so. Lori said no. There was not going to be a compromise from her. When it came to Luke, there was no middle ground for Lori. She should not have to even try to accommodate her desires with Luke’s. Lori wanted the cake without being around her brother and that was how it would be. Fred’s daughter was going to have her cake and eat it to.

Alice knew how to stop this situation was escalating. She thanked Luke for the end slice and said she would have it later. To make sure Luke did not know what was going on Alice added that she was just not hungry now. The polite decline was nothing out of the normal. Luke knew that adults were a little weird about sweets, that they also had to be hungry to eat them.

Lori stopped her protest right after hearing her mom. That statement along with the look Alice gave Lori placated her. Lori knew what was going on. After Luke left the house her mom was just going to give Lori a slice of cake. The best part was that Alice picked having cake with her instead of Luke. At least her mom knew how things should be. People wanting to be around her instead of her brother.

As the three friends ate the cake. They were talking about going to ride their bikes after eating their treat. The chatter gave Fred and Lori two different ideas. Fred’s was to take Luke and his friends to the Lincoln Way Bike Park. Fred called Matt’s dad to ask him if it was fine if Matt went and Alice called Renee’s mom to do the same and also thank them for the cake.

To Lori, the idea was not nice. Going to that bike park without her was not fair. She hated to hear that her brother was going to have something fun to talk about which did not involve her. She wanted to make sure that Luke did not enjoy his day out that much after he got home. When Luke said it would be nice to have another small piece of cake after dinner gave Lori an idea, drop the cake.

After the kids were done, Fred packed them in the van to take them to the park. Alice was sitting in the living room as they left. The time to start operation cake drop was upon Lori. Lori told her mom she would get the slices. The newest attack in the War of the Twins was almost foiled right after launch. Alice was going to supervise her daughter. Lori quickly got her offense back on track by stating she was almost 8 and could handle it herself.

A crash came from the kitchen. Alice cursed herself. She should have watched over Lori as she was getting the cake. Then a shrill came from the kitchen. This sound of Lori crying made Alice think the worse. That her daughter got hurt. The brisk walk became a run.

The secret of great acting is a simple one, have the audience willing to suspend disbelief. How this suspension comes about does not matter. Lori was a great actress to her mother because of Alice’s faith in her daughter. Lori was the apple in Alice’s eyes. She was the golden child who always got the benefit of the doubt.

It was showtime. The spotlight was on Lori as Alice came in and asked her daughter if she was fine. The tears flowing down Lori’s cheeks were as fake as the words which were coming out of her mouth. These tears drew attention away from the cake and plate on the ground. The words kept the attention.

“Mom, I was trying to be extra careful. I know Luke is going to think I did this on purpose. He does not like me. I was just joking around with him yesterday and he got me in trouble. Now, I will be in more trouble for doing nothing. I should have listened to you. I’m sorry mommy, we will leave the two pieces of cake for Luke and Daddy.”

Alice was so happy hearing Lori was fine. Lori’s little soliloquy helped Alice figure out what to say about the cake being thrown away. Alice would lie and take the blame. After all, the cake dropping was not Lori’s fault, but her own. A parent should be watching over their child when they are attempting something outside of their expertise. Neither Fred nor Luke needed to know the truth. Lori would get punished and Luke would hold the accident against his sister. Lori has learned her lesson, so no need for any more bad consequences to happen to her daughter. Being grounded and not going to the bike park today was more than enough of a punishment. Lastly, Lori was truly sorry, she was making restitution by wanting to make sure Luke got her piece of cake.

“My baby girl, you will be having that cake. You did nothing wrong. I should have come out in the kitchen with you to supervise. I will tell Luke that I dropped it. He already had a slice. Thinking of your brother when he does not think of you, makes me proud of you Lori. Don’t tell your dad, but after we finish the cake, I will let you play your Gameboy.”

Operation Cake Drop was a success. Scoring the objective of denying Luke another slice of his cake was sweeter than the treat Lori was sharing with her mom. Being allowed to play her Gameboy was just an unexpected gain. Lori would wait until Monday at school to share that fact with Luke. Her brother needed to know Lori could and would get what she wanted without repercussion. To make sure Luke did not start a counter offensive.

***********

The Sellar’s was a normal family, with normal issues and normal goals and desires. They wanted what was best for their son, Blake. Him acting up at school was not what was best for him. They knew he was a seven year old boy and would get into a little trouble. The latest call from the school was a little worrying for the parents. Jack and Lucy were trying to instill loyalty and empathy into their son. Him joking about what happened to Luke was bad enough. Friends do not treat friends in that manner. But when Blake would not apologize for teasing his best friend that was a line which their son should have never crossed.

As expected Blake was grounded for the weekend. This timeout from being able to go out was supposed to be used to ponder his misdeeds. Instead, Blake blamed others. Luke for not staying with the others kids when they were picking on him. All of his classmates who did apologize to Luke. They sold out. Those kids were not sorry, they just wanted to have recess.

Blake was stewing in his room when his mom came in. At her side was his classmate, Mike Patton. Mike’s mom, Gina must have stopped over and now Blake’s mom was going to pawn that boy off on him. Blake did not want to see him. He was one of the turncoats which said sorry to Luke.

Lucy suggested that Mike and Blake play together in his room. Blake was going to use this to his advantage. Having to play with Mike would grant him an early release from his jail. Sounding sad, Blake said “I would like to play with Mike, but I can’t.”

Not mentioning why was smart. Stating he was grounded would have been overplaying his hand. Being too strong in showing his motive would have made his mom just force him to play in his room with Mike. Blake needed his mom to come up with the idea of the pardon on her own if he wanted freedom. “Blake, how about if you two play on the swings in our backyard.”

The two of them played in the backyard, and by the end Blake was so happy that Mike came over. The role of being Blake’s best friend was quickly filled by Mike. The boy was more than happy to agree with anything that Blake said. Hearing yet another kid agreeing with him, made Blake know he was right about Luke. That Luke was being too sensitive.

See, Mike was a pleaser, a yes boy who would grow up to be a yes man. One day Mike would grow out of being a yes man, but that was not for years to come. Now Mike just wanted to be accepted and the easy way was by just agreeing with others. He had found someone who needed to be agreed with, so they meshed well.

As they were swinging, Blake’s hopes of Luke regretting not taking the harmless teasing by him were getting higher. This was from Mike feeding Blake’s ego. Mike was the choir which Blake was preaching to. Having affirmation he was right, gave Blake a new found energy. Each swing went a little higher from the strength which came from this energy. Blake knew that Mike would be able to help him make sure Luke knew his place. That Luke would never dare get Blake in trouble again. The time on the swing was when Blake realized he was on the wrong side of the War of the Twins. Now was time for him to align with the righteous side, Lori’s.

**************

The Lincoln Way Bike Park was located on Route 30 next to the Braddock Trail. Luke, Matt and Renee were all excited about going to the park. The stories about the park made it sound like a biker’s paradise. Going there was going to be a treat. As Luke’s father pulled into the parking lot, his three passengers knew the unexpected day out was going to surpass their expectations. The park was even grander than the stories.

The Lincoln Way Bike Park was not always such a great destination for a day out. The bike park was originally an entrance and rest stop for hikers and bike riders of the trail. Just part of the journey to a destination instead of being the destination with many different journeys in it. Then the county government put a couple of bike ramps. These ramps were so kids would be occupied as their parents rested before getting back on the trail. The ramps made the stop popular with the local kids. The increase of usage made the county officials want to invest more into the bike park. The little rest area was now a safe place for the kids of the surrounding areas to get exercise and play.

The first expansion came in the form of a halfpipe. This new addition had the unexpected result of bringing in skaters also. This increase of kids using the newly christened Lincoln Way Bike Park caused someone to be like Steve Windwood, see a chance and take it. The new entrepreneur saw a business opportunity and opened a little shop. His store sold mostly snacks, and drinks at first. Then he added skateboard wheels along with other skating accessories. The increase in usage led to another expansion of the bike park within the park. This time, a couple of rails and two BMX race courses and a street course were added.

As the kids put on their safety equipment Fred got their bikes off the racks. Their chaperone was more than happy for them to spend the day enjoying themselves in a healthy manner. Luke deserved to have a good time with all that happened to him the last two days. Renee and Matt deserved to have a good time for the good deed they did. Also, Fred needed more of a cooling down period. The embers of anger at his wife’s actions were still a little hot. He knew talking with her about her treatment of their kids would be as useful as using a phillips head screwdriver on a standard screw, and also as frustrating.

Fred was soaking in the warmth of the sun as he watched the warmth and kindliness with which those three treated each other. As Luke and his friends rode around to get a feel of the ground, they kept looking over at the beginners BMX course. They were intrigued watching the other kids ride the course. The lure of going up those dirt hills and then down them was strong, so strong, it drew all three of them to the entrance.

Then they read the warning sign about the course. Renee was disappointed since bikes with gears were not allowed on the course. She did not want to hold her friends back from enjoying themselves and said, “You two ride the course. Meet me at the benches when you are done.”

What Matt said and did next made the warmth of the growing friendship between those three even warmer than the sun. Matt got off his bike and said “Renee, we will take turns. You use my bike for the first run with Luke.”

Luke joined in the stoking the fires of friendship. He wanted to make sure that those two got a special ride together. The first and last time someone does something were usually the most memorable and somehow Luke knew that. The boy was making sure everyone’s bond grew stronger. Luke said. “Then after Matt and I, you take my bike, Renee. You two will have the last ride together.”

As Fred watch his son and Renee going around the BMX track, he was joined by Renee’s parents. Al and Meg decided that the day was too glorious to spend doing nothing special at home. Their daughter being at the bike park gave them a reason to go and enjoy the spring day. Seeing their daughter taking on the BMX course made them feel blessed. The timing was perfect to catch the highlight of the day, Renee handling that bike on the track. Seeing Renee having this new experience made Meg happy but she wanted a quick chat with Fred first. Meg brought her bike to do a quick 10 mile ride on the trail.

Right behind those two was Romesh. He just wanted to watch his son. Matt was a little introverted when not at home. The father was happy that his son was opening up to being around others. Romesh, being the only child of Indian descent growing up in a sleepy upstate New York village, knew how hard being different was to a child. Matt never saw anyone who looked like him other than at home. Being lost in the moment would help Matt learn that the extra pigment in his skin did not make him any different than someone who has red hair. Romesh believed Matt being able to be himself would help his son better understand life. Matt would not be pensive and need everything to be black and white.

Romesh wife’s, Shanthi, stayed at home to enjoy doing some serious gardening. She wanted to make sure that her tomato plants grew as good as they did last year. They made a great base for her pasta sauce and her husband’s curry sauce. Plus after being in the garden she got time alone to enjoy one of her guilty pleasures, Bollywood films. She watched them with her husband, but doing so alone made it so Shanthi did not have to be around when her husband indulged in his guilty pleasures, watching The Joy of Painting with Bob Ross.

The parents showing up made the trip to the bike park last longer than planned. The three men lost track of time as they drank their coffee and had a nice bullshitting session. Meg’s 10 mile trek on the trail turned into a 25 mile one. For this ride to be worth taking Meg needed to push herself and she did. When the cyclist hit the five mile mark she knew she had much more in her.

When the excursion to the park was finally over, the three kids made plans to meet at the local playground the day after. They wanted to spend more time together. As they went to their cars, Luke and his friends were so looking forward to the following day. Riding bikes was fun, but it was going to be so much better talking about today at the bike park. The stories from today would be repeated over and over again.

Renee and Matt left with their respective parents. On the way home Matt asked his dad about Renee’s lie. Romesh wanted to make sure his son understood the answer but at the same time did not want to talk down to him. Romesh answer was that Renee knew that given the chance Matt would help. To Renee that was good enough for Matt to get credit. Romesh also stressed the only way the thought counted was if there was no chance of it being wrong. The father did not want his son to start to use “its the thought which counts” as a reason not to do the right thing.

************

Giggling was filling the house when Luke and Fred got home. The sound of joy coming from his sister told Luke something was just not right. Lori was fully animated instead of being in full sulking mode. Being grounded and not having her Gameboy should have made Lori withdrawn. The best attitude Lori should have had was neutral.

Lori was cheeky instead of withdrawn because she was getting her way. Going out or having access to her Gameboy was nice, but what she really wanted was to make sure Luke knew his role. Her getting one over him was better than if she went to the bike park with him and those two losers. So getting three made her day great. Lori had some of Luke’s cake without him around, her mom picked having cake with her over him, her brother was not going to get another slice of that delicious cake and lastly she had rubbing playing the Gameboy in.

Flirting that she got out of her dad’s unfair punishment would have to wait until Monday. The anticipation would make tomorrow bearable. Lori would spend her day just envisioning the smug look on her face at the bus stop when she mentioned about picking up a winged goblin, a new monster on the Yo-Gi-Mon game. Luke would know she was playing the game this weekend because she had asked him how to capture one on Thursday.

Luke found out what was going on around here after the family finished supper. He asked his mom if she would like to have a slice of cake with him. The boy thought now would be a great time to have that slice of cake with his mom. He could then tell her all about his day.

Alice answered her son request by saying sorry she had dropped the cake when she was putting it away. The cover story was flimsy. The cake had already been put away and Luke knew that. Even if Luke believed his mom, Lori’s shameless smile had a force of a gust of wind from a hurricane to make sure Luke knew the truth. Lori not only had a slice of cake with her mom she also was the one who dropped it.

Luke quickly became withdrawn and excused himself from the table. Fred asked if something was wrong. Luke lied and said he was tired from riding his bike all day. The truth was Alice’s son was hurt. Knowing the truth was just a reminder that Lori was his mom's favorite. That cake was his. His mom should have made sure nothing happened to the cake. His mom was supposed to have that cake with him, not Lori. Luke needed that bonding time with his mom. That time sharing a treat, would have helped him feel better about the petticoat punishment. Instead, his mom, once again put Lori’s wants over Luke’s needs. Luke left for his room knowing he was just part of the chorus in the musical which was Lori and Alice’s relationship.

For people who are on banker’s hours, the weekends are great for multiple reasons. The days named after Saturn and the sun are a break from their day to day routines. These days are used to relax from the stress of their life. These days are important to keep a good work/life balance. After having these two days people feel recharged and able to go back to the daily grind of their work. Lastly, after the break there is a reset. A restart to erase little disagreements which need no work other than time away to be amended. Tracy Armstrong was looking forward to resuming her routine of going to school so she could re-establish her friendship with Luke.

This reset of Luke and Tracy’s friendship should have been easy. So much time had passed since she teased him. A weekend was an eternity to a second grader. Kids were so forgiving. So many times Tracy had seen two of her classmates fight only to be best friends again after one said sorry. Add to that, the most important factor that Luke and Tracy were friends before Tracy aligned with Lori in the War of the Twins on Friday. Tracy and Luke would always talk at the bus stop. At school Luke would help her with spelling and she would help him with math. Yet the reunion of the two friends did not happen. Those two could not reconnect. Their friendship was too strained to be able to reform without direct action. How much Tracy picked on Luke made the ill feeling between them carry past the reset from the weekend.

Tracy said hello to Luke. When he saw the blue and white striped dress Tracy had on, the boy decided he was just going to ignore her. Before Tracy could even start talking to Luke as if Friday did not happen, her friend walked right passed her without returning her hello. Luke ignoring her, hurt Tracy. There should have been at least a hi returned by Luke. Tracy made sure there was a big smile on her face and her happiness in seeing her friend was heard in her voice. Tracy’s posture was relaxed. Tracy’s greeting was an olive branch and Luke was mean by rejecting it.

Tracy was not going to let Luke get away with slighting her. She greeted Luke again. This time the mad girl used Luka instead of Luke. If Luke was not going to be nice then Tracy was not going to also. Tracy was going to feel better about herself by making the boy who made her feel bad feel worse than she did. The mocking worked. A couple of kids laughed. Hearing her fellow classmates made Tracy feel good about herself.

Lori walked up to her ally and said “Hey Luka, Tracy is wearing your favorite dress.”

Lori’s snide comment made more of the kids at the bus stop join in the laughter. A couple of the kids repeated Lori’s statement. Lori’s classmates wanted to join in the fun. Those kids also wanted the good feeling which came along with people laughing at what you said. They did not add their own spin to making fun of Luke because they were not smart enough to come up with anything original to say.

The awkwardness Luke felt on Friday was returning. The young boy was the subject of ridicule again, and he felt like there was nothing he could do. If he answered, the kids would just not pay attention to what he said. His reply would just encourage the kids to tease him more. Not answering would then give Luke’s tormentors the go ahead to pick on him when they wanted.

Tracy made eye contact with Luke. She saw so much sadness in her friend’s eye, that right then, Tracy wished she could have a restart to the day. She understood why Luke rejected her reaching out to him. Her friend thought her choice of wardrobe was to mock him. Tracy was wearing a blue and white striped dress. She mocked Luke about being in the same dress so much on Friday that Luke jumping to that conclusion was understandable to her.

Tracy had to set the record straight. Her wearing the dress was just a coincidence, not to continue to mock Luke. Tracy went to Luke to make sure he knew she meant him no harm. The bridge she burnt down on Friday needed to be rebuilt. Before Tracy could make it to Luke she was cut off by Renee. The delay in the reconstruction of their friendship did not bother Tracy. In fact, Renee standing up for Luke made her feel good. Luke had friends who would stand with him. The girl who accidentally restarted picking on Luke, knew her friend was going to need that. The teasing was not going to just go away.

When the yellow bus was in the sight of the kids, the little bit of laughter which was still lingering, started to come to a halt. By the time Mr. Ray Ray opened the door, the kids were as well behaved as he expected from them. Luke, Matt and Tracy were all relieved. They thought the break from their classmates getting a laugh at Luke’s expense would end the teasing. Those three were wrong.

Blake was waiting for Luke when the school bus was pulling up to drop off the students. Blake wanted to make his former best friend pay for the trouble he got in on Friday. Luke should not have brought adults into the situation. Right next to Blake was Luke’s replacement, Mike Patton. Mike was quickly becoming the George Costanza to Blake’s Jerry Seinfeld. The sidekick was needling Blake on, to make sure he kept his word. Mike knew he would be cast aside once Luke and Blake made amends.

Even if Mike did not whisper motivation in Blake’s ear, the boy would have still gotten the encouragement to continue to push Luke further away from him. Lori was enjoying someone who Luke cared about turning on her brother. If other kids started to treat Luke as not being as important as her, then her twin brother would start to see his role. Seeing that he was only a supporting character in the drama which was Lori’s life, would go a far way for him to finally accept his role, his place outside of the spotlight.

Lori was also cunning enough to further solidify Blake being on Team Lori and to make sure Tracy was forced on her side. She knew that Tracy was feeling bad about starting the teasing of Luke at the bus stop. The diva in training walked up to Blake and loudly said “Tracy has such a nice dress on. Luke wished he looked as good in it when he wore it on Thursday.”

Blake laughed and said “Yeah Luke likes to be pretty.”

Mike was happy with Blake keeping his word. Now Mike was closer to keeping his place at his friend’s side. Being satisfied was not long lasting for Mike. One reason was Luke did not react to Blake’s taunt. The second was how Tracy reacted. The girl wanted to make a wrong right said “That is enough picking on Luke.”

Lori was not going to lose anyone, let alone one of her strongest supporters, from her camp. Lori started to pick on Tracy. “Tracy likes pretty boys.”

This move to start picking on Tracy was a risky one. Lori would either lose Tracy from her camp for good or else cement her friend’s place securely on her side. Lori saw the risk worth taking. Tracy was a sensitive girl and did not like being the object of ridicule. If Lori was right Tracy would not want to chance the kids starting to pick on her and at worse, just be quiet. There was a small chance that Tracy might try to distract attention from herself by rejoining in on tormenting Luke.

Lori’s gambit paid off in the best way possible. Tracy bit her lip and made the bad decision of backing Lori and Blake. The girl wanted to listen to her better angels. Tracy did not want to do what she felt like she had to, but did. One more little joke could not do that much more damage to her friendship to Luke. “No Lori, I just want to make sure we can have more fun later picking on Luka.”

Some of the kids laughed, but even with feeling small from being picked on, Luke did not retreat like he did on Friday. He had the support of his new friends. Them standing at his side gave Luke the strength to stay in the playground. Staying outside made Luke not feel small anymore. Renee and Matt were a buffer which muffled the sounds of Lori and her gang being mean to him. Those three were able to raise above the meanness of those four bullies.

Mike started to feel threatened when Blake mentioned that Luke was not that bad after all. He did not go to the teacher and bring them into something which did not concern them. He then talked about those two playing some four squares with Luke and Matt at recess.

There was only one course of action for Mike to take, bring the teachers into this. He was going to let Mr. Noth know, Blake was picking on Luke. Then after selling out his friend, Mike would blame Luke. He would say Mr. Noth asked him if Blake was picking on Luke. When getting in trouble, Blake would wrongly assume Luke was the one who was the tattletale. Even with Luke telling the truth Blake would not believe him.

Mike’s plan worked perfectly. Once again Blake was not allowed to go out for recess and the boy sat in his classroom blaming that no-good Luke. At the end of the day Blake confronted Luke about getting him in trouble and did not believe the truth. Walking out with his new best friend, Blake said he was done with Luke. Blake’s former friend should have taken the little bit of teasing.

On the bus ride home Tracy tried to undo the hurt and pain she gave Luke. Before the girl could give her sincere apology Luke stopped her. Right then to curtail the teasing from starting back up as to not even let it start. The best defense was a good offense. Luke informing Tracy that he did not want to talk with her, hurt. Even with Tracy being on Team Lori, Luke’s twin sister wanted to entrench Tracy even more onto her side. She egged the hurt girl to tease Luke. Tracy bit her lip and did exactly what Lori wanted her to “Fine pout like the little girl you are Luka.”

Trying to feel better was a huge mistake by Tracy. The biggest part of this was right then Luke was not going to be open to being friends with Tracy again. He knew that kids picked on other kids and sometimes did it himself. Luke also knew picking on other kids over and over about the same subject was wrong. It was more than just being a kid, those actions were not nice.

The other reason Tracy making fun at Luke’s expense was a huge mistake, is that she said it loud enough for Mr. Ray Ray to hear her mean words. The bus driver overhearing Tracy picking on Luke quickly got the boy out of Mr. Ray Ray’s doghouse and two new tenants, Lori and Tracy. Those two must have been picking on Luke and that is what caused the outburst on Friday.

Lori ended up a resident in the bus driver’s doghouse because she was smug. Being pleased with how well her goal of getting Luke in his place was going she forgot her surroundings. She laughed loudly. As soon as Mr. Ray Ray told Lori and her ally in the War of the Twins to be quiet she knew she had made a mistake. Even with understanding that she made a blunder, Lori was not going to take the blame. Her being in trouble was all Luke’s fault. If her brother would have only taken what he deserved, being the butt of Tracy’s jokes for everyone’s amusement, then Mr. Ray Ray would not have known.

When the twins got home Lori made sure that her mom knew that Luke got her in trouble. Alice was not going to deal with those two bickering. Lori quickly told a tale of how Luke got her in trouble for nothing. Anyone who was not biased would have quickly known the truth was that Lori was trying to make her having fun at her brother’s expense, not trying to have fun with her brother.

Alice just wanted to quickly defuse the situation. She sent Luke up to his room, and when her son started to protest, Alice put a stop to it quicker than making instant rice by saying. “Your pouting Luke, just proves I was right putting you in a dress. If you tell your dad what I said, would do so also. It might even make him see the error of saying I was wrong.”

Luke instantly stop resisting what his mom told him to do. Alice was so relieved and did not think that her son took her words to heart as strongly as he did. They were said in the spur of the moment and meant to be throwaway as soon as Alice got her way. How easy Luke started to follow his mom, started a bad trend. She would use this easy way of making her son listen to her, as her go to way to stop the bickering between her kids. Unwittingly just wanting peace and quiet, led her to taking actions which helped Lori make sure that Luke saw his role in life.

**********

The rest of the school week went a lot like Monday for Luke. Lori was going out of her way to make sure that Blake and Tracy kept up on making sure Luke knew that those two did not like him. With how strong Blake and Luke’s friendship was, Mike did have to make sure the division between those two remained. Blake’s new Robin was secured in his place. Tracy was more open to joining in on picking on Luke. She was mad that her friend would not give her a chance to explain about the dress.

Then when Lori got home the Brat Princess made sure her mom saw her as the victim. Her being on Mr. Ray Ray’s bad side and her being punished were the reasons Lori wanted Luke to be in trouble at home. Alice did not want to deal with the bickering so she would then chastise Luke. She used him being in a dress as a way to get him to not talk back.

Alice’s method of bringing peace to her house worked. She found it easy, but did not know the cost of trying to give her daughter the same childhood she had on her son. Luke was learning that there was nothing he could do to stop Lori from getting her way. Not giving Luke a chance to say his side and making sure her husband did not know what was going on, started her son on the path to learned helplessness.

Even with not knowing exactly what was happening before he got home, Fred knew something was not right. Lori was too pleased with herself. Luke was becoming more withdrawn when around his mom and sister. Fred tried to get Luke to tell him, but Luke stayed silent. Luke was scared that his mom was telling the truth that his dad might take her side about Luke being in a dress.

Fred knew he had to do something special for Luke. The caring father decided that with how much fun Luke and his friends had at the bike park he would take them again this weekend. Alice objected to her husband’s plan until Lori said it would be nice to have some mother-daughter time together. When Fred called Matt and Renee’s parents they all loved the idea. They suggested that they took turns taking the kids.

Luke’s eyes brightened up for the first time when his dad informed him that Saturdays were going to be bike park day. Luke’s response brought a tear to Fred. The Father knew his son needed the time at the bike park. When the three friends talked about going there every week, Luke christened them the Saturday Morning Bike Club. Renee and Matt loved being chartered members of the new group. The three friends’ bond grew even stronger. Luke was going to need this because Lori was going to start another offensive ploy in making sure Luke knew his role.

Lori requested that both her mom and her had their lunch on the deck while Luke and her dad were at the bike park. The Brat Princess wanted the time with her mom to be somewhere just as special. The seldom used deck was the perfect venue. It was elevated and had an awning for protection from the weather. Being attached to the sunroom made the deck seem bigger than its actual size was to Lori. The deck’s elevation along with their home being on a hilltop gave a great view of the Mon Valley. This vantage point made Lori feel so important on sitting on the deck. If there were people in the yard they would have to look up at her.The low frequency of usage added to the prestige of being there for the Brat Princess.

To Lori, the deck was the most regal place in her home and exactly where she should have this high tea with her mom. Lori was about to request to talk about something of an urgent matter to her Mom. The matter was the Birthday situation. Lori should not have to share the celebration of being born with someone as common as a twin brother. The special day for the special person should not only be the highlight of the day. Lori’s party should only be what the day was about.

To make sure Lori would get her Mom to agree that this year there should be two parties instead of one, the Brat Princess asked her mom to talk about her birthday party. When Alice started to talk about how her mom and dad went out of their way to make her feel special on her birthday, she became the Nostalgia Queen. Alice would look at the past and want the same fond memories for her daughter.

Alice’s fond memories came from her belief that she was fawned over by her parents. Alice’s belief got reinforced by her mom and dad joking about how the youngest got treated the best when she asked why her birthday parties were so much bigger than her siblings. The answer being said seriously made the young girl take it as fact.

The real reason Alice thought that her childhood was different than her brothers and sisters, was how much younger she was than them. Alice was 5 years younger than her closest sibling, so she did not have the memories to compare their childhood with hers. To make the memories even less, the sibling next to her in age, Dom, was an introvert. The celebrations for him were low key events.

Wanting the same childhood for her youngest as she had, made the Nostalgia Queen decree that, this year, Lori and Luke would have a separate birthday party. With wanting to put all her time and energy into Lori’s party Alice was going to have Fred take care of Luke’s. There would not be enough time to plan two parties with how extravagant she was going to make Lori’s. Having a party worthy of the Brat Queen was going to be expensive so Alice was going to have to do some overtime. Which was fine, as Lori deserved to have a childhood fitting to being the youngest.

The royal court of one gave out a hip hip hooray after the first part of the Nostalgia Queen’s decree was heard. Then Lori had an internal murmur of descent on hearing the second part. Her mom was going to make Lori have her party on a different day than her birthday. The ruling made no sense to Lori. How could her special day be special if they do not hold the celebration on the same day? Also, Lori wanted the parties to be a competition. She wanted all the classmates to have to choose between going to her or Luke’s party.

Before the signs of internal discontent started to show, Alice’s suggestion of Lori helping with the party squashed it. When Alice suggested that Lori could fill out the invitations, that gave the Brat Princess a great idea. Put the date in which the party should be on the invites. Her party would be at the same time as Luke’s. This would make the kids have to choose which party they would go to. In Lori’s mind this would be a no-brainer, the kids would choose her’s over her brother’s. Lori also did not want to take any chances that her popularity was not as big as she thought, so she was going to give her invites a week before Luke’s.

Lori’s suggestion of her being first to give out the invites made sense to Alice. Her daughter’s party was going to be a week before Luke. Giving out the invites on two different days also separated the celebrations. Even with her children being twins, they were two different people and should not be connected. Alice thought it was lazy parenting when twins had to share everything.

************

The Saturday Morning Bike Club had a great time at their second meeting. Renee showed up with a huge surprise. She had a new bike. Instead of her purple bike with a basket, Renee was sporting a BMX bike. Her mom and dad saw how much their daughter enjoyed riding on the BMX course and bought her a more fitting bike. This bike was going to encourage Renee to keep on doing what she was starting to love, to ride her bike faster than anyone else.

Matt and Luke were happy when they saw Renee’s new bike. They knew the new wheels were more fitting for their friend than her old bike. The old bike was fine to get from one place to another, but Renee wanted more from her bike when she was at the bike park. The bike needed to be a high performance vehicle. The frame needed to be more streamlined to cut down on drag. The chain between the sprocket and cog needed to be tighter to lessen the loss of energy from pedaling. The brakes needed to be hand controlled to give more control on slowing the speed.

The best part of Renee getting her new bike, was that all three of the friends could race against each other. They might have been competing but those races were no competition. Renee won each time. Matt was too reckless and just went for speed. This led to him taking turns too wide and also crashing. Luke did not have the fire to push himself to give it all. Not being able to give that little extra was what made him not go his fastest.

The best part of Renee winning was the reactions of her two opponents. Matt and Luke were more than gracious losers. They were so happy for Renee and gave her high fives. They saw how proud she was of being the best and wanted her to bask in that feeling. Those two not sulking to losing to a girl was so important to Renee’s confidence. The young girl knew she had the right to be as good as she was.

One of their classmates, Tom Downey, was at the bike park. He saw those two losing to a girl differently. When the three friends took a little break from the races Tom rode over to them. He was going to give Matt and Luke grief to losing to a girl. To Luke this grief hurt. Tom’s words reminded him of his mom putting him down by questioning if he was a boy. Alice might have only saw the results of having peace in her home, but those words hurt her son.

Before Renee could challenge Tom to a race to put him in his place, the Loser’s column, Luke did so. A fire came within Luke and he had to prove himself better than the boy who was putting him down. Tom was not going to chance losing to Luke and tried getting out of the competition. So Matt declared Luke the winner by forfeit, and Tom changed his mind.

The two combatants in the battle of who could master the course were at the starting point on top of the hill. This was the most serious race so far today. The tension was tighter than the chain on Renee’s bike. The start gate released and Luke jumped out to a lead. The desire to not lose made Luke pedal his bike the fastest he ever had. The only thought of not losing to his competition gave Luke the focus to navigate the course in the best possible manner.

Tom was already 20 feet behind Luke at the end of the first straight away. The race was not going to get any better because Luke was still pulling away as Tom was going his fastest. He knew the outcome of the race before they hit the first turn so he purposely wrecked as taking the bend. Trying to save face by falling on his face did not work for Tom. Everyone who was watching the race knew he would have lost.

When the racers meet up, Luke had the thrill of victory as Tom had the agony of defeat. Tom so wanted to turn the tables and only knew one way. He was going to tease the victor. Making the winner lose worse than the loser was going to be a moral victory. Being a gracious loser was overrated to Tom.

Luke was getting high fives from his fellow club members when Tom said “Good race Luka.”

This was the first time Luke was teased about being forced to wear a dress when not being outnumbered. Instead of going into his shell, Luke felt like he was able to fight back. Being one on one made the teasing not feel like he was being overwhelmed. Instead of struggling in the quicksand of overmatched, Luke was on the solid ground of a fair fight. “Don’t call me Luka, Tom.”

Tom said “You can’t stop me.”

“Yeah, but you can’t beat me in a race.”

“I can. I wrecked. Let’s race again Luka. You will see who is the real boy out of us two.”

“We already saw who was the real boy, Tom. I won you lost.”

“You are scared, Luka.”

“Yeah of you wrecking again.”

Matt and Renee laughed at how frustrated Tom was over losing a race. The feeling of embarrassment clouded Tom’s judgement. He had false confidence, if he and Luke raced again, the outcome would be different. “I can beat you.”

Luke said “I have no reason to race you.”

Tom’s arrogance made him want to entice Luke into racing. “I will never call you Luka again if you win. If I win you can never say anything about me calling you Luka.”

Luke’s friends were worried about the stipulations. Matt and Renee told Luke not to take them. Stipulations were only as good as the person who made them and Tom was acting in bad faith. Luke ignored his friends and said. “Deal.”.

The race was in name only. The start of the rematch played out the same as the first race. Tom thought about falling to get out of losing, but changed his mind. He knew that even that would be a loss and just wanted the small chance of Luke wrecking to win.

The loser was greeted at the finish line by yet another round of high five to Luke from his friends. Before he could show Renee and Matt were right about their lack of faith in him, he was given a warning by Matt “You better keep your word.”

Those words were said with an intensity which Tom knew he had to stay true to the conditions, at least around those three. Calling Luke Luka to his face was not worth taking the risk of how Matt would hold him to his word. The loser begrudgingly agreed to being a man of his word. Tom would make an appearance to do so. From that moment onward, anytime those three were not around Luka would be the only words from the sore loser’s lip when talking about the victor.

***************

Everyone other than Fred in the Zahn's household liked when Alice announced the plan about Luke and Lori were going to have separate birthday parties. Fred did not like it, not one bit. Lori loved the spotlight to be on her, but she loved pushing Luke out of it even more. His children having two different parties made pushing Luke away from the spotlight on his special day impossible. Also, the smile on his daughter’s face told him she was up to something.

Fred loved his daughter, but knew she had a major issue with Luke. Those two were family and should be there for each other. Lori was trying to make it so only Luke was there where and when she wanted it to be. Even with them being only 7, Lori needed to start treating her brother better or else he would not be there when she needed him the most. Knowing this fact was frustrating to Fred. Lori was too young and immature to understand the lesson if Fred tried to explain it to her.

And his wife Alice, thought Fred was being irrational when he brought up his concerns. To the Nostalgia Queen her husband was still overreacting to Lori pulling her brother’s leg about Luke being forced to wear a dress. In truth, Alice was too blind to the truth to be behind him about this important life lesson. She thought that was how the youngest should treat their older siblings.

The following week was a normal week. Lori and her allies kept up on teasing Luke about being in a dress. The other kids got bored with not getting a reaction other than silence out of Luke. To everyone but Lori, there was nothing out of the ordinary going on to back up Fred’s bad feelings about the separate birthday parties. Fred felt like he was being a bad parent. Doubt crept in to his rush of judgement about the birthday party. Kids deserved the benefit of the doubt.

If Fred would have looked at the invites for Lori’s party his gut feeling would have been justified. The date of the party was the same as Luke’s. To make sure that Luke did not find out about this newest battle in the War of the Twins, Lori conveniently forgot to give Renee and Matt their invites. Lori also not telling anyone about her change of date also made it so Luke would not be able to change his. Now, the kids in her class would have to choose which party to go to. Hers would win out. In her mind, the biggest reason was the kids liked her better than Luke. In reality the reason was that the parents would not change a social commitment once it was made.

The results of the newest attack by Lori was felt by Luke on Monday at school. All his classmates other than Matt and Renee declined the invites. Most of them said it was because they already had plans to go to Lori’s Party. Tracy, Blake and Mike stated they did not want to be around Luka. Tom was still sore about losing the race to Luke and just said he did not want to go.

Lori was rubbing it in that no one liked Luke. Luke’s only retort was to tell Lori that she was going to have to change the date of her party. That mom and dad would fix the mistake that Lori made. This showed a huge flaw in her plans and would have been the downfall of Lori wanting to make the class choose between the twin. Now there was time to fix the mistake. Lori took advantage of this and work on how to get her mom on her side. A stalemate would lead to no change.

Most of his class was not going to be at Luke’s party. This hurt the soon to be birthday boy. The venue of his birthday party being overbooked added to the pain. Luke had nowhere to celebrate. The only reason Luke did not start crying was Matt and Renee. Luke had their support and learned an important lesson. It is not about the quantity of friends but the quality of those friends.

Luke was able to control his sadness until he got home. Lori started phase two of this battle before Luke could say hello to his mom. The Brat Princess was going to play innocent and make herself the victim.

Lori went running to the kitchen to greet her mom with lies. “Mom, Luke said I have to cancel my birthday party. He is just mad that no one is going to his party.”

Hearing her daughter’s childhood was not turning out to be more like her own quickly made the Nostalgia Queen emerge. “Luke you cannot make anyone go to your party. Sorry that no one is going. They must have already had plans.”

“I didn’t say that Mom. I said Lori could not have her party on the same day as mine. Most of our classmates were already planning on going to hers. Matt and Renee are coming to mine. That is why they are coming to mine. That is not fair.”

There was going to be a change of Lori’s date until Lori enacted her plan. She started to sniffle and said “I messed up Mom. I was trying to help you with the party. It is not fair if I have to change the date of mine.”

Alice bought Lori’s lie. Her daughter was just excited to have her own party for once. “You are right Lori. It would not be fair if we changed the date of your party. Luke you will change yours.”

Luke objected “That is not fair to me.”

Alice trying to console her son said “Honey, life is not fair. You will get your party. Just on a different date. Everyone will be happy”

Luke did nothing wrong. The change was not fair. Life might not be fair, but Lori should not get all the breaks. Luke’s party should not be on a different date. The change of schedule should keep to the original plan.

Luke started to cry. He was feeling like he was being treated less than his sister by his mom. “This is not fair. I did nothing wrong. Lori did and I have to change my party.”

The Nostalgia Queen did not want any objections to her ruling. She knew Luke had a point, but one of her kids was going to be upset about any decision she made. Alice made the choice it should be the eldest. The youngest should have the better date for their party. The crying was taking away the peace from the land of rose tinted glasses. Just wanting her son to stop Alice said “Boys don’t cry.”

Trying to get Luke to act more mature came off as his mother questioning his gender. The crying became louder. Alice’s mistake of getting peace by bringing up putting Luke in a dress was coming back to haunt her. Lori getting her way was also adding to Luke learned helplessness with his sister. She found a way to get what she wanted all the time.

Luke ran up to his room. Alice waited to go after him. She wanted Luke to be calm before her husband came home. She knew that Fred would see the worst. Her husband would claim that Lori’s innocent mistake made him right to feel bad about the separate parties.

Talking to Luke worked worse than a man on the last day of a job he was being forced out of. Nothing she could say would change the fact. Luke was once again getting the short end of the stick.

The house felt tense and Lori was smiling as Fred came home. This was not right. There was something which upset Luke and by Lori’s huge smug looks it had to be her doing. The worst was the gut feeling. Fred was thinking that his daughter planned whatever got under Luke’s skin. He asked Lori where her mom was and Lori said in the crybaby’s room.

Lori’s put down of her brother took the little remaining air out of the room. Once again, Fred had to deal with the mess Lori made. He turned off the television and instructed his daughter to do absolutely nothing until he came back downstairs.

Thuds of footsteps filled the air in Luke’s room. Alice was dreading this moment; her husband was home. She thought that Lori told her husband about the party and that was why she could hear his displeasure. She blamed Luke for her not being the one who told Fred about the change of schedule. Tonight would have went much smoother if she was the one instead of Lori.

The door opened up and Fred was greeted by Alice saying “Honey, it is not bad. We are just going to change the date of Luke’s party.”

Hearing why Luke was crying made the vacuum even tighter. To everyone in the room, it felt like the walls were sucked in. “Why? What did Lori do?”

Not wanting Fred’s opinion on how Lori was acting towards Luke to be verified Alice lied. “I messed up her invites and only a couple of the kids can make it to Luke’s party.”

Fred was livid, his wife lied to cover what Lori did. Alice forgot that Lori bragged about her penmanship on the invites to her dad. Wanting to keep their word about not fighting in front of the kids. “Alice I am going to call my parents to watch Luke and Lori for a little while when we talk.”

Not wanting a fight, Alice said they could talk in their bedroom. Fred was dialing his phone before Alice had that sentence out. Once again, her words worked worse than a man on the last day of a job he was being forced out of. Alice fixed a stern look at Luke. She just wanted a peaceful night and her son made that impossible. Luke needed to learn that the youngest got treated better than the rest of the children.

Fred and Alice made it downstairs. Lori looked at her mom to try to get leniency. Alice said “Remember, she made a mistake with the date sweetie.”

“This is not about her changing the date of her party. Lori, you do not call your brother a crybaby. You do not put down your brother. You will not be seeing your Gameboy for a long time.”

Wanting to ease her dad’s wrath she said “I will go get it now.”

“Do that.”

After Lori left the room, Fred just looked at Alice. His wife went behind his back and gave their
daughter back something he took away from her. She undermined his authority. He held in anything he wanted to say. Anything he said would have come out too loud, too furious.

Alice knew she was wrong. She hoped that Fred would not find out, and when he gave back the Gameboy she would have handled it. That would have been easy, Alice would just say she would do it.

Betty Lou and Bob Zahn came and picked Luke and Lori up. Luke was feeling better for a couple of reasons. One he had someone on his side. The other was Pappi and Memaw was going to take them for pizza. That was where they always went if Luke’s grandparents took them around supper time.

When Alice and Fred were finally alone Alice started. “Before you blow this out of proportion, like you did with Lori joking with Luke. She made a mistake and that's why I lied to you. I don’t want you to go over the top again, like you did by taking her Gameboy away.”

Fred was now able to let out his feelings. As soon as he opened his mouth, all the air came rushing from his lungs to fill up the room. “Alice, don’t lie to me about our kids. Lori knew what date her party was on. She changed it on purpose. She wrote the wrong date on all the invites. She made a big deal about getting her invites out a week before Luke’s.

Also, she needs to start treating Luke better. She was told not to tell anyone about you putting him in a dress, yet she teases him about it. Now she is calling him a crybaby.”

“Luke was crying and that is what little sisters do to their older brothers. I used to tease Dom all the time. Quit babying Luke.”

“That is rich woman. Me babying Luke. You got on Luke for making Lori cry all the time, yet you defend her calling him a crybaby. You punished Luke for giving back to her what she gives him.”

“Don’t call me woman, you drama queen. Luke is older than Lori so he is held to a different standard. He needs to be more mature than her and learn to deal with it.”

“What part of them being the same age don’t you understand? They were born on the same day.”

“Lori is the youngest and her birthday party should have been on that day. Luke should have moved his.”

“It was your idea that Lori had hers first. I would have gone along with Luke having his on a different day, but you announced the plans. You did not get my input.”

“We can’t make every single small decision a huge discussion.”

“According to you a birthday party is a big decision. A birthday party is a big deal. If not, you would have just corrected Lori’s changing it by moving it back to the original date. That is what we are going to do.”

“No. Luke’s party is going to change or else he would not get one.”

“No, there will be no parties.”

“People already made plans and bought Lori presents for her party. My parents are coming down from Altoona for the weekend. Lori will have her party.”

“Yeah, they are coming down the weekend before. That was the date you told them.”

“No, Lori mailed them one and they called to say they would be here. So they are coming down on the correct date for her party.”

“Fine, the parties will be on the same day. Luke’s party will just be at the Trafford Lanes. Him and whoever is going to his party will get to bowl. Then afterwards we will go to Bellisario’s Pizza for supper.”

The Nostalgia Queen hated hearing her husband’s solution. The youngest should get the best party. Luke having a way better party will overshadow Lori’s. Lori was not going to be happy hearing Luke was having an event party. The other kids were not going to like being stuck at Lori’s home as Luke and his friends went bowling. Plus, it was giving more to Luke than Lori and that was not fair. “No, Luke will have his party here and we can change where’s Lori is. After all, Luke was planning on his party to be here.”

“Alice, it is simple you said we cannot change the date of Lori’s party, so we cannot change the place. You want to change where Lori’s party is then we are going back to the original date. The one which was planned.”

Alice thought the fight was over “Fine, have it your way. Now what do you want for supper dear.”

Alice acted like fight was over, but it was not. They only resolved what Alice saw as important. The other issues Alice was counting on her husband forgetting them. Overall Alice was not happy with the outcome but could live with it. The saving grace was Lori got what she wanted. Alice also knew her husband was not happy with the outcome, but thought he was being an unreasonable drama queen.

Alice made a mistake of counting on her husband forgetting what the fight was actually about. The reason behind the fight stayed in his mind because they were his real concern. The twins’ father was not worried about either of them getting what they wanted. Fred was worried about making sure they were treated fairly. ,As Alice tried to go the kitchen to start supper Fred “Alice we still need to talk about you lying to me and going behind my back for Lori.”

Luke and Lori were feeling anxious when coming home from dinner with Pappi and Memaw. The twins felt uneasy for different reasons. Luke was distressed because he knew his parents were fighting. He felt like the reason was because of him. Everything his mom was saying just to get peace weighed down on him. Words have meaning and those words were taken to heart. Because she never took his side, Luke started feeling he caused whatever went wrong. If Alice would stop trying to recreate her childhood she would have seen the damage she was doing to her son’s ego, but sadly nostalgia has a tendency of blinding people from reality.

Lori was fretting for another reason. She knew her latest offensive in the War of the Twins was uncovered by her dad. He might make her move her party. Not having her party on her birthday would not be fair. Her Queen always had her birthday celebration on her special day so the princess should also. Even if she was not the Brat Princess Lori should have her party on her birthday. She was way more important and special than Luke.

The twins walked into their home. Their mom and dad were sitting in the living room waiting for them. A sitcom rerun was on the television. Their parents were not paying attention to the show. The sound was just background noise. Luke and Lori greeted their parents and their mom was the first to greet them back. Fred waited because he wanted to get past this manufactured drama. After asking how was time with Pappi and Memaw, Fred told his children the compromise. They will both have their party on the same day. Lori’s would be as it was planned and Luke would get to take his friends bowling and then out for a pizza.

This solution should have made everyone in the room happy. Only two people were, Fred and his son. Only one of the frameworkers of the Birthday Concord thought of the agreement and knew it was the best possible solution. Lori got what she wanted and Luke got something extra in return. Luke loved the deal. Going bowling was fun and being around Renee and Matt was also. Having pizza was a treat and sharing it with his friends would make the pie taste better. People said hunger might be the best spice, but people forget sharing a meal with people you care about was better. It was true, needing substance made people expand what they would eat; however, having close friends around made people savor any experience. Eating more did not mean the food was better. The expanded appetite only meant a need needed to be fulfilled. Spices enhanced an experience, made it better.

The concord was reluctantly accepted by Alice and Lori. Alice was happy her daughter got the birthday she deserved, but thought that the price was too high. Luke should have just had to move his celebration. What she wanted for the negotiations was simple. Plus, Lori would not have felt left out. Luke getting more was unfair. Birthdays were more important to the youngest so theirs should be the most spectacular.

Lori only agreed to the agreement because she knew the decision was final. No objection would overturn the plans. Lori agreed with her mom about her brother getting more was unfair. Unlike Alice, Lori was going to work on rectifying the situation. Her birthday was going to be the talk of the playground two Mondays from now. The center of attention would be where it rightfully belonged.

**********

The week started the same as any other but the results were different. Lori and her court were still teasing Luke, but now their classmates were doing more than just ignoring them. Most of which started to stay away from them. Tom Downey started hanging out with them. He did not join them in piling on Luke. Tom was going to keep his word. He took Matt’s warning as serious as the look on Matt’s face when he gave it. Hearing them put down Luke somehow smoothed his hurt ego and that was enough.

Tuesday became worse for Lori. A couple of kids were now giving her looks of disapproval when she said Luka. There were mutterings around the playground that she got her invites out first because her party was going to be lame compared to Luke. A home party could not compare to going bowling and then pizza. She knew that a couple of kids wanted to back out of hers and go to Luke’s. Lori knew she had to do something to make her party better than Luke’s or else they would. A party according to her for someone in her supporting cast, should not outdo her own and draw away party goers. That party should not even be on the same day, let alone compete with Lori’s.

Then it came to Lori, she was going to tell her loyal subjects about how her party was going to have a bouncy castle. That she did not mentioned it until now because she wanted to surprise her guests. She knew that Tracy, Blake, and Mike would spread the lie to the other kids. Then Lori saw that she gained another ally when Tom started to go around telling everyone what she said. Lori was pleased to have a loyal courier. The talk of Luke’s party being better quickly stopped.

Now having the guests pleased came the easy part for Lori, making her lie become true. All she had to do was cry a little and ask her mom. As she got home Lori’s tear ducts opened as Luke was opening the door. She might not like Luke, but The Brat Princess was not going to stoop down to opening the door when a commoner was in front of her. Plus, having her brother hold the door made the entrance to their home right, her first then him.

“Mom can I have a bouncy castle at my party.”

Lori was going to find out there was a flaw in Lori’s plan, The Birthday Concord. Alice was not just about to give in to her daughter. She and her husband just had a fight. They got a compromise and changing it would reopen the fight.

“Sorry Lori, no. We already agreed to what your party was going to be.”

Lori try to play to how good and just her mom was. “That is not fair. Luke gets to go bowling.”

Even with agreeing with her daughter Alice was going to still deny what she found to be a reasonable request. “Yes, but you get to have your birthday party at the house. Luke doesn’t.”

Lori knew she was going to have to lie more to make her original lie become true. “I need it. Luke is trying to get the kids to go to his party again.”

Alice was not concerned if Lori was telling the truth or not. Lori’s words fit the narrative Alice wanted. They also helped her find a way to give her daughter what both wanted, Lori to have a better party.

Even with knowing his sister, Luke was shocked at hearing those words. The shock became stronger when his mom believed Lori. This made no sense. The lie was the exact opposite than their sibling’s relationship. Lori was the one who always did whatever to get one over on Luke. He said “I did not.”

Not wanting to face that she was wrong Alice said, “Don’t lie to me. Boys don’t lie.”

Lori knew she got her way so her tears dried up as quick as they came on. Laughing to gloat Lori said “Yeah boys don’t lie.”

Luke was not going to take his sister getting on him right then. “Girls do. I did not try to get anyone to go to my party today.”

Alice made the same mistake she had been making to bring peace to her home. She took Lori’s side. She only wanted Luke not to make a fuss over nothing. Alice also did not want to think about if Luke was telling the truth. If the lady who was playing favorites thought about Lori’s accusation she would have quickly come to the conclusion that her daughter was lying. Uncovering the lie would destroy Alice’s plan. She only wanted Luke to stop disagreeing with her. To get her son’s silence Alice said “Then you should be in a dress.”

Luke started to cry as soon as he ran out of the room. Lori could not help but gloat some more. In a loud voice, to ensure her brother heard her Lori said “Luka is a crybaby.”

Lori repeated those words again. The chant needed to stop. Those words were wrong. Alice should have never made the vague threat of putting Luke in a dress once again. Those words were hypocritical. Lori was just crying to get her way. Those words went against a direct order Lori received from her dad. Those words were causing a crack to form in Alice’s narrative. Alice said “Stop that right now Lori or else no bouncy castle.”

The brat princess started to cry again. This time the tear following from Lori’s eyes were real. The pain came because her queen was about to take away that which was rightfully hers. Lori knew she had to stop but could not. The birthday party being only fit for a peasant was just appalling. Turning 8 was a once in a lifetime event and should be memorable. Lori defended herself “But he is mom. Luka is a crybaby. He was crying.”

Alice “Don’t call your brother Luka and he is not a crybaby.”

“Why not?”

Not wanting to say she made her son feel anxious Alice just said “He is not, trust me.”

Lori knew she had her mom where she wanted her. Instead of talking about taking away the bouncy castle she was defending Luke. Lori was going to change that also. The crying got louder. “Luka is what the kids call Luke at school. He is a crybaby.”

“Lori you will have your bouncy castle. Please quit crying.”

“No Luka is a crybaby. Say it Mom.”

Just wanting peace Alice capitulated saying “Luka is a crybaby.” Little did she know that Luke came back to the kitchen. He was going to get a banana to eat. Alice’s son was not crying anymore but being so upset made him hungry. Those words coming out of Alice’s mouth soothed Lori and her crying stopped. There was peace in Alice’s home for a moment.

The calm was fleeting. A shrieking sound came from the entrance of the kitchen. Those words caused so much distress to Luke. Lori started her chant again. Luke ran to his room, his safe place. The stomping of his feet up the stairs then the slamming of his door were becoming very familiar sounds in the home.

Alice went upstairs to try to calm her son. Her mind was set not to try to appease Luke. She was going to use force. She was an in one good cop/bad cop when it came to her children. She was the good cop to Lori and the bad cop to Luke. This bias was starting to erode the closeness between Luke and his mom.

“Luke, stop crying. I did not meant what I said.”

“No, you are meany. You are going to put me in a dress again.”

“No. I will never do that again.”

“You meany. You did and you will. You said boys don’t cry or lie. You think I lied and I am crying. I didn’t lie and you made me cry, you meany. You want to put me in a dress”

Instead of paying attention to Luke pointing out her making those threats, being called a meany by her son was all that Alice could think of. Alice was too worried about defending her actions instead of their effects on Luke. Instead of thinking of how hurt her son was, the hurt mother thought about why Luke thought so low of her. Her son had to know that, If she had known Luke could hear her she would never have agreed with Lori. Those words were only said to get Lori to stop crying. She would never put Luke in a dress again. Those words were also only said to get her son to stop crying.

As the stymied mother left she made another mistake. She showed her exasperation by saying. “Fine, Luke go on crying. I don’t care; but, you will see how much of a meany I am if your dad finds out.”

*******

May 28th was the last Saturday of the month and the school year. The air was buzzing from the bees and also the excitement coming from Luke and Lori. Today was the day both of them were going to celebrate their birthday. Today was the last Saturday which they knew school would be school waiting for them on Monday for the next 3 months. This ending of the school year was just going to add to everyone’s celebratory mood. The clear sky was an indication the local meteorologist was wrong about their forecast. The weather should cooperate for Lori’s party.

Even with being happy about having the weather be worthy for her big day and getting the birthday party she deserved, Lori was jealous of her brother. Today should only be joyous for her. Lori was beyond Goldilocks with Luke. Him just being, made it so nothing could ever really be just right. She wanted her cake and to eat his to. Yet when denying Luke his slice of cake, Lori would have been upset that he even got one to begin with. If her brother did not get a slice of cake then Lori would have been mad at the chance of her taking his treat away was taken away from her.

Lori’s jealousy of her brother was in full force when Renee and Matt both showed up at their house in the morning. As the front door was open those two yelled “Happy Birthday, Luke!” How dare those two not have the common decency to wish her a happy birthday right then also. Lori felt like she was being kind because she would not have held them liable for using Luke’s name first instead of hers.

The Saturday Morning Bike Club incorporated their weekly meeting into Luke’s birthday celebration. Matt was holding a small box from Blue Bonnet Bakery. Inside the cardboard container was a half dozen cupcakes. One for each of the members of the club and Luke’s family. Three of the cupcakes were chocolate with vanilla icing and the other three were vanilla with chocolate icing.

Once in the house Matt and Renee finally wished Lori a happy birthday. The celebratory salutation was too little too late to make amends with Lori. The well wishes was not said in unison and as loud as Luke’s. This half-hearted attempt to make up for the faux pas did not have the same emotions in it as Luke’s.

Before going to the Lincoln Way Bike Park, Renee and Matt suggested they had the cupcakes together. Matt opened up the box and offered to Luke and Lori first choice. To Lori, this was yet another social blunder on his part. She should have been given first choice on her own. In fact, Matt should not have brought a cupcake for Luke. He was not going to be there for her party. The fact that she did not give him an invitation did not matter. That boy should have asked for one when he was passed over by her.

Then when Luke took a vanilla cupcake Lori was so mad. She wanted hers to be chocolate, but now could not get one. There was no way Lori was going to take the chance that Luke got a better cupcake than her. Today was her day and she deserved the best, not her brother. After the first bite Lori knew she chose wrong. Vanilla was too plain for someone like her. She should had gone with the richness of chocolate.

After Fred took the bike club to the park was when the party rental truck arrived with the bouncy castle. It was the Sweet Princess Jumping Castle. Once inflated the pink and purple castle stood 11 feet. There were two jumping chambers in it. The bigger one was set up as a courtyard so it had only walls and no roof. The smaller one was the castle itself so it was enclosed. Looking at the centerpiece of her party Lori thought the division was perfect. The kids in her inner circle would be allowed in the castle part as the rest would be treated like the commoners they were and be relegated to the courtyard.

Alice was admiring where Lori would be ruling over her guests at the party when Fred opened up the sun room door to join his wife on the deck. Fred paused for a moment from seeing the sight in the backyard. The bouncy castle was dominating the landscape. Luke and Lori’s father took his time before asking his wife about the plastic castle. He did not want to start a fight with his wife. Once Fred was sure, he would wisely word his questioning about why Alice got the castle without informing him. “My love, when did you decide to get the bouncy house for Lori’s party.”

Alice got a little defensive. She knew that the reason she went with the bouncy castle was wrong. They agreed to the parties and she changed them so Lori could try to outshine Luke. and said “Sweetie, right after you decided on what to do with Luke’s party. My Love, I don’t need your permission to do something special for my daughter.”

“Hold on. The reason why we are doing this for Luke is because we could not have two parties at our house at the same time. Lori moved her party to the same date as his, so he deserved what we are doing for him.”

“Come on that was a mistake. Lori was just so excited getting her own party that she wrote the wrong date. “

“Dear, you know that is not true. She did not give Renee and Matt their invites. Heck she did not even invite Luke.”

“She didn’t want those two at the party. Luke did not need an invite he lives here. Also, our daughter does not have to invite our son to her party if she did not want him there.”

“If she didn’t want them at the party then why did she make invites for them.”

“Don’t make a big deal about this little extra I am giving Lori. She is turning 8 today and that is so special.”

“Honey, I’m not making a big deal. I want to make sure Luke gets treated the same as Lori.”

“Lori is our youngest so she gets a little more than Luke.”

The fight about Lori’s shenanigans between Fred and Alice just ended a couple of days ago. The bouncy castle was not worth reopening the fight to Fred. He wanted peace and thought he found a way; he would just amend the Birthday Accord like his wife did. “I understand. Next weekend I will take Luke and his friends to Kennywood.”

“Kennywood, that place is expensive. You will not do so. They are not even big enough to ride all the rides there.”

Fred figured the best way of getting out of reentering the same fight as his wife was to just follow her lead. As he walked back into the sun room Fred said “I am going to. It is not as expensive as that bouncy castle. Plus, I do not need to get your permission to do something special for our son.”

*********

Dino and Maria Tribalinni loved driving down to see their youngest daughter and her family. The drive was in style and comfort. They were in their 1979 Cadillac Seville. Even with it being 20 years old the car was in pristine shape. The engine purred like a contented cat. The paint job was as shiny as the day the car rolled off the assembly line and if the interior was a restaurant it would have a 5 stars cleanliness rating.

The journey might have been great, but the final destination would have made the drive enjoyable even if they were in a beat up 1986 Yugo. For those two lovers, seeing their youngest child Alice was an unplanned and unexpected surprise. Maria was supposed to be beyond childbearing age when she got pregnant with her youngest. This additional blessing along with them actually being a generation older than her friend’s parents made those two dot over Alice. Dino and Maria felt like they had to make up for not being able to fit in as good with the other parents.

Once they arrived, and from the start of their visit, Luke and Lori’s grandparents felt an uneasiness coming from Alice’s family. Alice was not happy with Fred’s plans for next weekend. Fred was frustrated that his wife had once again given Lori more than she gave Luke. Luke was getting anxious because he was not able to start getting ready. Lori was hogging the bathroom. His sister was supposed to get ready when he was riding his bike. She waited until she heard the family’s van pull in to start. Lori would do anything to hamper Luke in enjoying what should only be her special day. Lastly Lori was upset that she had to share anything with her brother.

Lori finally came down from getting ready. She was wearing the dress. The blue and white striped dress which Alice made Luke wear. Her brother running upstairs showed her choice in wardrobe served one of it’s purposes, to get rid of Luke right away. She should not have to share her time with Nanno and Nanna with him. They liked her better and also, they came down for her birthday party, not his.

She hugged both of them and thanked them for coming down to see her on her birthday. Nanno laughed, Lori making the day all about her reminded him of Alice at his granddaughter’s age. He quickly corrected her by saying the visit was for both of the twins.

Lori could not handle the truth. Even with it being delivered gently hearing that her Nanno wanted to also spend time with Luke hurt. To her, surely he was joking to get a rise out of her granddaughter. She wanted the perceived teasing to stop. “Don’t you mean my birthday?”

Dino laughed even louder. Lori’s reaction was the same as Alice’s would have been. To play along with his granddaughter as he winked he said “Yes, we came down to see you and only you.”

Fred loved his in-laws, but was not going to help them enable Lori’s self-centered attitude. The fact Dino was joking did not matter to him and Fred was going to end it right then. “Dino you mean you are here to see both Luke and Lori.”

“Lighten up Fred, I was joking.”

Alice backed her dad. Instead of making Fred just drop the subject, his wife trying to let this go made Fred stand his ground. “Dino, I know. The thing is Lori is not. She has been going out of her way to exclude Luke from having any kind of celebration for his birthday. She deliberately wrote the wrong date on her invites to have her party on the same day as Luke’s.”

One way a lie would be uncovered was by sunlight. The lie being out to people who knew different cover up showed the inconsistency with the story and the truth. The uncovering of Lori’s deception was about to occur when Alice defended her daughter. “Fred for the last time she wrote the wrong date on the invites. She did not plan the parties to be on the same day.”

The joy on Nanno and Nanna’s face quickly disappeared. They both realized why Fred wanted them to stop the playful banter. Lori told them something different than what her mom just said. Nanna joined the conversation to correct her daughter. “Alice, Lori told me you gave us the wrong date when we asked her about the day being different on the invite than the one you told us.”

Dino was not going to reward Lori being deceitful. He understood why Lori would want her own party. People need to be their own person. Having to share everything with the same person could make a person not feel unique. Lori needed to feel like she was an individual, not part of a group. Still Lori did not have to ruin her brother’s day. He had the same need of being his own person as Lori did. Addressing his wife, Dino said “Bambina, want to go bowling today?”

Maria said “Caro, I would love to, then pizza at Mineo’s.”

Nanno then said “Lori, you should not have lied to us.”

Lori looked at her Queen Mother for help. She knew that Nanno and Nanna would not listen to her. Maybe her mom would be able to talk sense to those two and stop them from being a no show to her party. Her Nanno and Nanna gave their word about going to her party. Backing out at the last moment was not fair. Going to Luke’s was added to the degree of how unjust their decision was.

Alice saw how upset Lori was and came to her daughter’s defense. Lori’s advocate tried to change her parents' minds. “Come on Mom and Dad, Lori was just embarrassed she wrote the wrong day. My daughter wanted to help and she messed up. Don’t do this.”

Maria standing firm with their decision said “Lili, no she did not mess up. She knew what she was doing. We wanted to be at both of their parties and Lori made it so that was not possible. We are going to spend the day with Luke.”

Lori knew that verdict was final. There was no changing her Nanna and Nanno’s mind. The unjust punishment for the so called crime of rightfully having her birthday party on the day of her birth would stand. At least she was still going to get Nanno and Nanna’s gift. Lori got another defeat when the gift was handed to her. Before even opening it she knew it was a game for her Gameboy. The size and weight of the wrapped present told her so. With her dad still keeping the gaming system from her, the gift was at best nothing more than an expensive paper weight. At worse the present was a reminder of everything she could not have.

Alice was not going to be denied her daughter’s party being as special as hers. She asked her husband if he could wait to take Luke and his friends bowling until after Lori cut her cake. Fred was as diplomatic as Benjamin Franklin when he said it was up to Luke. He did not want to say no and add more fuel to the fire of discontent in his relationship with his wife. At the same time, he did not want to say yes and make Luke feel more marginalized on his birthday.

Another reason for not answering was that Fred did not know what Luke wanted. Maybe he would like to stay and see some of his classmates. Luke has not been hanging out with his best friend Blake. This could be a chance for those two to spend some time together. Lastly Luke was an eight year old kid. The party had a bouncy castle. What 8 year old kid did not like a bouncy castle.

Luke came down and was greeted by everyone saying Happy Birthday. Even his sister said it with meaning. Hearing the joy in Lori’s voice made him as cautious as a bomb disposal expert snipping the last wire. Luke being weary was shown to be right when his mom said “Luke change of plans. You and your friends will be staying at Lori’s party until she cuts her cake. Then Nanno and Nanna will join you bowling.”

Luke was not happy with having to stay at his sister’s party, but if that meant spending more time with Nanno and Nanna he was fine with his mother’s orders. Fred was not fine with Alice stating Luke had to stay. Their son had a choice and she knew that fact. Fred spoke up. “Luke that is only if you want to. If you want to go bowling now, then we will. Nanno and Nanna will be joining us either way.”

Luke said “Let’s go bowling now.”

Lori got even more upset at hearing Luke staying with the original plans. The Brat Princess had even feigned niceness to him and this was how her no good brother repaid her. If she was going to have a bad day then Luke’s was going to be worse. “Luka, before you go, tell Nanno and Nanna how much you like my dress.”

“I hate it and don’t call me Luka.”

If Lori was not so proud of dragging Luke to her level she would have seen the look her mom gave her. It was the royal we are not amused. Lori should have known better than to bring that up in front of her grandparents. Alice did not want her parents to know about the petticoat punishment and if she did not act quickly her secret would in the open.

“If you hate this dress, then why did you wear it?”

Alice found an out of having the truth come out. “Lori, you know Luke was just playing dress up. Right Luke.”

Dino and Maria started to laugh. Hearing them laugh at what happen to him made the young boy feel so small. Lately too many people have been laughing at his expense and Luke’s self-esteem was taking damage. Nanno and Nanna’s reaction was worse than the kids at school. Those two should be lifting him, helping Luke become a man. Instead they found what happened to him as something to get enjoyment from.

To Alice the story was nothing more than a little white lie. Everyone has stories about growing up which could be a little embarrassing. This story would get her out of hearing why she was wrong once again and have the added bonus of bringing laughter for years to come. The results of her parents snickering was proof her story did no harm.

Fred was liberal and would not have cared if his son played dress up in a dress. Being open minded came from Fred having apathy towards what other people did if their actions did not hurt him. To Fred the world would be a better place if people did not care about what was not important. There was a perfect example in his life. He enjoyed Nickleback and his friends gave him grief over his musical taste. They did not have to listen to it when he did, so why did they care so much?

Now Fred did care about his wife trying to cover up messing up with their son by lying about it. He saw how Alice’s cover story affected Luke. His son quickly became withdrawn. His son going into a shell and his in-laws laughing was proof his wife lying did too much harm. Fred was not going to have his in-laws think differently of Luke and quickly spoke up before the lie became their truth. “Alice, you put him in a dress to punish him.“

For once Lori’s champion, her Queen Mother needed her help. This was the time the little girl could repay her mom and went to do so. “Dad, quit lying. Luka likes to wear dresses.”

Alice then saw her actions in the right light. She had to make her transgression against her son right. One question was if this action was too little, too late. Another was if the lesson would stick with Alice or if she would revert back to going with what was easy and what she wanted to bring peace into her home. “Lori, no, don’t do that. Don’t lie. Your dad is telling the truth. Young lady after the party today you are grounded for two weeks.”

The truth coming out was such a betrayal to Lori. Lori started to cry. Her world came crashing down. In her mind she would not be seen as a princess to her Nanno and Nanna ever again. The Brat Princess only did what she was taught by the Nostalgia Queen. As she was bawling her eyes out she gave a royal decree. “Luka, don’t you dare call me a crybaby.”

To Lori, her crying was so different than when Luke did. This situation was serious. When Luke cried it was over something less than a glass of spilt milk. He just did not like where the natural order of life should be her way. Tears should not be shed because of how life was.

Luke was not going to call his sister a crybaby. Right then he felt no need to defend himself. In fact, before she ordered him around Luke felt bad for Lori. His sister was upset and even with them not getting along Luke wanted to be there for her. That was what family did.

Luke stance on Lori changed a little. He wanted her not to feel any pain. After all, today should be a happy day for her. At the same time, he wanted to make sure she knew not to order him around or he would act as selfish as her. “I would never. I am not like you.”

Those words, I am not like you, caused Lori to run upstairs. Those words upset her even more than any other of the events so far today. Lori would tell everyone the same exact words her brother had used. The way he meant those words was wrong. Somehow the hired hand in her life thought he was better than her. The faulty reason behind those words proved why the natural order was how it was. If Luke could not see she deserved more than him, then of course that was reason enough for her to get more. The circular logic was perfectly fine for Lori.

Luke having the wrong assumption was not what got to the birthday girl the most. Her brother was not that smart. Her being able to tell most of the people in the room agreed with Luke’s assertion did. Somehow, people believed what was not true. How could anyone think that her brother was better than her? Look at how many people were coming to her party compared to his. Her party was also better. She had a bouncy castle and he was going bowling. All eight year olds knew that a bouncy castle was better than bowling.

**********

After Luke was taken bowling, an all too common scene was happening again at the Zahn’s household. Alice went upstairs to comfort her daughter. Knowing her daughter’s special day was ruined was already making the lesson of playing favorites fade from Alice’s memory. Luke saying he was not like Lori also helped the wisdom Alice gained to wane away. That attack on the clone childhood of Alice’s got the mom mad. The truth of it was, truth did not matter.

By the time she made the journey up the stairs Alice was back to being the Nostalgia Queen. Anything within her power was going to be done to make Lori happy. With wanting her daughter to be a clone of herself today, it had to be filled with the best memories.

“That crybaby Luka is selfish. He should have said yes to staying for my party.”

Alice had no time to correct Lori. Plus she understood her daughter was so upset. “My princess, I understand. Come on your guests will be arriving in an hour. You need to be cheerful greeting them.”

“You don’t understand. You grounded me for nothing.”

“I only did that so your dad did not. He would have had it longer. You will only be grounded when he is around.”

“Luka is going to tell everyone I am a crybaby. He is a crybaby.”

“Luke will not.”

The tears amped up. “His name is Luka.”

“Luka will not.”

Appeasement was how the situation would be deescalated. Alice saw no harm in agreeing with Lori. Luke would never know she called him Luka and it would make Lori’s crying stop. The harm in using appeasement was it simply encouraged Lori to believe that she would get anything she wanted from her mom. This flaw was quickly shown when Lori requested to have her Gameboy back.

The request was denied. Lori started to cry louder. She wanted to play the new game her Nanno and Nanna gave her. Alice caved by letting her daughter play using Luke’s Gameboy. She was taking advantage of a loophole in her husband taking away Lori’s gaming system. He never said she was not allowed to play Gameboy.

*********

The dining room, sunroom and patio all had pink and purple streamers and balloons. In front of the chair of honor was a birthday cake and hanging on the wall behind it was a banner. The banner read “Happy Birthday Lori.” The patio had a plastic table with small paper plates, napkins, potato chips, pretzels and nacho corn chips. For drinks there were cans of soda and pouches of juice drinks in a cooler on the patio. The best part of the party was what was missing. There was no Luke in sight. This was the perfect party for Lori.

The kids were running around the yard, having a good time either on the playset or in the bouncy castle. During the height of this playtime before the cutting of the cake and presenting of the presents Lori used the enclosed section of the bouncy castle to have a meeting with her high court. The meeting had one agenda, talking down on Luke.

At this gathering of the people who were anti-Luke, Tom found an opening to gain the trust of those who held the same low opinion of Lori’s brother. He did so by lying. The Brat Princess called Luke a crybaby and for the first time Tom added something to the conversation. He did his normal agreeing with the disparaging words then he added his own. He said that Luke cried so hard when he beat that no good brother of Lori in two races.

This lie was the best gift Lori could have gotten on her birthday. She was going to make sure everyone knew about Luke being a sore loser. The spread of this lie was also a gift to Tom. He might have still lost the race, but his classmates and friends thinking he won was almost as good as winning. He was seen as better than Luke. Perception helped make reality. Tom was not faster than Luke, but people would treat him like he was.

By the end of the party all the party goers thought a little less about Luke. They saw him as a crybaby who was not as fast on his bike as he said he was. Luke’s classmates did not question the stories about Luke being sensitive and lying because they heard them from different sources. Thinking the best of others made them just assume the truth was told to them.

***********

Trafford Lanes was a bowling alley built underneath a strip mall. The Saturday before Memorial day the only bowlers were people who were serious about the game. One of them was Earl Weber. He was in his late 50’s and loved seeing three kids come to his lanes. Earl watched as Luke and his friends started to bowl. The novices were throwing more gutter bowls than hitting any pins.

Earl knew the kids were there to have a good time, but thought to himself that the best way to ensure a good time was to become better at what one was doing. Earl wanted to give the kids some pointers. The best bowler in the Mon Valley walked over to Fred, Dino and Maria and introduced himself. Then Earl asked them if could give the kids some pointers. They all said yes to his request.

Earl’s love for the game was shown by how he took his time showing good bowling technique to Luke and his friends. His enthusiasm for them having a good time made the lessons he was giving fun. Earl just wanted these kids to have a good time so maybe they would come back and bowl more often. The game needed an influx of youth. Last year Trafford Lanes had only one youth bowling league and if the numbers continue to dwindle that league had the same chance of staying around as someone hitting the 7-10 split.

The best part of Earl’s lesson was when he joined in on giving Luke a high five after he bowled the first strike him and his friends got. His excitement over Luke’s accomplishment made the moment memorable for all. Fred, Nanno and Nanna all smiled. They knew this little celebration added to the enjoyment for Luke and his friends. Renee and Matt both commented on the curve on Luke throw. Earl knew the kids had the basics so after the celebration he left to go back to his practice.

After playing three games of bowling Luke’s party went to Mineo’s. Dino was good friends with Angelo, the owner. When they walked in Dino and Angelo greeted each other. Nanno only said he was there for his nipote’s birthday. The use of italian for grandson was all the owner of Mineo’s needed to hear. The customers were going to get the best treatment.

Angelo escorted the birthday party to the best booth. Angelo only allowed the booth to be used if his pizzeria was full or someone close to him was there. After serving the pizza, Angelo came with cannolis for all. The one he gave Luke was bigger than the rest. He stayed there and led the singing of Happy Birthday. To Fred, Luke glowing from how he was treated today was sweeter than the Italian pastries in front of them.

*********

Luke got home and Lori was about to rub in his face how she had the best birthday party today. Everyone at her party had a great time and Luke only went bowling. There was no way going out with your two friends could be better than her party. She had a bouncy castle. Her day had to be a strike compared to the gutter ball of Luke’s.

Hearing Luke laughing with her dad, Nanno, and Nanna had to be wrong. Lori swore that Nanno was lying when he said how good Luke bowled. There was no way her good for nothing brother was good at anything. Then hearing that Luke got a birthday cannoli hurt her. Her party only had a birthday cake. If her brother got something special she should have also.

Lori was perplexed at the good vibes coming from everyone. She did not understand the simple fact, for most things in life it does not matter what you do, it is who you do the activity with which makes it memorable and enjoyable. A simple hamburger with the people you love would be a better meal than a steak at a three star Michelin Restaurant with total strangers.

The girl was not going to get to put the icing of putting her brother down on her birthday cake tonight. Lori feigned a stomach ache so she could excuse herself. Her dad offered to take her upstairs and she declined. To her he was just trying to look nice, and make up for the fact that she was not his favorite child. She needed time alone to figure out how to get rid of the heartache she had from once again her brother having something go his way.

***********

Monday at school was a little strange for Luke. Most of the kids stayed a little bit away from him. When he did join a group before the start of school, the discussion stopped. They were talking about how Luke was a crybaby and did not want to take the chance to trigger him crying again. Some of his classmates also would leave the group right away. They did not want to be around someone like him.

The treatment of Luke being persona non-grata was just starting. This was the last week of school and Luke was looking forward to the summer so he did not care about being kept at a distance by his classmates. The upcoming days were going to be filled with riding his bike and hanging out with Renee and Matt. He just assumed that once they were back to school the kids would start treating him normal again. Little did Luke know that this summer Lori and her allies were going to keep on the negative press campaign on him.

Summer was the best time of the year for kids, and even with the added stress, for parents having the extra time to be with the kids was a mixed blessing. The kids having time to just be kids added to the parents’ responsibilities. Not one loving parent would complain about the increased difficulty in juggling work-life balance. At the same time, they did know the extra part in their life would add strain to their daily routine.

The added stress from her kids being home did not take long to come to Alice. The first Monday of summer vacation was a rainy day. Luke wanted to play his Game Boy and could not find it. When Luke asked his mom where his game was, Alice remembered that she let Lori used it. She could not tell Luke that. Her husband or son could never find out. Fred would be mad that Alice went behind his back once again. Luke would bring up that Lori was not allowed to play with his toys without his permission.

Even with coming up with the idea, Alice thought that Lori needing Luke’s go-ahead was silly. Those two were brother and sister after all. If Lori treated Luke like a brother then she would be right with that assertion. Lori would have a hissy fit if Luke even touched something of hers. Banning Luke from his sister's belongings was the easiest solution to Lori’s hurt feelings. The silly part was Luke wanting the same stipulations for his toys. He needed to act like a big brother. Big brothers let their little sisters get their way.

Alice needed time and to get Luke away from his room. To distract her son, Alice said “Luke you take out the garbage and I will find your Game Boy. You need to keep track of where you put your things.”

The distraction tactic came off as a scolding. What Alice said was not true. The frustrated mother was only trying to come up with a plausible explanation on why she was able to find the game and he was not. Her son’s room was clean and would pass a white glove inspection. Luke kept his room as well organized as an accountant’s vacation plan.

After doing the chore Luke came upstairs to see his mom holding his Game Boy outside of Lori’s room. Her standing there was odd. The game should not have been anywhere other than his room. When at home, Luke made a point to only play the game there. The other rooms in the house were to interact with the family.

As Alice handed Luke his game, the look on her face was the same as the screen on the game, broken. Lori broke it. After asking for Lori to bring the game to Luke’s room the mom heard a smashing sound. That sound should have also smashed the pedestal Alice had Lori on, however it did not. Alice told herself once again a lie and thought that Lori must have been in a rush to listen to her mom and dropped the game. Lori was also under pressure because if Luke found out about her playing his game she would have been in trouble. Lori’s sob story corroborated Alice’s defense.

Luke said “Lori broke my Game Boy.”

Alice had to defend her daughter. She wanted to diffuse the situation. Luke could not be upset about his broken game. There was no time in her day to deal with any of her kids bickering. “No she didn’t. She dropped it by accident.”

“She broke it and should not have been playing with it.”

“I let her. She got a Chisaimon for her birthday and wanted to play.”

“That is my game. You can’t let her play with it.”

Luke putting up resistance to Alice’s story was adding to the stress. “Listen here Luke. I am your mom and if I want Lori to play with your Game Boy she can.”

“Then I can play her new game when I get a new Game Boy.”

“No, that is her game and not yours.”

“That is not fair. You are a meany.”

Being called a meany by her son hurt Alice. She did not think her double standard was unfair. “You take that back young man.”

“No. You are a meany and Lori has to buy me a new Game Boy.”

“You want to see me being a meany. Here is what is going to happen. I will buy you a new Game Boy tonight and you will not tell your dad what happened. If you do tell your dad I will put you in a dress.”

Luke actually gasped in fear. “You wouldn’t. You promised you would never put me in a dress again.”

Alice reaffirmed the false punishment “I will.” Luke’s fearful reaction made the stress go away from Alice. Fred was not going to find out about her going behind his back once again. The idle threat was harmless. To Alice, all using Luke’s fear about petticoat punishment did was have Luke listen to her. In reality, her doing so helped foster Luke’s learned helplessness with Lori. His sister would get her way no matter what.

Luke held himself together long enough to say fine. He was not going to cry in front of his mom. She might put him in a dress because according to his mom boys don’t cry. Luke hearing his mom call him the mocking name of Luka reaffirmed the fear. If Luke had cried Alice would have seen the damage she had done. Him crying would momentarily have broken the facade she had about Lori and her actions. Luke went to his room and started to cry silent tears.

*************

To Alice the rest of the day was uneventful. If she would have paid attention to how her kids were acting instead of being satisfied with the peace and quiet she would have known differently. As soon as the rain shower ended Luke was out of the house to ride his bike. That was normal for Luke. Him not coming home for lunch was not. Alice went with the assumption which maintained the status quo in her home, Luke was just having too much fun. The lunch was skipped because Luke did not want to spend any time with his mom if he did not have to. He finally went home right before his father.

Lori was happy and did not have a care in the world. Having the Game Boy taken away from her should have made Lori pout like the brat she was. Alice just thought that Lori was feeling like any youngest sister should, like the princess. The reason behind Lori acting like a princess should have been known to Alice. The Brat Princess thanked Nostalgia Queen for not making her pay for accidently breaking Luke’s game. The show of gratitude meant that Lori overheard the threats Alice made. Lori hearing a way to make Luke’s life miserable made it so she would come up with a plan. She was always vigil in starting a new offensive in the War of the Twins.

Lori’s dad came home so it was showtime. The stage for the underlying drama was set. As always, Lori was going to be the star. Luke was going to be her antagonist. Of course, with the drama about Lori getting her way. So, in the final act Luke was going to get in trouble and maybe, just maybe Lori would be able to get her mom to put her brother in a dress again.

Before anyone could say hello or Alice ask him how was his day, Fred was greeted in his home to Lori proclaiming “Luke broke his Game Boy and is making Mom buy him a new one.”

The greeting acted like a yellow light and made Fred cautious. What his daughter said made no sense. Luke was careful with all of his belongings. He was never forceful when dealing with his parents. Alice would have never agreed to buying the new Game Boy. His wife would have also texted Fred if their son was that disrespectful.

Alice’s response of a simple yes made Fred’s go from being cautious to going into action. Only saying yes without adding Luke needing punished told him that Lori was lying. The only way he could come up with the truth was by taking control of the conversation. Instead of being told what other people wanted him to hear, Fred needed to hear the answers to his questions. He asked Luke to get his Game Boy.

Luke came back with the game and this was when Lori and Alice’s lie was disproven. Lori’s new game was still in the console. The audacity of her brother wanting to play with his game when she was using it got the Brat Princess so mad she forgot to take the game cartridge out. Fred knew something was amiss when he felt the Game was not empty. Luke always made sure to take his games out of it.

Fred turned the game console around. Alice and Lori did not know what was going on. Luke’s father should have been chastising Luke for breaking that expensive toy. As Fred was pulling out the evidence which would clear Luke, Lori realized Chisaimon was still in the Game Boy. She blurted out “I let Luke play my game.”

Luke said “No, she didn’t. I am not allowed to play Lori’s games.

I don’t like Chisaimon. I play Rodo-Mon. Rodo-Mon is better.”

Alice was still trying to have Fred believe Lori’s story. “Luke you will not get in trouble because Lori was nice enough to let you play her game. You should do the same with her.”

Fred heard enough. He did not have the entire story, but what he got was good enough. “Alice, you have to quit taking Lori’s side when she tells you something. She would never let Luke play her game first. Lori will pay for Luke’s new Game Boy.”

“Plus, did Luke demand you buy him a new game?”

Lori stomping her feet in anger as she left the room scream, “This is not fair.” Alice told the fact she offered to buy the game for Luke to hide the truth from coming out. At the moment, Fred was more concerned about Luke getting his game back than the old fight of Alice’s distorted outlook on Lori.

Fred calming down was a good sign to Alice. She would be able to get everything how she wanted without her husband being any wiser of what really occurred today. Lori would still not pay for the broken game console. Tomorrow after Luke gets it, Alice will tell him his sister will be able to use his Game Boy until she gets hers back. After giving her husband a proper greeting Alice went upstairs to tell Lori everything would be fine. That Lori did not have to pay for accidentally breaking Luke’s game.

The next day was when the unintended consequences of Alice’s strong arm tactics came to be. Alice was going to put Luke in a dress again by the end of the day. The actions would be called a mistake, but in reality they were the bad decision of using appeasement to coddle Lori. A mistake is a bad action which someone learns from. A bad decision is repeating a bad action. The first time someone stays out drinking too late on a work night is a mistake. The second time is a bad decision. Mistakes come from not knowing any better. Bad decisions come from people trying to get what they want instead of thinking of the outcome.

The morning started as a normal one with Alice serving breakfast to her kids before she started her job. She was going to put in 6 hours today and every day in the foreseeable future. The budget shortfall coming from Lori’s extravagant birthday party and Alice not making her daughter pay for what she had done needed to be made up as quickly as possible. The family funds needed to be at the right level for when they took the beach vacation in August.

The extra hours at work along with the extra work with her kids being at home was getting to Alice. Fred’s wife could not expect him to pick up even more of the chores. There was a great division of labor between Alice and her husband. Also, she was keeping the extra time at work a secret so Fred would not find out how much Lori was being spoiled. He would not understand that Lori deserved extra because she was the youngest daughter. How could he? Fred was never the youngest daughter.

Alice was so oblivious of her son that thought nothing of the fact Lori came down first for breakfast. Luke always beat his sister down for breakfast. Luke was taking his time because Lori was already taunting him about being in a dress. The self-satisfaction Lori had in informing Luka that their mom was going to punish him for the truth coming out convinced Luke it was true. That by the end of the day his mom was going to petticoat punish him once again.

Lori used the alone time with her mom as an audience with her queen. The Brat Princess was going to remind the Nostalgia Queen the warning she gave the serf who happened to be her brother. Lori was wise enough not to directly refresh her mom's memory. Instead she went with trying to be helpful. “Mom, do you want me to get the same dress you put Luka in last time or a new one?”

Alice only said “What?” She was past even trying to correct her daughter. Lori using Luka with Luke hearing was not harmful to Alice. The day was going to be busy so appeasement was used once again. Trying to make Lori use her brother’s real name would only upset her daughter. Lori being upset would add to the stress level of an already hectic day.

“You told Luka if Dad found out about me breaking the game you were going to put him in a dress.”

Using idle threats on your children was a bad decision. If a son or daughter found out a parent was bluffing then they would not put any heed in any given warning. Alice made it clear Luke did nothing wrong “Luke did not tell him.”

Lori lied “No I heard you. You said if Dad found out. Call him Luka.”

Alice went with if she used Luka maybe Lori would relent on the idle threat. “Luka did not tell him.”

The tactic of giving Lori some of what she wanted did not work. Lori knew if she pressed the subject her mom would cave in and put Luke in a dress. Alice believed that the youngest daughter should get what they want. “No, you said if Dad found out. Dad did. It is not fair that Luka gets away with everything and I get punished for nothing. I didn’t mean to break his Game Boy.”

Luke finally found the strength to face his mom. The little boy knew what was coming. If he took being put in a dress again like a boy maybe this would be the last time. Maybe his mom would not keep him in the dress that long if he showed her how strong he was. As he entered the dining room Luke, once again, Luke heard his mom call him Luka. Alice saw Luke at the dining room entrance. She was scared that her son heard her say Luka. She asked Luke what he heard. Sounding as meek as a lamb to the slaughter of petticoat punishment he was, Luke said “Nothing.” The answer was improbable. Her son was too close to not have heard what she said. Alice choose to believe her son because the truth would be too painful for her.

Lori saw the stress on her mom’s face. The time to take the offensive was now. The Brat Princess started to mock Luke. “You are going to be in a dress. You are going to be in a dress.”

Luke knew Lori was telling the truth, but was not going to take this punishment without giving his best to fight it. “No, I am not. Mom said I would never be in a dress again.”

Up to that point Alice had never thought she would go through with the punishment. Two things changed her mind. Luke stating what she would do. Her son had no right to say what she would or would not do. Then Lori started to cry demanding that Luke stop. The stress got to her. Alice had to put Luke in a dress to deescalate the situation.

Luke listening to his mom about not telling his dad and trying to have a stiff upper lip made the decision easy for Alice. She would get away with going against her word to him. Luke would not dare say anything to her husband. Luke not being upset when she made the threat thought that no damage would come to her son from the humiliation. Him wearing some clothing for a moment would stop Lori from crying and make her day easier.

Alice told her son to get upstairs now. Everyone in the room knew the punishment was going to occur. Luke walked slowly. He was going to make all his actions be as stoic as he could. Alice followed him and Lori started to walk behind her mother. There was no way she was going to miss her brother being put in his place. Alice quickly sniped at her daughter to eat her breakfast. Lori listened, somehow, she knew if she pushed seeing the humiliation it would not happen. Missing seeing Luke in a dress again was terrible, but him getting out of it would have been worse.

Even with thinking that she would lose her authority over Luke by backing down, Alice had a change of heart on her way upstairs. The stress was quickly receding and she did not need the relief anymore. Once they got to Luke’s room Alice told her son to just say he was in a dress. Luke was not going to take any quarter from his mom. Accepting the pardon might be a sign of weakness. Luke told his mom he would not lie about being in a dress.

Luke being uncooperative brought the stress back up for Alice. Why couldn’t her son just follow her simple orders? Only Lori would think he was in a dress. That should not be an issue. Luke’s sister would not be stupid and tell anyone. Alice was wrong, Lori would be smart enough to tell her fellow classmates. The machiavellian savant knew with summer break her saying it would not get back to Luke for weeks. By then her mom would not be mad, and her dad would not find out. If Alice defied what she agreed upon with her husband once, Lori knew she would do it again.

Alice went to Lori’s room to get the same blue and white striped dress as before. She also grabbed plain white panties and one of her daughter’s t-shirts. Back in Luke’s room handing her son the outfit felt wrong. Alice wanted to back out, but could not find a way to do so without losing face. The mother with doubts convinced herself this was good parenting. Backing out would be trying to be her son’s friend not his mother. Having her son’s respect was more important than his hurt feelings.

Putting Luke in a dress again was going to have the opposite effect. At that moment, Luke lose all respect he had for his mom. Luke couldn’t have anything but discontent for his mom. Alice went back on her word for no good reason. She asked Luke to lie again to cover up for herself. Luke’s mom did an action which she knew caused harm to her son.

Luke put on the dress and stood there. Alice did not like how her son looked. His face was as emotionless as a picture on an employee’s ID card. The concerned mother asked Luke if he was alright. A Vulcan would have been proud of the lack of any emotions in his reply of yes. Anyone who was not trying to vindicate making this bad decision would have known this was a lie. Alice needed for her choice to be right so she believed her son. The doubting mother needed to convince herself punishing Luke to make Lori happy was not wrong.

Luke just kept standing there. He made no motions and did not break eye contact with his mom. The look made Alice feel just as uncomfortable as her son was in the dress. After a minute Alice could not take the tension. She told her son to change back into his clothes and promised him this punishment would never happen again. Alice only having her son in a dress for a short period of time, giving her son her word this was the last time, along with her son not crying made Alice downplay what she did.

The damage was done by committing the act not the length. Alice once again looking out for Lori’s feelings above his mental wellbeing made Luke feel like how Lori saw him, a second class citizen in his own home. Doing the easy thing to get Lori to quit crying reinforced Luke’s learned helplessness. The petticoat punishment also pushed Luke emotionally, pushing him away from his mom. Luke understood that parents needed to discipline their kids for wrong doing. What his mom just did was not about helping Luke learn right from wrong, it was just hurtful.

Alice and Lori were finishing breakfast when Luke finally came down to eat. The humiliated boy needed the time to recompose himself. Luke could hold in the whimpering from crying but not quivering lips, running nose and tears. Showing the pain he was in, was not an option. He also did not want to be in their company. There was no eye contact made by Luke when he said good morning. He did not want anyone to see his bloodshot eyes. Alice had to check to see if Luke was fine.

Luke gave the short answer that he was and also gave no real details of what his plans were for the day. Alice was happy with the answers. The responses let her see what just transpired between her and her son in the best possible light. Lori on the other hand, knew the damage was done. Even with her brother looking down the entire time Lori was able to see his bloodshot eyes. Lori was able to hear Luke’s voice was a little nasally. She knew that was from crying.

After finishing breakfast Luke excused himself to go ride his bike. That bike meant freedom. Riding that bike meant Luke would not be stuck in a war he could not win or even wage. Alice made it so Luke had no recourse against his sister’s attacks. Her wanting peace in her life unwillingly meant letting Lori perform a massacre on her brother.

Before Luke was out the door, Lori asked him to get his Game Boy for her to play. The request was her way to rub in the fact she would always get her way. Alice asked Luke if that was fine. The question was genuine. She was still feeling bad about how she treated her son. The question came off as Alice reaffirming Luke was not at the same level as Lori. His mom wanted to force him to say yes in front of his sister. Yesterday she proclaimed that Luke would let Lori play with his new console. To Luke the only acceptable answer was yes. Before he could turn around to give Lori what she saw as tribute from the serf, Alice said “Luke you go ride your bike, Lori can get the console.”

Finally being able to leave the Empire of the Brat Princess, put a spring in Luke’s step. The spring in Luke’s step was also strengthen by thinking about this weekend at United Kingdom of Fun, The Lincoln Way Bike Park and Kennywood. Saturday was going to be a fun filled day. The bike park was always a good time. The little boy would be with his friends, free to go fast, and away from his mom and sister. Then Kennywood, his favorite amusement park was on the day’s agenda. The rides there made him feel free, the mascot, Kenny Kangaroo, made all the kids feel welcome and eating some of the fresh cut fries and funnel cake was a welcome treat.

As Luke opened up the screen door he told his mom he would be back for lunch. The energy coming back to the free boy made Alice think that the sluggish behavior earlier was from Luke waking up. This false assumption just made Alice’s belief she did nothing wrong earlier today and also that her husband overreacted about her putting Luke in a dress.

**********
Just like thinking about going to Kennywood gave Luke the strength to get over having to endure petticoat punishment again, it also helped him put on with Lori for the rest of the week. His sister would never admit it, but the Brat Princess being a brat was so jealous of her brother. She wanted to do anything in her power to stop him from going to that amusement park with his friends. Her brother going to have more fun without her was not only not fair, it upseted the natural order. The youngest should always have more fun than the older sibling. The youngest was supposed to get everything special.

Lori tried her hardest to get her mom mad at Luke. She tried every trick she knew to no avail. Alice would not bite on the bait Lori gave her. Lori’s mom did not want anything to do with punishing Luke over nothing. Even with lying to herself Alice, deep down inside, knew she went too far in putting Luke back in a dress. This guilt made her unconsciously see Lori for what she was, a brat.
Having his mom keep her distance from him for the rest of the week helped Luke get over being in a dress again. He did feel disdain for his mom, but her not being around him made it recede quickly. The young boy came to the conclusion it might be for the best for him not to have a close relationship with his mom. He was already distancing himself from her when she unjustly punished him by calling her Mother. Now he would use Mother when thinking of her. Formalness is a great way to cut a close personal connection.

Finally, Saturday came and the day was even better than Luke envisioned. At the bike park one of the older kids showed the Saturday Morning Bike Club how to pop a wheelie. Popping a wheelie was a way to feel as excited as going fast to Luke. Also, Tom was not there. Even with it being good to stand up to one of his tormentors Luke just did not want to handle seeing one of Lori’s friends. The last thing he wanted was to have hot air come from Tom about racing again and then the challenger to Luke’s title not wanting to put anything up for the chance to redeem himself.

Kennywood was a blast, literally and figuratively. The day was filled with fun from the rides, games and treats. Then at 5:30 there was the main show at the lagoon stage. There was a dare devil, a human cannon ball. The daring man came out of the stage in a white jump suit with a cannon sequence pattern on it. The man was going to dare fate and yet he was making grand gestures on his way to load himself into the cannon.

Then after the living artillery was loaded there was a countdown. 5, Each second the tension was building for the entire crowd. 4, Luke turn to his friends and they shared a look of amazement. 3, Renee was getting a little nervous for the daredevil and grabbed Matt’s hand. 2, Luke saw that Matt was getting a little nervous so he put his arm around his friend. 1, Fred proudly put his hand on his son’s shoulder. Blast off, everyone let out a cheer.

The daredevil went flying out of the huge cannon across the lagoon to a huge safety net. Luke, a young boy who was lost in the moment, swore the guy flying across the sky gave him a thumbs up. That gesture told Luke everything was going to be all right.

Then on his way home Luke started to come back down to reality as quick as that daredevil went out of the cannon. He knew he had to deal with Lori and she was not going to be happy. Luke got something and she did not. As if that was not enough, his mother was not falling for Lori’s tricks. Lori was a pain to deal with when she was not getting her way. Luke seeing Lori was smug was not a good sign. The only hint was an envelope in her hands. She did not tell her brother who it was from or what it was about. Lori was going to wait for later to rub in the information in the envelope which Ms. Armstrong hand delivered earlier today.
**********

Christine Armstrong did not like her daughter’s birthday invite list. The dissatisfaction did not come from her wanting too many or too few of her classmates coming to the party. It was Tracy’s party and she can have as many or as few of her friends there as she wanted. Christine was actually happy that almost the entire class was going to help celebrate Tracy’s becoming eight. She loved the noise and energy kids brought into her home. Her daughter being inclusive was also a sign she was a good parent. Chrissy disapproved of a name which was missing, Luke Zahn.

Luke was one of the kids in the neighborhood and Chrissy knew him. She knew he was one of the good kids. He helped Tracy with an art project. He was able to help her daughter because she was green red color blind. Until about a month ago, Tracy would always talk about Luke. She knew they were friends.

Chrissy asked her daughter if she forgot to put Luke on the list. She needed to find out why Tracy was not inviting Luke. Tracy bit her bottom lip when confronted with the question. This was a sign she was nervous and Chrissy knew it. Tracy had a good reason to become uptight. She could not tell her mom the truth. If she invited Luke then her friends, Lori, Blake, Mike, and Tom would not show up to her party. If that fact came out her mom would make her invite Luke. Chrissy was against her daughter excluding friends because other kids did not like them. A person should be an individual, not a follower.

Tracy told her mom she did not like Luke anymore. The answer was not far from the truth. Tracy did not like how she felt around her friend anymore. She felt shame about how she treated Luke. Luke being upset about making the mistake she made in making fun of him led to her to do so more. She was mad that she could not feel good about herself and took it out on him. This was going to keep on happening until Tracy forgave herself and then talked with Luke.

After giving the reason Tracy gave the tell she was still nervous. Chrissy pried as to why her daughter would give that answer. There was something more going on. Just as Tracy was about to give in and just say the truth her father joined the conversation by saying “Tracy it does not matter why. If you don’t want Luke at your party then he will not be invited.”

To Greg Armstrong, his wife was trying to do the right thing. This was not the time. Not inviting Luke to a party was not a big deal. It was not like they were close friends. Chrissy had to let Tracy be a kid. Kids being kids fall in and out of friendship at her age. Luke would quickly forget about not being invited to the party next time they played together. The sad truth was those two would never play together again. That for a long time Tracy was going to feel bad when thinking about how she treated Luke.

***********

Alice was happy that Chrissy dropped by to drop off the birthday invite. Those two had not had a chat in a while. The white envelope only had Lori’s name. Alice looked a little perplexed about not seeing her son’s name on it. Chrissy explained that Tracy did not invite Luke to the party, but it was fine if he came. Alice said that Luke would be alright not going.

This snub by Tracy allowed Alice to build on the narrative she wanted for her kids. Luke was not as popular as Lori. Luke was a wallflower and Lori was the life of the party. In fact, with Luke becoming more and more like her brother Dom he would be happy to not go to the party. Just like his uncle Luke enjoyed being on his own than around people. That was why he would ride his bike all day.

Chrissy left knowing something was not right. She knew Alice believed what she said, but it was not true. Tracy’s mom saw how much Luke enjoyed being around her daughter working on that art project. When Luke and his friends were riding their bikes around the neighborhood he was always the one laughing the loudest. She left wishing that she could have seen Alice’s son. Talking with Luke could have helped her figure out what was really going on between her daughter and him.

*************

The entire week before the party Lori took every chance she got, to make sure she teased Luke about not getting an invite. Lori’s words acted just like a tattoo and got underneath Luke’s skin. The brave boy put on a brave face. The last thing Luke wanted was his mom to see him cry. Even with her word of no more petticoat punishment, Luke might end up in a dress if he did not act how his mom wanted.

Lori knew she was getting to Luke. Unlike his mom, Luke could not fool her. Had Alice not have a fantasy on how her kids’ childhood would be, she would have known Luke was upset. She would have put a stop to it. Instead, the mean words were seen as harmless teasing. Alice used to do the same with Dom. Dom never cared because what Alice thought was important did not matter to him. Why would a 12 year old boy care, if an 8 year old girl was going to have a Strawberry Shortcake theme party?

Tracy’s party was like any other eight year old party, other than the declaration which Lori, the Brat Princess and her court made. They told the other kids that they will not stay at any party which Luke was at. Lori pointed out how much fun they were all having without the crybaby being there. Some of the kids took heed of the warning because they wanted those five to show up. Other kids were going to follow the decree so a crybaby would not ruin their party. It was their party so only they could cry if they want to.

Renee and Matt did not like anything about the party. They did not like Tracy not inviting Luke. They felt she should have told them their close friend was not going to be there. They also felt that Luke should had. Later on, they would find out the reason Luke did not tell them was so they would go. He did not want them to miss out on a party because of him. Renee and Matt understood.

They also told Luke if he ever was too hurt by not being invited to any party to let them know. Their friendship was more important than going to a party. Matt and Renee could not have the cake of Luke’s friendship and also eat the cake he was unjustly excluded from having. Luke never said if he was too hurt. He knew he could have the cake of Matt and Renee’s friends and also deny them eating the cake of having fun. They did nothing wrong by others not inviting him to a party. A friend did not make a friend pay for another’s action.

The two members of the Saturday Morning Bike Club found how the kids were picking on Luke as him being a big party pooper. Saying he was a crybaby was a lie and them laughing was mean. Ganging up on someone who was not there just did not feel right. Each time they heard laughter coming from putting Luke down made the bike club members a little more uncomfortable.

Then Matt and Renee came to their Rubicon. The threat Lori made was when Luke’s friends had to act. Lori and her friends went too far. At that moment, inaction would have Luke’s friends become complicit with how the rest of the party goers were treating him. Renee was a fearless girl. She said then none of those five would be invited to her birthday party. Matt wanted results right away, he left the party. The young protester asked Ms. Armstrong to call his parents to come get him. Renee joined Matt

The pushback caused some friction at the party. Tracy was beginning to get nervous and started to bite her lower lip. She felt that Lori went too far in trying to ostracize her brother. They might not like Luke, but forcing others to pick sides was wrong. The bold move could backfire and have those five be the ones who would be blacklisted from social events. This fear was founded.

Lori might have been only eight years old, but she was a master manipulator. Making the rest of the kids agree to follow her edict was going to be easy. She was not going to have any resistance to her story. During the rest of the party the Lady Macbeth in training worked her magic. She made sure the kids saw how much fun they were having and credited it to her and her friends being there. By the time the party was over, the kids were all onboard about the Luke ban. They did not want to have a lame party.

Fred showed up early to pick up his daughter. He wanted to see if he could find out why Luke was not invited to the party. He had a notion that Lori was behind it. He did not get a chance to have a real talk about why Luke was excluded. Tracy’s dad, Bob, latched on to Fred and talked about his passion, MMA. Fred’s ear got a beating about the beat down at the latest pay per view. Fred tried to tap out of the conversation by bringing up any other subject. Bob was not going to take the submission.

By the time Fred got to Christine too many of the other parents were there to bring up a sensitive subject. As Fred was talking to Tracy’s mom, the birthday girl ran up to him with some cake. She looked around and handed Fred the plate saying “Tell Luke this was from me.” How she ran off before Fred could say hi verified his suspicions.

On the way home, Fred tried to get Lori to slip up and admit she was behind Luke not being at the party. Lori’s defenses were up. She saw her dad as an ally to Luke so he was part of the enemy. First, Lori tried to distract her dad by just telling him about her day. She mentioned how much she loved the cake at the party. This would have gone in one of Fred’s beaten ears and out the other, but she dragged on about the cake. The cake was chocolate and chocolate was the best. Luke was silly in liking vanilla better than chocolate. Fred finally interrupted to get the conversation where he wanted it.

The resuming of the questioning was not going to work. Lori had the resolve to stay away from saying anything which would get her in trouble. Even if the girl was not strong she would have succeeded in her objective. Fred got distracted by her calling his son Luka and stating that nobody likes him. The ill treatment of his son by his own sister made Fred get too emotionally involved. He scolded her by saying “You don’t call your brother Luka. He does not like it. You also don’t lie about him. One day you are going to need Luke and don’t be surprised when he is not there for you.”

Lori scoffed at the scolding. How could someone as great as her need anything from someone as common as her commoner brother. If anything, Luke was going to need her one day. When that glorious day comes, Luke hat in hand to her, Lori was going to take great pleasure in saying no. Her brother was going to deserve whatever bad fortune he had for trying to deny Lori her proper amount of time in the limelight.

Luke got the cake Tracy sent home for him. The edge slice was big enough to be two servings. That was his mom’s favorite slice. He wanted to eat the cake with his mom. He still had not shared a slice of cake with his mom for his birthday. Alice found the gesture nice and said they would have the treat together later. She was not hungry at the moment.

Lori started to fume. Luke was not at the party so he should not have gotten cake. She knew that no good Ms. Armstrong was behind it. Tracy’s mom was not happy about Luke not being at the party. Then when Luke offered some of the ill-gotten cake to her mom, Lori was even less amused. If anyone got to have a special treat with her mom it would be her.

Lori was not going to allow a great injustice to happen and her chance to stop it came right away. She was alone with her mom. Luke went upstairs to his room and her dad left the house to work on the backyard. Lori started to talk to her mom about the party. She of course left out any part which would let her mom know how much of a brat she was. Lori also lied and said she did not have a piece of cake.

Alice felt bad for her daughter. The fact the great time was not perfect was shameful. To right this wrong, Alice suggested that those two have the cake now. This was a shameless act. The Nostalgia Queen saw nothing wrong. Her family would always let her have more sweets than they did. The youngest would always get the last of the ice cream, so why not her youngest get the last of the cake.

The queen and her princess sat down and ate the cake. Lori mentioned how good the cake was. Alice did not even notice how what Lori said, contradicted her story about not having the cake. The queen mother was too satisfied with herself. Her precious princess had a huge smile on her face and that was how the youngest daughter should always look.

Then Luke came downstairs to join the rest of the family. The first words out of Lori mouth were “I loved having that cake with you Mom.”

“That was my cake. We were supposed to eat it together Mom.”

Alice started to defend giving away what was not hers to Lori “Luke, Lori was invited to the party and she did not have any of the cake. We will have cake together on another day.”

Fred “Alice, Lori had cake at the party. She talked about how much she loved it on the way home. Even if she did not have any cake. That was Luke’s cake. You had no right to give it to Lori.”

Alice wanted to drop the subject. She was as wrong as thinking it would be relaxing to go shopping on Black Friday. “Honey, we can talk about this later; when the kids go to bed.”

Fred was not going to drop the subject. Luke made an effort to spend time with his mom, and she instead did what Luke wanted with Lori. “Now is the best time. I am just bringing up that Lori lied to you.”

Lori went too far in taking Luke’s cake. How her mom was defending her made her go too far again. “You are lying. I never talked about the cake.”

The queen got mad. “Lori, you do not talk like that to your father. He would not lie about this. You should have never told me you did not have cake at the party. Go up to your room and think about what you did. I will be up in a minute to talk with you about it.”

Luke was scared. When his mom got upset at Lori she ended up punishing him. To somehow find Lori’s bad behavior to be his fault. Alice was open to the truth now and saw her son was hurt. “Luke, I was wrong in giving your cake away. I will make this up to you.”

Luke said “OK.” He knew that his mom making up what she did to him was as likely as Lori being nice to him. The little time it took Alice to get the Ok made it so she would soon forget the promise to her son. The cake must not have been that important if Luke was fine with it right away.

Lori once again went too far. Instead of going to her room to think. She went to Luke’s room to get his Game Boy to play. Doing what she wanted instead of listening was no big deal to her. She won so much today she thought that she could do no wrong. Alice came into the room and was disappointed in her daughter. Lori needed to listen when she told her something.

Alice was not in the mood to hear the reason why she was disobeyed. Without saying a word, she took the game console out of her daughter’s hand. Alice then said. “Lori, you never say your dad is a liar. You also do not lie to me.”

The tears started to fall. “I just liked the cake so much. Chocolate is my favorite and it would have been wasted on Luka.”

“Your brother’s name is Luke.”

“I’m sorry, I slipped up. All the kids were calling him Luka today.”

Even with being mad and disappointed in her daughter, Alice hated to see her cry. “It is fine my little princess. Just tell the truth. I know Luke would have let you have the cake if you had asked him. He lets you play with his Game Boy.”

Lori kept on playing her mom better than she could play that game console. “I will Mom. I love you.”

“Good. I love you also I still want you to think about taking Luke’s cake and lying about your dad. I know you did not mean harm, you are so sweet.”

**************

The next month went smooth in the Zahn’s household. The house did not have the bickering. Luke was barely at home for Lori and him to start to disagree on anything. There was a ceasefire in the War of the Twins. Lori had to wait to do another offensive. Her mom taking Luke’s Game Boy away was a sign to slow down. She also had to learn to make sure her dad would stay out of the loop. She knew her mom would take her dad’s side. Grown-ups usually stuck together.

Having to stand on her own, Lori became a coward. She did not even try to play with Luke’s Game Boy. In a couple of weeks, she finally got hers back from her dad. She convinced herself that she waited until her game console was returned to her. Stooping down to getting that peasant’s permission was beneath her. The truth was she knew she could not handle the chance of her brother saying no. It would destroy her ego.

Then Alice got Luke’s invite to Renee’s birthday party. Her princess not being invited upset Alice. Renee not wanting Lori at her party damaged how Alice saw her kids. Lori was the popular one, not Luke. Alice told Luke that he was not allowed to go to the party without his sister. This reaction was an opening for the War of the Twins. Lori took it. She pressed her mom to keep her word.

Fred found out Alice forbidden Luke from going to the party when he got home. His first course of action was to ensure that Luke could go. Alice tried to stand her ground and fight to keep her decision. Fred bringing up that Lori was able to go to Tracy’s party made his wife throw in the towel. She had no legitimate reason why her husband was wrong.

Lori was happy that she did not have to go to Renee’s party. The Brat Princess much rather have taken a pop quiz in math than spend time with Renee. In truth, Lori wanted to try to make Luke’s friends exiles like him, but thought better of it. Having her class be against Luke was hard enough. Getting two more kids blackballed was not going to happen. Plus, if she kept them in the main social circle there would be a chance to get them to turn on Luke. Two friends were two friends too many for her brother.

Lori was also able to use getting the cold shoulder to get Luke in trouble. All Luke’s sister had to do was at the right time to tell the truth with a twist. Alice was talking about how she was going to make up to her daughter not going to the party. They were going to have a mother daughter day. Alice and Lori would go horseback riding at South Park Stables. The plans were different than when she talked about making up with Luke. With Lori, Alice was going to remember and keep her word.

The biggest ally Lori had in the War of the Twins was back. Lori knew the time to once again put Luke in his place was upon her. In a voice as sad as a goth song Lori told her mom Luke was the reason why she was not invited to the party. Luke made a declaration he would not show up at any party which Lori was at. This was also why Renee did not invite Luke.

Luke was in so much trouble. If Alice had her way he would be grounded until he was 18. Luke’s mom went to get that no good son of her. The playground was filled with kids playing basketball, swinging on the swings, going down the metal slides and hanging on the monkey bars. Alice yelled for her son to come to her as soon as she saw him. Luke was at the bottom of the slide waiting to go back to the top for a ride down when his mom called. Then after that his plan was going to be to do it again. Once again, Lori ruined Luke’s plans.

Renee said hi to Ms. Zahn and the reply she got was “I’m disappointed in you.”

Renee asked why and Luke’s mom said “You did not invite Lori to your party.”

Being a brave little girl, instead of automatically thinking that an adult was right Renee knew Alice was wrong. She corrected the lady who wrongly admonished her. “That was Lori’s fault. She said she would not show up to a party if Luke was there.”

The truth did not register to Alice. She was as closed as a bank on Sunday to hearing anything which would make her think wrong about why Lori was excluded from the party. Her daughter acting like such a brat would destroy the narrative Alice wanted.

On the way home Luke was scared. Somehow, he was in trouble. The worst part of being in trouble was Luke had no idea why. He did nothing wrong, but knew the guilty verdict was already in. Now the sentencing was all that was left.

When the mom and her convicted son got home, Lori was screaming “Put him in a dress.” She repeated what she wanted over and over again. The punishment had to be horrible. She wanted blood as bad as the mob during the Reign of Terror. It has been too long since her brother was put in his place.

The chant was ignored at first. Even with the petticoat punishment not being bad, Alice wanted to keep her word to Luke. Living in Lori’s shadow must be hard for Luke. Not everyone could be as popular as Lori and her son had to learn to live with that fact. She was just going to have Luke spend the rest of the day in his room. Delaying adding anything to the punishment would have been the best course of action. Having her husband at her side in agreement would put up a united front.

Wanting peace in her home ended Alice’s acting like Solomon. She took the unwise decision to once again take the easy course of action. Lori was appeased once again. Alice felt good about herself when she denied Lori’s request to seeing her brother’s humiliation. Instead of patting herself on her back, Alice should have seen that what she was doing was not punishment but revenge. She should have also heard the entire story before dolling out the punishment.

Luke was in the makeshift waiting cell of his bedroom when his mom came in with that blue and white striped dress in her hands. The boy stayed calm. His mom was not going to break him. Protesting would only prolong him being in the dress. There was no way Luke was going to help his mom get what she wanted. Alice said “Luke put this dress on. This is not the only punishment you are getting for what you did to Lori. You will not be going to Renee’s party. That will come, but I am going to make sure your dad agrees with me once he sees how badly you treat your sister.”

“What did I do to Lori?”

“Fine make me say it. You told Renee you would not go to her party if Lori was there. You are now grounded for a week mister, or should I say missy now.”

Any defense would have been as worthless as the German Mark in the fall of 1922. Still Luke could not just stay silent. Standing as straight as he could in that dress Luke “You are a meany.”

Those 4 words got to Alice. They made the lady for a moment see that she was overreacting. Those words also made her question Lori’s story. The last time Luke said them, Alice did jump to some conclusion and Lori was found not be truthful. Those words made Luke’s mom see this was not her finest moment.

To make herself feel better Alice told Luke to get out of the dress and stay in his room. Luke was more than happy to comply with the so called punishment. Not having to spend time around his mom or sister was a temporary reprieve, He was going to spend the rest of the day in his room playing his Game Boy.

Fred came home to his daughter smiling and laughing. Lori’s good mood was usually bad news to him. Alice asked Lori to give her and Lori’s dad some time alone. This made Lori mood even better. Until now she was not able to tease Luke about being in a dress again. She ran upstairs to make her brother squirm which she enjoyed.

The stiff upper lip Luke gave to Lori’s bombardment of harassment would have made Winston Churchill proud. Nothing his sister said could break Luke. Luke defenses were frustrating Lori. She amped up the attacks on his ego. There was nothing left other than her nuclear option, stating that Luke was in a dress again to her classmates.

Had Lori not have the support of her strongest ally, her mom, she would have never thought of going to that drastic measure. Lori would not have taken the chance of the trouble she would get in when her parents found out. Then it came to her, nothing bad would happen. Her mom would never let her husband find out about Luke being in a dress again. In wanting to keep petticoat punishment a secret Alice would not be able make Lori pay for not listening to her. Plus, Lori would be able to downplay her disobedience and somehow Luke would be punished.

As Lori was telling Luke about her new offensive, Fred and Alice talked about the sibling rivalry. Alice found out her daughter lied and she went over the top how she handled the situation. After hearing about the drama, Fred told his wife he needed to make a phone call to get some facts. Alice hated the fact that Fred had to verify Lori’s story. Her daughter would not lie.

Fred’s wife hated the fact that he was correct in wanting outside information. The call he made to Christine Armstrong cleared up what really happened. He found it odd that she was happy about his inquiry about Luke not being at her daughter’s party. Christine also wanted to get to the bottom of the mystery. When confronted about the party once again, Tracy told her mom the truth. That Lori and others said they would not come to the party if Luke was invited. Fred thanked Tracy for setting the record straight.

Alice’s husband was shaking his head as he placed his cell phone down. “Lori was the one who said she would not go to a party with Luke. How could you even think that Luke would say that?”

Having a strong desire distorted how people saw the world. Alice so wanting her daughter to be the most popular in her school made the outlandish story sound true. How could her daughter be the homecoming queen in high school if she was not invited to all the parties? Lori not being invited had to come from something other than everyone not adoring her. “Lori was upset, that is why.”

“Did you even try to find out why she was not invited?”

The answer of no was factually right. The answer was also misleading. Alice knew her husband would overreact if he learned about talking with Renee, so it was best to only answer the wording of the question instead of the spirit of the question.

Fred started to lay down how the false conviction was going to be overturned. “You should have found out. Luke can go to the party.”

“That is not fair to Lori.”

“Lori was able to go to Tracy’s party without Luke.”

“Luke was not upset about not going.”

“Alice, it is simple. If Lori can go to a party which she made Luke not invited to, then Luke can go to Renee’s party. Lori would not go anyways because Luke would be there.”

Alice was not going to have Luke go to a party without his sister ever again. The unpopular sibling being at a party would reflect badly on Lori, “From now on both of our kids have to party or the other cannot go.”

“Fine. Now I am going to straighten this out with Luke.”

“Honey let me do that.”

Luke was relaxing in his room when his mom came in. Lori left by the time Fred was able to clear up the situation. The damage to Luke was done so she did not want to waste her time gracing him with her presence. “Luke you are not grounded. If you want you can go to the party without Lori.”

If you want was mom’s speak for I cannot stop you, but I do not want you to go to that party. Luke just sat there. Part of the reason he was scared to say anything. Any response would be wrong. Another part was the son was giving his mom a chance to say sorry. She wrongly punished him.

Luke needed to say something, anything. Being in the presence of the boy she hurt once more made Alice antsy. The cold stare Luke was giving his mom made her even more uncomfortable. “Luke, I said you can go to the Renee’s party.”

The reply of “You are a meany.” was deserved. Nothing would come of Luke stating this fact to his mom. Alice letting her son say those words to her was a way of self-punishment. She hoped that how bad she felt about herself would be a reminder to never go back on her word to Luke. If she remembered how she felt right then there would be no way Luke would ever be in a dress again. Alice would not be able to remember because later she convinced herself Luke did not mean those mean words. That he was just trying to hurt her. The truth was just too hard for Alice to take and she needed her narrative to be true.

Most of the time there was no other place in the world where Tom Downey would rather be than the Lincoln Park Bike Park. Going there was special because the bike park was only open weather permitting. His parents would only take him there once a month during the school year and twice in the summer. The trip to the bike park not being common, made everything about the place even more special. To Tom, the expert level BMX course was the best in the world. The bike trail must be the longest and widest Tom had ever seen. Even the wooden picnic benches were comfortable.

Today was different. There was one place Tom would rather be other than the bike park, Renee’s birthday party. Tom’s anger at being snubbed made the bike park second place and everyone knew that second place was nothing more than the first loser. How could Renee not invite him along with his closest friends? So what if they do not like Luke. Her friendship with Luke was not going to affect how Tom and his friends treated her. They were still going to invite her and Matt to their parties. They were still going to show up at any party as long as Luke was not there.

To make matters worse, the bitter boy thought that he was being nice when he told Renee he would still show up to her party even if Luke was there. Being able to be around that crybaby was not nice; and how was Tom repaid? Renee flatly told him that she would not invite him. Not taking the compromise, shows that Renee did not want to get along. Life was give and take. Tom was giving his presence at the party to Renee so she should have been happy.

There was another reason for the anger. The BMX course reminded him of losing to Luke. Losing one race would have been bad but he lost both of them. Tom knew he could not beat Luke in a race. He saw Luke lose to Renee. There was no way a girl should beat a boy in a race. There was no way a boy who lost to a girl could be faster on a bike than Tom.

Tom’s pride was hurt by losing to that boy. Luke wore a dress and now Lori told him about how her brother would cry all the time at home. That story should have been seen for what it was, a story. Luke showed he would not cry over anything with how he took the teasing about his mom’s petticoat punishment. Tom choose to believe the story. Anything which made the boy who had beat him in a race look bad made him feel good. The downside of this hurt, since Luke was lesser than Tom in Tom’s eyes, and Renee picked hanging out with Luke over Tom .

Tom was going to spend his entire time at the bike park on the BMX course. He was going to get better and beat Luke. He was not worried about beating Renee. Luke had had to let Renee win so she would hang out with him. That was the only way that loser was friends with her. That was the only way to explain Luke beating him. There was no way that Tom was slower than a girl on a bike.

With each lap on the course, Tom knew it better. The best place to ease up on his speed on the turns was coming to him. The easiest way through the course was coming to Tom. He knew that he was mastering the course. After his last lap, Tom had a smile on his face. He had to be the best 8 year old on the track. Whenever he gets the chance to prove he was better than his lesser, was going to be sweet.

************

Blake Sellars was sitting on the swing set in his backyard. His hands were tightly clenching the chain link hold of the swing as Mike Patton was pushing him. Each push came with the instruction of higher. Blake wanted to set his own height record today.

As Blake was inching closer to reaching heights he never had before, he thought this is how it should be. His words were about the Zahn’s twins; Blake was a leader and should be in charge. Siding with Lori in the War of the Twins was Blake’s way of following an enemy of my enemy is my ally. To him, Lori was nothing more than a useful idiot. One day he would be in charge of that group like it should be. He would be nice enough after his coup to have Lori as second like he currently was to her.

Mike was giving his all in those pushes to Blake. His agreement to what his friend was spewing about Luke, Luke and him was in words only. Mike was relieved that he finally had a friend and did not want to do anything to ruin it. The only reason he was Blake’s best friend was Mike was a yes man. The acceptance of people liking Mike for his actions instead of who he was, came from how he saw himself. Blake’s Sancho Panza had low self-esteem. One day he would learn how to love himself, but today, to feel good about himself, Mike had to agree with what he knew was not true. Luke was one of the good ones.

**********

Tracy was glad she was not invited to the party. She could not face Luke right after he found out the truth. Even with why she did not have Luke at her party being common knowledge, admitting it to her mom made her actions real. Before, not sending Luke an invite felt like a game, nothing more than teasing him. Her actions might have hurt Luke some, but he deserved to feel pain. He made Tracy feel bad by not accepting her apology. Then the sadness in her mom's eyes after Mr. Zahn’s call made Tracy realize she had done wrong.

*************

Even with not wanting to go to Renee’s party, Lori was still fuming about not being invited. No one in the world, even someone who was a poopy head like Renee, should choose spending time with Luke over her. How dare that peasant deny Lori the satisfaction of declining the invite. The Brat Princess, not others, decided where she would and would not be.

Alice was enjoying the scenery as she was horseback riding with Lori. This Mother-Daughter day was just what she needed. Instead of having to deal with the hectic day to day life, Lori’s mom was able to relax. There was no worry about Luke and Lori not getting along. Alice tried to not think about dealing with her kids but her mind went there. Being a mom is a 24/7 job. She saw how nice Lori was being. This was how her daughter should always be and Luke should quit bringing the fallen angels out of his sister.

As Lori was horseback riding with her mom, she was deep in thought. Her mom took it as her daughter also soaking up the beauty of nature. Lori was thinking of how to get Luke good for not following how life should be. Her brother could have and should have turned down the invite to the party without her being invited. Luke had no right to go somewhere she was not welcomed. The worse for Lori was, that some people liked her brother more than her. People wanting to see an extra over the little girl in the spotlight was a mystery to her.

To Lori, her stating that she would not go to any party with Luke, did not mean being passed over to attend the party. Saying no to Renee was not just a royal privilege; it was her right. She should be the one in control of where she went and who she associated with, not some kid in her class.

Lori did not come up with any definite plans on getting what she deemed was justice, but others would see as revenge. There were just too many good ways to get back at Luke to come to a final decision. She did know that making Luke pay will involve him being in a dress again. Lori saw how much that hurt her brother. She wanted to inflict that pain on him.

**********

Luke felt a little out of place at Renee’s party. This was the first time this summer he saw most of his classmates. They were acting differently around him. Whenever he joined a group, one or two would leave and the rest would become more tense. The partygoers got a little anxious around Luke. They did not want to make Luke cry. Even with no proof, they did believe Lori’s lie about Luke being a crybaby. There was no reason a sister would lie about her brother. Luke’s classmates also did not want to be seen as too friendly to him. They did not want to take the chance of being on the no invite list.

Luke did not let being treated like an outsider affect his enjoyment of the party. This was Renee’s day and there was no way Luke was going to lessen the spotlight on his friend. Luke also felt good, seeing Renee smile made him happy. A part of true friendship was getting happiness out of the happiness of others. Renee feeling good lifted Luke’s spirits.

***********

Lori finally was able to figure out how to get Luke back in a dress. Cry at the right moment and blame him for causing the tears. All Lori had to do, was to say Luke was rubbing in the fact that she was not invited to Renee’s party. Those tears showing how upset her little princess was would make Alice do anything to soothe away the pain.

Lori’s plan to get back at Luke was simple. It did not need to be complex. Her mom always sided with her. Alice wanting Lori’s childhood to be a carbon copy of hers helped so much. Lori waiting until her mom was under stress also helped. Alice just wanted to relieve some of the pressure she was under. This led to her doing what was easy instead of what was right. The stopgap solution also exacerbated the issue. Lori would not stop causing the stress just because she got her way.

The Monday morning after Renee’s party was when this latest offense in the War of the Twins occured. The timing was perfect for Lori. Her mom was strong armed into doing some overtime that day. Alice was feeling stressed with trying to do too much. When Lori came down to have breakfast her mom was showing signs of being under pressure. Alice was fidgety, trying to do two things at once, had to ask her daughter to repeat any questions from being distracted and gave short answers.

Lori started to cry when Alice called Luke down for breakfast. Having to get her son to join her for breakfast added to Alice feeling overwhelmed. She asked herself why could not her son just come down like Lori. Alice did not know how much her son was dreading being around his mom. Luke started to feel pressure being with his mom when Lori was around. There was always a chance he would get in trouble for doing nothing.

By the time Luke got to the kitchen table, Alice was upset at him. Lori told the lie of him teasing her about not being invited to the party. Big brothers should not tease their little sisters. Her mom was strong armed into doing some overtime that day. To Alice, her son being invited to the party instead of her daughter was also upside down. Lori was the popular one out of her children. Everyone knew that the youngest daughter was the golden child in any family.

Alice just wanted Luke to say he was sorry and would never make his little sister cry again. Luke not giving a false confession added to Alice’s frustration. Lori suggested that her mom put Luke in a dress. Alice thought that the strong armed tactic was a great idea. This would cause Luke to give in. Alice gave the ultimatum “Luke either say you are sorry to your sister or you will be in a dress again.”

A person’s word was their bond. Alice once again went back on her word to her son. Luke’s feeling of dread was justified by the threat. He now felt disdain for his mom. Luke stood his ground. Lying to his mom would have been wrong. If she found out he lied he might be in more trouble. Alice did raise her son well. He much rather do the right thing and be punished than do the wrong thing. He said “No, you are a meany.”

Alice was not planning on putting him in a dress until she heard her son call her a meany,. That punishment was drastic. The threat was about getting peace and calm in her household. Luke was the oldest and he needed to help out more around the house.

Alice’s plan changed with those words. The stress of the start of the week was getting to Luke’s mom and now her feelings were hurt. How could her son really think that she would once again put him in a dress? Alice would not admit this to herself, but she felt if her son thought she was a meany, she would then become one. “Get upstairs right now Luke.”

Luke marched upstairs. He was going to take the petticoat punishment like a boy. Luke wanted to show he was strong and could handle what his mom was doing to him. Weakness only meant what she did was right. If he cried, then his mom could say he deserved to be in a dress. Boys don’t cry.

Alice should have known something was wrong when she went into Lori’s room. That blue and white dress along with the unicorn panties, lacy shoes and girl t-shirt was already laid out on her daughter’s bed. There was no reason for the instrument of Luke’s torture to be out and ready to use. Alice was too wrapped up in her hurt feelings and being overwhelmed to notice.

Alice did not like the vibe she felt as she was walking into Luke’s room. A chill went down her spine seeing her son standing tall waiting for her. The cold look in Luke eye were eerie. An 8-year old eyes being so cold was unnatural. Luke’s eyes should have flickers of emotions in them Then Luke asking his mom for the dress made Alice’s chill become a shiver. An 8 year-old’s voice should never sound as serious as Luke’s. Her son’s voice should have more life in it.

Alice’s second thoughts were growing and she was about to act upon them when a screech came from downstairs. Lori amped up her crying so she could see Luke in a dress. With the Luke situation not being chaotic, Alice left the outfit in Luke’s room as she went downstairs to handle her daughter. The youngest daughter needed to be dotted over by her parents. Once the calm was restored, she would tell Luke about the reprieve.

Luke’s mom did not think that Luke was going to put on the dress until he was told once again. Alice could not have been more wrong if she had tried. Luke put on the dress and stood there waiting for his mom to come back. That boy was not only going to show how strong he was to his mom, but that he listened to her. Putting on that dress was going to be proof that Lori lied about her brother misbehaving.

The hassle of dealing with Lori’s drama took too much time. Alice only had 15 minutes to get her work space ready. This short period of time put Alice in a mad rush to the kitchen. She poured her coffee not paying attention to her surroundings. The last thing Alice wanted to see was the dirty dishes which would be waiting for her after work. Her turning a blind eye made Alice walk right past Luke’s uneaten bowl of cereal.

Not paying attention to everything she was doing made Alice forget about Luke. There was no crying in the house so her parenting duties were done for the moment. Then after two hours she got up to get another cup of java. Being more at peace made Alice actually see the kitchen when she was there. She saw the bowl of cereal and remembered about Luke. Her poor son must be still in his room waiting for her.

Alice went upstairs to get Luke. Yelling to tell him to come down would bring discord to the harmony her home had. Keeping the house this peaceful was a delicate balancing act with two 8 year olds. When she went into the room that shiver up her spine returned. Luke was still standing where she left him. Her son standing at attention because she forgot about him would have been disturbing enough, but there was more, Luke was in the outfit she brought into the room.

Alice knew why, but could not take responsibility. Doing so would mean she was a bad parent. That going with the easy solution to her problem was wrong. She tried to shift the blame to her son ”Luke, I did not tell you to wear that dress.”

Luke was not going to lie. He would rather stay in that dress all day than to get out of it by lying. His mom might also have been setting a trap. She seemed to be getting pleasure out of making Luke out as the bad child and Lori as the good child. Luke saw Alice getting pleasure from how she saw her kids. The youngest daughter should be the good one, the one people liked and the one which got the breaks, the benefit of the doubt and was lucky. That was her childhood. “You did Mom.”

The response was abrupt and made that shiver up Alice’s spine spread to her entire back. An 8 year old boy should not sound as serious as a police officer writing a traffic warning. “I did not.”

Luke started to feel resentment to his mom. Why was she trying to force him to lie? Could it be his mom was just trying to make Lori feel better by getting him in more trouble? The hurt little boy looked at his mom and said “You are a meany.”

Alice knew she deserved what Luke said. Once again, she went too far. The mom just wanted to put this episode behind her. To put this bad decision in the past, Luke’s mom was also going to make this up to him. Alice was not going to acknowledge any wrongdoing. That would mean she would have to deal with her actions. Her actions were not that bad. How could bringing order to her house come from a bad action? “Luke just change and go out to play. We will get ice cream after your dad comes home. Just me and you.”

Luke said “Yes, Mother.” How formal her son was made that shiver in Alice’s back become more intense. Her 8 year old boy should not be responding to her like they were in Victorian times when she brought up a nice treat.

Luke knew the ice cream was a lie. His mom’s word was becoming no good to him. There had been so many broken promises in the past few months by Alice. Alice had made the promise to Luke of going for ice cream before and they did not go. Alice had made the promise that he would never be in a dress again and he just was. Luke’s mom had made the promise that they would have cake together and she ended up doing so with Lori.

Luke left the house hungry. He did not care about his stomach growling. Dealing with wanting something to eat was better than being around his mom. Luke saw a path to the woods on his way to the playground to be with Renee and Matt. At that moment he would much rather take the path than see people. Once he was out of sight in the woods, Luke got off his bike and sat on a log. As soon as he knew he was by himself, the little boy broke down and cried. They might say boys don’t cry, but those boys do not have a meany for a mom.

******************

After supper that night Luke asked his mom if they were going to get ice cream. He thought that maybe, just maybe, his mom had not kept her word before because she forgot. That would not be uncommon, people forget important things all the time. Luke would sometimes forget to brush his teeth. He knew that was important because of how much his mom and dad stressed good oral care.

Internally Alice moaned when she was reminded about her word. She did tell Luke about them getting ice cream, but she was so tired from her day. Putting off the ice cream by a day would not be that bad. Luke handled being in a dress again so well. Alice was proud that her son did not add chaos to her life by overreacting to a little punishment. She would reward him tomorrow.

Hearing the no, put Luke into his boys don’t cry mode. If there was any sign of disappointment by Luke, he had no idea what his mom might do. Today she had him in a dress for over 2 hours. Not wanting to show emotions led to Luke having the same expression as when Alice saw him in his room. Him saying “Fine, mother.” was a reminder of his opinion of her. That she was a meany.

Fred knew for some reason his son wanted ice cream. Luke’s father offered to take the entire family. Alice turned him down. She was just tired and wanted to stay at home. Luke’s mom would also not have enjoyed the treat. That was supposed to be only her and her son. To make up for doing what she could not admit was wrong. Lori also turned down the outing. There was no way the Brat Princess was going to be with her dad and brother without her queen. Those two had the nerves to act like Luke was her equal.

Luke’s eyes brighten up when his dad told him they were going. The brightness of his eyes deemed for a moment when Alice made eye contact with her son. She saw a cold glaring stare. The smile on his face momentary went away. Alice knew why. Her son was looking at someone he considered a meany.

After her husband and son left Alice shed a tear. Lori saw how sad her mom was and knew it was because of the look Luke gave their mother. Seeing her mom in pain felt so wrong. Her queen was strong. Lori wanted to prop up her mom’s wounded feelings. Lori went over and gave the most important person in her world a hug and told her “Everything was going to be alright.”

Alice’s sadness went away. Those assuring words from Lori strengthen her conviction putting Luke in a dress was not bad. After feeling vindicated about the punishment, Alice also felt she was in the right in not keeping her word to Luke. Taking him for ice cream was not about righting a wrong. The extra treat was about not feeling guilty about being a bad parent. Sometimes being a parent meant doing things your child would not like. Lori’s mom responded with “I know.”

Lori knew the work of making everything alright was only halfway done. She needed to make sure her brother was punished for hurting her queen’s feelings. She knew full retribution would have to wait until the start of the school year. The family’s beach vacation was coming up. Luke would have his protector and Lori did not want to chance her or her mom being caught. Her dad would not understand that Luke needed to be put in his place.

Lori was able to give Luke a little of his just deserts the next day by getting a desert with her mom. After dinner the Brat Princess declared she was getting ice cream with her mom. Fred thought it would be a good idea for the entire family to get some. Him and Luke had a treat yesterday but with how hot and humid the day was, everyone deserved ice cream.

Lori started to protest. Her dad had no right to barge on the outing. Lori was not giving an invite for the entire family, but a request to her mom. Today was her turn to get a treat. The fact that she could had ice cream yesterday was not relevant because she chose not to. To her Luke having ice cream two days straight was so unfair. To tell the truth, Luke ever having ice cream was unfair, but two days would have been a true travesty.

Alice was tired from another long day at work. She so just wanted to stay at home. The fact that the request came from Lori made Alice decide to honor it. Any good parent would make a small sacrifice to put a smile on the face of their youngest. Alice tried to be diplomatic in denying her husband’s idea. “Honey, only me and Lori are going. You and Luke got ice cream yesterday. It is our turn today.”

Alice was being tactful, but not honest. Everyone was included yesterday, and today Fred and Luke were excluded. “Dear, you and Lori could have gone with us yesterday, but you didn’t. If Luke and I want to go, we will go.”

Alice thought that Fred was being unreasonable. Lori did not want him or her brother so they should honor what the youngest wanted. The mom who wanted a fairy tale childhood for her daughter was going to find a way to give Lori what she wanted. She remembered all those times her parents took her for a special treat without any of her siblings. She forgot the reason was that some of them were already out of the house and Dom, the closest to her age, did not have a sweet tooth. The Nostalgia Queen was going to put pressure on Luke to say no. “You really do not want ice cream two days straight, do you Luke.”

Luke started to feel resentment towards his mom. That question was absurd. His mom was talking like she lived in Wonderland. What 8 year old kid does not want a cold sweet treat on a hot day. Luke was taking his time answering. He wanted to make sure he did not upset his mom and at the same time correct her ridiculous assertion.

Luke finally figured out saying he wanted to go to spend time with his mom would set the record straight in a good manner. This was the truth even with the bad feelings towards his mom, Luke loved her. The little boy wanted them to have a great relationship.

Before Luke could tell his mom the sweet reason he wanted something sweet Lori started to cry. His mom started to turn up the pressure by asking the question again. Fred told his wife to quit asking Luke that question. Luke knew right then it was useless to say yes. His sister would keep on causing a scene until she got her way. His parents would fight if he said yes. His learned helplessness about Lori got the better of him and looking downwards said no.

Luke could not look his mom in her eyes and tell that huge lie. Even if he could lie to his mom’s face Luke would have still been looking down. He was mad at his mom. She did not keep her word to him. Then to make the situation worse, his mom was taking Lori for ice cream. That should be him. Luke should have some special time with his mom. His anger came from Luke not understanding why his mom treated Lori so much better than him. He resented that his mom only had time for him when she was punishing him for nothing.

The Brat Princess wanted out of there before Luke’s protector overrode the decision. She was getting her way and was not going to let anyone mess it. Lori gleefully ran to the door. This was a double win for her. She got to spend time with her mom and Luke was put in his place.

Alice used her daughter being out of the house to get out of the discussion with her husband. As she was closing the door, Fred’s wife said “We will talk about it when I get home.”

Fred did not like that his wife just talked at him and not with him. Alice was as open as the front door she just closed to a real discussion. He knew that this incident was something small and Alice used that fact to get her way. Fred did not want a fight over something as minor as Alice taking Lori on her own for ice cream. Fred wanted to calm down before he saw his wife so they would not even talk about the ice cream incident. He knew the best way to get into a good mindset was to do something special for Luke. He saw how hurt his son was about not getting ice cream. It worried him a little that his wife was blinded to Luke wants.

If Fred knew the entire reason behind Luke’s hurt feelings, Alice would not have made it out of the door. There was no way for Fred to know about how Alice was putting Luke in a dress behind his back. Fred was under the assumption that Alice would never do that again and did not know Luke was scared of telling his father.

Before Luke could start mopping Fred said “Get your helmet and knee pads.”

Nothing more needed to be said, Luke perk up faster than a meerkat. He knew he was going to the bike park. As Luke did what he was told, Fred called Lori and Matt’s parents to see if Luke’s friends could join him. Luke’s friends were able to go because it was only 6:30. They knew that Fred would get their children home around 9:00. This might only be two hours at the park, but that was two hours of fun.

Alice and Lori came home from getting ice cream. Lori was so happy. The Brat Princess could not wait to rub she got ice cream and Luke got none. One of the few times in her life, Lori was disappointed in not seeing Luke. What good was getting something if she could not let her brother know what he missed out on.

Alice was in disbelief about the fact her husband was not home. Fred knew to stay home. She told him about wanting to talk with him when she got back. The talk was going to be about making sure they treated the kids fairly in giving them treats. Luke getting ice cream on both days would have been unfair to Lori.

The note on the fridge made Alice livid. They went to the bike park. Her husband should have cleared this unexpected outing with her. She was going to have a nice talk about how they needed to be a united front with their children. That just because Lori got something, did not mean Luke should also. Alice would not admit this, but in her mind her daughter getting everything which Luke did plus what the Brat Princess wanted was fair. Lori deserved more because she was the youngest. Giving Lori more would make the Nostalgia Queen heir’s childhood exactly how she remembered her own.

The discussion between Fred and Alice did not happen until their kids went to bed. The appearance of being on the same side was important to them even when they were fighting. The discussion went to a fight as soon as Fred responded. He made the mistake of not agreeing with his wife.

Alice could not believe that somehow Lori saying no to ice cream yesterday meant that somehow it would make it fine for Luke to have ice cream two days in a row. That would only be fine if Lori also had ice cream two days in a row. She then asserted that it would have been fine for Lori to have ice cream two days straight and Luke only for one day.

Fred did not want this to be the reason behind his wife’s logic. He knew the logic and disagreed with it. Lori was only technically younger than Luke. They shared the same birthday. Alice knew this yet somehow would not recognize the fact. Fred said “Don’t even say it Alice and just drop this. If it is fine for you to take Lori somewhere without me agreeing, then the same is true with me in regards to Luke. I would have told you if you had not run out of the house.”

“Don’t change the subject. This is about treating our kids the same.”

“You don’t.”

“Lori is the youngest and she should be treated special.”

“I told you not to say that.”

“You don’t tell me what to say.”

“I know that. I was not trying to tell you what to do. I told you not to say that because I do not want to hear it. I know you think Lori is younger and that drives me crazy. Somehow you think that our kids, who were born on the same day, are somehow a different age.”

Alice wanted to go back to what she wanted to talk about and reiterated “You should have waited for me to come home.”

Fred was done with the talking. He knew nothing was going to be resolved. A good night sleep by both of them would make them quickly forget the bickering. “Alice, I am going to get ready for bed. I am done with this discussion. We are not talking with each other.”

Even with being mad, Alice was satisfied with the outcome of the talk. Not finding common ground about this subject meant the status quo remained. Alice could treat her children the same as she did before the talk. Having her husband come on board with how she saw her children would have been great. That would have meant no more fighting between those two about how Lori should be treated.

*******************

The week leading up to the family beach vacation, Fred did replay the ice cream incident over and over in his head. Luke not wanting to go get ice cream was off, but something else was. He could not figure out the other part which he did not like. The little detail which he was overlooking was Luke saying Mother.

Fred finally figured out what was bugging him on the second day at the beach. He and Alice each took turns doing this so the other could get to lay in some. The other reason was Lori. Fred’s daughter would do nothing but complain about being bored watching night turn into morning. Luke enjoyed going to the shore to watch the sunrise. Luke loved seeing the dark orange rise up and become yellow in the sky. The tide coming in was a beautiful foreground to seeing the new day greet him. The beach being empty of all the people made Luke feel calm.

The second day Alice was supposed to take Luke to see the sunrise and did not. The reason behind not going was that Lori woke up and said she was hungry. The truth was Lori’s appetite was the same as her love for her brother, non-existent. The Brat Princess did not want her brother to have any time alone with their mom. Only the heir to the throne got to have a one on one audience with the queen.

Alice was actually being a good mother trying to put a perceived need in front of a want. She could have been a good mother if her husband could take Lori to breakfast. Instead she asked Luke “Sweetie, is it fine to skip going to see the sunrise today? You can go tomorrow.”

Hearing Luke’s answer of “Yes, Mother” was when Fred figured out what was bothering him about the ice cream incident. His son sounded to formal, distant and cold. That yes was not meant. His wife should have picked up on how disappointed Luke sounded.

Fred wanted to keep the peace so he offered to get up and take Luke. His son was a little too happy about the solution. Fred was his son’s favorite parent, but Luke also loved his mom. If Fred did not know better he would have sworn Luke did not want to spend time alone with his mom.

Fred did not know that he did not know better. In a way Luke was happy with his mom not taking him. In another way he was hurt. These mixed emotions were so hard on Luke. When Luke gave his mom the answer she wanted he felt rejected by her and also relieved. Even with the little boy dreading spending time alone with his mom, Alice’s son still wanted her to want to spend time with him.

How confused Luke was about his feelings led to him feeling resentment to his mom right then. To the 8 year old boy a mommy should only make their son feel good and happy to be around them. There was no reason for his mommy to be a meany. Luke was a good boy. He did his chores, listened to her and loved her. He did not understand why she always thought Lori was telling the truth about him when his sister was not.

At the beach, Fred admired what was the true beauty of the moment, his son being happy. Other than at the bike park right then was the most relaxed he saw Luke in months. He also thought to himself he needed to pay more attention around his house. That maybe his wife was playing favorites too much and that needed to be put to a stop.

After the beach vacation Fred was interacting a lot more with his family. He made it a point to know exactly what was going on in his home. When the loving father and husband asked about everyone’s day it was not just part of his greeting. He pried if anyone gave short answers. Also, anything out of the ordinary lead to Luke’s Lord Protector to become The Inquisitor. This meddling was going to put a delay on Lori’s revenge on Luke. The Brat Princess still had not forgiven nor forgotten about the transgression the commoner committed against the queen. Luke making his mom cry over her putting him in his place was horrible and could not go unpunished.

Justice would be delayed but not denied. Fred could not keep the intensity of the surveillance up, he had a trade show to go to the following week. Him not being there would make the questioning less intense. The week of the trade show being the same as when school started would help. Her dad would be more concerned about hearing about their new teacher to do much snooping about the rest of the day.

The school year would also help Lori due to the heightened stress level her mom would feel. Lori knew how to push her mom’s buttons to get her way and would use it. The best part of this was that, then Alice would force Luke to stay quiet about the real happenings at home. Knowing her Queen would help with the cover up, helped justify The Brat Princess’s plans.

There was only one part of doling out justice missing; what the punishment should be. Then inspiration came to her, just tell the kids that Luke was wearing a dress during the summer. She would be telling the truth so her mom would not be mad at her. Her dad would never find out. Alice already went to great lengths to hide this fact from her husband.

Lori’s plan was as perfect as Ella Fitzgerald's pitch. The plan’s execution would go as smooth as polished fine silver. The plan would also meet the objective of making Luke pay for his crime on his mom. The payback on pain to Luke would be tenfold to the pain he gave his mom. This plan was simple. Lori was going to make today the worst day in Luke’s life. The only bad part was having to wait. Her dad was not going to the trade show until the beginning of October which was over a month away.

The day to enact her plan dealing out justice finally came. Lori wanted her plan to go off perfectly. The avenger waited until she was at the schoolyard to enact her plan, giving Luke what he deserved. She announced to everyone that Luke was wearing dresses during the summer. Her court was joined by some of the other kids in ostracizing him. All those kids and some more started to call him Luka instead of Luke. Being shunned along with the name calling made Luke feel small. He slumped down some, his physical stature matching his feelings.

Luke felt helpless. He had no course of action to take. The ridiculed boy did not trust telling his new teacher about how the kids were making fun of him. He did not know her well enough. There was a chance Ms. Quence would join in. If his mom would put him in a dress and call him Missy then what would stop a stranger from doing so also. A mom was supposed to treat their child with love and respect all of the time.

Lori saw that Luke was wounded and once again went too far. In class she called her brother Luka. Luke objected right away. Ms. Quence corrected Lori. Lori was not going to let her teacher tell her what she could or could not do to her brother. Lori lied and said that was Luke’s nickname. Lori’s loyal subjects backed her up. Luke did not back down. His name was not Luka. He said they were liars.

Ms. Quence told the kids not to call him Luka. The number game was not going to work on her. She could tell that Lori was lying. Even if Lori and her friends were telling the truth, Luke gets to pick what he was called in her class. She made a note to call Luke and Lori’s parents during lunch. The teacher knew about the twin’s bickering and was not going to allow it to disrupt her classroom.

Recess after lunch helped make today the worst day ever for Luke. A group of boys were playing tag and would not let him join. The reasoning that Luka was not fast enough to play was false. Luke was faster than most of the kids playing. Being excluded and lied about were little transgressions, but reminded Luke he was becoming an outsider to his classmates.

Luke’s feelings of being left out were heightened when Scott Romano came over to talk with Matt and Renee. This weekend was Scott’s birthday party and his mom wanted a headcount. She needed to tell Pittsburgh Laser Tag how many kids would be at the party. Getting the information his mom wanted was more important than not hurting Luke’s feelings. Scott did not care about not inviting Luke. He wanted as many kids as possible at his party. Luke had no right to feel like he should have the right to go where he was not wanted.

Renee and Matt gave their word about not going to a party if Luke was not invited and kept it. The two other members of the Saturday Morning Bike Club wanted to show a unified front with their friend. If one member of the Saturday Morning Bike Club was not invited then none of them were invited. They both told him no. Standing up for a friend was more important than having fun and cake.

Before Scott could leave the conversation Luke told his friends to go. Luke knew that Matt wanted to go. Those two talked about how cool it would be to play laser tag. There was no way Luke was going to have his friends become outsiders of their own free will. Matt and Renee showing their unity with Luke was enough. He knew how much feeling isolated when around a group of people hurt and did not want Matt and Renee to experience it.

Renee and Matt said they would be there. Scott stayed to talk about how cool his party was going to be. Luke snuck out of the conversation. Renee and Matt’s friend did not want to hear about the good times he was going to miss. Luke knew the only reason he was not invited was because of his sister and her friends proclamation that they would not show up to any party with him in attendance. He felt betrayed by Scott. The lonely kid knew that even without Scott teasing him today he had lost yet another friend.

The shunned boy knew that he was not ever going to do anything for Scott. If Scott did not want to be his friend then he would not help him when asked. Last school year Luke told Scott how to get the Golden Ork in the Rodo-Mon game. He knew that Scott would have to come to him again to capture some of the harder monsters. The Golden Ork is not that hard to get, a Rodo-Mon master could use a Drunken Goblin to capture that monster.

The bell to end recess rang and the kids started to make their way back to their classroom. Luke took his time. He wanted to be alone. Walking in the group with no one talking to him would have brought even more pain to the young boy. The sad part of this was he was looking forward to class. With the kids being busy with class there was an excuse of why they would not talk with Luke.

*************

Even with the stress in the change of routine, Alice was having a great day. Her work day went off without a hitch and she was ready to unwind a little before starting to work around the house when her phone rang. She answered the phone and was upset as soon as she heard Ms. Quence was on the other end of the line. This was the first day back to school and there was already trouble. Before she even heard what the call was about she had already placed the blame on Luke. The older child was always the one responsible when kids got in trouble. They should know better than the younger one.

Then the reason behind the call raise Alice’s anger. Luke had no right to tell Lori not to call him Luka. Everyone knew that the youngest sister got to tease the older brothers. Lori looked back on how she use to call her brother Mel, Gargasmell. She got the nickname by changing the last part of the Smurfs’ nemesis name, Gargamel.

As if Luke not going along with how the older younger sibling relation should go was not enough, Ms. Quence was not helping. How dare that Lady say that Luke did not want Lori to call him that? Then the Lady doubted her when Alice lied about the name being a family nickname for Luke. Luke and Lori’s teacher being right did not matter. She should have taken Alice’s word. Alice also felt talked down to when Ms. Quence informed her she was also going to call her husband. There was no need to get Fred involved. He would make too much of a big deal about Lori calling Luke Luka.

Alice’s bad mood simmered into a stew of anger towards Luke. She let her son get a taste of what was cooking inside her as soon as he was in the house. Correcting Lori was unacceptable for Luke. How Luke handled it was wrong. Instead of saying, “Fine Lori can call me whatever she wants”, Luke had the audacity to say Lori was wrong calling him Luka and his sister had told the other kids about the petticoat punishment. Luke being truthful added more spice to the stew of anger Alice had. Her anger came from her being reminded about how bad she treated Luke. Instead of dealing with the issue at hand Alice wanted the easy solution, having Luke drop the subject. She sent Luke to his room mentioning that maybe being put in a dress would help Luke see why he was wrong.

Luke could not hide the growing resentment he had to his mom and said “Yes Mother” when told of his banishment and what he saw was his upcoming punishment. Once again Alice was making an idle threat to get Luke’s attention. There was no way Alice would have really planned to once again make the huge mistake of humiliating her son.

Lori saw her mom’s frustration go up, and The Brat Princess knew she should add the crying now. This would turn the heat up in her mom’s stew of anger. Alice hated to see her daughter cry. In the state of mind Alice was in now, she would do anything Lori asked for to relive some of the stress she was feeling. Once again Alice was looking for the easy solution instead of the right one. Pleasing Lori would stop her from crying and get rid of one of the stresses in Alice’s life.

Alice went upstairs to talk to her son. She just wanted him to accept his role in the family as the older brother. Why was Luke acting just like Lori. The older child needed to be more mature. Luke not being the bigger person was making being a parent harder for Alice. She felt ashamed just thinking that maybe she was in over her head and needed more help from her husband.

Lori was urging Alice on to keep her word. She kept on crying and saying, “Do it” to Alice over and over again. The constant loop of the high pitch demand raising Alice’s stress level. She needed some of the situation to deescalate.

Alice was shocked when she came into Luke’s room. Her son was just standing there and before she could try to talk reason with him, in a cold voice Luke said “Get it over with, Mother.”

Alice was confused and taken back by how her son talked to her. The confusion was from Alice having no idea what she should get over doing. The stressed out mom was taken aback by Luke giving her a demand. Instead of trying to figure out why Luke was acting so out of character she demanded to know what he was talking about.

Luke talking in a monotone voice said “Putting me in a dress.”

Each one of those words were dripping with contempt. Those words were accompanied with Luke giving his mom a defiant look. He was daring his mom to keep her word. Alice did her best Barney Stinson and the challenge was accepted. As soon as Alice said she would, the stressed out mom knew she went too far. Alice also could not back down. How could Luke or Lori take anything she said as true if she did not keep her word. Alice conveniently forgot that she was not keeping her word by threatening to put Luke in a dress, let alone doing so.

Alice was hoping that somehow Luke would give her a way to back out of keeping her word. Her son just stood there waiting. Their eyes locked and neither one was giving an inch or blinking. There was more tension between the stressed out Mom and the resentful son than two Wild West gunslingers facing off in a showdown.

During the showdown Lori ran to her room and got that blue and white striped dress. Her crying stopped and was once again gleeful. Luke being shown once again his place made it hard for Lori to keep up her charade. That he would be punished each and every time that her brother did not let Lori have her way just made Lori to happy to cry.

Alice finally thought of a way to gracefully get out of putting her son in a dress. Telling Luke that he does not order her around would have saved face. Before Alice could show she was in charge and let her son out of being in a dress, the punishment dress was thrown at Luke’s feet. Luke slowly picked up the dress, and this so delighted Lori.

Luke slowly picked up the dress. There was no way he could back down. Backing down would make how he was acting come off as a bluff. Luke wanted his mom to know the resentment he was showing was real. That he knew what she was doing to him was wrong. Putting on this dress was a moral victory to Luke.

Lori once again overplayed her hand. She could not hold in the excitement as she said “I can’t wait to tell all my friends tomorrow how cute Luka was last night in his dress.”

Alice was once again shocked. This time at Lori. Her daughter knew better than to tell the kids about this. The last time people found out about the petticoat punishment her daughter was told to never tell anyone again. Alice knew she had to just put a stop to Luke putting that dress on. The stressed out mom escorted Lori out of the room. She wanted to get Lori out of Luke’s room right away, so she did not mention to her son not to put on the dress.

Once she had Lori in her room, Alice went back to Luke. She was feeling less stressed because she thought that the situation was defused. Then once again she was confused and shocked when she saw Luke in his room. Her son was standing in that blue and white striped dress. Alice’s blood pressure went up as high as her son’s opinion of her went down.

Alice lied and said “Luke I did not tell you to put on the dress.”

To Luke’s mom this lie was the truth. To her Luke should have waited until she said it again. Luke was not done standing up for himself. He did not want to waste his breath on his mom’s lie and only said “You did, Mother.”

The conviction in Luke’s voice and the matter of fact manner he stated the truth made Alice lose the battle of the wills. Alice, not wanting to deal with how badly she dealt with this situation with Luke, told her son to get out of the dress now. Even with not being able to deal with Luke Alice wanted to make this situation right. She went to Lori’s room.

As Alice was making sure that her daughter never told anyone about Luke being in a dress once again, her son ran past the open door. Luke informed Alice he was going to ride his bike. Even with stopping her son from going being the right course of action, Alice allowed him to leave. Luke being out of the house meant she did not have to deal with him until he came back, If Alice was lucky her son would not return home until right before her husband did. That would make it so she could just brush off dealing with Luke.

Lori was disappointed with the proclamation made by the Nostalgia Queen. One of the main tools Lori had in keeping Luke in line was taken away from her. Lori was wise enough not to question her mom. If there was an objection, Alice might even go further with restricting how Lori could treat Luke. The Brat Princess just knew that she would have to somehow follow the letter of the royal decree and still break the spirit of it.

*********

As Alice was for once acting like a mother towards her daughter, Luke was jumping on his bike. As soon as the boy was seated, he started to pedal as fast as he could. The faster he was away from his home the better. Being out of ear range would mean that his mom could not call him back. Luke wanted nothing to do with his mom at this moment. To the hurt boy his mom was nothing but a meany.

On his way to the park he went past Tracy Armstrong’s house. She was out front playing in the fallen leaves. The little girl saw Luke riding up her street. She thought back to last year when Luke and her played in a pile of leaves. That was so much fun. Jumping into that pile of leaves was exciting. The laugher those two shared was a bonding moment. That moment made how Tracy was treating Luke even more hurtful to both of them

As Luke was coming closer Tracy could see he was upset. Seeing her friend was distressed, made the girl enjoying the early fall day sad. To downplay her role in how Luke was feeling, Tracy convinced herself that there was only a little chance she was part of the reason he was upset. To be honest, her prior actions that day made sure that the chance was one hundred percent. Helping to relieve Luke’s pain was the perfect moment for her to start to make amends with him. She could make Luke see her true self, as there was no one there to be concerned about seeing her being nice to him. She called out “Luke is everything alright?”

Luke just pedaled past her. The boy was hoping that she would just leave him alone if he did not respond to her. A part of him wanted to tell her, Tracy used to be so nice to him and he could use another friend at the moment. Now Luke was scared so he declined Tracy’s reaching out hand. His former friend's recent actions made the chance she might start making fun of him again too high to take the risk.

Not getting an answer hurt Tracy. She was being nice and Luke just blew her off. The little girl bit her lip and got the strength to repeat the question. The same question was met once again with no answer. Tracy was hurt even more and wanted to share her pain and shouted “Fine Luka be that way.”

Luke was not going to take being teased by just one person if that one person was not Lori. He shouted back “You are a meany.” That was the biggest insult he knew. Hearing those words were so hurtful. Not because of the name calling, but because Tracy knew that they were true. She was a meany.

This little confrontation just added to how bad Luke was feeling. It was so draining to have to stand up to himself the entire day. Instead of joining his friends at the playground, Luke rode onto the path into the woods. He went to the first opening and sat on the log. As soon as he sat down the tears started to come down from his eyes.

************

Alice started to get stressed out when it was getting close to the time when her husband would be calling home. If Luke was not home to talk with his dad, then Fred would be suspicious that something more than Lori calling Luke Luka had happened. If her husband found out about the petticoat punishment there would be a huge fight. There is no way Fred would understand what really occurred. He would not listen to how Luke goaded her into keeping that false threat. Alice’s husband would be too focused on her bluffing about something she should not had.

The phone call came and Luke was not home. Alice was so flustered during the talk. Her husband believing the lie that Luke was sleeping did not help calm her down. When the topic of Lori using Luka came up, Fred asked to be put on speaker phone. He wanted a united front. Alice was too tired and stressed out to do anything but agree with her husband. Even if she could put up a fight, she would not. Fred was level headed. The father did not hand out any punishment. Kids calling each other names only deserved a warning. The verdict of Lori not to call Luke Luka anymore was just.

Lori acted like she was sincere in understanding and accepting her dad’s ruling. Alice’s silence was misread by her daughter. To the Brat Princess her mom not putting up a fight was just appeasement. Lori would have carte blanche to use Luka when her dad was not around. In truth, Alice was feeling able to let her defenses down about her insecurities about being a bad mother. Alice was able to admit that she messed up big time today with Luke. Having his wishes respected about his name was a way to make this up to her son.

Sadly for Lori and happily for everyone else right after the phone call Alice restated what her husband told Lori. When Lori started to protest Alice’s felt her stress level starting to go back up. She tensed up and Lori saw this. Lori cared about her mom and asked if she was OK. This stoppage in the protest quickly got Alice calm again. She hugged her daughter and said “Yes and we are done talking about you not being able to use Luka anymore. You will be in huge trouble if you do.”

Lori was never told in such a direct manner to do anything by her mom. The Brat Princess knew that none of her tricks would work on her mom. She was going to have to follow yet another directive which would stop her from treating her brother how he deserved. This was not fair, but Lori knew until she was the queen of her own kingdom she would have to follow those rules.

After Lori went to her room Alice started to do supper. The stress of having warring twins was gone. For once, she also was more concerned about her son’s well-being, than her daughter having the same childhood as her. Luke had a bad day at school and Alice knew she only compounded the severity of the day by overreacting to being called by his teacher.

Luke came running in the house a couple of minutes after his mom started supper. Seeing his mom making supper made Luke know he missed his father’s call. The little boy could not gather the strength to put on a brave front to his mom. Getting the stress out by crying, wore him out more than tires on a racing car. Being so emotionally weak at that moment Luke gave into his learned helplessness when it came to dealing with his sister.

Alice was aghast seeing the look of fear in Luke’s face. A son should never be that scared of their mother. Alice still could not face the fact about her mistreatment towards Luke directly with him. At the same time, she wanted to make sure her son knew he was not in trouble. Alice told her son “Luke, I know you lost track of time. I just told your dad you were taking a nap, but you need to be home tomorrow for his call. He is worried about you and wants to say hi to make sure you are alright.”

Hearing that lie was a relief to Luke. He knew his mom did not believe a word she said. That did not matter, Luke was happy that he was not in trouble. Not wanting to chance getting into trouble Luke did apologize and reassured his mom that he would be home for the call. The relieved son also gave confirmation that he would be in on the lie which Alice told his dad.

Even with Lori not being able to bring up Luke’s petticoat punishment or call him Luka anymore, the next four years was more of the same for Luke. His mom would fall into the same trap of doing what was easy instead of the right course of action from time to time to bring peace. Appeasing Lori came from the frustrated Mother being on autopilot, and not having empathy for all involved. She only thought of herself and Lori. Little sisters were supposed to get on the nerves of their bigger brothers. Luke’s stoic front did not help Alice to have true empathy for the situation. The mom was not seeing the real damage she was doing to her relationship with Luke.

Lori not being able to bring up Luke’s petticoat punishment only stop her from doing so in front of her mom and making sure it could not be tracked back to her. She made sure her court heard about it. She knew that those loyal to her would disseminate the information as rumor. The Brat Princess knew her underlings would not say where the information came from. When Luke would bring up that the kids were making fun of him wearing dresses Lori had plausible deniability. It was just kids picking on another kid, Lori cannot control them, plus they only said that Luka likes to wear dresses. Alice telling Luke to be strong and get over the teasing only added to his learned helplessness when dealing with his sister.

Being ordered by her father not to use Luka was not a huge deterrent to Lori. She knew that nothing would happen to her if she disobeyed that edict at the right times. The Brat Princess only listened to her dad because of fear of punishment, not out of respect for his authority. Her mom had Lori’s respect and admiration and she did not care if Lori used Luka. Alice saw it as the little Sister just getting under the older Brother’s skin.

Lori knew that Luke would never tell their father. Her mom made sure of it. If Alice thought that her husband would overreact to something she tried to hide it from him. She went with the “idle” threat of putting Luke in a dress if he did tell. Even if Alice was not planning on going through with her word, the threat was real. The reason was she has done it multiple times before and will end up doing it again. Each time Alice used the same excuses, she was stressed out and needed for her kids to behave. That Luke was strong and putting him in a dress did not hurt him. Also, no one else but her and the twins knew. All of these excuses were meat left out of the fridge for a week.

When these idle threats became real the situation always played out the same. Alice would be frazzled from trying to do too much at once and Lori would pounce on the chance of humiliating her brother once again. When the punishment came Alice’s relief was short lived. Alice became a frazzled parent once again when the look came. That look Luke gave were arrows coming from his eyes and as piercing. Luke’s aim was as true as William Tell’s and those arrows hit right into Alice’s heart. That gave her chills. The pain, and disdain along with what Alice thought was hatred in the eyes were too much to bear.

There was no denying by a reasonable person the mom did wrong. Alice could, she was about as reasonable as a sports fan is about their team’s chances of winning in this situation. She was always able to down talk herself from thinking she was wrong in the punishment, to that her tough love just barely crossed the line. The mom was able to lie to herself by even ending the petticoat punishment within a minute. She did so to be as far away from the child she just hurt. Alice would instantly tell her son to change to be able to stick to the lie that she only crossed the line a little. The truth was, there was no way she could stand having her son in a dress any longer. After Luke changed back she told him that he could go outside. Each time after Luke was gone Alice made an idle promise of never making this same mistake again.

Luke would leave the house and get on his bike. He would steer towards the playground and he would pedal without even thinking of his destination. He would almost never make it. On his way to the playground was Tracy’s home. If she was out in the yard she would ask Luke if he was alright. She could tell by how fast the boy she saw as a friend was pedaling, he was not. She wanted to comfort him, after all in second grade she believed he was worth getting the cuties over. This was the perfect chance for showing Luke she was not that bad. Even with being out in the open with Lori and the rest of her court not around, Tracy had cover to show her true self.

Luke never directly answered the question. He did not want to give Tracy the chance to make fun of him being upset. Sometimes he would say nothing, just ride his bike past and act like he did not hear her. Other times he would state how he felt about her. At first he would shout “You are a meany.” Then when he got older he quit using that childish response. He would fully demand by yelling “Don’t talk to me.”

All the responses had the same effect on Tracy, they made her see who she really was to Luke. She was nothing more than a bully in his eyes. His perspective of her was unfair to Tracy. She tried to make amends so many times, but Luke would not let her. Tracy would then make sure she got back at Luke. Teasing him and making Luke feel bad, was why the boy Tracy liked, never took her peace offering. She went too far and needed to do more than words to make up for being mean. Time was also needed to soothe Luke’s feelings.

After the little confrontation with his sister’s henchman, Luke would not make it to the playground. He would veer off when he saw the path to the woods. Luke knew he could not be around people and that first opening in path was the only safe place he had. No one used it during the day. The older kids would go down there at night to drink. They were not brave enough to risk getting caught, yet also smart enough not to drink there during daylight. If a blind eye was turned going into the view of it was a bad idea.

Once at the clearing, Luke would get off his bike. He would sit on either a log or one of the old lawn chairs or sofas in the clearing. After finally not being on the run from his mom, his sister and his sister’s friends Luke could relax. As soon as the stress left the tears came. Those tears were silent. Even with being far away from his mom, her words of “boys don’t cry” were still his companion. Luke was a boy so there was no way a sound was going to come with the tears.

*************

Luke’s alienation from his classmates became bigger. The more he was called Luka and teased about being forced to wear a dress, the more making Luke being the butt of the joke was accepted by the kids in his class. Making Luke feel bad and an outcast was normalized. Luke’s classmates saw using Luka as just a way to get a laugh while annoying him. Luke taking it personally was not right in his classmates's eyes. The boy needed to lighten up and join in the fun.

Most of them meant nothing by the harmless teasing, yet at the same time they did not want to be associated with him. The kids were too young to see that they were treating him differently than before. They did not understand that the teasing seeped into how they interacted with him, by them not being as open to him being around them. The kids just did not want to be around him because they might also get teased. They might have liked Luke, but not enough to take the chance of being laughed at.

The kids who picked on Luke did start to get mad at the object of their ridicule when he acted accordingly towards them. They could not understand why if they went to Luke for help he would not give it to them. Scott Romano could not believe that Luke would not tell him how to get Shadow Knight in Rodo-Mon. The boy who was stuck in his favorite video game could not understand not inviting Luke to his party was a good reason for Luke not to help him. Scott did not go on to hating Luke, but from that day on he did not like him. Little disagreements and misunderstanding turning into a tragedy of losing a friend played out between Luke and most of his classmates.

The only two Luke did not have a falling out with were Renee and Matt. This was for little disagreements and misunderstanding did not play out the same way between those three. If Luke had a spat with either one of them, the normal course of reconciliation between kids would happen because they truly interacted with each other. Matt and Renee treated Luke how they would like to be treated and Luke did the same to them. Having respect for others was an easy way for little things to be seen for what they truly were, not important in the long run.

The alienation grew even more when Luke would correct one of them and tried to put them in their place, the kid saw the object of their ridicule defending himself as being a spoilsport. The kids would have seen Luke’s side if they did not have a bad opinion of him. Some thought that Luke went over the line the first time he got into a fight over being called Luka. Even with Blake starting the physical confrontation, a lot of the kids blamed Luke for the results. Blake only was only pushing Luke and did not hurt him. Luke should not have punched him back after telling his former best friend to stop. Those pushes were only to get a laugh.

Winning the fight caused other victories to come to Luke. Even with them being only in the Third Grade, the kids in Luke’s class knew even with them calling him a sissy that he was tough. They should have already know this because Luke was resilient enough to withstand being rejected by most of his classmates. All the kids would not tease Luke for a while. Then although Luke’s classmates resumed putting down the victor of this fight, they would think twice on how far they would take the teasing. They would not want to take the chance of ending up where Blake did after taking messing with Luke too far, on the ground.

Another positive outcome to the fight was how Luke’s self-esteem and identity was helped. Even with his mom saying he deserved to be in a dress and put him in one, Alice’s son knew his mom was lying. He proved to himself he was a boy. Getting this reassurance that he was a boy, only made Luke’s resentment of his mom grow. Lying to make someone feel less than they were was treating them unfairly. How could his mom do that to him?

Winning this fight gave Luke more confidence. There is no way a boy who should wear a dress would win a fight against a real boy. This line of thinking might have been the logic of an 8 year old, but to Luke it was infallible. Luke believing in himself made him say no right away when Alice brought up maybe he should be in a dress again. Him standing up to his mom when she mentioned that maybe he should be out in a dress for punishment due to the fight made her rethink petticoat punishment. Lori started to cry to make her mom go with putting Luke in a dress. If there was more time then the crying would have worked. Luke was saved from being humiliated once again because his Lord Protector came home early from work. Fred’s son was in a fight and wanted to be there to perform his duty as a parent.

Alice was so happy that Fred was home. She needed his help in handling this situation. Her husband was a good man, and more importantly a good husband and a good father. Alice could depend on him, but did not want to ask him for more. She did not want to come off as seeming to not be a good woman, or more importantly a good wife or good mother. Parenting was a joint endeavor and she did not understand how much. Parents had to share all the responsibilities, not just make a list of what they did. Being a parent together and working as much as they could together was how Fred and Alice could have truly had a united front.

After hearing that Luke was defending himself from Blake getting physical Fred made sure nothing happened to Luke. At first, Alice objected. Alice was only thinking as Lori’s mom right then. Lori would be even harder to deal with if Luke got away with nothing happening to him. Lori would claim Luke was in a fight and there had to be consequences. No ramification for doing wrong would send a bad message to her brother. Alice did not want to try to explain to Lori why and would have once again went with the simple route. She acted like water and took the path of least resistance.

Alice was looking at Lori as they were having this discussion with Luke and Fred. The mom was paying attention to the wrong audience. Lori’s father noticed that his wife was observing their daughter’s reaction and not his words. Fred wanted his wife to be in this conversation so he sent Lori out of the room. Fred’s daughter objected and he calmly told her this had nothing to do with her. Alice agreed with her husband. This was true and Alice wanted to pose as a united front with the love of her life.

After the Brat Princess was gone Alice was more open to hearing her husband. She understood Luke did nothing wrong by standing up for himself. A punishment would send the wrong message to Luke. Alice wanted to make sure that Luke knew he was in the right. She hugged her son and said “I am proud of my little boy for sticking up for yourself. I was just worried that you would start to start fights. I don’t want you to think that might is always right. You did good.”

Luke’s heart swelled up as much as Blake’s black eye hearing his mom saying she was proud of him. Alice calling Luke her little boy vindicated him. He was right and the other kids were wrong. The hug from his mom was the first time in months that Luke really felt cherished and loved by his mom. The resentment Luke had for his mom rescinded some. She saw him as who he was, her little boy.

Luke’s fight with Blake became a rite of a new school year. Each year before the end the first semester Blake would cross the line and become physical with Luke. Each year there was the same result of Blake ending up on the ground with a black eye. Each Year Blake’s hatred of Luke grew. Each year after the fight Blake would not tease Luke until the healing of his wounded ego was healed. Each year most of the kids blamed Luke for the fight. This misplacement of blame came from Luke not being as popular as his fallen foe. The blame also gave Luke the reputation of being a hot head.

Mike kept on being the perfect henchmen to Blake. He was a loyal retainer and soothed his master’s ego from losing the fight. Mike also made sure to remind the other kids why Luke should be an outcast every time he had the chance. Mike was making sure Luke stayed in his new role because he knew that hate was not the opposite of love. If somehow Luke was able to regain his old standing with their following classmates Blake would drop Mike for him.

During this time Tracy kept awkwardly trying to make amends with Luke. Each time she was rebuffed Tracy would fall into the easy way of making herself temporarily feel better, she would pick on Luke. Each time it worked in the short run but damaged her in the long run. Putting Luke down to lift herself up led to Tracy starting to think that maybe she was that type of person. Thinking that she was that type of person who hurts others made her act even more in that manner. In showing her true self she was just protecting good people from becoming too close to her.

Tom was by far the most civil out of the main tormentors of Luke. This was only because of the stipulation to the race he lost to Luke a long time ago. Calling Luke Luka to his face was worth not hearing about losing that race to him. Tom wanted a rematch more than a retail worker wanted the Holiday Season over, but would not pay the price. Each time Tom asked Luke to race again, Luke demanded that if Tom lost then he would have to quit lying about him liking to wear dresses.

Dealing with Tom at the bike park was a little part of the highlights of these 4 years. Being able to stand up for himself gave Luke the strength to withstand the onslaught when he was outnumbered. He knew the only reason the kids kept on picking on him was because they felt safe. Knowing that those who were putting him down were not as strong as they acted made Luke feel good. This fact lessened the sting of their words and also the pain of not being friends with most of his class.

Luke was also so strong because of where the confrontation happened, his sanctum and a place of power for him, the Lincoln Park Bike Park. That place was great and he felt so free there. He did not have his sister trying to undermine him so Luke could try new things. He also started to skateboard there. Luke with his balance and core strength was a natural. Him being open to taking advice made him a quick learner. Luke being so ready to help others made him welcome by the other skaters.

Of course his friendship with Matt and Renee was a highlight. The Saturday Morning Bike Club formed a tight bond. They were a modern day Three Musketeers. Just like those three swashbucklers all for one and one for all were not just words but how they lived their life. The three of them together were better than them being apart. The three of them also gave each other strength when on their own. Luke by standing tall when people were trying to put him down. Renee by having the strength to start to BMX race. Matt by taking the initiative and getting his parents to sign him up for science competitions.

The club still met in the winter. Instead of going to Lincoln Way Bike Park, the meeting was convened at the Trafford Lanes. Wanting to have the bowling alley as the new meeting place was logical. They remembered how much fun they had at Luke’s party the first week the weather did not cooperate with going to the bike park and asked to go. All of their parents said yes. Staying even a little active in a manner which was interactive with others was better than just sitting around playing their video games.

Earl Webber, the man who gave them tips at Luke’s Birthday party, was so happy to see those three. Having more young blood at the lanes helped his hobby. Also those three’s close friendship touched him. The comradery between those three kids was why he bowled. He was good at bowling and that made it enjoyable, but being around his friend every week was what made bowling worth it. Being on the same team with his childhood friends made them stay close even after so many friendships drift apart from time and people changing.

Another highlight to Luke was when Aunt Bridget and her husband would come back home to visit. His mom's older sister was his favorite aunt and Luke in turn was by far her aunt’s favorite niece or nephew. Luke reminded his aunt of her older brother, Tony. They both were open to feeling their positive emotions and made sure they were right feeling their negative ones.

A huge positive which accompanied Aunt Bridget’s visits was that Alice would start to be on her best behavior a month beforehand. This meant that the petticoat punishment would have a temporary reprieve. Alice wanted to show her older sister the perfect family. Luke being distanced to her and having that disdain in his eyes would show otherwise. Just like Lori wanted the approval of the Nostalgia Queen, the original Brat Princess wanted the approval of her queen.

Unlike Alice, Bridget was not a Nostalgia Queen. Her kingdom was over family bonds. Bridget felt that the most important part of someone's life was their family. Family to her was who you choose it to be. Family was people who cared for each other and treated each other as equals when they could be. To family the spotlight would always be big enough for everyone so no one needed to monopolize it.

The difference in how the Tribalinni sister saw how family treated each other led to Alice trying to be more like her sister. Bridget was just so cool when they were growing up. Alice’s older sister made sure that Alice knew all about the latest fashion trends. She was the one who taught her makeup, and introduced her to so much new music. They shared The Cure as their favorite band of all time. Bridget was the one who made sure that Alice knew she and not society, was the one who decided what was femininity.

The change in Alice made Lori hate her Aunt. There was no way she could push further away from her mom when a visit from her dear aunt was upcoming. Even when Bridget called on the phone there were negative consequences to that. Alice would start being almost as nice to Luke as she was to Lori. This treatment of a commoner was as uncalled for as an ex-boyfriend crashing a wedding and just as appropriate.

Enjoying the company of Maurice, Bridget’s husband, was a good enough reason for Fred to look forward to their yearly visit. Them spending hours talking about landscaping and garden care would have made seeing his brother-in-law great. That was just an added bonus. What made the visit the best was the change in Luke.

Fred was a great Father. He knew something was up between his wife and their son. He could see it in Luke’s eyes, the tone in which Luke addressed his mother made Fred hear it. The tension between mother and son made the concerned father feel it. The only thing that was missing was what was causing the strain between the connection between his wife and their son.

He did catch his wife playing favorite with Lori all the time, but Fred knew there was more. His wife would just accuse him of being silly when he brought the rift between her and her son. She blew it off casually by saying that Luke was just acting like her older brother Dom did. Alice’s deflection was as true as a frat brother stating he was only going to have one beer at the bar. He knew his son was a hugger and he almost never hugged Alice. Luke gave out hugs to everyone he cared about: Matt and Renee, his grandparents, all of his aunts, and uncles, the cousins he got along with. The reason why Luke was a hugger was that he needed to boost the connection he felt with those people. They helped him be strong when Lori with the help of her friends were doing everything in their power to make his life as miserable as his twin sister wanted it to be. Luke learned a valuable lesson from those people, when someone has your back they do not need to be there physically to keep on giving you support.

Even with asking Luke, why the distance between him and his mom being no use in getting an answer, Fred kept on asking. Not getting an answer did not mean the question was useless. The question made sure Luke knew his dad was going to be there for him. The question made sure Fred showed he loved and cared for Luke. Fred did not think the distance was caused by anything major so he would not push the issue. If he knew about the petticoat punishment, Lori being given and going to birthday parties Fred would have put a stop to it.

After the first year of Lori pushing Luke out of the limelight she was not allowed to have any more birthday parties. The reason behind it was once again Alice made Luke invite his sister to his party but Lori did not have to do so in kind. Lori begged to be invited. She only wanted to say no to Luke’s face. Once again Lori’s hubris got the better of her.

Luke was talking about his birthday party with his dad. He finally got to play laser tag. He and Matt were right about how fun it was. Luke was amazed at how cool the laser tag arena looked. There was only a faint blue light to make the fluorescent paint trim of the maze’s wall and the barrier easy to see. The barriers were not just walls but cool geometric shapes. How awesome the battlefield was made the fun of the day exceed the high expectation that Luke had.

Even Renee had to admit it was fun. Her reasons were not the same as Luke’s. The teamwork between those three and them being more worried about getting the common goal of grabbing the other’s team flag over glory made it fun. The day lived up to the famous words of all for one and one for all which was the group’s code. Winning was great but making the bonds of friendship stronger was better.

Luke had another reason the day out was good. Scott Romano, the kid who did not invite Luke to his laser tag party, was there; Blake Sellars, and Mike Patton were with him. Those three formed a team against the Saturday Morning Bike Club. The three matches of capture the flag were all no contest. Each time Luke was able to get at least one of his nemesis out of the game. The last game was the best for Luke. Not only did he capture the flag, he shot all three of his opponents.

Seeing how mad those three were about Luke getting the better of them was sweet to the boy. This was out of character for Luke. He had empathy. Yet Luke’s empathy was why he enjoyed the victory. He thought that if they felt as bad as he did when they picked on him those three would stop.

Sadly Luke gave Blake, Mike and Scott too much credit on the emotional development scale. Them losing just led to those three not liking Luke even more. Scott became a member of Lori’s court that day. He could not stand that Luke once again took away from his fun.

As Luke was giving a recap of the day to his mom Lori started to fume. She got to take her friends to go horseback riding and that was so much better. Lori loved to go horseback riding. Being on a horse elevated her above other people, where she belonged. Seeing the world from that vantage point made it so different. Being higher up let her see further down the trails. Lori could focus on the woods more, not having to pay as much attention to where she was going. Nature was amazing to her. Seeing the squirrels running up and down the tree, hearing the birds singing and smelling the sweet flora was nice.

Being in the woods made the Brat Princess go away. Lori was not the arrogant little girl anymore. She was not worried about making sure she had the same childhood as her mom. The competition between the twins was gone. She was at peace and had no need to feel better than everyone else. She felt caring for others. She actually wanted to share this with Luke. While in the woods the reason she wanted to share this with her brother was just to share beauty with him.

Now she was not out in the woods and Lori was once again the Brat Princess. Her mom, the queen, enjoying Luke’s story really got to Lori. The youngest should always have the best time. Then Luke beating her royal court at Laser Tag was it. How dare that commoner best her best. Luke had to know her day was better. The truth had to get out right away. She made her objection known about how Luke’s birthday party by blurting out “My birthday party was so much better than yours. We went horseback riding. It was so nice and peaceful. You would have loved to see the woods. You missed out on it because you do not deserve seeing anything that nice. You did not deserve an invite to it, like I did to your stupid party. I deserved the invite so I could make sure you knew how stupid your party was by not accepting it.”

Hearing about Lori’s party made Fred momentarily see that he and his wife did not have a united front. In fact Alice was working against what should be their shared goals. Their kids needed to be treated equally. Fred went to his phone to call his parents, but Alice started to defend the indefensible before he could. Them not even being in the same book, yet alone the same page, about raising their children made Fred not even listen. He knew this was not going to be a discussion, or even an argument. Him and his wife were going to have a fight, a battle and to at least keep up the illusion of a united front that should not happen in front of the kids.

After getting off the phone Alice started to back up. Fred just looked at her and said “Don’t speak to me right now.” At that moment she found out where Luke got that look which would give her chills. At that moment Alice knew she was wrong for sneaking behind her husband’s back. At that moment of Alice having her revelation about the party, the fight between the parents was over before it even started.

Alice knew not even to say OK, because that would be speaking. Her husband was pissed off and doing the best to hold it together. She wanted to help him keep his cool. Him yelling would have hurt the illusion of the united front. Just waiting to talk would not only keep the lie, but help make that falsehood a truth. People made bad decisions and mistakes in life, they get judged by how they handle them. Alice respecting her husband's request went a long way in calming him down and put them both at least in the same book.

After his parents came to get Luke and Lori, Alice and Fred worked on finding that page they could share. The page was a simple one to find, just keeping with what was agreed upon beforehand. The page was also a simple one to change to Alice. Fred’s wife wanted to honor the agreement but ended up rationalizing her way out of it. Time helped Alice use faulty logic to see next year’s birthday party for Lori as not a party. If there was no cake, how could it be a party? It would just be Lori hanging out with some friends who happened to have gifts for her. They would anyways because it was her daughter’s birthday after all. This was how Alice saw a party not being a party.

Even though the next three years Lori had a gathering, she made sure that Luke knew what it actually was, her birthday party. Lori used the same kind of logic as her mom on Luke to make sure he never told their dad. That their dad would never believe Luke about the party. Even if her brother was believed by their Father he would be in so much trouble with mom.

Being in so much trouble with mom meant one thing to Luke. Being put in that dress. By now the petticoat punishment was seen wearing a blue and white striped dress. Luke thought of being put in a dress every time he saw one. The pain made the learned helplessness in Luke grow. No resistance would stop the parties from happening and they made Luke feel even less important than Lori.

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Going to the beach was always the highlight of Luke’s year. It was a week away from all the issues he had at home. There were not other kids reminding him he was not liked. His mom and Lori had to be on their best behavior. Luke’s Lord Protector was always around to drive the Nostalgia Queen to the distant past of Alice’s memory and the Brat Princess lost her support. With no backing Lori could not keep her assault upon Luke. This break in the war made Luke’s self-confidence come back. Luke was just like most kids his age, strong and resilient. Having this small break from Lori trying to break him down helped him to start building himself up.

To Luke, the best part of the beach was the start of the new day. Each day, father and son would walk down to the beach to greet the rising sun. The darkness being chased away from the sun was just an optimistic sight. Luke saw the sunrise as a promise of a new start. Darker days were ahead, but after them Luke would end up on a different beach getting the fulfilment of the promise of a new start, a new day.

Writer’s Note: There is a blog entry for this chapter. I wanted to address the concern about Luke and the overall arch of the story. It has a minor spoiler in it and that is why I did not put it here.

One of the most famous metaphysical questions is: “If a tree falls in the forest, and no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound?” Some people say it does not, some people say it does and some quickly dismiss the question by saying it does not matter if it makes a sound, the tree did fall and all the effects of it happening occurred. The question is not about the answer but the question itself.

This question which people use to ponder is similar to how to determine which was the newest worse day in Luke’s life. Some people would say it was the day in which he lost his friendship with Renee and Matt and others would say it was when the events occurred which caused the friendship to end. The correct answer does not matter. Either way, the fact was now Luke was friendless and the pain would be the same no matter which day the bond between the Saturday Morning Bike Club was broken.

Lori was the Devil’s spawn, but if somehow if this girl was a saint, Alice’s daughter would be the patron saint of manipulators and opportunists. People who did not pay attention to Lori would say this girl just had a way to get her way. That statement was not true. Lori knew how to read people. This skill made it easy for this girl to manipulate situations to her advantage and she was not scared to take any opportunity to achieve her goals.

One of Lori’s goals was to drive a wedge between Luke and his two friends. For the past four years she had been working towards making her brother friendless. The best way to get this rift would be to have them get very close to her or her inner circle. Them all having No Luke Zones enacted in their presence made it so if Matt and Renee would have to spend time away from the third member of the Saturday Morning Bike Club. Spending time away meant that Lori could work them closer into her group. Close enough that they would have to make a choice between Lori or Luke or Luke would push those two away. Lori knew that the group did split up by Renee and Matt showing up to party where Luke was persona non grata.

The opportunity to cause a division between Luke and his friends came when Lori saw how Tom and Renee were acting when together. Those two had a little crush on each other. Both Renee’s and Tom’s eyes would light up when they saw each other. They would get a little nervous when too close to each other. Renee would make jokes which she knew Tom would like. Tom would laugh a little out of proportion to her jokes. Tom would go out of his way to give Renee a compliment and she went out of hers to make sure she thanked him. Tom also quit getting on Luke so much. The biggest sign was them protesting too much about the crush.

Then the chance to isolate Luke came. Tom wanted to go to a pool party which Renee was having with Luke there. Allowing Luke to even socialize where Lori was at, was a cardinal sin to her. Lori almost messed up by expelling Tom for his suggestion. If she was not wise to the crush she would have just told Tom to leave her presence right away. She knew about the mutual crush and was going to use it to her advantage.

Lori was ready to manipulate her friends and the situation to her advantage. Using Tom’s crush to get the best of her brother did not matter to her. First, everything was about her so doing so was not bad. Second, she was his ward, he was in her service. The third reason she did not feel bad about using her pawn as a pawn was that Tom would have done the same to her. In fact, he was trying to change the group’s stance on Luke. Even though Tom did not like Lori’s brother, he just wanted Luke to be accepted so he could be close to Renee.

Lori’s plan easily came to her for one simple reason, it was a simple plan, have Tom get Renee to invite the rest of her gang minus her over for a swim party. Have Tom also let Renee know, that with them going behind Lori’s back about getting together that Luke should not know about the get together. As for the reason why they were doing this without Lori, use the excuse that the gang was getting sick of the way she was treating Luke. That the childish treatment of her brother had to quit.

Tom was a little confused about the plan. No one in their group wanted to welcome back Luke into the fold. Even the two newest members of Lori’s court, Mandy Travers and Kat Korkowski, were strongly anti-Luke. The plan made as much sense as steering into the skid. The reason Tom could not understand it, was that Lori’s henchman was not privy to the entire plan. He did not know she was just going to show up anyways. Thinking about the plan would have led to Tom figuring out what Lori was up to. Thinking about the plan was not going to happen, Tom was just too excited that he had a chance to be around Renee.

Tom thinking that Lori was not going to be there was needed for the plan to work. Renee had a misplaced loyalty towards Luke and would never openly invite Luke’s sister to her house. This would be nothing but trouble. Also, the plan would have never went into effect if Tom was totally in on it. Renee would have been able to figure out what was going on. She would have seen Tom’s lies about Lori not showing up as what they were.

Blake might have been seen as an outsider as Lori’s second, but in reality her closest confidant was Tracy. Blake was just not as trustworthy as Tracy. Plus, Tracy took the initiative in tormenting Luke. The proactiveness in picking on Luke came from Tracy lashing out on the perceived transgressions Luke did to her. Tracy being trusted meant she knew the rest of Lori’s plan. Have Tracy just bring Lori.

The entire plan was simple and that was why Lori was so sure it was going to work. Renee might not invite Lori to a swim party, but once one was going on Luke’s friend would kick her out. Making Lori leave would end the party, and that would also mean ending Renee’s time with Tom. Staying at the party was when Lori could do her real damage.

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The person people lie to the most in life are themselves. Most of the time the lie is to either justify their actions or make themselves feel better about themselves. Most of the time the lies are mostly harmless. The midnight snack is not going to hurt the diet. The girl who said no to the date was not good enough for you. Renee was lying to herself about the party.

The lie was like Lori’s plan, a simple one. The lie being a simple one was why it would work on Renee. The lie made having the party live by the mantra of all for one and one for all. The lie made Luke’s friend believe she was having the party for him and not herself. The lie was having this party without her friend being invited or knowing was what was best for Luke.

This pool party was finally a chance for Lori and her friends to stop teasing Luke and making him an outcast. Renee would be a peace negotiator. These would be delicate talks so Renee could not take the chance of Lori finding out. Tom wanting to make amends with Luke was a sign to Renee she was right about her feelings for that boy. Tom being who she thought he was led to her agreeing to his terms about the pool party.

Matt was a little iffy about the party. He did not like lying to Luke. He also did not like lying to his or Renee’s parents about why Luke was not invited. He knew that they would have had issues with the party. Excluding a close friend to please other people was not right. Him and Renee should defer to what their parents would have done.

Matt did not like cancelling their Saturday Morning Bike Club meeting on Friday. Yes, the meeting was only delayed till Sunday, but the reason behind it was not a legitimate to Matt. To him even with Renee reasoning the postponement of the meeting was just because they found something better to do. Luke not even asking why and just saying yes made Matt feel a little uncomfortable. The level of trust Luke showed made Luke’s friend feel like Luke was a lamb and he was leading him to the slaughter.

His doubts about the party were quickly smoothed when he went along and lied to himself. Him lying was prompted by Renee reminding him to the fact that the party was for the common good. This party was actually Renee and Matt putting the group in front of themselves. This party was not for their enjoyment, but to help Luke. Their friend would be happy about not being invited once he was welcomed back into the fold. Even if Luke was not welcomed back into the fold the founding member of the Saturday Morning Bike Club would still be grateful that the first two inductees went to this effort for him.

Some of Lori’s friends also had to lie to themselves about the party. One of them was Mike Patton. Even with only being 13 he saw himself as a man, after all he had had his Bar Mitzvah. He came of age. Trying to do this to Luke just seemed wrong. A man to him does not try to break friendships between people. Nothing was wrong with not liking someone, but making other people not like him just did not seem right. People had to be let to make their own decisions. The lie Mike told himself to go along with the party was that the bond between Luke and his two friends was too strong for Lori to be able to break.

The other member of Lori’s court which had to lie about the party was Kat Korkowski. She along with Mandy Travers were two of the newest members. Hearing this plan made Kat rethink joining this group. Doing this to Luke was just cruel. Maybe Luke was not as bad as she first thought he was.

The reason Kat joined sides with Lori in the War of the Twins was how Luke bit her head off when she introduced herself to him. Kat was the new girl at school. She was set up by Ned Simpson, a classmate who liked to cause trouble, to call Luke Luka. The new girl wanting to make friends did so. Kat felt that Luke went overboard with telling her in a more dignified manner to go fuck herself. That boy should have known she did not know better, he knew that was Kat’s first day at school. To her that boy’s attitude was why people excluded him. Then with this plan of making Luke lose his friends made Kat rethink her opinion of him. She was still not comfortable being the new girl so she lied to herself by thinking that Luke must have been worse when he was younger.

The party at first went how Lori planned and Renee envisioned. The weather was cooperating and made it so enjoyable to be in the pool. The teenagers were just being teenagers and enjoying a game of Marco Polo or just doing a Cannonball into the pool. Seeing the huge splash made the gang laugh. The party was going great and the three doubters were at ease. How can anything go wrong when there was only one little flaw to the party. Tracy was not there yet.

That little flaw was the reason why everything was going to go wrong to those three and perfect to Lori and the rest of the teenagers in the Walha’s backyard. Then the little flaw in the party was fixed when Tracy showed up with a bigger one, Lori. The Brat Princess was all smiles and most of the people thought that was because she was playing nice.

The smile got bigger when Renee made no objection to the uninvited guest. Lori had a perfect excuse why she was at the party. There was a miscommunication and Lori went to Tracy’s right before she was leaving the party. That was why Tracy was late, she tried to delay going to the party until Lori left, but Ms. Armstrong mentioned the party. Tracy had to fess up.

Renee was having too good of a time to take a chance of causing trouble, so she said nothing. Renee really enjoyed spending time with Tom. She made sure he came early so those two would have some time alone. That would give her a chance to see the real Tom, not the one he portrayed around other people. The girl wanted to see the best in Tom so she forgot that he was going to be around one other person, herself. Tom was still going to put on a show. The audience of one just suspended disbelief and believed she was seeing the real person,

The time shared alone gave Renee and Tom a chance to share something else, their first kiss. The kiss skewed how Renee would see Tom. Tom did really like Renee. The kiss was a real one filled with care and affection. The kiss conveyed those feelings to Renee. Knowing how Tom felt about her, made Renee have the bad assumption that him having care and affection for her made him an all-around good guy. This assumption came from her hoping that the boy she had a crush on was not as bad as he really was. It would make Renee feel better if Tom was just misunderstood.

After having the first kiss with Tom and so wanting a second kiss when he left the party Renee did not say anything about Lori being there. That would upset Luke’s sister. If Lori got mad she would have her friends leave and the hostess so wanted Tom to stay. That boy was not as bad as Luke thought. He was just a little prideful and wanted a chance to prove he was better than Luke. Tom explained Luke forcing a condition on racing again was not fair to him. Renee saw the reasoning, after all Luke did not make a bet to race her or Matt. She did not see friendship was the reason why Luke just raced Tom and not them. A race between members of the Saturday Morning Racing Club was them sharing time together. Luke did not want to share time with Tom.

Two of the four doubters, Matt and Renee, did not see the issue. Luke’s friends saw this as an opportunity. Lori being there meant that they could work some diplomacy on her about Luke. Talking to her would help Lori to see her court and the Saturday Morning Bike Gang was a perfect mesh to combine. Matt and Renee thought the numbers game would win out and make Lori come around. They were right about that but little did those two know they were the ones outnumbered.

Mike knew Lori being there was not good for Luke. He was kicking himself for not seeing Lori’s full plan earlier. The boy who saw himself as a man should have known that Lori was going to go in for the quick kill. He knew this was going to be quick because of seeing the top part of the two-piece Lori had on. It was blue and white striped. She used to own a blue and white striped one piece and joked that Luka would look better in it when they would go swimming at Tracy’s. If Mike knew her plans he would have gotten Renee to abort the party or at least try to talk her into inviting both Luke and Lori.

The numbers were evened out a little by Mike leaving soon after Lori arrived. His body might have stayed at the party, but his mind was elsewhere. Right away he knew how this was going to play out. After an hour he left to join his thoughts. Mike had too much on his mind. The biggest question was if his treatment of Luke was worth belonging to a group. His was coming to terms that being a yes man meant he was not a real man. A real man has to live with themselves and no one else. Saying yes to what was wrong only to not be alone made him feel lonely. His friends did not like him for who he was but because he agreed with them. Mike deserved better friends.

Lori’s plan was working. How relaxed Renee and Tom were around each other meant that those two at least admitted they liked each other and maybe kissed. The details were not important, Lori was not a romantic and care not if those two got together other than if it hurt Luke. Also, Luke was going to find out soon that Renee had a secret party to which his sister had attended. Renee excluding Luke was going to hurt her brother bad. The best part to the Brat Princess’s plan was that she was not only going to see the pain in her brother’s face, but be there when Renee had to confess to the truth.

Lori had a hot hand. She wanted to do more to cause strife in her brother’s life. The reception Lori received told her she could push the issue by making fun of her brother. She took off her shorts to show off the bottom of her two-piece. Then she tilted one hip closer to crowd to model out the outfit. Then the joke came out. “Hey guys, sorry that we did not bring Luka. He had nothing to wear because I borrowed his swimsuit.”

Renee did not laugh at first then she saw the look of disappointment from Tom. He whispered in her ear “Don’t be so serious. That was funny.” Laughing once again at Luke’s expense seemed like it would do nothing to her friend or their friendship. After all, her friend was not there so what he did not hear would not be a sound to him. Luke would never know and in her heart, Renee knew the laugh was not real.

Matt was a boy and could not help but show he liked how Lori looked. He quickly looked away when his eyes locked with Lori’s. Any reaction on her face would be bad from him. Her showing disapproval would make Matt feel like a creep. Her liking him checking her out would be fruitless to him. Matt did not like her personality. Lori was like an expensive unused journal to him. Beautiful on the outside but nothing on the inside. She had nothing but looks to offer to Matt.

Then Lori took advantage of how Matt was looking at her when she was showing off her two-piece. Opportunity just kept on knocking and Lori was not going to be rude by turning down her guest. The member of the Saturday Morning Bike Club did find Lori physically attractive and his eyes could not contain that secret. He found himself wishing that Luke’s sister was more like him. If Lori was just kind caring and compassionate she would be a great girl. Thinking that, is like saying only if ice cream was full of nutrients and vitamins and low on calories then it would be a healthy food.

Lori went over and started to flirt with Matt. This interaction was making Matt nervous. He never dealt with members of the fairer sex liking him before, so he felt socially awkward. The introverted boy had never even kissed a girl before. Then he had to deal with the girl who liked him not having a likable personality to him. Some people would have said he would go against his better judgement, but Matt actually went with his better judgement when he revoked Lori’s advances. Lori was not the girl for him, even if she liked him.

Being turned down played to Lori’s advantage. She used one of her go to plays to get her way by crying. Tears have a way to make people who see them put down their defenses. Tears had a way to make lies which came from the person who was crying sound true. Tears had a way of making those who saw them want to appease who was crying.

The crying was accompanied by Lori saying she was misunderstood. No one saw how much Luke and her fought at home and she was just defending herself in public. She lied about having no allies other than her friends at school. These tactics work in getting empathy. Matt felt for Lori and the scheming girl knew it.

Then Lori started to sneak in using Luka when referring to her brother. The pawn would not dare correct her at this moment. Matt was too concerned about her feelings to chance upsetting her more. The empathy became a weapon when she got Matt to laugh at her using Luka. Luke’s friend did not like the use of Luka but just wanted to make Lori feel better. She was crying after all about how much her and her brother fought. The use of Luka was just a way to feel better by Lori so laughing would not hurt Luke. It was not like he would ever find out. Everyone at the party was going to keep the fact it happened away from him. The party was like Vegas to Luke, what happened at the party stayed at the party.

Lori then went on to say if one of Luke’s friends liked her, then maybe, just maybe, he would change her brother’s mind about her. Then she talked about how much Luke admired Matt. She was setting this pawn up to be used by getting his sympathy and buttering him up. Then she went to get Matt to kiss her by saying if only they were boyfriend and girlfriend it would help her relationship with Luke.

Matt might not have been a teenage Don Juan, but he could read the hints. This boy was going to get his first kiss. Lori wanted to kiss him and she liked him. Matt was only right about Lori wanting him to kiss her. Matt looked around to make sure that no one was looking. He did not want the kiss to be a secret but felt that a first kiss was something private and not to be shared by anyone's eyes. Not even the people who were part of the kiss. A kiss with open eyes was a lie to him.

That first kiss was not sweet to Matt. As soon as his lips touched Lori’s Matt knew her interest in him was a lie. Lori’s kiss was not a sign of affection to Matt, but 30 pieces of silver. The kiss and his feelings were his reward for betraying Luke. Matt did not have to worry about not being the last boy to kiss in his class anymore.

After the kiss Matt saw the truth. The kiss being a lie was what relieved the truth. The lack of caring and affection in the kiss was what saved Matt from falling deeper into the narrative Lori and her gang wanted. Seeing what was really happening at the party made Matt see that once again he put being popular above his friend. He soiled what should have been a cherished memory. Instead of thinking of innocent childhood crushes when thinking back on that kiss, Matt would from now on think about how he did not treat his friend how he would have wanted to be treated.

Right then, everything about today was making Matt uncomfortable. The heat from the summer sun became unbearable to Matt. It was also too bright. The heavy humid air was weighing him down. The sounds of his friends playing, swimming and chatting was hurting his ears. The guilt-stricken teenager had to leave.

Trying to be polite, Matt went to find Renee to say good-bye. Making his way through the crowd he saw Renee talking with Tom. As he became close enough that their conversation became audible, he heard Tom say Luka. Then instead of Renee correcting that boy she did her fake laugh. Matt knew his friend good enough to know she was just appeasing Tom. The reason still did not make the laughing right.

Seeing the interaction between Renee and Tom acted like a mirror to Matt. Matt saw how wrong his was to go along with what Lori and her friends wanted. Matt knew not to say anything. He already heard the justification Renee would use. Matt used it himself. Laughing when Luke was not there would not hurt him.

The object of their ridicule not witnessing the ridicule did not make mocking him right. Matt and Renee not standing up for their friend was a sign of approval for the put downs. Them laughing to fit in made them unthinking cohorts in ostracizing Luke. The other kids around them seeing Luke best friends joining in making fun of him would reinforce that was how people should treat Renee and Luke’s friend.

If Renee and Matt would have thought for a second those two would have known the consequences of having the party behind Luke’s back. If the time was taken to put themselves in Luke’s place they would have saw how wrong they were. Matt finally came to that conclusion but it was too late. The damage was done. The sad part was all of this was over finding someone cute. This trap was easy to fall into, Matt did it at the party. He might have hurt his friendship with Luke, but Matt learned something valuable today. What is important about people cannot be seen by the eyes. He prayed that the lesson was worth the upcoming bill.

Knowing he was going to have to deal with Luke, meant that Matt also did not want to say anything to Renee right now. The real possibility of losing one friend over doing the wrong thing made Matt scared of losing another over doing the right thing. He knew he was going to need Renee’s support and she was going to need his if their actions hurt Luke. He also knew that would be the best time to bring up how badly they messed up.

As Matt was leaving, Mandy Travers was reevaluating her stances on her friends and fellow classmates. The person she did this reevaluation of the most was Luke. The plan and party made the new girl in town realize how harsh Lori has been to her brother. Having to deal with someone always undercutting you can make someone act like a prick. Luke did not know she was set up to call him Luka and knew she would have reacted the same way if she was him.

Mandy was looking around the party and really did not like anyone else there. Her feeling towards them was not only how Lori’s court got on Luke. There was no real connection with any of them. The only thing she shared with her friends was a dislike of Luke and now that was gone. Her being new and needing a group to be with was the only reason she lashed on to them. The only reason Lori’s and her friends took her in was for strength in numbers. Mandy knew she was going to have to find new friends at the start of the school year. She was friends with them for all the wrong reasons.

Mandy did want to see if Renee was worth being friends with. She saw how close the hostess was with Matt and Luke. Renee might have been throwing the party, but Matt was going out of his way to help. He acted like a de facto host. Even without Luke being there Renee made sure to talk her friend up when those two chatted. Renee had this party to try to make connections instead of serving them. She wanted for Lori and her friends to come around on liking Luke.

Thinking about how that bond those three had was positive, help put Luke in more of a good light to Mandy. Friends should get together to lift each other up not put others down. Mandy felt she would get along with the Saturday Morning Bike Club. She shared interests with each of the members. She loved to bake like Renee. Her and Matt shared the same favorite subject in school, science. She even had something in common with Luke, their favorite video game was Rodo-Mon.

Mandy was not looking past how Renee and Matt did laugh at Luke. Those actions were out of character for how the friendship worked. She felt that they both were doing it more to keep the peace than finding it funny. Maybe they were not betraying Luke. If Luke never found then to him it never happened. The big question was if her hunch was true. If Renee and Matt just showed their true colors at the party today it would not be worth Mandy’s effort to get into their group. Why get a new circle of friends which was the same as her old one. Later on, at the party Mandy was about to find out if her assumption was true.

Renee went into the home to use the restroom and Mandy followed her. The girl waited for Renee to come out. This would be a perfect chance to talk in private with the hostess. There would be no one else there to judge Renee on her reactions.

Mandy started the conversation “Hey Renee thank you for having us over. The party was great. You did the right thing by not inviting Luka. There would have been way less laughs with him getting mad about nothing”

Renee hated what Mandy was showing gratitude for. First it reminded her that she went behind her friend’s back. She had a party and did not invite Luke. Snubbing him would have been worth the pain if the party worked out as planned. Sadly, no headway was made in getting the guests to accept Luke. In fact, Luke looked worse by the end of the party.

Then hearing Mandy use Luka got under Renee’s skin. Her friend’s name was Luke. Renee might have not stopped it before, but that did not mean she approved of it. Joining in with the laughing was just to make Tom feel better. Tom just felt bad about Luke beating him in a race. Renee so wanted to believe that reason. That there was no malice in those words. She wanted Luke’s friendship along with having Tom as a boyfriend. The only way to get this was for the lie to be true. The lie was easy to believe for Renee because she told it to herself and wanted to believe it. The person who lies to you the most is yourself.

“His name is Luke”

Wanting to show her true colors Renee had snark in her voice. The snideness was to show disapproval. Then there was an added emphasis put on Luke being one syllable driving home the point.

Mandy was playing coy to see if Renee would stand up for Luke when there was pressure when she said “Sorry! You laughed so hard when Tom said it.”

Renee fired back “It was not funny I was being nice, understand?” Once again Luke’s friend added an emphasis to the last word to drive her point home.

Mandy felt good that she was right about why Renee laughed. She knew that was the same reason for Matt. She did want to just see how strong that friendship between those three was. “I said sorry. I was explaining why I used Luka. Come on you also laughed at Lori joking about her borrowing Luka’s bathing suit.”

Renee defended herself by saying “I did it to make Lori stop. You know her. She would have harped on Luke until everyone laughed. I wanted that out of the way so people could hear the good about Luke. Now excuse me, I’m going back outside.”

Mandy said “Again, I am sorry. I had a great time here today and I promise to be nice to Luke from now on.”

On her way back to her guests Renee was feeling worse about the party. She knew she had to make the wrongs right. First thing was to make sure there was no more picking on Luke. Stopping these kids would take backup. Luckily Renee had it with her mom. Her guests knew that Meg would not take them being mean towards someone so they would stop.

Renee also was going to get Tom to stop putting her friend down. They liked each other so Tom had to be nice to her friends if he wanted to be Renee’s boyfriend. Being nice to his girlfriend’s should not be hard for a boy.

************

The next day the Saturday Morning Bike Club met for the last time. Luke’s day started off bad by his mom informing her son that Lori was going to the bike park with him. This news made Luke as happy as a protagonist in a Russian novel. He knew his sister was only going to make him miserable. There was nothing else at the bike park for her. His sister had not ridden a bike in years. His sister did not want to spend time with their dad. The Father daughter interacting without their mother there just increased her chances of getting in trouble. Plus, Lori hated that Fred tried to make sure both of his children were treated equally. Equality was an affront to Lori.

The drive to the park was slow for everyone in the van. Luke’s sister would not be all smiles and going to the bike park unless she was going to once again get one over on Luke. The smugness oozing out of Lori made Luke’s feelings of learned helplessness come to the forefront. The sense of doom just made Luke dread going to the place he loved the most. His safe place was going to be ruined.

The time was going slow for Fred for the same reason as Luke. He knew his daughter was up to no good. Fred also felt helpless. A preemptive strike would be useless in stopping what was going to occur. Fred did feel the dread and doom Luke did, but knew that he would strike hard back at Lori. There was no way that his wife could stop him. Lori’s father gave his daughter multiple warnings in front of her protector to not cause trouble. He also objected to Lori going and that would give him more authority in doling out punishment for whatever his daughter had planned.

The time was going slow for Lori for another reason. She thought this was the endgame. That from now on Luke would be pushed off to the side of the stage and the spotlight would be all on her. On how her plan was going to play out today, no one would blame her for thinking it was inevitable. Luke was about to get in a huge fight with his only two friends. He was going to be all alone so the ostracism of him would be amped up. Luke would be ignored other than when people were putting him down.

Lori did not take a couple of factors into account. The biggest one was that Luke still had allies. His father, his Lord Protector, would make sure that Luke knew someone would always give him support. There was also a queen which lived in a distance land. Her balcony looked upon that shore where Luke will one day greet the rising sun. The sunrise would be a reminder of the promise of a new day.

The other factors were also vital. They just were not as direct as the main reason why Lori would not win the War of the Twins. The fight within the Saturday Morning Bike Club would only weaken their friendship. Even with the mistake they made, Matt and Renee were about lifting their friend up when they could. Those two would learn from their mistake and make sure it did not become a bad decision. Being at someone’s side was not always physical. They might not be able to spend time with Luke anymore, but they would still do what they could to help their friend. They would stay true to their motto all for one and one for all. The one time those two broke the motto they also broke the hearts of all the club members.

The last one was that even with feeling that he could not win against his sister, Luke would not give her the satisfaction of just giving up. Luke was too strong to stay down. He picked himself up each and every time his mom put him in a dress, each and every time people mocked and teased him. Now Luke had nothing to lose and some people believed that was true freedom. True freedom would give him power to carry on with the struggle.

Luke and Lori got to the bike park and Fred got his kid’s bikes off the rack. He had to leave this to play out. The inevitable had to happen because of no true united front existed between the parents. Knowing that his son was going to be hurt somehow, made Fred get mad at his wife. Alice needed to see Lori for what she was, a spoiled brat. The actions of their daughter needed to be taken serious by his wife.

The day was partly cloudy. There was a break in the clouds as Luke and Lori rode off. The sun shining on his son made Fred think that maybe somehow everything would work out fine today. The time frame was wrong for Fred’s hope, but at the end everything was going to work out fine for Luke.

Having his sister follow him made Luke know exactly how prey felt like when being pursued. The fear of being caught was intensifying until he saw Matt and Renee. Those two offered a safe place, a den where the predator could not get him. The safe place actually turned out to be the dead end which Lori wanted her brother to go down.

Renee and Matt were so happy to see Luke. Those two were going to make up for yesterday to him. Luke was going to be treated like a guest of honor. They had gifts. Matt brought Luke the newest superhero DVD. Renee got Luke some new elbow pads from the shop here. This was not the only peace offers they had. Another olive branch was that Luke was not going to have to pay for his snacks today.

Before the two could start to make amends themselves and Luke, they saw Lori behind their friend. At that moment they knew the secret was going to come out. They each looked down the conciliatory gifts and knew the offering would not be enough. No amount of showering Luke with gifts would be able to clean the pain away from Luke’s soul after he found out about the pool party.

Before those two could start to try to placate Luke, Lori, as loud as she could, said “Renee thank you for having me and not Luka at your party yesterday. It was so much fun.”

Those words should be a lie. Those words should be as true as knives do not cut. If not for the looks on Renee and Matt’s faces Luke would not have believed them. If not for being able to tell when his sister was lying Luke would not have believed them. Those words which should have been a lie were true as knives do cut. Those words were also as sharp as a knife and cut a hole in Luke’s soul.

Trying to salvage the bonds of connection of the Saturday Morning Bike Club, Matt and Renee became a united front. In perfect harmony they said “His name is Luke.”

Correcting Lori was another sign Lori’s words were true to Luke. There was no denial of his friends also calling him Luka. The truth coming up made Luke ready to doubt anything which would put Matt and Renee in a positive light. To the heartbroken boy, his two friends were just like Lori and her court. Luke started to treat them as such and the other two members of the Saturday Morning Bike Club would receive the benefit of the doubt no more from their friend.

Lori then replied. “You used and laughed about Luka yesterday. Plus, you thought that my joke about the bathing suit was hilarious.”

Luke speed off. Again, being a united front Matt and Renee. Those two were not only on the same page, they were also on the same word in the same sentence of the same page in the same edition of the book that Luke’s friends used the plural instead of singular pronoun when they said “Hold on Luke we can explain.”

Luke’s thought process was like today’s sky, cloudy. He just kept on riding off. This was the first time he rode off away from pain without a destination. He just knew he needed to be away from everyone. His sister because of how she treated him. His so-called friends because of the betrayal. He felt that the last five years had been a lie. That those two were even worse than the rest. This was because they acted like his friends, then would laugh about him behind his back. His dad because he could not provide support. The support was worthless.

Fred saw his son take off as fast as he could from his friends. The concerned Dad did not know what happened other than what Lori planned on happening has happened. His anger started to rise and yelled for his kids to go to the van. Saying goodbye was foregone by Fred. The sudden and drastic change in Fred’s emotions made Renee’s dad and Matt’s mom not even question why. They knew whatever Fred saw was of the utmost importance to him.

Luke turn his back right back around. Following the order from his dad did not meant Luke was eager to do so. He was as reluctant as a beagle dropping a scent he was following. The little boy fought his desires just so he would not get into trouble. The closer Luke got to his dad the slower he got. He was as cautious as a wounded animal. This made sense because Luke has never been as hurt as he was right then.

Fred waited until Luke aarived at the van to ask his son what was wrong. Luke got every milligram of his reserved strength to put up his strongest front. Holding back the tears, taking a giant inhale to clear his nose Luke said in a cold voice “Father I want to go home.”

Hearing Father hurt Fred. Those words were as sharp as the words Lori said earlier to Luke. Those words also cut into Fred’s soul. He knew his son was hurting bad and was trying to distance himself from everyone. There was no way that Fred was going to take his son pushing him away personally. He was going to be supportive to his son. Fred slowly went down to one knee to be eye to eye with his son. Then in a gentle loving voice said “I love you Luke. If you want to go home, we will go home now. Get in the van, and I will get Lori.”

Luke tensed up hearing that Lori was coming with them. He wanted to go home to be away from her. Now he was going to be stuck in the van with her gloating about him not having friends. That everyone liked her better than him. Today was the first day he believed that lie.

Fred knew why his son became uptight. He opened his arms to invite Luke for an embrace and said “Do not worry about Lori. She is in big trouble.”

Luke showed he felt safe opening up to his dad by hugging him. The hug was a sign that he was fine sharing the ride home with Lori. Their father was going to stop Lori from gloating on the way home. She would be too upset about having to pay for what she did. Even with having what she thought was the endgame of the War of Twins, winning would not be enough. She wanted an unconditional surrender from Luke. She wanted to be able to do anything she wanted anytime she wanted.

As Luke was getting in the van he felt strong enough to tell his dad that he loved him. Those three words of I love you gave both of them strength. Saying those three words were verbal confirmation that Luke knew he had his dad’s support. Hearing those three words were confirmation that Fred was going about the right way to rectify the situation.

Once again Lori’s hubris was her downfall. This time her vanity also had an ally, her disrespect of her father. When Fred called her and she did not come, that was bad enough. Then whatever she did to cause Luke to get so upset added to her punishment. Now the punishment was going to become even more because Lori was going to indirectly confess.

Lori was at the age where she should have come right away when her dad called for her in such a manner. The father yelling across the park showed it was important enough for his daughter to drop anything she was doing and listen.

Fred came up behind Lori. She along with Matt and Renee were in a heated discussion so they did not notice him. Fred was about to get Lori to come with him until he heard the Brat Princess say “Don’t blame me for having a party without Luka and laughing at my brother. You called him Luka also. Renee, you had me at the party knowing about my dad’s rule, if both of us were not invited then neither could come. My mom did not care yesterday because she knows that I am more popular than Luka.”

“Matt you thought I was cute and nice enough to kiss yesterday so don’t act like I am a bitch. Don’t act like you don’t like me. It is fine if you like me better than Luka. After all Luka is still a crybaby who likes to wear dresses.”

Fred knew enough from his eavesdropping to let his presence be known. In a harsh stone cold voice a drill sergeant would be envious of, Lori’s dad bark out “Lori, when I call you to come you come. Do you understand?”

Lori knew her dad heard everything. The gloating became a confession. There was no trick to play to get out of his doghouse. She made sure her dad knew she did not care for the punishment he was about to give her by nonchalantly saying “Ok.”

This act of defiant only made the trouble Lori was in worse. Fred made sure his daughter knew. Rising the tone of his voice to make sure Lori knew she just got herself in more trouble Fred said “Young lady, I asked do you understand?”

Lori relented. She did not realize how grievous her dad found her actions. She went on her best behavior and with a sound of defeat in her voice replied “Yes, I understand. I will come when you call me from now on.”

Fred was not happy with the situation. It saddened him that his daughter worked hard to make sure her own brother had no friends. It hurt him that at this moment he did not want to see his daughter. He was ashamed of who she was. A father should always be happy to see their daughter. A father should have pride in their daughter. Fred could not help but feel that he failed Lori. To relieve himself from seeing the product of his shortcomings Fred ordered “Good get to the van and stand outside of it until I get there. Do not say a word to your brother. Do not do anything which will upset him even more. Do you understand?”

Lori might had contempt for her father but was wise enough to know not to press her luck anymore by showing it. “I do understand. I will go to the van and stand outside until you get there. I will not say a word to my brother. I will not do anything to upset him.”

Lori rode off. Even with being in trouble, the cost of her victory was worth it. To her Matt and Renee were no longer friends. This was not true. Those two still loved and cared for Luke. they knew they messed up and would not hang out with him anymore. That did not mean they had to stop being his friend. Those two were going to do anything within their power to make this up to Luke. They tried to start down the road to redemption by explaining to Mr. Zahn what really happened yesterday. Before they started the journey, they were pulled over by Luke’s dad, he was a state trooper for the road back to Luke’s good graces.

Fred knew he had no right to yell at those two, even though that would feel so good. In a calm voice he said “Matt and Renee save whatever you are going to say. I do not want to hear it. I heard enough from Lori. I know what she said was true by the looks on your faces now. I am not going to say anything else other than I am disappointed in you.”

The disappointment was shared. The disappointment was also shown by those three having their heads down as Fred left Matt and Renee's presence. The cloudy sky was not dark enough for Luke’s friends. They did not want anyone to see them.

*************

Alice did not expect Fred and her children to be home so soon. Her assumption of something bad must have happened was correct. Lori was the first one who came in and she was crying. The clouds over match the ones in the sky. Seeing her presumption being correct made her tell her daughter to stop. Alice wanted to comfort Lori and was a little peeved that Fred did not do so. She told Lori to tell her what was wrong.

Alice being peeved moved to being mad when Fred was the next one in. Lori was about to clue Alice in on what was wrong and how she could fix the situation when Fred barked. “Lori! I told you to go straight to your room when he got home. Get to your room now.”

Loir crying amped up. She was never spoken to in this manner before in front of her Queen. Luke’s Lord Protector daring to take that tone and give orders to her as the real ruler was there was a high offense. Lori felt powerless because she could not do anything. The only comfort was Fred’s wife will not allow him to show such disrespect to Lori in her presence. “Fred if I want to talk to my daughter right now I can.”

Fred’s anger was like an all you can eat buffet, there was more than enough to go around for everyone. “Alice, I gave Lori an order and she will follow it. You can talk to her after I am done talking with you.”

As this was going on Luke finally came into his home. He knew his mom and dad were going to have a huge fight. He blamed himself. If he was only strong enough to accept that the kids do not like him then everything would be fine. He was a boy so he should have been strong enough. Luke swore to himself he would get strong enough to not be bothered about being a lonely child.

Alice of course fell into her old ways of blaming Luke. She demanded that Luke told her what he did to upset Lori. Luke had no answer. He did not know what he did. The answer was that Luke existing was what he did to upset his sister.

Fred jumped back in the conversation “Alice, Luke did nothing. Quit blaming him for everything.”

Luke did not want his parents to fight. He stood as straight as he could. He was going to show his strength by admitting why this was all his fault “The kids like Lori better than me and I will handle it better from now on. Please don’t fight. I don’t want you to fight about me.”

Seeing his son in pain lowered Fred’s anger and pain. It was his turn now to be strong. He had to comfort his son once again and dispel that bad notion in Luke’s head. “Luke first we are fighting about you. We are fighting because your mom plays favorites and she should not. You did nothing wrong.

Also, the kids do not like Lori better than you. She works against you to make the kids not like you. Your sister is nothing but a brat.”

Alice was not going to take her husband down talking their daughter. “Don’t you call Lori a brat.”

Fred ignored his wife. There was something more important. He needed to make sure that Luke knew he did nothing wrong. The loving father needed to make sure his message about who Lori was clear to Luke. “Your sister is a brat. She worked Matt and Renee against you, just like she did with all the other kids. Now go upstairs and play your Gameboy I will be right up after I am done talking to your mom.”

As Luke was going upstairs Alice said “I told you not to call Lori a brat.”

Fred’s anger came back as he looked at Alice. She was the reason why their daughter was a brat. “I will call her a brat because she is one. Lori is a brat because she does not listen to what we tell her. She calls Luke Luka all the time and still brings up him being in a dress. She goes to parties which Luke is not invited. To parties which she makes sure that Luke is not invited to. Then again I don’t blame her because you let her. I know you let her go to those parties behind my back.”

“Our daughter works hard at making sure people do not like Luke. Our daughter was not happy with just most of the kids liking her over Luke by her manipulation. She also had to have Luke’s only two friends be against him also. She is so self-centered and abusive, I do not know how I let her become this way”

“She is the youngest….”

“Shut up about her being the youngest. She was born on the same day as Luke. They are the same age. God dammit woman, I am pissed off and you are trying to defend going behind my back with that same old bullshit. Deep down you have to know how you treat Lori compared to Luke is wrong. If you don’t, then we have major problems.”

Alice had a shocking wake up call. Seeing her husband so mad and hearing him say that they might have major problems acted like huge buckets of freezing water on a sleeping person. This fight was not some minor bickering between husband and wife. The disagreement in this fight was the type which led to marriage failing. Alice quit lying to herself and listen to that little voice deep down inside her. “Honey I thought you went too far punishing Lori.”

Sometimes the best way to calm down someone who was mad was just to say you were wrong. Adding anything else will only add to the anger. This was one of those times. “Dammit, quit making excuses and stick with the facts. The party was not a punishment. We agreed to it because you wanted to stop Luke from going to a party which Lori was not invited to. That was wrong of you. You only wanted to stop Luke and not Lori.”

“Honey calm down, I am trying to say sorry.”

“Then say it. You went behind my back. You helped Lori bully our son.”

“I did not. I did not know how bad it was.”

“Instead of trying to justify your actions, look at what you did. You stop Luke all the time from giving Lori what she dishes out. You did not do the same for him. You let Lori break the rules we set but made Luke follow them. If that is not helping our daughter bully our son then I do not know what is.”

“I am sorry. I did not know. I promise you it will stop. I will make sure Lori knows that she will be in big trouble if she ever does any of that again. Calm down honey we have solved the issue.”

“No, we have not. Lori right now is in big trouble. She is grounded for the rest of the summer, then, I will make a decision if it is lifted or will continue.”

We are going to start house hunting. Luke needs a new start. Lori poisoned the kids against him and he will not have a normal childhood living here. I let this happen by trying to look only at the good. I was happy that Luke had some close friends. I should have paid closer attention.”

“Hold on I get a say about this. I messed up, but the reason is you go too far to protect Luke. That is why I did not listen to you about the parties and let Lori go to them. That is why I handle Lori calling Luke Luka without telling you. She was just teasing her older brother.”

The famous Tribiano anger might have sparked Alice to defend herself, but she was smart enough not to give a full confession. There was no way her husband will even know about the petticoat punishment. Alice knew they were wrong. In fact, knowing how bad she treated her son was part of the reason she was so mad. Alice was transferring her anger at herself to her husband.

The defense backfired on Alice. Fred did not know how many parties Lori went to and how Alice let their daughter call their son Luka. Alice knew she put her foot in her mouth when Fred asked “You knew?”

The question made the little voice deep down in Alice take over again. “Like I said I did not know how bad it was.”

“Don’t lie. You helping Lori bully our son is why you kept it from me.”

“Don’t call me a liar.”

“You are. You lied to me so many times. Each time you let Lori go to one of those parties. Each time you did not tell me about Lori teasing Luke about being in a dress. You kept what was going on in our home from me. I was not dumb enough to think that Lori was treating her brother decent. I just did not know how bad it was.”

Alice saw her chance to get Fred to her way of thinking. If Luke did not tell his dad then it could not be as bad as Fred was trying to make how Lori and her was treating him out to be. “You didn’t know because there was nothing to know. Luke was fine with it. That is why we are going to ground Lori or look into moving. You need to quit babying our son”

Alice believed what she said because she wanted her words to be true. The fault in those words started to crack with Fred reply. “Luke was fine with it. Then I am going to talk with him about it.”

Fred then started to go to Luke’s room. Alice was about to stop him from walking up those stairs. She changed her mind. Trying to stop him from going up to Luke’s room would have been as productive as shaking her hands at the clouds demanding the rain to stop. This storm Lori’s endgame started was about to get bigger.

************

The electronic music and beeping from Luke’s game console was not much of a distraction from what was on Luke’s mind. Luke was having a hard time paying attention to the brightly colored pixels on the screen. Some of the joy from playing his game was taken away today. Now he had no one to share the experience with. Him and Matt would no longer talk about Rodo-Mon.

The light tap on the bedroom door totally broke Luke’s concentration on his game. Instead of just walking into his son’s room Fred knocked on the door. He wanted to ask permission to come in to see his Luke. He knew how devastated Luke was, that his son might still need some time alone.

After getting permission Fred sat next to Luke. He started the conversation. “Luke, I need you to be honest with me. Are you fine with how Lori treats you?”

Lori getting her way with ending the friendship between the members of the Saturday Morning Bike Club made Luke once again give into his learned helplessness. Luke would have lied to protect himself if he did not believe no matter what he would end up being in a dress once again. “No, Dad. I hate it when she calls me Luke. I hate it when she gets Mother to call me Luka. I hate it when...”

Fred was planning on letting his son let it all out. That plan was destroyed when the revelation of his wife picking on their son came out. Sunlight was always the best disinfectant. It took all his willpower to hold in screaming what. “Luke, you need not tell me anymore. That is enough. It will stop. Get ready you are going to see your Memaw. Don’t worry Lori is not coming with you she is going to see Paw. I need to talk with your mom.”

“I am going to be taking next week off of work so we can spend time together. Everything is going to be fine. You are going to be fine. Trust me Luke. I love you and I will never lie to you about this. You are going to be fine. I will do everything that I can to make it so.”

How fast Fred returned to continue the talk made Alice think that Luke said everything was fine. Alice wanted to move on because everything was her way. To get back to their normal routine Fred’s wife said “See, I am right.”

Alice was not prepared for the Fred not acknowledging her. Her husband was holding in his outrage so their kids did not hear him lose his cool. Even with how bad his wife messed up, Fred wanted to show a united front. Alice wanted her husband to admit he was wrong and said “Come on, admit that I am right.”

The look of anger on her husband’s face was not right. Alice tensed up seeing how mad her husband was. Fred was not a spoil sport when he was wrong. He held his cool until he got close to his wife. To show how he felt Fred growled “Alice, never again call our son Luka. Do not talk to me until the kids are out of the house.”

At that moment Alice was ready to succumb. The only course of action was to quickly accepted her husband cease-fire agreement. Even with the fight being over, the remnants would linger for a long time. The anger her actions caused would not be going away for a while. Knowing her husband had the high ground made surrendering the only option. Fred was morally right and she could not defend her actions “You are right. I will back how you want to handle punishing Lori.”

“Now we are going to Lori's room to punish her.”

***************

This day might have been the worst day in Luke’s life but it was going to make a direct path to his life getting better. This day was the start of the year long journey towards ending up on that new beach greeting that new sun and finally having the promise of a new day, a new start come true.

Basking in victory made Lori being sent to her room easy to take. Even with how angry her dad was and being told she was punished, Lori was enjoying being in what her dad thought was a prison cell. To her, this was just a holding pen and her mom would grant her a partial pardon. She would be able to do anything when the warden, her dad, was not home.

Lori did not know or care how long until her mom came up to see her. Being in this solitary confinement was worth getting what she wanted, Luke being put in his place by everyone who was important. If the time started to drag and Lori got sick of thinking about finally winning the War of the Twins she would look at her walls. They were covered with posters of her favorite boy bands. She could daydream about the lead singer serenading her with a ballad.

Once the cell’s door opened, Lori was happier with the outcome than she thought she could be. This had to be her mom coming in to tell her the good news. Only 15 minutes have passed so the punishment could not be that bad. There would have been a huge fight if not. Alice would not easily agree to anything bad happening to her Brat Princess. Maybe her dad came to his senses and listened to who really ruled this kingdom, the Nostalgia Queen.

The sight of her mom and dad walking into her room instantly took Lori’s happiness away. The order of entrance was a bad sign, her dad was in the lead. His head being high and her mom’s being low was more of an omen of what was to come. This was not how finding out punishment normally worked. It was done by only her dad then her mom would comfort her and start to ease the harsh sentence.

Fred started to give out the ruling, “Lori, you are grounded for the rest of the summer. You will not be seeing your friends, you will not be leaving this house without adult supervision. You will be handing over your cell phone, and your Gameboy to me. You will be doing more chores. You will have a strict bedtime. You will not be getting any preferential treatment. You will write me a paper on why bullying is bad.”

“You will not call your brother Luka or bring up him being in a dress ever again. You will apologize to him when you are ready. I know you will not mean the words now. How sincere your apology is will determine how long you are punished.”

The punishment was as fair as a pair of loaded dice in a game of craps. There was a better chance of the lazy dog catching the quick brown fox, than Lori not speaking up in protest. She jumped out of her bed to stand up and put her hand down by saying “No, that is not fair. I am not grounded. I did nothing wrong.”

Alice wanted the situation to be more like silk and tried to smooth out the disagreement. “Lori, honey. It is not that bad.”

Fred was not going to take such insubordination from Lori. “Alice quit trying to comfort Lori.” Then Fred turned to look right at his daughter. He wanted to make sure he came off as ice, clear and cold. “Young lady you do not talk to me in that manner! I am your father!”

Lori started to cry. This was one of the few times her tears were real. She knew the price she paid for breaking up the bond between Luke and his friends was too high. There were no winners in the War of the Twins.

Alice wanted to show her daughter someone was on her side. “Fred calm down, Lori is upset.”

Fred wanted to make sure his wife knew there would be no leniency coming to Lori. “Alice, Lori should be upset. She is in big trouble and needs to know it. How she has been treating Luke has been wrong. That is why she never did it around me. Our daughter needs to learn her lesson. She would have if you did not go behind my back and let her treat her brother so badly. You covered for her and if I could I would also ground you. I am so pissed at you right now Alice. You disappointed me.”

“Mom!”

Alice utter a solitary word, “Sorry”. That one word said so much. That one word told Lori that there was a new warden in town and her punishment was not going to get commuted or pardoned. That the Brat Princess was going to be doing hard time until she could fool her dad into believing she was rehabilitated.

*********

Five years ago, almost the same scene had played out in the Walha’s kitchen. Renee was once again making a spice cake to give to Luke. The gift was to express being sorry to his friend. She did not wonder if those two were friends. Renee saw the situation as one little mistake of how she got her boyfriend, Tom Downey. Luke should be happy that his friend got together with the boy she liked. Luke and Renee’s shared past was two strong for one little mistake to end their connection. There were too many laughs, hugs, and smiles to be overpowered by one little mistake. Renee was a strong girl and her strength was going to make her able to stand up and admit the mistake.

On the other hand, Al and Meg were not as confident. The friendship being over was an extremely plausible outcome. The one little mistake was actually a series of bad decisions. Their daughter lied to Luke about having a party and lied to them about why Luke was not there. Then she went against her word and did not invite him to any party she had. Renee let Lori stay. Then their daughter laughed and went along with putting Luke down behind his back.

If all of these bad decisions did not end the friendship, then, how Luke found out should. Lori, his sister, his nemesis got to gloat about everything which Renee had done to exclude him. This put a different spin on the situation. The parents knew what Renee did was wrong, but Lori was going to make sure Luke felt those acts were done in malice. Hopefully Renee will learn from these bad decisions that, the facts that result of events and not the intent were how people judge them.

After the spice cake was iced, Renee went on her journey of atonement. On her travels to Luke Renee stop to pick up another pilgrim, Matt. Her friend said he was not going. Matt was not in the right place to face his friend. He felt that he was beyond forgiveness and did not want to stir up any more bad feelings for Luke.

Renee found the walk up the steps to Luke’s home to be steeper than normal. Each step was a little harder to take than the last. She persevered and made it to the door and rang the bell. Lori answered the door.

“Lori can I talk with Luke.”

“He is not here.”

“Do you know when he will be back?”

“I don’t know. I can give him a message.”

“No.”

“Come on Renee, please let me do that. I am in so much trouble and if I am nice to my brother then it might help me get out of it. You can trust me. Right now, I am grounded for at least the rest of the summer. Please help me. I promise I will treat Luke how he should be treated. I know I have to.”

“Give him this cake and tell him I’m sorry and I know I messed up. Also tell him to stop down my house when he is ready to talk.”

“Got it.”

“Thank you Lori.”

“No, thank you Renee. I need to start to get along with my brother. You and Tom are now a couple and want everyone to feel comfortable hanging out together.”

Leaving Renee thought that the issue of the one little mistake was just about resolved. Walking down those steps from Luke’s home did not seem as steep as the ascent. The truth was she made yet another bad decision. She trusted Lori. The Brat Princess already had a plan to make this peace offering another wedge between Renee and Luke.

*********

Luke was feeling better about his losing his friends after coming home from the Lincoln Way Bike Park. One boost to Luke’s feelings came from his time at the bike park. Luke had fun, a real good time. Luke had fun. The young boy knew that going solo was going to be the new norm and that did not matter after today. Today showed having a good time was not dependent on others. Luke was learning the difference between being alone and lonely.

Another boost to Luke came from his dad talking about friendship on the way home. How most people came and went in one’s life. That most people only share a little part of the journey through life with each other people they change. True friendship was rare. A person was lucky if they had more friends than they can count on one hand. Friendship was rare and unique and most people got having someone as an acquaintance confused with having a friend.

Luke understood what his dad was saying. This talk would have gone over the head of most 13 year olds, but not Luke’s. Having to deal with the onslaught led by his sister gave him wisdom and emotional intelligence well beyond his years. Luke also trusting his dad made it easy to believe those words. The trust came from Luke never having a reason to doubt his dad. His dad kept his word. Being true to one’s words was so important when raising a child. Promises are big when one was small. Promises being kept shown them they can depend on you. Luke could depend on his dad.

The visit to the bike park made Lori more miserable than before. Her brother having more fun than her, got under her skin. Then she did not even get the reprieve from her punishment. No calling her friends, no quick outside excursions and no help doing her chores. The punishment still being in effect was not normal. Her mom always looked the other way when her dad’s punishment was out of line. Today Alice did not. This should be a sign that the punishment was just. Not to Lori, this was a sign that her dad went way too far by having her mom side with him. The punishment was only upheld so it would not become more severe.

The torture was over when Lori heard the front door. Her plan to set things right could now be enacted. Luke’s younger sister could now knock him below her. She could also widen the distance between Luke and Renee.

As Fred and Luke were greeted by Alice, Lori asked her mom if she could have a piece of the cake Renee made for her. Instead of looking at her Mom Lori’s eyes went straight to Luke. The answer to the question was insignificant. Her brother’s reaction was what was paramount. Lori just wanted to get under Luke’s skin. Him being annoyed was fair.

Nothing. There was no change to Luke’s demeanor. There was also no answer from her mom. This was not going right for the Brat Princess. Lori was not going to be denied Luke feeling like she did. Alice’s daughter was not going to be denied the reassurance her mom was on her side. The question was pressed when Lori offered Luke a piece by saying “Oh Luke you can also have a slice of the cake which Renee made for me.”

Offering Luke a slice of the cake was the opening which Alice was looking for. She so wanted her daughter to get what she wanted, but knew better than to say yes. Now that both of her kids are getting a slice she could say yes. Her princess was going to get what she wanted. “I will get both of you a plate.”

Luke did not want that cake. The gesture of sharing was not genuine. The offer was a reminder of lost friendship. How Alice was more than happy to get the cake was about to make Luke feel even more distance to his mom. His mom wanted to please his sister, the girl who made his life horrible “No thank you Mother.”

Alice thought that Lori should still get the cake. Her daughter should not be denied something just because Luke did not want it. “That is fine. I will just get Lori a slice.”

Fred said “No.”

Alice said “Fred, you are being too strict. Lori is getting nothing special. Luke can have cake also and he does not want any.”

Lori “Dad, I offered Luke some of the cake that Renee made for me. I am not trying to have the cake that Renee made for me all to myself. I am trying to share that special spice cake with Luke. It would be rude of me if I do not eat any of that cake Renee gave me.”

Fred knew he was going to have to be pedantic. “Lori you will not be getting any of that cake. You only asked for some now to mention that Renee got it to you in front of Luke.”

“No, I didn’t. I’m trying to share the cake Renee made for me. I’m trying to be nice to Luke.“

“Don’t lie to me. You kept on mentioning that Renee made the cake. You know that Luke and her had a falling out. You did that to try to upset him. Go up to your room now.”

Alice still did not see what her daughter did. Lori could call wolf everyday and all day and Alice would never question it. The doting Mother did see why Fred saw it that way so agreed with his decision. “Lori, I will come upstairs with you to talk about why you will not be getting any of the cake.”

Hearing this made Lori give up her resistance. The sympathy her mom was showing could be worked to Lori’s advantage. She could not help but get in one last dig on Luke on her way up. “Luke, I am sorry that you are upset about the cake Renee made. We are just close friends now.”

Luke said nothing. He was going to stand his ground. The apology was as real and sincere a gigolo’s love for his sugar momma. Those words also added to his resolve about the ending of his friendship with Matt and Renee. He just grew apart from them and would make new friends. Luke would make his own path.

Alice was disappointed in her son, but kept that to herself. The Mom read the room before she got on Luke about not accepting the apology. Any comment would have gone over as good as Subway’s sandwiches at a black-tie event. She could tell by the look on her husband’s face he approved of Luke’s reaction. Alice made the mistake of thinking just saying sorry was enough. Lori's apology was not sincere or heartfelt. There was no acknowledgment of her wrong doings. Lori also showed no remorse and empathy. Lastly, she did not make any offer on how to offer restitution about trying to irk her brother.

Up in the room Lori worked her charms on her mom. “Mom this is not fair. I can’t help it if Luke is a crybaby and his friends finally got sick of it.”

“Don’t call Luke a crybaby dear. We talked about that.”

“I am not. I am just stating why Renee and Matt do not like him anymore. Don’t tell them I told you. They will get in trouble and will start to not like me either.”

“Honey, sorry. I should not have thought you were calling Luke a crybaby. It is just you are in trouble for how you were treating your brother. I know you were trying to be nice. Your dad will not see you that way for a while. You need to just be careful around him.”

“Daddy never liked me.”

“He does Lori. He just does not see how special you are. You are the best daughter anyone can ever have and never forget that. Now why don’t you read that book about your favorite band I got you until I get you to come down.”

Alice gave her daughter the biggest hug she could. Lori needed all the support her mom could give her. The little talk and the hug was all Lori really needed to feel better. The talk helped by Lori finding a loophole in calling Luke names in front of her mom, just say that people called Luke that. Lori was feeling better knowing sooner or later her biggest support, the Nostalgia Queen, will be back in her corner. Then Lori can go back to making sure Luke knew his place in her family, her life and her world.

************

Three weeks have passed since Renee has talked to Luke. 21 days for a teenager could be seen as multiple lifetimes. There have been relationships which started, broken up from one of them kissing someone else and reconciliation which did not take that long. Renee wanted to talk with Luke. It has been too long and Luke should have been over the snub.

Renee was a strong young woman and was going to take the initiative of having her and Luke talking to each other once again. There was no way a member of the Saturday Morning Bike Club would not talk to another member on Saturday morning at the bike park. Today was going to be the day. Today was Saturday and so special to their friendship. This was the day that their club was named after. The place was going to be the bike park. This was the place where their club was formed. Today was going to be the day that Renee and Luke’s friendship was repaired.

As soon as she got to the bike park Renee saw Luke. The time to talk with him was right now. Renee hoped on her BMX racing bike and rode as fast as she could. Taking the initiative made Renee be upfront right away. “Hi, Luke, how did you like that cake? “

Luke was also upfront. Before this interaction Renee was at best an acquaintance of his. The question firmly placed her in that camp. Being cute about cake was just mocking him. He had no time for this childish game of Renee showing how close she was to Lori. “I didn’t have any?”

Renee was hurt hearing the answer “Why not?”

“You made it for Lori. She really loved trying to rub that fact in my face. I do not care that you are friends with her instead of me.”

Renee was too upset to clear this up right away. The pain of her friend thinking she would try to hurt him was too much. “I would never do that.”

Luke pointed out why he doubted what Renee said. “Just like you would never call me Luka, or laugh at that. Just like you would never have a party without inviting me. Wasn’t Lori invited to that party?”

“She wasn’t.”

“Then why was she there?”

“Tracy brought her. I would have never let her in.”

“You did.”

“Luke, I meant if she showed up on her own. We were having a good time. I did not want to ruin it. “

“Yeah, you did not want Tom to leave.”

“Tom is nice. He only picks on you because you will not race him. He just wants a chance to race you again. “

“Renee that does not make it right. I don’t like him so why should I race him? I don’t like being picked on and he does that. Why would Tom picking on me make me want to race him?”

“To make him stop.”

“I shouldn’t have to race him for him to stop. Anyway, he will not. He did not stop after I beat him.”

“Luke stop this. I am trying to say I am sorry.”

“Renee, you are only sorry that I found out. You would have never told me about it. You had the kids who picked on me over and joined in making fun of me. You are not my friend and that is fine. I don’t need people to like me.”

“I am your friend.”

Hearing those words made Luke have enough. Luke was ready to stand on his own. The boy was becoming a man. Standing tall when his mom punished Luke gave him the resolve to call out Renee. He was not going to let someone who put him down proclaim they were his friend “If you are my friend then you are a friend that I do not want. You are only worried about people liking you. You do not really care about other people, you just want their acceptance. You will hurt a friend to make more people like you. Just stay away from me.”

Renee knew the situation was worse. She could not figure out why. The reason was the conversation was filled with miscommunication and made the rift between friends grow. The failure in getting their point across came from them not being in the same place. Neither of them seeing the situation from the other’s point of view. Renee was not dealing with the party and Luke still was. She wanted to move on from her mistake without taking responsibility for it.

Renee seeing her friend leave her behind made the strong teenage girl feel weak and powerless. To her, there was nothing she could do to make right what was wrong. The last place she wanted to be was where Luke was. She rode her bike back to her dad to go home.

Al Walha went from laughing to being concerned when he saw his daughter riding up to him. She was his little girl and loved him, but Renee was at the age where she did not hang out with her dad in public. She wanted to be independent and Al understood. When he found out why his daughter came back he went straight to Fred to clear this up.

The rift might have been fixed right then and there if Al did not go to talk to Fred like a concerned parent. He was too concerned about the symptom instead of the disease. All that was on his mind was to make Renee feel better. Al should have been worried about getting things better between Luke and his daughter.

Al walked right up to Fred and interrupted the conversation Luke’s dad was in “Fred. You need to talk to your son. He is still mad at Renee.”

Fred could have helped broker peace between his son and Al’s daughter at this moment, but got defensive. Instead of being a cooler head Fred helped escalate the situation “Al, don’t talk to me like that.”

If this was a poker game Al response would have been a re-raise. “Don’t tell me what to do. Your son upset my daughter. He needs to grow up. He can at least talk to her.”

Saying Luke needed to grow up and not even mentioning how Renee hurt Luke made Fred go all in. “You want to talk about needing to grow up. Your daughter had a party without inviting Luke and at that party made fun of him behind his back. She became so petty about Luke being mad she is now friends with Lori.”

Instead of hearing Fred, Al called and went all in by getting even more defensive. “He needs to grow up. They can’t do everything together.”

Fred fired back. “I am not saying they should do everything together, but friends do invite their friends to parties they are having. Friends do not go behind their friends back to exclude them for group events like that. Friends do not pick on friends.”

“Your son is overreacting.”

Fred had enough. “Al they are kids. Your daughter made a decision to not be as close to Luke. She put him down to make other people like her. They are not friends anymore. Luke is fine with it. He has moved on, maybe your daughter should do the same.”

Al was not going to let Fred have the last word. There was no way he was going to not defend Renee. Worrying more about his daughter’s feelings than her actions made Al join in putting down Luke. “You are right. Renee can do a lot better with her friends than your son.”

Fred was done talking with Al and just said bye. He was going to fire back, but knew saying anything was as pointless as a circle to do so. Luke’s dad just saying bye made Al know the conversation was like Renee and Luke’s friendship, over.

*********

As the rift grew between Luke and Renee along with the tension between Fred and Al, Matt was hanging out with Mike Patton. Since the pool party those two had become closer. They have a shared love for science and Mike mentioned that he had a chemistry set at the party. This set was no ordinary one but The C5000. This was the most advanced set for teenagers. There were over 500 experiments which could be done with this member of the C series. The C5000 came with all the standard equipment, beakers, flasks, vials, scales, and safety goggles which was with all other C series sets. There was one piece of kit which was included, a Bunsen burner.

The set being dangerous made the recommended age to be 16 years or older. Mike’s parents let their underage son get one on the condition he always had adult supervision when the Bunsen burner was used. They trusted Mike because of how serious and careful he was when doing an experiment.

Gina Patton was their adult supervision for the day. Mike’s mom was smiling as she stood alongside her son and new friends were enjoying setting up a ph scale test. She was so happy that Mike was hanging out with someone new. Gina felt that his other friends were immature and holding her son’s emotional growth back. Those kids were too juvenile to trust with the glass beakers let alone the Bunsen burner or the chemicals even with adult supervision.

After having fun with chemistry, Matt mentioned that they should go to the bike park. Gina and Mike both quickly said yes. The mom thought spending more time away from his gang would do her son good. Mike wanted to make sure that the budding friendship kept on growing. He was also curious about the bike park. How Matt’s eyes lit up talking about that place made it sound fun.

Mike’s new friend missed going to the bike park. He also wanted to make new great memories so thinking of where he used to spend his Saturday mornings was bittersweet. Matt was not trying to replace Luke with Matt, deep down he knew his old friend will always have a unique place in his heart. Matt just needed to expand his heart and have a new special place for a new close friend.

************

Tom Downey felt as dark as the screen on his cell phone after hanging up from talking with his girlfriend, Renee. How she was crying when she told him about her day made him hate Luke more. That boy should have been nice to Renee. Luke needed to understand that some people get picked on in life and he just happens to be one of those people.

Tom needed to do something right now about how Luke treated his girlfriend. The boy wanted to do the right thing. He needed to be at the bike park as soon as possible. There was no way a good boyfriend would wait to defend his girl. There was no way a good boyfriend would not be there to comfort his girl.

Tom asked his dad, Richie, to take him to the park. Richie said yes. Coming to this answer was easy. It was a beautiful day. His son should be outside instead of sitting in front of a TV playing video games. Richie should also be outside, soaking in the sun would do him some good.

*********

Al was still fretting about his daughter. Renee was such a strong girl and did not like seeing how weak and vulnerable she was. It was not right that his daughter was trying to avoid Luke like she did something wrong. He wanted her to stand up for herself at this moment. Al could not see that Renee was being strong. She knew she did Luke wrong and had no right to try to force the conversation anymore. She also wanted to be away from the person who reminded her about what she did

**********

Renee finally got her dad to agree it was time to go home. Al saw that keeping his daughter here was not helping her regain her strength. She was not strong enough yet to stand up on her own. Before they were finished packing up her bike, Matt and Mike arrived, Renee’s back up showed up so her backbone did also.

The energy coming back to his daughter made Al suggest that they could stay if Renee wanted to. He wanted her to not be chased away because someone did not like her. Renee said yes. She had not seen Matt for two weeks and she liked hanging out with Mike. He was more mature than anyone else in Lori’s court.

Seeing that blue Ford pickup truck pull in next, made Renee happy that she stayed. That truck belonged to her boyfriend’s dad. Seeing her boyfriend, Tom Downey, would cheer her up. Being around what she gained, would make her forget what she lost to get it.

As soon as Tom got his bike, he began to do what he came to the bike park to do, put that no good Luka in his place. The boy on a mission rode right past his friends. Confronting Luke was more important than seeing Renee. Tom had to prove to himself and others that he was better than Luke.

Tom started to talk at Luke. This was not talking with Luke because Tom only wanted to convey information and not listen to anything Luke said. “Hey Luka. Chill out and be nice to Renee. She has just outgrown being friends with someone like you. Talk with her when I am not around and there will be no issues between me and you, understand?”

Luke’s stare started to bore holes into Tom’s soul. Luke’s nemesis was not ready for how uncomfortable that look made him. The look was as intense and serious as the look his father gave Tom when he was in trouble. The boy had not dealt with the man Luke was becoming face to face, until this moment. The look broke Tom so his voice began to crack when he tried to continue standing up to Luke by repeating “Understand?”

Luke stayed cool as Renee, Matt and Mike joined Tom. He did not say a word before he rode off. Saying anything would have been a waste of time. Tom then said something which got under Luke’s skin “Be a man and race me. If you win we will leave you alone. When I win you have to admit you are wrong and say sorry to Renee.”

Luke said yes. That lie made Luke respond. Getting what was promised was not the reason for Luke accepting the challenge. That promise was as good as a love poem written by a 12 year old. Luke wanted to prove to Renee that Tom did not keep his word.

Renee said no. Tom’s girlfriend hated the idea of the race. No good would come of it. There was no chance of her boyfriend winning so she would have to accept not talking with Luke. Even if Tom won, Luke forced apology would hurt any chance of reconciliation. Her friend having to admit to wrongdoing when he was right would only make the space between them further.

Luke took the rejection of the deal as Renee not getting enough. Luke added a stipulation. “Fine you want more Renee. You can call me Luka also.”

Renee objected again. Luke responded “Renee don’t act like you want this. You called me Luka behind my back. So, if you win you will just be able to do it to my face with your boyfriend. You don’t have to act nice to me anymore.”

As each time before Luke won the race. The victor’s path through the course was smooth. Luke did not waste any time by taking wide turns and landed each of the jumps smoothly to keep his momentum. At least Tom practicing for this day made the race close. If only Tom had not slow down for Dime Curve he would have won. Dime Curve was the name of the last turn on the serpentine track. The name came from it being a sharp turn with the low bream. To keep their speed the racer had to be able to turn on a dime. Unless the BMX rider was in the lead they had to slow down for Dime Curve or risk wrecking into the bikes in front of them.

Tom showed he was true at not keeping his word. He objected to the results by saying that Luke did a false start. Everyone watching the race knew that was not true. Even with Luke winning fairly Renee and Matt agreed with Tom. A redo of the race was the only way they could force Luke to talk with them. Those two had faith that Tom could win. The former members of the Saturday Morning Bike Club desperately wanted to keep the hope of reforming the club alive. If Tom won then they would be able to talk with Luke. Having communication opened with Luke was the only way they could right the wrong.

Luke was going to stand up for himself again. He knew that he could beat Tom all day. He barked back “Fine Matt and Renee, do over. You two must really like calling me Luka. You can do it even if I win.”

How Luke agreed made Renee and Matt know they just did more damage to their friendship with Luke. Their friend seeing bad intentions in them wanting another race only confirmed on how bad they messed up. That now the only one who could fix the rift between them was Luke when he was ready. If he was ever ready. They knew the future would be one without him at their side. They knew the reason was that they went against all for one and one for all.

Luke won the second race, but not by getting across the finish line. He won by Tom getting disqualified by wrecking into Luke. The wreck was at Dime Curve. Tom was behind Luke and instead of slowing down, kept going full speed. The force of the crash broke Luke’s left leg. Tom got up from the wreck to continue the race. At the finish line less than 50 feet away from his fallen opponent the boy who was only concerned about people seeing him better than Luke declared himself the victor.

Renee and Matt once again agreed with Tom’s lie. They had their eyes on Tom instead of Luke. They did not see Luke was down and hurt. Those two were more concerned about getting back their friendship with Luke to even think that something might be wrong with him. They just wanted Luke being mad at them to be over. Luke would now have to hear them out. Their friend would have to be ready after he heard them out. Luke might be mad at first, but once the Saturday Morning Bike Club started to ride again he would understand. Plus, those two would promise Luke that no one would call him Luka again.

Mike said no. Mike was like Luke and was quitting being a yes man to being his own man. That race was tainted. There is no way someone could wreck into someone else and think they won. Tom declaring victory was not about Tom wanting to be better. It was about Tom wanting others to think he was better than Luke.

As the four friends were arguing over the results of the race some of the older kids came to check on Luke. They saw how serious the wreck was along with Luke still being on the dirt track. The writhing in pain from the fallen competitor was too much for them to watch without getting involved. Seeing Luke’s struggle to try to get up was a sign the injury to the leg was serious. Right now was not the time for those other four to be talking to each other, they should have been wondering why Luke did not finish the race.

As one of the older kids, Nat Mahomes, was checking on Luke he overheard the bickering about the race. He was the best BMX racer at the park so his opinion counted. He could not believe what he was hearing. A boy was hurt and the douchebag which caused it was proclaiming victory. Nat spoke up to end the pointless argument and put the attention to where it belonged, Luke struggling to get up from the ground. Yelling at those four Nate said “Shut up about the race! Dude wrecked right into Luke so he lost. Get over here and check on your friend.”

Renee, Matt and Mike ran over to check on Luke. Tom walked over. He did not care to check on Luke. Renee’s boyfriend was only worried about keeping up appearances that he had some humanity when it came to that the boy did not know his place. As the three which ran made it to Luke, Nat wanted to show his dismay towards Renee. She was a racer and knew that Tom would have been disqualified. As he looked directly at his fellow BMX rider Nat was shaking his head as he said “Come on Renee, you know better than that.“

By the time the Renee and the rest of her friends made it to Luke he was able to stand up on one leg. Luke had to show his strength. He could not put any weight on his left leg. The pain was not going to keep Luke down. If losing his friends did not, that injury had no chance. The wincing in pain and how awkward her friend was standing made Renee concerned. She asked Luke if he was fine. Luke in pain sneered “Leave me alone.”

Before Renee could her get well wishes out Fred asked for help to get Luke to his van. Al and Nat offered. Fred said yes to Nat. Al knew better than insisting that he helped his friend’s son. Earlier today he let his temper get the best of him and talked bad about Luke. He just wanted the teenage drama to be over for his daughter and blamed others for her feeling bad.

On their way to get Luke to the van Renee went to be with him. The hurt boy said “Renee, keep your word and leave me alone.”

Al told his daughter they were going home now. The ride home became quiet after Renee explained what Luke’s last words meant. Hearing about the stake of the race hurt Al. His strong daughter was not as strong as he thought. A part of being a strong person was learning from your mistakes and Renee did not do so. A strong person would not try to force someone who was mad at them to talk with them. They would be patient and give them time.

Al was also hurt by how he acted. His actions towards the falling out were wrong. Instead of looking at the situation from all angles from the people involved, he only cared about his daughter’s well-being. He should have not pushed Fred about the fight between their children. Al should have known that what his daughter did by betraying Luke, even with no malice in her words, was something major which would take time to get over.

*************

After Renee and Luke left the park, Mike and Matt tried to ditch Tom. Matt wanted nothing to do with him. Mike wanted to talk with Matt about agreeing with those lies. That was just not right. Matt siding with Tom was making Mike rethink his opinion of his new friend.

Tom thought their cold attitude was from feeling bad about Luke and not the cold shoulder people gave tagalongs. He finally spoke up to try to get his friends to open up “Come on you two. Luka’s leg is not that bad. He is fine. You know he is nothing more than a cry baby. He wants sympathy and you are playing right into it. He will be back here next week.”

Mike once again was not a yes man. Being true to himself felt so much better than trying to make people like him. He did not have that empty feeling inside nor was worried about saying the wrong thing. By not wanting the acceptance of others he got the acceptance of the person who counted the most in his life, himself. “Tom, call him Luke. Keep your word. You lost the race.”

Matt was now on the side of the truth. Lying no longer had a chance of savaging his friendship with Luke “Yeah, his name is Luke.”

Tom was not going to let those two correct him when he was right. “Come on guys, we always call him Luka. That is who he is. Matt you know that I won. You said it. Quit trying to make Mike happy.”

Matt told the truth. “I only said that because there was a chance that Luke would talk with me. I should not have said that. I should not have tried to force Luke to talk with me.”

“You know you lost. The funny thing you call Luke a crybaby, but you moan badly when you lose. You had tears in your eyes when we beat you at laser tag. You were so mad when Luke proved once again today he is better than you.”

Tom did what he always did, tried to save face by saying “Whatever losers. I am going home. I can see that you two just feel bad for that loser.”

Those words were welcomed by both Mike and Matt. Matt was the first to reply with a simple “Bye.” The curtness of their leaving salutation was a sign that Tom’s presence was not welcomed anyways.

************

It took the rest of the summer for Luke to start to recover from the broken leg. The first two months Luke was inactive because of the cast. He gained ten pounds. This added weight gave Lori new ammunition to fire at Luke. Luke’s sister came up with a new name to call him, Lumpy Luka. Now the Brat Princess just needed to be able to get a message to the outside so her court would learn about the new taunt and start to use it.

Being grounded was only a hindrance to the distribution of the information. Even with the harsh sentencing her mom did let some of it slide when her dad was gone. The punishment was too severe to Alice. Alice let Lori call her friends once a week. She did not want Lori to lose how close a friendship with her group she had. How could her daughter have the same childhood as her if Lori was not also surrounded by a big group of friends?

This weekly reprise from punishment was the opening that Lori needed to get the message out. She talked to Tracy Armstrong first. Tracy was more than happy to help get the word out to the others. Lori’s right-hand woman wanted Luke to hurt because he hurt her once again.

Tracy felt bad about Luke breaking his leg so she went to see him. She was going to end being on Lori’s side. Luke rejected seeing her. Tracy was still too young to understand that she needed to do more than just offer an olive branch to regain Luke’s trust. She needed to accept being rejected without falling back on tormenting him a couple of times first. Her lashing out each time only made Luke think that Tracy was only trying to set him up to be taken down once again by her. Being friendly to Tracy was not worth the risk. Luke was going to make sure he protected himself from people.

It was the beginning of August when Luke finally got the cast off and got rid of his crutches. The six weeks since breaking his leg were uneventful. The Nostalgia Queen did not show up once. Alice made sure that Lori was on her best behavior around Luke. During the healing process was not the time or place for Lori to annoy Luke. Little sisters could get under the skin of their older brothers, but not when the older brother was not 100 percent.

Having his cast off gave Luke the true freedom to go outside and he took advantage of not being confined to the house. The young boy wanted to go for a walk. He needed the exercise. Luke was a little self-conscious about gaining that weight, but not worried about it. His dad already came up with a plan to help Luke lose it. He got both of them passes at the local indoor swimming pool. The father knew how much his son loved the water at the beach so the exercise would also be a treat to Luke.

Packing on the extra weight was not a big deal to Luke. The weight would be lost. Luke was determined to do so. He had the tools to do so. Resolve, perseverance, and fortitude come from adversity. Luke had adversity in his young life. His sister and her gang picking on him. His mom playing favorites and his two closest friends turning on him gave him the strength and confidence to lose the weight.

The beginning of the journey back to his natural weight was a walk past Tracy’s home. Tracy was outside waiting. She knew Luke was out and about by getting a phone call from Lori. She shouted “Hey there Lumpy Luka.”

Those words were a sharp pain to Luke’s psyche. The only good the taunt did was make Luke lose focus on the dull pain in his leg. With losing his two closest friends, Tom wrecking into him turned Luke more aggressive protecting himself. His gaze became defiant. He walked right up to Tracy. In a cold uncaring voice Luke said “Yes, I am a little heavy now; but, I will lose the weight. You are a mean and nasty person. After I lose the weight you will still be a mean and nasty person.”

The best comebacks to put downs are not the wittiest ones with name calling. Those quips might be more entertaining to the people hearing them. The best comebacks are hurtful truths. Flaws which the other person wants to change. Luke saying Tracy was a mean and nasty person was him stating the biggest hurtful truth about the girl.

Being a bully was what Tracy hated about herself the most. How she put down others to protect herself was the one aspect about herself Tracy would change if she could. Lori’s friend only hung out with the mean girl’s crowd in school so she was not an object of their attention. Being mean to others did not change Tracy from being scared but did keep her safe until now.

Tracy felt exposed and could not respond. The scared girl fell back on her nervous tick of biting her bottom lip. She ran in the house to cover her naked emotions. Being in her home, made Tracy regain her composure. The bricks were a barrier between her and the person who hurt her. The wounded girl had to get back at Luke. The hurt girl needed to make sure that Luke never told her that truth again. The need for protection was too much and she called Lori. The lady-in-waiting demanded that her princess extracted revenge. Lori was more than happy to oblige. Making Luke miserable was fun and doing so would only put Tracy more in Lori’s service.

To Lori the time was right to start up the War of the Twins again. It has been months since the fateful day she has been banished from her kingdom. It was time for her triumphant return to her throne. Luke got back from his walk feeling stronger emotionally and physically. He was able to not only stand on his healing leg longer than he thought, the boy was also able to stand up for himself to Tracy.

Lori hated seeing her brother confident. In her eyes he should be humble. He had nothing, no friends, no social standing in school, and most importantly to her no place in her spotlight. The time to put Luke in his place was now “Tracy said she saw you walking and you looked lumpy.”

That was the first of two unexpected ambushes. The second one came from the Nostalgia Queen. The one from Lori’s mom was unexpected because of the target, the Brat Princess. “Lori you don’t say that about your brother.”

For the first time in her life Alice was mad and disappointed in her daughter. Being annoying was fine for the youngest daughter in the family. Making fun of weight was not. One of Alice’s closest friends, Beth Johnson, had a weight issue when young. Kids would pick on her and Alice hated it. There was nothing Beth could do about being a little chubby. The girl had a thyroid problem and it was undiagnosed until 8th grade. Beth ate healthy and was active but still was a little on the heavy side. Once she was put on the right medicine the weight melted off of her quickly.

Lori tried to play the innocent “Mom I was not calling Luka Lumpy. I was just bringing up that Tracy called him Lumpy Luka.”

Lori trying to use one of her old standby to get out of trouble backfired on her like an old car. “I told you not call Luke that and you know you are not allowed to call him Luka. Get to your room right now and wait for me.”

“I did not call…”

Then Lori was shocked by what next came out of her mom’s mouth. “Don’t try to play cute with me. Get to your room now young lady.”

Those words were an order. Those words were also calling Lori out on her lie. There was no doubt that Lori had to follow those words. Those words made it seem like Luke’s Lord Protector possessed her Queen.

Alice went upstairs to check on Lori after seeing Luke. The teenager’s stiff upper lip made Alice for the umpteenth time make the bad decision of looking after Lori without really checking on Luke. Alice wanted Luke to be fine so the outward appearance was confirmation enough.

In Lori’s room Alice made a different mistake for the umpteenth time, coddling Lori. Even with being upset with her princess for making fun of Luke’s weight, she did not want Lori to be upset. The youngest got treated with kid gloves. Alice made sure her daughter knew she was mad at Lori’s actions and not Lori.

Luke’s mom being fairer in how she treated her children had an added bonus to Luke. He did not feel as weak towards Lori as before. This was the moment his learned helplessness towards the Brat Princess started to ebb away. Instead of going to his room to be away from everyone when feeling weak. Luke sat in the living room. He was about to become even more proactive in standing up for himself.

*********

The next couple of months Luke regained his physical and mental stride. Each walk and each time going to the pool with his dad made his leg become stronger. The rehab was hard but fun. This came from his dad making sure Luke also was getting rehab for his hurt feelings. The leg was not the only injury Luke had. His feelings were hurt also.

The first day back to school was eventful for Luke. For a moment at the bus stop he forgot that Matt and Renee were not his friends anymore and went to join them. Seeing them put a smile on his face. A smile is very powerful, it can make other people do the same by just seeing it. That smile made those two were so happy to see Luke walk towards them. Maybe now they would be able to say their side of what happened.

The reunion of friends did not occur. Lori made sure that Luke came back to the present running towards Renee and Matt. As she passed Luke the Brat Princess asked Renee how her boy, Tom, was doing. Luke came back to the present and his smile went away. Seeing that also made Matt and Renee’s smile disappear.

Renee still thought that Luke was being unfair to her, Matt and Tom. If Luke would only listen to her then he would understand that Tom was not a bad person, just misunderstood. Luke needed to give her boyfriend a chance. Her friend also needed to lighten up. Tom was just ribbing Luke to get another race.

On the ride to school Luke made a decision. He was going to stand up for himself even more than before. The newfound confidence came from him not being berated nonstop by Lori anymore. He was losing his learned helpless about the situation.

Luke’s choice of making sure he was not messed by anyone was a bad one for Blake. When Luke arrived at school he was greeted by Blake calling him Lumpy Luka. Wanting to set the way things was going to be Luke walked right up to Blake and told him to shut the fuck up.

Blake said “Make me.”

Luke flinched at Blake acting like he was going to punch him. This jerky movement made Blake cower. The kids around Blake and Luke started to laugh at the recoiling coward. Luke just walked away saying “Blake, I would never punch a punk ass bitch like you first.”

Blake hated that people were laughing at him. He also hated that Luke pointed out the truth about him. Blake was nothing more than a punk ass bitch. He needed people around him to act tough. Being a coward made Blake do the cowardly thing and sucker punch Luke from behind. The rabbit punch made Luke stumble but not fall.

Seeing his opponent not fall from the sneak attack made Blake start to retreat. The coward did not want to feel the upcoming retaliation. Luke turned around and said “Now it is my turn.”

Luke hit Blake with a right cross right on the chin. The punch made the punk ass bitch drop as quick as the temperature on a winter’s night. Blake going down was the chance Luke had to make a strong statement. He jumped on his fallen foe and kept on punching. There was only a couple more punches thrown before the other kids separated those two.

Only Luke really needed to be held back. Blake was like Roberto Duran and wanted “no mas” of the attack. Even with not being able to physically hit Blake anymore, Luke’s assault was not done. As he was struggling to get to Blake Luke taunted the loser of the fight by saying. “Who is lumpy now? You are, you lumpy face punk ass bitch. Never forget that. If you want more lumps just keep on fucking with me.”

Teachers were there and they took both of the boys to the principal's office. Luke was ready to hear the standard talk of both of the students in the fight were equally to blame. That talk was nothing but lip service so the school could have their zero tolerance violence policy look good. This talk did not come. The reason was that there was a new principle, his old second grade teacher Mr. Noth.

Mr. Noth did believe in the zero tolerance of violence. To him bullying was also an act of violence. The new principal hated that he had to deal with this issue. Lori and the rest of them bullying Luke should have been resolved years ago by the administration. Before calling the combatants into his office Mr. Noth made sure he got the story. Then after hearing the facts he called both Blake and Luke into his office.

Mr. Noth was going to make an example out of Blake. That boy started the verbal and physical violence. “Blake you are suspended for 6 days. Three for calling Luke names and three for starting the fight.”

Mr. Noth could not let Luke go unpunished. “Luke you need to walk away from verbal confrontation from now on. You tell a teacher you are being harassed and the kid will get reprimanded. You will have two days of detention.”

“From now on any kid caught bullying and harassing another kid will get a three day suspension. This school is a place of learning, a place where all the kids should feel safe.”

After Luke and Blake left his office, Mr. Noth called both of their parents. Blake’s dad was pissed at his son getting into trouble. Losing the fight made it worse. One thing Jack wanted from his son was to be tough, just like he was. Alice was mad at Luke. She could not believe that her son caused her trouble once again about kids just being kids. Luke needed to rise up and let the kids have a little fun.

Lori used her mom’s anger to restart the war of the twins. She sweet talked her mom into putting Luke in a dress for one last time. This was the last time because the petticoat punishment backfired on Alice in a different way.

For the last time Lori goaded her mom into putting Luke in a dress. Luke was standing in the dress giving his mom that stare. That stare always made Alice feel uncomfortable. This time Luke’s eyes were even more intense. Alice felt unnerved by the weight those eyes put on her soul. She was going to make Luke stop staring at her and said “Don’t look at me like that. I am your mother and you do not disrespect me.”

Luke said “No.”

“Then tell me what you are thinking.”

“I hate you mother.”

“Take those words back. You need to learn how to behave and your dad is not here to protect you. You will listen to me and not tell him about this and take those words back.”

Luke repeated those four words. The conviction in his voice told Alice that those words were not said in anger. That her son at that moment really did hate her. Alice's frustration rose as quick as the temperature on a sunny summer day from learning this revelation. At that moment, Alice promised herself she would never put Luke in a dress again. Unlike the other times, this promise was not just empty words. The pain made sure that Alice would never put Luke in a dress again.

Alice demanded that Luke take the dress off. Ending the punishment so abruptly did not have the desire outcome of Alice feeling better about herself. For the first time she was actually remorseful about putting her son in a dress. She could not look her son in his eyes. Luke’s eyes would just start boring into her soul again. There would also be shame because Alice knew she rightfully earned her son’s hatred. Instead of admitting to Luke what she admitted to herself, Alice ran out of her son's room.

Lori saw how upset her mom was and got ready to take action. There was no way her no-good brother was going to get away with hurting Lori’s queen. The princess wanted to make sure that her mom knew Luke would pay “I am going to make sure Luka shows you the respect you deserve mom.”

Those words made it even harder for Alice to hold back the tears. Luke was actually showing his mom the respect she deserved from him, none. Alice wanted to make sure that Lori did not do anything to Luke. One reason was her son did nothing wrong. Another one was she did not want Fred to find out that Alice has been lenient on Lori about name calling. “Lori, do not call Luke by that name. You know you are not allowed. If your dad finds out anything about this you will be in even more trouble with him. Just leave your brother alone. If you don’t you will be in big trouble and I will be as well, also I don’t want to hear from anything from you about what your brother is doing. I know he will leave you alone if you don’t start with him.”

Fred came home and started to get to the bottom of what happened after school. He knew his wife good enough that she would try to punish Luke. This fight made it so Fred was going to put more of an emphasis on moving. Fighting is not the right answer, but Luke had to defend himself. Blake threw the first punch. This has to stop, even with Mr. Noth doling out the harsh punishment to Blake, Fred knew going to that school would be bad for Luke.

Fred got a story from his wife which was believable. That she went too far with trying to punish Luke and that was why their son was mad at her. He was happy that she caught herself and took back grounding Luke. Their son was being punished enough by having to deal with how Lori and her friends treated him.

When they were getting ready for bed Fred brought up house hunting. Alice agreed with him that was a good idea. She did not want to fight about it and knew they would never buy a new house. She would be pickier than Goldilocks and no house other than the one they were in would be just right for her.

Even with the damage done between her and her son’s relationship. Alice felt good about the day. She avoided a huge fight with her husband. Made sure that Lori and Luke would not be frustrating her anymore and now would have time to work on mending the damage she had done to their mother-son connection.

That first day of school set the tone for the rest of the school year. Lori and her court knew not to directly mess with Luke. The cost of getting caught was too high. Mr. Noth did run a tight ship at school. He held a welcome back assembly to explain his policies on bullying and other changes. He made sure that all the teachers and personnel were on board. The verbal bullying at school became almost nonexistent. Some of the parents were upset that their children got suspended for bullying, but Mr. Noth easily handled their complaints. Having signed paperwork from the parents which stated they read the handbook was why it did not take that much time.

Not having to deal with the mocking by Lori and her friends directly, made going to school easier on Luke. The snide comments came from afar, and those instances were hard to prove. That plus the lessening of the bullying was outweigh by one huge negative. Luke felt so isolated. More of his fellow students talked to him, but he felt like an outcast. Luke had no friends, only acquaintances. He never had plans to do anything outside of school with anyone.

Another way Luke was made to feel isolated was by the cyberbullying. On Facebook and other social media, a profile was made for Lumpy Luka. Even with knowing Lori and her friends were behind it, Luke was powerless to stop it. They could not track down who was doing it. This was because a coward was, and would not admit to it. Blake was the person who made the profiles and only told Lori. Lori was smart enough to not gloat about it even to her friends.

How devious Blake was, made Lori like him even more. Those two started to go out. Having to deal with Blake being in his home, made Luke uncomfortable. The whispers between Lori and Blake then the laughing as they looked at Luke let him know it was aimed at him. This was only done when Fred was not at home and Alice accused Luke of being self-centered. This came from her telling Lori to just ignore her brother. Alice assumed that the Brat Princess was a golden child and listened to her.

By the spring Luke was talking to Renee and Matt. Those chats were not long and never about anything major. He was going to be cordial to them. He missed being close to them, but could not trust them enough to become friends at that time. Matt and Renee did try to push hanging out with Luke. They got a definite no. Even if the trust was not there, Luke would have still said no. The reason was Renee wanted Tom and Matt wanted Mike to be there. Luke might be lonely but he was not lonely enough to spend time with someone who treated him as bad as Tom or Mike

Luke was right in turning down the offer to hang out with his former friends. Tom had not changed. Renee turned a blind eye to how her boyfriend would down talk Luke. To her, him saying Luka not Luke was harmless and only a little jerky. Being a jerk was the way Tom was protecting his pride. That actually calling Luke Luka was a sign of respect. It showed that Tom had to make himself look better than Luke. Wanting to see the best in people can make someone take strange leaps of logic.

Fred and Alice bickered the entire year about the situation. Luke’s situation was not getting any better, and they weren’t any closer in giving their son a new start. The objection about the new houses were never valid. One was too close to Pittsburgh, then the next one which wasn’t as close, was too far away. The dismissal of the houses made Fred feel like Sisyphus pushing a boulder up the hill only to have his wife knock the huge rock back down. Fred warned his wife that he was thinking of getting an apartment for next school year. Alice kept her stalling. The apartment had to be a shallow threat because even with this small issue Alice knew her husband loved her. Fred did, but he would do what was right for his son over staying with his wife. Her refusal to budge was making his love for her to lessen.

**********

The school year was over on June 2nd that year, five days after Lori and Luke’s birthday. The little celebration for Luke was not going to be until June 3rd. This was because Aunt Bridgett and her husband Maurice along with their youngest son, Sam, were coming to visit. Sam just graduated from UCLA and they were coming back to Bridgett’s hometown to celebrate with family.

Luke was always Bridgett’s favorite nephew. She saw a lot of herself in him. He valued family and connection. Luke was always looking for ways to help others. That also Luke was an inclusive extrovert, making sure everyone felt like they belong and were having a good time. This was why she was concerned when Luke was not his normal self. Alice said it was because Luke was just like their brother Dom.

The loving aunt was not buying what her sister told her. Bridgett knew that Alice wanted her daughter’s childhood to be like hers so she pictured her son more like her brother. Wanting to get the information from Fred was what helped make so Luke standing on that new beach greeting the sun with its promise of a new day and a new beginning about to happen.

Fred did not give much details about the issue Luke was having, but enough that Bridgett suggested that Luke came out to visit her this summer. She knew Luke needed time away from his sister. Fred loved the idea. His son would be away from Lori for just a little bit. Luke would be able to be himself.

Alice on the other hand put up resistance. Luke was going to get something which Lori would not. To Alice that was not fair. It did not matter that Alice was falling back on giving Lori extra, like having that small birthday party for her at Renee’s. Lori was the youngest so she deserved to have that party without her brother there.

Alice finally agreed when Lori overheard those two talking about the visit. The Brat Princess was overjoyed at hearing that Luke would be sent away from her presence for a while. This was how it should be, no chance of the spotlight going to him. Maybe with her brother being gone her dad would see how much more special she was than Luke. Maybe they would make this banishment permanent. That is what she wished for, but people need to be careful what they wish for because they might get it.

So it was settled, Luke was going to spend two months in California with his aunt and uncle. This would not be announced until they gave Luke his presents. Fred had a plan of either they will have a new house for Luke to come home to or else he would be getting an apartment. Alice was happy that the stress of dealing with two teenage kids would be gone for a while.

The day of the celebrations came. Even with not being a couple Matt and Renee went in together to buy both Luke and Lori a gift. Renee offered to go in with Tom first, but he turned her down. There was no way he was buying Luka a gift. Renee wanted to get Luke a gift as a way to keep on extending her friendship to their friend. Matt was on board because he agreed with the sentiment behind the gift.

For Lori the gift was a blue and white striped dress. The idea came from Lori mentioning she needed a new one. The one for Luke was a long sleeve shirt with the skateboard legend Tony Hawk’s logo on it. They saw how good their friend was getting on the skateboard and that shirt would show their support of him.

Tom being jealous of how his girlfriend was treating Luka played a vital role in Luke being able to stay on that new beach greeting a new day and new beginning along with Lori getting what she wished for. He switched gift tags and offered to run the gift up to Luke’s. Renee trying to see the best in her boy thought that was sweet of him to do so. He was trying to help get ready for the party.

*************

After Luke ate his Birthday cannoli, yes his nanno and nanna still got him one each year, they started to open up the presents. Luke went for the one from Renee and Matt first. It touched him that they got him something. He was open now to hanging out with them, as long as Mike and Tom were not around and would tell them the next time he saw them. It would be good to have the Saturday Morning Bike Club ride once again

Then he opened the gift and looked in wrapping and threw it to the floor. Seeing that blue and white striped dress hurt him. Luke felt like a fool to even think that those two ever cared about him. Fred went to see what could have upset his son so much. After he picked up the package and saw the content he said “Luke, don’t worry son. Those two will apologize for this and they are not worth your time. You are better than Lori and her friends.”

“If I am why does Lori always get her way. Why does she have friends and I do not? Why does mommyhreaten and put me in dresses when Lori wants it? Why did she call me Luka when no one is around? Why didmommy do it also?”

When a kid gives a barrage of questions any good parents will answer the most pressing one first. “Luke, your mom only put you in a dress once. I know she plays favorites but she would never hurt you like that again.”

“She did it many times dad. She said if I told you that you would think I was being a crybaby and deserve to be in a dress. Boys don’t cry, I am not a crybaby. Tears came down but I never cried. I never even let mommysee those tears. I was strong. I didn’t deserve to be in a dress.”

Tears started to fall from Fred’s eyes. Finally finding out the entire truth about his wife’s treatment of their children was devastating. He needed to hold Luke, to be close to his son. He wanted his arms to somehow protect Luke from all the pain from the past “Son, not only do boys cry, but men do also. It is fine to be sad and express it. I would never see you as a crybaby or think you deserve to be in a dress because you show your emotions.”

“It doesn’t matter daddy. No one likes me anyways. I have no friends here.”

“Son, we are going to move soon. You will get a new start.”

Luke got mad. He felt his dad was lying and even if that was the truth the move would not change anything. “We are not moving! Lori and mommy don’t want to. Even if we did, it would not matter. Lori will just tell everyone about me being in a dress.”

“Luke you will move. This summer we are going to move. If we do not buy a house, then just me and you buddy will be in an apartment. You will get a new start. I promise you.”

Luke believed his dad. “I will still be stuck here until we move.”

Bridgett knew her brother-in-law needed help and she had it with her present. Her gift was not just telling Luke about his summer in California, but giving her nephew the tickets. “You are not stuck here until then Luke. You have not gotten my present yet. You are spending the summer with me and your uncle. You always wanted to come to visit us and we are going to love having you.”

That ticket holder held more than the travel itinerary of Luke’s visit to his aunt. It held more than his way to see a new ocean. It held Luke’s way to freedom. Luke was looking forward to being away from who was holding him back, Lori. This sounded too good to be true. Luke was not supposed to get anything better than Lori. He wanted to make sure that only he was going. “No Lori.”

“Only you and you can stay even longer than the ticket.”

“Can I stay until we get a new house?”

“If your mom and dad say so, yes Luke.”

A sadness came to Luke’s voice. He knew his mom would fight moving and she would force him back. “Then I can’t.”

“Yes, you can and you will son. It is only up to me. I will not let your mom try to bring you back until you have a new start here. Like I said we will get an apartment somewhere. I am going to do whatever is best for you.”

Joy came back to Luke’s voice “I am so looking forward to this. Thank you Aunt Bridget and Uncle Maurice.”

Bridgett said “Then it is settled. We will talk about your visit as we go, where do you want to go now?”

“Can we go to the bike park?”

“Yes we can, Luke. Get what you are going to need and we will get going.”

As Luke left to get his skateboard and gear, Fred thanked Maurice and Bridgett. Maurice said “Don’t worry about it. We want to do what is best for Luke. Now call your wife. I know you want to get her home now to talk with her. We will have Luke out of here before she gets home.”

Maria said “We will take Lori off of your hands. We think that you want a long one on one conversation with Alice.”

Fred then called his wife and said “Get home now we need to talk.”

**********

Lori was opening her gifts when she got to the one which had Matt and Renee’s names on it. She expected to see a blue and white striped dress when she opened it. Instead, inside was Luke’s shirt. This mix up was an example of why it was Luke’s fate to be the punchline of jokes. She laughed out loud when she saw that shirt. Then she held it up and said “Luke is going to be so disappointed that that dress isn’t his real present.”

Everyone other than Renee, Matt, Mike, and Mandy started to laugh. How hard Tom was laughing made Renee see the truth about her boy. Her boyfriend played a dirty trick on Luke. He was nothing more than an immature jerk who loved picking on those who could not fight back. Tom switched the gifts. Now Luke thought that she and Matt gave him a joke gift to make fun of him. Renee got up and said “Everyone leave now. The party is over I don’t want anything to do with this party. Now go.”

Mandy never really acted upon wanting to become better friends with Renee. The hostess of Lori’s birthday taking action right now changed that. Until then, Renee might have been saying the right things about Luke but her actions were not backing them up. Now that Renee was taking a stand Mandy was ready to be right beside her. She knew that doing the right thing will not make her friendless.

Everyone was still laughing, not taking Renee’s demand seriously, when Mandy quit Lori’s alliance. The girl who was doing the right thing said “You all crossed the line today. Renee said leave the party is over. So, go.”

Tom trying to keep on his deception of Renee said “Calm down sweetie. You put the wrong tags on the gifts. Luka will understand.”

Matt was not going to run away from conflict anymore. He was going to stand his ground. “Tom, you shut up. His name is Luke.”

Blake wanting to calm this down. The last thing he needed was his dad to find out about this commotion. He would be in big trouble. “Matt, be cool. We all call Luke Luka. That is his nickname we gave him.”

“Blake, you shut up also. That is not his nickname and he doesn’t want it. You will not dare say Luka around Luke unless you have protection. You are scared of him. You are such a tough guy picking on someone when they are not around or you have the numbers.”

By now the parents who were hanging out inside came out from the noise. They found out what was going on. Meg and Al agreed with their daughter and the party was over. As Lori was gathering her gifts and thinking about how great it was Luke was feeling down Alice’s phone rang. She saw the call was from her husband. He was going to overreact on this mistake but at least she was ready to deal with it.

“Dear before you say anything. I know about the mix up with the gifts. Luke will be fine when he sees the real gift that Renee and Matt got him so just calm down. Luke just needs not to take this so personal. That is why no one really likes him.”

Fred responded “Get home now we need to talk.”

Alice was not going to be talked down to like that by anyone, let alone her husband. “Listen here. We do need to talk. You do not tell me what to do. I am your wife not your servant.

“Also, here is another thing, you protect Luke too much. I told you it was under control. We are on our way home and will be there in a couple of minutes. Then you will listen to me when we talk.”

Fred was pissed by how his wife acted. She put Luke in dresses many times yet was playing it off as Fred was overprotecting Luke. If anything, Fred felt like he let Luke down and did not do enough for his son. He should have pushed to find out exactly what was going on instead of being happy with knowing some. There was no way he could have known there was more, how could he even contemplate the issue was his wife putting Luke in a dress, when she saw how much that hurt their son.

Even with being mad he was smart enough to know this was not a conversation to have over the phone. “Just get home right now. Your mom and dad will be outside to take Lori.”

******************

Tom went to try to comfort Renee. He hated seeing her upset even if it was for something as insignificant as Luke’s feelings. At the same time, he was not going to take blame for switching the gift tags. They were done if Renee kept on believing the truth. Reaching out to hug her Tom said “Honey, it is fine if you messed up those tags. You were doing a lot today. Luke is not worth being this upset about. He turned his back on you just because you like me.”

Renee flinched when feeling Tom’s touch and pushed her boyfriend off of her. The last thing she wanted was to be touched by that jerk. Just the thought of him touching her made her skin crawl like the worm her ex-boyfriend was. “Don’t touch me. Don’t say Luke turned his back on me. I did that to him when I called him Luka and when I acted like it was not a big deal. I wanted him to get over it without me seeing it was a big deal.

“Now leave me alone. I don’t want anything to do with you. We are done!

“How could I even have thought for a moment that you were a nice guy?”

Tom could not save his relationship with Renee but he could save face. “Fine be that way. Call me when you come to your senses.”

**************

Alice was getting madder by the moment. She might have messed up before with her kids, but not today. Her husband needed to not look down at her. By the time she was home and doing the hand off of Lori to her parents Alice wanted to know right away why her husband was being so unreasonable and treating her with disdain. “Mom, dad what is wrong with Fred? Why didn’t you talk to him? Why did you let him talk to me like that?”

Dino and Maria acted like any good parent when their kid barraged them with questions. They answered the most important one first. Maria shook her head in disapproval. “Alice you need to hear that from your husband, not us.”

Dino joined in “Yes, you really do not want to hear what we have to say.”

The non-answers by her parents were a little unsettling to Alice. She was their blood so they should be on her side. If Alice did not know better she would have sworn they were mad at her. This did not change her plan of going in the home all guns blazing. There was no need to show a united front, it would only be her and Fred. “Listen here, never talk to me like that again ever. Never call me and give me orders. I am not your servant and I am not your child. You treat me like your equal. Now say you are sorry and I am right”

“Never put our son in a dress again. Do you understand?”

Seeing the blue and white striped dress in her husband’s hand, made Alice think she understood his anger. Yes, that was an unfortunate gift but still it was an accident. “Sorry honey. I should not have gotten mad. That was a mistake a long time ago.”

“Don’t lie to me woman. Don’t ever lie to me again. I know the truth. I know you kept on doing it after we had the talk. I know you told Luke boys don’t cry. I know you told Luke that I would think he should be in a dress if I found out he cried. If you try to deny it right now we are done. Do you understand?”

“Luke should have never told you.”

“Never say that again. You treated our son badly and now you are trying to blame him.”

“I am not blaming him. I know I messed up and quit doing so on my own. It was just so frustrating dealing with both of them. They would fight over nothing and Lori would start with her high pitch crying. You did not have to deal with them by yourself everyday like I did. You got to go to work and not deal with them like I did.

“I quit putting him in a dress after he told me he hated me. I know I messed up. I know I messed up big time. That is why I said that Luke should have never told you. I was not blaming him. There is just nothing you can do other than get mad.”

“There is something I can do. You know how Luke is going to California, Bridgett offered for him to stay out there until we find a new house. I said yes. If you even try to have him come home before, I will be getting an apartment and filing for divorce. I love you but I have to do what is best for my son. It pains me to say that sending him to live with your sister is what is best. But it is my fault. I did not try to get to the real bottom of why you and Luke were not close.”

“We are his parents. We need to talk about this before we make this decision.”

“No, you did not talk to me about putting our son in a dress so there is no need to talk about this. Him moving away from you is what is best for him. Don’t worry, you still have Lori to make your Brat Princess.”

“Don’t call our daughter a brat. She is the youngest.”

“She is a brat. You made her a brat. You always made sure she did not get in trouble. You only stopped Luke. We talked about this before. Did you ever think why Lori never stopped using that crying on you? It is because it worked. You gave in to her way all the time. You made it so frustrating dealing with them because you only dealt with Luke and not Lori.”

“Please let me talk to Luke, first. I can make it better. I will make it better. We will get a new home. I promise you we will. I just don’t want Luke to think that he has to live anywhere but his home.”

“No. If you keep your promise then Luke will come home. He knows that if we have a new place he will be coming home.”

“I got to tell him I will handle Lori better.”

“No, you don’t. I am going to handle Lori and Luke's relationship from now on. I will be in the loop about everything. You will make sure of it.”

“I can do it. I can handle our kids. You don’t need to watch over me.”

“No, you can’t. Until I believe you can that is how it is going to be.”

“You don’t trust me?”

Fred held up the dress “How many times did you put Luke in one of these?”

“Don’t keep throwing in my face that I messed up. I know I did.”

“Then act that way. Show you are going to accept how it is going to be. Right now, you have no say because of your actions. You need to show you deserve a say again. Support my decision and trust me on this, then I will start to trust you on how you will treat Luke and Lori.”

The next words of Alice’s mouth were a sign that she accepted Fred’s terms. “How are we going to handle Lori?”

**********

There were plates with half eaten pieces of cake on them scattered on the picnic table. The wicker coffee table had empty pop cans on it. The swimming pool ladder railings had towels drying out laid over them. The back yard had pieces of wrapping paper with some napkins peppered in between them. Renee and Matt were together cleaning up after the party.

The messy backyard perfectly represented how their personal life was at the moment. Renee and Matt doing the dirty work of cleaning up the mess they made also represented what they were going to do with their personal life, get rid of the trash. They did the first step by getting rid of Lori and most of her court. The only two they are going to stay friends with were the two who offer to stay and help clean. Mike Patton and Mandy Travers.

When taking inventory of who to get rid of Mike and Mandy were not on the list. Mike quit laughing at any reference of Luka and lately had been telling the others to grow up. Mandy being kept was a little surprising. She was quite being vocal about picking on Luke but never defended him until today. Her leaving Lori’s court on her own, was showing she was on Renee’s side.

During clean up duties Renee was also talking about the personal trash she was taking out of her life. The biggest piece of it was Tom. The girl let what she wanted to be true cloud her from seeing reality. Her friend Matt being at her side cleaning made her regret being Tom’s girlfriend even more. Someone like him was who she should have shared her first kiss with.

Hearing this backyard confession took Matt back. It also led to his own. Matt had the same regret. Having his first kiss with Lori made that a memory he wanted to forget. A moment which should be looked with a smile now was done so with pain. Pain of being used, pain of betraying a friend. He supportive Renee’s assertion that by saying his first kiss should have been with someone like her.

Cleaning up the physical and personal mess was easy. All it took was time and a little effort. After they were done with the backyard came the hard part, trying to salvage what they threw away a year ago, Luke’s friendship.

**************

Bridget, Maurice and Sam offered to take Luke wherever he wanted to go. The hurt boy picked his favorite place of refuge, the bike park. He wanted to ride his skateboard. Having to concentrate on performing the tricks would take his mind off of the pain of being hurt once again by Renee and Matt. Keeping his balance would keep his mind off of feeling like a fool about thinking those two like him.

As they got to the park, Luke warmed up by doing some tricks. He started off simple with a couple of ollies, a simple jump performed by tapping the tail of the board on the ground. Then he moved on doing a couple of kickflips, an ollie with the board rotating 360 degrees in the air. He would switch the rotation between clockwise and counterclockwise. Doing these simple tricks was a way to stretch and get in the right mindset.

Then when he was a little more comfortable on the board he went to the rails. He did a couple of rail slides where the skater slides the underside of the deck along an object as in this case a rail. Then he did a couple of nose slides. The same as a rail slide except it was just the tip of the board sliding on the rail.

Before Luke went to the halfpipe he saw a new kid at the park. This kid was trying to do an ollie. Luke could tell it was the first time and made his way to the kid. The only reason he was the first to offer help was that he was the first to notice the kid. A couple of the other skaters arrived right after Luke so he got the lead. They stuck around to give moral support to the new kid. Luke introduced himself, then showed and explained what to do. After a couple of attempts Luke and the other skaters kept on encouraging the new kid. Finally after the fourth attempt, the kid nailed the ollie. Luke gave him a high five.

Seeing Luke’s personality made Sam look forward to spending time with him in Cali. Having Luke there was going to be like having a younger brother. They shared the same love for skateboarding so hanging out with him would be cool. How good Luke was with that board along with his love of the ocean made Sam believe that his cousin would love surfboarding. They would go to the Cove, a place where surfers hung out, and Luke would learn and fit in with the others.

At the halfpipe Luke was doing great. The air which Luke had when doing a 180 twist let Sam know his cousin could do a McTwist, a 540 twist. Sam wanted to start truly hanging out with Luke right then. He could help him learn the McTwist. Luke was climbing up the top of the halfpipe when Sam said “Dude you are great. Have you ever done a McTwist?”

Luke was a little self-conscious now. He went from not thinking about anything to how his life was. “No, Sam. I can’t.”

“Luke, dude, I know you can. I see the air you get. You have more than enough space between you and the pipe to do it. Try it man. Just rotate the board as hard as you can and use your right hand to stop it when the nose is facing down. Do it at the end of the run. Have a big finale. You can do it. It will be sick.”

The first run Luke tried it he failed. He missed the landing and had to skid down the pipe on his knee pads. Before self-doubt could creep in Sam said “So close dude. You have it. You know you do. Come on, us skateboarders almost never pull off a trick the first time we try it.”

Those words of encouragement gave Luke the resolve to try again. He felt the support of his cousin. The other skaters were also supporting Luke. The ones who were waiting to use the halfpipe let him jump ahead in line. Trying that trick again right away was important. Luke needed to have no time to think.

The next run was perfect, Luke was grinding his board so well on the top of the halfpipe. His movements were so fluid when he grabbed the top of the pipe and held onto the board so it did not launch into the air. Then after picking up the speed and momentum Luke tried the McTwist again. He landed the trick and ended his run.

Coming off of the halfpipe the other skaters gave him props with high fives, hugs and fist pumps. The best prop he got was from his cousin. It was a fist bump which became the too sweet sign. They both said too sweet in honor of the sign and also it was the truth about landing the McTwist. This bonding moment made Luke look forward to going to California instead of getting away from Lori.

***********

On the way home from spending the time with her grandparents, Lori was mad. Her nanno and nanna ruined finally being able to spend time with her during her birthday celebration. They did not do what she wanted, to be the center of attention, her birthday celebration. Today was her special day, and they should be talking about whatever she wanted. Each time she tried to steer the topic of conversation about her party, the reception to it was colder than the leftover pizza from supper was going to be tomorrow morning.

If them acting like today as if it was any other day was not bad enough, what they did at Mineos actually hurt her. Finally, she was going to get a birthday cannoli. Luke was not going to be able to have that one up on her anymore. Then after ordering the waitress to bring her one of those special treats Nanno said “No, we are not celebrating your birthday. We are only here to eat and give your mom and dad time to talk. Do not bring up anything about your birthday again.”

Lori was going to get back at them by denying them her affection. Those two would only get a bye from her when she got home. The Cadillac pulled up and Lori enacted her revenge. It was only bitter. Nanno and Nanna did not ask where their hugs or her saying I love you. She had to ramp it up and hurried up to get in the house. Entering solo was a protest to show they were not part of her group.

As soon as she came into a quiet living room Lori knew something was up. Whatever was up was also bad for her. The signs of big trouble were even clearer when she was greeted with only the sight of her dad. Then why the big trouble became clear when she saw that blue and white striped dress in his hand. Fred still had not let go of it since talking with his wife.

“Dad, I can explain. Renee messed up putting the birthday tags on my and Luke’s gifts. We are being nice to him. He is just not in our circle of friends. You always said not to hang out with anyone you don’t want to. I don’t want to hang out with my brother.”

Fred was sick of all the lies. He was sick of his daughter always trying to play him as a fool. He was sick of how she treated her own flesh and blood. “Lori, if you know what is good for you then you will sit down and shut up right now.”

“You are blowing a little mistake all out of proportion. I did nothing to Luke and it is not fair to think so because he is crying. That is why kids don’t like hanging out with him. He is a crybaby. I am not calling him a name, just stating a fact.”

That lie about his son being a crybaby only achieved getting Lori’s father even more pissed off at her. His mind started to fill with images of Luke being strong. First, Luke’s silent tears today came to Fred’s mind. Luke not crying after breaking his leg last summer then came. Then how Luke held it together all those times his wife put their son in a dress came up. Luke’s strength being one of the factors in Alice being able to keep her petticoat punishment from him hurt him. He should have not just written off the permanent distance between mother and son from his wife’s playing favorites. “Your brother is strong, do not lie about him anymore. I finally know everything you have been doing for the past 5 years. So, don’t bullshit me anymore. Just sit down and shut up.”

Lori could not accept that the entire truth was out. There was no way Luke would have told. He might be standing up more to her friends and their mom, but Luke was so scared of his dad finding out about him being in a dress. Luke did not want his dad to think him to be less than a man and no man would wear a dress. “Ok fine I call him Luka around my friends and he can hear it sometimes. We laugh about him being in that dress once. Yes, we are a little childish, but we are children. I am guilty of being a teenager so how long am I grounded?”

Nanno and Nanna walked at this moment. They wanted to say bye to their son-in-law and daughter. They just turned around. Giving Fred the privacy to handle his daughter was more important than making sure they followed etiquette.

“Lori for the last time, sit down and shut up. I know about you getting your mom to keep on putting Luke in a dress.”

Lori followed orders and sat down. One reason was she did not want to get in more trouble. The second she was off balance finding her foot in her mouth.

“You disappoint me. It was not enough that you made Luke a social outcast. You also had to ruin any happiness in his life. This gift prank you went too far. Why?”

Lori could not answer. She did not have a hand in the prank. Even if she could answer she would not have an answer. The last thing she wanted was to get in more trouble by not following orders.

Lori’s dad said “Answer me when I ask you a question why did you have Renee do that to your brother?”

“I didn’t dad.”

“Don’t bullshit me. You torment your brother so much. Why did you have to try to ruin his birthday by doing this?”

“I didn’t do it dad. Renee must have done it all on her own. I am not stupid enough to do that right in front of you.”

“True. You are too devious to have me see how bad of a person you truly are.

You still were the one who fostered it. If you had not done anything within your power to put your brother down, your followers would not have joined in.”

“I am not a bad person dad. I just don’t like my brother at all. I don’t want anything to do with him. It would be great if he just left.”

“Lori, it pains me to say this, you are a bad person. Your mom and I messed up by not stopping you. You need to grow up, you need to start treating people better, and you need to quit needing to be the center of attention.”

“I am the youngest I should have all the attention.”

“Ok fine you want all the attention, you will get it. You are also getting your brother leaving. He is going to California for the summer. I will have more time to devote to you and trust me little lady I am going to give you all the attention you deserve.”

Lori got what she wished for yet felt horrible. Instead of basking in the glory of getting everything her way, the young girl was trying to figure out which was worse. The fact her dad was going to be hounding her for the summer or that her brother was getting to go somewhere without her. This situation is exactly why people need to be careful what they wish for. The attention she got was not the kind she wanted and her brother being sent to exile was going to be a nice vacation.

Lori was soaking in how getting her way was going so wrong when her dad started to inform her about more of the prizes she won for playing her stupid games. “You wanted to know how long you are grounded. You are not. Grounding you will not do any good. That does not mean you are getting away with what you did to Luke. Things will be changing around here. I am in charge now. You will be asking me if you can do anything. I even mean calling your friends. There better be a good reason why you want to call them also. Just chatting is not a good reason. I have the final say. Do not even think of going to your mom to get permission. She will clear it with me.

“You will give details about anything you want to do. Those details better be true. You will have your phone on and on you at all times. You will answer it when either your mom or me call. I am going to be straightforward with you, the phone will be tracking where you are, so you better be truthful. I will be watching over you. I will be giving you so much more attention.

“You know that car your mom has been talking about getting you when you turn 16. You will not be getting it. You will still learn how to drive, but you will only be using a car if you get my permission. I will tell you know that you will be driving only to go to work or if you need, not want, to go somewhere.

“There is more, you will be volunteering with bullied kids. You will work with them and see the damage people like you have done. I hope it makes you empathetic. I hope it makes you see that the world doesn't revolves around you. I hope this makes you a better person.

“This is until you are not living under this roof or you totally change as a person.”

Lori knew nothing worse could happen to her. This harkens back to what that wise lady said about freedom, it is when you have nothing to lose. So, she fired off her last shot at her dad to try to get him to change his mind by saying “I hate you.” Knowing how she felt about him might make her dad change his evil ways towards her. Her dad should want to be in the good graces of the Brat Princess and knowing he was not would hurt.

“Good, I am not your friend. I am your parent. Right now, I don’t care if you like me. I do care if you respect me. I do care that you see this as a wakeup call and change who you are. I really hope you do, for your sake. I also do hope you change so that I did not let you down as a parent. Now go to your room.”

*************

The backyard was finally tidied up by Matt and Renee. The sense of accomplishing this goal made them ready to take on their next cleanup project, the state of their friendship with Luke. The yard after the party was a minor mess compared to the relationship. They also neglected putting the right amount of time and effort into fixing the relationship right away so that added to the state of mess the relationship was in.

Matt and Renee started to go towards the wooden backyard gate to make their way up to Luke’s. Their plan was simple, just state to Luke what happened then be open to hearing him out. To the two-person clean-up crew this seemed like the right course of action. Going to clear this up was as controversial as stating it was sunny on a clear day. As Renee went to open the gate she told their parents her plan and expected them to react the same way if she told them it was sunny on a clear day.

Instead of getting the uneventful response of ok which was expected, all four of the parents gave variations of hold up. Those two going to Luke was a bad idea. Matt’s mom, Shanthi took the lead and went down to talk with the children. The other three on the deck stayed behind. They did not want Matt and Renee to feel like they were being ganged up on. This was an important moment in both parenting and their children becoming adults. They needed to make sure that Matt and Renee do not feel forced to do the right thing, but concluded to do it on their own. The decision being their own choice would ensure that Matt and Renee learned the lesson that sometimes things cannot go back to normal.

Shanthi said “Son, Renee, is it a good idea to go see Luke now?”

With the question coming from Matt’s mom the boy took the lead in answering it. “Yes, mom. We need to set this right, right now in the right way. We see everything we did wrong and will not try to defend ourselves.”

Renee added to her friend’s answer “Yes, Ms. Thayil. We are going there expecting forgiveness. We are going there expecting to do what it takes to be close with Luke again.”

This moment was heartbreaking for Shanthi. She was about to give those two a hard lesson about life. She smiled to ease her pain and to try to come off caring and understanding. Those two were going to need support after hearing what she had to say and Matt’s mom wanted to be a bedrock for them. “I know you want to be close to Luke again and learn from your mistakes. It is just if you are expecting to be close with him again you are also going to be expecting forgiveness. He is hurt right now so he might not be ready. You need to give him time.”

Matt still wanted to take the chance of being rejected. His friendship with Luke was worth the risk of being hurt. “Mom it should be easy to get forgiveness from Luke. We have been nice to him. We have been talking with him for a while. I can even tell he has been close to saying yes to hanging out with us. Something was holding him back from doing what he wanted.”

“Son, today was a big setback in your relationship with Luke. He thinks you two sent him a dress as a gift.”

Renee jumped in “But we did not. You know that. How could anyone ever even think that?”

“Renee, you know your past with Luke. You know how you messed up calling him Luka and started to hang around the gang which was still picking on him. You kept on doing this. Matt we are going to have a talk about that when we get home. You two made it so Luke can believe you would send it. Do you want to hurt Luke even more?”

“Never. I just want to make this right. I just want to not feel so bad about how we treated Luke.”

“Then worry about forgiving yourself. Both of you forgive yourself. Part of getting forgiveness is making amends. Make sure you become better people from this.”

Al came down to join in. He wanted to make the point that his daughter was wrong himself. “Renee, Shanthi is right. You hid how you and your friends were still mocking Luke. You want to be a strong girl, you stand up for your friends not join in with the crowd picking on anyone. The yard is clean get ready to come in.”

Matt responded to his mom “We will wait to talk with Luke. It will not be forced. I just want to make this right. I do not want him to think I was that horrible to him.”

Shanti said “Good, now say bye to Renee and get ready to go home. You will see her tomorrow at the bike park.”

Hearing about the bike park made Matt not feel as bad as a teenager with his first hangover. In fact, he was looking forward to talking with his mom and dad as much as that teenager with his first hangover was to having that first drink which led to the hangover. The discussion at home would be about him becoming a better person and not just to punish him.

*******

Getting that major air and pulling off the McTwist on the halfpipe still had Luke’s spirits high on his way home from the bike park. Having faith in himself and a bright future with a good support system made the skater feel strong and confident. Those did not have the need to lash out to protect himself. The petty words of petty people were below him.

Alice was upstairs finishing in trying to make Lori understand how much trouble the Brat Princess was in. She did try to downplay Fred calling her daughter a bad person by telling Lori that her actions were bad. The hurtful truth had to be denied, downplayed or else Alice would have to accept another hurtful truth. She was a bad person. After all Lori’s mom was the creator of the monster which was her daughter.

Alice was worn out from the stressful day so she went to lay down until Luke came home. The brutal fight with her husband made it so that she also wanted to stay away from him. Round two could happen and her husband would be justified in starting it.

As she was laying down wondering in how she was going to keep her family together and her fantasy about her family intact, hope came to Alice. From being in the comfy bed the mom heard the front door open and then her son in a robust voice said “Dad, I am home.”

Hearing the vigorous voice and how forcefully Luke let his presence be known gave Alice the strength to face him. The energetic boy’s presence could be felt all the way upstairs. He has not drawn attention to himself in this magnitude for a long time. Luke was fine in her eyes.

Alice was still too weak to face the truth that moving was not an option, it was the only choice. Alice had the self-serving narrative going of things will work out fine and Luke will be home soon. The story the deluded mom was telling herself left out some important facts. The emotional place her son was at that moment also convinced Alice that they will not have to move. Luke being Luke again was from him knowing he was not long for the personal hell he had been in.

Alice went downstairs to join her husband and son. She wanted to be closer to the positive energy that Luke was emitting. Getting closer to that power was making it even easier for her to start to downplay how much damage she had done to him even more. There was no way that a boy who was hurt as bad as Fred made it out to be could be how Luke was. Being full of life and energy was a sign that someone was in good mental health.

Alice greeted her son “Hey Luke, where were you?”

Luke gave the stare to his mom. She knew that look well so she was not thrown off by it. His voice did set her back. How full of life it was a sonic blast to her soul. “I was at the bike park mother.”

Hearing mother being used made Alice correct her son. He was too happy to be mad at her. The atmosphere of the room was wrong for him to bring up the past. “Son call me mom.”

Fred said “Luke you can use mother if you want.”

“I understand you are mad Luke. I am just happy that you are happy and want to share it with you and you only call me mother when you are mad at me. I know I messed up with putting you in a dress. It will not happen again. I did not do so for a long time.

It is going to be so good to see you like this when you come back here after your summer in Cali. Just think of how your friends at school will be happy for you.”

“Mother I will not be coming back here. We are moving.”

“Come on Luke we do not have to now. This is your home. You are doing so good. You will be back to being friends with Matt and Renee in no time. Renee kicked Lori and her friends out of the party and broke up with Tom. That Tom is no good, he was the one who switched tags. He meant no harm but he should have not done it.”

“Mother, this is not my home. Matt and Renee are not my friends. I am not going back to that school. I am going to California and will only be back when we do not live here. Right Dad?”

Fred had stayed out of it until then. He wanted for his wife to know not to push having changing the plans “Right son.”

The next step, was to get rid of Luke so he could make sure his wife knew to not bring up having Luke live here again. So in a joking manner he said “Why don’t you take a shower? I can smell you from here. Then after you are done share the story of hitting the McTwist with your mom. I know she will love it and I want to hear it again.”

Luke went upstairs radiating even more confidence than before. He walked past Lori's closed door on his way to get ready to take a shower. Lori felt a huge disturbance in the status quo when Luke walked by. Feeling how sure her brother was of himself hurt her self-esteem. It seemed like all her work on putting Luke in his place and hogging the spotlight was for not. All she could do was wait until Luke left and then start over in trying to make sure she was not in his shadow ever again.

The summer sun was rising as Luke stood on the cove looking towards the ocean next to his cousin Sam. Even with the bearer of the new day coming up from behind them instead of coming from the sea, the landscape was still breathtaking to Luke. The waves looked bigger, the water looked bluer, the sand was finer than the other beach Luke was at. Even with the beach being what Luke would consider paradise, this felt more like home than the other one. With how much Luke felt at one with the place, he did not even pay attention to the group of about 15 kids in the corner of his sight.

The sun once again was making the same promise of a new day, and a new start to Luke. This time both of the vows were going to be kept. There was going to be a new and better era in Luke’s life. This period will be filled with positive personal growth, people surrounded by people who were as supportive of him as he was of them. Luke was looking forward to these promising desires becoming a fact all those tomorrows which will be better than the day before. Somehow having the start of the new day behind him instead of in front of the boy completed the covenant.

Sam just stood there with his cousin. Those two shared so much in common. Finding peace and contentment among the waves and seagulls was a big one. Just embracing the silence, being in the moment and enjoying it together, put a little bit of a bigger smile on Sam’s face. This moment would make the bond between them stronger and also help him to better understand why Luke was his mom’s favorite nephew. Luke was a kindred spirit of both him and her.

Sam wanted to come here not only to have his cousin greet the sun, there were also a group of people he wanted him to meet. These people were also like the sun, for they will brighten up Luke’s days here. They were the kids who hung out here, the Cove Crew.

This cove was where Sam spent many of his summer and weekend days and nights while in high school as part of the Cove Crew. This group has been around for over 50 years. The group is so old that some of the members are third generation in the Cove Crew. Many kids have come and gone, but the self-made clan stayed strong. The reason was that the crew was about being there for each other.

After soaking in the moment and feeling at one with the area Sam motioned for Luke to follow him. They went towards that group of kids. As they were walking and coming closer to their destination, four of the kids, two boys and two girls, in that group started to walk towards them. Luke started to tense up, he felt that these kids were going to tell them to leave. That those kids would find anyway to put him down so he would not belong. Them being what they were a welcoming party never occurred to Luke.

The boy in the front was the leader and when they started to get closer his arms and eyes opened up. Luke’s sponsor to joining the Cove Crew did the same. Right then Luke knew these kids were friends not foes. Sam and the boy embraced.

The leader said “Sam, is that the east coast kid you told us about.”
Sam “Yeah his name is Luke.”

The boy went to Luke with an embrace “Luke, I am Silk.

I am sorry about forgetting your name. Sam told us about you and you hitting that McTwist stuck with us more than your name. Dude that trick is hard.”

Then one of the girls came up “Silk that trick is more than hard, hitting that is impressive.”

That girl was just making sure Luke hitting the McTwist was not downplayed for the sake of Silk seeming cooler than he is. Everyone who knew the girl knew she would speak up. Saying what was on her mind was what she did. Her nickname was Shy Girl and it was an ironic one.

After making sure the record was straight Shy Girl then welcomed Luke into the fold with a hug “I am Shy Girl, call me Shy. I guess we will be calling you Luke.”

The next to join in the greeting was Greg K. “Shy, only just now you were calling him Eck.”

Luke joined with the one-word question Eck. Why would anyone call him Eck was beyond him. Right away he was thinking the worse about Eck. It must be local slang for an outsider, or tag along. Greg K knew Luke was nervous. “Yeah Luke, Shy kept on calling you Eck instead of East Coast Kid when we were talking about you. She thinks it is a nickname.”

A nickname, Luke never had a nickname. A nickname meant people really accepted you. That your connection to them was strong, stronger that just normal friends. His feelings about the Cove Crew was now higher than the waters at high tide. They were so welcoming to him before they even knew him. “I like it.”

Greg was about to say he liked it also before welcoming Eck into the group, when the fourth member of the welcoming committee said “I like it to. Eck fits you. I am Lil.”

Lil was short for little surfer. She was the second-best surfer in the crew. The only one who was better than her was Silk. The only reason Silk was better than her, was he had two more years of experience on the board. Even with his nickname coming from how smooth he was on the waves, even Silk knew one day Lil would surpass him. Silk was looking forward to passing the torch to her. That was what the Cove Crew was about, enjoying life and making each other better.

Lil stating she liked Eck made Shy Girl look at her and almost do what was her name sake and say really what she thought. This was not to call her friend out, but to understand Lil’s opinion changing quicker than a cheetah. That was a quick change, until 15 minutes ago Lil liking the name Eck would have been a lie. Shy Girl ended up saying nothing, the look on her friend’s face was enough explanation. Lil liked Eck.
The change in liking came from when Lil saw Luke from afar, she took an instant liking to what she saw. If Luke liked Eck then she would because that was what Luke would want to be called. Yeah Sam’s cousin was cute with his curly hair, blue eyes and slim muscular body and that did help. What caught Lil’s eye was how Luke was admiring the beach. She could tell that just being in the presence of the sand, sun, open sky and waves was a spiritual experience for Luke. Lil wanted to go up there right then and join in and embrace the wonders of what the beach was with that stranger so they would know each other without words.

Lil did the welcoming embrace and hers was the longest. The newly crowned Eck did not mind. In fact to him the embrace could last all day and it would not have been too long. The hug was like the beach, felt like home. The hug also made the new kid of the group feel a close connection to Lil. To him this hug was not two strangers becoming friends, but two friends finding and meeting each other.

Even when the hug ended those two were still holding each other. The embrace was mostly spiritual, but there was a physical manifestation to it also. Their hands forgot the embrace was over and kept a hold of each other. Greg K almost called Eck over to make sure that their greeting was done properly, then he saw Eck’s and Lil’s hands not wanting to break the connection. The physical embrace was not important to Greg so he gave an emotional one. “Come on Eck, come meet the rest of the crew.”

Sam was happy to see Eck was taking to the group like a fish to the water. He said “Yeah go over there. I am going to get my board. Eck if you like you can give it a try.”

“I would love that.”

Lil said “I will love giving you some tips.”

As Sam went to get his board everyone else started to walk towards where the rest of Cove Crew was. The boy now known as Eck would be welcomed with open arms. There was no doubt to Eck or anyone else he was a crewmember. They accepted people right away, that was what made the Cove Crew so tight. Plus, they all saw the strong connection he already had with Lil. Within the Cove Crew, if someone was dear to one of them then that person was dear to all of them.

*********************

A madras is a hot curry sauce. The heat in this sauce is a complex one which comes from different spices. The layering of the hot spices along the balancing effects of the other spices is what makes madras curry dishes delicious. The heat is not heat for the sake of heat. The sauce was not used by insecure men to prove they can handle it, but by people who wanted a pleasant experience of eating something with complexity to how it tastes.

Not only is the taste complex in the madras, but the process of making the sauce is also so. Some of the spices are dried, others are fresh. Some of the spices need to be crushed, others left whole. Different spices need to be added at different times, and the spices need to be added in a precise order at the right time. For someone to say that they just whipped up this sauce, is being as truthful as a lady who dressed in her best little black dress makes the comment of “oh this ole thing? It is nothing,” to the compliment she received from who she was trying to impress.

Ramesh was going to try to use the excuse that he just whipped up a batch of madras as why he stopped by the Zahn’s house. He knew how much Fred and the rest of the family loved that curry sauce and maybe getting a nice surprise would distract them from looking for a reason behind this unexpected visit. The visit might have been as unexpected as a helping hand from a stranger when a person needs one, but it was also as needed as that helping hand.

Ramesh had to know how Luke was doing. It was not until a couple of weeks ago that he found out the real reason why Luke was not hanging out with his son Matt anymore. Luke was such a close friend and Ramesh did find it odd that those two did not hang out, but bought the reasoning Matt gave him. That Matt was so focused on science. There was no reason not to see this as drifting apart instead of what it was, a falling out. Even with the little bickering he saw between Matt and Luke, he just assumed it was just teenagers being teenagers. Friends do drift apart when they become teenagers because their interests and hobbies change.

Now with the real reason Luke and Matt not being friends anymore along with what Tom did with the gift coming to light, Ramesh was worried about Luke. He knew what it was like to be an outsider. He grew up as the only kid of Indian descent in his neighborhood. He was never really in the inner circle, anyways reminded he was an outsider. Sometimes on purpose, like some jerk joking about Ramesh's family's religion by saying the hamburger he was eating was Ramesh’s aunt. Sometimes by accident, when someone would mention how weird the name Ramesh was when first meeting him.

Fred was out front tending to the flower bed in front of the living room window when he heard Ramesh call out to him “Hey there Fred, how have you been?”

This was a pleasant surprise. Fred and Ramesh hadn’t had one on one time since their kid were no longer friends. With liking Ram, Fred did not questioned the visit. It would be nice to catch up with him. “Great, how about yourself? What brings you here?”

“Doing good and was in the mood to make some madras. I know how much you like it, so I figure I will give you some.”

“Thanks. I will be using this tonight. So how is Shanthi?”

“She is fine and has asked why you and Luke have not been to the bike park.”

Ramesh got quiet. He hated doing the dancing around the issue, it made feel like his tongue was replaced with two left feet. The words were code not their true meaning. He should have been more upfront.

A smile came to Fred’s face hearing his son’s name. The father missed Luke but was happy. Fred’s son was thriving better than the well-maintained flower bed in front of his house. Getting away from Lori and his mom has been so good to Luke’s personal growth. It has only been a month, but in that month, Luke sounded like a different person. His voice was stronger and his choice of words were more optimistic.

“There is a great reason. Luke is spending the summer in California with family.”

“Fred you know that I was mad at my son when I found out the extent of what happened between them. Matt messed up. That gift was so wrong. He should not have treated his friend that way.”

“Ram, calm down. That gift was not your son doing. Renee’s boyfriend switched tags. I know Matt and Renee, they would have never done something that mean. Your son fell in with the wrong crowd. The sad part is my daughter is part of that group”

Ram came clean about the visit. He did not want the talk to become about making him feel good about his son. “Matt was wrong to even be in that position that people thought he would do that. Anyways, I came here to make sure that Luke was doing good and it just hurts that he is not.”

“Ram, my son is. I am so happy for him. It hurts that he is not here right now, but he is getting better. Plus, when he comes back, he will not have to deal with any of Lori’s friends anymore.”

“Going to send Luke to a private school.”

“No, we are going to move. He needs a new start and living here will not give it to him.”

Ram felt as guilty “Fred, I don’t know what to say. I think I am going to get going.

“You could say the neighborhood is not going to be the same without you Fred.”

Fred wanted to spend time with his friend. It was going to be good to catch with Ram. Plus, he did not want their little conversation to end on a down note.

“How about I go get us some beer and we sit in the back? We can talk about ours kids and catch up. You know, Luke is learning to surf. I never thought my son would end up being a beach boy for a summer. But he is, and he is happy.”

Ramesh said “That sounds great, Matt is really excelling in chemistry. He is doing a science summer camp down at CMU. He also is not hanging out with Lori and her crew. Renee and that Mike Patton also are not.”

*************

Lori was wishing that it was last summer. Being punished last summer was a cakewalk compared to this summer. Last summer the punishment was more of a facade to appease her dad. Her mom was lenient enough to make the price of making Luke a total outcast worth paying. Her spirits would be uplifted every time she saw that Luke was as miserable as a person with a toothache. Lori might not be having a good time, but that was only because she was not allowed to. Luke could have a good time and was not. That means once punishment was over, life would be how it should be, hers better than Luke’s.

This summer is different. Her mom was not turning a blind eye for Lori. The lockdown was all the time. The Brat Princess could not do anything without the permission of her strict dad. Her dad was denying most of her requests. She could not even have Luke around to see that his predicament was worse than hers. Even thinking of his brother was a reminder life was not how it should be.

Luke being in such an awesome place made it worse. People told her California was where dreams were made and she did not doubt it. As she was in her nightmare, her brother was living the life on the West Coast. He was hanging out on the beach with surfers. Lori watched many movies and tv shows with surfers in them and the surfers were always the cool kids. Lori should be in the spotlight with the cool kids not that dork of a brother she had.

The only thing Lori had to look forward to was going to The David Project. This non-profit worked with bullied teens. This was the only time she felt free from the watchful eye of her dad. This was the only place where she could freely interact with other kids her age without worrying about anything getting back to her dad.

Giving time to the David project not only freed her from being watched over by others, it freed her from herself. When Lori went to the event hall which the David Project used for their weekly get togethers, the Brat Princess never came along. Lori did not have the expectations from her mom to be the spotlight, she was free to finally be herself.

Helping to set up and break down for the meeting was how Lori started to break down who she was as a spoiled attention seeking girl and started to set up meeting her potential of being a good person. This process was like paint drying, slow and hardly noticeable to people not paying attention. The progress was small and undetected even to Lori. At first, she wanted to perform a good job in setting up, so the little the other volunteers could say to her father would be good. Then it went to her wanting to have pride in her work until it became that she wanted to make sure that those kids who had this place as a haven got the best. Even with resisting and not believing in her dad’s actions, Lori was becoming a better person.

****************

Matt was relaxing with Renee in her backyard pool, when he told his best friend about Luke. They were just enjoying the weightlessness of sitting in the floating pool chairs when those words became the weight of the world to Renee. After hearing the news Renee disrupted the nice vibes of enjoying the great weather as she delivered a mini rant to show her displeasure “He is not coming back, not coming back. That can’t be, Matt. That cannot be. I need to see Luke again. All three of us were so close. We spent every weekend together. This cannot be.

“Luke does not need to start again. He has us. We messed up and we were working on getting our friendship back. Us three together can give Luke the new start he needs. This is not fair. We need to make this right and can’t.”

To Renee, Luke getting this new start and new life was the worst thing which could happen. There was no need for Luke to start over. Not living in his hometown was not fair to Luke. Not being close to his friends was not fair to Luke. Things could be made right and she wanted to. The girl did not get a chance to make things right. In her eyes people deserve to be able to correct their mistakes until they get it right. This comes from Renee having no quit in her. Her strength came from her not giving up. Now even with the will to make life how it should be, Renee was powerless to do so.

Matt got out of his floating pool chair and swam over to Renee. The distance was only 10 feet but waddling in the water towards her would take too much time. Matt had a need to be next to his friend right away. “Renee we are making this right. We might not see Luke again, but we will still make this right. We will be worthy of being Luke’s friends even if he never knows it. He wants the best for us and us being our best is the only thing we can do.

“I know it hurts, but Luke getting a new start is what is best for him. We want what is best for him.”

“Yes Matt, but dammit I miss him. I always thought that there would be time for us to get back on the same page.

“I care for him so much and he will never know that. Luke will always think back about us as just two more people who picked on him.”

Hearing about Luke not knowing their true feelings prompted Matt’s to face his true feeling about Renee. He liked her. It was not just that he liked her, Matt like her like her. The only thing which was holding Matt back until this moment was how unsure he was about girls. The boy had only kissed one girl, Lori, in his life and that kiss was a lie. Having his feelings being used to hurt his friends, made Matt unsure of them and also of others. He was confident in reading the signs he got from girls. That led to doubt and doubt is a huge red light for a person to take action on.

Those words became a green light for Matt to act on the feelings he felt for Renee. The day that they clean up after the party together, Renee mentioned how she should have shared her first kiss with someone like Matt. This might not be a first kiss, but this kiss will be more real than any kiss Tom ever gave Renee. Tom liked Renee as a person, but he was more into her for her looks. Matt could care less how Renee looked. Yes, he found her as beautiful as Lakshmi, The Hindu Goddess of Beauty, but that was not what drove his affection for her.

Matt leaned in to kiss Renee. He felt that it was now or never. There might have never been another chance for him to open up to her like this. If Matt was right, Renee would know the kiss was coming from the fact that her friend did not want her not to know how much he cared for her.

Renee leaned in towards Matt so their lips would meet quicker. She also cared for Matt and when he showed her his true feelings, she wanted to become closer with him. Even if nothing came from this kiss, Renee was making sure that Matt knew how much she cared for him. How much she trusted him. If Matt thought this kiss was a good idea, then Renee would try it. Matt would never harm her.

The kiss was as good of an idea as being honest with oneself. These two would never say that they shared their first kiss with each other, but deep down when being honest they both felt that they shared their first real kiss with each other. This kiss had caring and kindness powering it. The kisses they shared before was about the other person getting what they wanted. Tom wanted Renee as his girlfriend and Lori wanted to cause pain to Luke.

After the kiss, Matt put his hand on Renee’s face. Looking deeply into her eyes he said. “We messed up by not showing Luke how much we cared for him. I was not going to make that mistake with you when you factor in that I care for you. I want you by my side. I just had to show you that. It would have felt wrong just saying it.”

As she put her hand on Matt’s face, Renee returned the gaze into his eyes. “I want you by my side also. We make each other better. I want to be better and I want you to be better.”

******************

Movie theaters are the most private public spaces. Those massive complexes are designed to hold many people, yet have each small group’s entire time there being separate from the rest of the public. The most obvious way comes from the design to enhance the movie watching experience. The screens are dark with more than enough sitting. The lobby area is also designed for no interaction. There is sensory overload to ensure the moviegoer is lost in the moment. The bright lights drawing their attention to the concession stands. The movie posters blasted all over the walls. Some of the all-time great to get the patron in the right mindset to have a good time. Being reminded of a good time helps people be in the right place to have a good time. The rest of upcoming features the theater will have. Plant a seed in their mind that they have to come back soon.

How private is this public space was the reason why Lori and Blake would always go to a movie on their dates. Ever since Tom’s prank of switching the gift tag, Lori was barely able to ever just hang out with her friends. Her dad was strict in raising her. He knew that Lori still needed to have some freedom, but at the same time he supervised her more than a normal teenager.

Blake also would never stay at Lori’s house when Fred came home. Just being around Mr. Zahn made Blake feel uneasy. The young boy knew that his girlfriend’s dad liked him as much as a housecat likes the rain. Another reason was the open disdain Fred showed Blake when calling Lori’s boyfriend out on who he was. Blake knew the reason was his actions and they were wrong. Lying to himself was easier than facing the truth and working on becoming a better person, so he much rather stay away from anyone who reminded him of who he really was.

Those two went to many movies but never really saw one. They spent the time in the back row of the screen and did what any teenage couple did in private, made out. Those two not only explored each other bodies, but also how they liked others to explore their bodies. Even with the private area being in public they both learned how far they were willing to go. This knowledge did not come from action, but desire.

Blake wanted more than just hot and heavy make out sessions and Lori did not. She was not ready and being only in a semi private area made it so she did not have to give in to any pressure. Being able to ease into her sexual experiences ended up giving Lori true anonymity over her body. Not feeling forced, made her understand that someone would stay with her for who she was, not what she did in the bedroom for them.

Alice was always the one who picked up Blake and Lori to drive the young lovebirds home from the date. Fred knew he made Blake as comfortable as a grandson wearing a bad sweater to show his grandparents he was grateful for their gift. He might not like Lori’s choice of boyfriend, but he was going to be supportive of her. Chasing Blake away would only do more damage to his relationship with Lori and make his daughter even more resistant to what he was trying to instill in her.

Lori’s mom loved picking her daughter up from those dates. Alice saw this time as mother-daughter bonding together. Plus, she knew that Lori would not open up to Fred as much as she did to her. Most teenage girls weren’t going to have an in-depth conversation about relationships with their fathers. Alice knew these conversations needed to be had. That if Lori could be open about what was going with Blake that she could get the support from her mom to make the right decision. Alice acted like a ship captain and steered Lori's decision to wait to become more sexually active. Taking this course was easy. The flow and the wind from Lori was already heading towards the destination of waiting until she was totally ready.

Lastly, Alice liked having this time alone so she could reassure Lori that they were not moving. Lori was dreading losing all of her friends and having to start over at a new school. These talks made Lori see her worries as insignificant as she found her brother. She knew that even with her Queen not being able to protect her from being under the strict rule of Luke’s Lord Protector that she would not lie to her. Lori took comfort that at least when away from her dad she would always have her court close to her.

******************

Luke’s life was just like California, bright, energetic and filled with countless possibilities. The sun seemed to always shine and just made the colors all around more vivid. The great weather made it so people were always outside on the move. Finally, having the beach two blocks away from his Aunt’s home, plus LA being a tourist destination made it so Luke had choices of what to do. Even with being able to go to tourist traps like Disney Land or do a tour of a Hollywood studio, Luke's choice was almost always the same one, he would pick going down to the beach.

Even with the choice being the same place there was always so much to do at the cove. There was surfing or just being in the ocean. Then if Luke was in the mood to stay on the beach, there was catching frisbee or football, playing volleyball, or just soaking the warm sunrays and being around his fellow members of the crew. There was one important thing all of these options had, him being with his friends. This was when Luke would be Eck.

The options did not end there. Eck and Lil would sometimes just take a walk on the pathway which skirted the beach to being alone or to make it down to the boardwalk. The boardwalk had rides, food stands, games of chance, sideshows by street performers, and souvenir shops. It was a permanent carnival filled with regulars, locals, tourists and the workers. Most of the workers there were carneys. After all who else would be working at a carnival?

The carnies had a different way of dividing who was at the boardwalk. Insiders and outsiders. Of course the other workers were all insiders, but some of the regulars also made it into that inner circle. The kids of the Cove Crew did. This was because of the overlap between the carney’s and Cove Crew’s code and of taking care of their own, being united and not to take advantage of the young and the weak.

The outsiders were divided into two main groups, marks and non-marks. A mark was someone who they could make easy money out of. Marks usually had one of two traits, vanity or carelessness. They also had something which made the carney not feel bad about taking their money, a huge surplus of money. This was important to the carney, they did not want to take away from people who needed the money. That went against their code of not taking advantage of the young and weak. Also, it would be bad business. A good mark was one which never found out they were one and had a good time spending their money. A good mark was the rich kid using his mommy and daddy’s money trying too hard to impress his girl by winning her that stuffed animal. Another example of a good mark was a couple from out of the country who wanted to spend all their money so they did not have to exchange it. The grandparents with their grandkids were also someone who was more than happy to overspend to have a good time.

These walks towards the land of barkers and flashing lights was Eck’s favorite thing to do when not being in the waves. This was when Eck and Lil got to really know each other. Even with still calling each other by their nicknames, this was when Eck was Luke and Lil was Mary. They shared their dreams during this time. Eck knew he wanted to work with IT. This field to him was about connection and communication. The boy holding Lil’s hand wanted nothing more than to help make better connections and be able to communicate better. Lil wanted to be a pilot. She wanted it because of the freedom of flight. She also loved the ability to connect to faraway places so quickly.

As Luke was gaining his footing on who he was, he was also gaining his footing on the surfboard. Going to the beach to greet the sun gave the perfect chance to practice. That was a perk of being in the dawn patrol. For Luke, it also helped that one of the other members of the dawn patrol in the Cove Crew was Lil. She wanted as much time as she could have with the waves to herself.

This time helped Luke go from a Barney, a new surfer, who jaked a lot, got in the way of an experienced surfer, to surfer quickly. Within a week, Eck was good on the stick. The balance from riding his skateboard helped him make the learning curve not as steep as the waves he was learning on. Plus the support of the Cove Crew added to his confidence to keep on keeping on striving to be the best he could.

Lil did not mind taking some time away from her surfing to help because teaching the barney also meant it was spending time with Eck. Even if the newbie was not her boyfriend she would still enjoy mentoring him. Helping others to become better surfers was how she could payback those who did the same with her. Teaching the new people at the Cove was what made the crew so tight. Lastly, it made sure that they did not fall into localism, looking down at others who were not part of the group. Helping right away made sure others were part of the group right away if they wanted.

Lil was happy that Eck was not one of the Shobies, one who bought the board, gear and clothing as only an accessory to try to fit in. If that boy was not true to himself her initial connection and attraction to him would have faded as quick as a breaking wave, Eck’s goal from being sketchy on the board to being sick on the stick just added to her feeling for him. Then, if sharing a love to surf was not the reason. Eck wanting to be his best was. Lil’s goal was to be a pilot, she needed to aim for her best. That was the only way she would get accepted to the pilot program in the Navy.

A week into Eck coming down to be part of the dawn patrol, only him and Lil reported for duty. It was a Saturday morning and the older kids had a little bit of too much fun the night before. Those two being at the cove alone also led to a huge advance in Luke’s skill, there was no wait for a wave. He also could choose the best waves with good tubes to ride.

This time also led to a huge advance in Eck’s and Lil relationship. They shared their first kiss. Luke was able to make it out of being in the green room, inside the tube and ride the wave out until it crashed. The feeling of finishing the ride without wiping out was blissful. To him it was yet another sign that the new day and new start was here. He escaped the closing walls of the green room to the light of day. Right away Eck gratefully looked at Lil.

Lil was proud of Eck and herself. Eck was modest, it takes a good person to know that they did not acomplished their goal on their own. He also did not have that typical male ego. So many guys she met would not admit that she was a better surfer than them. They would not take her advice. Her giving the tip, training and teaching Eck made her feel good about herself. She was making sure that The Cove Crew stuck together. That they will have a united front of being there for one another.

Eck made his way to his mentor and friend. He was only going to hug her. He wanted to feel that close to her again. Maybe by holding each other, how he felt at that moment would pass onto her. When he got to her the plan changed. Eck hugged Lil as tight as a board on a wave when doing the cutback move and spun her around. The spin gave them a feeling of euphoria, some of that came from being lightheaded and the rest was from their touch.

Then when Eck put down Lil he kissed her. That kiss made both of their cheeks as red as the skin of someone who wiped out. The blood rushed so strongly to their cheeks they swore it was from some foam when it hit the skin. After the kiss they just held each other. Those two became just one silhouette against the orange red sky background from the rising sun.

Alice was happy for her son but hated the situation after hanging up after Luke’s phone call back home. Luke sounded so happy, but all the reasons for his happiness hurt. Her son loved living in California and Alice was hoping that he would be begging to come back home. Luke wanting to return would make her husband stop the fruitless house hunting they were doing. His happiness for being in with a crowd and having a nickname, was not right to the concerned Mom. Luke was Luke, he should not be going by Eck. This was nothing like how an older brother should act. Alice’s brother closest to her age, Dom, did not have a nickname and stayed away from hanging out with a big crowd. To Luke’s mom, his happiness was being forced and he was going to come crashing back down when he goes back to being who he really was.

Alice’s biggest concern which came from talking with her son, was his use of Mother when saying no to her about him coming home without them moving. The idea was shot down faster than a jerk using a creepy pick up line on an elegant lady. The conviction in Luke’s words were as strong as a person with true faith beliefs. The certainly behind the no and use of mother let Alice know she was not yet forgiven for all the times she forced her son to wear a dress. The use of mother also reminded her how her son really felt about her, he hated his mom.

Alice’s mixed emotional response to the phone call was a perfect example of why one of the hardest things about being a parent for Alice was watching her children grow up. Raising children was a bittersweet experience for her. Overall, her children doing well was what made her so happy with being a mom. Luke and Lori were both doing great in school, they pursued their goals and had hobbies. The bitter part came from having misguided expectations for them. She wanted Lori to have a carbon copy of her childhood. That meant Lori had to be like her and Luke like Dom. This never worked out. Lori was only her golden child not Fred’s. Luke did not embrace being who he should be Older brothers were not supposed to be so outgoing like Luke. They stayed in the background for the youngest to shine.

Fred, on the other hand, was as ecstatic about his son as a man down to his last dollar hitting the jackpot. Hearing about all of Luke’s escapades only reinforced having his son moved to the other side of the country as the right decision. It still tickled him hearing about his son riding the waves. Hearing about all the time spent with the Cove Crew, did not only made Fred’s day, it made his week. Luke deserved being in so tight with kids that they gave him a nickname. Teenagers needed to feel like they belonged.

The next news Luke gave Fred, made sure that it made not only his week but his month also. Luke had a girlfriend. His son having found someone that special to him, was exactly the boost Luke needed to help make sure the past was looked back upon and not lived in. Luke would be able to stay in the moment longer when life got rough.

There was one difficult question which came with hearing his son doing so well. Would it be for the best for Luke to stay out in California no matter what? Fred so wanted his son to come home as soon as possible. He missed watching Luke go from being a boy to becoming a man. The loving father also wanted his son to come home for selfish reasons. The last thing Fred wanted was to feel like a failed parent. How he let himself be in the dark instead of digging deeper with his wife and his son’s relationship made Fred feel like he was not a good parent. He wanted a chance for redemption.

Wanting the chance to right his mistake was what led Fred to answer the difficult question. If his son wanted to stay in California then he would. Being the best parent you can be meant doing what was best for your child. Being away from Lori and Alice was best for Luke. He knew his wife would not make any more mistakes with Luke, but Lori, his daughter would do everything she could to try to make Luke feel like he was a distant second to her. Fred knew he could not watch over her enough to stop Lori from trying to make the world how she wanted it. The father also knew there was not enough time for Lori to change. Lori might not even want to change.

Fred would ensure Luke knew the choice was up to him. He would also assure his son that his home was with him, not in California. Fred would also make sure that the connection between them stayed strong. He would take his wife and daughter to go visit Luke out to Cali for the summer vacation. Also, Luke would come home to visit for Christmas. They would be as close as they could be even with a such great distance between father and son.

With the decision made Fred was going to tell his wife. Fred wanted her input about it, but would not change his mind only because she objected. They both had to put what was best for Luke ahead of their wants. They wanted their family to be whole, but that was not as important as making sure Luke had the best opportunity to have the best childhood he could.

**************

The night before the call was almost just like a normal night for Eck. He went down to the stationary carnival, which was the boardwalk, to hang with some of the members of the Cove Crew. The night started to become a little special when Lil was there. Anytime Luke ended doing anything with Lil around, went from normal to special. Then the level of specialness increased when Eck and Lil ended up splitting from the group. She asked him if he wanted to share a funnel cake. The answer of yes was as sure as the new day, new start and new beginnings which came with the rising sun. No was not an option, one of the few things Eck found better than being in a group with Lil around was when those two spent time alone.

Their path down the midway was lit by the neon lights above the games of chance, sideshows, food stands and rides. The different colors of the signs were like an electric rainbow and at the end was both Valhalla and a pot of gold. Eck and Lil having alone time was Valhalla and them becoming Luke and Mary to each other was the pot of gold.

Them becoming who they were without any masks or expectations was a treasure worth more than any leprechaun’s treasure. This time alone did not only let Luke and Mary become closer to each other, it also let them become closer to who they were. Finding someone who cared for you like those two did for each other, made it easier to open up to both the other and themselves.

Then after finally getting the funnel cake those two sat on the railing of the boardwalk. The perch was chosen because of it being out of the light and it gave those two semi-privacy. Picking to be in seclusion came from them wanting to have a monopoly of the other’s time. Being in the limelight would have taken away from the spotlight on each other.

Luke and Mary were laughing while they were feeding each other funnel cake when they saw Shy in the distance. They instantly stopped the laugher and movement to try to not get busted. If Shy did not see the young lovers then their open secret, which everyone knew that they liked each other, would stay undiscovered. Everyone knowing but not speaking about the obvious, saved those two from the stupid questions, like “Hey did you get some?” Teenagers could be so crass and dumb.

Another reason for the privacy was so that Luke and Mary did not have to answer the many unanswered questions about the relationship. Were they boyfriend girlfriend? How long had they been together? Did they love each other? When was their time together, a date or just them spending time together? The two love birds were fledglings to being in love, and them being unversed in the language of love led to speaking directly being difficult. They wanted to be honest, yet at the same time not put any pressure on the other. They also did not want to build up expectations. They were happy by just being around each other and being able to be true to themselves.

Trying to not draw attention did not work. Shy saw her friends and started to go straight towards them. Their friend made it down to the boardwalk late that night, dinner out with the parents, so she was looking for the Cove Crew. Talking to Eck and Lil would send her in the right direction. Plus Shy wanted to see if those two finally admitted to each other what everyone else knew, that they were a couple.

Both Luke and Mary knew they were going to have a crash course in talking about love. Sitting alone sharing funnel cake in a darkened area of the boardwalk was not something two friends did. Even if they could think of a thin cover story which most of their friends would act like they believed, Shy would not. Her disbelief would not be from not trying. Not being afraid to say what was on her mind made Shy just naturally punch holes in any story.

Shy greeted her friends “Hey guys, what’s up?”

Luke spoke first ”Just hanging out with Mary.”

“With Mary?”

Shy response to Luke’s answer with a question was a sign of a massive hole punch in the story. Even with those five words all being truthful, Luke knew what he said was a lie of omission. Using Mary instead of Lil was what made it so. He was not speaking in Cove cant. The Cove Crew used the others nickname to refer to each other all the time. This was unless they were going out with each other.

Saying Mary caused a huge wave and Luke was going to have to ride it. Mary holding his hand a little tighter was a sign for him to do so. “Right Mary?”

The short question was also a complex one. It was not only to confirm what Luke said was true. It was the novice’s way of asking Mary out. He was not going to state what this truly was unless Mary was ready to also. Mary said “Yes Luke.”

Even with one of the worst secrets ever finally being exposed Luke and Mary felt awkward. They wanted to talk about what they had, finally answer those unasked questions but could not yet. Shy was still there. This situation did not last long. Shy might have been a straightforward teenager but she was not crass and stupid.

Before leaving Shy wanted to show her blessing. She knew those two went as good together as a sunny day and the beach. “Cool, I’ll leave you two along. I just came over to see if you knew where Silk and the rest of the crew was.”

To Luke and Mary, hearing those words was almost as big of a relief as finally being open and honest to each other. Luke looked at Mary to refer to her giving the answer. Him doing all the talking for the newly announced couple did not feel right to him. To him the relationship was not only them becoming best friends but also being partners. Mary said “They were down by the balloon pop when we left them.”

“Thanks, and enjoy your night. See you later?”

It was late and the talk was going to be long so Luke responded “See you tomorrow Shy.”

The girl who was going to find her friends, gave the two lovebirds a hug as she left. She whispered in Lil’s ear that she was happy for her. Those two were best friends and Lil shared with Shy how she felt about Luke. Shy also gave the same message to Eck. She knew he was a good one and deserved to be with someone like Lil.

Those two were alone with that elephant alongside them being the topic. Even with many topics to cover which they thought would make them uncomfortable the talk was easy. They breezed thru what was worrying them before for one reason, they realized how insignificant the answers to those questions really were. The date they started to date was not relevant, them being together was what mattered. Boyfriend, girlfriend were just labels and did not change how they felt about each other. Both Mary and Luke found it great to say it, but that came from declaring who they were to each other. They wanted the world to know that they found the other special and picked them over anyone else.

On their way home, they held hands. Luke walked Mary to her home and even with a set of peering eyes looking out the front door window, he kissed her. Luke was not scared of showing anyone how he felt about Mary. Being brave did not make him crass or stupid. It was a short kiss to show respect to their audience.

As soon as he was out of sight from Mary’s house, Luke dropped playing it cool and started to run home. Even with being free to be open with Mary, he still did not want to look like a dork right then. He could not wait to tell his aunt and uncle about his night. Tomorrow could not come quick enough, he wanted to go to the Cove and let everyone see him together with Mary. Then he wanted to tell his cousin Sam. Most importantly, he wanted to tell his dad all about Lil. His dad hearing that story of his son getting his first girlfriend was how Fred’s week being made went to his month being made.

****************

Tracy was not having a good summer and could not wait for it to be over. The biggest reason was who she chose to surround herself with. Being close friends with Lori and her court was weighing heavily on Tracy. She needed to break free from them. The girl wanted a do-over with picking her friends. The best way to get into a new crowd was the start of a new school year.

The start of the upcoming new year would not be a normal one for her. Tracy was going to be a freshman so she was starting her high school career. With all three middle schools of her school district going to the same high school, entering 9th grade was a restart for people who wanted one. There were so many new people, so kids could branch out from their old groups. Being surrounded with new people also let the kids change who they were or at least perceived to be by others. Many times, a troublemaker would take advantage of the new start and become a model student in high school. The lanky kid would take a chance and try out for the basketball team. A geek or nerd would go to find some of the cool kids from the other areas of town.

Tracy was going to change, but did not know how. All she knew was that she did not want to be known as the last thing Luke has said to her, a mean and nasty person. She knew she was better than that. If only Tracy was not so anxious she would not be. The girl needed to have faith in herself and she would be able to show to everyone including herself that she was not a mean and nasty person, just a scared girl who needed support to find her inner strength. By the end of the year she would get that support from the most unlikeliness of all people, Luke.

****************

Lori was unfolding the cushion metal chairs to put around one of the cards tables the David Project used for board games. Out of all the tables and playing areas she helped set up this was the one Lori was going to be at tonight. The game Go was going to be played there. Every week this game was played by Ming Zhao. Every week less and less of the other kids wanted to play with Ming. He was just too good at the game. The kids did not know him well enough to just want to spend time with him. They were there to play games to be social, not the other way around. Ming needed someone to play with and Lori was going to be that someone.

Had the Brat Princess not been volunteering at the David Project, she would not have wanted anything to do with Ming. Ming’s story was too much like her brother’s. His dad played favorites and picked his younger brother over him. The only time he paid attention to him was when the teenager was in trouble. The trouble was mostly for being himself. Ming was not the idea of a son to his dad. Mr. Zhao wanted his boys to be like John Wayne, tough and rugged without a need to talk about their emotions. Ming was more like Keanu Reeves, strong, resistant and in touch with his emotions. Ming was an outcast at school but not by his choice. His brother tried to toughen his baby brother up by initiating picking on him and inviting others to join in. His mom was too busy putting out other fires at home and also working to see how bad the situation was for Ming.

Lori’s heart hurt for Ming. He was a bright kid who was helpful, yet more similarities between Luke and him. These matching personality traits were not seen by Lori. There was no way that Lori would see this sweet preteen as anything like her brother. She lied to herself about Luke so much that him being bright and helpful was to her him showing off and trying to steal the spotlight. Plus, here she was not thinking about her brother. Here Lori did not have to worry about him. At the David Project there was no one who ever said she was Luke’s sister or she was a twin.

Lori’s issue with her brother was actually internal. She was never able to be an individual. Everyone always grouped them together, that was what people did with twins. This grouping together meant Luke and Lori did everything together at first. The results were always compared. Her entire life felt like a competition. Then there was the exception her mom put on Lori. Alice wanted her daughter to have the same childhood as her. Lori wanting to win her mom’s affection did everything she could to fill the role of the youngest daughter according to Alice, be the golden child. Needing to be the golden child meant Lori had to be better than Luke. Needing to be the golden child also meant that Lori tried to be the Brat Princess instead of herself.

Lori was good at Go, but only good enough to give a competitive game. Losing to him did not matter to her. It was time spent giving a smile to someone who deserved one, plus, playing the game was fun. The strategy involved helped hone critical thinking.

After three games Lori suggested that they get a large pizza. Ming’s eyes became as large as those pies. After all Lori’s friend was a preteen boy and they loved pizza. He did not even think about him and his friend not being able to eat it all and went to pull out his money. Ming assumed he was going to pay half. He never had a friend buy him something.

Lori said “Put your money away, this is my treat. We can invite a couple of the other kids, whoever you want to join us. Then as we enjoy the snack play Fortnight with them.”

Ming lost his enthusiasm and said “Let’s just play Fortnight.”

“Come on you like pizza and I am hungry.”

Ming said “I want to include everyone here.”

All those years of thinking quickly to try to get her brother finally paid off for good. Lori figured out that three large pizzas should be enough to include everyone and the cost would not damage her saving that much. Getting this pizza was about more than her eating. Lori wanted the other kids to bond with Ming. They would be more open to playing Go with him if they liked him. She wanted Ming to not be there to stray away in loneliness but to form friends. The decision was to get enough for all. Lori told Ming “Then we will get three. Two pepperoni and one extra cheese. You announce it. Say it's from us.”

Ming weaved his way through the couple of other tables to go up to Ms. Polone. He wanted the lady who ran game night to tell all the kids the news. She insisted that Ming did. Him saying it would endear him to the group more. Ming made the announcement and the kids cheered. The night went from game night to a pizza party.

As the kids started to mingle and talk about how much fun the pizza party was going to be, Ms. Polone went up to talk with Lori. She wanted to thank Lori for the kind gesture. The sad truth about running this non-profit was Ms. Polone could never get enough donations to provide what she wanted to these kids.

The David Project was a hobby for Rita Polone. She felt good trying to make sure other kids never felt like her son. Seeing someone else make a sacrifice to add to game night let her know she was doing good. She needed that.

Ms. Polone said “Lori I don’t know what to say about the pizza.”

With how much trouble Lori has been in, with any adult not named Alice Zahn she got defensive. Maybe she stepped over the line without asking first, or Ms. Polone thought that she took Ming’s money. “Ms. Polone, sorry that I did not ask. It just I thought you would say yes.

Also, I did not take any money from Ming. I just wanted the kids to think he helped. I wanted him to take all the credit. Him buying pizza would make them open to playing Go with him again. He loves that game.”

Ms. Polone hugged Lori “Oh child, I am sorry. I did not mean for you to think you did bad. It is just touching that you turned these kids Friday night into a party. I know what you did before you explained. You made my day and saying thanks was not enough. You are one of the good ones.”

Being told she was one of the good ones was payment enough for her good deed. Had the Brat Princess been here, the first thought would have been to throw what Ms. Polone said right into her dad’s face. Someone thinking she was good would not have felt as good to her as knowing that her dad was wrong. Instead, Lori just thought her dad was misinformed and had not yet seen this side of his daughter. That somehow, she needed to make her dad see she was not what he thought she was.

Those words meant so much because Lori expected no personal gain from her gesture. The goal was Ming and the other kids becoming closer. Breaking bread with someone also broke the walls between them down. Sharing that time eating together helped form bonds. That was what this place needed. Helping was more than just doing what you were told. True help was doing what was needed without being told.

The kids all gathered around the television. They all ate pizza, drank pop, talked, and they took turns playing Fortnight as the others watched. Tonight, was the liveliest the social hall ever felt for the David Project. Ms. Polone felt like her hobby was doing more than just halting the ill effects of being bullied. Tonight, it was bringing kids together and making them stronger. Having support made kids able to stand up.

On the way home, Lori told her dad all about her night. The dad was proud of his daughter. He knew she was sharing the good feelings she had with him. A month before, this talk would have been Lori just trying to prove her dad wrong. This talk made it so maybe there was hope for Lori. There was another maybe which came from the night, there was a chance that Fred did not let his daughter down as much he thought.

After hearing about his daughter’s night Fred said “I am proud of you. I will give you half of the money you spent. You went way beyond what you planned.”

Lori’s heart grew from hearing those words. Now it was her turn to make her dad’s heart do the same “Wait until two months from now. Ms. Polone and I are trying to have a pizza party each month from now on and she is paying for the next one.”

“Lori, I will give you the money and also two months from now to pay for the pizza party. You deserve that.”

“No dad those kids deserve it.”

****************

Meeting rooms was one way that media companies wasted money. The rooms themselves were not frivolous expenses. Meeting rooms were vital for a company’s communication. The unneeded expense came from the companies always upgrading and remodeling them. Image was everything to too many of the big wigs in charge. The higher up wanted to make sure how people in the industry perceived the company, and that it was doing the best. Looking the best to them, would help draw and maintain the best talent. Those big wigs knew that a company is only as good as what movies, shows, CD, and books they have in production.

It was late Thursday when Bridget Meunier was running a meeting in one of these unnecessarily revamped rooms. The length of the meeting was the only thing she found to be even more needless. The time and money wasted during this meeting got to Bridget. Her title of Senior Executive Producer was irrelevant, and just a word salad to state she was paid well and had power. Her job was to come into a project which was at the breaking point of their budget becoming bloated and streamline them. Wasteful spending on this room, and the people wasting time in it just repeating what she said to somehow gain favor with her was counterproductive.

Then when she was about to answer yet the same question from the same person worded slightly differently she got a phone call. The ring was a deus ex machina to her. She excused herself to answer and then after greeting her savior from wasting more time, excused herself from the call and put the phone on mute.

“Everyone, I have to take this call. Now go back and look at the newest script and the original. See where they differ. Only keep in any changes which stayed true to the plot or characters and take out any which was put in because you thought it was a cool idea. Thank you and have a good night.”

The declarative nature of the last sentence told the writers and director that the meeting was over. They all grabbed their notes and left the room.

“Hey Fred sorry about that I am working a little late tonight.”

“Oh Bridget, I can let you go. I can call you back when you are done.”

“I am done now. I wanted to be done a half hour ago so your called help me.”

“I will not keep you long. I want to bring Alice and Lori out to California next month on our vacation to see Luke.”

“Great, you can stay at our guest house.”

“I wasn’t calling for a place. Wait, you have a guest house!”

“Yes, and I know you were not calling for a place to stay, but you have one. Just tell me when and I will make sure that Martin and I are off.”

********************

The week after the spur of the moment pizza party, Ming along with a couple of the regulars of the David Group arrived right after Lori. They were carrying reusable grocery bags filled with paper plates, napkins, plastic utensils, snacks, buns and six packs of different sodas, and Ming had a crock pot. As Ming walked by Lori the delicious aroma from the crock pot gave away the content, hot italian sausage. The scent of fennel, oregano, paprika, red pepper flakes and tomato sauce was a clear give away.

Lori was still in the process of unfolding the first table when a member of the early arrivers group, Paula Logan, asked another, Ted Winters, to help her set up one of the long tables. Paula’s helper suggested putting it at the far wall by the electrical socket. The rest of the group gave him a shout out for the good idea.

As the kids were setting up the pot luck dinner they organized on their own, Ms. Polone came out of the social hall’s office. Seeing the kids were at game night early, made the director of the David Project feel good. Them wanting to be there was a sign that she was helping them feel like part of a group. Then seeing them set up to share a meal was even more touching. Not only were these kids feeling like a part of a group they wanted to make sure the group became closer.

Wanting to give credit where it was due, Ms. Polone went to Lori and said “Dear, you are doing too much. You got all these kids to help you. Thank you. I will bring a cake next week. We can’t always do something this big, but we will. You are making this place feel so welcoming to the kids.”

The Brat Princess would have taken the credit, but she was left at the door. Her not being Alice’s daughter or Luke’s twin sister acted like two bouncers and denied that part of Lori’s entrance to this place. “Ms. Polone. I had nothing to do with it. These kids did it all on their own.”

Ms. Polone called everyone over. “Kids, thank you so much for doing this. You know you do not have to. I have been working on trying to get more funding and will start to bring snacks. Next week it will be cake and ice cream.”

The ice cream was added after she found out it was the kids themselves. That gesture became sweeter to the lady who was trying to give them a place to call their own so she was going to make the reward even sweeter. Hearing about next week treat made the kids look forward to the next game night even more. Spending time with friends was great, but having cake and ice cream during that time made it even better.

Tim did the same as Lori and made sure most of the credit went where it should. “Ms. Polone, Ming organized this. Right Ming?”

Sheepishly Ming agreed. He did not like being in the limelight. Whenever he was the center of attention, it was usually not good.

Ms. Polone wanted to help Ming be more open, so she asked an open-ended question. If it had been just a closed ended one like “Was this true?” the answer would have been one word. So, she went with “That is so nice of you. Why and what made you pick hot sausage?”
“It was so nice what Lori did last week. Everyone was having fun together and laughing. I wanted this week to be the same.

“I pickled hot sausage because I overheard you and Lori talking about it. You two do so much for us, it just seemed right to get something both of you liked.”

Lori spoke up “That is so nice of you Ming. Everyone that is so nice of all you. Ming might have come up with the idea, but you all did it. You all took charge. Thank you all.”

The game night at the social hall was loud the entire time. The room was filled with people who were being social by playing games. Whereas before, the feel was that people were playing games to be social. The new emphasis on getting to know each other over doing the activity, gave the night the feel of a party.

During the night Ming and Lori talked. This chat was at first small talk about what they did over the past week. The normally reserved Ming became extroverted. His eyes lit up like the sun in the clearing of the woods he started to talk about. Last weekend his mom finally took him to a cabin. He spent every waking moment out in nature with his notebook. Ming wanted to draw and take notes of the flora and fauna he encountered.

Hearing this story made Lori go back many years ago, to when she was eight years old. Her mom took her horseback riding. Being in nature felt so good, riding down that secluded trail made her as tranquil as the pond at the bottom of it. Thinking back, Lori felt that she would have enjoyed it more being on foot. That somehow, she was putting herself above nature being on horseback.

Lori engaged in the conversation by bringing up how much she liked that trail. That it would be nice to actually walk it with someone who knew the trees, plants and animals. Ming was that person and offered to take her. With the Brat Princess nowhere to be found, Lori forgot about needing permission from her dad and took Ming up.

Then on her way out of the social hall the Brat Princess was there waiting to be picked up before they got into her dad’s van. Talking to her dad the Brat Princess made a declaration about her plans for the weekend, going to that trail with Ming. Her dad’s ruling was two months ago and it had to ease up by now. There was no way a subject could think they could sway such enormous power over royalty.

Even with the statement coming from the Brat Princess, the voice was Lori. Fred did not take it as an order. It came out too sweet to be a demand. Hearing that Lori was actually making a connection with Ming gave him more hope than last week about his daughter. Having higher expectations about his aspiration for his daughter made a pause in the conversation.

The Brat Princess was abruptly pushed to the back by Lori. Fred’s daughter did not want to have to call Ming and say she could not go. Yes, she would be disappointed if she could not expand her love of the woods this weekend, but letting down Ming would be more of one. “Sorry, dad. I meant can I go to the horse-riding trail with Ming this weekend? It just sounded so fun I forgot to ask. Please, can I go? I promise I know to ask you. I will from now on.”

“My sweet pickle, you can go. It sounds great and can see why you are excited.”

Hearing my sweet pickle from her dad kept the Brat Princess from being able to push her way on to the front. Ever since the start of the War of the Twins, her dad had not called or use that term of affection towards her. He never had a reason, dealing with the Brat Princess always left a sour taste in his mouth. ”Thanks, dad. I will share everything about it with you. Did you know that Ming wants to work with nature when he grows up?”

**********************

Greg K. sat at the Cove looking southward towards the boardwalk. The distance between him and the permanent carnival made it so only the building and the rides were visible. This did not matter. The young man was focused on underneath the boardwalk. The support beams had his attention. That was where the past of the Cove Crew was, and also his future. Since it’s inception, sometime during the summer after graduating high school a member would go down there to carve their name in one of the support beams. Each year had its own beam.

This summer was Greg K.’s time to leave his mark on the beams which supported him into becoming the young man he was. Those beams did not only hold up the boardwalk. They held up the Cove Crew. This ritual of leaving your mark about being in the Cove Crew also left its mark on the group. The current members would go down there and see all who had preceded them. Knowing that staying true to the group was also staying true to the people who came before.

To most of the people in the Cove Crew, now some of those people who came before were their brothers, sisters, cousins, aunts, uncles, parents, and grandparents. Some of those former members might be their favorite teacher, or neighbors. These people who were close to them, made the Cove a place they loved and the members people they could count on. Staying true to this place was staying true to those who were dear to them.

Also, some of those former members might be strangers. To some of the members, honoring the people they did not know was most important to them. Knowing that people they never will meet had a hand in making them who they were, gave these members of the Cove Crew a connection to everyone. Not knowing everyone who helped them become who they were, made them see that people are more interconnected than society led them to believe. Community was more than your town, state or country. Community was who you let in.

As the soon to be emeritus member of the Cove Crew was looking towards the place which would make his present the past, part of the future of the place he held dear walked into his line of sight. Eck. One of the newest members was coming back from hanging ten and going to hang out by the firepit. Spending time by the firepit was for bonding and becoming closer to the group. Greg K. called Eck over.

Eck’s friend wanted to share with someone how special this place, these people and this time has been to him. Eck was the perfect person to share this with. It was going to be up to the newest member of the crew to help uphold what it was. Eck has found his place in the Cove Crew so now it was time for him to find this place, these people and what this time meant.

Greg K. was already walking towards the shrine when Eck was making his way over. Eck hurried up to catch up with his friend. On the way down Greg K started to explain what The Cove and the crew meant. That everyone who was welcoming was welcomed. Unity was where they found their strength. The support that they gave to others came back tenfold. Being true to yourself was how you were true to others.

Even with Greg K. passing down wisdom. The talk was not a lecture but a discussion. A lecture would have gone against one of the biggest tenets of the friendships formed here. Everyone was equal. Greg K. made sure that Eck responded with more than yes. This talk was not about picking up what was being laid down. It was about embracing what was being shared.
Greg K pausing before entering was a sign of respect to the hollow grounds they were about to enter. Eck followed suit. No one had told him about the beams and how significant they are, but the chat with Greg K. was enough to let him know. Treating this area with respect was a way to treat your friends with respect.

The talk morphed into an impromptu history lesson when they finally got into the support beams. Greg K. went to the beam in the furthest corner first. Everyone who showed this place to others always did. It was the first beam which was carved into. The person who started this was Homer. He got his name for he was the storyteller of the group. People who heard his stories said they were epics. The truth, at least to Homer, the stories themselves were not special, it was the people, his friends, in them which made them so. He shared those stories so others could see what he saw in them.

After getting his and the Crew’s story out Greg K. wanted Eck to share his. If Greg would have asked before this journey would have reverted back to the scared little boy. Fear of losing what he had had would have overtaken Eck. Eck would have been sure that once his story was told, he would have been an exile once more. Instead the ending of the story was greeted with arms wide open.

Even with Greg K. expecting Luke to tell the truth, hearing his friend do so was touching. If the elder knew how Eck was treated by his mom, sister and so-called friends he would have never asked to hear it.

“Dude, I am sorry. That was so wrong what happened. You’re a good dude and your sister took you down because she could not live up to you. Never forget that.

“I can assure you this. The only change in how I see you is that you are even stronger than I thought you were. I do not know many people who could have handled what you did and how you did it. I know this does not do anything to take away the pain, but that made you a better person. There is no shame in what happened to you. You did nothing wrong.

“You now have a crew for life. One day you will be down here explaining what we are to someone else. That will just be you getting ready to leave this place, but this place will always be with you. You will always have us with you.”

Those words were so healing to Eck. Now the teenager knew that he would not lose people in his life because of the petticoat punishment. Those who would not be around him because of what his mom did were never truly around him. People who were worth being near to would only care about who Luke was. Seeing the Cove Crew’s inner sanctum helped Eck to keep on raising up above his past. These beams were proof that there would be a solid strong support if people try to knock him down.

****************

Matt and Renee made a cute couple. The little interactions between them would make most people sick if they were not done as casual as the dress code at the local watering hole. Being nice and considerate to each other was effortless. One of them holding the door for the other then getting a thanks was done without thought, but not thoughtless. All of those little shows of affection were as sincere as the love and caring they showed.

The only concern their parents had was if they were mature enough if this relationship ended. They have been close friends for over 8 years and it would be a shame if and when those two broke up they also ended their friendship. Matt and Renee gave each other so much emotional support along with encouragement. Matt made sure to express his faith in Renee when she was considering if she should start to race BMX. He along with Luke were the loudest in the stands cheering for her and made sure to make it to the finish line to congrat her win or lose. They were proud of her doing what she loved, the results were as important as the weather in Korea to them.

Luke not being part of the group anymore was what brought this concern to the foreground. Meg. Al, Shanti and Ramesh all saw how much it hurt their kid to lose their close friend. Losing another close friend along with the heartache of ending a relationship would be devastating. It would be even harder for Matt and Renee because they would not have the support from each other.

Matt and Renee’s friendship was important and going back to being only friends after being boyfriend/girlfriend was a task for adults, let alone teenagers. The easiest way was if the relationship ended on mutual terms. If the exes were not on the same page about ending the relationship then resentment from one side would put a strain on the friendship. If the relationship ended because of one of them making a mistake, then the chance of them going back to friends would be as good as personal advice from an agony aunt.

This concern was what made all four of their parents even more supportive of the relationship. Being another beam of the support for Matt and Renee would add strength to their relationship. Being as welcoming as they could would set the underlying floor for the relationship built on the friendship. The teenagers would learn that they were both friends and lovers. That if the lover part did not work then they should be able to fall back on being friends.

The unwarranted concern started to quickly fade. The parents seeing that Matt and Renee were not having a honeymoon period of their relationship was a good sign. Unlike most teenagers these two were not in love with falling in love. Matt and Renee did not want to gush to others about how great being in love was. They wanted a relationship with someone who brought out the best in them and they did the same for the other. Those two were building their relationship on the solid foundation of their friendship.

Even with having each other, Matt and Renee were missing one thing in their relationship, Luke. They knew that Luke would be so happy for them. That the joy of being together would be even more with their close friend being yet another support beam to hold up their relationship. They might never see their friend again and he might fade from their memory, but Matt and Renee would always hold Luke in their heart. Part of the reason why they would become the good people they were destined to, was to honor their time with the third member of the Saturday Morning Bike Club.

****************

Ming’s mom, Gina Henderson-Zhao, could not get ready quick enough for her son. The pubertal teenager’s voice asking, crackled from the hormones and his excitement of the day. This day had a big circle around it on Ming’s mental calendar since the plans were made. Today ,was the day he was heading to the trails in South Park to hang out with Lori. Sharing his love for nature with someone close to his age was going to be fun. Finding someone in his age group who appreciated the woods and the outdoors made him feel less like an outsider for loving being outside. The kids in his school would all much rather be in front of a screen watching Netflix, playing games, or being social to kids in front of other screens.

Most of the time Gina hated to be rushed, but today she loved it. Her youngest was looking forward to being with other people. He found someone with the same interest. As if not being able to share what he cared for with someone else was enough, her youngest will get away from the negativity that her husband had. The negativity was from her husband trying to make Ming be someone who he was not.

Yang Zhao wanted the best for him and tried to push him to what he thought he should be instead of caring that his son would know better. Ming’s dad wanted his son to follow in his footsteps. He was a bro who followed the bro code in college, then went to medical school to become a doctor. Yang was still a man’s man and so wanted the same for his son.

The horse-trail at South Park was great for all involved. Gina got along great with Lori and her dad. Fred went on this nature hike because of Alice's insistence. Lori’s mom saw how well those two were getting along and wanted to foster their relationship. The reconnection between father and daughter would bring the family close together. It might also hasten Luke’s return from Cali. Fred seeing Lori in a better light might make him realize that having Luke so far away was overreacting.

Hearing all about the flowers, scrubs, bushes and animals on the path, made Lori’s appreciation of the beauty of nature blossom. Hearing about the Fibonacci Sequence being all around nature made her marvel at it more. The way Ming explained the sequence to her also made Lori feel good. Her friend was not trying to show off or talk down to her. Ming only wanted to share that information with her. That made Lori feel special.

Then, going beyond the horse path was virgin territory for Lori in more ways than her never being there. Seeing her reflection in a pond Lori noticed, caused a smile. Lori smiled all the time but there was always a particular reason. There was no reason for the smile that Lori could think of off the top of her head. A “just because” smile was something which Lori never noticed before.

Yes, she was having fun and that could be the reason, yet the smile was too big for this. The natural grin on Lori's face was from her friendship with Ming being based on only who she was. Ming did not want to be her friend because she was Alice’s daughter or he had to choose between her and her twin brother. Ming’s friendship was also not about what Lori could do for him. His friendship was all about just enjoying the time they spent together.

The best part of the day for Fred was on the way home. His sweet pickle would not stop talking about the day. He laughed and told her he knew he was there. Lori laughed back and said I know dad but I told you I was going to share this with you and I want to. His daughter wanting to share her great experience again with Fred was a sign she was on the path of growing up.

****************

Driving down the Southern California coast is an iconic scene in many movies. On the way to dinner with his aunt, uncle and cousin Sam, Luke found out seeing it on the big screen paled in comparison to in real life. Actually, being on the coastal road made Luke as immersed in the moment as one of the swimmers he saw in the ocean when he looked towards the Pacific. All his senses were treated to the beauty which this land had. The breeze from having the top down acted like a natural air conditioner and cooled him down from the heat of the sun. The air had the slight smell of salt from the sea. The crashing waves and call of the sea birds made a nice harmony. Experiencing the drive was more picturesque than anything Martin Scorsese has ever put on the silver screen.

The dinner itself added to the evening being picture perfect. A location director could not find a better place to film a meal after a drive on the coast. The seafood restaurant was right next to a wharf and had a deck. The al fresco seating let the beauty of the drive continue on to the meal.

Luke being in the moment made Aunt Bridget and Uncle Maurice know, they, along with their brother-in-law, made the right decision of having him come live with them. They knew Luke being the best version of himself came from him being able to be himself. That there was no pressure from unfounded expectations from Luke’s mom. There was not the unhealthy level of sibling rivalry from Lori.

One of the topics of conversation was about his parents and twin sister. This part of the discussion would be a test of how much Luke was really thriving. Talking about having to deal with the toxic relationship was going to show Luke’s true strength. Being strong was easy when things are going good in life. Having Lori and Alice around would mean Luke had to stay strong in face of what caused so much damaging adversity in his life.

The topic did not change Luke’s attitude. He was still the happy teenager embracing being in such a beautiful moment. Luke knew he could handle Lori now. His sister did not have one of her biggest allies anymore in the War of the Twins, operating in the shadows. All of her devious tactics and strategies were publicly known. There were strict sanctions placed on Lori and would be increased if she violated the terms of the peace treaty.

Luke’s strength remained for another reason. This time was different. Luke had the home court advantage. Luke also would be the one with the support. His friends were the beams which would make sure he could withstand anything Lori would try to knock him down. Lastly, he was working through not blaming himself for how he was treated. The kids back at home were manipulated into making him an outcast. The fact of the manufactured exile was not from Luke deserving it was now known by him.

After talking about the visit from Luke’s family the discussion stayed on him. Aunt Bridget and Uncle Maurice wanted to hear more about Mary. They have met the girl who was called Lil a couple of times and wanted to know more about her. How could they not, Luke’s eye lit up like the night sky filled with fireworks just hearing her name.

This night out for a family meal put to rest any concerns anyone had about Luke. They all knew he had support and felt like he was at home here. The biggest part was everyone saw that Luke was becoming the best version of himself. Having Luke live with them was the right decision and they drove home feeling good about Luke having his new home so far away from his family.

****************

The day before Lori went on vacation, Blake broke up with her. The timing was horrible for Lori and great for Blake. Being blindsided by her boyfriend made all the progress Lori was making regress back like the waning sea she was going to visit. Breakups were painful and Lori was not going to be able to have any real support. She was going to be far away from her friends. Telling her mom was not an option. Lori was the Brat Princess to the Nostalgia Queen. Telling the truth would make her look bad to her mom. Lori did not trust her dad. He was harsh and might not see it her way. After all, he was on record as saying she was a bad person.

This was great timing for Blake. He would not have to deal with the blunt of Lori’s anger right away. She was going to be away for a week. The conniving boy was also going to use her being away to his advantage. He was leaving Lori to try to get with Carrie Swift. If his plans did not work, then he could grovel to Lori right away to take him back. That he found out how much she meant to him with her so far away. That the breakup gave him a valuable lesson of not taking his girl for granted.

Blake ended up going steady with Lori to take a chance with Carrie Swift. She was perfect for him. At least perfect to make a move on. OK, she sounded perfect for him. There was a chance she would be more open to his advances than Lori. Blake’s cousin heard from a friend of a friend, that his next-door neighbor scored with her. Scoring would help Blake see himself as a man and not a boy. Having sex was his idea on how to become a man. This of course was just a way to not put the work into becoming a man. Blake to get a girl to sleep with him was much easier than putting the work in to mature

Even if Carrie was not as easy as advertised by the gossip, having her instead of Lori as a girlfriend would be an upgrade in his eyes. She lived in the next town over, so there would be no ever-present watchful eyes on his roaming eyes. Blake was always open to trade in and upgrade his girlfriend, he had to look out for himself after all.

Also, the cocksure Don Juan was entering high school and would not be weighed down by Lori in trying to get into the cool groups. These next four years were going to be important to his life. Being in the right group was paramount to have the best out of the high school experience. Having Lori at his side might lessen being accepted by the who’s who of the upperclassmen. Blake knew that couples were either accepted or rejected together, and Lori could rub people the wrong way.

Blake was a coward so the breakup was swift. The quickness of Blake and Lori being a couple ending was not by her choice. Lori would have wanted to know why and most definitely have her say in how she felt about the ending of them being a couple. Instead the heartbroken girl got no explanation and had no say in it. How could she when she found out via her relationship status has changed on Facebook.

Lori’s face was devoid of any emotions as she looked at her computer screen after lunch. She felt completely and utterly powerless. Even after just eating, her stomach had an empty feeling. She could not take the only course of action she wanted to do. It was simple and every other teenage girl she knew could do so. Not being able to call that no good boy of her and tell him that he had some explaining to do was as fair as a carnival game. She had to wait until she got permission from her dad. He was at work and she was not going to chance having him say no or being upset about her bothering him about something minor. He has finally been opening up to seeing Lori as who she wanted to be, a good person.

The vulnerable girl was not going to open herself up for more pain and disappointment. Losing her dad’s newfound trust in her would hurt. Him finding her wanting to call Blake as frivolous, would dash her hopes of him seeing her as who she wanted to be gone. It was much better for Lori to be in the known pain and just wait.

Lori laid in her bed thinking of everything she was going to say to Blake for a couple of hours. Alice went up to check on her daughter. Before being able to ask what was wrong, Lori in tears said “Blake broke up with me.”

“How could he?”

“I don’t know mom. He didn’t post why. He only changed his relationship status on Facebook.”

“Then it could be a misunderstanding, call him.”

“No mom. I need dad's permission.”

“I said you can call him so you can.”

“Mom calling that no good snake would just get us in trouble.”

“Then call your dad, he will understand.”

“No, mom. I don’t want to bother him. I need a good reason and this might not be. It can wait.”

Alice left. She went downstairs and called Fred. She was giving Fred the riot act about the situation. This should not be happening. Lori should have been able to just call Blake. As she was telling Fred how wrong he was, her husband said “Dear you are right. I should have been clearer with my Sweet Pickle that she could ask for my permission when I was at work. I should have also been including you in with the decisions sooner. As soon as you agreed to Luke going to Cali should have been a sign you would be doing better at raising our kids.

“What do you want to do about this?”

“I want Lori to call Blake and be able to talk with him. No, I want her to go over his house and talk face to face. If he broke up with her without telling her then he will not answer her phone call.”

“Dear then we will do it. Put me on the phone with Lori.”

Alice went to her daughter’s room and gave her the phone. The voice on the other line was her dad’s. Hearing him say “Hi Sweet Pickle” made her tense up. All the work she has been doing this summer was destroyed. Lori did her best to try to stop the destruction of the rebuilding of her and her dad’s relationship “Dad, I did not want mom to call. I was going to wait until you came home.”

“Lori it is fine. I told you that if you wanted to use the phone you had to get my permission. That meant I wanted you to call. If you are not sure then ask your mom first. If she thinks it is fine then she will tell you. If not then she will tell you to call me. Understand?”

“Yes, dad. I will ask mom then follow what she tells me.”

“Good. Now your mom told me about Blake. She came up with a great idea. She is going to take you to his house so you can talk with him about what is going on. When I get home, if you like we can talk more about it.”

“Thanks, dad. I love you.”

Fred was touched by hearing that I love you. It came from his daughter caring for him and not her feeling good about getting her way. “I love you also Sweet Pickle. Now get going. I will see you soon.”

After the phone call Lori felt powerful. She was going to set this situation straight. The outcome might be just a misunderstanding or her getting rid of some of the trash in her life. Either way she had agency and that was where the strength came from. She was in control of what happened to herself. The decision did not come from her being Alice’s daughter or Luke’s sister.

All those things which Lori was planning to say were forgotten on the short drive to Blake’s. Those words went away because they were not hers, but the Brat Princess’. Having the agency by herself put that royal pain in the back. Lori was just going to ask Blake what was up and get his answer. If it was a mistake then nothing will happen. If they were not a couple anymore then that boy did not deserve to see her mad or upset if he was too weak to break up with her in person.

Lori knocked on the door and Ms. Sellars opened it. Lori asked to speak with Blake and his mom denied her. Her son was taking a nap. Lori explained why and Blake’s mom said she knew and that there was nothing to be said. Lori agreed and left. Not being able to talk with Blake made the feeling of being completely and utterly powerless come back to Lori.

As Lori was walking back to the car the Brat Princess made her way to the spotlight. Moving to the center stage was easy with the weaken state Lori’s ego was in. The inner whispers of doubt in her choice of actions came. If Lori would have listened to her wise words which came when lying in bed then she would have gotten the satisfaction of telling off Blake. The heartache led to Lori listening to her worse angels and her progress of becoming a better person being, regressed. The Brat Princess getting more power again came from that no-good coward only looking out for himself and not being able to face the person he hurt.

Luke was standing in the domestic flights arrival area of LAX with his aunt and uncle waiting for his parents and twin sister to come down the steps. It was a little over two months since he saw them so today was a big event in Luke’s life. As the moment of reuniting with his family was coming near, the teenage boy started to feel the entire gamut of basic emotions. These feelings came one by one.

The joy came from being able to spend time with his dad again. Being separated from his dad for so long brought sadness. Anger at his mom for putting him in a dress. Fear that he might regress back to not being strong enough to stand up to his mom and sister. Trust that his dad would do anything he could to make sure Luke did not get treated badly. Lastly, mistrust that his mom and sister would be on their best behavior.

Then finally the time to be one with his family came. His parents and sister appearing at the top of the flight of steps also brought the last two of the basic human emotions. Luke was surprised at how strong he felt seeing two of the people who tormented him. They lost a huge sway of their power over him. Luke was no longer the little and lonely boy who did not have the proper support to withstand their attempts. Not only had his strength grew but the ground which he stood upon was now firmer. The steadiness came from his fellow crew member being the support to steady the uneven ground which life gives us.

Now the teenage boy who was becoming a man was feeling anticipation. Luke could not wait to spend time with his dad. The beach, and the boardwalk were the main places Luke was going to take his dad. Luke felt as high as the crest of a wave thinking about his dad seeing him surf. Introducing Mary was going to be a treat for Luke. He knew his dad was looking forward to meeting his son’s first girlfriend.

Lori coming into focus only added to Luke’s anticipation. Spending time around her was going to be so different than before. Luke wanted to show his sister that he was not the weak person she made him out to be. Being able to not only withstand but thrive with her barrage on him should make her attacks stop.

Lori seeing her brother and his reaction made her become even more uncomfortable about the visit. She was not feeling her best with Blake dumping her out of the blue. Her brother standing tall when seeing Lori took even more of her strength away. This was evident to her when she did the finching. This change was wrong. Luke was the one who reacted to her, not the other way around. Lori had a bad feeling about the upcoming 9 days.

****************

Harry Sellars did not mean any harm by repeating the rumor about Carrie Swift to his cousin Blake. The boy who was spreading unfounded stories as gospel did not know one huge truth about rumors, the only good one was from the Album by Fleetwood Mac. Rumors did nothing but entertain others by spreading an untruth about someone else. This untruth was always one which was of the unflattering kind where the person who they were talking about did something risque or taboo.

Those two were at another cousin’s confirmation party when they started to talk about one of the most popular topics for teenage boys, sex. Not having much knowledge and experience led to them using hearsay, gossip, and speculation to drive the conversation. Bringing up the report of a friend of a friend’s next-door neighbor being with Carrie was just a way for Harry to justify the conversation to himself. If kids his age were having sex then, the subject was normal to talk about it.

Today Harry was going to learn the downside of talking just to talk. The accidental teacher of this lesson was going to be Blake. Harry’s cousin's hidden motivation coming to the open was how the valuable knowledge would be gained. Seeing the bad actions and negative results from Blake seeing the untrue story as a truth was an unintended consequence of Harry opening his big mouth.

Harry brought Blake along with him to hang out with his friends. Bringing a visiting cousin along to be in the group was a time-honored teenage tradition. How eager Blake was to see Harry’s friends again did not seem out of the ordinary. If anything, Blake wanting to tag along made Harry feel more confident about his social group. Harry’s friends must be cool if Blake wanted to hang out with them.

Everything still seemed normal when they first got there. Blake going to talk with Carrie was as extraordinary as a teenage boy talking to a good looking teenage girl. Teenagers usually gravitated to members of the opposite sex that they found attracted to. The reason why this was normal was because Carrie was beautiful. Her legs and auburn hair were long. The teenage girl's high and sharp cheekbones drew attention to her almond-shaped and colored eyes. Her lips and chest were both full.

The only saving grace for Harry about Blake going to make a move right away on Carrie was that he came off as a creep. Coming on so strong to Carrie did not even make her question why the failed suitor was so aggressive. The teenage girl just chalked it up to him being a creep. Even if young Don Waun would have waited to spring into action his seduction would have failed. Being so upfront with Carrie was supposed to come off as confidence. Instead, it made him seem pushy and overbearing. His smooth-talking was as rough and unpleasant as a cat’s tongue licking her.

Blake displayed his low comprehension at reading signs from the fairer sex when he amped up his game after being rebuked. He took Carrie’s nonchalant answer as her being coy. Part miscommunication came from the notion that sometimes one of the people who was flirting would play hard to get. The bigger part came from him believing the rumor. Carrie was sexually active so she should be open to his advances.

The onslaught of bad pick-up lines and not so subtle hints just kept on coming. The crass words coming out of Blake’s mouth made him look like a blundering witless horny boy. So, those words just portrayed the boy who was pursuing Carrie for what he was. Finally, Carrie had enough of Blake’s unwanted and horrible advances. She tried to let him down as gently as a mother laying down her child but that did not work. He was being blunt so Carrie did the same. Maybe using a verbal hammer was the only way to smash the fact she was not interested in him into his thick skull. Carrie in a stern voice said, “Why do you think I would do anything with you?”

That tone along with Blake thinking he was racking up style points led him to think that Carrie was just being assertive in wanting to hear Blake’s case on why they should be together. “Because I know about you and want a woman like you.”

“What do you mean a woman like me?”

The not so subtle hints from Blake now went up to a full portion over the top innuendo, with a side of blustering. “A woman like you has a lot to show a man like me, and I can do the same for you. If you know what I mean.”

Carrie was like a bartender with a drunken belligerent customer, done dealing with Blake. She looked past that little boy and said to who should have been the bouncer and never left this boy here. “Hey Harry, get your cousin out of here.”

Blake “Hold up, babe….”

Carrie was not going to deal with this Blake anymore. Acting like a bartender who could not get the bouncer’s help she said “I am not your babe. Just leave. You are really bothering me.”

Blake said “Carrie, I will handle him. Sorry that he interrupted me before I told you we were leaving now. Come on Blake.”

Blake was about to object to leaving. It would just be better for him if he could stay and just leave Carrie alone. Not leaving would give him time to work out what he did wrong in approaching the object of desire and come up with a better plan for his second attempt.

Then Blake saw the looks he was getting from everyone. He knew he was as welcome here as a worn-out overplayed cassette tape. Being the coward he was, there was no way Blake was going to chance those feelings being translated into action. Plus his rep with these people did not count that much. They were not going to be in his high school so low standing to them would not hurt him. Yeah, it would be nice to say he had friends outside of his hometown. That would make him sound cool. One way to measure a person’s coolness was by how many friends they had. Yet not having friends from other places would not hurt.

Blake and Harry left. On the way back to his cousin’s house, the boy who was shut down by Carrie did not think much of his failed conquest. There was no time to dwell on what he could not have, when Blake had to work on getting back what he gave up. Before they arrived at their destination Blake knew the best plan for Lori was also the simplest. Stroke her ego and say how miserable he was without her. That he learned his lesson and he had not known how lucky he was to have her. Lori was the best girl not only for him, but for anyone.

*************

The drastic disconnect between reality and how Lori thought it should be was becoming more concerning to Lori. How she was the one, and not Luke who recoiled at the airport bothered her a little. Then hearing her dad talk about being tired from traveling put Lori's mind at ease. Her brother was fresh and she was worn out from the flight. Things would quickly go back to the norm of her being in charge after a good night's sleep.

Lori came downstairs to be greeted only by her aunt Bridget and Uncle Maurice. Her mom not being there when Lori woke up was a little disturbing to her. Alice always made sure that she was there to greet her little miss sunshine in the morning. The feeling of being disturbed grew when Lori found out her mom went to the beach with Luke, her dad, and cousin Sam. Being with Luke had never been more important than being with her.

Then what happened after Luke and the rest of them came back was truly unsettling to Lori. The conversation was focused on Luke. There was no help coming to steer the topic of discussion about the true star of the Zahn family, her. Her mom was actually engaged in hearing about Luke riding those waves. This was not right, it should be about everything she was going to do when in LA. How could her mom want to hear about what happened when in a couple of days those two were going to see Lori’s favorite band, Boys +1.

Those two could spend the rest of the vacation talking about that pop band. Boys +1 was not your normal boy band. It had six not five members and one of them was a girl. So not only were all the traditional roles of a boy band represented, but there was everything great which came to listening to a solo girl pop singer included. The band also could do duets. This was not even taking into account how all of them could do solo projects. This band was a massive force in pop music.

As Lori spent more time in California the unfamiliar feeling of being anxious around her and her brother's place kept on growing. The foreign feeling of being unsure was not helped by how Blake dumped her. Being in a weakened state which was only worsening led to a little voice in Lori’s head to try to coax her into making the present just like the past.

This voice giving unsound advice was the Brat Princess. Seeing each lastest aspect of the new normal was so unsettling to Lori. When people are unsure there is a natural desire to go back to what is normal. The need for the familiarity made Lori a little more open to following what she knew was wrong. Each time the Brat Princess was brought up making the good old days more than a memory a little bit of Lori’s self-assurance waned away.

The Brat Princess finally was able to take control of the court inside Lori’s head after the first time she hung out with the Cove Crew. Most of them were very welcoming, but she knew that Luke was closer to them than her. That was not right the kids should like her more than him. Only one person noticed the small detail of Greg K. staying away from her. This was not good for Lori because she was the person. Lori was a savant at reading people and could easily see past Greg K being friendly to the truth. He liked her as much as surfers did thunderstorms.

The only thought on Lori’s mind was why did this boy not like her? She had never done anything bad to him. This dislike for no reason was wrong. He was acting like a bully towards her. Lori did not know she was rightfully being judged by her past. That Greg K. knew of the Brat Princess and her reign of terror on Luke.

Going back to her Aunt’s, Lori felt as defeated as Luke did when she used to get the upper hand. Her self-confidence was wrecked. How could someone believe in themselves when others will not even give them a chance. In a desperate attempt to get back to normal Lori asked her mom if they could go home now. That she hated being out in California and never wanted to return.

Alice was concerned at hearing her daughter’s pleads. Lori was not the type to ask, but to state what she wanted. As if her daughter’s severe change in trying to get what she wanted was not enough, Lori stated she much rather go home than go to the concert.

That concert was all Lori could talk about after she found out about the gift from Aunt Bridget. Even if Lori was not such an egotistical brat people would understand why. This was not just concert tickets, but the VIP experience. The night would include an exclusive shirt, a personally signed CD, backstage passes, a meet and greet session with the band, along with front row and centered seats.

Alice gave a little bit of advice to get Lori to want to stay. The encouragement led to cement the Brat Princess emerging again. These words of wisdom were for Lori to be herself. To Lori that was her mom telling her to be who Alice wanted her to be and not herself. These words were a clear sign that being Lori from the David Project or her dad’s sweet pickle was what was holding her back.

The Brat Princess’s first order of business was to perk up. The fresh smile on Lori’s face was a huge sign to Alice that her daughter was feeling better and more like her old self. Alice never even considered that Lori feeling like her old self meant that the same old problems would come back. Lori then gave a hug to her mom and in doing so also once again embraced being who her mom wanted her to be.

*****************
One of the great traditions in America is people having a deep love for their heritage. The country might be called the great melting pot, but the liquid was not totally smooth. There were little chunks of Polish-American, Italian-American, Somalian-American floating in the pot. These chunks did not make the content of the pot homogeneous but helped bind them together. Having the differences being respected more by the general public made people feel more connected to those who were not like them.

Ming wanted to be just like any other American teenager so he was a Sinophile. Him learning about the culture of his ancestral homeland made him become fascinated and in love with where his roots could be traced back to. Ming proclaiming he was Chinese-American was just the same as some of his classmates wearing a “kiss me I’m Irish” t-shirt on St Patrick’s Day.

This strong fondness for the Zhao’s homeland was how Ming got the skill to make an expression of his fondness for his new friend Lori. He sat in his room and was patiently working on some Zhe Zhi, the Chinese version of origami, of the leaves, flowers, and animals those two saw on their nature hike. How much Lori was enjoying learning about nature, Ming wanted to give her a memento of their day. To him doing so was a win-win situation. He was doing something he loved and was able to give it to someone who would appreciate his work.

As the artisan was folding the tail on the squirrel he heard a strong double knock on his door. Ming had no idea who the visitor was. His mom would be the only one who visited him in his room and that was not her knock. The knock was too forceful, she tapped on the door. The number of knocks was also wrong. She did three and there were only two.

After inviting the strong knocker in, Ming found out the unexpected visitor to his room was his dad. Yang Zhao’s entrance into his son’s room was accompanied with a slight feeling of dread. Ming’s dad never went out of his way to see his son unless he was going to instill wisdom. The instilling of wisdom was actually Yang explaining to Ming why he was a disappointment to him.

The dread quickly went when Yang said good job to his son. Now Ming was confused and prideful. It felt good to get a compliment from his father, but Ming had no idea on what he did. Not wanting to chance having his dad become irritated, Ming did not ask any questions. Needing to know would have meant that Ming was not thinking like his dad. Plus, if Ming played along he knew his dad would freely give the details.

Ming showed his pride by having a grin on his face when he said “Thanks dad.”

Yang then said “I never thought that my youngest son would turn out to be such a player. Getting an older girl as your first girlfriend, good job son. I guess it is true what they say, you have to watch out for the quiet type.”

Finding out why his dad was pleased with him quickly made both the confusion along with his happiness go away. Ming was not a player and could not feel good about his dad thinking such. Being true to himself was more important than being in his dad’s good grace. To Ming having self-approval was more important than the approval of others, even his father.

“Dad, Lori and I are just friends. She had a boyfriend.”

Yang chose not to believe his son. The truth did not break the narrative. The desire of getting his youngest son to be how he wanted was powerful. It subdued and held back the fact Ming was being honest from being able to come to Yang’s consciousness. “Wow, you are really a player. You being with Lori will be just between you and me.

I was just like you at your age son. If I saw a girl I liked I got her. I did not care if she was seeing someone or not.”

Ming said, “Dad”. His words were going to be like a T-square to the record and set it straight. Before the wrecking ball of the truth could break the wall of delusion Yang built, Ming’s dad stopped him. “Son, it is fine that you don’t want to talk about it. I just wanted to tell you I am happy and if you need to talk about being in a relationship come to me. You're my son after all.”

Ming was at a moral crossroads. He could continue on his route to be truthful and stay true to his principles or make a turn to use the pragmatic approach of dealing with his dad. Choosing the direction and the reason for that path was important to the boy who was still finding himself. Not only does he have to make the right decision but for the right reason.

Ming chose to be pragmatic. He felt the reasoning was sound. Allowing his dad to think he was more like how he wanted his son to be would make Ming’s dad ease off on pressuring his son to be like him. Ming would be losing some of the obstacles on the road of finding himself by just letting his dad think what he wants. Staying true to his principle in this instance was a steep hill. There was nothing to gain by correcting his father and no harm done so that was not a hill for Ming to die on.

Saying thanks was hard for Ming. He knew he was lying and that was as out of character as Russel Crowe was between takes. Taking the easy way out of this conversation might make doing what was convenient the go-to choice instead of doing the right thing. Finally, he would lose the feeling of pride he had. Ming was not able to take credit for what he knew was not true.

Yang left his son’s room and along with him the feeling of pride Ming had. His chest deflated. Then something strange occured. As soon as his chest was back to normal, it swelled up again with pride. Ming was proud of himself for making the path towards staying true to his principles easier to stay on. Ming knew he did not have to go deal with bickering with an authority figure about every little decision he made. Ming was strong enough to stand up to his dad, but knew wasting his energy would not be prudent. As the boy went back to folding the squirrel he contemplated how one can stay true to their principles when sometimes they have to accept it is best for them to give in to not following them. Being picky on charging up a hill did not mean to Ming he would quit doing so. It just meant that he would have more energy when he did.

**********

Blake had finished writing a text to Lori a couple of hours ago. The wait did not come from uncertainty about the message. The wording he found was perfect, but that did not make the text perfect yet. Using the right words was only a small part of making sure the right message was conveyed. The timing, the medium, and who wrote the message also played an integral part in making sure the target of the message was picking up what the message was putting down. The delay in hitting send did not come from nerves. Blake was as sure as a boxer in a fixed fight as to the outcome of sending the message.

The wait came from the boy wanting the most impact from his text. Sending it too soon would make Lori think that she was just the understudy in the role of Blake’s girlfriend. That he wanted to be with anyone until he found that special someone. Waiting too late would make Lori think that she only got the role because no one else auditioned. Sending it at the right time would make it look like Blake knew he messed up and make his flimsy excuse seem legit.

Blake’s bedtime came along and with it came the most optimal time to send it. Lori would believe that the lovelorn boy’s last thoughts before drifting off to sleep were of her. An added benefit of sending in now was Lori would not respond if she bought that bridge Blake sold. If she was bright enough to see through the smoke then she would. Blake would just ignore the text, put Lori on the block, and know that he had to move on from his safety girl.

***********

The Cove Crew did not go to the boardwalk every night. Sometimes in the evening they hung out at their home base and just lit a fire. Some of the older kids would drink or smoke. There were the unwritten rules that no one under 16 could partake in those substances and nothing stronger than beer, wine, or weed. Being somewhat responsible in not breaking the law gave their parents and the police a good reason to turn a blind eye.

Lori was not enjoying being at the fire. Everyone else was basking in the warmth of the fire and their friendship and she only felt the cold breeze from the sea and cold stare from Greg K. Tonight was not going how it should when Luke and her had to be in the social setting. The Brat Princess, not Luke, should be in the main cast. If Lori was not the star or the co-star she should at least be a special guest. Instead, she was relegated to the role of an extra.

The Brat Princess had nothing to say because she was also relegated to being an extra in her own life. The discipline her father had over her life took away the support system that the Brat Princess needed to stay in power. She did not have the time with her court to boost her upon her pedestal. Until being told to be herself earlier today there was no sign of the Nostalgia Queen.

Then a buzz came to her phone. That sound was welcome by Lori. It was a reminder that she did have friends. Then seeing it was from Blake made her remember how he broke up with her. Just being told that they were not a couple without a reason hurt Lori’s self-esteem. Being desperate to have a connection to anyone, Lori made the decision to read the text.

The message was yet another plea from one of her loyal subjects for the Brat Princess to ascend to her throne once again. The message stated that the only reason Blake broke up with her was because they were going to be apart. He thought that he would miss her less if they were not a couple. He found out that was not true. That he needed to be with her again and missed her.

Blake missing her reinforced her mom saying just be herself. The herself Lori needed to be was the Brat Princess. That was who the people who put her in the spotlight wanted her to be. A smile came to her face when Lori knew how it should be was about to be again. She had to tell Luke’s friends about him being in a dress. Only after she spread the vicious lie version of Luke’s petticoat punishment and only then would she revert back to her status as the glorious Brat Princess. Watching Luke fall from grace once again in front of his friends was going to be worth what she went through the last couple of months.

Lori only had to wait to tell the tale about Luke wearing dresses. The schemer needed the right set up by an unwitting accomplice. Her lie needed to be seen as a natural part of the conversation so the maximum damage was done to her dear brother. For this message to have the best impact it had to contain the right words, be communicated the right way, and be shared at the right time.

There was an added bonus of making the revelation of Luke’s fashion taste organic; the Brat Princess could not get into that much trouble. The benefit of the doubt would be given if the story slipped in the moment. Her mom and dad would have to believe there was no malice intended in her actions. At worse, there should only be a reprimand after Lori showed remorse.

Then some of the crew started to razz each other. This lighthearted ribbing in a playful manner was the perfect opportunity for the Brat Princess to enact her plans. The chance of regaining her throne being presented to Lori on a silver platter was a sign it was the right course of action. The accession back to ruling her kingdom would not have been so easy if being the Brat Princess was not God’s Mandate.

Then after Decaf, Silk’s girlfriend, told the story when on a Kindergarten class trip to the beach Silk ran for his life scared screaming off to warn everyone about the Beast, a 2-inch crab, Lori took her turn. Luke knew the story and braced himself waiting for the wave of laughter to hit him. Instead of being mocked and ridiculed none of the Crew laughed. Luke's fellow Crew members were as supportive as the beams holding up the nearby docks. The feel-good moment was short -lived when Lil told Luke that he was about her size and he could try on any of her outfits.

Luke meekly said the story was not true. The lack of strength came from the story being seen as the truth. To Luke now none of his friends will see him as a real man. Luke would never be who he really was to them anymore.

Lil took the weakness in her boyfriend’s voice as a sign of him needing her to be a strong pillar of support. She wanted to keep the dock which Luke confidence was on as sturdy as her feelings for him. “Luke, it is fine you are also Luka. I love you. I love how Luka sounds. I want to know the Luka side of you also.”

Luke got up and exclaimed “There is no Luka side to me. I don’t like to wear dresses and my name is Luke.”

Lil had patience. She learned it from waiting for the right wave to hang ten on. This made the girl able to stay calm as Luke was getting upset. She just had to find the right way to show her support. Lil then tried to console her boyfriend again “Luke you don’t have to share that side of you with me until you are ready. I just want you to know I am looking forward to meeting Luka.“

Luke had enough. Anything he said would have been useless. He knew that everyone’s mind was made up because of their backing of Lil’s words. Luke got up and declared he wanted to be how he felt, alone.

As Luke left defeated, the victorious Lori was happy. The response was not what she expected but she got the desired results. There was a wedge between Luke and his friends. Now onto the next part in reclaiming her place in the spotlight. Have the Crew see her as she really was.

*********

As Lori was trying to overthrow Luke's place in the Crew, Greg K. was apart from the fire. Him and a couple of his friends were partaking in a little toking session. They went away from the group so no one would have the stench of the weed on them. The last thing any of them wanted was to get one of their friends in trouble over something they did.

Greg K. was taking another drag from the bowl trying to reach that perfect high when he came crashing off of that TCH wave. The gust of wind which sobered him up came from Luke waking by him muttering something about being forced to wear a dress. Those words showed the true buzzkill was Lori.

Luke’s friend tried to stop him, but the hurt teenager kept his walk of shame to nowhere going. Luke's only words were “Greg K., it is not worth it. They all believe Lori. She told them about me wearing dresses, but not why. I tried to correct her, but no one believed me. I will always be seen as the boy who likes to wear dresses.”

Greg K. knew the truth about the story and his friends. He was going to set the record straight. Once he did so, the Crew would see the truth. He told Luke to stay and stormed Lori’s coronation. As the Brat Princess was raising herself up on the custom pedestal her mom made a cannonball of truth came to knock her down. “Everyone, Eck only wore those dresses because his mom forced him. That was her way to punish him.

“Lori lied, she used what her mom did to make people not like Luke. She can’t stand her brother. She made his life hell. He moved out here to get away from her.”

Lil got up and ran as quickly as she could to catch up with Eck. The woman in love had to make things between her and her man right. The truth coming out made Lil realize she made a mistake by trying to do the right thing. Instead of being supportive she should have believed her boyfriend. Being there for people is the right thing to do, but support without trust is not true support.

Shy’s girl temper flared up like someone spitting 151 rum on a fire. The truth of Lori trying to hurt her friend, the boy who brought her best friend joy, was an accelerant. Shy’s mouth became a flame thrower and the words out of her mouth were flames of rage. The target of the fire was Lori. “You lied about your brother after we welcomed you in! We treated you like one of us and you betrayed us. You tried to use us to hurt our friend! Worse, you betrayed your brother. How dare you?”

The revolt was only seen as a trivial inconvenience to the restoration of the monarchy. The Brat Princess fully expected dissenters; after all, some people are always against change. She also knew the best way to squash the rebellion was by becoming sympathetic. Lori said as she was crackling her voice like the fire between her and the leader of the revolt “Shy you have it wrong. I was just trying to help Luke. He moved out here to get away from backward thinking people. It hurts that you think that I would make fun of my brother. I love him. You saw how Luke got defensive when Lil was being supportive. He always mistook my being there as me mocking him.”

Shy treated Lori’s explanation like an adamant leader of a temperance movement being offered a drink, not having it and showing her disapproval. “Bullshit! Leave before I make you.”

Even with the dissenter becoming more intense Lori still thought she had this under control. She did get everyone to believe that Luke loved to wear dresses a couple of minutes ago, so making everyone think that Shy was being out of control would be easy. People tend to believe the person who kept their cool over the one who is getting their power fuel by the fire of rage. “Shy, you have to believe me. What have I ever done to you? You saw how Luke would not listen and now you are doing the same.”

Shy went to move towards Lori, The Brat Princess was about to show her true colors, yellow for being a coward and running until Decaf held the aggressor back. The situation was about to be cooled down so Lori stayed. One way Lori was able to manipulate people was she found out everything about them. So when she was introduced to the Cove Crew she made sure she knew how they got their nicknames. Decaf got hers because of how calm she was. Silk’s girlfriend holding back Shy meant that one of the leaders of the group thought the firebrand was overreacting.

Decaf said “Shy, Lori is not worth it. We all know the truth and she can’t use us to hurt Eck anymore. We can’t waste time with that little girl when we need to make amends with Eck.”

Those words suffocated the fire inside Shy. The anger came from wanting to make things right and the quickest solution was to hurt Lori. Decaf pointed out that right then an eye for an eye might make Shy feel better in the short term, but the long term was what needed to be worked on. Making sure Eck felt the trust and support of the Cove Crew was more important. Them being there would make another layer of armor against the piercing hurting actions of Lori.

Silk then spoke up. “Lori you should leave, now. Decaf only chilled Shy down for a moment. Plus none of us want you here. Right guys?”

Everyone shouted in agreement. Lori made a hasty escape from the angry mob gathering. Not staying was the only course of action. The throne room was about to be overrun by these barbarians and she was not going to be trampled as they were pillaging. She took off already spinning the events to fit her narrative. That the Cove Crew was not cool enough for her to waste her time. They only hung out in this secluded place because no one else likes them. Why else would they not always spend their time in all of those spotlights on the boardwalk? These lies were easy to believe, Lori wanted to, plus another lie she believed backed it up. That Luke could never be friends with people who were even as half as cool as her.

**********

As the rest of the Cove Crew was squashing the coup d'état, Lil was on a special search and rescue mission to recover a wounded brother in arms. This mission was critical to maintaining the comradery of the Crew. Not only because the one who was wounded was one of their own, but some of the injuries were from friendly fire. If those wounds were not attended to quickly Lil and the rest of her friends would blame themselves for the lingering effects.

Finding the MIA was easy enough, there was not enough time for Luke to be that far away. Once Lil had her boyfriend in sights, now came the hard part of the rescue. She knew that Luke did not know who to trust at that moment. The wounded veteran of the War of the Twins had his defenses up to protect himself.

When Lil was close enough she called out “Eck.” This signal flare was ignored by its target. When the lady who was not going to let anyone down fired out a second signal flare, it was a stronger one “Luke.” This time her target gave back a warning shot by saying “Don’t you mean Luka.”

Lil knew she deserved the fire. There was no way that the wounded teenager could know that she was there to help him. She was part of the cause of the pain. Instead of trying to defend or downplay the break of trust Lil committed, she accepted responsibility for her actions. “Luke, I am sorry I should have believed you.”

Those simple words were the beginning of triage and treatment of Luke’s wounds. He stopped to let Lil catch up to him. He was still being careful and not wanting to get closer to the bonfire. To him that captured site was now the new capital of the Brat Princess’s kingdom.

Lil hugged Eck. The warmth, caring, and love she had for him were able to infiltrate the fortifications around his heart. The boy who was holding the girl who cared for him the most and he cared for the most let down his defensives. That moment with both of them being honest and open made Lil become Mary and Eck become Luke.

“Luke I should have listened to you. I wanted you to know I care for you no matter what. I did not hear your words because I wanted to be there for you. But that is not enough, without trust caring means nothing. I will be there for you by listening and believing you from now on.”

“Mary, I overreacted some. I am just so used to people believing my sister over me. I should have stayed and made you and the rest of the Crew listen to me.”

“No, you did nothing wrong. You told us the truth and there was no reason not to believe you. We wanted to support you. Come on back I know the rest of our friends have something to say.

“I do wish you would have stayed, Greg K. came and set both the record and us straight. I know Shy had to scare your sister. Our friend was already calling her out on lying about you.”

Luke got back to the fire and then everyone in the Crew made it a point to tell him they messed up by not believing him, were sorry and it would not happen again. A couple of them said that they hated the pain which being petticoat punished caused, but were happy that it brought them together. They were happy to be able to show Luke what true friendship was.

Those words meant so much to Luke. Those words meant all the pain, all the tears he shedded alone, all the times he felt rejected were worth it. Now he had a close group of friends who would be there for him. That night the support beam under the boardwalk of Luke’s life became strong enough to withstand anything. It gave him the solid ground to be able to stand up for himself with all his inner strength. There was no way Luke could hit the rocky bottom below the solid footing of the support of his friends.

Framing the narrative is the best way to have people come around to your way of thinking. That is why, word choice, members of the audience, and timing is important as to when to bring up a subject. Lori knew how to make people see things her way. This knowledge was why she aborted the counter offense on Luke as soon as she walked into her Aunt Bridget’s home. Her dad was there.

The plan was for Fred and Maurice to go and have a couple of beers at the local bar. This was so they would give Alice and Bridget some much needed and wanted bonding time and the guys could both talk about their favorite hobby, gardening. Instead, they were at the dining room table playing Spades.

This change of plan made it so the Brat Princess could not put her spin on the events. The spin doctor could not operate her magic said would be seen in a negative light. None of her tricks would work. Even if the spin was somehow true, there was no way that Luke’s biggest supporter, his Lord Protector, would believe her. Lori’s dad would see the sleight of hands, even if there was none there.

Having to change tactics on what to say about coming home early was not a problem for the master manipulator. In fact, it was super easy, barely an inconvenience. Lori made sure she always had a contingency plan. Lori was going to say she came home to rest up for her big day tomorrow. That was when she was going to see her favorite band, Boyz+1.

This back up plan would have come to her even if Lori was as prepared as a procrastinator to start a project. Other than trying to put Luke, the boy who has wronged her his entire life, back in place, tomorrow was all she was thinking of. By going to that concert, Lori was going to get what she deserved, the VIP treatment.

Lori was feeling so much better as she was talking about her high expectations for tomorrow when the front door opened up with a vengeance. Luke came filled with righteous wrath. The first words out of the normally cordial and polite boy were not a greeting to everyone. Instead, he laid down the new law he passed to Lori. “Never again put me down to make yourself look better. I never did anything to deserve how you have been treating me my entire life. Never again call my Luka.”

The pause in the verbal barrage which Luke was giving his sister, meant everyone other than him and her, thought he was done airing his grievances against her. Fred and Alice used this interruption to take the discussion to the guest house. Neither of them wanted to make their hosts uncomfortable any more than necessary with their family issue.

On the way down Lori was already trying to defend the undefendable. Her reason for saying Luka was that the Crew was talking about embarrassing things. This flimsy vindication made the look of disappointment on her dad’s face grow. The look of disapproval from her dad had a different reaction this time. Instead of feeling that her dad was picking Luke over her, she got upset. It hurt Lori that at that moment she was not her dad’s sweet pickle.

Not being seen in a good light made Lori even more determined to have her dad believe the lie. The strong desire for the lie to be the truth made Lori start to believe it. Another driving factor which made the spin doctor to start believing her own spin was that the Brat Princess was once again sent to the back of Lori’s mind. Lori without trying to live up to her mom’s sitcom expectation of how siblings got along would never have hurt Luke. She would have never seen picking on him as normal.

Hearing Lori using the bad excuses as a feeble attempt to try to justify once again going against her parent’s wishes thoroughly got to Fred. The positive progress Lori was making in the 6 weeks Luke was away wiped out like a sandcastle by a huge wave. How easy and quickly Lori resorted back to her old ways made the frustrated father lose faith that discipline was more about rehabilitation than punishment.

As soon as Fred and his family were in the guest house he looked at his daughter and said “You will not be going to that concert tomorrow.”

The Brat Princess came running to the forefront of Lori’s psyche. There was no way that the egotistical ruler was going to let this injustice happen on herself. “No, I am going. You can’t stop me. Aunt Bridget got me the ticket. This is unfair.”

Fred easily handled the objection “I can stop you. I am your father.

“You are right about one thing, the punishment is unfair. This is why you will also have a job when we get back home. You will be doing all the household chores. You will be hard at work Monday through Friday and work a lot on Saturday and Sunday. Then when you are back to school your weekends will be filled with chores.

“When we get home you will be able to call your friends once to tell them that until further notice you will be grounded at home.”

Lori remained quiet. The normal second round of airing the same objections did not come. The pain from not going to the concert was huge, but not as big as the pain of her dad being mad at her. Even if the Brat Princess was in charge the response would have been the same. She was wise enough to know that questioning the judgment would only lead to the disappointment her dad had to grow and still no concert.

Alice also was quiet as her husband was doling out the punishment. Fred’s wife wanted to show support for his decision. Making this united front was so that when Alice got proof that Lori’s action was not as malicious as Luke played out to be, she could talk her husband into easing up the punishment. Alice would let her daughter in on the plan after she got everyone separated. To start making sure that her precious daughter got to go to the concert Alice said “Lori go up to your room. I will be up in a couple of minutes to talk with you. Luke go back to your aunt’s I will see you tomorrow. I want to go to the beach and watch the sunrise with you.“

**************

Luke was ecstatic about going to the beach with his mom. Finally, he was able to share watching the sunrise with her. Sharing the welcoming of a new day with his mom was going to give them a new connection. This new connection was going to strengthen the bonds between them. Luke might be mad at how his mother treated him and hated her for that, but he still loved her. Hate was not always the opposite of love. Hate can come from someone you care deeply about mistreating you and that is where Luke’s bad feelings for his mom came from.

The mother and son sharing of the dark blue sky starting to be filled up with orange then yellow was short-lived when a couple of the other members of the Dawn Patrol arrived to give their greeting to the sun. The pretense was broken when Alice broke her silence by asking Lil, one of the new arrivals, how she liked hanging out with Lori yesterday.

There was only one reason for that question, to clear Lori of any wrongdoing. The question also showed Luke that his mom would always not take his word when it came to Lori’s actions towards him. Finding out that his mom was only posturing by wanting to spend time with him to help his sister made the hate Luke had for his mom to grow. The part of her not trusting him made Luke's resentment towards her treatment of him strengthen.

Lil was a patient person. The knowledge of it was better to think before saying anything was fresh in her mind from yesterday. Waiting a second to answer also showed the person she was talking to that she was considerate and not just using feelings to come to a conclusion. After pondering the best way to say she wanted nothing to do with Lori ever again in a manner as graceful as she was on the wave Lil finally answered “I really did not enjoy it Ms Zahn. Lori is just a different person than who I hang out with.”

One issue with using tact was that people tend to hear what they want to hear. Alice could never contemplate let alone actually consider anyone would actually not want to be around Lori once they knew her Brat Princess. “Mary, Lori is a great person, she will grow on you over time. I know if she lived out here you two would be best friends.”

Alice was right Lori had the ability to grow on people. The same can be said about Athlete’s Foot. Lori also had the ability to be annoying to people who had to deal with the Brat Princess part of her psyche. Not wanting to compare her boyfriend’s sister to a fungus to their mother, Lil excused herself “Ms Zahn, I will talk with you later. The sun is up enough to hit the wave.”

Wanting to be as far away as possible to his mom Luke joined Lil in the ocean. Hitting the waves would put Luke’s mind as far away from his mom as her house was to where he now lived. Being in the moment would make Luke forget about how his mom would always look out for Lori. The ocean was Luke’s safe harbor from the tempest of his mom playing favorites.

Alice so wanted to clear her daughter of deliberately trying to sabotage Luke’s friendship with the Crew. She then saw the next witness she wanted to interview about last night, Shy. Alice called out to Luke’s friend and there was no response. Alice tried again to get Shy’s attention by saying “Hey Shy, I was talking to you.”

Shy had enough restraint to ignore Ms Zahn once. When Luke’s mom did not take the subtle hint Shy had to respond in a blunt manner. Being like the tip of a dart and to the point should end the conversation “I know Alice, but I don’t want to talk with you.”

“Young lady you show me the respect which I deserve.”

“Alice, trust me you do not want me to show you the respect you deserve. I think you are nothing more than a bitch. You kept on siding with Lori when she was lying and treating Luke badly. You put your son in a dress and chased him away from his home. You deserve no respect.

“If you want the respect you deserve, stay, if not I think you should leave.”

Shy’s words were a harsh wave of reality that came crashing into Alice. She felt shame from strangers knowing what she did. At that moment Alice knew she was in the wrong and could not defend herself. The best course of action was to evacuate before Shy could start a full-on assault.

The second wave came and hit the lady who was bathed in humiliation when Shy drove home the point of what she thought of Alice. “Bye Alice hope I never see you or your precious brat princess again.”

The conviction in those words helped Alice to start lying to herself to feel better. Even with knowing how Shy felt was justified, Alice did not want to believe how badly she was seen by Luke’s friend.

The excuses came easy because she had been making them to herself for years. Of course, she and her daughter looked bad to Shy. Luke must have only told his side of the story Shy was biased from not knowing the truth. She was overreacting to protect a friend. Shy’s negative feelings about Alice and Lori did not matter. That girl did not know or want to know the entire story.

By the time she was home, Alice was once again feeling fine about herself. Having no one to challenge your point of view is a great way of making sure that they are believed. She knew that putting Luke in a dress was wrong, but not as wrong as Shy was making it out. That girl was making a federal case out of a summary offense.
Alice now knew she had to talk with Luke to get him to confess. Lori was set up to fail in getting along with Luke’s friends by him telling something embarrassing about her. Once Fred knew that fact he would have to overrule the unjust sentence he gave the innocent girl, Lori.

*********
Adolescence is a time of self-discovery. These years are not only a journey from childhood to adulthood. They are also the time where people journey to find out who they really are. This is the span of a person’s life where it is normal for them to do multiple quick self-reinventions. These reinventions are not an actual change of who the person was, but just aligning how they presented themselves to other people to better fit who they are or who they were striving to become.

Amanda Travers was in the process of one of these self-reinventions. The start of this metamorphosis came from how some of her friends acted when they found out that Tom switched the gifts for Lori and Luke. She was ashamed that she surrounded herself with people who would laugh at putting someone else down. That her friends, the people she counted on to be there, found pleasure from someone else’s pain.

The physical aspects of the new and improved version of Amanda Travers were the easiest for people to notice. The first one which was done was her going by Amanda instead of Mandy. She always felt that Mandy was too cute for who she was. The next change was a new hairstyle. Amanda got an asymmetric angular bob. The girl who was becoming a woman saw Audrey Hepburn with the style and found it added an elegance and grace to her. Amanda wanted those traits to be seen by others when they saw her.

The next part of the makeover was her wardrobe. In staying with the elegant and graceful look, Amanda classed up her clothes. When she was adding to her wardrobe Amanda looked for clothes that were timeless. She did not want what was the newest trend or try to start a new fad. The new blouses, skirts, dresses, and pants she added were staples of women fashions for years and that would stay so for years to come.

Kat Korkowski was made uneasy with all these changes to her best friend. She felt in a way that Amanda was leaving her behind. Those gut feelings were right. Kat wanted things to stay the same and Amanda wanted to grow. The girl who was enjoying her arrested development was young and did not want to start to have any of the responsibilities of being an adult and Amanda knew the time to act like a child was over. To Kat, the question was as simple as she acted. Why act mature when you can get away with having fun just because of your youth. To Amanda fun could still be had but now she had to take account of how her actions affected others. Finally, the follower’s of Peter Pan youth’s would be wasted if not being able to get away with acting like a teenager was not taken advantage of by her and her friends and the woman who was leaving Never-Never land knew staying the same and missing out of her full potential was the real waste.
The conflicting views on how to spend their adolescent years came to a head when Kat and Amanda bumped into Matt and Renee at the neighborhood convenience store. The snide comments by Kat and the thoughtful rebuts by Amanda were escalating faster than the temperature in the morning of a sunny day in July. Those comments and rebuts were also becoming as intense as the humidity on a sunny day in July.

The incident which was the initiation of the explosion which caused the end of the close friendship between Kat and Amanda was an innocent greeting done by Matt. He called Amanda, Mandy when he was complimenting his friend on her new hairstyle.

Amanda said, “Thank you Matt, and please call me Amanda.”

The innocent correction came off to Kat as audacious as telling a songwriter they were wrong about the meaning of the song they penned. Amanda needed to stop trying to make herself come off as better as the rest of her peers. Kat then treated her friend like the last piece of a puzzle by trying to put Amanda in her place. “Mandy, it does not matter what you want people to call you. You will always be Mandy to us. Get over trying to give yourself a new name.”

Matt paid as much attention to Kat’s words as people clicking on the agree box to the terms of service. “Sorry, Amanda.”

Renee said “Amanda, Matt is right that haircut does fit you. I also think going by Amanda does too.”

Matt and Renee, being considerate of Amanda’s reasonable desires to be called Amanda solidified Kat’s belief that Matt and Renee were too sensitive. Those two snowflakes always overreact. There was the instance of how Renee stopped Lori’s party over a joke played on Luka. Then the one where Renee broke up with Tom over that joke. Matt was worse, he was just a henchman to Renee. The boy had as many original thoughts as a plagiarized term paper. “You two quit playing along with Mandy.”

Renee then asked, “Amanda what are you doing this afternoon?”

Kat answered for her friend “MANDY, is going to chill with me at my house.”

Amanda liked Kat as a friend but did not like that her friend was not willing to accept it was time to grow up. What she was about to say next would hurt Amanda. It was the right thing to do and simple, but not easy. Amanda was going to leave Kat behind until her friend started to mature also. “No, I am not hanging out at Kat’s. I have nothing planned.”

Renee knew this was an ending of a friendship. There were two branches on the decision tree the girl could make. Either keep with her original plan of inviting Amanda over or staying out of the falling out between Amanda and her friend. Then Renee realized the second choice was actually taking Kat’s side. Doing nothing to change or object to the status quo meant acceptance to it.

The revelation led to Renee sticking to her original plan. Inviting Amanda over would be supporting her friend. Not supporting her friend was what led to her losing her friendship with Luke. She might never be able to gain that friendship back, but Renee was now able to honor that friendship. “Amanda then come over to my place. Me, Matt and Mike are going to swim. My mom and dad would love to see you.”

“Cool, I will.”

Hearing Amanda’s agreement to going swimming hurt Kat. The pain of losing a friend over a name was too much for the girl to bear at the moment. She knew that if she said anything her feelings would come out with tears. Instead of staying and showing everyone her pain Kat quietly left and those three were caught up in talking about the fun they will have later in the day.

************

Alice had a couple of hours to justify her treatment of the twins. During this time of reaffirming her parenting choices, she also figured out how she was going to have her family whole again. Luke should be at home with her and him telling all his friends about the petticoat punishment meant that her actions did not affect him as much as he let Fred believe. Once Luke confessed to telling his friends Alice will make him also tell his dad. Then Fred would have no choice but to agree with Alice about Luke coming back home, have Alice in charge of the kids and most importantly apologize for making her feel like she was a horrible parent.

As Alice was confidently walking towards the Cove Crew Luke winced inside and thought “Oh great, now what?” Luke knew his dear mother well enough that she was up to about as much good as a teenager in an empty house opening up the liquor cabinet. There was no other reason why making this unexpected visit to see her son would make her this happy. He heard about the little confrontation Shy had with his mom, and knew that dear mother was too worried about keeping up appearances to be in a good mood otherwise.

The saving grace was Luke did not have the feeling of inevitable dread. Instead, for each step his mom took, Luke got stronger. Alice was in for a nasty surprise, Luke had home-field advantage. Alice’s son was not only Luke from Western Pa but also Eck, a member of the Cove Crew. Her trying to go against some unknown forces on their home turf would lead to the Nostalgia Queen’s defeat.

Alice was wise enough to not go right into the heart of enemy territory. One of the sentinels, Shy, was giving a sneer. The open showing of such disdain made Luke’s mother know Shy was looking for any reason to start another assault on her. This second assault would not be as nice as the first one was.
Alice called her son to come to her so they could head to the boardwalk to have lunch together. Not going and getting her son came from Alice wanting to stay clear of any conflict until she had Luke away from his backup. If Luke had his friends around he might be able to stand up to her.

As they walked towards the boardwalk Alice started some insignificant small talk. Playing what this visit was really about close to her vest was the best course of action. Luke knew that what his dear mother was saying was pointless banter to fill the time until she was in position to reveal what she really wanted. Luke was not going to waste either of their time using words which would be wasted. “What do you want mother?”

“First Luke call me mom. I am your mom.”

“I can call you mother if I want to call you mother, mother.”

That short simple sentence having the word mother in it three times made Alice start to lose her cool. “You call me mom.”

“No, dad said that I can call you mother.”

“Your dad is not here so I am in charge.”

Hearing his mom was in charge made Luke think about what his mom used to do behind her husband’s back. “What are you going to do about it, put me in a dress again.”

“Quit playing the victim. I know that did not bother you that much. You told all your friends about it. That means you will be coming home with us.”

“I did not and I will not come home with you. This is my home.”

“Yeah right if you did not tell your friends about it then how did Shy know. By the way, tell that girl to call me Ms Zahn or don’t talk to me.

Your dad will have to agree with me once he finds out about you telling everyone about being in a dress.”

“I did not tell my friends. They know because Lori told them. Sorry, no, Lori only told them I wore dresses and not why. I told them the entire story because they believed I liked to wear dresses.

Your daughter once again tried to put me down and make me an outsider. I stopped her. I had friends who believed me and saw Lori for what she is, an entitled spoiled brat.”

“Lori would never tell anyone.”

“Like she did not tell people at school when it first happened. Like she did not make it a point to tell any new student. Wait, she did.”

“Don’t get smart with me Luke.”

“I would not get smart with you mother if you would believe me. Tell me once when I lied about what Lori did to me.”

“She would not have done that now. She knew she would have gotten in big trouble.”

“Lori would just say she was caught in the moment and joined in with my friends who were sharing embarrassing stories about each other.”

“Then she was.”

“No, she wasn’t. She left out the part you forced me to wear a dress. That is an important part of the story. Leaving out I was forced, changes the story from being an embarrassing one for me, to one about how you humiliated me.”

Alice got defensive “Quit bringing that up. You know I was not trying to humiliate you. I quit once I knew. Putting you in a dress was just a good way to get peace and punish you when you were being bad.”

Luke was done with this conversation with his mother. The boy who had enough turned around and started to walk back to his friends.

Alice told Luke to come back so they could have lunch together. Even with her plans going down quicker than the fuel gauge on a gas guzzler Alice still wanted to share a meal with her son. She knew her connection with him was not as strong as she thought it was and wanted to strengthen it. Sharing that time only between them would do so. They would be mother and son not mother with her oldest.

Luke saw his mom’s innocent request as her somehow trying to get him to agree to come back to live with her. “Mother no. You didn’t come to see me, you came to try to force me to come back home.”

“I did not. You have to believe me Luke. You coming home is just so important to me that when I thought that it was happening that was the first thing I wanted to talk about. I love you and miss you.”

“Mother drop it, I know what you are about. You are all about Lori. You talk about respect, but you did not respect how I felt with you putting me in a dress. You did not respect Shy, when she did not kowtow to you just because you are her elder. She knew how badly you treated me and just wanted to make sure you knew how she felt about it.”

“Luke, she did not know the entire story. She had no right to speak to me in that manner. Calling me by my first name was so disrespectful.”

“Yes she did. You just don’t like the story. You don’t like that your actions drove me away. You don’t like that how you punished me hurt me so bad. You don’t like that I am thriving being away from you.

“If you are really about respect then you would go up to Shy and apologize to her right now. You always said that people earn respect.”

Alice knew that Luke was right. That Shy was just expressing her feeling towards her in a civilized manner. Shy might have been blunt and straightforward, but she was not disrespectful. Wanting to at least undo the damage she done with Luke agreed with her son

Alice went up to Shy. Before Luke’s protectful friend could unleash the second round on her, Lil gave the lady waiting to go on offense the simmer down look. Shy bit her tongue putting the unleashing the dogs of war on hold.

Alice looked Shy straight in her eyes, to show the teenage girl respect and also that she was not afraid of what Shy had to say. “I am sorry about how I handled seeing you this morning. I was wrong. You were right calling me Alice. I need to earn your respect, Luke and his friends are not children anymore.”

Shy stayed silent because she wanted an apology for more. The girl wanted a mea culpa. Alice should be asking for forgiveness on all the entire list of grievances Luke had about his mom. The girl standing on the high moral ground wanted to hear Alice say sorry for how she treated Luke. Putting him in a dress, showing favorites in such an obvious manner, not caring about Luke’s social life.

Lil gave Shy a little nudge. Luke’s girlfriend was trying to coax her stubborn friend to meet Ms Zahn halfway. The sincere gesture was a great starting point to restart the relationship between Luke’s mom and his friend. Being open to giving someone new a second chance when they admitted being wrong was what the Crew was about.

Even with Shy not wanting to appease Alice and demand more she followed Shy’s request. The girl knew she got what she needed to start to repair the relationship and should not hold out for what she wanted. “It is fine Alice. I was mad about last night. Lori was trying to hurt Luke and I have to protect my friends however I can.”

Even disagreeing with how Shy took her anger out, she liked that the girl wanted to defend her son. Luke needed people who would have his back in his life and his mom wanted to show her approval. This along with Alice wanting to bridge the gap between her and Luke’s friends made her invite Shy and Lil to lunch with her and her son. “Shy and Lil I came off wrong this morning. Have lunch with me and Luke. It will be a nice way for me to get to know you. Plus I can show you how much it means to me that Luke has friends who care for him.”

As Luke’s girlfriend and friend accepted the invite, Greg K walked by the group. Alice extended the invite to him also. The gesture of showing thanks was real and Greg K deserved it also. She knew how close he got to Luke and that he would have Luke’s back also. Greg K smiled and said yes.

During the second attempt to get lunch, Luke was getting a little apprehensive about the new dynamics which were forming between his mom and his friends. He felt that his mom was going to use her charm to try to make his friends believe Luke was overreacting. This fear was well founded. Alice never truly apologized to Luke for the petticoat punishment. Also making friends with Luke’s friends to only divide them was exactly what Lori did.

Lil mentioned that she wanted to go get her cell phone and asked Luke to come with her. Before anyone could say that they would happily wait for those two Lil told them to go on and they would catch up. The rest of the group knew Lil really wanted a little time with Luke so they granted the simple request. Alice found Lil stealing these couple of minutes alone with Luke as adorable as teenage love and made sure the rest of the group were far ahead of Luke and Lil. She wanted those to be able to enjoy each possible second of being together alone as long as possible. Alice also hoped that the savoring of that time was going to be as good as hers with the morning catch which was going to be her lunch.

The reason why Lil wanted this alone time with Luke was more than sneaking some alone time with her boyfriend. She could tell that her boyfriend was getting tense with how the day was unfolding. Luke’s mannerisms were becoming more and more like they were last night when Lori told everyone the half-story about why Luke wore a dress. Lil wanted to support her man and also reassure him that he had nothing to be upset about.

The dark place of Luke having to once again become second to Lori was disrupted by rays of hope from Lil’s comforting words. The caring conviction in what Lil said was a reminder to the uncertain boy that the promise of a new day was as real the Cove Crew’s connection. The Crew’s existence dependent on Lil’s words being the truth. This everchanging makeshift group would not have lasted so long without it be
ing based on support for the other members.

Feeling better Luke wanted to catch up with the group. He was going to show his mom her old tricks were not going to work on the true bond of friendship. There was also the same hope that maybe his mom did change. Then he was going to spend as much time as possible with her. The reconnection between mom and son would be easier with the help of a group which was about making bonds stronger.

Lil had a better idea. Let Shy and Greg K spend some alone time with Luke’s mom. Those two had no horses in the race so they would not care about letting Ms Zahn know exactly how they felt. Maybe Luke’s mom dealing with people’s unfiltered true reactions to how she treated her son would open her eyes to the damage she had done. Also, she was thinking like Brian Wilson and thought wouldn’t it be nice for those two be alone so they can be exactly who they are.

**************

Lori was walking down the row of philosophy books like a convict walking down death row for the last time. The walk towards no future was from the ending of her punishment being like the rescheduled date of a canceled concert, to be announced. Her life was going to be studying books her dad picked for her, writing reports and having debates about the topics, doing chores, and maybe if she was lucky having an hour or two at night to have some supervised downtime. The punishment has made Lori look forward to going back to school. This was not to see her friends, but so she could have some freedom from the ever watching eye of her warden.

The punishment had an unexpected feature, her feeling guilty. The guilt did not come from her feeling that she did anything wrong towards Luke. Lori felt culpable for how her dad was feeling. It was only a little over a month but Lori felt so good that her dad was calling her his sweet pickle. The pride came from Lori actually earning the closeness and connection to her dad. The closeness and connection did not come from Lori following orders to please her dad. It came from her dad having pride in his daughter’s progress . Now that pride was gone and also the pride Lori got from being on her dad’s nice list. Instead the shame of being on the naughty list was what Lori felt being around her dad.

The unwavering need for exoneration which came with guilt was a foreign desire to Lori. Before, whenever she did wrong there was always a pardon ready from her mom. All which was needed was a simple confession of messing up to get absolution from her mom. This time admitting to the lie of it was a mistake would not be enough. Lori would have to make a full detailed confession about her bad decisions and make restitution to all the injured parties.

Even with knowing that clemency was not forthcoming from her dad by the use of simple meaningless words Lori spoke up. “Dad I am sorry. I messed up and was not thinking at the beach when joking with Luke. I was trying to fit in and be accepted by his friends.”

Fred knew exactly what those words were, sounds. Those words were as meaningful as a promise by a cheater. He said, “Lori, what are you going to do to make this up to Luke?”

“I will say I am sorry. I am. I know what I did was wrong. I understand why I am not going to the concert tonight. That shows I know I did wrong. I don’t want you to be mad at me.”

“Sweet Pickle. I am not mad at you. I am mad and disappointed at your actions. I am mad at how your mom cuddles you. I am mad that I was blind to what was going on in my home. You do not want me to be mad at those actions, make this up to Luke.”

Lori ransacked her mind like a crazed treasure hunter looking for the hidden big score. She knew the information was in there to what to do. What action would be the exact location of finding the big score of getting forgiveness from her dad. Then it stumbled upon her, Lil was also a fan of Boyz +1. She cannot use the tickets so they are useless to her. Offer them to Luke to take his girlfriend. “How about if I give the VIP experience to Luke.”

“He doesn’t like Boyz +1.”

“I know dad, but Mary does. Those two can go.”

Fred was happy. Him amping up the punishment was starting to have results. He knew he could not let up on the plans and have to keep a close watchful eye on Lori. Still, his daughter coming to this conclusion to help Luke make his girlfriend happy was the first sign of true progress. “That is a great idea. You can tell him when you apologize. We will swing down to the beach after we are done here.”

Another strange feeling came to Lori. The Brat Princess was feeling good about having to admit she was wrong. Having a path back to the good graces of her dad made having to make the hard admission of guilt worth it. Now instead of wanting out of the bookstore so her summer reading list did not become longer, Lori wanted to leave so she could start the long journey back to her dad always seeing his daughter as his Sweet Pickle. The first step to redemption would be by Lori saying sorry to her nemesis.

What gives people a sense of pride grows as a person matures and goes from being self-centered to considerate of others.The more considerate a person becomes, the bigger the circle of people becomes who increases that person's pride. How much you like them as a person is not as big of a factor if you take pride for being associated with them. Having pride in those who are close to you comes from people finding out the truth that one does not need to like a person to love them. Lori was about to take pride in her brother for the first time in her life.

After Lori got her all the books on her summer reading list, she and her dad went straight to the beach. She wanted to give Luke that VIP experience to the Boyz+1 concert right away. She figured that the approach of doing something which hurt as quickly as possible to get the action over with and move on with her life was best. Fred was more than happy to delay a little Lori starting her punishment to read because he wanted her to make amends for the wrongdoing she did. The punishment was important to Lori’s growth and would still happen, but it could be delayed because doing the right thing on her own accord was more important to her growth. Wanting to make things right with her brother was a positive sign that Lori was going from being self-centered to considerate.

When walking towards the cove Alice saw her husband and daughter and waved them over. Before the Nostalgia queen could awaken the Brat Princess, a surfer caught Lori’s eye. She was amazed at how fluid the surfer was moving on the wave. It seemed effortless for him to make it to the end of the tube before the wave crashed. This excellent example of expertise, which was way beyond Lori, made her stop to admire the beauty and skill of the stranger.

Fred saw his daughter looking on in awe and joined in watching Luke in admiration. He put his arm around Lori’s shoulder to have a physical connection as those two shared this connecting moment. Lori also wanted to be closer to her dad so she put her arm around his torso. She then made the comment “That surfer is amazing.”

In a matter of fact manner Fred said “Yeah, your brother is a natural.”

Lori's amazement and excitement peaked as high as the wave which Luke rode in hearing who the mystery surfer was. Having admiration for her brother covered her like a wave and it had the same effect as a real wave. It felt refreshing, cool, and invigorated her.

Alice joined her husband and daughter. She knew exactly why they did not come over to see her. Her daughter was amazed at what she saw. People tend to stop in their tracks when they see something amazing and how good Luke was on that board had to be shocking to Lori. Learning that about her son elicited the same response from her.

Alice did not want to wait until Lori was done watching Luke to see her daughter. There was an important question which the mother needed to ask the daughter. If giving the VIP treatment to Luke and Mary was fine. The question was not asking for permission. Alice was going to give the gift to her son and his girlfriend no matter what. Forming the information as a question was a way to make the situation more cordial.

Lori actually got excited when her mom started to mention the concert. Luke’s sister's eyebrow raised like a crest of a wave. The color came rushing back to the youngest Zahn’s face like a wave to the beach. How much her daughter came to life before hearing the question was a concern to Alice. The cuddling mother was concerned that Lori was assuming that somehow the punishment was overturned.

Lori’s excitement overtook her and she interrupted her mom. Having to disappoint her daughter again about the concert felt like a huge wave coming to hit Alice. She braced herself to withstand the urge to not bring up the question. Those tickets needed to be given to Luke and Mary.

Then Lori started to speak. What was said did not contain the undertow of the unfounded assumption that Lori was going to the concert. Instead, they had a strong current which took the conversation exactly where Alice was steering it. “Mom, the concert. I have a great idea. Give the tickets to Luke and Mary. She also loves Boyz+1. It would be a shame to waste them. Aunt Bridgett had to pull many strings to get those backstage passes.”

Alice swelled up with pride. “That is a great idea, you tell them when Luke comes back to the beach.”

**************

Matt Thayil was the opposite of most teenagers. Instead of dreading hearing his alarm on Saturday morning he wanted to be woken up at god-awful in the morning. Waking up early meant it was race day for his girlfriend, Renee Walha. Having to rise before the sun on Saturn’s day meant that Matt was going to be doing many things he enjoyed. The young man was going to spend the day with his girlfriend, support her on her endeavors, go to a new bike park and work on her bike.

Renee Wahla’s boyfriend was a little selfish. Working on the bike was the part which he was looking forward to the most. Being the head of Renee’s pit crew combined Matt’s newfound love of mechanical engineering with helping the girl he loved win her race. Matt loved figuring out how to make Renee’s bike the most efficient one in the race. Helping her win made him feel like part of Team Pink Streak.

Helping her win the race had the added benefit of honoring Luke. Matt and Renee might have lost contact with Luke, but they wanted to make sure he had a place in their heart. Them not forgetting him or having bad feelings towards him was the least they could do. If not for Luke Renee would have never found her love for BMX racing. Luke also gave Matt the support he needed to embrace his inner geek. Most importantly if not for Luke those two would have never become friends and then a couple. The time Luke spent in their life helped bring out the best in them and that fact needed to be remembered. A win for team Pink Streak was a way to keep the essence of the Saturday Morning Bike Club alive.

In the past 2 racing seasons, Renee had traveled enough to events around the tri-state area that people in the BMX community gave her the nickname the Pink Streak. The fitting moniker came from her speed and her outfit. Seeing someone in all pink going past her fellow competitors as fast as Renee did made her nickname come natural. Some people wouldn’t say that girl was the best female BMX racer they have seen. Those people were not paying attention. If they had actively been conscious of the races they were watching then they would say that Renee was one of the best if not the best BMX racer they have seen. Her being a female would be as important as if Han Solo shot first to a James Bond fan, not at all.

After grabbing a healthy to-go breakfast burrito which his mom made, Matt was out of the door. He wanted to make sure that Renee and her parents did not have to wait for him. After being picked up Matt listened to Renee talking about doing her best and the layout of today's racetrack. The supportive young man let her do all the talking. The information she was giving helped him in planning the right modification to do to Renee’s bike to ensure it was at its optimal performance level.

After coming on with his strategy to help Renee be her best Matt shared the plan with her. Hearing the joy in Matt’s voice explaining his plan reaffirmed to Renee that those two were right for each other. Him helping to bring out the best in her was not a chore to Matt. Her boyfriend actually saw him helping her was also helping himself. Renee knew she had the same joy in helping Matt and it came from the same place. That they were both becoming better people.

***********

It was a well-known fact that Shy’s nickname was ironic. Her acting like a wave at the shore and crashing the Zahn’s conversation was just going to reassert this to them. Shy had to be Shy and speak her mind. The difference is this time speaking her peace was going to be giving a huge amount of credit to Alice and Lori.

As she approached the Zahn she overheard the conversation they were having. Lori was telling her mom about giving Luke and Mary her VIP package to the Boyz+1 concert. Shy was already warming up to Alice from the walk to lunch. Luke’s mom brought up that she was going to give Luke and Mary those tickets as a way to make amends. It looked good on Lori’s behalf that she had the same thought. Then Alice raised Shy’s opinion by not trying to steal Lori’s thunder. Alice made sure to give positive feedback about doing this kind gesture. More importantly Alice made it a point to say it was a great way to start to mend the relationship between Luke and Lori.

Shy being her normal self greeted the Zhan’s and without a pause gave her opinion “Hey there Mr, Ms Z and Lori. That is a great idea and so nice of you Lori. I know Mary and Luke will enjoy the concert.”

Lori felt the muscles in her body start tightening up with Shy so close. Just last night this girl wanted to introduce Lori to things she did not want to know. These things were Shy’s fists, legs and how a forced nap on the ground was good. Then Shy making a total 180 towards Lori made her give a pensive answer. “Mary will but why do you think Luke would?”

Since Lori thought only about herself,she thought everyone was the same. Luke would like the tickets for giving them to Mary will help him score points with her. She did not understand yet that people could enjoy being around someone they care deeply about having a good time at an event they would not normally like.

Shy laughed a little. “Lori, Eck will get a kick out of seeing Lil’ at the concert.”

Lori’s tense and cautious feeling was now being joined by another one, confusion. Hearing what Shy said did not compute to her, yet Lori knew Shy fully believed those words. Being so off-kilter made Luke’s sister wanting an out and she saw one. Luke was getting out of the water. Lori was an opportunist so used this as an escape from the girl and the ideas which she did not understand. “Good, good I am happy Luke will like it also. I am going to tell him now. Mom and dad come with me.”

Fred desired nothing more at that moment than to be as supportive as possible to his daughter’s journey so his answer of yes was as predictable as the sun coming up from the East. Alice wanted a moment alone with Shy. She wanted to also be supportive but needed to know why the sudden change in Shy. Wanting to be able to do both, Alice made the suggestion of those two getting Mary before telling Luke and she would be joining them when they got to Luke.

“Shy what is going on?”

“What are you talking about Ms Z.”

“You calling me Ms Z and being nice to Lori.”

“Ms Z, you deserve my respect. How you are handling Luke and Lori now is great. You came up with a way to start making up for treating Eck bad. Then when Lori had the same idea you did not tried to take credit for it.

“You better get going, you want to see the smile on your son and Lil’s face when Lori gives them those tickets.”

The simple explanation explained to Alice why the Crew put up with Shy’s outspokenness. What people who did not pay attention thought was bluntness was actually the girl wearing her heart in her sleeve. She called people out loudly when they were wrong, but at the same time belted at the top of her lungs her praise of them when they did the right thing. Alice felt closer to Shy from this better understanding. She smiled as she went to her family and said “Thank you Shy.”

**********

A light steady rain had settled for the day in Columbus, Ohio. This meant the Buckeye BMX course which was hosting the Heartland Invitation was going to be muddy. The races were going to be a slogfest for a couple of reasons. Getting speed was going to be hard and maintaining it even more so. This hindrance on speed made control paramount.

The regulars at the BMX circuit thought the unfavorable conditions lessened the chance of the odds on the favorite in the girl division to win. They were not taking into account all the factors. She had Matt to work on her bike. He knew the adjustments which needed to be made so Renee could have better control of her bike. Better control would mean more precise turning and breaking. Renee would neither be fishtailing nor losing as much momentum from vectors displacement.

To get this better control Matt knew he would have to sacrifice some acceleration. The exchange should work because once Renee hit full speed she would not be losing as much as the others when she had to decelerate. Then she would gain ground on her competitors and also not have to exert as much energy. This saving of energy would allow her to have a higher top speed at the end of the course than the rest of the racers.

The modifications were simple. The biggest one was replacing her carbon rims with her aluminum ones. This meant exchanging the cork breaks with rubber ones. This change would add weight but give much better control to Renee when breaking during the turns. The second big adjustment was putting in new brake lines. The tighter brake lines would give Renee the ability to have more subtle changes in the amount of pressure needed to use the brakes. The less pressure to slow momentum meant being able to do smaller increments of change.

After Matt explained the changes Renee was ready to race. She had full faith in what Matt told her so the girl who had no fear in showing her emotions also had no fear on the track. She was going to be able to put her all in her races. The other racers did not have the confidence in their bikes so they had to hold back from going as fast as they could.

Renee’s first heat made all those people who had doubt lose it as quick as the other seven finishers that race. They saw that the Pink Streak was not just a one-trick pony. She has the technical skills to go along with her physical superiority. Today Renne let her fellow competitors know she was more than just raw speed.

The next race Renee was in, was the quarterfinals. The win which improved her record to 2-0 was even more impressive. Her fellow racers felt defeated before the start of the race. This lack of confidence held them back from giving their all. People tend not to go all out to try to get second place. Renee kept on upping the ante on her opponents in the semifinals. Wanting to win was a factor in the expansion in the margin of victory. Another one was wanting to show Matt how good his modifications to her bike was. Him seeing the fruits of his hard labor in action was an added reward. The best reward was knowing he helped Renee win and be her best.

The finals were as anticlimactic as the ending of a movie someone was watching for the hundredth time. The only part which added excitement was Renee’s insistence that Matt also stand on the victory podium with her. Matt deserved to be on that podium as much as her.
Renee might have been the racer which crossed the finish line first, but she knew that all of the members of Team Pink Streak were the true victors.

Standing there being covered by the light rain and the heavy accolades of the crowd, Matt and Renee were holding each other’s hands. Turning to congratulate each other they both had huge grins on their faces. Winning felt great, but the smiles were from something else. The smile came from both of them knowing this accomplishment was in honor of the Saturday Morning Bike Club. Luke did not know this win was for him, but they knew he would be proud of who they were becoming.

*************

When Eck got out of the water he got some helpful pointers from Silk. Him greeting Eck as he came out of the water was not unusual. The de facto leader of the Cove Crew was always eager to help. This time the advice did not come from unintentionally paying attention to Eck’s rides. Silk made it a point to watch Eck riding the waves. He wanted to reinforce the bonds between him and his fellow Crew members. The best way was to have a natural conversation with Luke.

Last night the entire Crew made a mistake of not listening to Eck. Their pure intentions did not override that not hearing Eck could be taken as them not trusting him. The Crew had already apologized, showed they understand what they did wrong and made amends by stating they learned their lesson. Silk was now just taking the step of showing Luke those words would have actions behind them.

The little pep talk about how good Eck was and how he could become better worked out exactly as Silk planned. This was because the conversation was natural. So after reaffirming the Crew were Eck’s pillars of support, the conversation organically went into other directions. That is what happens when friends talk.

Those two were goofing off and laughing as the rest of Eck’s family and Lil’ came over. When Luke made eye contact with Lori he got tense. His sister had a huge smile on her face. Lori being happy seeing Luke was always a bad sign of things to come. Then she should not be in a good mood for she was busted in her plans to hurt luke. Lori being in a good mood cannot be. Luke knew somehow Lori was happy and was showing it. This improbable smile made Luke become cautious. Something had to be up, his sister had to be able to do something which she wanted to do. This usually meant hurting Luke.

Luke’s dad, mom and girlfriend only gave a quick hi. Then Silk excused himself, he knew those five had something to talk about which was none of his business. After one of his surfing mentors left, Luke gave a pensive hi back. The small greeting was so they would get to the last person who was going to talk, Lori. Lori said “Luke I am sorry about last night. You were right in calling me out when you got home.

“I am not going to the Boyz+1 concert tonight. I want you and Mary to go instead.”

Luke was now confused. Her doing something nice for him did not compute. At the same time Luke did not know Lori’s endgame. Not wanting to step into a trap and help Lori’s newest attack on him Luke said “I do not know what to say.”

Those words hurt Lori. The natural response was saying thank you.

Before Lori’s pain could grew and awaken the Brat Princess Fred said “Luke thank you is all you have to say. Lori knows she messed up and is trying to make it right. You are right to be leery, but Lori is trying to change. Isn’t that right Sweet Pickle?”

“Yes Luke. Mom and dad have shown me the results of my actions. I see how people get hurt by how I was treating you. I am sorry.”

Luke believed Lori’s words. This trust came from the highly regarded recommendation from his dad. After all, his dad did what was best for Luke when he found out the degree to which Lori and his mom were making his life miserable.

A big smile came to Luke’s face. The familiarity of this smile came from it being a twin of the one on Lori’s face. Luke’s sister seeing that smile took away any of the little resentment she had from him showing his appreciation right away. That smile shared made Lori feel a connection to Luke.

Luke then said “Thank you so much Lori. I will get you a shirt.”

Mary joined in thanking Lori. Those two being grateful made Lori feel good inside. Right then she understood what Shy said why Luke will enjoy the concert, she felt the same way. Lori’s happiness came from seeing her brother being happy. That smile sparked the connection siblings had and forced any thought of the unreal expectations her mom forced on Lori from her mind for now.

Alice spoke up. “Luke and Mary go get your stuff. You two need to start getting ready for the concert.”

On those words Eck and Lil’ went to pack up. Fred gave the rental car keys to Alice and walked towards Aunt Bridget’s home with Lori. On their way to where they were staying the father made sure to reinforce the fact Lori did the right thing and he was proud and happy with her progress. Alice then dropped Lil’ off at her home. Then on the way back to her sister’s told Luke she was proud of how he handled his sister’s apology.

Adolescence is the most confusing time in a person’s life. The process of going from being a child to an adult is filled with changes, the unknown, instability, intense emotional feelings, contradictions, progress, and failure along with it feeling like a never-ending process. The worst part about it is sometimes a person feels like everyone else is changing yet they are staying the same. Somehow the others were being adults yet they were in arrested development

Tracy Armstrong felt like a runner being lapped in a track course, very far behind her friends in the race to become an adult. They were all having their first relationship and Tracy was too scared to open up about liking anyone. Admitting a crush could lead to her friends teasing her. Then there was Amanda. She made changes on who she was and Tracy could only make plans to do so. There were enough changes going on in Tracy’s life that adding any more uncertainty was frightening.

If being behind and not making the changes she wanted was not enough to have Tracy down, there was also not being able to make amends for how she treated Luke. That boy was as sweet as a birthday cake and she picked on him. The reason of self-preservation made her feel even further behind in the race towards adulthood. If knowing she did the wrong thing was not bad enough, the sad fact that she would do it again made her knowledge even worse. Only a weak small person would purposefully hurt another just to protect themself from being picked on.

Krissy Armstrong knew her daughter was feeling vulnerable. The mom also knew that Tracy had no friends to turn to about this. How her daughter's friends treated others was exactly why Tracy felt so susceptible to emotional harm. Lori and her loyal court loved to put others down instead of lifting them up. They were only supportive when they have something to gain from being there for each other.

Krissy wanted to be like the sun to a flower with Tracy, have her daughter open up to her. The threat from those who Tracy should feel safe around made her keep her hands closer to her than a poker player. There was no way Tracy was going to show people she was holding 7-2 off suit.

Even with being closed Tracy did give a tell about something which was bothering her. Krissy was talking about Luke being in California and her daughter bit her lower lip. Krissy prodded some more after seeing her daughter’s nervous tick. Confession was good for the soul so Tracy admitted she hated how she treated Luke and can never make it up to him again.

The mom knew it was time to shine some light on her daughter. Tracy opened her petals some and now was the time for the nourishing words of wisdom to become sunbeams to help her daughter grow. “Tracy, you can’t worry about not being able to make up with Luke. You can make it so you become a person Luke would like to be friends with. He might never know, but you would know you made amends.”

Her mom was right. The insight did make Tracy feel more exposed to being hurt. Tracy knew it might take time, but she will become someone who Luke would want to hang out with. In fact, Tracy did have a crush on Luke so she would become a girl who Luke would want to do more than hang out with. She was not going to change herself so she could be what Luke liked in a girl, Tracy knew the girl she would become would just happen to be a girl that Luke would want to be with.

************

Lori’s internal clock was still on East Coast Time, so midnight was 3 AM for her. Even with it being late she could not go to sleep. She drifted in and out of the land of Morpheus. Any slight disturbance made her wide awake. The excitement of getting a shirt and hearing about the concert made her want to be up if by chance her brother dropped off the shirt at the guest house tonight. Tonight was the first time in her life that Lori was looking forward to spending time with her brother. The other times when she wanted Luke around was just to see him miserable.

Lori heard some muttering coming from downstairs. The voices were too low for her to know who was talking. She could tell that there were three distinct voices. That third voice had to be her brother's. Now Lori had to make the decision if she would play it cool and stay upstairs or show how she felt by running downstairs. Lori went with being honest and went to see her brother.

Lori came downstairs and said nothing. Lori could not find any words, let alone the right words to say. Lori was excited about getting the shirt, yet at the same time, she wanted to hear about the concert. Wanting to know about the show was normal, but Lori had a desire to know if Luke enjoyed it. The excited girl finally clumsy said, “Did you enjoy the concert?”

Cautiously Luke picked his words. This was a goldilocks moment for him. He had to get his words just right. Saying too much and being happy or not saying enough while being nonchalant will make Lori mad. His sister might had done something nice today for him but he trusted her enough that she would try to get him back if she was not pleased with his response. Luke said “Yes, thank you for the tickets.”

Lori “Tell me more did they sing Above the Clouds?”

Lori loved Above the Clouds. That song was not only her favorite song by Boyz+1, but her all-time favorite song. The song was about how just being with someone else could make someone feel so high touched her. That neither of them had to be anyone but themselves. Lori felt that people only really wanted to be around her when she was the Brat Princess. The song was a fantasy to her. That she could be loved or get attention without meeting the unrealistic expectation of others.

“They did and that is a great song. I am shocked at how much I enjoyed the concert. But I do not want to give too much of it away.”

The Brat Princess started to stir in the back of Lori’s mind. Luke was lording over the fact he got something which was her divine right. Being in trouble made Lori able to hide the anger when she asked why.

Luke only heard sadness in his sister’s voice. Him not wanting her to hurt like he did made him brave. That caution he had was thrown to the wind. Luke held up two tickets and said “You will be getting the VIP treatment when you see Boyz+1 in Pittsburgh. I told the band my sister gave me the tickets because she could not make it. They were touched and gave me these tickets for you. They also gave me a signed poster, a water bottle, and a shirt to give you.”

Then the third first of the night happened. Lori hugged her brother. Lori being happy to see her brother and her not knowing what to say were the first two. Then the fourth first of the night happened, Lori sincerely thanked her brother. These four firsts were just another major part of Lori’s expedition from being a brat princess to an adult. There was still a long steep journey which she might not be able to make.

Lori wanted to share looking at the poster with her brother and the fifth first of the night happened. Lori felt shame about how she horribly treated her brother as she read what was written on the poster. It was simple “To our biggest fan and the best sister Luke could have.” The message the band wrote was a lie. If Boyz+1 knew the truth the best band in the world would not want her to be their fan.

Remorseful tears came down Lori’s face. The conscience-stricken girl did not want to take away from Luke’s pleasure. Her brother was happy for her and this moment should be about the good. He deserved to feel good. Lori had a Ph.D. in manipulation and used it for the betterment of someone else. Those shameful tears were easily disguised as joyful ones by her. Another hug when saying thanks was all which was needed for the ruse. Not wanting to give any of her marks the chance to catch the grift just ran, she excused herself for bed citing how she was still not used to the time difference.

In laying in bed crying herself to sleep came the sixth and final first of the night for Lori. The pain of her past actions was finally catching up to her. She was not able to outrun anymore when by having the extra weight of the lessons she had been learning from her wise dad using discipline as rehabilitation instead of punishment.

***********

Mary Steiner, AKA Lil, sat down and turned on her banker's desk lamp. She then pulled open the top left-hand drawer of her desk to retrieve her journal. She was holding something which four generations of the ladies on her mom's side passed down. The weathered handmade leather journal was more than just a place to keep memories, it was where the most revered and important memories and moments that made these girls become women were safe kept.

Getting the family heirloom instead of going to her online diary meant tonight had some memories which she wanted to ensure stayed as what they were, cherished and revered. That she wanted a physical connection to the memories. Mary sometimes held the journal close to just feel as one with who she was. A firm embrace of the past can steadily ground someone as they went toward the future.

Tonight deserved to be documented purposes of perpetuation. Tonight’s events were going to be placed with the other of the most cherished and revered events in Mary’s life. Tonight Mary learned not only how a man should treat a woman, but also how a woman should treat a man. She loved Luke. She loved Luke and wanted to spend the rest of her life with him. The girl also knew what she wanted was only likely in a fantasy world. Her world was real, life did not work out like a Danielle Steel novel.

Even with knowing her first love would not be her last love, Mary was going to ensure that Luke would always be in her heart and life. The way to honor the time they spent at each other’s side was by ensuring she never settled for anything less than what Luke gave her and she would never treat the man in her life any less than she would have treated Luke.

The pen hit the paper and the ink flowing out of the ballpoint could barely keep with the words Mary was writing. As she wrote there were tears. Tears of joy from knowing she knew about true pure love. Tears of pain from knowing that one day she would be without that true pure love. Tears of fear that she might never be able to find that true pure love again. Tears of perseverance knowing that she will not settle for anything other than true pure love. Then more tears of joy knowing she had something special with Luke. That the good of having him in her life now will echo in the valley of her life from this moment forward.

Before going to sleep Mary reread what she wrote.

Tonight was wonderful. I know just saying wonderful does not do justice to how great being with Luke was. I cannot call it a date because then it will set the standard of what dates should be from now on to high. I can hold it as a goal. That any man I am with from now on has to be going toward having our time together feel like tonight.

I love Luke. It is a true and pure love, we have a connection. I know we are an amazing couple. We both strive to understand each other, and help each other understand themselves. We bring out the best in each other. We have been in each other’s life for only a couple of months and yet we both helped each other grow so much.

I know I will be happy and want to spend the rest of my life with him. I also know that will not be. There are too many factors which will hinder that. Time and space, my goal is to be a jet pilot, I will get into the Air Force Academy. My life will be far away from his. Luke will have his own goals. He wants to study computer science. He was talking about going to CMU at first but now he is looking into Stanford. They are both in the top 5 for his field of study.

Believe it or not our love will be in the way. We both want what is best for the other. We will know that we will have to set each other free. Being in an LDR at that time of our life will add to the support we will need from the people around us and also take the most important support away from us. We will not hold the other back, we will do what is best for the other. It sucks knowing that one day what will be the best is that we are no longer a couple.

Yes even with us not being a couple does not mean we will not have a huge effect on the other’s life. We will have a high standard on how we will be treated. We will have a high standard on how we will treat others. Our lives will be a loving memorial to others. I know we will be strong enough to stay true to this. We will always be in each other’s life by being the forge which made our character.

Tonight was great for we were just each other. Tonight was great for the trust we had in each other. Bobby Eaton, the heartthrob of the group flirts with all the girls who go backstage. Most of the girl fans expect that from him. It is his gimmick. I want nothing of it. Luke did not bat an eye. He is confident in our relationship and trusts me.

The same thing happened with Tiffany Gibson and Luke. Luke responded the same way as I did and I responded how he did. Neither of us even found it flattering that someone flirted with us.

I will say that the group was great. Luke was actually heartbroken for his sister not being there. The pain she caused him and still he wanted her to be there. The members saw that and made sure to give him a VIP package for her to use when they go to Pittsburgh. It was nice to see them and Luke act with class.

The highlight of the concert was just being next to Luke. It would have been a great night without him there. Him there just added to the enjoyment. Him enjoying being there because it was time with me. That is what I want in life. The concert did not matter, it was who I was with. I much rather share a McDonald’s burger with Luke than eat a 5 Guys burger without him.

Tonight was great for I know that life will be great. It will be great for Luke will always be in it, even if it is only in spirit. My life will also be great for I know that I will always be in Luke’s life. That we will have a bond from helping make each other the best people we could be.

After rereading her heartfelt journal entry she hugged it. Holding it so close to her bosom made those feelings she shared with herself feel even more ingrained in her heart. Then she put the journal to rest before she went to rest. As she drifted off into sleep, Mary thought about how she was going to be in the moment from now on with Luke. That she will never have the unfounded fear of losing him. It was impossible for her to lose what made her and what was in her heart.

The past is the past was one of the worst platitudes ever uttered by a fool trying to sound like a sage. Even if this overused cliche was not worn out, the advice in it was useless. People would use this saying to try to push an issue under the rug. Not treating the past with respect was just ignoring your life to move on. In fact, following those so-called words of wisdom had a high probability of damaging someone. An insightful person would know the best way to follow the path of Confucius was to study the past if they wanted to divine the future.

Fred was an insightful person so Lori coming down so early for breakfast was like an artist and drew his attention. Lori starting her day this early was out of character for her. She loved to sleep in some when on vacation. Her reasoning was sound, a vacation was supposed to be relaxing. There was also another reason Lori becoming an early riser was odd. Last night was a late one. Everyone knew that teenagers loved sleep almost as much as being connected to social media via their smartphone.

Fred’s concern started to build when she mentioned her intentions of joining him and Luke going to the beach. Lori’s dad almost said no. There was no way he was going to let Lori anywhere near Luke and his friends. Her wanting to be around them had to be so she could somehow put Luke down. Instead of going with his instincts, Fred asked Lori why. He had to give Lori the benefit of the doubt, she was making so much progress in growing as a person.

One of the great parenting side benefits of being a disciplinarian instead of a punisher was that your child would be more open with you. In this case, Lori did not know her dad was suspicious so between spoonfuls of her cereal Lori said. “I want to go get some shells for Ming.”

Then during the rest of the meal, Lori’s face brightens as much as the morning sun when talking about her plans and her hopes for the outcome. The girl who was turning over a new leaf was going to take her tablet so she could label the shells. She also wanted to see why Luke made a big deal about seeing the sunrise. This inquisitive reason was a sign Lori was beginning to feel empathy for Luke. She wanted to better understand her brother. Lori wanting to understand walking in Luke’s shoes made Fred happy. His approach to fixing the issue was working. Both of his children were growing as people. Luke was finding his confidence to go along with his empathy and Lori was losing her arrogance and starting to have more empathy.

************

Some hobbies can be defined as using expertise, and knowledge to produce something productive without getting paid. The feeling of pride which came from creation was a great payoff. Greg K.'s pastime was woodworking. He got the love of craftsmanship from his father, Robbie Kite. His dad was an artisan furniture maker and had a workshop in their home. Some of Greg K.'s best memories growing up had the smell of mahogany, oak, and walnut wood tied in with them. Sitting in the workshop the younger Kite saw how much his father loved working with wood. That love of working with wood paled in comparison with Robbie’s love for his son. The elder Kite shared his love of creating high-quality work with the boy to make a connection. This sharing became a joiner to father and son.

Greg K. finding leisure came into play when he saw Lori, on her own, collecting certain seashells by the seashore. At that moment he did not know he was going to make a connection with Lori. All Greg K. wanted was to go talk with Lori to make her feel more welcomed. Yes, she made a bad decision in telling Luke’s secret, but that girl started to make amends. Her giving those VIP tickets to Eck and Lil made it so Greg K. could give her another chance. People needed to be rewarded when they do the right thing.

Lori eased her way into talking to Greg K. The shame she was feeling made her. She felt unworthy of Greg K.’s time. Then after explaining what and who the collection was for, Greg became more open. To him, she had to be a lot like Eck if she was going to all this trouble in collecting seashells for a friend. Her being like her brother deep down meant she had to have what it took to be part of Cove Crew.

Greg K. had to help the good parts of Lori’s personality come to the surface. He knew a great way, make a display case with driftwood. This was not entirely out of the goodness of Greg K’s kind heart. Yes, he would be helping Lori in her journey on becoming a better person, but also he would have a reason to do his hobby. Plus, with how the project was pressed for time Greg K.’s dad would help.

Lori was touched. Greg K.’s kindness was amazing. It was also coming off as a strength to her. The boy talking with her was coming off more confident. Still, Lori politely turned down the offer, she did not feel like she deserved the offer. Her denial only made Greg K. become more assertive. He gave his reasons, making sure to put a strong emphasis on how making the display case benefited him.

When Lori saw that Greg K. was acting in a win-win manner she happily relented. Her brother’s friend doing something he loved could not be denied. That this display case was going to be a labor of love, also made Ming’s gift feel special. Her friend deserved something as unique as a driftwood display case filled with seashells. Lori wanted the gift to be as important to Ming as his love of nature.

Lori did insist on one thing, that she came to the workshop and help out however she could. Assisting would be a sign of genuine appreciation and that Lori was not taking advantage of the act of kindness. Being Greg K. and his dad’s helper would also add to the personal touch of the gift. This souvenir was like the shirt she was getting her boyfriend Blake. To Lori that was an obligation, something a girlfriend on vacation did. This memento was freely given and a way for Ming to remember their shared love of nature.

On the way back home to start the project, Greg K. called Shy over. The woodworker had a vision of the display case of his friend that could help. Shy wanted to be a graphic artist and she could come up with a fitting way to design the name cards. Shy also would want to help in bringing out the best in Lori. Lastly, Greg K. was sweet on Shy and just wanted to spend time with her.

Shy was more than happy to work on the project. Lori doing this for a friend raised Shy’s opinion of her. This would be a good way for those two to be on better terms. Working on the project would be fun. Shy already had an idea for the back of the display case. She could put a Bob Ross style painting of the cove on it. This was of course if Lori would agree. Lastly, she was sweet on Greg K. and just wanted to spend time with him.

Lori was touched once again by how quickly Shy said yes. This time she did not fight it. Why say no when she knew that answer would not be taken. After hearing Shy’s plan for the back of the display case, Lori eagerly said yes. She thanked both of them, and was so happy that what started as a little gift to Ming was turning out to be as amazing as her friend. Then it dawned on her, the gift was going to be amazing because amazing people were helping her. She was happy that Luke was surrounded by his friends and wished she could find friends like these back at home.

***************

Robbie Kite was enjoying his workday, how could he not? He had pride in his work. Making a high-quality product makes one feel good about who they are. The smell of the wood was pleasant. The sun shining through the skylights added warmth to his workplace. The biggest reason this was a great work day was that Robbie found a way to make a passion of his into a successful business. Also, he was ahead of where he wanted to be on his orders, so he could take his time.

Most small business owners would be freaking out if there was a 9 month waiting period for an order to be fulfilled. Not Robbie. He knew it fit his business model. The pieces he created were not only high quality, they were a status symbol and a conversation piece. A work of art done by an expert artisan craftsman should have a wait. The delay between the order and delivery of the product was needed. The best way to stay in high demand was to have a high demand. His furniture workshop was a high-end boutique.

The good work day got better when Robbie’s son walked into the studio with Shy and a new girl. The master carpenter was able to see directly the fruit of his labor. He worked hard to provide a good life for his family. The reason why his son was here also raised the quality of the day. Greg K. was going to work on a project. This would be like a grindstone and sharpen his son’s skills.

As Greg K. was filling in his dad on the display case, Shy gave Lori an informal tour of the workshop. The tour had a long stop at the pile of driftwood twigs and branches. Robbie and his son would collect them on the beach. The driftwood was used whenever it fit with the client’s vision of the commissioned work.

Robbie went over to talk with Lori and Shy. He wanted to get his new client’s take on what the display case and a feel of who she was. This was going to be a work from Kite Studio so it had to not only be of the highest quality, but also, represent the client’s personality.

The conversation changed the project. The information gathered made the display case become a miniature curio cabinet. The new direction of what to make came from how personal Lori wanted the gift and how she was captivated by the branches of driftwood. A miniature curio cabinet added a personal touch by having knobs to open it. The visual sign was an invitation to more closely inspect what the curio was holding. The branches of driftwood could easily be incorporated into a curio cabinet. They could be used to make the broader part of the doors and the knots of woods could be used as the knobs.

The conversation made the creation of Ming’s gift a truly cooperative one. Ideas were more than welcomed, they were encouraged. The feedback about the changes was always positive, even when the changes were not accepted. Lori also felt in charge so she let her creative juices run. She wanted to glue a picture of the cove onto the back panel.

Shy loved the idea, but had a better one. Paint the back panel instead. That would fit the aesthetics of driftwood knobs and panels better than a picture. Painting the back panel would not take long, she would use the Bob Ross Technique. When giving her suggestion, Shy made sure not to come off as her forceful self. She did not want Lori to feel coerced into accepting.

Lori’s action and not her mouth gave the answer. The hug Shy received was as unexpected as the feeling of true appreciation which was conveyed. Then the answer was finally confirmed by Lori. “That would be great. Thank you Shy for offering and thank you for being Luke’s friend.”

Shy wanted to encourage the positive changes in Lori. She also wanted to get to know which Lori was the real one. The one in front of her now or the Brat Princess which she first met. Even if the former was the real one Shy knew that persona could be used for good. Shy being upfront could be taken as her being a bitch or confident. How people did so depended on how and when was being who she was. “Lori you are welcome. I am going to go to my place and get ready to paint. How about you come over after laying out the door panel design?”

Robbie quickly gave his blessing. Lori was doing more than enough to help with the project. Also, the client leaving would give him time to spend with his son. Having the time to bond with Greg K. was all the payment he needed.

***********

Alice and her sister, Bridget, were starting the brick charcoal BBQ as Fred and Maurice were finishing up the little bit of landscaping those two were doing. The ladies were more than happy to be in charge of the grill. Having the responsibility of cooking gave them time to chat more and their husbands would also help out by doing the rest of the prep work. Them being the grillmasters would also dispel the outdated sexist notion that men cook the BBQ to the guests that were coming. They invited Shy, Greg K, and Lil to have dinner with them.

As Alice and Bridget were waiting for the charcoal chunk to heat up, one of the guests, Shy, arrived early with a surprising companion, Lori. The general good feeling between those two was also unexpected. Just two days ago Lori was also on the wrong side of Shy’s fists. The painted canvas which Lori was carefully carrying was also unforeseen. They knew whatever was on it was important to Lori from the proud tone in her voice when she exclaimed “Mom, Aunt Bridget come see what Shy helped me make for Luke.”

IOn the canvas was a painting Lori made for Luke. After Shy was done painting the curio cabinet back panel she offered to help Lori make a painting. Suggesting an impromptu class was natural to Shy. The artist knew her new friend was intrigued and wanted to foster Lori’s interest in painting. Showing Lori how to paint would be sharing her love of art and Shy loved to share. Lori made a landscape of the Cove and the quality of the novice artist’s painting was impressive. The only thing which impressed Shy even more when Lori declared the painting was going to be a gift to Luke.

Seeing her daughter unabridged gleefulness made Alice deeply concerned. The only other times in all of her memories concerning her children’s relationship where Lori was being this happy concerning Luke, was always bad news for Luke. She called for Fred to come out right away to see what Lori made for Luke. Alice was still in the long process of learning from her mistake and did not want to take a step back.

Lori was too happy with the painting to realize that her mom calling of her dad was to monitor Lori’s shenanigans. Her parents not trusting her intention were good never crossed Lori’s mind. A person would never think they are being checked up on, if they do not see how what they were doing was wrong. Also Lori was thinking about how

Calling her dad was a great idea to Lori. She did wish she thought of it also. Before Lori would have wanted her dad to see the painting so he praised her growing as a person. Now Lori wanted her dad to see the painting to see if he agreed with her about it. That her brother would like it. This painting meant a lot to Lori.

Making this work of art was part of Lori’s journey into quitting seeing Luke as her nemesis and as her ally. The painting was a peace offering from her. The gift was a physical manifestation of the Treaty of the Cove, the ending of the War of the Twins. This gesture was the beginning toward the normalization of the relationship between her and her brother.

Another factor in the importance of this painting to Lori was her newfound friendship with Shy. They might have only spent an afternoon together, but that time made them close. The time together alone and just being themselves helped the two girls see who each other was. Shy saw Lori was trying to live up to unrealistic expectations placed on her by her mother. The Brat Princess was just a character to earn the love and praise of her mom. Lori saw that Shy’s brashness came from her need to be upfront for any attention from her parents. Shy’s mom and dad were too worried about their careers and social life to freely give Shy their precious time and attention. Shy had to demand any meaningful interactions with her parents.

Fred's uneasy feeling about Lori's happiness went away by being greeted by Shy who was standing next to Lori. Lori’s new friend had a huge smile on her face. There was no way that Shy would show approval of anything bad happening to Luke. He knew enough about Lori’s new friend that his daughter would not be able to deceive her.

Lori then unveiled her masterpiece. The small gallery of onlookers were in awe. Alice wanted to rush to give high praise to her daughter but waited. She had a bias towards Lori and wanted to make sure her initial reaction was correct. Fred then confirmed his wife’s opinion by saying “Lori, that painting is beautiful. I know Luke will love it.”

**************

After a long day at the beach surfing, Luke and Mary were looking forward to the cookout. Spending time with Luke’s family and two of their closest friends as they were getting some grub were going to be some good food with great people. Hamburger, hotdogs, corn on the cob, coleslaw and banana pudding would tastefully satisfy their hunger. The people around will be a spice to enhance the time spent together. Even Lori being there was not going to bring them down. Those two would just treat her like a vegetable tray, go nowhere near her.

The presenting of Lori's gift was not going to be till after the meal. The waiting was getting to Lori. She so wanted Luke to like the painting. Luke was staying away from her. Anytime she made an effort to move towards him Luke positioned more obstacles in her way. Lori wanted to start talking to her brother now. She needed her brother to know how much him getting that VIP treatment to Boyz+1 meant to her. She also wanted to hear about his day. Luke was so good on that surfboard and getting more stories would be more to share. Thinking of sharing the stories then brought Lori off of her feel-good wave. Who could she tell the tales of her curly haired brother being king of waves with. Her boyfriend and her friends still saw Luke as Luka.

Fred kept an eye on Lori. Tonight was vital to his daughter’s growth as a person. In a perfect world, Luke would openly accept the gift no questions asked. Sadly we do not live in a perfect world and the past is not the past. It has an effect on the present. The probability of Luke questioning his sister’s intent was well-founded. Luke had the right to think that Lori was going to pull a Lucy and yank that football away as he was going to kick it.

Seeing Lori’s frustration growing was a sign for Fred to talk to her now. Frustration being met led to bad outcomes without the right support system in place. He wanted Lori to get in the mindset to hope for the best but expect the worse. The important part is she is trying and that will open Luke up more to her. That at this moment her brother might not accept Lori as much as she wished. The biggest way to ensure getting the desired results was not to make the gift-giving about her.

Hearing those words soothed Lori. The desire to be in her brother’s spotlight was gone. She was also happy that other people were giving him more attention than she was getting. Luke’s smile on his face was brighter than Queen Elizabeth’s wardrobe. The shine from that smile became the only spotlight that was important to Lori.

After everyone was done talking Fred gave Alice a look. Those two were married long enough that simple face gestures between them could be an entire detailed conversation. Alice got up and fulfilled her husband’s silent request. “Luke, Lori has something she wants to give you. Lori go get that painting.”

As the aspiring artist got her gift, Luke just sat there. He was processing the situation. His mom and Lori had to be up to something. Looking for guidance, Luke made eye contact with his dad. Fred knew the uncertainty of the situation meant he had to speak. Not being sure always clouded non-verbal communication. “Come here son, I know you will like it.”

Luke saw the painting and it proved his dad wrong. Luke did not like it, he loved it. The painting was that of a sunrise at the Cove. Lori was able to capture the beauty of the place where Luke spent his days. The yellow underneath the sun perfectly blended into the bright sky blue above. The support beams, the most important part of the boardwalk, were emphasized. The witness of the wave wash helped bring out the warmth of the light brown sand. There was the little detail of the firepit in the lower left-hand corner with makeshift chairs surrounding it and the orange and red USC bleach blanket. The only flaw was the two black specks in the ocean.

Luke kept on looking at the picture as his sister was explaining it. Lori was so looking for approval, not for herself but the gift. Luke could not pay that much attention as he was touched by the gift. The indifference on Luke’s face made Lori give more details, if she was to reach him. Lori brought up the flaw. Luke was ready to say how much he loved the painting even with that imperfection.

Lori's voice gained strength from seeing a smile on her brother's face. She made progress in connecting with her brother. More importantly, her brother approved of the progress. The smile, that spotlight was on him and she was shining it on him. She then said. “Those silhouettes out in the ocean, those are you and Lil looking for the next wave to ride together.”

Lori knew people well enough to know the hug Luke gave was as sincere as undying love. She also knew that the hug might have been a small gesture but it was a huge breakthrough. She also knew it is not the grandness of the show of affection which is the most important, but how heartfelt it is. A flower given to a mom from her child was a bigger act of caring than a greenhouse from a billionaire.

After the hug, Lori was not treated like a vegetable tray by Luke and his friends. She became the banana pudding. Even with being a wanted part of the group, Lori made sure that this night, the conversation was about her brother. That was how it should be.

The accuracy of a forecast was only good if the right factors were taken into consideration. A good forecast could be wrong when an unlikely factor was not taken into account when making the prediction. This was how the reliable forecast of good time with many laughs was wrong for Renee and Matt’s visit to the Lincoln Way Bike Park. The reason for the change to miserable filled with regret was the sight of Lori walking towards them.

Lori’s smiling face only meant that she had something she wanted to share about Luke with them. Their thoughts went to the worst possible outcome. That Luke was not adapting to live in California. Even with wanting the chance to see him again, the two remaining members of the Saturday Morning Bike Club wanted the best for him. Seeing him again was just selfish on their part. The damage between their bond was huge and reconciliation could not happen. None of them had the emotional maturity or the social skills to repair the damage.

The feeling of being at peace with how they treated him would only be momentary. Without any real and meaningful restitution the apology will not help towards making Luke whole. It would not fill in the huge space in the Saturday Morning Bike Club. Matt and Renee did not know the way to fill the hole to become whole again was to return the missing piece back where it belonged.

Before Lori could gleefully gloat about whatever perceived victory she had over Luke. Matt spoke up. Any chance he had to put Lori in her place he was going to get. Ensuring Lori knew Matt knew who she was gave the teenage boy a sense of atonement for the kiss of betrayal he gave her. The price of sharing his first kiss with Lori was not worth the cost of losing his friendship with Luke. “Lori, stop right now. We don’t want to hear anything you have to say. It was a waste of your time to come here.”

Lori understood why Matt said those words, but once again an accurate forecast said her classmate was wrong. Her coming to the bike park only so she could cause pain to those two about Luke doing bad was understandable. She has gone out of her way to deliver bad news about her brother so many times before.

Her visit to the bike park was not Machiavellian. Lori was there to walk the bike trail. She wanted to just be in nature. Her seeing Renee and Matt just gave her a chance to share about how Luke was doing. She was happy for him. Him being a good surfer and having a great group of friends was good news. Her brother deserved what he had out on the West Coast. Lori knew that she made that life impossible for him back here. She could feel less guilty about her past if she let others know about how good Luke was doing.

Lori responded “Matt I just came over quickly to tell you and Rene how great Luke is doing in California. I am here with my dad to walk the trail.”

Renee “Oh you are just here to rub it in that Luke is getting along fine without us.”

Lori had to defend herself, she was trying to do the right thing. “No, I just thought you two would be happy for him.”

The response had to be just a spin. A lie to cover up her plan was revealed before she could start it. Matt called her out again. “Like you care about Luke or us. You did everything you could to make us hate him. You almost achieved it. We were starting to believe he was overreacting to how badly you and your friends treated him.”

One of the lessons Lori was in the process of learning was taking responsibility for your actions. Matt was making an excuse for how those two turned their back on Luke. Matt was trying to blame her to own how he and Renee treated Luke got to her. Lori was the leader in all those attacks but those did follow her. They made the choice to double down on their bad decisions.

Lori’s anger made her come clean. Her personal defenses were down because she wanted so the truth came out. She was able to admit to others and more importantly to herself why she was a horrible sister to Luke. “Yes, I treated Luke bad. I saw him as my rival. I saw him as going after the same things I wanted. I did not want to share anything with him. I felt like I could not be my own person around him. I believed that was how a younger sister treated her older brother.

Those are my reasons and I was wrong. I just wonder what is your excuse.”

With those poignant words, Lori excused herself from the presence of those two. She much rather have been with her dad on the trail at that moment. She could always just talk once again about the good times. No matter how many times Fred heard Lori sing the praises of Luke and his friends they brought the same huge smile on his face. Her dad also was engaged and intrigued in the retelling of the tale as it was the first time hearing those words.

Matt and Renee were feeling low as Lori was leaving them. The use of reason for her and excuse for them was telling and exactly why they were down on themselves. Reasons came when people took ownership of their actions and excuses were when people did not. Matt and Renee knew they did wrong, but were still not at the place where they saw it was their own choice which led them to treat Luke wrong.

*****************

One major hook of a majority of great songs which transcend time share, was them seeming to be prophetic. The pen and paper with which those lyrics were written were not by a crystal ball. The appearance of them predicting fate came from them being a universal truth. These songs had a connection to the human experience which people want. This was exactly why Luke felt the Drifters singing “Under the boardwalk, down by the sea, yeah. On a blanket with my baby is where I'll be” was directed at him. That was his and Mary’s plans for the afternoon.

To be more precise that was part of the two lovebirds' plans for the afternoon. Mary took the initiative of spending some time alone with Luke under the boardwalk when she volunteered to clean up by boardwalk’s pillar. Tonight was the night of the carving of the Pillars. This was the unofficial goodbye to the members of the group which will be leaving them this summer. The friends who will be moving on to the next part of their life will carve their name in this year’s pillar. The carving was to memorialize their time in this group which was something bigger than its part. Making their name a permanent part of the Cove was also a pledge by them to always remain a member in heart.

During a little break from cleaning under the boardwalk Mary walked over to the pillar two beyond the one from tonight. This pillar was going to be the one which Mary will carve her name into. She will leave a little mark to recognize the huge mark this time in her life left on her. This mark will be part of the support which will help the Cove Crew stay strong and true to what the group was. That moment Mary made a big decision about leaving her mark. It was going to face towards the next pillar. That placement will be for her looking towards her future by honoring her past.

Luke joined her and went one past her pillar to his. Just a couple of months ago not even in Luke’s wildest dreams would he have thought about having a close group of friends. Being unaccepted by others was accepted by him. Luke also made a decision about where he will leave his mark. It would be facing towards the last year’s pillar. The placement would be a glance back at the past. Luke wanted his mark to be an acknowledgement of him honoring the past as he went towards his future.

Then Mary and Luke’s eyes met. There was a momentary stare as those two stopped thinking of the past and the future. Tomorrow and yesterday were forgotten concepts to them. Right now the couple were in the right now. The feeling both had was they just wanted to be closer to each other. Luke and Mary moved towards each other and their lips met. The kiss would continue long after their lips would become separated. The lovers being totally in the present and no sign of the other part of time that they were having an everlasting kiss.

***********

Being rushed was one of the worst feelings a person can feel. There was never a good outcome from being rushed. The best outcome of being rushed was becoming flustered. The worst was people making a huge mistake in what they were doing. This fact about being rushed did not stop Ms Palone from feeling so good about being pestered to find the keys faster.

The pestering came from the excitement from the kids in the David Project wanting into the social hall. Even with them now spending time together outside of the group, all of them wanted to start the evening right away. They wanted the group to be whole. They also had a lot of prep to do before Lori got back. The kids threw together a little welcome back party for Lori. The prep was putting out a half chocolate half vanilla cake, putting the two half gallon of chocolate and vanilla ice cream in the fridge and hanging up the Welcome Back Lori sign they made last week.

Lori had not been at the last two gatherings of the David Project. She was visiting family out in Cali. They were looking forward to hearing all about her time. More importantly, they wanted to set up the welcome back banner they made for her. Even with her officially being a volunteer, the kids in the David Project saw her as a friend. She was not like the rest who used the project as a way to do community service. Those kids were only there physically, they never made a connection with the group. Lori was one of them. She cared for them and they in turn cared for her.

Lori was looking forward to going to the David Project. How much Lori liked spending time with Ming and the others made getting out of the house an added bonus. This perceived small reprieve from the grounding was actually part of her punishment. Going to be around those kids was a good influence on her.

Lori was happy because she was going to see her friends. Plus she can share all about California to them. Well not all about California, she is going to leave out her bad behavior. One thing she is not going to leave out is Luke. How good he is on the board and how he made sure she was getting that VIP treatment at the Boyz +1 concert.

As normal, Fred walked in with his daughter. He wanted to be part of her growth. Going in also helped him judge Lori’s progress. Seeing the reaction of the other kids and Ms Palone was a sign on how well they were getting along. Them getting along well was a good sign of progress. Today the loving father did not need to look at Lori’s friends to know how well she was progressing. The handmade welcome back sign hanging above the table was sign enough.

As Ms Palone, Ming and the rest of the kids in the David Project came to greet the guest of honor Lori was nervous. She was rightfully concerned that her dad would think she had a hand in planning this little party. “I did not plan this dad.”

Fred put his arm around his daughter and with pride in his voice said “I know.”

All the smiling faces did not feed into Lori’s ego. The reason why, was that the Brat Princess was nowhere to be seen. These kids being so happy seeing her caused Lori to feel modest. This place was about those kids yet somehow they were going to make a portion of tonight all about her. They also came early to do her job of setting up. Sounding as sincere as a promise uttered alone, Lori said “You shouldn’t have.”

One of the kids, Charlie Murphy, said “We shouldn’t have, but we did. We missed you Lori and wanted to make sure you knew.”

Lori then downplayed her role in the group. She saw her as a volunteer not a member. “I come here to work with you. These nights are about you guys, not me.”

Being surrounded by a support group helped Charlie find his voice. “Lori, you are one of us.”

Those words of inclusiveness made Lori feel like an outsider. How could these kids who were bullied like her brother be so open to her. They had to know she bullied someone. She was exactly the same as the people who put these kids down. They were all bright as their own futures so they had to know. Yet they are calling and treating her as one of them. “I wish I was, but trust me. I am not.”

Charlie knew why Lori said trust me. He was as bright as Lori thought he was. “Lori you are one of us. What you did to be forced to come here is not important. The reason why, becoming a better person is. You are doing that. You are making amends for why you meet us. You also are enjoying yourself too much when you are here. You like spending time with us like we like spending time with you. You are our friend. Now you are stuck with us as long as you want us around.”

Those words of inclusiveness made Lori lose feeling like an outsider. These kids pardoned her unknown transgressions. They were willing when they met her to give her a chance to prove her bad decisions were not who she was. They accepted her for who she could be given a chance to grow. “Then I am stuck with all of you. I could not ask for better people to be stuck with.”

Ms. Palone asked Fred if he would come early to pick up Lori. The founder of the David Project wanted to show him her appreciation. Him being around as the kids were just being kids and not part of a social program would show how much progress his daughter has made. Fred quickly accepted the invite, who could turn down cake and ice cream along with seeing his daughter's graduation party from being a helper of this group to a full-fledged member. He asked for a plus one for his wife and got it.

When Fred and his wife arrived at the little get together he noticed a different vibe at the David Project than when he first came to see about his daughter’s forced volunteering. The kids were more casual, there was more freeflow between the groups. The emphasis was about them spending time with each other; not about doing something with someone.

Fred and Alice offered to serve the cake. They were guests but still wanted the hostess, Ms Palone, to be able to totally enjoy the rest of the celebration. The kids she was helping were lost in the moment and she deserved to have that joy also.

Before the serving of the cake Ming excused himself to go to the office. As he was walking out holding a box, the rest of the kids surrounded Lori. Ming gently placed the box on the table in front of his friend. The presentation of this gift was ceremonial.There was also emotion behind the offering so the ceremony felt authentic and not just following some sort of tradition for the sake of following it.

Lori's response was also as heartfelt as she said. “Thank you so much Ming. You shouldn’t have.”

Ming said “Lori the gift is from all of us. It is my part in us showing how happy we are that you are back.”

Lori sincerely said “I am sorry. Thank you everyone. I love it.”

One of the other kids, Simone Walton, said “How can you love it without seeing it? Open it.”

Lori laughed and said “I love it because it comes from all of you.”

Lori's statement of why she loved the unknown present touched Simone. Being bullied made the young lady always feel like she could do nothing right. Just knowing the action of the party was right added to the confidence being in the David Project was giving to her. She hugged Lori and said “Thank you for being my friend.”

After the embrace which also acted like the official signing of the social contract between Lori and Simone, the rest of the kids started to clamor for her to open the gift. The reward of seeing Lori’s face was what they wanted. Giving joy to others doubled the joy. They wanted more joy.

Lori opened the box and saw those amazing works of paper art Ming made. The subjects of the statues touched Lori. She recognized them as the flora and fauna Ming pointed out on their nature hike. Another hike needed to be put on their agenda. That day was fun and made Lori feel good about being herself. She gingerly lifted the red-tailed hawk out of the box and said.”Everyone, look at how great this work of origami is.”

Lori appreciating the gift made Ming turn as red as the paper used to make that hawk. Making his friend happy by his gesture of letting her know how dear she was to him felt good. That feeling was gift enough for Ming. To make sure people did not make his flushness the topic of conversation Ming added. “In Mandarin the word for origami is zhe zhi.”

The additional fact would have been a huge slight to the Brat Princess. That part of Lori could have seen that as being corrected instead of informed. Ming would have had to pay for that slap in the face. Lori took Ming adding the information as him being helpful to her and others to better understand the difference between the Chinese and Japanese culture.

Lori saw her friend being a little uneasy. “Guys let’s eat some cake.We can all look at the zhe zhi later.”

The group eagerly turned their attention to the cake. This was a little celebration for Lori coming back, but also an excuse to just have a good time with each other. They wanted unstructured and unplanned mingling. That was when the best laughs, the best conversations and best times were found. The group got what they wanted but the two people who had the best time were Fred and Alice seeing the progress in Lori’s attitude and behavior. The reign of the Brat Princess was becoming more and more a part of the past, for only family historians to be interested in.

*****************

Good online etiquette is to remember that there was someone on the other side of the screen. This code of conduct was meant so people would remember that they are interacting with another human when making comments. This advice for good and polite behavior can cover looking at any webpage. Other people will see and be affected by your actions so people need to be empathic. That their actions online was a social interaction.

Browsing the internet was not a time when most people thought that they were interacting with others. Luke was alone in his room staring on his Facebook page looking at his suggested friends, Matt and Renee were the two top recommendations which the algorithm made. At the same time Matt and Renee happened to also be on their Facebook page also looking at their suggested friends, Luke was on top of their lists.

At this moment even with Luke, Renee, and Matt being in different rooms and over 3,000 miles away they were unknowingly sharing a moment. Each one of them, was the someone else on the other side of the screen. Their actions would be seen by the others.

The three teenagers who founded the Saturday Morning Bike Club were making a decision about the suggestion. The gears in their heads were cranking as they tried to decide what to do about the friend suggestion. There were three paths to take. Leave the suggestion open, accept it or close it.

At that moment all three of them were indecisive so they left the suggestion open.The inability to take action came from Luke’s fear and Matt and Renee’s shame. Luke was scared that his two former friends would once again reject him. Even with his dad saying they had no part in the joke present, Luke was not so sure. Those two did change when being in attendance to the Brat Princess’s court. Matt and Renee’s shame came from all the lies they told themselves. Those lies and believing them made it so they did believe that Luke would accept that they changed their ways.

This time inaction was helpful by keeping things how they were.The status quo was those three had unfinished business. Them being scared of doing anything left the door open to reconciliation. At the right place and right time the reformation of the Saturday Morning Bike Club could still occur.

**************

Teenagers had a time honored summer tradition in Western Pa of sitting on steps with your friends drinking a carton or jug of Turner's iced tea. Outsiders would see this bonding experience as nothing more than an elaborate waste of time. The drink had to be Turner’s, if anyone showed up with anything else they would get razzed. Getting a Snapple, AriZona, and Lipton was just buying a name. The other local dairies iced tea were just substandard imitations of the real thing. Then most of the talk was just that talk. A plethora of plans, dreams and aspirations were shared and quickly thrown away. The past, current and future generation knew differently.

This time sitting together was a bonding experience for all and also one of growth for many. This was a time and place where they could open up. The talk which was not talk was actually the teenagers culling out the bad ideas. There was no fear of being rejected for saying an idea which was going to be rejected.

Blake and Tom were partaking in this rite of passage. Tom was talking about how he was going to get a much better girlfriend than Renee. That he was fine with them breaking up. That he was not hurt that she picked defending someone who was not her friend anymore over him. One day he will find a girl who was loyal and understood humor.

Tom was done filibustering about how he was better off with Renee when he finally asked Blake what he thought. Even with thinking about his own issues instead of listening, Tom's friend was able to give a detailed answer of support and approval. Blake could have verbatim given the rant. Getting the upper hand in the breakup was Tom’s goal and what he shared on those steps.

Blake then talked about how unfair it was having a girlfriend and not be able to see her. What good was it to have someone if you could not be lovin', touchin', squeezin' each other. That he knew that Lori was so open to it being more than just lovin', touchin', squeezin’ each other.

Blake's voice was as strong as granite as he was talking about getting some for that special someone. The young inexperienced boy thought he would be great. To him the girls he have been with would start calling him Fred Flinstone because he would make their bed rock. This notion that once he did the act which he thought would make him a man he would be known as a Don Juan was ridiculous. He would be a clumsy lothario. All about his own pleasure and using sex to prove something which it could not prove.

Even with Blake telling a tale as tall a redwood, Tom agreed with him. That was part of sitting on the steps. Even if the plans, dreams and aspirations were never going to come true, give your friends the support to follow them. Then after Tom was done fulfilling his part of after building up each other's confidence they each took a sip from their carton of tea and went to the next subject.

************

Ming was touched by the curio Lori gave him. It being somewhat of a secret did hurt him. He understood that Lori did not want the others to feel left out. That showing it to the other members of the David Project could come off as being exclusive. The reason why he wanted to show them as to be inclusive. Ming wanted them to share what best friends did for each other. He saw other bonds in the group become closer and they needed an example.

Ming was still new at having a close friend but knew he had to throw away her advice. Not listening to Lori was scary, and the boy who wanted to be an example needed to be brave. He had to take the well calculated chance of alienating a new friend to help his other friends. A true friend would understand that they cannot tell others what to do.

Once again when Lori showed up at the David Project everyone else was there. Ming contacted everyone to show up early once more. Having his friends to agree was as easy as getting a dog to go for a walk. She made a mental note to tell her dad that they will have to leave earlier. She wanted to at least help out with the set up.

Then Lori saw the curio cabinet. She tensed up. Right then she felt that the others knowing about the gift would make them feel left out. That they were not important and were nowhere near the spotlight she shined on her friend.

Before Lori go to the phase of getting out of trouble, I can explain, could come out. All the other kids were clamouring her. Each one of them could not wait to get their praise out. They said it was so nice she got Ming that gift. The gesture was so thoughtful.

Lori said “I am sorry that I did not get all of you something also.”

Simone Walton was having none of this. Her newest friend was feeling bad for doing something good. Simone was too well acquainted with that feel so she had to give Lori justification. Simone knew how important others saying what you did was the right thing helped build confidence. “Lori, no. Ming is your best friend. You two always hang out. I know I would do the same for my best friend when I get one.”

Simone’s words were what Lori was afraid of happening. That the kids would know they do not have a close bond with anyone else yet. She did not want them to feel excluded.

Then Rachel LeBlanc spoke up. Her and Simone were spending more time together at the David Project and she was hoping that one day those two would hang out together. Being rejected was the only reason Rachel never brought up her desire. Seeing the person she felt closest to in the world hurting a little made Rachel’s fear disappear and she made a clumsy declaration. “Simone, I am your best friend.”

Simone felt the same way. Simone had the same fear about bringing up hanging out outside of the David Project. The truth of them eased out any feeling of awkwardness from Rachel’s words. With pride in her voice, Simone said “I would have done it for Rachel.”

The other kids started to make their own declarations. They were all the same as Rachel and Simone’s. They opened themselves up and said who they cared about the most. The best thing about these declarations was they all matched. The reason why is simple: people become best friends before they know they were.

As Lori saw her friends become closer she thought about what the wise words Simone said. Ming was her best friend. Lori never had a best friend before. She had lackeys who would always jockey for position to be closer to her. How close the kids were, depended on how much they were in Lori’s fickle favor. She knew her friendship with Ming was different. If Tracy, Blake, Mandy, or the others would have not listened to her it would have been off with their heads. Even when Lori thought Ming was wrong, she understood that he was trying to do the right thing.

The Summer was dwindling like the sunset on the days leading to the Winter Solstice. Luke took solace about the finish of the endless summer in the fact the school year was another new start. He was going to school but not back to his old school. The impending feeling of winter was kept away by the promise of a new day and a new start. He would have friends looking forward to seeing him at school. More importantly, he would not have a group of kids looking forward to making him miserable. Starting high school was a new beginning, a springtime in Luke’s life.

This morning was not about the future. That would be tonight. Right now was about catching the last waves of freedom. Tonight was looking towards the future by honoring the past. The Cove Crew’s ritual of the Carving of the Support Beam was upon the group. The night when those who were going beyond the grove left their mark on the place which left a mark on their soul always happened two weeks before the start of school. Some of the soon to be emeritus members carved before the night of the ritual because their last summer at the cove was cut short by life happening. The start of the next phase of their life started before the end of their last summer, both by being supportive and giving the support which came with the membership of the Cove Crew.

Silk was also trying to catch some of those waves of freedom. Finding the right one was hard. For him. these were the last waves ever as an active part of the Crew. Each wave had to represent his time being a member of the Crew. Each wave he picked had to peak as high as his time being around his friends. Riding those waves today had to give him the same rush as him being around the members of the crew.

The leader of the Cove Crew had such a high standard for the waves because tonight was his night to move on. He needed waves to feel right. Having the right waves would make him live up to his namesake. Silk was not feeling himself. He was feeling rougher than untreated wool. Having to navigate his course in the uncharted territory of Cal Berkey was weighing on him.

Silk was floating next to his board when Luke went for a decent wave. The friend Silk called Eck rode that wave as best as he could. Carpe diem was done by seizing the wave. The Cove Crew’s leader was going to follow the lead of one of its members. He was not going to let the perfect be the enemy of the good. To make the most of this moment Silk was going to take any and all decent waves which came his way. The wave can become gnarly by riding one the best one can.

The change in perception stoked Silk. He knew he had to go and make the most out of this day. This moment was all Silk had right now and had to live in it. He saw those waves as what they were, potentially bombs, the best waves if he rode them right. Silk did and got the most out of what he was given.

After a couple of hours of surfing both Eck and Silk took a break. Silk went up to Eck, gave a hand hug handshake, and pulled his friend in for a close embrace. Eck once again just seized the day. The bond of friendship made it so the teacher of the lesson did not ask why the sign of intense affection was just given.

**************
Chrissy Armstrong was happy to hear her daughter Tracy suggest that they get their hair done together today. The reason the mom found this was a great idea was it would be a bonding experience. The last couple of years Chrissy would always just drop her daughter off and run off to do some errands. Tracy being on her own was a way to let her daughter feel independence. Today her daughter wanted to share time with her instead.

Tracy wanted some mother-daughter time at the salon to have some support. The younger Armstrong girl was mulling over the idea of doing something different with her hair. She was going to keep the same length and style, long with no bangs. The internal debate Tracy was having was about whether to add some highlights. Adding some warm blonde highlights to her auburn hair seemed like a good idea.

When the mother and daughter were waiting for their turn, Chrissy figured out why Tracy wanted her there. Her daughter wanted advice on trying something new. Even Scooby-Doo could have figured out this mystery. Tracy mentioned how nice the highlights looked on the ladies in the magazine she was looking at. Chrissy agreed.

Even if Chrissy was not of the same opinion as her daughter, she still would have agreed. Only one person had to like highlights and that was her daughter. The mom casually mentioned how highlights would look great on Tracy also. Hearing her mom give the unsolicited compliment was all the boost Tracy needed in making her decision. The girl was going to get those highlights.

Getting those warm blonde highlights was a small change for Tracy Armstrong. This small change in her hairstyle was a huge step for the teenage girl. Making a change was always hard. Most of the time people made a change because of necessity. Tracy was happy with her hair so doing the change seemed unneeded. This change was to try something new. Tracy found out that sometimes just to try something new was a good enough reason. Instead of thinking of not fixing something which was not broken, people need to not settle for good if they think they can do better.

Walking out of the salon Tracy had a little extra spring in her step. The added confidence did not come from looking new but being able to try something new. Tracy was finally learning to be herself.

*****************

Jonathan MacTavish, AKA Slap Jack Mac, was a jock. Being one was the young man’s destiny. He just had the right attributes: good core strength, great reflexes, a drive to be the best he could be and the can-do spirit. This optimistic attitude helped him will out the best of others. He was the first to give a compliment when someone did well and the first to offer help when someone was struggling.

Slap Jack Mac’s encouraging nature was how he got his nickname. He always was slapping his teammates on the ass during play. The ass slap was the best form of non-verbal communication on the field of play. It was a simple and quick gesture that had an open ending meaning depending on the context and relationship between slapper and slappee. The slap could mean, you can do it, great job, I have faith in you, don’t worry you will get it next time to just hi.

Slap Jack Mac being a jock also made him a team player. Knowing all about the importance of team chemistry made him one of the first of the Cove Crew to show up under the boardwalk. He trusted that Eck and Lil did a great job at preparing for tonight’s ending of an era. He just wanted to have their back by checking that everything stayed how they left it.

Being first had an unintended consequence for Slap Jack Mac. The mantle of being the leader of the Cove Crew would be passed onto him. This happy coincidence was as fitting as a tailor-made suit. Slap Jack Mac always ended up being the captain of the team he was on. Being bestowed this leadership role was not from him wanting to be the one in charge, but from him wanting to do all he could do to make the team the best it can.

The first group of people who showed up was Shy Girl, Lil, and Eck. Slap Jack Mac was pumped seeing them. First, they were also almost as early as him, so tonight meant as much to them as it did to him. Second, he knew that they knew what to do. The best teamwork comes from when people knew their responsibilities and there was no need to tell them.

The night went perfect just as all the other times the carving of the pillars occurred. Going perfect does not mean there were no hitches. There had to be little issues and snags. How could there not be at such emotional events. The members who were leaving were bound to get tongue-tied talking about their time being active in the crew. The members who were staying were going to show their emotions freely. This led to the night filled with many tears, laughs, and hugs which will power everyone to carry on being who they were. Tonight reinforced being a member of the Cove Crew was a state of mind.

The night was the most perfect for Silk. He could not hold in the joy he had. Silk could not have dreamt the night going as good as it did, Before seeing how the night went, the leader of the group thought that leaving was going to be bittersweet. Now it was just sweet as the best wave he ever rode. His physical time here was done and he left the group better than when he joined it. All anyone could ask was to be a positive influence on their surroundings.

To make the night even better was the fact that his friends were going to be in good hands with the leadership of Slap Jack Mac. The new leader had already surrounded himself with a good support team. How natural it was for Slap Jack Mac to oversee the night was also a good sign. Filling in the void from Silk leaving without being asked was what a true leader did. Lastly when Silk said good Slap Jack Mac was shocked he was last. This was the turning over the reign of leadership. Great leaders did not expect to be picked.

As Silk walked away he did leave a part of him behind. More importantly, Silk also took a part of each and every member of the Cove Crew with him. He knew he might be on his own to face new challenges but he will not be alone, he would have the support which he helped to create.

**********

With Luke living in Cali and Lori still being disciplined, Fred missed out on one of his favorite perks of having children, hanging out with the other parents. This little issue had a simple solution, have a cookout. He had the patio, grill, and a big enough backyard all he needed was the guests. Getting the missing ingredient to the recipe for having a good time was easy. All Fred had to do was tell the parents. None of them would pass up hamburgers, hotdogs, and a nice cold drink around good friends.

The gathering would serve another important function, to see how the rehabilitation of Lori was going. The progress from being the Brat Princess to a normal teenage girl was going great. There was that setback in Cali but Lori quickly saw the error of her ways and more importantly made amends.

Alice and Lori were in full support of the idea. Lori asked if she could invite the kids from the David Project. Those kids needed to be included. More importantly, Lori wanted to include them. The cookout was a gathering of friends and not inviting them would be wrong.

Fred quickly said yes and once again Alice was in full support. The request showed to Fred that his daughter was growing as a person. Saying yes would be a positive reinforcement to Lori. To rehabilitate good behavior, it has to be rewarded as much as bad behavior is punished. The sentence Fred gave his daughter was not about getting retribution. It was about doing what was best for his daughter. Alice was in the camp of the more the merrier for a get-together. They had the room in the backyard and the other guests had the room in their heart to be more than welcoming to the newcomers.

**************

Getting up along with the sun was not the idea of fun for most teenagers. Having an early start on a Saturday made the idea worse. Saturday was the best day of the weekend and should be all about rest and pleasure. Have fun but not at the expense of sleep. Waking up this early was making going to the skate park a chore to Greg K.

Greg K was like most teenagers, so when at 5:15 his alarm started to shriek at him he groaned back. He was so tempted to hit snooze. Ten more minutes of sleep would make the day so much better. Instead, he got up. He gave his word to be at the skate park at 6. He knew it would be early for Eck, a member of the Dawn Patrol, who he was going to meet up with there.

When Eck gave the time for the meetup Greg K almost suggested meeting at 9:00. The excitement in Eck’s voice told the self-proclaimed sleepyhead the time was important. Yes, sleeping in was great but waking up early gave Greg K. an excuse for something even better, a nice long afternoon nap. Getting the pleasure of sleeping in the afternoon, and actually having halfpipes, ramps and dedicated slide rails along with being there for a friend made waking up early worth the price of being grumpy until the fresh air hit him.

The reluctant early riser had to admit there was something to riding the halfpipe as the sun rose to make it more special. That only him and his close friend were there, also opened him up to be more daring. That taking a chance to fall on his face will only lead to having a helping hand to get him up. Even with this knowledge, Greg K. was not going to become a full-time early bird. Waking up early will be a once in a while treat to himself.

During a break Eck opened up on why coming to the skatepark this early on a Saturday was important to him. The east coast transplant shared Greg K. stories about the Saturday Morning Bike Club. How for a couple of years the three founding members, Matt, Renee, and Luke were all for one and one for all. That they had a bond that went beyond their shared love for the Lincoln Way Park Bike.

Hearing about Eck’s past made Greg K. realize why the 6 AM was so important. The storyteller mentioned how they would arrive at the bike park at 9 AM. Eck wanted to arrive at the same moment to the park as his former friends. The stories were filled with love and affection and being here at the same time was a way for Eck to honor those two. The falling out did not change how Eck felt about Matt and Renee. Today was in a way a personal craving ceremony for Greg K.’s friend. He was honoring his past with Matt and Renee and moving on. Looking back on the good times along with the bad made sure one’s view of history would not be clouded by the fog of anger.

The stories allowed Greg K. to start to see Eck and Luke as the same person. That the name which people go by does not change who they are. That the name used is an indicator of the relationship between them. How one was seen and more importantly wanted to be seen by the other. Greg K. felt closer to Eck than ever before and right now at this moment, it felt right to call his friend Luke so he did. Luke felt the same and returned the sign of being closer by calling his friend Greg.

**************

As Luke was fondly reminiscing about the Saturday Morning Bike Club, the two active members were holding their weekly meeting. The racing season was over. This meant off-season work. Renee could work on honing little details of her riding technique. Matt could test different combinations on the bike’s setting to get the best optimization for Renee’s riding style.

This morning’s meeting was curtailed. The reasoning was those two needed time to get ready to go to a cookout. Matt and Renee did not want to go to that obligation. Their time would have been better spent having their normal meeting. Just staying in their room being bored would be more fun. To most other people they would be viewing the cookout as a gathering or event. To them being at the cookout was going to be a chore.

Matt and Renee having to be at the cookout instead of wanting to go had more to do with where it was going to be and who some of the people that would be there were. The cookout was going to be at Luke’s home. Going there will be a reminder of the Saturday Morning Bike Club not being complete. Even without being there, their former friend’s presence would be strong. They would see the ghost of the former member everywhere they looked.

If having the constant reminder of the friendship which they lost was not enough, the reason why they were poorer in the riches of friendship would be there also, Lori and her lackeys. Each time they saw Lori’s smile, or heard her laugh would bring them shame. The guilt would come from them knowing their role in her victory over Luke.

As they were getting ready to leave to go get ready for the unwelcomed task, those two gave each other a hug. The manifestation of their feeling for each other made the two love birds feel stronger. They knew together they had the strength to face the consequences of their bad decisions. The act of thinking of what they did as decisions instead of mistakes was a sign they were right. The past not being sugar-coated made sure Matt and Renee did not see themselves as the heroes when they were the villains. This acknowledgment of a painful truth would one day lead to the chance at penance.

***********

A labor of love is nothing more than an obligation someone was looking forward to. Getting the backyard ready for the cookout was such an obligation for Lori. The teenage girl loved hosting parties. There was the normal reason for the attention and praise she got from having a good party that stroked her ego. Today she was also wanting it to be fun for her guests. This new reason came from Lori’s personal growth.

She also was able to hang out with all of her friends and her boyfriend. Not seeing Blake and the rest of her court was hard on her. Lori thought she would be more excited having her court back. There was no doubt Lori was happy seeing her Blake and the rest of the crew, but having Ming and the rest of the kids from the David Project was a better fit for who Lori was becoming. Those kids in the David Project might not have had as long of a history with Lori, but their connection with her came from lifting each other up, not putting people down. Being there for each other was what made a strong bond.

Lori was also not disappointed that only four friends from the David Project could make the cookout. In fact, she was happy. It sucked that she was not going to see them, but them already having plans more than made up for that. Another added benefit was going to be watching Ming, Charlie Murphy, Rachel LaBlanc and Simone Walton tell people about the fun they had at the cookout.

Lastly was also the chance of making amends with Matt and Renee. Even if the couple was not open to giving Lori a chance to show her new self, she could still tell them all about Luke. Matt and Renee would be trapped talking to her for at least a couple of minutes. Telling them about Luke was more important to her than forgiveness. They deserved to know he is thriving in California and she knew they would be relieved to hear her how well Luke has adapted to the West Coast.

**************

After Skating, Greg K. had an idea, he was going to take Eck to go see Jerry Brown High School. His old haunt was going to be Eck’s new haunt. Going there would be another step forward in making the past the past for both of them. Greg K., individual homecoming would a final goodbye to his high school days and Eck was going to see another place where the promise of a new day was going to be fulfilled.

The vast campus would have been overbearing to Eck if it was not going to play a part in opening boundless opportunities to him. All the different buildings represented forks on the street of life. Luke was going to listen to the advice of Yogi Berra and take them. All the outcomes from these routes were so exciting to the new kid. He was going to be a stranger at this school to most but he had the advantage of having a core group of good friends to show him around.

Greg became Beatrice to Eck’s Donte in this tour of paradise. The information made Eck look forward to starting school. Learning the layout of the school during this informal orientation made the mysterious known. Knowing what to expect takes away the uncertainty which leads to fear. The brief descriptions and charming anecdotes which accompanied each building came with the added bonus of giving Eck's confidence he will thrive in the new setting. Not only would he have his friends to lift him up and support him, the teachers were also mentors to all who asked. They wanted their students’ goals to be achieved. The educators knew their success depended on their student's success. This tour showed Luke yet another way the promise of a new day was being fulfilled.

Dan Murphy was larger than life. His presence filled up the room more than Brian Blessed’s booming voice. People were naturally drawn to him. Dan being the center of attention wherever he was at was just the natural outcome of Dan being there. Some people think it was his striking blue eyes, or his physical frame also being larger than life. The truth was that Dan was an extrovert who took great interest in others. The personal stake he put into who he met, made him a man of action. Dan not only would say the right thing to make people like him, but also do the right thing.

Dan’s impressiveness had a colossal downside, it casted just an impressive shadow over his son Charlie. There was the pressure for Charlie to live up to his legendary father. There was never a demand by his dad, this sway came internally and from others. The saying the apple doesn't fall from the tree gives people the unconscious expectation of another saying like father, like son.

Once Dan saw that his shadow was not letting the sunlight reach his son, the concerned father carefully culled his branches. He was going to give his son the space needed to thrive but also be close enough to reach out if Charlie faltered. The first course of action Dan took was stopping people from calling his son Little Murph. His son was either also a Murph if his son wanted to be called Murph. Then he made sure he let his son lead the conversations they had. His son and his son’s interests would forge how their relationship would move forward. Dan made the mistake of assuming his son would like the same things as him because as everyone knows the saying went like father like son.

Charlie responded well to these changes. Those branches not hovering over him let the sunshine reach down to him and he reached up to it. The clearing made it so instead of trying to live up to a living legend the teenager was able to just live up to who he was. Most importantly Charles realized that he only had to live up to one person’s expectation, his own.

The more confident version of Charlie was on full display as his dad was dropping him off at the cookout. Instead of taking the chance of not being around the giant oak, Charlie asked his dad to stay. It would not be free to have that outgoing man willingly pass up some good bbq food, nice cold drinks, and new people to meet on a summer day. He wanted that Oak to enjoy being in the woods for there would be enough room for the sapling to grow.

***********

Naomi and Andy Walton could not wait for Simone’s, their daughter, ride to show up. It was getting harder and harder for them to conceal the joy they had in their heart about her plans. The plans themselves were not a big deal, only going to a simple cookout. It was with who she was going, Rachel Lablanc. That girl was their daughter’s best friend. Their daughter had a best friend.

Simone was always treated as an outsider by her classmates. That her feelings did not matter to them. She was nothing more than comic relief to them. This led to Simone not being confident in herself. Now, having someone to share with was making Simone find her footing in life. This friendship was like a Red Bull and added so much energy to her.

The loving mother and father would have loved to attend the cookout also, but could not. They already had plans. They promised Simone’s brother that they would take him to see a movie he was looking forward to watch. The parents going back on their word would come off to Simone as them watching over her. This lack of faith in Simone would hinder their daughter’s growth.

Simone was starting to come into her own. Before the David project, she would have turned down going to the cookout. The last time she was cordially invited to an outing was a cruel prank by some of the girls in her class. They invited her to go rollerskating and never showed. There was no way she would take the chance of being the butt of someone's joke once again.

Now instead of trying to find an excuse to not go to the cookout, their daughter wanted to go without them. Just asking for permission to miss out on the family outing on her own was another sign of her growth. She knew how important keeping their word was. Their daughter did not feel the need to have them be there to catch her if something caused her to falter. The cookout was not important or essential enough for them to go back on their word.

Hearing the honking horn made Simone quickly dash to the door. The joy and excitement of being with her friends made Simone be lost in the moment. Their daughter’s joy for the little things in life made their heart beat faster than the door that closed behind her. Their daughter’s love for life was a dream come true.

Then another pinch me moment came when that door opened up just as quickly as it closed. Simone came running back in to kiss and hug both of her parents. After showing her affection to her mom and dad, Simone happily yelled up the steps to her brother Steven “See ya Steve, and I hope you enjoy the movie.”

************
“You guys better be on your best behavior,” Lori said to Blake and Tom. She wanted no immature shenanigans from those two today. This cookout was not the time and place for their brand of humor. She knew that they could not read the real audience, everyone at the cookout, for those two could only readeach other in the crowd when they were joking around.

Before those two could begrudgingly say yes Lori heard an enthusiastic “don’t worry we will.” from behind. She laughed because the voices behind the harmonic humorous response were Charlie and Ming. She knew there was nothing to worry about those two. They had respect and empathy for others all of the time. Lori also knew those two knew she was not talking to them.

“Blake, Tom this is Ming and Charlie. They are cool.”

Lori’s seal of approval did not affect the Brat Princess’ entourage on the two visitors to her court. Blake wanted to joke so bad about what he perceived as Charlie and Ming sucking up to Lori. They were such easy targets to the troublemaker. How could these two act like they don’t want to put other people beneath them to set up the pecking order? Lori’s boyfriend knew not to make a smart comment about those two being ass kissers if he wanted to kiss Lori when they sneak off into the basement or better off her bedroom later.

Tom also did not shoot out any of the jokes he had loaded in his brain. He took Blake’s lead. The follower could take either Lori or Blake being mad at him but not both of them. Plus being nice to those two would make him look good to Renee. That girl might one day come around to see the mistake she made by breaking up with him. Tom wanted her to think he changed so when she wanted to be with a real man she would come running back to him.

Lori’s boyfriend and his lackey said it was nice to meet him. Their greeting was as cold as the cans of pop and beer in the cooler. Being brushed off did not deter Ming or Charlie’s greeting from being as bright as warm as this day was. Blake and Tom’s indifference intensified were the clash of style.

The uncomfortable feeling coming from the lack of any interaction between two of the people from Lori’s court and two of her new friends quickly went away. Naomi and Rachel running up the stairs to see their friends brought much-needed noise to the awkward silence. Those two just hopping into a conversation with Ming and Charlie eased the tension from the unwillingness of Tom and Blake to engage.

************

The only thing which was sourer than the crab apple Jolly Rancher in Amanda Travers’ mouth was the look on her face. She was as bitter as that small hard candy in her because of how who she thought was her best friend, Kat Korkowski, was acting. Kat finally came around to calling Amanda what she wanted to be called instead of Mandy, but then Kat declared that Amanda had to call her Katherine in turn. The young girl who was becoming a woman could not understand why Kat was being as petty as a diva who only got one instead of two slices of lemons in their water.

Kat was not being petty, but defensive. The young girl who was also becoming a woman was protecting herself from getting hurt. Amanda going with her Christian name made Kat’s insecurities grow. Going formal was a way to place distance between people. Formality was cold and stiff, not warm and cozy the way friendships should be.

The sour look on Amanda’s face grew as the gate opened as two more guests came to the cookout. The sight of Simone Walton was like a shot of vinegar to Amanda. The sour look on the bitter girl's face grew seeing this new arrival. Now Amanda had not only to deal with her friends not accepting the changes she wanted to make but another one of the reasons for making those changes in the first place. Amanda could not believe how and why this was happening to her. She was trying to become a better person yet she still has to face her despicable past.

Amanda used to be a classmate of Simone and was as proud as a bad dog about how she treated the girl. The girl trying to turn a new leaf in her life was one of the leaders of shunning and picking on Simone. Inviting the outcast to the fictional rollerskating party was her idea. Seeing the smile on Simone’s face was a huge reminder of that mean prank. That was the same joyful smile Simone had when she was invited to the nonevent. That was the same joyful smile Amanda took immense pleasure in making Simone lose.

Not wanting to steal that smile away once again Amanda looked for a quick out of the backyard. Naomi was already up the steps of the patio and talking with Lori so Amanda’s best safe refugee from having to confront her past would be going to the basement. The basement door was underneath the patio and the girl, ashamed of who she was when she was Mandy made a beeline to it.

Even with their relationship being cold, Kat knew something was majorly wrong with her friend. Amanda might have been pushing her away, but she was not rude. The look of dread overtaking her friend's bitter face was also a huge sign. The distance between Kat and Amanda, was like an answer to any of the Rock’s questions, it did not matter at this moment, Kat’s friend needed her and she was going to be there for her. She also made a beeline to the basement.

*****************

Dan Murphy's presence was still looming large like an ancient Oak tree. He planted himself in the corner of the patio so the shade would not fall on the entire backyard. The rest of the adults just gravitated towards him. They came to introduce themselves to the new guy, and they stayed for the laughs. Then their stays were prolonged for everyone was an equal part of the conversation.

Charlie was in the full sunlight of others not having the expectations of him being a carbon copy of his dad and this bright summer day so he was growing. This growth spurt made him throw shade on Blake and Tom as they tried to put down Lori’s brother Luke. He also was able to provide cover for Lori from the hate storm Blake tried to make for her.

Blake could never rest on his laurels to feel good about himself. He was not confident enough in who he was so he depended on putting others down to lift himself up. If he could not make those strangers feel lower than him then he was going to have them know that Lori’s brother was.

The perfect chance of placing himself on top of the heap came when Lori was talking about her trip to California. Blake mocked Luke by saying “Does Luke wear a two-piece or a bikini to the beach.”

Lori immediately quashed Blake’s bad behavior. “Stop that Blake. You are not being funny.”
Tom wanted to have some fun and he could not pass up on one of his favorite pastimes, picking on Luke. He also had the green light to proceed from Blake starting the put-down session. “Lori, come on it is fun picking on Luka.”

Blake said “Plus you started it. It is so much fun to make fun of Luka. He will never be the man I am. You are becoming just as soft as him.”

The Brat Princess saw this as a chance to come back. Lori could use her verbal loom to spin a verbal tale to save her friendship with Charlie and Ming. Instead of presenting the bullying she did as good old fashion ribbing, Lori told the truth. She knew telling the lie would make her lose herself. She much rather be who she was becoming than stay friends with Charlie and Ming. Also if she did not come clean she would not be friends with those two. They would be friends with who they thought she was.

“Blake, Tom! I told you two to be on your best behavior. It is not cool or nice to pick on anyone. It is so not cool to pick on someone who is not here. Plus you wouldn’t say anything to Luke’s face if he was here now. You would be afraid that he would make you Black Eye Blake once again.

“Yes, I came up with calling Luke, Luka. I got our mom to put him in a dress. That was in second grade. I messed up and us picking on him went on too long.

“Ming, Charlie that is why I volunteered at the David Project. It was a punishment for being a bully. I am nothing more than a bully, like those kids who picked on you. I should have never hidden that from you. I did not come there for friendship, but was forced so to learn a lesson”

Defending his honor like a southern gentleman Blake said “Those were sucker punches. Your sissy brother could never best me in a fight.”

Right then the canopy from Charlie’s growth started to cover them. “Blake you are right those were sucker punches. Luke punched a sucker. You are nothing but a weak little sucker.

“Lori, you are wrong, you were a bully. You are not one anymore. At least you are not striving to become one. We already knew you were a bully. Those are the only kids who end up volunteering for a week or two. You might have been forced to work with us, but you stayed on when we became friends.”

Ming joined in “I can see why Lori did not tell us you two were cool. She did not want to lie. You two are not supporting her. You two are not learning from your mistakes. Lori is and that is why I am happy that she is my friend.”

Blake puffed up and Tom stood beside him to form a united front. These two twerps were not going to punk them down. “You two shut up. I do not have to put up with what you have to say. You are meaningless. You are the rejects who found each other in the trash heap where you were thrown.”

The Brat Princess was about to storm her own court and make her triumphant return. This time instead of attacking the weak, she was going to be their champion. Before the chamber door was knocked down, and the Brat Princess was able to rush into verbal combat, Charlie handled the two upstarts. “Again Blake you are right about one thing. You do not have to put up with what we have to say. You listen to Lori and act like the man you claim you are or you can leave.”

Blake saw a way to save face and took it like a thief. On his way to the door the beaten man said “I am leaving. I am done with this and also I am done with you Lori.”

Lori was becoming stronger but was not yet strong enough to face Charlie and Ming right now. The shame of them finding out about the Brat Princess was too much to deal with. The pedestal which she felt she needed for them to like her was knocked from underneath by the truth coming out. As she went away to distance herself from this fall from grace Charlie and Ming stopped her.

Those two knew their friend was feeling weak so gave her some of their strength. They reassured her that the details about what was already known did not even slightly change their friendship. She was making amends for her past and they were friends with who she was becoming not who she was.

The support from Charlie and Ming made Lori not feel bad about being dumped for a second time by Blake. In fact, those two being there for her made her feel good about losing her boyfriend. In life, it is better to be around people who base their connections on lifting up others instead of putting others down. True connections came from being there for each other, not just being around others.

***************

As the friendship between Charlie, Ming and Lori was growing stronger, the same was happening between Amanda and Kat. Seeing Simon had Amanda shaken as well as James Bond’s favorite cocktail. Facing up to when someone failed at being a good person was hard enough. Now Amanda had to do so without any true support. The two people who would understand her plight, Matt and Renee, were not at the cookout yet. Kat was being a pain with not supporting the changes which Amanda was making in her life.

The situation became worse when she saw Kat coming into the game room of the basement. The girl who needed to muster strength had no time to deal with the protagonist who should have been an ally. Just wanting to be left alone Amanda with all the strength she had left said “Just go back out there Katherine. I don’t have time to deal with you.”

“Amanda I am here to help you and call me Kat.”

Kat respecting what Amanda wanted to be called along with going with her nickname threw the exposed girl off. Amanda did not have the energy to try to hide being off-kilter and said “Don’t you mean Katherine?”

“This is not the time to deal with you pulling away from our friendship Amanda. You might not want to be close with me anymore, but I care about you. I came here to make sure you are alright.”

“I am not pulling away from our friendship.”

“Then why are you being so formal, having me call you Amanda. You are Mandy, my best friend.”

“I am growing up. Mandy is a reminder of who I was. I do not want to be that girl.”

“That is you pulling away.”

“No, you are my friend and dear to me. I am trying to not be the mean kid who picks on kids I don’t like.

“That girl who came to the party. Her name is Simone Walton. She goes to my old school district. I used to pick on her all the time. I made sure she felt like an outsider. I played mean tricks on her just to laugh. She was just like Luke, never did anything to me but I made her life miserable. I want a new start and have to face what I did. It is not fair. I am changing and she wouldn't see it.”

One of the great side effects of helping others grow was it also made the person grow. Kat now understood her own fears and insecurities led to a huge misunderstanding between friends. “Amanda I am sorry. Not calling you Mandy felt like a wedge separating us. There are so many changes going on now in our lives calling you Mandy just felt safe and comfortable.

“You can face Simone. You feel bad about what you did. Tell her. Tell her you are sorry and be nice to her. She can accept it or not. Respect her decision. If she doesn’t just stay away from her.”

Then as she was extending her hand, Kat continued talking “Come on. I will be right next to you as you do so. You need to tell her how you feel and I think she needs to hear it. That people can and do change for the better.”

*************

Today at the cookout was the big reveal of Tracy Armstrong's new hairdo. This was going to be a big surprise for her friends. The girl did not tell anyone or had even given a hint she was thinking of going with something different. The change was unforeseeable so the initial reactions will be as honest as someone on sodium pentothal.

Tracy was a little nervous about her friends liking her new look. The change might have been for her but she still wanted their approval. The uncalled for nerves intensified when she approached Lori and two boys. She did not know them and if the hairdo was more of a “hairdon’t” then she would be making a bad first impression on them.

The pointless worrying went away when Tracy saw the look on one of the boy’s faces. He definitely liked what he saw. Then an added ego boost came when Lori said “Tracy, those highlights look great. Right guys?”

Charlie, the boy whose smile widened, was the first to say anything. He did not need any encouragement from Lori, so right after the question, he said “Those highlights really help bring attention to your eyes.

“I am Charlie Murphy and it is my pleasure to meet you Tracy.”

Tracy’s smile and confidence grew. Seeing the girl’s reaction made Ming choose not to follow Lori’s lead. Tracy did not need any more of an ego boost. The words might not even truly register to her. That girl was sharing a magic moment with Charlie. His friend was smitten and she was open to it.

Ming had a new goal, to gracefully find a way to excuse him and Lori from being around those two. He found a legit reason when he saw Simone and Rachel talking with a couple. That couple must be Matt and Renee. Lori told Ming all about those two. He knew about Matt’s love of science and Renee racing and he wanted to meet both of them. “Hey Lori, is that Matt and Renee? You said you would introduce us. I want to hear about how he came up with the modifications he made to Renee’s bike.”

Lori was so happy hearing those words come out of Ming’s mouth. She also was looking for a way to let those two alone. She knew herself too well. If Lori stayed she would try to help those two get along. Forcing them together might cause them to resist what was naturally occurring. Charlie and Tracy would most likely become self-conscious of what others were thinking instead of just being themselves. “Yes that is them, come on let’s go.”

Before Charlie and Tracy could join them, Ming said “See you two later.”

************

Amanda had Kat by her side as she was opening the basement door to rejoin the cookout. The girl was ready to face the past so she could move forward on her journey of personal growth. As she walked closer Amanda reached out to hold Kat’s hand. Kat became an emotional crutch so Amanda had the strength to stand up to her bad decisions.

When Amanda finally made eye contact with Simone they both momentarily became like popsicles, frozen and stiff. Rachel saw her friend's involuntary pause and instinctively reached out to hold Simone’s hand. No thought was needed, friends go into autopilot when they see their friend in need. Rachel did not know what was going on but wanted Simone to know she would be her friend’s emotional crutch.

Matt and Renee could feel the tension and become bystanders. Whatever was between Simone and Amanda was not their business yet. They wanted to stay neutral, but they would not be able to. Not taking a side is still making a choice, a judgment. It is saying that the wrongdoing was not bad enough to warrant any resolution.

Amanda broached the tension of the silence “Simone, can we go over by the patio table and talk?”

Simone was staying right there. She was not going to fall for Mandy asking to speak in private again. That was the trick which Mandy used to fool her into going to that one-person rollerskating party. The week leading up to Simone being stood up, Mandy would talk about how much she was looking forward to being closer friends with her rube. Simone’s reply was as simple as Mandy must have thought she was “No.”

“I want to talk to you about how I treated you.”

Not having the want or need to fit in anywhere gave Simone the strength to not try to please anyone just to belong. “Whatever you have to say to me can be said here.”

“Simone, it is important and private.”

“No, you mean it is a lie. Like you lied to me about looking forward to hanging out. That you thought we would become good friends. That you and the other girls were going to accept me. I am not going to fall for that again.”

“Simone, that's exactly what I want to talk to you about.”

“Then do it here. Gloat in front of everyone how you made me cry so many times. How you made me feel unwanted.”

Giving this apology was important to Amanda. Kat knew this and tried to play Nelson Mandela and negotiate a suitable compromise between Amanda and Simone. “How about if your friend went over to the patio with you two Simone.”

To Rachel, this good natured attempt to broker a suitable meeting place felt like those two ganging up on Simone. Rachel knew all to well how much Amanda tortured her friend and was not going to let this happen again. “How about for once Mandy listens to Moni. Whatever she has to say should be said in front of everyone. You know so she does not lie, like she did about wanting to be Moni’s friend.”

The big issue about giving the apology in public was it might not be accepted. Amanda was not strong enough to handle such a public rejection yet. Knowing she was forgiven would make saying sorry a public event easy. All she could do at the moment was assure Simone her intentions were true. Doing so with no trust was going to be hard. “This needs to be done between me and you Moni.”

As Amanda was trying to convince the tough crowd things took a turn for the worse for her. Ming and Lori joined the group. Lori was happy that Amanda and Kat joined that group before them. Introducing them all at once would make it easier for the groups to naturally mingle. Lori was who brought this group together. Instead of being a unifying factor by being all of their friends, her presence was going to cause more splintering. She greeted the group by saying “I’m glad that everyone finally met

The past pain of being picked on by Mandy became fresh to Simone. All of the ploys which were used were in the forefront of the girl’s mind. She had to protect herself from more pain so lashed out after hearing Lori’s greeting. Those words were a lie to her. Lori was friends with Mandy, one of Moni’s bullies. Lori had to know those two knew each other. How much Mandy loved to bring up and laugh about her jokes. Plus Lori was nothing more than a bully. That was why she had to volunteer at the David Project.

Moni’s stare at Lori was as sharp as the words which came out of her mouth. “You know not all of us just did not meet. You set me up to. You acted like our friend just so Mandy could pick on me. You are nothing but a bully. You like to make other people hurt.”

The only person who was hurt more than Lori by those words was Amanda. She saw the damage her actions had done. Simone was a sweet trusting girl and now she has an underlayer of being a bitter cynical one also. That girl did not trust others. There was the worry that acts of friendship were just a lie. A setup for Simone to be the punchline once again.

Facing what she has done was a moment of truth for the change Amanda wanted. The girl at the crosswords could stay being Mandy by saying nothing or keep on becoming Amanda by giving her mea culpa.

“Simone I know you don’t trust me, but you are wrong. Lori had no idea we knew each other. I never told her where I used to go to school. I never really talked about my past that much. Even with not changing I was ashamed of how I treated you and some of the other kids.

“If I knew you were going to be at this cookout I would not have shown up. I saw you walk in with your friend with that smile on your face and it hurt me. It hurt me that I found joy in taking that smile away. You were so happy to see Lori, your friend, that you did not notice me in the corner. I ran into the basement to hide from you. I did not want to face you.

“My best friend Kat came and got me. She gave me the strength to try to apologize to you. That is what I wanted to talk to you about. I was not as strong as I thought I was. I could not do it in front of other people. You might say no. I could not handle that little rejection.

“You are so much stronger than me. You handle rejection. You are the better person. I am sorry that I used to pick on you. I am sorry that I made you think the worst of others. I am trying to change. I am trying to become more like you.

“I am going to leave so you can enjoy being here with your friends and make new ones. You deserve it.”

Lori was the next to talk. This was also a crossroad for Lori. She could try to defend herself, after all she was innocent. Instead, she went to comfort her vulnerable friend. She understood the reason behind the hurtful words. Lori was learning the lesson of empathy her father was teaching her. Those words were to build a wall to protect.

“Moni I was a bully. I am trying my best not to be one anymore. I would never do anything to hurt you. You are sweet, kind, caring, funny, and interesting. You care for others and are helping me to be able to do the same.

“I hope you can keep on not judging me for my past and see me for how I am now. See me as having the best intentions. I never want to hurt anyone I care for. I care for you.”

After Lori was done repairing the damage of her bad reputation, Simone called out for Amanda to come back. Hearing the request felt like being called to the principal’s office to Amanda. She did what any student did when they heard those instructions over the PA system and slowly walked back to accept her faith.

“Mandy, stay. I believe you.”

They might have been a few words but there was so much meaning behind them. Simone wanting Mandy to stay was her treating her former tormentor how she wanted to be treated. Everyone should be given a chance to make right the bad decisions they made. They might never become friends, but they can be friendly with each other. Those words showed that Moni follows what the David Project was all about, accepting others for who they are.

Then looking at Lori’s pain came to Simone. She thought the worst about her for no good reason. It was outlandish to think that Lori's time at the David Project was just to make Simone feel small. Lori laughed too much and made too many connections for her intentions to be anything other than what they appeared, Lori becoming a better person.

Tears from causing another pain were filling Moni’s eye as she said “Lori I am sorry…..”

Before more words could come out of the apologist's mouth full absolution was given. Lori hugged her friend to manifest their connection and said “There is nothing to be sorry about. Now quit feeling bad. The hamburgers and hot dogs smell done, so it is time to eat and enjoy being around your friends.”

The group started to make their way to the grill. Lori being the ultimate hostess made Simone feel better about herself. The group started to mingle more naturally. Moni was quick to calling Mandy, Amanda. That was her way of showing her she was giving Amanda the benefit of the doubt about her turning a new leaf. Matt and Renee stayed quiet. Their thoughts were on how, if given the chance, reconciling with Luke would go. Would they be able to build an inroad rebuilding the friendship Amanda did with Moni or would they be rejected for they could get Luke to believe in their remorse?

As the Zahn’s guests were arriving at the cookout, in California Luke was finishing his tour of where he was planning to spend his high-school years. Greg K. saved the athletic complex as where they would end the trek around the school ground. It made sense for the best part should be the last. Even with the school being one of the top-ranked schools in California, the athletic complex was the piece de resistance.

Jerry Brown High’s ground crew took great pride in their work and it was shown off by how well groomed the baseball and softball fields were. The lines on the tennis courts always look freshly painted. The most pristine part of the athletic complex was Slap Jack Mac’s personal zen garden, more commonly known as the beach volley courts.

Those courts would have still been the best in the district if the captain of the beach volleyball team did not also tend to them. Mack took extra care of the courts so they reflected what he expected from the team. Them giving their all. Another reason he took such great care of making sure the sand was as level as the state of Kansas was how relaxing doing so was. Working with the rakes was calmful to him.

Greg K. and Eck saying hi to Slap Jack Mac startled him some. It is always a little jarring to be taken away from inner peace to the external world. When the unknowing zen practitioner was back in the here and now, he was happy to see his two fellow members of the Cove Crew. Seeing Eck was a little added bonus. There was a little something he wanted to bring up with Eck.

The question of Eck joining the team has been on the captain’s mind for a while, he just never found the right time and place to bring up the offer. Slap Jack Mac did not want to put any pressure on Eck to join the team and asking him around the crew would have. Eck would be a great addition to the team but he wanted Eck to do so on his own.

Greg K. told Slap Jack Mac about giving Eck the tour of the school. That was a perfect segway into bringing up the offer to Eck. “Eck, dude you are going to love going to school here. Have you given any thoughts on what after school activities you are going to do? One of my favorites is the beach volleyball team. Last year we won sectionals and this year we are going to win states. Winning is great, but we have so much fun. We make sure that as we are doing our best we have the best time possible.”

Eck did his best not to laugh at the pitch he was given about joining the team. This so-called soft sell was harder than the concrete pole vaulting runway he just saw. He knew Slap Jack Mack was trying not to put pressure on him, but did not master being subtle. To make sure he did not have to hold in his laughter and his friend did not have to hold in his enthusiasm Eck said, “I am in.”

Now not having to curb his enthusiasm Slap Jack Mac had to talk about his plans. “Awesome. I am thinking of having you on one of the co-ed duos. I need someone as strong and confident in who they are as you are to team with Shy. Most of the boys on the team, even with trying their best cannot take a girl being the leader of the duo.”

Eck’s nonreaction to Slap Jack Mac’s innocent statement was an unnoticed sign of his personal growth. If the Pennsylvanian transplant was still stuck in his mental muck when he first arrived in Cali then he would have been hurt by those words. The compliment would have been taken as an attack to who he was. Eck would have read it as just another way of being called Luka, a sissy.

Right after the unrecognized milestone in Luke’s journey to healing a text came in. He quickly typed a response and said “Guys to Howlin’ Ray.”

********

The smile on Mary’s face was bigger than the emoji’s in Luke’s response of “CU there, bringing SJM, Ily :-)The smile did not come from Luke’s confirming he would be there. The answer Luke going to Howlin’ Ray was a foregone conclusion. After all, it was the best Nashville Fried Chicken joint in LA. The smile came from the interaction with her man. The smile also came from the knowledge that her man’s answer and keenness would have been the same if Mary wanted to meet at KFC.

Lil’ told her friends that Slap Jack Mac was joining them. Shy was looking forward to seeing him. Maybe he had a chance to ask Eck about joining the beach volleyball team. The girl wanted to start practicing with her new partner. They need to be like a teenage Justin Timberlake and be in sync.

Lil’ did not even mind that Eck would be captain on paper. Her friend was smart enough to defer to her suggestions. He knew she had a great understanding of the game. She did not mind dealing with a teenage boy’s fragile ego by him having the C instead of her. She knew it was hard enough for most of them to listen to anyone.

Shy, Lil’, Decaf, Silk, and three other Crew members finally hooked up with Eck, Greg K., and Slap Jack Mac. During the greetings, Shy asked the team captain what’s new. That question was as innocent as a dog caught with it’s head in the garbage. His teammate wanted to know how the recruiting went. “Other than finding your new partner for the volleyball team, nothing.”

Shy said “Cool.”

Luke jumped in “Shy, you are going to do great leading our mixed couple pairing.”

Shy was a little lost by what Luke said. It sounded like to her she was going to be captain of the pairing. Giving her that position was the right choice, but there were issues last year finding a boy who would let that be. Some of her teammates did not even want to be paired with her. They were scared of being bested by a girl on the sand court. Her reply was a soft OK.

Slap Jack Mac wanted to get to ordering. The new pair could talk about it between themselves after everyone had their food and broke off into their own conversations. This was the time to eat great food and hang out, not talk business. “Shy you are the captain of the duo.”

Hearing that made Shy figured out she sold Eck short about two things. How great of a teammate he was and also how assured he was of who he was. Her best friend’s boyfriend went with what was best for the pairing. He also cared about winning more than what other people were thinking. This season was going to be a great one for them for they both had the same goals of doing their best and be supportive to each other.

Shy’s confidence in their performance in the upcoming year made her drop wanting to practice with Eck. Coming on too strongly would come between their friends and why the duo was going to be good. They were already on the same page. They would not need to put in that extra time. Shy also knew he would do what was needed outside of practice to be the best he could.

After ordering the good eats, the crew sat at two picnic tables in the outdoor patio section. Those tables were going to be a makeshift version of their cove. Being at their home base was not about coordinates on a map, but a state of mind.

The gang of friends picked those tables to have some privacy and also to respect the other customers. They knew they were going to talk a little too loud and laugh a little too much. After finishing eating at Howlin’ Rays the Cove Crew stayed as they were by going back to the cove.

Back at the beach Luke and Mary made their way to the USC beach blanket. Even with being surrounded by friends those two were going to have some personal time. Their mindset, along with their crew respecting boundaries, will make privacy for the two lovers even while in a group of friends. Before leaving the group, Luke set him and Shy up for playing some volleyball together tomorrow afternoon. Being only in the company of Mary was important in maintaining their bond, but Luke wanted to make sure he kept his bond with others strong.

The next couple of hours Luke and Mary hardly said a word. They were too busy enjoying just being in the presence of the other. Much was said by Mary’s enjoyment in just laying on Luke’s chest as he gently played with her hair. This contentment was how they always wanted to feel. The peace which came from just being oneself and being next to the one they loved brought them a simple happiness which was stronger than any expensive gesture done to prove love. Their happiness came from substance as the joy from being wooed came from the stroking of one’s ego.

As the crowd of friends was leaving, Luke knew this magic moment was soon to end. He had to go back to his aunt and uncle’s to get a call from his parents. The intense urge to stay in this bliss as long as possible was not hard for Luke to deny. He knew that he and Mary would easily be able to find their way back to their personal paradise. They just had to be together.

Mary also knew it was time to go back to the ordinary world. She did not mind. A piece of her heart would always be in this moment. Carrying around something this special will make everything better. A person with high-spirits enjoys and appreciates the moment they are in. She kissed Luke goodbye and said, “I love you.”

Luke returned the “I love you.” They both knew that even with them parting ways, they would still be near to each other. After all where a person is at, is a state of mind. Their state of mind was filled with the love they had for each other.

***************

“Of course you can,” was the answer Fred gave Lori. What Lori got permission to do was to be the one who called Luke. His daughter wanting to be the one to greet Luke during the phone call showed so much progress. This was exactly one of the results Fred wanted from his disciplining his sweet pickle. The objective was in making Lori a better person and she was learning to have more empathy towards others.

Luke was caught a little off guard hearing his sister’s voice when he answered the call. Lori noticed and understood why. Luke knew that she was changing but still did not fully believe the new version of his sister. Lori not only had to show her change but wait for Luke to have faith in who she was becoming so he would not see her as who she was.

If she had not read about how hard it was to rebuild trust after breaking it, Lori would have joined in being reserved. Instead, Lori went with why she wanted to talk with Luke first. She wanted to hear how her brother and their West Coast friends were doing. After hearing all about Luke’s tour and him joining the beach volleyball team, Lori asked about Lil’, Shy, and Greg K. Those people were important to her for how they treated her. They gave her a second chance after she tried to humiliate Luke.

Lastly, she thanked Luke once again for the VIP tickets to Boyz+1. Her twin brother asked if Blake was looking forward to going. Now it was time for Lori to become reserved. The innocent question did pick open the wound of the breakup. Instead of lashing out, Lori told Luke that they had broken up.

Right away Luke started to console Lori. He made sure not to put down the boy who let his sister down. He knew the relationship between his sister and Blake was as stable as a water-soaked house of cards built on a lopsided table. That he was going to be Lori’s on again off again boyfriend until she saw Blake for who he was not who she wanted him to be. Until Blake had a catalyst for change like Lori did he was going to stay the same.

Lori left the room after handing her mom the phone. Fred’s ear perked up some. Listening in on a conversation was not normally his style, but he wanted to hear as much as possible. People will sometimes do something they find morally wrong to protect their kids. His wife's despicable actions of putting their son in a dress made Fred feel like she forfeited her right to privacy for now. She would earn his trust when she maintained the changing of her way.

Alice’s end of the conversation made the guilty husband feel better about monitoring the call. What Fred heard from his wife’s end of the conversation justified the sentinel’s vigilance. Luke’s mom brought up that he still had time to enroll at school back at home. Then she went on about how coming back home would help him and Lori repair their relationship. She talked about how Matt and Renee missed him and they could reconnect. The Saturday Morning Bike Club could ride again. When all these points failed Alice put some pressure on Luke by telling him to think about it.

Fred had enough and sternly told his wife to give him the phone. He was going to wait until his wife was done having a chat with his son to reassure him about being able to stay in Cali. The heavy-handedness of his wife's pitch to Luke needed to be stopped. Fred felt like he made a mistake by not watching what happened in his house when he was gone. He was not going to let his wife force her way on their son.

Fred greeted his son with “Hey there Luke, love you.”

“I love you also dad. How are you doing?”

“I am great. I do want you to know that you do not have to come home. You are free to stay in California until you want.”

“Yeah I do dad, that is why I told mom no. Anyway, I want to tell you about what's new with me.”

“We have time for that later. You have the final say on when you come back. You don’t have to listen to what your mom says about that. I do not want you to say yes when that is not what you want.”

Now it was Luke’s turn to reassure his dad. “I know I have the final say. I know that I can tell you if mom is putting too much pressure on me. Mom misses me and I understand that. I miss her, you, and even Lori a little, but my life is out here.”

Fred teared up a little. Some of the tears were from joy. His son was well on the way to becoming a man. Those two and half months in Cali surrounded by his friends gave Luke the support to find the confidence to become who he was going to be. Some of the tears were from pain. He blamed himself for the fractured family. If he did not downplay his wife's petticoat punishment he would have been like Joe Jackson and knew something was going on around here.

The pain from not doing enough disappeared when Fred heard about Luke’s day. At first, he thought that was a big day for Luke. Then he realized it was nothing more than a normal Saturday for his son. Since Luke has been living with his Aunt and Uncle he has been always having new adventures, facing new challenges, and making new memories with his friends.

As Fred and his son were having a moment, Alice was waiting for her husband to get off the phone. How dare the man she loved undermine her authority with their son. She was only trying to have Luke come around to her way of thinking. To tell the truth, Alice believed she had the right to make him come home. Luke was her son.

As soon as Fred hung up the phone Alice’s hackles went up. “Don’t you ever tell our son not to listen to me again. Also, don’t you ever eavesdrop on me again. You had no right to do so.”

“Alice I felt guilty listening in until you proved my doubt right. You tried to pressure and guilt Luke into coming home. I am happy that he told you no.

I will tell our son not to listen to you when you go against what is right for him. We gave him our word that he does not have to come back here until we moved. We haven’t even looked at new houses yet.”

“Yes, but things have changed. Luke is doing so much better, he can handle the kids. Lori also changed and she will help him integrate back in with her friends.”

“He is doing better. But you know why, he has a new life out there. He has a big group of friends, a girl he really fancies. Luke is so enjoying just being himself. If you were not so worried about having your way, you would have heard all about his day. He did so much today and at first I thought it must have been a great day for him. It wasn’t, it was just a normal day for him. He deserves that.”

“This is not about me needing to have my way. This is about me missing our son. This is about me wanting to do him right. I want to raise our son. I want to be the best mom for him, not my sister.”

Fred de-escalated the heated argument. His wife admitting she wanted to right a wrong took his temperature underneath its boiling point. “Alice, you are the best mom for Luke. You did him right by letting him move to California. It is hard. We all miss him and he misses us, but him living in California until he is ready to come back home is what is right for him.

“Luke knows you love him and he will always see you as his mom. Your sister is not going to take your place.”

Fred’s honesty, and him consoling his Alice, made her temper also go below boiling point. “I know. I am sorry. I was not thinking. I was just pointing out how different it will be around here if he came back home. I miss him so. I want to see my son. I want us to all talk not just take turns on the phone”

“He will be home for Christmas. We will start to do video calls with him. Me, you, and Lori will all be on with him at the same time.”

Fred hugged his wife as he was giving the best solution to her issue. Alice knew Fred’s answer was not ideal but it was what was best. Having Luke stay in California might hurt her, but Luke would be hurt more if he did not move back on his own. Alice knew the pain was worth the price because she was becoming the best mom for Luke.

Alice gathered herself and called Luke back. She wanted to hear from her son about his day and more importantly, tell him about the video calls. Hearing his mom’s voice made Luke ready to demand to talk to his dad. He was not going to let his mom try to wear him down. His oven-ready ultimatum was never used. His mom right away told him about the video calls and how that will make her miss him less. Those calls will also have the same effect on Luke.

Then his mom being engaged and intrigued about Luke’s day repaired the damage done by her browbeating Luke about coming home. By the end of the second call, Luke felt closer to his mom than anytime he could remember. The distance between them was becoming a weak obstacle to their connection. The strength of love and care could not be restricted by lack of physical proximity for it was a state of mind and being.

The video calls back home leading up to Luke’s Christmas visit did more than preserve his connection with his family. That time together strengthened the connection. His mom, dad and sister asking to be updated about previous topics showed how much they were invested in his life. Luke hanging on their words did the same to them.

These months had so much to share. There was Dirt, another new kid in town. Luke befriended him on the first day of freshman orientation. Fred and Alice’s son made it a point to be friendly to Dirt right away. He could tell that the other new kid was feeling a little overwhelmed by the disorientated look on Dirt’s face. There was no way Luke was going to let someone feel like they did not belong.

The Beach Volleyball team did win the state championship. Luke and Shy made a great mixed couple team. The teamwork those two had, came from them both trusting each other. Them being more concerned about winning than their pride was another factor to them being one of the best-mixed couple teams in the state. Luke was not worried about taking orders from a girl and Shy’s captainship was not threatened by her listening to his suggestions.

Their son’s relationship with Lil became even closer. Luke’s and Mary’s love was the real deal. Fred and Alice both knew that this was more than just puppy love. Their son and his girl shared a close connection many couples never got close to achieving.

As normal Luke was on honor roll. The one trait Luke and Lori always shared was how they excel in school and she was on the honor roll also. Lori finding out the expected did not trigger her being competitive with her brother. She did not immediately ask what his GPA was to compare her to his. Instead, she was happy that her brother was adapting so well to California.

Lori kept up going to the David Project. She did not see Tuesday night's visit as volunteering nor was that time her learning on how to be a better person. Tuesday nights were spending quality time with good friends. Being around Ming and the rest of her friends kept the Brat Princess at bay. The former heiress of an empire was well on her way to formally abdicating her throne.

Lori was in a perpetual on and off relationship with Blake. That self-centered boy broke Lori's heart more often than a politician did with promises. Fred was a little concerned that Blake’s arrested development would hinder Lori. Thankfully the father’s apprehension was unnecessary. There were too many good influences in his daughter’s life to fend off Lori’s regress from her progress.

The last video call before Luke touched down at Pittsburgh International Airport touched the father’s heart. He got to witness some of the fruit of his and Lori’s hard labor of her becoming a better person. Her voice was as high as an airplane with excitement when she said she was looking forward to seeing her brother. This was a sign that the visit home was going to be a good one for his son.

There was also an overlooked sign that the trip home was not going to be all good. Even with Luke feeling closer to his family, there still was an unnoticed barrier keeping him and his mom from getting as close as they should be. Alice had true remorse for how she treated Luke, but never stated how she felt. Her assuming the unsaid was known was good enough kept her son at bay, Alice not stating her heartfelt remorse led to her not performing repentance, and getting full redemption. Alice not righting her wrong along with Luke not being able to give his forgiveness strengthened the barrier that was keeping the mother and son from being as both wanted.

****************

Even with having a half-day at school and then catching a flight back to Pittsburgh, Luke felt so much better during the second Zahn’s family reunion at an airport than the first. How excited he was upon seeing his dad was expected. The unexpected part was the excitement upon seeing Lori. It had been ages since Luke had seen Lori without his guard going up. Then another unexpected part of the reunion came when his guard didn’t go up upon seeing his mom. He would only be watchful around his mom when he knew Lori was up to no good.

On the ride home, Lori did her best to shine the spotlight on Luke. His twin sister wanted to hear all about what her big brother had been up to. She saw him as her big brother now not because of him being a couple of hours older, but because he had an aura of maturity about him. Living in California, being a surfer and having a nice natural tan in December made Luke seem so much more sophisticated than her. Instead of being jealous Lori was going to learn from Luke talking about his experiences.

Lori also wanted to hear all about the Cove Crew. She was online friends with Shy, and Lil’ but they never had time to talk. One of the hardest things to do was to have three teenage girls living on the opposite end of the United States be available to chat at the same time. All three of them made sure to send short his, but they have not spent much time in any real conversations.

Luke did return the favor and also put the spotlight on his sister. He wanted to hear first hand the changes his little sister had. Even with her being a pain for so long in his life Luke felt an obligation to help ensure Lori stayed on this path of becoming the best person she could. Looking out for his sister felt right.

Luke also wanted to hear about Matt and Renee, Lori talked about them only a little compared to the rest of her friends. Matt and Renee were actually friends with Lori, it was just some of the Venn Diagrams of their friends overlapped with Lori’s friends. Those two did not trust that the upgraded version of Lori was real. The changes were too good to be true. Also, she was still with Blake. A mature girl would not put up with that freshman’s sophomoric shenanigans.

This back and forth in the back seat between the siblings sounded as beautiful and was as touching as a duet sung by angels. To Fred, the cost of missing his son was well worth the price of admission to this concert. Alice loved the sound. How her kids were getting along meant the permanent reunion of her family under one roof was close to becoming a reality.

***************
The weekend was filled with family fun. What they did was not important, what made the good times was the company. The only time which was not as good as the rest for Luke was when he was alone with his mother. There was a little distance between them. Luke thought it was from his mom being too concerned about making sure this Christmas was the best one. Alice always had the desire for the holidays to be like a fine wine and get better as the years rolled on. She only wanted what she thought was best for her and her family.

Monday was Fred’s last day of work. Instead of staying at home with his mom and sister, Luke was planning on spending the day with his Pappi and Memaw, Bob and Betty Lou Zahn. The grandparents were looking forward to spending time with Luke and money on him. Bob and Betty Lou loved taking advantage of the perk of being able to indulge their grandchildren.

The first stop of their day was Kelly O’s Dinner. Catching up with Luke and seeing the dramatic improvement in his self-confidence and outlook on life made the grandparents feel as gooey inside as the dinner’s famous french toast. The boy sitting across from them in the booth reminded them of his father.

After breakfast, it was off to the Waterfront Mall to shop. Bob and Betty Lou did not want to just give Luke money as a Christmas present. At the same time, they knew shopping for one for him would be hard because of them not spending enough time with the new version of their grandson. They did not know what he wanted and any good grandparent wanted to give a gift that fulfilled a grandchild’s desire. Giving a gift based out of a need was not fun. Those gifts do not form a good bond between the giver and receiver.

After stopping at Barnes and Noble for an autobiography on Duke Kahanamoku, "Ambassador of Aloha," FYE for a couple of CDs and Spencer’s for a Retro Clash shirt, Luke and his grandparents made it to the food court. This was where the day took a turn for the worse.

***************

As Bob and Betty Lou were leaving with Luke, Lori gave Pappi and Memaw a hug and told her to enjoy himself. The positive change in Lori’s attitude towards her brother was a nice surprise to the grandparents. They heard their son talk about how much his daughter was growing, but were under the impression most of the talk was wishful thinking on his part. The changes were forced and Lori would burn over the new leaf when her brother was around.

Lori went up to her room. Then at 10:30 Alice came into her daughter’s room and was a little confused seeing her daughter lounging around in leggings and a sweatshirt. Lori should have been ready for the ride to Tracy’s. Lori was going to spend the day there hanging out with her BFF, her boyfriend, Blake, and his best friend Tom.

Alice asked if Lori was going over Tracy dressed like that. The mother knew her daughter good enough that the girl would never dress down for an occasion. Lori loved looking her best. The girl would not be playing coy if she called a little black dress she wore this old thing. This was for she loved looking her best for herself. She was not trying to impress anyone, looking good made her feel better about herself.

“Oh, mom. It was canceled. Tracy texted me and I was going to tell you but lost track of the time. Sorry about that.”

Hanging out at Tracy was out of the question once Chrissy Armstrong, Tracy’s mom, got a call out of the blue to come in to work. There was no way she was going to let Blake in her home unsupervised. Mixing that teenage boy alone with alcohol was a cocktail for trouble.

Alice thought of a simple solution for Lori and her friends by just hanging out here. Her daughter and friends were on vacation and deserved to spend that time hanging out instead of wasting the time doing nothing. Alice’s daughter liked the idea but was hesitant by saying a two-word rebut of “But Luke.”

The well-founded objection was not Valid to Alice. Lori had a point about her dad stating that Blake would not be at their home when Luke was home. The daughter took that edict meaning during the visit. Alice took what her husband said to mean when Luke was physically at their home.

“Lori, Luke is not home right now. He is spending the day with your Pappi and Memaw. Your friends will be gone by the time Luke is due to come back. It is fine.”

Lori did like what her mom was saying. This was one of the few chances the girl was going to get to see her boy during the break. Her brother was not here so it would do no harm to Luke. Plus being here she can share some of the pictures Luke brought home with him. If they see him surfing and hanging out with the Cove Crew they would have to change their mind about him. Still wanting to make sure having them over was the right thing Lori asked “Are you certain mom?”

Alice did not have to think it over. The clear and simple situation made having her friends over a no-brainer. Luke was not here so it had to be fine. Her husband was trying to guarantee Luke not running into Blake. “Yes I am certain, now you call your friends and tell them we are coming to pick them up.”

*****************

Amanda, Kat, Mike, Matt and Renee were enjoying their time off from school by hanging out and having lunch at the Waterfront mall’s food court. Mike’s friends were happy he was there. He has not been around much lately. He told them the reason was he was busy with school work. The debate team and his science project were taking up so much of his time. The truth was he would use those excuses to back out of doing anything if Blake, Tom, or Lori were going to be involved.

As the group of friends was sitting down Luke and his grandparents came walking into the food court. Renee’s eyes widened, the smile disappeared from her face and stopped talking in mid-sentence when she saw her former friend. The sudden change of expression and unexpected abrupt ending of what Renee was saying caused the rest of the group to see what grabbed her attention.

After seeing the unanticipated blast from their past, Matt was the first to speak and said “Come on guys let’s eat up. I want to get to The Body Shop to buy my mom her gift.

Matt wanted to get back to shopping to lessen the chance of Luke seeing them. He did not want his presence to bring Luke down. Even if Luke does not see them or worse comes over to confront them the shameful boy could not enjoy being in the food court with him. Matt was still extremely ashamed of how he treated Luke and did not want to face that part of his past.

Renee seconded that motion, but it was overruled by the rest of the group. Kat just thought the odds were too low for Luke to see them. They were sitting in a crowded food court so the gang just blended into the background. Mike was not going to let the past ruin their time. What occurred between Luke and those two was almost two years ago. Luke had moved on so he would just treat them as strangers. Amanda was not going to let her friends run away from facing their past. Not taking the chance of interacting with Luke took away the chance of them having redemption.

For the next 15 minutes Matt and Renee were feeling exactly like the protagonist of a horror movie. Those two were filled with anxiety and dread of their worst fear catching up to them. The anticipation of what might happen was causing so much discomfort. They were in full flight mode ready to take off at any hint of the dreadful experience of having to face Luke was going to come true.

Then what Matt and Renee saw as inevitable came to fruition. Their self-made antagonist was coming straight towards them. The urge to flee was a survival mechanism to them. The couple would face their fear at a better time in the future. The members of the Saturday Morning Bike Club could not take the hearing of former member’s grievances against them during this festive time of the year.

Those two were getting ready to get up and dart away when Amanda stopped them. They had to stay, and face their past if they do not want to be stuck in this moment. Her friends would always have an obstacle of regret impeding them from personal growth. “Matt, Renee stay. I will talk with Luke before he comes over.”

Matt and Renee were put at ease by the interference Amanda was running. Their friend’s new attitude towards him would put Luke in a better mindset talking with them. Those two could handle talking with Luke if he was not mad at them.

Amanda walked right towards Luke and said “Hello Luke, it is nice to see you. What are you doing?”

This attempt to break the ice failed. Luke was not seeing Amanda as who she was but as who she used to be. Mandy was not an honest actress. The innocent greeting was taken as disingenuous as a Facebook friend saying they would do anything for you. To Luke, this was some sort of set up. Mandy had to be setting him up for a fall. She was never nice to him, never used his real name. The biggest reason Luke saw Amanda’s greeting as a trap was her question. He was looking and walking straight towards them. There was no way the girl standing in front of him did not know he was coming over to them.

Luke walked past saying “Mandy, I don’t have time for you.”

The girl who was trying to make sure there was peace, innocently added fuel to the fire by correcting Luke. “It’s Amanda now Luke ...”

The correction came off to Luke as Mandy trying to remind him of his place in her social order. Amanda setting right what she wanted to be called was one of the few statements she could have made to make Luke engage with her.

Luke abruptly stopped and turned forcefully. On his face was a look of total amazement. This girl who tortured him by calling him Luka had the nerve to say he had to use her formal name. Luke was going to set the record straight with this audacious girl so she would know how unacceptable her demand was.

“Listen here Mandy. For years I told you not to call me Luka. Now you think that somehow you can tell me that I can’t use the name everyone else uses for you. You really need to check yourself if you think for one moment I care what you want to be called.”

Amanda made a mistake and defended herself. The girl who wanted Luke to see her as who she was at the moment started to explain why. The matter-of-fact tone in Amanda’s voice came off as her talking down to Luke “Luke the reason is…”

Amanda was cut off by Luke. There was no way he was going to put up with the same old shit from the same old shitty people. He did not want a conversation with her so he was only talking at her. “I know exactly why you want to be called Amanda. You are doing what you always did, try to put yourself above me. You think you are better than me for you were able to gang up on me with your friends.

“I do want to thank you for reminding me who you and your friends really are. I was going to be a fool and talk with Renee and Matt to see if they changed. You showed me they have not. They would not be hanging out with someone like you if they did.”

Amanda’s frustration grew. She was trying to ease the process of reconciliation between Luke and Matt and Renee. Instead, she made the rift between them bigger. The girl did what she thought would be the best course of action. Amanda began to try to set Luke straight. “Luke! You have to hear me out.”

The little lecture Luke gave Amanda was over. He made this point by walking away towards his Pappi and Memaw as he asked a rhetorical question “Mandy, why do I? You never did so for me.”

Luke being under the impression that Renee and Matt did not change made him feel alone in the bustling mall. He was feeling that he was an outcast and did not belong there. Luke knew these doubts about who he was were unfounded. He wanted to get out of the packed mall and regroup. Seeing the concern on his grandparent’s faces when he rejoined them made Luke remember he was always on steady ground. He would always have the support he needed to stand up on his own. Having good close friends in one’s heart made it so a person was never truly alone.

Luke's strength was apparent when he answered the unasked question of if he was ok. “Pappi Memaw I am good. I am not going to let some people from my past ruin my time with you. I do want to go home after we eat.

“How about me and my dad come over and see you two tomorrow? I can go for a slice of Memaw's cinnamon Christmas Kringle.”

Luke’s grandparents agreed with him. They got to have another day with their grandson and all the running around this morning made them just want to go home and relax.

**************

Lori directed her guests to make themselves at home in the family room as she and her mom made their way to the kitchen. Lori did not want the distraction of watching television to eat in on the time they had together. The only thing they were going to snack on was some of the snickerdoodle cookies she was serving. Tracy, Blake, and Tom found a huge surprise when they got to the family room.

The unexpected sight in the family room was Luke. Lori’s brother was sitting in a black leather chair next to the fire with a book in his hand. The pages of the book were not being turned because the person who was holding it was soaking in feeling safe and at home. The yule log in the fireplace was emitting a light that was as warm as the feeling of goodwill the Holiday Season invoked in most people. The flickering of the firelight and the flashing bulbs on the Christmas tree seemed like they were dancing together.

The three guests stop in their tracks. Tracy happened to be right under the doorway so there was some mistletoe hanging above her. The first thought Tracy got was how could Lori not had said about how much her brother changed. The boy who was enjoying reading a book was not the self-conscious one she knew. How straight he sat showed he was confident. Before, Luke would try to blend so no one would notice him. Luke was also slim. Along with his insecurities Luke also lost that little bit of pudge he put on from overeating. The most important change Tracy noticed was Luke was cute. She hoped that he felt the same way about her.

Seeing Luke put a smile on Blake’s face that was as big as a 5-year-old's Christmas wish list. The other kids might not see his redemption from losing the fight the last time he saw Luke, but they would hear all about it. His goal was not only to make Luke leave the room, but also to make that sissy cry.

As she was gathering herself Tracy looked up and saw the mistletoe. The lady with a crush hoped that Luke would take advantage of that Christmas decoration as she greeted him with a voice as sweet as a candy cane “Hiya Luke, how have you been?”

Luke casually looked away from his book towards Tracy and said hi back. After seeing Tracy wearing a blue and white stripes dress Luke had his eyes back into his book as quick as the greeting. The teenage boy had his support lifting him up. There was no way someone’s childish actions were going to reach up and drag him down. Luke knew that dress was a little dig at him being put in a dress. Tracy was one of the worst about picking on him about it. She even played a hand in giving him one as a birthday gift.

Thinking that Luke did not get the hints of where she was standing and the tone of her voice Tracy decided to be less subtle. “Hey stranger, didn't you see what I am standing under?”

Luke was also being less subtle showing his apathy towards Tracy this time. The boy who just wanted to be left alone did not even look up from his book when he told the girl who was flirting with him yes. Hopefully, Tracy would understand from Luke’s action that he did not want anything to do with her. He also was not going to engage anymore with her than needed. Doing so took the chance of being dragged down to her level.

Not wanting to read the words which Luke’s actions were writing about this scene Tracy became more straightforward. She was going to give a stronger hint. The signs would keep on becoming clearer until the smitten girl got what she wanted. Tracy didn’t care if she was going to have to come out and say kiss me. “Luke, You know what people do when they see someone under the mistletoe.”

Hearing Tracy say his name irked Luke. For the past five years she never called him Luke once. The girl came up with calling him Luka and only used that name for the first couple of years after his mom put him in a dress. Then when he put on a couple of pounds she added lumpy. Getting as involved in the conversation as little as possible the response “Don’t you mean Lumpy Luka?” should make it as clear as a night when the stars are brightly shining he wants to be left alone.

The only way that Tracy would even think of putting lumpy in front of Luke’s name now was because of the lump in her throat seeing him gave her. Having that lump made Tracy want the past to stay in the past. Surely, if she was nice to Luke now he would reciprocate. “Oh, that was a long time ago when I was young. I was immature then. Calling you Lumpy Luka was just joking around between friends.”

The statement of being joking between friends acted like a magnet and pulled Luke in. He said “Joking between friends? You are the person who started to call me Lumpy Luka. You never called me by my name in over five years. You never talked to me other than to tease me. You laughed when I invited you to my birthday party. You asked me if I liked your dress if you wore a blue and white striped one, like the one you are wearing today. If that is how you treat friends then I really do not want anything to do with you, Tracy. You are here to hang out with Lori, so just leave me alone.”

Tracy tried to hold herself together by biting her bottom lip. Hearing the truth knocked Tracy down from the high feeling which came from the Holiday Season. Luke's legitimate paranoid conclusion about her dress was a hard kick to the gut as Tracy was down. The girl put no thoughts in her outfit, but totally understood why Luke believed she picked it out to hurt him. She went out of her way too many times before to not have anything she did have nefarious motives towards the boy she had hurt.

Blake was delighted to see how off kilt Luke was. His nemesis showing the raise of his hackles meant that Blake could easily get under Luke’s skin. He has missed making Luke feel bad about himself. Now with the number game of three against one Blake was going to verbally beat Luke back into being Luka. Blake was still beating himself up about that sissy beating him up and wanted to make that end.

Instead of going in for the kill, Blake was going to be a matador and slowly torture Luke to death. “Haha, Lumpy Luka showed that he should be in a dress. He passed up a chance for his first kiss of a girl.

“Tom, why don’t you show that sissy how to be a man and give the nice lady under the mistletoe what she deserves.”

The gift of a kiss from Tracy made Tom happier than a little child opening up presents under the Christmas tree. He has been trying to get closer to Tracy. He thought that with their best friends being a couple they should be also. Plus he found her cute. Instead of having the easy in, Tracy did not give Tom the time of day. She’d revoked each and every attempt at Tom of flirting with her.

Tracy quickly moved from underneath the mistletoe and told Tom no before he could receive that illicit kiss. Even if Tracy saw Tom as having a small chance of being her boyfriend, now was not the time. She was hurting from Luke’s words. Tracy also knew she had to make changes in who she was before she would be able to be in a relationship. There was no way that the girl could expect someone else to like her if she did not like herself.

Blake did not like the number game getting closer to even. How dare Tracy not go along with tormenting Luke. Even if she did not like Tom in that manner, making him feel less worthy than Luke was wrong. Blake was set on making Tracy pay by cutting her down with words. “Tom, don’t worry about Tracy. She likes girls. Come on, that is why she picked that sissy to kiss instead of you. Luka is closer to being a girl than a boy.”

Tracy was hurt by the ridicule of liking Luke and she bit her lower lip a little harder. Then Blake implying that she was a lesbian added to the pain. Her favorite aunt was a wonderful woman who was married to another wonderful woman. Blake had no right in trying to make her feel ashamed if she was like Aunt Becky. There is nothing wrong with loving someone else.

Seeing Tracy biting her lower lip had Luke recalling a memory. That girl did the same thing right before she came up with calling him Luka. Lori and a couple of the other kids started to pick on her because she defended him. Tracy was not being mean to Luke to be mean but to protect herself. The boy was seeing the past more clearly now and could not hold Tracy’s actions against her.

Even if Luke did not know the reasoning behind why Tracy was mean to him, he would have still defended her. Making sure other people were not put down was the right thing to do. Also, he knew how much words could hurt people from personal experience. Luke did not want anyone else to feel the pain he felt.

Luke needing to help someone also reminded him of the fact the true numbers game here. He was not outnumbered two against one. Luke had so many people behind him right now. He had his dad, his pappi and memaw, and the Cove Crew. Most importantly he had Lil, his Mary right beside him. Calmly Luke said “Black-Eye Blake if the boy who beat you up is more like a girl than a boy, what does that say about you?

Now say you are sorry to Tracy.”

Tracy laughed for two reasons. First, what Luke said was funny. Luke’s calm voice as he was putting Blake back in his place made it like Luke was just taking out the trash. The second was now she realized Luke was a different person and that was why she could not get a rise from him. Even with him resorting to teasing back Tracy knew Luke had risen above them so far that they could not knock the boy down to their level. Unlike Blake, Luke was not trying to put anyone down, Luke was pushing back. The boy was defending himself.

Tom shot Tracy a look of disapproval. Tracy was not going to do the nonverbal communication game with Blake’s right-hand man. The girl was getting support from Luke so she did not need to bit her lower lip anymore. She was strong enough going to state what she thought out in the open. “Come on Tom it was funny. Blake did have a black eye the last time he messed with Luke. In fact, that was the second black eye Luke gave Black Eye Blake.”

Blake wanting to defend himself said, “He suckered punched me, that punk ass sissy could not beat me in a fair fight.”

Everyone in the room knew Blake was lying. Both times he was the aggressor. Blake pushed Luke first. Luke punched back only after being hit first. Blake and Tom treated the lie as if it was gospel. Tracy knew that being silent would make it appear like she sided with them. The girl did not want to. This was her time to make her stand. She was going to be brave and take the chance of losing her friends to do what was right “Blake you started both of those fights and Luke laid you out.”

Tom joined in. He wanted to show his support for Blake. “That doesn’t change the fact that Lumpy Luka likes to wear dresses.”

Luke put Tom back in his place by pointing out the truth. “Tom, you know that is not true. No wonder Tracy did not want to kiss you. You need to grow up. You are too old to still be joking about what happened years ago.”

Blake was uncomfortable by the inconvenient truth. “Luka shut up.”

Luke said, “Make me.”

“Come on Luka, you got lucky. You got me by surprise.”

“Black-Eye Blake you know that is not true. You started the fights. When I knocked your lame ass down you started to cry. Then you went running to your mommy after I kicked your ass.”

Getting right in Luke’s Face Blake said “Take that back.”

Luke barked back “I said ‘Make me.’”

His classmates being reunited with Luke was not going how Blake envisioned the interaction. Luke should have reverted back to his old role of the unsure extra on stage, instead, he stayed the confident lead. Blake was going to end this. The boy psyched himself up by convincing himself this time the fight would go different. He wasn’t ready for the fact that Luke was no pushover.

Right now was the time Blake was going to get redemption. The insecure boy was still beating himself up about that sissy beating him up. Blake thought it made him look weak. After second grade, Lori’s boyfriend was the only kid that Luke had a fight with about the teasing. Those fights gave his classmates something to razz him over. Blake could not understand why Luke never stood up to anyone else. The reason was simple, Blake pushed Luke a couple of times. The other kids were smart enough not to touch Luke. They knew Luke would only escalate the situation when he felt threatened and Blake would get physical.

There was no way Blake was going to let Luke stand up to him and he threw a punch. Blake’s punch was as clumsy as his pathetic attempt to save face. Luke was easily able to swipe away Blake’s attack then he threw one of his own. Blake was off-balance from overextending himself and Luke was able to land a right jab right to Blake’s left eye. The punch connected hard. In a couple of minutes, Blake was going to have yet another black eye.

Luke wanted this to end so he threw another punch. This one hit Blake right in his nose and his bell was rung like those which call the faithful to midnight mass. The stars Blake saw from this hard blow were as bright as the one on top of the Christmas tree. His nose matched the most famous reindeer of them all.

Alice came into the living room seeing Blake bent over and her son asking him if wanted anymore. She yelled at her son to stop. Luke turned around and said that Blake started this. Tom lied and as sure as people wanted a White Christmas Alice believed him. As normal, Lori’s mom went with the easy solution to solving the issue, instead of the right one. The easy one was to blame Luke instead of finding out what happened.

Tracy then joined the conversation. “Ms Zahn, Blake threw the first punch.”

It was Blake’s turn to bear false witness “That was only because your son provoked me. I was only trying to be nice and say hi, to him”

“Luke I raised you better. You need to get along with Lori’s friends. You are a guest here.”

Tracy kept on trying to make amends with Luke as she said “Blake was not trying to be nice, None of us were. We called Luke, Lumpy Luka and made fun about you putting him in a dress”

The truth did not matter to Alice, she wanted her narrative of Lori being the angel and Luke being the problem. If Blake was guilty of the fight then it would look bad on Lori “You need to learn how to take someone just joshing around with you in good fun about that. It happened, get over it. You take yourself too seriously.”

Luke shook his head as he was exiting the room. The boy was hurt that his mom made sure he knew that this was not his home anymore. Alice also made sure Luke knew that she did not care about how people treated him about the petticoat punishment. Blake was smiling because he was under the impression he was not to blame. Plus the status quo was back to normal. Alice did not like her son was leaving without being dismissed by her and asked. “Young man, where do you think you are going?”

“To the guest room, mother”

Alice had no idea what Luke was referring to. They had no guest room. She did not realize that she made her son feel unwelcome in a place which should feel like his home. She asked where to get clarification. Luke answered “I am going to where this guest of this house is sleeping.”

That answer hurt Alice. Again Alice looked towards her narrative, Luke as the issue not anyone else. Instead of thinking that she made a mistake calling Luke a guest she put the blame on him. In her eyes, Luke once again was being too sensitive. He should have known she meant that he was only visiting and should not disrupt Lori’s life. She told her son to stay there until she came and got him

Instead of trying to fix the miscommunication between her and her son Alice went to tend to Blake. She had to make sure that her daughter’s boyfriend knew Luke’s actions were unacceptable. If Blake broke up with Lori that would ruin her daughter’s Holiday Season. Alice did not want her daughter waking up to find only lumps of coal in her stocking.

Lori was mad. She did not like the situation. Blake knew better than to pick on Luke. She told him many times to stop referring to her brother as Luka. Her mom was being unreasonable with Luke. Her mom should have known that Blake was lying. Her mom should be fine with Luke defending himself.

Luke was in earshot when his sister finally spoke up. Then again the entire house was in earshot with how loud she was when addressing Blake. “ We are done. You are a fucking jerk. I told you to quit calling my brother, Luka. You don’t ever call him that again.

“Why can’t you drop it.”

Hearing his sister’s passionate defense made Luke stop. He wanted to hear how this played out. Alice tried to put down the notion that Lori broke up with Blake. Her daughter should not be dealing with heartache during this time of the year. “Lori, calm down. Talk with Blake before you make a rash decision.”

The only part of Lori's anger which calmed down was her voice. She might have been mad, but was wise enough not to yell at her mom. “No, mom. Luke did nothing wrong. Blake started this and you tried to make Luke think he was wrong. He was not. Blake should have never called my brother Luka. He should have never tried to hit Luke.

“Blake, Tom leave now. I don’t want you two around.”

Tracy said “Lori I better leave also. Give me a call later.”

Alice said “Come on you three. I will take you home.”

Lori once again showed her father’s discipline was working. She agreed with Tracy. Luke was home and should not have to deal with his sister’s friend. Giving her friend a hug to show no hard feeling Lori said. “I will. We need to set up hanging out during this break.”

Fred had many emotions after getting off the phone with Luke. There were many reasons for the father to be happy to get a call from his son. He got to talk with Luke. His son stood up for himself. Then Luke called him at work, instead of waiting until he got home to not inform him of what just occurred. Another reason for the happiness was hearing about Lori's growth as a person. His daughter stood up for and defended her brother. Yes, having your sibling’s back was something which shouldn’t be taken for granted; but, a year ago Lori not being contemptuous towards her brother would have been a Christmas miracle.

The reason behind the call was another story. All those emotions associated with why the call was made were negative. Fred hearing Alice had Lori bring over her friends was frustrating. Luke had planned to be gone all day, but that should not have mattered. Alice should have known better. There should have been no chance that Luke would come home to see some of the kids that bullied him.

Luke and Lori’s father was concerned about how quickly Blake resorted to violence. Blake should know better, messing with someone in their own home was not cool. Then when Luke stood up for himself, Blake made the verbal sparring physical. Fred knew that boys got into scraps, but by high school they should have grown out of it. That was when those fights got serious and were not just jockeying for position in the social hierarchy. How he fell back to trying to use physical force was not a good sign of how he would treat disagreements with Lori.

Fred had everything which needed to be done prior to his vacation beginning and there were only three hours of work left. He called his boss, Ms Angela Micelli, to see if he could leave early for the day. Angela said yes. Even if he was not done, the answer would have been the same. His son was home for the holidays and she knew that family was more important than work.

*************

A light knocking on the bedroom door got Luke’s attention. He looked towards the door getting ready for his mom to come in and start to berate him again. The mother chastising the son would not last long. He was going to stand up for himself. The boy did nothing wrong so he was not going to just hear out his mother because she was an authority figure.

The door did not open. Then a moment later a slightly louder knock came. Luke was a little baffled at why his mom was respecting not getting an invite into his room. For some reason ,his mom was not going to barge. Luke was fine with her leaving him alone, the teenager did not want to see or deal with his mother at the moment anyways.

The door still stayed shut and then an even louder knock came. This time after the lock Luke heard his sister saying “Can I please come in?”

Luke said, “Come in.”

What his sister had to say was something Luke wanted to hear. He had his defenses up from her past actions, but he was going to hear her out. Afterall, Lori did break up with Blake over how that boy treated him and also stood up to her queen for him.

“Luke I am sorry. I know it was not right to have you see Blake. Mom said it was fine for him to come over. We thought you would not be home so it would be fine for him to come over. I never took into consideration that you might come home early. I should have thought of that. Why did you come home early by the way? Is everything fine?”

Lori asking why his plans changed made Luke become more open to her. Her checking up on him was not to try to get herself out of trouble. His sister was showing concern about Luke’s feelings and well being. Lori actually wanting to know about Luke’s feelings made her twin brother open up to her a little more. “At the mall I went over to talk with Matt and Renee and Mandy started with me. She demanded to know what I was doing and for me to call her Amanda. The nerve of her telling me what to call her when she never listened to me about Luka.”

“Amanda never should have done that. She had no right to get between you talking with those two.”

“Why are you calling her Amanda?”

“That is what she goes by now. I think it is because she wanted to change and thinks being called Amanda makes her more mature. She did not show that today. She should have stayed out of it between you and your friends.”

“Matt and Renee are not my friends.”

“Those two are. They just are not able to face you yet.”

Luke had to defend Matt and Renee. He might have believed that those two were not his friends, but deep down he cared for them. “Don’t try to say you are stronger than them.”

“I’m not. I had to face what I did. I was forced to see the damage I have done. Dad made sure I could not ignore it so I had to grow up and become a better person. I still resisted doing so until you extended an olive branch. You did not have to get Boyz +1 to do the VIP treatment for me. I know I hurt you badly yet you look out for me. I know it will take a long time to repair our relationship, but I want to.

Enough about me. This is about your friendship with Matt and Renee. I know they miss you and are sorry. They are still cold towards me. They tolerate me in a big group, but will not talk with me. I try to tell them about you. I know they will be happy. I also know they will be sad for the longer you are out in California the less likely that they can make amends with you.”

“They can tell me that themselves.”

“Just promise that you will be open to them when they are able to face what they did.”

“I will sis.”

Luke taking off the last three letters of sister was a sign he was also taking down more of his defenses around Lori. Luke’s sis was touched by that little showing of affection. Lori returned the favor because she wanted to become even closer to Luke. “I know you will bro.”

******************

Alice was sitting in the family trying to center herself. Maybe the tea she was drinking would calm her down. She was upset about how Luke blatantly disregarded her authority over him. Alice’s son needed to treat her with respect. How he did not listen was a sign that her son needed to come back home.

Being surrounded by the Christmas decorations might bring some holiday cheer to her. Alice was sad that her daughter broke up with her boyfriend today. Lori was going to be heartbroken during Christmas and that should not be. Each Christmas should be better for the family than the last and now that would be impossible.

Alice’s mood was finally leveling off when she heard the front door open and get slammed shut. That had to be her son, how dare that boy not even tell her when he was going or better yet ask if he could go anywhere. The newest act of defiance shot her blood pressure up and made her shoot out the chair. Luke’s mom was going to catch her son before he got too far away.

Before turning the corner. Alice saw a shadow coming from the foyer. Thinking it was Luke she yelled “You listen to me when I tell you to stay in your room. I wanted you to think about what you did wrong before we talked.”

Seeing her husband turn the corner Alice knew she took the wrong action. She should have waited until she knew it was her son before showing her displeasure. Now there was going to be a fight about something that her husband should not even know about. Fred's reply of Luke did nothing wrong, was exactly what she expected.

Thinking that her husband did not know what happened, Alice said “Honey sorry, didn’t know you were coming home early today. Once again Luke caused trouble so I sent him to his room.”

“Don’t you mean the guest room?”

“Oh great, he called and told you what happened. I bet he left out the fact that he punched Lori’s Blake for no good reason.”

“Alice, like I said, our son did nothing wrong. Lori’s friends started to pick on Luke and he stood up for himself. Blake threw the first punch. You shouldn't have had her friends over. We agreed that Luke should not have to deal with them if he didn’t want to.”

“I know, Luke was not supposed to be home so I let them hang out here for Tracy’s mom was called to go into work. Lori’s friends just wanted to say hi to Luke. They haven’t seen their friend in so long.”

“They are not his friends.”

“They should have still been able to say hi without Luke getting so mad that he hit Blake. He needs to learn to deal with them when he comes back home next school year.”

“Blake threw the first punch. Also, if Luke comes back home, he will not be dealing with them. You made Luke feel like this is not his home. How dare you say our son is a guest in his own home? You gotta quit thinking the worst about Luke. You should be one of his biggest defenders instead of his biggest accuser.”

Alice was not going to stay on Luke causing trouble. She knew her husband was not going to have their son go back to his old school district. Alice was going to defend her slip of the tongue. “Just like with Blake, Luke overreacted about what I said. I didn’t mean he was a guest. He knows that. I meant that he is visiting. Luke is just trying to not have you focus on what he did. He had no right to hit our guest.”

“Yes he did, Blake tried to punch Luke. You know that. Drop acting like our daughter or her friends can do no wrong. I am sick of it. Name one time that you said that Luke was the cause of the problem and that was true.”

Alice stood there silent. The reason why was she could not. The flaws of her justification of treating Lori better than Luke always came to light when she talked with her husband. “Still Luke should not have hit Blake.”

“No, this should have never happened. Luke should feel safe in his home. Luke should feel like this is his home. Luke should not be picked on by people in his home. You should have never called our son a guest. This will always be his home.”

“I just meant that he does not live here so he should not cause trouble.”

“Luke did not cause trouble. How many times do I have to say that?”

“Fred, I am just upset. There should not be this much chaos from Luke being here. I do not like violence and there was a fight in my home. Luke asked Blake if he wanted more.

“It should be normal so he can come back home. If Luke turned the other cheek and just ignored Blake this would not have happened.”

“Alice I know you want Luke back here. I do also. Us wanting it does not mean it is for the best.

“We both messed up. Until we move away from here Luke will stay in California. Even if we move, we cannot expect him to come back home if he does not want to. He has a good life out there. He deserves that. We have to do what is best for him.”

“Fred you are right. I will clear it up with Luke what I meant and that I understand why he took it how he did.“

***************

Luke and Lori were watching some youtube on his tablet as there was a louder knock on his door. The twins were sharing laughs. Luke took a quick break from laughing but the joy stayed in his voice when he said come in.

Alice opened the door and loved seeing the sight she saw. Her two kids laying next to each other sharing a screen and a laugh. How her children were having a great time together gave her faith that one day her fractured family would be whole again. Seeing what she wanted, helped Alice in saying what was required of her. “Luke I am sorry I should have never said you are a guest here. This is your home.

“Seeing you and Blake fight made me upset. It was a reminder that you cannot come home yet. I was even more upset about the fact that You could have gotten hurt.”

Lori said, “There was no way that Black Eye Blake could have hurt Luke.”

Luke was touched by his mom taking responsibility for her words. Alice putting the blame where it belonged weakened the hard feelings Luke had towards her. Even so, he still felt the need to stay guarded around her and made the decision to not say what happened at the mall.

The reason was as elusive as a butterfly, just out of reach to him. The apprehension towards being as close as he wanted to with his mom came from never getting a proper apology for the petticoat punishment. Saying sorry was not enough. If Alice would have shown her empathy with Luke about what she did and explain that she would never put him in a dress again that butterfly would have landed on Luke’s hand. Instead, it will keep on flying just beyond the teenage boy’s grasp.

Alice’s son followed all of his feelings when he said “Mom I know. I was just so mad. I did not want to fight Blake. I should not have to defend myself.”

“You are right my son. I know you did nothing wrong.

“I am going to let you two get back to having a good time. How about after dinner tonight we all watch A Christmas Story? That would be fun.”

The idea of sitting together as a family watching that classic movie was exactly the moment Luke wanted. The soft glow of the Christmas light would make the room feel cozy. Sharing in each other’s enjoyment of the movie would bring the family closer together. Luke said “Yes it would mom.”

*******************

After Alice made amends to Luke, Fred came into the open door frame. Luke invited his dad in. Lori mentally gulped. Luke’s sister forgot about how much trouble she was going to be in about having her friends over. The twins' father greeted them. Luke and Lori both said hi, then Lori looked away. She felt shame about having Blake over. She knew inviting her friends over was wrong. Now the guilty girl was going to wait and accept her punishment.

Fred already had one pep talk with Luke so instead of going with his plan of reinforcing what he was going to say, the loving father asked Lori what was wrong. The answer was nothing.

Fred knew better, so his follow-up question was “What is on your mind Lori?”

“Dad I know I messed up by having my friends over. I am just waiting for you to talk to me about it.”

Fred knew this was a huge teaching moment to have his open-minded student. “Lori, you made a bad decision in good faith. I know you asked your mom if it was fine. She said yes. You did not think that Luke was going to come home.

“Then when having Blake went wrong, you worked on correcting the bad decision. You stood up for your brother. You also went to Luke to check on him. You must have patch it up for I heard the laughing from this room all the way downstairs.”

“I still feel bad about it dad.”

“Yes and that was good. Feeling bad is a sign that the lesson was learned. You also need to feel good about what happened. You ended up doing the right thing when you knew you messed up.

Now come here my sweet pickle and give your old man a hug.”

Lori honored her father’s request. When Fred wrapped his arms around his daughter she could feel how proud her dad was of her. The feeling of shame was washed away from her dad’s approval of her actions. The feeling which came from knowing she did the right thing when she saw the mistake made her more confident in who she was.

After the embrace, Fred looked at Luke. The casual smile on his son's face told the father that another pep talk would be unwarranted. Those words were better left unsaid. Those words were to reassure and this was the time for Fred to just be supportive.

*****************

Tracy was going to wait until tomorrow to call Lori. Tonight was not the right time. There were more pressing issues for Lori and her family to deal with than when those two were going to hang out. Tracy would be supportive of one of Lori’s goals by waiting to call. Luke’s sister was working on trying to make her and his bond stronger. Not giving Lori a phone call would be giving her more time to spend with Luke.

Tracy did go online to see who else was online. She wanted to chat with someone. Opening up her Facebook page, the girl saw a friend request from Eck. Most of the time Tracy just denied any request from a name she didn’t recognize. Knowing about bots and scammers made even giving this request from a total stranger a waste of time. However, being just one name did make Tracy want to see who this was.

Going against what was normally better judgment was a good choice. Eck was Luke. The girl agreed faster than her high-speed internet connection to the offer. Seeing that Luke wanted to be at least Facebook Friends made her feel good. The feel-good moment got even better when a chat window opened up on her screen. The message was from Luke.

Then the message itself made Tracy feel higher than the Star on the Rockefeller Center’s Christmas Tree. Luke thanked her for standing up for him and asked her how she was doing. “How she was doing?” was the best she could have imagined Luke saying to her. Luke thanking her for nothing was even better. Telling the truth to help someone was not an act a person should be thanking another for.

Tracy told Luke she was only doing what was right towards him for a change. That she should thank him for defending her. Luke also felt like he should not be thanked. After all, like Tracy pointed out, telling the truth was not an act a person should be thanking another for.

After the exchange of pleasantries, Luke caught Tracy up on his life. The first thing he did was bring up Mary. That girl was always on his mind. Also, talking about his girlfriend would explain to Tracy why he said no. Luke figured out that Tracy was working on her self-esteem. Flirting with Luke she took a big chance. The rejection would not hurt her if she knew the reason was that the boy's heart was already taken.

Then it was Tracy’s turn to catch Luke up on her life. She invited him over for them to hang out. She mentioned that her mom would love to see Luke. Luke took her up on it. He wanted to reconnect with her. Plus seeing Ms Armstrong would be a treat, she was always nice to him. After Tracy caught Luke up on her life and they hammered out plans to hang out, Luke invited her to a group chat called, The Cove Crew. That was Luke’s group of friends. Lori talked about them. Tracy only heard good things about these people and was looking forward to meeting them.

Not counting Luke there were six people in the chat. All six of them made sure that their greeting to Tracy was personal. This made her feel so welcome. The simple reason Tracy felt welcomed was that the Cove Crew accepted her as one of their own. This girl was Eck’s friend, so automatically they were her friends also. They had a saying “a friend of a friend is my friend.”

The Crew also wanted to support their newest friend. Luke told them all about Tracy standing up to a couple of her friends and his mom for him. Her doing the right thing instead of the easy thing meant that she was their kind of person. Now it was time for them to show their support of her. To let Tracy know that there are like-minded people out there. That if she stayed strong she would surround herself with other strong people.

Tracy excused herself from the chat after a couple of hours. Afterward, it was straight to bed. Then she woke up to a surprise. Lil, Shy, and Greg K. all sent her a friend’s request with nice little notes. They might live thousands of miles away but she felt closer to them than she did to any of her friends from school.

****************
The rest of Luke’s trip home went smoothly and that made it the best holiday for him. Alice’s mom and dad, Nanno and Nanna, came down to visit for a couple of days. Nanno and Nanna were taking Luke to go have a pizza and cannoli when Lori told them to have a good time. Her not pouting made the grandparents proud. Their youngest granddaughter was changing. Their pride grew when Luke invited her along. Those two actually played well with each other. Nanno and Nanna found the interaction between the twins even sweeter than the desert at the end of the meals.

Luke and Tracy did hang out a couple of times and mostly talked. Even with them not being friends since the second grade those two became real close, real fast. They connected over Tracy’s fear being Luke’s actual past. Those two were able to help the other heal. Luke was able to help Tracy on the path of being able to stand on her own. Tracy being so open about how scared she was let Luke let go of the past even more.

The person who was the happiest about Luke and Tracy reconnecting was Lori. She still was the cause of the rift between those two, but it felt better to know they were making amends. The damage could never be taken away, at least it was getting fixed. Seeing that made her want Luke to have the same healing with Matt and Renee.

Something small about Luke’s time back home went unnoticed. After Luke confronted Blake, Luke and his mom never spent alone time together. The mother and son were both more than happy to give any small excuse to not be left alone together. They were both happy to believe the other. This detail which was able to stay unseen even out in the open was what kept the Holidays from being as perfect as a Kodak Moment. If someone would have brought it up, the Zahn family would have said they were nitpicking. That it was just a trivial coincidence. There was no issue. There could not be, there was too much laughing and holiday cheer for it to be an underlying issue.

Luke left for Cali on the 30th. They wanted to give him a couple of days to get back on west coast time before going back to school. They also knew he would want to spend some of the holiday season with Mary. Those two needed to spend some of this special time of the year’s end with the person they found the most special.

*******************

Amanda was able to convince her mom and dad, Bill and Pat Travers, into having a coed party on New Year’s Eve. The selling point of them inviting her friend’s parents made it the perfect pitch. The party would be a social gathering for the adults which was not tied in directly with one of the children’s birthdays or achievements.

The timing of the pitch was optimal. The girl brought it up at the official kickoff of the Holiday Season, Thanksgiving. Inviting friends to a New Year’s Eve party after the fourth Thursday in November was not too early to be tacky; yet, at the same time not too soon for any of the guests to have other plans.

Then the closer, the showstopper of the reason came, having the party was them being responsible parents. Bill and Pat along with their friends would know exactly where their kids were on a night kids used as an excuse to party. To most high school kids, to party was code for drinking. The parents would not even have to watch over the kids to make sure they did not indulge in hard drinks or partake in something worse.

The party would have the watchful eye of Amanda’s older brother David, and his girlfriend Evie Leforge. David and Evie would be militant about making sure that those kids do not have any of the bubbly to ring in the New Year or start it with a bang. Those two were straight lace and straight edge.

The only downfall to the hostess of the teenage party was she had no say in the guest list. A couple of the kids in her circle of friends which would not have made the cut on her list would be there. It was worth putting up with Lori, Blake, and Tom to be able to be around the rest of her friends as the Earth was finishing yet another lap around the sun.

The beginning of the night was going better than using both peanut butter and jelly to make a sandwich. Amanda’s guests were all gabbing away. The food was great. Matt’s dad made three different types of curry for them. Vindaloo for the people who wanted their chicken extra spicy, Madras for just a nice kick of spice, and Korma for those who did not like heat. Renee brought her Spanish Spice Cake. Kat made sure that there was enough pop for the kids.

The entertainment was also like a well-made bed, covered. Tracy was in charge of the music. She did a great job of making a sweet kick-ass Spotify playlist across the music genres.. Kat brought some board games. The ones she picked for the night were question and answer ones. They were not about winning but about striking up a conversation.

Amanda was having a nice chat with Kat when Lori arrived. The hostess’s view of the night instantly soured worse than the vinegar in the Vindaloo sauce as she saw the newest arrival come walking down the stairs with a slow cooker and a bag. Just seeing the guest who was not welcomed was not bad enough. Then Lori brought something. Amanda told her that she did not have to do it and Lori did not listen. What really got under Amanda’s skin was how the unwanted guest carried herself. Lori walked like Elvis did into Graceland. How dare Lori think she owned this place? How dare Lori think that she can just claim the party by being her old arrogant self?

At least Lori was walking right towards the hostess. That meant that Amanda did not need to go out of her way to put Lori in her place. The lady who was in charge was going to love wiping that smile off of Lori’s face. Knocking Lori down a couple of pegs was not just for personal pleasure. It would be for the common good for that arrogant girl to have some humility. Lori was not close to being as good as she thought she was.

The confidence Lori had was not a sign that the Brat Princess was back. She was on a mission tonight. To make Matt and Renee open to contacting her brother. She might not be able to force them to be friends. The damage done by the betrayal of friendship might have been too much. Lori could at least have them get on the same page. Those three had something special and they should not look back in pain and with regret about their time as friends.

Lori greeted Amanda and Kat and asked where she should put the pulled pork and hard rolls she brought. Kat was happy to hear what Lori brought. Making a pulled pork sandwich was going to be her after midnight snack. After all, it was not a true New Year’s Eve celebration in western PA without pork. That treat would make sure she and her fellow merry revelers would follow the tradition of eating pork on New Year’s Day.

Amanda wasted no time in starting to show Lori she was in charge “Lori put the pork and the rolls your parents brought upstairs.”

“OK just tell me when to get it.”

“Lori, it is going upstairs for we are not having it. I told you that you did not need to bring anything. Also, it should be with the people who actually bought and made it, your mom and dad.”

Kat gave out a little sigh. It might have been for only a second, but her newfound hope of following that delicious superstition was dashed. Also, tonight was about a new start for the new year and Amanda was not trying. Lori did something nice for once, that act should be met with encouragement.

Lori was going to be a good guest and listen to her host. She also was going to correct Amanda about what she said was wrong. “I will take what I brought upstairs.

“When you said I did not have to bring anything, I took it that I could bring something.

“I did buy the pork with my money and I did make it myself. Making it was easy. All I had to do was season it and then put it in the slow cooker.”

Amanda hated that Lori had to get the last word in. Who actually brought it was not the point. She did not care if the pork was provided and approved by the Dick Clark. The point was to make sure Lori knew that Amanda did not want her at the party. Lori somehow tried to make this about her being a gracious guest.

Before Lori could turn around and follow Amanda’s orders David showed up. He wanted to check what was in the slow cooker and bag. Amanda’s older brother was in charge of making sure there were no shenanigans tonight. When finding out Lori was not in possession of any contraband, and the content of the containers were cleared, David acted as a good host. He thanked Lori and put the food on the buffet line.

Amanda might have not gotten rid of what Lori brought, but she could still get rid of having her in her presence. “Lori, thank you for bringing the pork. Why don’t you go say hi to the other guests.”

The girl who was being treated like lint by being brushed off was not done with Amanda. Lori needed to talk with the host about how she treated her brother Luke. This chat should be private so Lori said. “Kat can you please give me and Amanda a moment before I go mingle? We need to talk about something.”

Kat left. Letting those two chat gave her the chance to do what she wanted anyway. There was some pull pork to investigate. She wanted to find out what kind of seasoning Lori used on it. “No problem Lori. Thank you for bringing the pork.”

After acknowledging Kat’s thanks and making sure Amanda’s best friend was out of earshot, Lori said “Amanda this will not take long and I will leave you alone, but hear me out.

“The next time my brother goes to talk with Matt and Renee do not stop him. Those three need to talk. If they talk I know they will be friends again.

“Also do not correct him if he calls you Mandy. You never listened to him when he told you not to call him Luka.”

Amanda found the lady who came up with Luka admonishing her to be as rich as Elon Musk. “Lori, don't tell me what to do. I was letting your brother know what I went by now.

“Plus you have no right to chastise me about Luka. That was the past and you came up with it.”

“Amanda I know I came up with Luka. I am now trying to make amends for it.

“Anyways that is not my point. You made him reaching out to Matt and Renee about you instead of letting them start to make amends. Luke calling you Mandy was not bad. You know that. You just had to have things your way.”

“I was making sure that Luke was not going to go off on them or us.”

“Why? You would have deserved it.

“Also, you know my brother well enough, he is better than that. He has what we are all trying to have now, class. My bro would not have stooped down to our level. He is not about bringing people down, but lifting them up.

“Thank you for inviting me to the party. I am going to mingle. I know you don’t want to deal with me.”

Amanda found herself a little dumbfounded. She did not even have a vague idea on how to process that interaction. There were all the hallmarks of the old Lori there, except one. She was not being self-centered. Lori claimed to be looking out for others. The weird part was to Amanda it rang true.

**************

Even if Mary was not at his side, tonight would have been the best New Year’s Eve ever for Luke. This was the first year that he was looking forward to the future. He was ready for whatever the changing of the calendar had in store for him instead of hoping for the changing of the year to bring good changes to his life.

There was also the weather. The temperature being seventy degrees does wonders for the soul. There was also no snow on the ground and during the day the sky was blue instead of grey. Having a bright day made it easier for one to look on the bright side of life.

The great weather did warm Luke’s soul, but not as much as Mary did. Her being herself was enough for that to be true, yet there was one fact about their relationship which did so the most. That Luke also warmed her soul. Their relationship was mutually beneficial. The sum was greater than the parts. The parts also became better from each other.

It was 9 PM as Luke was sitting with Mary, Shy, and Greg K. in the backyard when his phone rang. His sister was calling. He answered and she yelled “Happy New Year.”

He laughed at the greeting. For one second he did so for he thought that it was a little early for such a loud salutation. Then it quickly dawned on him that his sister was so far away from him that it was the new year to her. Sadness from not being close to his family stayed at bay. He found joy that she picked him as the person to greet the new year with.

Luke phone was passed around so Lori could wish the rest of the Cove Crew. Then Luke went back to being in the moment. He wanted to savor this night. He knew the chances were good that he would not have that many New Years to celebrate with Mary. They were young and life would do its best to change their best-laid plans.

****************

After phoning and talking with Luke, Lori rejoined the party. Kat was happily eating her pulled pork sandwich when she suggested that they all play “You Think You Know Me.” Matt, Renee, and Lori said yes. They did not want to give anyone a chance to suggest Truth or Dare. Little did they know that game was out of the question tonight. David was not going to let them play a game where there was any coercion of physical contact. No one should ever be forced to be touched or have to touch someone they did not want to.

The game got a little too serious for Lori when everyone was asked “What was Matt’s biggest regret?” Lori knew the answer too well. How could she not, she was the cause of his biggest regret. Renee gave the correct answer of “The Saturday Morning Bike Club never riding together again.” Matt said, “I wish that could happen just one more time.”

The pain in the couple’s voice was too much for Lori. A tear snuck out of her eye. At that moment, Lori took responsibility for the pain in Matt and Renee’s voice. Getting rid of their hurt was a check she wrote when she destroyed their friendship with her brother. There was only one way to pay that bill, to fulfill those two’s shared wish of the Saturday Morning Bike Club riding together once again.”

Having that goal kept the rest of Lori’s tears at bay. Knowing she was going to right that wrong brought her peace. Most people would have found Lori’s goal as a herculean task and have doubt it would happen. She did not. The girl had the well-earned confidence to believe that putting her mind at accomplishing this would it happen. All the damage she has done as the Brat Princess has shown her she could do anything she set her mind to achieve. This time, her will and determination were going to be used for good. In making her goal righting this wrong, the reformed Brat Princess was taking the next step in becoming a grown up woman. Lori might have lost being so self-centered, but she still will always have sass and be a little brash.

There were no real changes in Luke or Lori’s life until the spring of their junior year. Luke was thriving in California. Good grades, good friends, and good weather helped Luke to live the good life.

Luke's grades were as high as the waves he loved to ride. His being in the top 20 of his class was going to get him into Stanford. The Harvard of the West Coast was his dream school. The university had one of the best, if not the best, computer engineering programs in the world.

Luke’s relationship with Mary grew stronger. He made sure he cherished their time together. He knew soon their journey together would end. Each of them had their own dreams which they had to chase. Neither of them could expect or would accept the other putting their dream on hold.

The sunny days with clear blue skies helped make everything a little better. Being able to go and enjoy the outdoors always brightened one’s days. They had options and did not feel trapped. There was also the added benefit of the sun helping the body make vitamin D.

Lori might not have had the good weather to help but she did have the good grades and good friends to assist in her living the good life. The winter might be cold and dreary but Lori was able to use that to her advantage. She used those cold months as a way to help warm other’s hearts at the David Project. She made sure to schedule special events. That was her way of brightening up overcast days.

Lori was also in the top 10 of her class. Her good grades were going to get her into Carnegie Mellon University. It was her dream school. Lori wanted to work with kids and the school would give her the best tools to do so. Their child psychology program was in the top 5 of the world.

Lori's relationship with Blake was as volatile as a prima donna chef’s attitude. They broke up and got back together more than repeats of Friends were on television. Lori kept on taking Blake back because of two beliefs. One that he could change. The second one was a worse belief, that she could change him.

Blake accepting Lori’s terms for reconciliation after the second breakup was what gave her the false hope to believe that boy of hers wanted to become a man. He was willing to quit picking on Luke. She did not want to give up on Blake. He was making an effort to change. Her dad did not give up on her. If her dad could have faith in her she had to do the same for Blake.

The sunk cost fallacy was why Blake kept repeating the cycle of breaking up and getting back together. The more time and effort put into this endeavor had the goal closer to becoming achieved. Lori’s on again off again boyfriend wanted the reward of all the hard effort. He gave up so much to move closer to his goal. Blake was more concerned about proving he was a man by having sex than being a man.

The goal of trying to get Luke at least reading the same book as Matt and Renee was still being worked on. The reason was not the time and effort that Lori put into it. Reuniting the friends was the right thing to do and was very doable. She knew those three would soon find the same page once they were sharing the same book. Their friendship was still intact. The space between them was artificially made. The friendship only needed them to see was still there.

Lori changing her standard operating procedure was as a result of her reformation. Before, she got what she wanted by whatever it took. The ends justified the means. Secrecy was used so people could not ruin her plans. Lying and being deceitful were some of the tools she used. Having those tools at her disposal made it easier for Lori to get what she wanted.

Trying to get those three together was a maze. There were so many barriers to overcome. Any path Lori took was a dead end. Lori felt like Theseus without a ball of thread until she saw Renee give a victory speech. Renee heartfeltly thanked Luke by name. She mentioned how she would not have been here without the founder of the Saturday Morning Bike Club faith in her.

Renee’s sincerity became the thread that would lead Lori to her goal. All Luke’s sister had to do was have her brother hear that. The solution would have seemed too hard for most people. How could anyone have someone who was physically and emotionally thousands of miles away witness something that had already happened? Luke being told about the mention would not be good enough. He would not take anyone’s word on Renee being nice to him. Renee would not admit this to Luke. Telling Luke about the thanks would lessen those words. They would become about her making amends instead of giving credit.

Lori would have scoffed at those people bringing up what she saw as a minor inconvenience. Being able to manipulate people came from having high emotional intelligence. Lori knew people. Even with this being the first time Lori heard Renee’s speech the girl knew that the speech was always the same. Renee was the type of person who had to show her gratitude. Renee wanted to give credit to those who helped. This was not for her nor the person getting thanks. The thanks was for the crowd praising her achievement. Those people should know about everyone who made it happen.

Knowing what she just witnessed would happen again, Renee was one of the best riders in the country, Lori had a simple plan. The girl was going to video the next victory speech and send it to Luke. The hardest part of the plan was the waiting. This track of reuniting the Saturday Morning Bike Club didn’t come to Lori until the last race of the year. Lori only needed to wait until she witnessed Renee win another event. Waiting was the hardest part of the plan.

*************

The last two years have been eventful for Renee and Matt. Renee got so good as a BMX rider. The experts and media covering this sport all agree she was the best in her age group of either gender. Matt was also seen as a wonderkid. Making Renee’s bike a great ride got him a free ride to CMU. Him being the pit crew of the best BMX rider was impressive to the school’s admission department.

Matt and Renee incorporated. The couple wanted to make the Pink Streak a brand. The decision to do so was easy. Renee going as fast as she could and Matt making Renee’s bike go as fast as it could, was their passion, but they knew it was also business. Treating it as a business made it so they would be able to make a living doing what they love. They would work to live, not live to work.

Another important reason to brand was so Team Pink Streak could better control their image and message. They did not want the public to see Renee as a female BMX racer. That was not who she was. Renee was a BMX racer who happened to be a female. The message they wanted to share was that people were only as good as who they surrounded themselves with.

Those two had a chance to finally realize all the hype behind them. Until her junior year, Renee never earned enough points on the racing circuit to be one of the riders invited to Orange County Invitationals. The seasons before Renee did not go to enough races to qualify. There was not enough money or time for her to do so.

That year Renee barely made enough races to qualify to be eligible. The hard part was over. Now all she had to do was win the last race, The Cleveland Indoor Grand Prix. As long as there were no wrecks or mechanical failures, Team Pink Streak was on its way to Cali.

The best spoil of victory was the accolades. Most victors loved receiving the praise. Renee loved having the well-earned privilege of giving out the praise. At first, her smile was small as she gave thanks to those who paid the bills AKA her sponsors. Then that smile on her face grew as she started to thank those close to her, her true sponsors. The ones who gave support and aid for the sole reason of making her better.

There was a little pause. The next part was the hardest to say yet also the most satisfying. Her entire circle of friends was there to support her by saying what needed to be said. Yet, to her the circle was broken. There was the minor arc of Luke missing. The arms of all of her friends raised up and holding their phones videoing this moment gave her strength. Renee was able to make those heartfelt words of thanks to Luke came out. That moment would be what will make Renee’s perfect circle complete.

*********************

The agony of defeat was what Renee was feeling as she stood on top of the victory podium. Having this reward of being the best was always bittersweet, yet this time the melancholy overpowered the joy of winning. The thought of her being so close yet so far away from Luke could not stop doing laps in her mind. The fact that Luke was enjoying his new life only 35 miles away from her hurt. He was close enough that he should have been having his moment also. He was a part of this victory as much or more than Fox Helmet or Gatorade. Yet those two company’s reps, who were standing next to her, and Matt, were going to get to be part of her victory lap. At least the company rep from Fox was nice, Renee swore that the lady was genuinely happy to help Renee in any way possible. The other rep treated Renee like she was not worth his time. In his mind she was not, this man was based on the West Coast so she was not one of his true clients. Doing anything extra would not help him.

The victory lap was a tradition at the Orange County Invitationals. The winner of each age group got to pick 3 other people to do a lap during the closing ceremony. The male and female winner’s group would be paired together. Renee was going to do the last lap of the day. She won the 18 and under female. Some nameless man and woman she met earlier today should not be part of this.

After having handed the ceremonial prizes of a bouquet of flowers, a decanter of orange juice, and an oversized check, the MC led Renee to the front of the stage. She was given an open mike to give her victory speech. The crowd was a blur. Her vision was unfocused from the endorphins firing off in her brian from winning and the tears in her eyes from missing Luke.

After giving the mandatory thanks, Renee did her clockwork pause. This time it was a little harder to wind the gears up and get back to giving thanks. She wanted the right words. Maybe there might be magic and what she said would be carried from her lips by the Santa Ana winds to Luke’s ears.

The winner who felt like a loser composed herself. If she wanted the impossible to happen, Renee was going to need her words strong enough to catch a ride. After breathing in and out one more time to compose herself as much as possible, Renee said “Sorry. This part is hard. The next person I am going to thank Luke Zahn, the founding member of the Saturday Morning Bike Club should be joining me in our victory lap.”

Then a voice in the crowd screamed out “Ask him and he will say yes.”

How those words were mocking her made her angry. The anger from those words got Renee’s vision back in focus. To her, those words were a taunt about not ever getting what she wanted. The girl needed to see who hurt her. As the mad girl was turning her gaze towards where those words came she heard another voice say “Yes, I will.”

The voice might have been a little deeper than the last time she heard it, but Renee knew who owned that voice, Luke. Her eyes confirmed what she already knew was true. Somehow Luke heard her words and he was brought there. How did not matter, the winner was not going to question the prize she had just been awarded.

Renee was joined by Matt as she started to run towards the barrier. They both were shouting “Oh My God” over and over again. As they came closer the welcoming smile on Luke's face got bigger and his arm became as wide open as the Pacific ocean behind them.

Matt and Renee tripped over each other trying to get into Luke’s embrace. The stumble didn’t slow them down. Nothing was going to delay the reunion of friends by even one second. Those two had waited too long to let anything even slow them down from hugging their friend. The hug was small compared to how those three were all embracing the resurrection of their friendship.

***************
The best victories in life are the unexpected ones. The friendship of Matt, Renee, and Luke today overcoming the odds was unforeseen by the digital onlookers. Lori and the rest of the gang were watching the unpredicted outcome via Skype. Renee’s mom made a video call to them so they could support Team Pink Streak by watching online.

After the call, Lori, Tracy, Amanda and Kat were misty-eyed. It was heartwarming and uplifting to see the Saturday Morning Bike Club reform. Seeing those three friends overcome the odds out of the blue gave them hope that their transgression could also be forgiven.

Blake and Tom were not impressed. The act of Luke welcoming those two back into his life was an act of weakness to them. Luke was acting like a simp. That boy went out of his way to find Matt and Renee. They should have been made to crawl back to him. The act of forgiveness only reaffirmed how they saw Luke. He was weak and deserved to be reminded of that.

Having to stay silent about their true feelings made the two boy’s anger at Luke grow. The unfairness that the truth of what occurred could not be said, got to them. Blake hated being barred from saying his true feelings. Blake’s nemesis was now being protected by Lori and the others. They needed to escape the oppressive shadow of censorship so they left. They gave the excuse of going to the local shop to get some Turner’s tea.

After Tom and Blake left so they could finally talk about how lame Luka was, Amanda spoke up. “How did this happen?”

This was a good question. People do not just randomly go to BMX races. There has been radio silence between those three since Luke left for California. Matt and Renee rejected his friend request on Facebook.

Lori said the bare minimum. She wanted to make sure to downplay any part she played in them reuniting. “I told Luke about Renee's race.”

That explanation was nothing more than spin to make Lori look better. Amanda was not going to let the girl who was responsible for the friendship fracturing get credit for doing nothing. “Lori, quit that. You caused this moment, it needed to happen. You did not help them get back together. I want to know how it happened.”

Amanda was making Lori the scapegoat for sins of the group. Once again, Lori was being made the sacrificial lamb. Having Lori take all the blame made it easier for Amanda to forgive herself.

Tracy was not going to let any more of this absolution by passing the guilt and spoke up. She was Lori’s best friend and knew the entire story. Lori might have had the lead in the outcasting of Luke, but they all played a huge part in it.

“Oh Amanda, you quit it. Lori did not say she made it happen. She should have, but did not. You know she has been trying to get Matt, Renee, and Luke to talk.

“Here is what you don’t know. Lori recorded Renee thanking Luke after a race and sent it to him.

“You need to quit blaming Lori for your actions. Lori did lead us in how we treated Luke, but we all willingly went along. We are part of the reason they needed to reconcile. Matt and Renee’s actions are the main reason they need to. They joined in with how we were treating Luke.

“You claim that you are mature and have changed. The only real changes you have made is your hairstyle and being called by your given name. You need to grow up. You want others to not judge you on your past. You need to do so also. Instead, you love to feel morally superior and look down on Lori.”

Admitting being wrong was one of the hardest acts a person can do. Instead of accepting the truth, Amanda was going for the easy course of action, defend herself. Looking at Kat for backup, made Amanda change her mind about what was the right thing to do. Kat said nothing but the look of agreement on Amanda’s best friend's face screamed to her Tracy was right. The look on Kat’s face made Amanda become open-minded to what Tracy just told her.

Lori said “Tracy, it is fine. Amanda is right. I did damage their friendship.”

Those words were finally heard by Amanda. A popular philosophical question is if a tree were to fall on an island where there were no human beings would there be any sound? There was supposed to be no right answer to this inquiry. Amanda finally hearing Lori take personal responsibility after many times of her doing so did provide an interesting comment to that question, a person cannot react to what they do not know. Until that moment, Amanda had treated Lori as if she still had no remorse for her actions. Amanda was going to rectify being wrong. “Lori, it is not fine. You changed for the better and I have not seen it.

“I am happy that you were able to bring them together. Now I hope you do the same magic with us and your brother.”

Lori said “Thank you, Amanda. I did not work any magic. They did it. I helped them see the truth.

“Now that those three are back together. They will be the ones who do the magic.”

*****************

The backstage area of the race was hectic. So many people were running around doing their own thing. The faster the person was rushing the better chance they were working the event. The organizers of the event had to coordinate too many parts of it at once to do anything at a normal pace. The workers the organizers hired had too much work piled on them. The vendors wanted to hustle every single last sale they could get. The sales reps were doing the best so the riders they sponsored were happy.

In the middle of this contained chaos was a calm lady carrying a bag of free wag and wearing sneakers, blue jeans, and a Fox Racing t-shirt. Today was one of the days she lived for and she was not going to race by it by being in a hurry. Fostering better relationships was her life goal and she was lucky to find a job where she did this. The eye of the backstage hurricane of action was Angie Perez, the Fox Racing Sales Rep working today’s race.

Angie’s next visit to one of her company's clients was going to be the best of the day. Checking in with Renee Walha was easy. Dealing with the victors always was. This time was made even easier for Renee got something even better than winning the race. Angie’s client got reunited with a friend.

Luke coming back into Renee’s life also made currying more favor with her easy for Angie. She was going to offer Luke her spot in Renee’s victory lap. This small gesture would reap huge rewards. Angie knew giving up that spot would mean so much to Renee. Making Renee happy would make the bond between Fox and the racer closer. Angie knew that girl had a bright future in racing and wanted her company to be a part of it.

Angie also did not care to be part of that ride. This was about the racers, not the sponsors. The kids would travel from out of state and almost never got to ride with those who they cared about. Seeing that east coast girl have someone dear next to her would make the day more memorable for Angie. After all, to her life was about helping others foster better relationships.

Angie made it to The Team Pink Streak’s trailer. There she saw Renee along with the rest of her support team consisting of her parents, Matt, Luke, and Mary. The body language was a sure sign this was a joyous occasion. Angie was going to be a little interruption, but what she was going to add was going to add to the moment. “Hey Renee, you had a great day.”

Renee did not want to come off as a diva. Sharing pleasantries with someone who she will never deal with again was just not high up on her priority list. “Thanks. Can we talk when we meet at the starting line for the victory lap.”

Angie said “I want to talk to you about the victory lap.”

Renee jumped in saying “I am happy with you being in any line you want. We deal with that there.”

Angie knew Renee was trying to tell her to buzz off in the nicest way possible. “I think that your friend Luke should be in the victory lap instead of me.”

Renee was now invested in the conversation. The rep somehow knew Luke’s name and she also did not care about getting some free advertisement from riding that lap. “How did you know his name?”

“You said it before you hugged him. It made my day seeing you three greeting each other.”

Luke asked Renee the rep’s name. He wanted to thank her. Renee was pissed at herself for not knowing it. That she just assumed that the name was not important. Before she could get embarrassed Angie saved the young girl. Pulling out a Van’s racing jersey she handed and handing it to Luke she said “I am Angie Perez. Here is a nice shirt for you to wear during the lap. It matches your shoes.”

Ben Seder, a friend of Angie’s, and a rep for Vans, was more than happy to give Angie the shirt. It was free swag, so giving it away cost him nothing. Plus, finding out someone was going to wear it for a victory lap meant his company’s logo was going to be seen. In the future, Ben was going to remember this and make sure he paid her back when she asked for some help.

Renee said “I want you to ride. That Gatorade rep is not going to ride it. I don’t want him to ride. He was on his phone when he was talking with me. I’ll tell him when I see him.”

Angie had a better idea. “How about this I go talk with Neal for you. I will get him to give his lane to Mary. That lap is for the racers and their friends anyways.”

Renee had one demand. “Thank you Angie. I only want one more thing. Give Mary a Fox Racing jersey to wear for the lap.”

Meeting Renee’s reasonable stipulation was as easy as reaching in a bag of free swag. Angie gave the shirt and went to handle the hard part, dealing with the Gatorade rep. Neal Cain was a petty man, more worried about his shirt being seen on that victory lap than making his temporary client happy. Angie knew she would get pushback, but at the end there was nothing Neal could do. Renee had final say. Also none of the reps were involved with the ride so he could not cry about unfair treatment.

*******************

The last Victory lap of the day was far from the conventional one. This was known from the start. The lane assignment was not normal. Instead of the boy winner being in the first lane, the girl winner being in the second lane, then the last 6 alternating from who the two winners picked, Renee and the rest of the Sunday Morning Bike Club took the first four lanes. Mary was nestled between Renee and Matt, as part of her induction ceremony. Matt and Renee nominated and voted her in without Luke having knowledge of it. Mary was going to be treated as a member no matter what. Even if there was an objection for going against club protocol or Mary declined membership to them she would be one of them. Those two saw how important and close Luke’s girlfriend was to him so her right place was in their inner circle.

Then Scott DeLeo and the rest of his team filled out the last four lanes. Having Renee and her friends take up the first four lanes was Scott’s idea. When talking about the lane assignments for their follower riders Renee said that she wanted the 5th lane and the rest of her friends in the 6th, 7th and 8th. Scott was not going to have that. He loved the unity Renee was showing. The girl was putting others first so she deserved to be in the first lane.

The unorthodox nature of the victory lap continued when the riders took off. Instead of forming a procession by each rider started on their own, they each started in unison. This was a sign that they were all going to cross the finish line together. They stayed even with each other until the last 20 yards. That was when Scott and his friends slowed down a little.

The agreement was that everyone was going to cross the line at the same time. Scott, the bastard, did not keep his word. He told his friends to give Renee her moment. This unexpected special moment would add to her and her friend’s day.

Renee said “Why did you do that Scott! We agreed everyone finished together. You already gave up so much just for me and my friends to ride together?”

Scott “Mi amiga, you deserved the spotlight. I had that moment before. Also putting your friends over the tradition made me think. I got sick that the boy always got to finish first. That is mierda.”

When saying goodbye, Scott pulled in Matt to give him a hug. “Mi amigo, you did a great job making sure Renee’s bike was at its best. She is going to be able to do her best with you taking care of her and her bike.”

After Scott and his friends left, Matt and Renee’s parents joined the reunited Saturday Morning Bike Club. Even with this moment looking like the original three members were never separated the loving parents knew those three needed some time alone to talk. Al said “Renee, why don’t you take Matt and Luke back to the trailer. Mary can you please take us to the rest of your crew. We want to invite them to our trailer.”

***************

Fred was outfront tending to the zinnias along the steps on the pathway to his home when Lori came in. He went from just putzing around to being at full attention when Lori greeted him. He detected a hint of hubris in her voice. Any good parent would be a little concern when their teenager sounded a little too proud of themselves for no good reason. Fred’s alarm starting to go off was warranted even more because of Lori’s past. She usually felt this way when she pulled one over on Luke.
Seeing the look on Lori’s face made Fred’s alarm setting raise a little more. The tone was being accompanied by a cocky smile on Lori’s face. His daughter would only get this happy with herself when she made Luke’s life a living hell. Even with wanting to know what was going on Fred knew better than to directly pry. Straight out questioning Lori would lead to her being defensive and he would gather no hints on what was going on. Fred’s greeting of ”Hey there Lori, what’s new?” contained a seemingly innocent question.

“Nothing other than Renee won that bike race today!”

Lori’s answer was a little baffling to Fred.The signs of her getting one over Luke actually got stronger. Either his daughter was getting better at acting, which would be bad, or she was actually that over the moon for Renee. Neither made sense to him. Lori was doing great at leaving her past behind. If she relapsed that meant the loving father was not doing a good job at catching the signs. To him Lori was no more self-centered than any other average teenager. Lori being happy for a friend would make sense. Renee was not much of a friend to Lori. Being this over the moon for someone you are not close to was not normal.

The next so-called innocent question of anything else was a tell to Lori. Fred did not do a great job at hiding his bemusement. Lori knew her dad did not buy what she was trying to sell him. She also did not want to tell him the truth. Luke deserved to be the one to tell them the great news of him reuniting with Matt and Renee. The announcement of the Saturday Morning Bike Club riding together again should be made by her brother and no one else.

“Dad, Renee got everything she wanted and worked for today. That is huge for her and Matt. He put in a lot of work. It is just nice to see all that effort paid off.”

Fred said “OK.” He had to take Lori at her word, but he was going to keep a watchful eye on her until this uneasy feeling passed or he found out the truth.

Lori went up to her dad and gave him a kiss on the cheek, said she loved him before going into the house. It was her way of thanking him for believing her and not pressing more. Lori did not feel bad about not telling the entire truth to her dad. What she was sharing was something private not a secret. Fred’s daughter was not hiding the good news but keeping it until the right person, Luke, was able to share it.

That kiss made Fred’s Alarm system go down some. He knew his daughter well enough that she would have not done that close of an interaction with him if she was trying to hide something from him. As Lori was walking away Fred said “Love you to my Sweet Pickle.”

***************

Being fearless was why Renee was such a great racer. When she saw a chance she took it. Being fearless also led to her being able to show being vulnerable. She knew showing that being susceptible to being hurt was a sign of strength. Being open about your feelings without any defense showed your trust in others. That was the biggest reason why now almost alone with only Matt and Luke in the trailer she was in tears. She believed neither of them would do her harm.

The tears were from sadness, anger and disappointment. Sadness from missing almost 4 years of Luke’s life. Anger at Lori for pulling her into the War of the Twins and from her being too proud to admit she was wrong until she was too late and disappointment from not being strong enough to start making amends with Luke. Renee knew she had to share those emotions with Luke. Her sharing the pain she caused herself was part of her plea for total absolution.

Even with Matt believing in the statement that boys don’t cry, he was also crying. The reason was that to him, crying and being open with your emotions was what men did. Boys try to hide and deny anything which can make them look weak. Matt was in agreement with Renee about showing vulnerability was a sign of strength.

Luke became the pillar of support for his friends. Yes they did stumble but right now they were reaching out so he opened his arms out to them. They were there for him for years and he so wanted peace with them. He wanted the same as them, their bond and friendship to be as strong as ever and to keep on growing as time passed on.

Matt and Renee were already forgiven by Luke, that was why he showed up to support her at the race. Now they were forgiving themselves. Luke started to cry with them when the two other members of the Saturday Morning Bike Club gave themself grace. His tears were of joy and they joined him.

With the fellowship back together Matt and Renee wanted to know all about what Luke has been up to in California. The first question was about Mary. They wanted to know exactly what was something about her that brought out the best in their friend.

Being surrounded by two close loyal friends made Luke able to be vulnerable and answer the question truthfully. He would have done so for the Cove Crew, but those friends never asked. Shy, Dirt and the rest of them knew how it was going to play out. They did not want to dwell on what could be the inspiration of the sadness song ever written, having to let go of true love. Mary was going to fly high in the Air Force and Luke was going to excel, but not with each other.

The glimmer in Luke’s eye gave him the gaze of an ecstatic madman. It will shine as bright as the North Star on the darkest night. This was fitting for Luke, talking about Mary, the girl who gave him his true north.

“Mary is great, I love her. We are going to break up soon, but we will always be together. She is a part of me as I am a part of her. Even with the trust, love and bond between us, we are not going to be a couple much longer. We bring out the best in each other and that is why our relationship must end.

“Mary has her dreams to follow and so do I. She is going to be leaving Socal in a couple of months to go to the Air Force Academy. Us staying together would be holding each other back. We will not hold each other back from reaching what we want in life. Doing so would change who we are.

No matter what we did together, the best part of it was us doing it together. Spending a couple of minutes alone with her behind the sand dunes got me higher than riding the best waves I ever rode.

We will never forget each other. The feelings we gave each other and how we treated each other. That will make us even better people after we are so one no more. We will always know our own worth and make sure we are surrounded by people who see it also.

I might be alone for a while after we break up but I will not be lonely. That would disappoint Mary and I will never do that. That would disrespect what we meant to each other. Also the memories of the time at her side will be great company. My life will be great for I will know I will always be in Mary’s life. There will always be a bond from us both helping each other be the best we can be.”

The trailer got quiet after Luke shared what was in his heart about Mary. Luke being in the moment and looking towards the future, no matter what it gave him, was mistaken by Matt and Renee as nostalgia. They saw the sentimental sentiment of the speech of him yearning to keep what he already had. In truth, the speech was about how Luke was going to be able to keep what he has no matter what. That even with accepting that this to shall pass applied to even the good times, and that does not mean those times do not stay with a person.

To break the silence Luke made a joke “Renee, I see you got better taste in men.”

Matt defensively said “Quit bringing that up. Renee apologized about that.”

Luke stayed as cool as the Paul Newman character he shared his name with as he knocked down his friend's defensive barrier. “Matt, I’m sorry. I was joking around to try to lighten the mood.”

“Luke, I’m sorry. I should have known better.”

“Matt there is no need to be sorry. I went too far. That is a touchy subject and should not have treated it as a joke. Now tell me about you two.”

Luke called back home the morning after the reunification of the Saturday Morning Bike Club. Waiting any longer to talk with his family was out of the question. The call would have come as soon as the friendship rekindled but he was sucked up in the moment. By the time the moment quit dragging him by his hand the time was already 9:00. That is way too late to call back to Pittsburgh.

Being part of the Dawn Patrol meant Luke was an early riser. Instead of going to the beach at the start of his day, Luke called back home. His dad answered. Fred was only able to greet his son, before Luke took over the conversation. The son did not want to wait another second in telling spending time with Matt and Renee. Fred was pleasantly surprised at hearing about his son’s unexpected reunion with his friends at Renee’s victory speech. The father did not have to look to know that Lori had her pulled one over on you smile on her face. That daughter of his was more of a cheeky monkey than a sweet pickle with this.

Luke also wanted to talk about the next three days. Matt and Renee were staying in Cali until Wednesday and Luke was planning on being with them as much as possible. He was going to take those days off of school. He had no tests or major assessments this upcoming week and was going to email his teachers to have them send him what they were going to cover on those days. Even with being able to spend time with his two oldest friends Luke was going to make sure he worked on fulfilling his dreams. He knew that there would be more good times later with Matt and Renee. He will spend a lot of time with them when he goes back home to visit in a couple of months.

Alice was concerned at first when she found out that Luke called. 17 year old kids were not known to be up at 6 AM. If they were up, teenagers were not known to make calls to their parents at that time. The mother’s worry was amped up when she saw Lori’s face. That grin usually meant her daughter got her way. Those two facts should have added up for bad news for Luke.

Then, when her husband was able to get a word in, the worry was gone. That’s great and I am happy are not phrases people used to console someone. Now she wanted to hear whatever Luke was sharing. She wanted to get that joy only a parent knew. The joy of your child being happy about thriving in life

Alice was disappointed. Instead of getting an emotional retelling of yesterday’s event, she got a cold calculated incident report. Luke was as monotone as Joe Friday and also followed that detective’s credo of “just the facts.” His use of mother punctuated the fact that Luke was not willing to privy to his mom today.

Luke was so protective with his mom for those two still had a huge unresolved issue. Alice never apologized to Luke. The mom never freely of her own accord took steps to rectify the damage she had done to Luke. The best she did was give a halfhearted admission of guilt to him. Her saying she was wrong only came after Luke’s dad knew everything which Alice was doing. To him that was more about her saving face and her marriage than doing the right thing.

Alice was not happy that Luke’s emotional distance from her was even further than the physical distance. She knew pushing the topic would only end up pushing Luke even further away. Instead she went about trying to build inroads by bringing up him going to the prom next month. If she showed excitement about that big night before it happened then Luke should be more open to sharing details about that rite of passage to her.

Hearing her mom bring up the prom made Lori’s ear perk up. Just thinking about how great of a time Luke and Mary were going to have made Lori feel good. It also made her long for having the same kind of special night as those two. Her prom was also on that same night and that could be the night Blake left behind being a boy. Maybe some sort of social osmosis would occur by her boy having to dress up like a man.

******************

Today was prom day and Mary Steiner was on her way to the cove. She was not going to waste the morning and a couple of hours amongst the waves would do her good. There were 5 hours left before her salon appointment so there would be no rush. There would be enough time waiting around when her nails were drying so now was the time for some action.

Doing a shift on the Dawn Patrol was also to clear her mind. The senior was so nervous about tonight. Being on the edge of a wave would take the edge off of her thoughts. She had made a huge decision about tonight and there was still some doubt about if it was the right choice.

Tonight was going to be the night she gave herself to Luke. She wanted to share the most intimate act with him. He could be her first and in a perfect world, he would also be her last. He could not be her last for the time of them sharing the same tides would soon be over.

This world was perfect, so even with sharing a bed with Luke being the right thing to do, it might not be the right choice. Mary had big plans and this act could end them. Becoming pregnant would stop her from going to the Air Force Academy. She was on the pill and Luke would insist on using protection so the risk was small. She still was not sure if the low probability of getting pregnant make doing the right thing prudent.

Then there was a chance of getting rejected by Luke. Her concern about tonight not being the night was not based on Luke’s lack of wanting her. Her boyfriend’s eyes told the truth about the desire he had to share a bed with her. Tonight might not go how she planned because Luke would be putting her wellbeing above his wants. He might come to the conclusion a moment of pleasure was not worth the risk and his love losing her dreams.

Mary felt taking the chance was worth it. She wanted her first time to be with the perfect man. She knew that the memory would stay with her for the rest of her life. She did not want to think back about who she lost her virginity with and have any regrets. Sharing herself with another should always be special and having the first time with Luke would reinforce that thought.

Mary’s insecurities and doubts about her decision were quickly washed away when she saw Luke arriving at the cove. His presence was like the incoming tide and eroded the sandcastle of indecision. Making tonight the night was right. Seeing the man who lived in her heart made it so she wanted to get yet another memento of their time together. Luke might be moving out soon but Mary wanted to make sure it always felt like his home.

Even if her Eck said no, tonight would still be the night. Offering to share herself to him was the most important part of the evening to her. The act itself was just a moment of bliss, picking the right man to be with for the first time was a moment to be cherished for a lifetime.

*************

Lori woke up having a funny feeling about prom night. Somehow that even with tonight being special it was not going to be any different than any other time with Blake. Her boyfriend was more concerned about the after-prom than the prom. He kept on mentioning how special that part of the night was going to be. There was no way that Blake should be thinking that. The night was about the prom. Tonight they would be getting dressed up to step out of their mundane lives to celebrate in getting one step closer to adulthood and one step further away from adolescence.

The funny feeling was not going to bring down Lori. She was going to have a great time tonight. She would be surrounded by many of her friends so tonight was going to be a good night. Ever since the reunion of the Saturday Morning Bike Club she had become closer to Renee, Matt, Amanda, and Kat.

Then there was her best friend Tracy and Ming. She and Tracy have become even closer than ever. That girl stood by her side and stood up for her when others still had no faith in Lori. More importantly, Tracy stood up for Luke at the right time. Ming, that boy who was wise beyond his years, had faith in her since they met. Even when she stumbled, he offered his hand to help her get back to solid ground giving her good support. Lori’s closest friends might only be going to the prom as friends, but that was great. She just loved the idea of them getting to know each other better. Ming and Tracy were close to Lori so she wanted them to be close to each other.

All the good which was going to happen tonight for Lori and her friends was what made that funny feeling not important to her. Tonight never really had a chance of being perfect, that only happened in the movies her Aunt Bridgette worked on. Tonight had a great chance of being a night for everyone to remember. There was no way Lori was going to let Blake ruin it for her or everyone else.

******************

Taking chances was a huge part of raising a child. Pulling back and letting a child make mistakes was hard. Parents had to do that. They needed to give children the chance to fail. The chance to do the wrong thing. This weekend, Aunt Bridgette and Uncle Maurice were going to take a huge chance with Luke. They were going to give him free rein of their home.

Most weekends Luke being home alone would not be a big deal. Luke’s proxy parents had done this before and never came back finding a reason to be disappointed in him. They had faith in Luke because he was a model student and all-around good kid. This weekend was different. It was prom weekend.

Prom weekend was when many of the model students and all-around good kids let their hair down a little too much. The kids who lived it up a little too much were the good kids who still had to mature. They give into temptation and go a little too wild. Those kids were on the up and up because of being watched, not because they knew limits.

Luke was finishing tying his bowtie as his uncle Maurice came into his room. The visitor said nothing until Luke was done with the batwing knot. The elegant streamlined design of the bow tie fit the night. The ocean blue color of the tie and cummerbund matched Luke’s eyes perfectly. The tuxedo added an air of maturity to Luke. Maurice knew he was looking at a young man, not a teenage boy who was playing dress-up.

Getting the reassurance from seeing Luke changed the tone of the talk. There was no need for Luke’s uncle to reiterate the ground rules of night. There was not going to be any hard drugs, only the pre-approved guest list would come over, no one would be drinking and driving, none of the guests would be venturing into the main house, Luke and his friend would be respecting the neighbors and Maurice and his wife will be coming home to a clean house. Luke would follow the ground rules for he agreed to and he also agreed with them.

Wanting to make this a friendly talk about the night Maurice started with a light-hearted comment. “Luke, the girls are going to come runnin' just as fast as they can. 'Cause every girl's crazy 'bout a sharp-dressed man.”

Luke did the correct response of rolling his eyes to that bad dad joke. Knowing that the correct mood was set, Maurice got serious. “Luke, you look great. You are going to have a great time tonight and this weekend.

“Everything is set up. Sam will be coming over to drop off the food around midnight. He can’t wait to see you. The Duritzs and Gillinghams know about the party so as long as you guys don’t get too rowdy they won’t care. There are condoms in the nightstand. I and your aunt will be home Sunday evening.”

Luke noticed his uncle sneaking in the fact about the prophylactics and was not happy. Sex was not on his mind. He and Mary were in love and a couple, but they both made the decision not to engage in sex. That moment of pleasure was not worth taking the chance of ruining their future. He showed his disapproval by saying, “I don’t need them.”

Maurice knew that Luke was objecting to the innuendo about the activities during the upcoming after prom. “Luke, I am not saying that you do or don’t. I am saying that they are there. Like I said, tonight is going to be special. The moment might lead you to needing them. Them being there is just a precaution. You need to prepare for things which might happen, even if you are not planning for them.”

“I know Unk. I also know how much the Air Force Academy means to Mary, and I will never do anything which has a chance to stop her from going there.”

Maurice loved hearing that shorthand Unk for Uncle. It reaffirmed the closeness between him and Luke. More importantly, that nickname showed that Luke was mature enough to understand why. Leaving that protection was not about thinking Luke was trying to get his first notch on his bedpost, but to make sure that Luke and Mary were safe.

“Come on, let's go downstairs. You know your auntie is dying to see you.”

**************

Even with showing up 15 minutes early at Lori’s, Blake was acting like they were late for their big date. He could not wait and do what he had on tonight’s slate. Blake was looking forward to his fate. Scoring with Lori will make him a man according to his mates.

Fred welcomed Lori’s boyfriend in and offered him a seat. Blake could not stop crossing his legs and playing with the remote as he waited for Lori to come down. The young man was as fidgeting as he wanted his fingers to be with Lori’s bra later tonight. He just wanted his girlfriend to come down already so they can take the pictures and get going. That will get him two steps closer to his ultimate destination of the night, having sex with Lori.

Lori was wearing a dark burgundy A-line off-the-shoulder asymmetrical tulle dress with a beading sequins bow as she made her grand entrance down the steps. The young debutante looked stunning and regal coming down as she came to greet her date. How Lori carried herself there should have been a page announcing her arrival. This was not to feed her ego, the Brat Princess was the past. The page was needed so her parents and Blake would not miss one second of her majestic entrance.

Alice pulled out her digital camera to take some pictures. Tonight was too important to rely on her cell phone to take the snapshots of the event occurring. Tonight was a rite of passage for Lori. Today was when Lori went from being a girl to a woman.

Blake’s mind being in the future came out in the pictures Fred and Alice took. The look on his face said he wanted to be somewhere else. The distant look was taken to be nerves by Fred. Knowing how important the night was to his daughter, his daughter’s date, his wife, and himself Fred had a little man-to-man talk with Blake.

After a couple of pictures, Blake was ready to go. They were wasting too much time in the present and needed to get to the future. The sharply dressed boy tried to preemptively end the photo session by saying they needed to get going.

Lori’s dad bringing up that everything was going to be great tonight did momentarily pull Blake’s thought to the present. He needed to play it cool. There was no such thing as a sure thing until it happened. Blake knew Lori was going to have to be happy with the night to share a bed with him tonight.

Blake cleared his throat to compose himself. He needed to be as calm as possible for the upcoming lie to be believable. “Sorry, Mr Zahn. I just want to make sure we are on time. I don’t want to ruin Lori’s night by us rushing to get to the Palmer Country Club. A couple more minutes and we need to get going. I don’t trust Tom to be ready. He is not as eager as me to have this be a night to remember.”

Fred’s reassurance of “Don’t worry, you still have 2 hours to get there,” was bad news to the boy. That meant that there was still so much time between now and where he wanted to be. That extra time was going to give him more of a chance of messing up. Blake waited too long to be denied by his own actions and did not want the last obstacle of time to do him in.

Making sure to sell his excuse. “I know, thank you Mr Zahn. Lori, hon, where do you want the next picture.” The excitement in his girl’s voice when she announced under the fully blooming cherry tree made Blake relieved. He was still on track to get what he wanted all he had to do was run out the clock.

*********************

Luke exclaimed, “Mary is here,” as soon as the car pulled up. As she was heading towards the door, Bridgette quickly video called her sister, Alice. There was no way Alice was going to miss this important moment in Luke’s life. Tonight was the rite of passage of Luke leaving adolescence and entering adulthood.

Luke, his aunt, and uncle went out to the front yard when Mary along with her mom and dad, Jill and Bernie Steiner arrived. Seeing Mary as she was getting out of the car made Luke stop in his tracks. To him, Mary was always the most beautiful girl in the world, but today her beauty hit him like a wave. Luke’s girlfriend never looked as majestic as she did.

The wave which crashed over Luke was physically manifested in Mary’s dress. It was an ocean blue mermaid silhouette. The white trim going right to left diagonally up the dress then across the sweetheart neckline looked like the crest of a wave. Her golden hair was as radiant as the sun.

At that moment, Luke admitting his carnal desire made him feel like a liar. Earlier today he was offended that his uncle even suggested that he would need protection. That he was not even thinking of having sex with Mary. At that moment, all he wanted was to be one with her. To be in her and her to welcome him being there. Luke still was not going to initiate getting what he desired by making sexual advances tonight. He would leave that to Mary. Luke also knew that he would not and could not deny her if she also wanted them to be one.

Luke was able to regain his composure before he and Mary made eye contact. She was too concerned with paying attention to making sure the trail of her dress did not get caught in the car door. Had Mary been able to look at Luke right away, she would have noticed how dazed her man was from her stunning beauty. Getting a tear in her dress would not have been a good start of the evening.

How handsome Luke was just reaffirmed her making tonight the night’s decision was right. The white tuxedo jacket with ocean blue lapels and pockets trim with matching bow tie made Luke look so debonair. The confidence in her boyfriend’s stride added to that look. The casual smile he gave Mary made her feel safe with him. That Luke would never do her harm. Then the little wink when they got close reassured her Luke was also going to be casual at the right time tonight. He will be his real self when the time was right. Putting on airs was an act that could make them too self-conscious to show who they really were at the right time. They would focus more on keeping up the facade.

Sam was able to make out to the front yard to capture Luke and Mary greeting each other with a hug. Luke’s cousin had taken many pictures, his hobby is photography, but he knew right away that was one of the best pictures he took. When your subjects are caught in the moment, it is easy to capture the moment. The best way to capture the magic was for Sam to not interrupt the spell over Luke and Mary so he motioned to his mom to have them continue just being.

The longer the two teenagers in love were in the presence of each other, the magic of their bond and love for each other took stronger hold. Each picture was better than the next. They all felt real and not a manufactured scene. The pinning a corsage on the other did come off as someone from a distance sneaking a peak of two lovers. The couple posing with each other and then with the adults looked like them welcoming your presence in sharing in the day.

Then the limo came to pick them up. Shy and her date, Greg K., stepped out of it. Mary’s second-best friend, Luke was her best friend, looked stunning in her sheath one-shoulder sweep train dress with ruffle beading. Greg K. looked dashing. Luke’s second-best friend, Mary was his best friend, also went with a white tuxedo jacket with pocket trimming which matched his date’s dress.

After Sam took pictures of Luke and Mary with Shy and Greg K. Fred reminded the prom-goers that they needed to leave. The four teenagers reluctantly agreed. They did not want this moment to end. Tonight was going to be special, and they wanted to savor and prolong each part of the night. Before being the gentleman and holding the door for Mary, Luke thanked his aunt and uncle and told them he loved them. Then he looked at the phone and saw how proud his mom was, holding back her tears. He felt the pride his mom had for him and for once a close connection to her. With a boyish smile on his face, Luke told his mom he loved her also. Doing her best to be as put together as her son’s outfit Alice in a forced strong voice said, “I love you also, Luke.”

*******************

With a devilish grin on his face and a playful tone in his voice, Matt said, “Hubba, hubba” as Renee came into his eyesight. His girlfriend's prom was a tulle dress. The top of the dress was black with a sweetheart cut. The first couple of tulle layers were black, and then they alternated between black and pink. Having those pink streaks from the layout made sense, after all, that was Renee’s nickname.

Matt’s response and him just being there took any concern Renee had about how she looked. The girl had self-doubt that she could pull off looking girly. Renee did not know yet looking girly had more to do with a person’s state of mind than what they were wearing. Even in her BMX pants and jersey she looked girly to Matt. Her essence always came through, and she was strongly feminine.

Seeing the stress leaving Renee’s face reassured Matt that tonight was going to be special. His belief was right. Tonight was going to be special for Renee was going to realize that her being her was how she truly embraced being feminine. She was doing so by seeing herself through his eyes. Tonight was also going to be special for Matt because he was going to learn one cannot truly forgive themselves until they forgive others.

***************

Bridgette started to talk with Alice as Luke and Mary were pulling away for the time of their life. She wanted to catch up with her youngest sister. The older sister also wanted to hear Alice’s delight in Luke. That boy had come so far from when he first moved to California. He went from being an insecure and pessimistic timid boy to a confident and optimistic strong young man.

Alice was proud of her son, but was also hurt seeing who he has become. The hurt came from her knowing that he did this without her help. That if anything, she hindered him from reaching his potential. She felt like she was not Luke’s mom and that devastated her.

True strength is being able to accept the consequences of one’s actions. Alice was ready to do so and did so by saying, “Sis, you did a great job at raising your youngest, and he is a fine young man.”

The infamous Tribalinni’s temper came out in the upcoming scolding “Alice, you can’t even give Luke credit when Lori is not around. You still have to play favorites. Right now is about Luke and you bring up Sam. You drive me crazy sometimes. I swear we babied you too much when you were young. You need to grow up. If you don’t, you will lose your son.”

Alice waited a second because she wanted to make sure she did not come off as defensive. She knew that her sister took what she said wrong. Alice was not talking about Sam, she was talking about Luke. Alice felt like she was Luke’s prodigal mom and Bridget was his real mom. Alice explained “Wait, Bridget. I was talking about Luke. You are his mom, not me. I am so proud of him and know you made him the man he is today.”

Bridget felt bad for snapping at her youngest sibling. She caused tension and it could have gone the wrong way if Alice had gotten defensive. She was extremely proud of her poor misguided little sister for what Alice said, but could not disagree with her any more than she did at that moment. Bridget’s ice queen’s exterior changed to one of a May queen.

With love, caring, and concern in her voice, Bridget said, “Lili, you were, are, and always will be Luke’s mom. You might not have always done the right thing for him, but you did when it counted the most. You put his needs in front of yours. You did not have to, and it was hard to convince you, but you still did.

“Like mom and dad used to say. ‘Raising a child is doing your best and hoping that you do not mess them up that much.’ You did your best, most parents would not have let their son move across the country, you did.

“Let’s drop it, you know how fiery I am, and go off the handle. I am sorry.

“Now you are right Luke is a fine young man.”

*****************

Ming looked stylish yet laid back in his tux without a tie. How natural the outfit fitted his personality made it so he could pull it off without looking pretentious. Most teenage boys would come off as trying to be more cultured than they really were. Not Ming, the choice of no tie made his outfit a natural extension of who he was.

His look perfectly matched the elegant yet reserved dress his date,Tracy Armstrong, was wearing. Her A-line off the shoulder dress was right for the night. The delicate floral applique was embellished with enough tiny rhinestones to give the dress the right amount of shine on the bodice. People would notice it if they were looking at her, but at the same time, it did not draw attention.

Those two were in the middle of taking pictures when Blake and Lori showed up. Instead of getting out of the car, the impatient boy honked the horn at Ming and Tracy. Them leaving Tracy’s would get the night closer to where Blake wanted to be, in bed with Lori. This restless call to come made Tracy panic. She did not want to have her ride wait, but she wanted a couple of more pictures.

Tracy’s escort sensed she was becoming as jittery as an espresso drinking dachshund. That was no way a lady should be on her big night out. Ming’s next step was to get her back to enjoying the night. He looked at her and made her as calm as if she drank chamomile tea by saying, “You stay here, Tracy. We will take as many photos as you want. I will go get Blake and Lori so we can take a couple of pictures with them also.”

Before Ming could make his words true, their ride and his date were already coming out of his car. The look Lori gave Blake was more piercing than the horn he honked to rudely get their friends attention. Blake quickly changed his tune and told Lori he was joking and they were going to get out and greet their friends. The boy who was trying so hard to prove he was a man was wise enough to know it was no use to get to the end of the night if it did not end with Lori in bed with him.

Lori was like the Queen of England. She was not amused by Blake’s lame excuse of it being a joke. The lie did not ring true. Plus, even if that was somehow true, that joke was putting undue pressure on Tracy. Lori knew her friend was a pleaser and was working hard with Tracy to learn she had to please herself before others. Blake being in a hurry was making tonight less special for others.

Ming made sure that Tracy was satisfied with the pictures before they left. As they were leaving, Blake asked the snide question if Tracy was happy. With Ming’s support and Lori’s encouragement, Tracy answered the question with a confident yes. She was not going to let Blake’s displeasure about doing an important part of the night get her down.

***************

Silence was usually golden for Fred. Tonight it was iron pyrite. The lack of chatter from his wife was yelling this fact to him. Alice should have been like a playlist on replay about tonight. She loved her kids and tonight was a huge night for them. He should have heard a heartfelt rhapsody about how beautiful their young lady looked tonight, followed by an anthem of their daughter’s journey from being the Brat Princess to who she was today. Then, after covering her youngest, Alice would bail out a nice little ditty about how Luke has become a strapping young man, which would merge into a ballad about his journey. Then the ending an opus on how they were lucky to have two great children.

Not wanting to believe the night was anticlimactic to his wife, Fred put a quarter in the jukebox by asking Alice her thoughts about the night their kids were going to have. That question ended up pressing the wrong button. Instead of getting one of the pop earworms he wanted to hear, Alice sang a dirge about her relationship with Luke.

Fred took steps to comfort his wife. He thought that she might have been mistaking emotional distance with physical distance but he was not going to downplay her distress. He knew sorrow grew when it was denied. Fred sang a lullaby which quickly calmed Alice. His comforting words contained a psalm of wisdom which gave Alice hope to resurrect her relationship with Luke. She had to apologize. Being and acting sorry was not enough. Those words needed to be said. Seeing the path to redemption brought joy to Alice. She celebrated by starting a sing along about Luke being a fine young man.

*************

Giving an event a theme was a well-proven method of helping to make it memorable. Lori’s Prom’s theme was “Above the Clouds.” There was a small amount of dry ice fog pumped in to make the floor look like the top of a cloud. The walls were a nighttime skyscape. The bottom of the northern walls were decorated as the Aurora Borealis. A little higher up on all the walls was the solar system. The moon was the closest, then going around clockwise were the planets. After that came the stars. Then higher up were nebulae and supernovas.

The prom decorating committee did not need to put in any effort other than naming it to make the night memorable for Lori. After all, the phrase they picked was the name of her favorite song. To her above the clouds was a perfect three word definition of how she envisioned the perfect prom night. The night was about being above all the little concerns in life and sharing the time with that special someone.

There was only one way tonight would have been memorable to Blake. That was if the lust-driven boy ended it above Lori. He could not understand why the artsy student wasted so much time on making the ballroom have any type of ambiance. The decorations added nothing to what they were there to do, eat, drink and dance before the after prom. That was when the main event of drinking stronger drinks and doing the deed was going to happen.

The etymology of the word prom is a nice simple one. The event name came from the shortening of French word promenade. These dances were called so because of the entrance of the couples. Each one would get their own entrance to the coming of age dance. This grand entrance was a way to welcome the young adults to proper society.

Blake treated their arrival just like going to any other room. Instead of taking his time to soak up the moment, he was trying to rush Lori to their table. Instead of feeling transported to the higher atmosphere by the ascent up the stairs to the cloudy floor, Lori was feeling like she was being held to the Earth. She could not get the escape velocity in her mind to be transported to the special place the prom was supposed to be. Walking through the manmade night sky felt more like being on an airplane to another destination instead of a port of call for the night.

As the night went on, the distance between Blake and Lori grew. The boy was treating the journey’s end as a layover. He was not thinking about the now so he made many more mistakes which would lead to a detour from where he wanted to be. Blake acting like tonight was nothing special made Lori stag at the prom.

All during the night Ming was trying to correct the course for Blake. This helping hand was not so Blake could get where he wanted to be. Ming was trying to get his best friend, Lori, where she wanted to be. All of his suggestions like, going to get Lori’s before dinner drink, or hitting the dance floor right after dinner was over were met with a nah. Each time Ming made a suggestion on where Blake should be, the lost boy got more perturbed. Lori’s boyfriend did not need any navigation. To him, the night was going as planned. Blake could not and would not admit that he was lost. Ming was just trying to make the night drag on by having Blake do what he did not want to do.

Mixed in on Blake knowing better than Ming were more faux pas. Their friend Kat was on the decorating committee and when she came over to say hi, he downplayed all of her work. Now instead of spending time with Blake, Lori had to talk with Kat. Lori loved talking with Kat but right now her friend should be soaking in praise from the excellent job she did. Kat should be with her date also instead of hearing Lori apologizing for another action. The chat was short because Kat saw how mad Lori was about Blake’s words and also how much her friend loved the hard work she did.

The next wrong course of action came when Matt and Renee came over. This quick greeting was to see Tracy. They still wanted the least amount of social interaction with Lori as possible. Even with Lori making amends with Luke and her actually playing a huge part in the Saturday Morning Bike Club riding again, those two only tolerated her being around. They held her directly responsible for the time missed with Luke.

Instead of acting formally, Blake went with that there was nothing special about the night. How could he think anything was special if he was still waiting for his night to start. His joke of telling Renee she cleaned up well crashed as bad as he did during his races with Luke.

The joke hurt Renee. She was under the false assumption that just because she was a BMX racer that she was not feminine. Her hands might have had a few calluses on them, but that did not take away from them being soft. Not keeping her fingernails long did not change her fingers from being long and slender. Not wearing makeup did not make her facial features any less round than any other girl.

Renee was dow,n but she had Matt right next to her. He was her support and jumped in to raise her up above the clouds. Matt said, “Blake, shut up. Renee is always a beautiful woman.”

She knew his response was true from how quick and easy it came from the normally cautious man's lips. Her boyfriend was an aspiring engineer, so she knew he dotted his i’s and crossed his t’s before he spoke. At that moment, Renee realized that she was always feminine for that was who she was. If the person who knew her the best always saw her as a beautiful woman, then she had to exude femininity.

Having faith in who she was made Renee soar above the clouds. The hate arrows which Blake fired missed her. She was above them. She only felt the pain from not having the self-confidence in being who she was. Now she had it, for she saw herself from Matt’s eyes. She motioned to Matt for them to leave, and she said, “Tracy and Ming, we will catch up at the after prom.”

Lori was so mad at Blake. How could he be so stupid and say something so flippant and inconsiderate to any girl tonight? His joking being aimed at Renee made it worse. Lori was still trying to get back in Renee and Matt’s good graces. Any inroads she made were destroyed.

Making it harder to be friends with those two again was not bad if Matt had not saved the day that could have ruined Renee’s evening. Tonight was a night for a girl to shine and that joke was only funny by putting a dull on how Renee looked.

Lori made sure that Blake knew her displeasure with how he treated Renee. “How could you say that Blake? Renee always looks great. I guess it hurts your manhood that she can beat you in a race. You better make it up to her.”

They might have been walking away from Lori’s table but Matt could hear what was being said. Those words which were not meant for his ears opened up his heart to Lori. Her telling off Blake was not a show to make Lori look good. She did the right thing for the right reason. Matt starting to see Lori has grown has made it so he let go of him letting down Luke all those years ago.

Blake let Lori rim him out. He held in saying what was really on his mind. His manhood was hurt for his girlfriend would not treat him like a man in the bedroom. Not defending himself was not because he deserved to be berated for his actions. What he said was a joke and meant no harm. Lori’s boyfriend listened to the lecture so he would get what he wanted tonight.

As Blake just sat there Lori started to question why even bother with him. They have been together for years yet he was still the same person as he was in middle school. Maybe she was wrong. That she was going out with who she made Blake out to be instead of who he was. That she loved a fictional character, not a real person.

Having doubts about her choice in who she saw as special, made Lori quit explaining why Blake was wrong to him. The boy took it as his girlfriend was only a little mad. That was a good sign for him. Lori needed to be happy for him to have a happy ending to the night.

By the end of the night, Lori wanted nothing more than to go home. She came close to just telling Blake to drive her there. Instead, she went to the after prom. Ending the night now meant defeat and that her prom night would be nothing other than any other Friday night. She also wanted to not bring any of her friends down. Lori did not see herself as the life of the after party. She did not want Ming or Tracy to worry about her. Lastly, she did not want her mom to know how bad the night was going. Lori might not be the Brat Princess anymore but she did look up to Alice like a queen. Her mom talked about how special tonight was going to be and Lori knew it would break her heart if her daughter’s night did not live up to expectations.

*****************

One of the ways a prom’s theme helped make the night one to remember was when it gave the attendants the right state of mind. If the night’s mood was one of romance, being somewhere extraordinary, and a once in a lifetime event then the kids there would think, oh what a night late May back in upperclassmen year when they were reminiscing about their youth. The name of “A Night in Heaven” for Luke and Mary’s prom fit the bill on making this night burn in their memories.

The promenade into the banquet hall was the official start of Luke and Mary’s unforgettable visit to paradise. Before making their grand entrance the loving couple stood at a replica of the Pearly Gates. They both knew once those doors swung open and they crossed the barrier to the other side there was no turning back. Their hearts were beating faster in anticipation of the great unknown they were going to visit together.

After walking past the point of no return Luke and Mary looked at each other. The glance into each other’s eyes slowed their hearts. What the great unknown had in store for them tonight was of little importance. They would be together and that is all which matters.

The banquet hall was bright yet there was a certain glow around everyone. The lighting techs did a great job with the diffuser to get that effect. The walls which were white on the bottom with light blue blended more and more until it smoothly transitioned to sky blue a third of the way up. The glass wall made the dance floor right outside of the banquet hall visible.

After floating down the stairs Luke and Mary joined Shy, and Greg K., along with Dirt and Rosalita. The greetings were hugs all around and everyone telling each other how great they look and how tonight they were going to have a good time, the time of their young lives.

Luke and Dirt’s hug lingered a little longer. They had a close connection and were taking this chance to express it physically. Dirt was the new student that Luke befriended on their first day of high school.

The night was as memorable as everyone was promising it would be. Even the dinner of either dijon chicken bistro or sirloin au jus would never be forgotten. With everything else about the night being out of this world, it was easy for the bland and pedestrian food to stand out.

The opening of the banquet hall’s door after dinner was the invite to go hit the dance floor. Luke and Mary did not wait to accept the offer of stepping out into the night. There was no time to waste. The couple might have been young but they both knew they were getting older before their time. Tonight they were one night closer to being separated and having to end a relationship before it was finished. Instead of mourning for what was soon to be lost, Luke and Mary were going to celebrate everything they had and will keep. Being able to keep permanently being in each other’s hearts made it so they had to look towards the good. Dwelling on the negative would be disrespectful to the gift they gave each other. More importantly, having another great time was going to make that place in each other’s hearts even more special.

The rest of the table joined Mary and Luke on the floor. The six friends wanted to make a couple of more joint memories to give to each other. Even with being young, they were wise enough to know that one cannot have too many souvenirs of smiling friends in their minds. The time spent dancing together was filled with enough keepsakes to fill the exhibit hall in their museum of memories.

Appropriately, the last song played was Bryan Adams’ Heaven. The DJ could not resist ending the night with what he saw as the ideal song. The title was tied in with the theme of the song. Being a ballad would make the night end how it should, the couples slow dancing. The lyrics would pull at the heart’s strings and the last special moment of prom night would have greater sentimental value.

Luke found each word of the song to be gospel. To him, it did not matter that his time with Mary would soon come to an end. The young man knew that they would always have each other. That just thinking of her would bring him up when he felt down. That they would always be at each other’s side.

Mary was having the same feeling as Luke. She knew that they were making the right decision to share a bed tonight. That being as intimate as two people could be tonight would make their connection strong. She might not have Luke in her life, but he would always be with her. Making that connection stronger would make the presence in each other’s life stronger.

When the song ended, the dance between the two lovers did not. Mary and Luke left the dancefloor with their hearts spinning, whirling, and twirling in synchronicity. The music which was driving this dance would not come to a crescendo until those two shared a moment of being one.

The tension in the car between Lori and Blake was as thick and serious as a Russian novel. Blake was too focused on getting to the final destination of the night. The intense boy was driving as fast as he could to the Lodge at Lafayette but to him it was still taking up too much time. He was so close to his goal of the night, yet he felt that he would never arrive at the destination. The night was a real time example of Zeno’s paradox. No matter how the distance was from Blake being in bed with Lori he would never get there. The frustrated boy will still have to travel half of it to get to the new halfway point.

Lori’s anger at Blake’s action and her reevaluation made the tension stronger. She was looking forward to arriving at the Lodge. This night so far has been a big disappointment. Being at the after-prom was one step closer to the night being over. Being at the after-prom also meant she would not be alone with her thoughts. Maybe she was wrong about Blake being able to change. Maybe she wasted the last 5 years being with him.

There was also a fun reason for wanting to reach the Lodge, the small chance of having enough fun at the after-prom to salvage the night. Celebrating this rite of passage with her friends at the pool could make up for Blake’s mind being somewhere else. Her abdicating being the Brat Princess gave her the knowledge one is not entitled to anything, they have to earn it. She had to find the good in the situation and not expect it to be handed to them.

Right after pulling into the Lodge’s parking space, Blake was so concerned about getting his body to where his mind was, their room, he forgot about his passenger. Instead of getting the car door and helping Lori out of the car, the impatient boy went right to the trunk to get their overnight bags. After slamming the trunk close he hurriedly rushed to the front desk.

Lori was a modern woman so most nights Blake not acting gentlemanly would have gone unnoticed. Tonight was different. Tonight Lori needed assistance getting out of the car. The tulle gown she had on made it difficult to get out of the car seat on her own. Struggling to get out of the car just added more weight to those maybes she thought about on the way here were right.

There was no talking, not even a little harmless banter, on the way to their room. Lori was using the time getting to the room to cool down. At that moment she was fuming too much to open her mouth. Blake was too concerned about crossing the visit line which just appeared on the horizon to say anything. Blake was happy because he was going to get what he deserved. Little did he know that he was going to be upset by getting what he deserved.

Lori asked Blake to help her out of her dress. The gown was delicate and Lori was taking no chances of damaging it. Her wanting to get out of the dress as soon as they were in the room made Blake happy. The energetic yes was the most emotion the boy had showed tonight.

As Blake started to undress the lady who was going to give him his strongest desire he kissed her shoulder. Feeling the light amount of the wetness of his lips repulsed Lori. “Blake, not now. I want to get into my bikini so I can go to the swimming pool.”

Zeno’s Paradox was proven once again to Blake. He was yet again only half way to his destination tonight. “Cool we go down there for a bit then come back up here to finish what we started.”

Lori's first course of action was turning around to face Blake. She wanted to make sure he was looking in her eyes when she gave the response of “We did not start anything. You really think that we are going to have sex tonight? After how you acted tonight, there is no way we are going to have sex.”

Blake gave a WHAT as a response to Lori's revelation. The surprising fact that the night was not going to end how he planned crashed Blake from his dream world to reality. The stunning effect of that high fall made Blake revert back to being back in pursuit mode.

“You heard me. You acted like you much rather have been anywhere else tonight. I know why now. You did not take me to the prom to have a good time, you took me to the prom to fuck me.”

Lori was right and wrong about Blake not taking her to the prom to have a good time. The statement was true that having fun at the prom was not the reason. The reason why the statement was false was due to Blake’s idea of a good time. Having sex was a flawless defintion of having a good time in Blake’s personal dictionary.

“No, no, no. You are wrong. Being together would be a perfect ending to tonight. It will make the night special and unforgettable.”

Lori started snickering loudly. Hearing the word unforgettable was hilarious. How disappointed she was with Blake made it so she would never forget it. Everything her boyfriend did made the sad excuse of him taking her to the prom etched deeper into her memory. At that moment wanting to forget about the night was high up on the list of what she wanted. The only desire which was higher was that her boyfriend was the person she thought he could be.

“I am serious. You talked about how you wanted tonight to be special and unforgettable. We have been together for 5 years. Tonight should be the night we actually get together for the first time.”

“You act distant and distracted the entire night. You give one word answers and we only slowed danced for one song.”

“Yes, your favorite song.”

“It was the last song of the night. I asked to dance so many times before and you said later.

I don’t know why I am even arguing this with you. We are not going to have sex tonight. I am going to get changed and go to the pool. Come down and act like my boyfriend and we can salvage what is left of the night.”

**********
Lori was not the only girl who was having a night they wish they could forget. Kate Amos would love to have one of the men in black to erase her memories of the night. Not having knowledge of the night would not change the outcome of the night, but at least her boyfriend, Peter Collins, breaking up with her would not be at what should have been a joyous event. The boy was going to wait until graduation but his friends were bringing up all their plans for the summer. Kate was confused for she wasn’t penned in, yet alone penciled, anywhere in Peter’s event calendar. Not even the last week in June. The week her family was taking him along to the beach.

When asked about going to the beach, instead of lying Peter just told her the truth. That they were going to be over when he graduated. Kate did not like Peter’s plan. To her they were not in a real relationship. Peter was stringing her along until a better part of his life came to be. Kate was at least strong enough to force Peter’s hand. She said if he cared about her, then he would break up with her right there and then. That he would let her start moving on with her life like he already did.

Peter might have been immature, but he was not a jerk. He did not want to hurt Kate so he broke up with her right then. Peter ended the relationship because he was going away for college and did not want to be tied down with Kate this summer. This summer was all about him spending as much time with his friends as possible and getting practice being single. He was going to have a fresh start in college and wanted to be comfortable being single up there.

The heartbroken girl was wandering the halls of the hotel, not knowing where to go. She did not want to be around people so all the activities were out of the question. At the same time she did not want to go to the room she was sharing with Peter. Being there would just remind her how alone she was on such a special night.

Kate's bad luck kept getting worse when she made a random turn and encountered Blake. Having no destination while walking a hall to nowhere usually had people arrive at a bad destination. Those lost people tended to reach out to any nearby hand for help. Now the hand the lady at her low point reached out to was going to pull down even lower.

Blake asked Kate how she was doing? That is an innocent question for which people never almost never want an honest answer. People tended to use it to change up a greeting and make it a little more personal.

There are two reasons why misery loves company. The most common one was how people wanted others to feel their pain. When people were making this reason true, they wanted to bring others down to feel better about themselves. The other was to lessen the misery. Kate wanted help with ending her sorrow and a shared sorrow is a half sorrow. She took the question as an excuse to unload what was bothering her.

“Not good Blake. Pete broke up with me. He did that on prom night. He was planning to wait until he graduated. He was using me.”

There was a little pause. Kate was giving Blake time to console her. The boy did not. Kate was not deterred from reaching out. He was not with his date, maybe the same happened to him. That would explain why he could not find the words to say a simple sorry to hear that “Where’s Lori? Did she break up with you?”

One thing about Blake, he was an eternal opportunist. If he saw a chance to get what his heart desired he took it. Kate was single and if she thought he was single then he had a chance of her fulfilling his destiny tonight. “Yeah she left me. She is down at the pool right now having a good time.”

Hearing her assumption was true made Kate not feel as alone. There was someone else who was experiencing her heartache. The two heartbreakers were also at the same place right now. Kate’s mind went to a dark place and just pictured Lori and Peter having a great time together. “I bet you Peter is with her.”

“Yeah, that sucks getting discarded after being used. It is not fair that we are alone and those two get to be together. It would be nice to have someone like you to share the rest of the night with”

Blake’s luck was changing. Kate bit on that line harder than a catfish. “You want to go somewhere to chat.”

The time to act was right then. There was so much to gain and nothing to lose. If Blake could get Kate alone he would be so much closer to becoming a man. The worst which could happen was a girl he did not care about turning him down. Blake started to pull in the line “How about your room? I really am not in the mood to see anyone else.”

“Not my room, yours. Peter put on some more of his dreadful cologne. I cannot stand the smell.”

This was the moment for Blake to go all in. The stakes became a little higher but worth it. What were the chances that Lori would come to their room. Even if she did as long as Blake was not doing anything with Kate then he could talk his way out of the mess. If he was doing something or better yet doing it, then losing Lori as a girlfriend was worth the cost. Yeah, he would be single but a single man not a single teenage boy. The world was a paradise filled with young ladies who wanted to be with a single man. “I understand, we will go to my room.”

**************

Neuroscientists have done studies that had the findings that smell was the sense which is most likely to trigger memories. That was why smelling the pool’s chlorinated water put a smile on Lori's face when she walked into the pool area. That strong odor brought back so many good memories of spending time at Renee’s pool. Even with being solo, the triggering of remembering those good times made the after-prom start on the right note. She forgot about the horrible time she had had at the prom and the upcoming talk her and Blake needed to have. Her boy had to start showing his potential of becoming a good man for her to stay with him.

The smile on Lori’s face got bigger when she saw how authentically Matt was waving her over to join them. Matt was happy to see Lori for how she stood up for Renee. There was another more selfish reason why Matt wanted Lori to hang out with them, he could find out more about when Luke was coming home to visit. The Saturday Morning Bike Club riding together once again made Matt want that more.

Matt let Renee and Lori do the talking. He knew that he could force the conversation towards Luke, But that would be wrong and not natural. Wrong talking about what he wanted instead of what came up, as much as him inviting her over for information instead of wanting to spend time with her.

Luckily for Matt, Renee brought up that she made a spice cake for this weekend. That was not only hers but also Luke’s favorite cake. Lori started talking about how Luke’s prom was also tonight and that they should give him a quick call when his prom was finished. Matt and Renee agreed. Making that phone call would be a great way to make their prom and his be a shared experience.

*************

The sunroof of the limo was as open as Luke and Mary were to spending the night together. At each passing moment, the two lovers thought that they could not want the other more than ever. Then they felt their desperately wanting for the other become even stronger than before. They attempted to satisfy their craving of being intimate by Luke embracing Mary with his arms and she had her arms wrapped around his waist as her head was resting on his chest.

Shy, Greg K., Dirt and Rosalita did not acknowledge the two rider sharers with them. They respected Mary and Luke sharing a private moment in public. Interacting with the lovers had a high chance of making them lose the feeling of the moment. At that moment they wanted to prolong the magic of the night. The limo might have been driving them home but Luke and Lori were still having their night in heaven.

As soon as the Limo arrived at Luke’s home Greg K. immediately went to the guest home. He was not going to wait for the others. His goal was making it to Sam, Luke’s cousin, before Luke and Mary. There was no way that Greg K., Luke’s best male friend as Mary was Luke’s best friend, was going to take the chance of Sam pulling Luke and Mary out of their moment.

Luke and Mary did not notice Greg K. leaving in a hurry. Shy was happy that her man was not waiting around to escort her to the door. Shy, Mary’s female best friend as Luke was her best friend, knew exactly what he was doing. There was no way she could have made enough distance between her and the two lovers having a personal moment. Running in heels can be a bitch.

Greg K. busted in the house overflowing with chaotic energy. Sam found how urgent Greg K. came off as amusing. How could he not, it was not everyday one saw a laid back guy losing his cool while wearing a tux. Plus, there was no way the situation was urgent. Greg K. could handle pressure.

As Greg K. was giving the reason of not ruining the moment Luke and Mary were sharing, Sam 's amusement was growing. Luke’s cousin was not going to be a killjoy. Yeah he was going to chat to his little cousin for a moment. Sam saw Luke as his little brother, Luke had been living here for three years and they had gotten close.

Even with having that connection with Luke, Sam knew the reason he was there was to make sure the little after-prom party was set up for them. That the kids who were enjoying their night did not have to order what they were going to eat and the fridge was filled with their choice of beverages.

Then when Luke and Mary finally walked in, Sam understood Greg K.’s erratic behavior. The situation itself was not urgent, the time he had for telling the information made getting it out urgent. Even with understanding why, Sam’s amusement grew even stronger. Only a person with either absolutely positively no social clue or that was so wrapped in doing what they wanted, would not be able to read the sign to leave those two alone.

Sam did know how to get the rest of the group away from Luke and Mary naturally. He was known to partake. After saying hi to Luke and Mary along with the customary comment on how beautiful Luke’s girlfriend was, Sam suggested that Greg K. should roll a nice fat joint. That would make Luke and Mary excuse themselves. Luke and Mary were not into marijuana. Even if they were, with Mary so close to going to the Air Force Academy she did not want to take the chance of getting any of that TCH laden smoke into her system.

As Greg K. was following Sam’s sweet suggestion, Mary and Luke excused themselves by stating they were going to change. That was a lie everyone in the room, including themselves, chose to believe. Even with them both knowing that the two momentarily becoming one as soon as they were alone was inevitable they were not going to admit it. This was not about trying not to jinx the moment. This was about making sure the moment was as magical as it should be. Making an admission would take away from the spontaneity of this predestined shared moment.

Even in his room, Luke and Mary were keeping up the act that soon that magic moment of two becoming one was not going to happen. Luke and Mary turned their back to each other as they were undressing for the sake of the charade. Luke was already only in his boxers when Mary asked him for help. The zipper on the back of her dress was stuck.

Luke was more than willing to comply with the request. At that moment he wanted to marvel at the beauty which was his Mary. Seeing her strip down to the bone would be seeing her as she was, where he begins and half of him breathes in her. Luke’s touch was as soft and delicate as the clouds in heaven as he was helping his other half undress. This was reassuring to Mary. It made her know that Luke would never willingly do her harm.

Mary turned around to look Luke directly in the eyes. The moment was now and they both knew it. They could not hold back acting upon their desires, wants and needs. The owner’s of the two hearts which beat as one, held and embraced each other until they experienced the endless second of the physical merging of their souls.

************

Lori cursed herself for leaving her cellphone in her room. She now had to be in a hurry to get it and come back down to the pool. Calling Luke had to happen in a small window of him leaving the prom and arriving back home. If she missed that window then she along with Matt and Renee would be intruding into his activities. They wanted the shared moment not to intrude.

Another reason for cursing was having to deal with Blake. Being around her boyfriend was going to be another one of the bad parts of the night. All the times which were worthy to remember tonight were without him. Another downer about dealing with Blake was having to come face to face with the talk they needed to have. Blake needed to grow up and start being a man.

The sad part was that Blake somehow thought what he was doing at the moment Lori was opening the door into their room was making him a man. He was able to get Kate Amos to be the lady who granted him manhood. That was easy for she was lonely and needed to feel a connection with someone after how brutal her ex-boyfriend dumped her at the prom.

Entering the realm of being a man made Blake not hear the door open. He did hear Lori at the top of her lungs scream “You fucking bastard.” Those words filled Blake with fear. He might have believed that he was now a man, but his actions tonight only reaffirmed to everyone how much of a cowardly scared little boy he was.

Hearing Lori’s accurate description of Blake finally let the woman underneath the boy see through his deceit. The woman who was twice used tonight was not going to have any more self-pity. She was not going to be sad and wallow. Instead she was going to stand up for herself as she was laying on her back. She slapped Blake as hard as she could and pushed him off of her.

The reaction from Blake’s affair partner made Lori know that her no good soon to be ex also cheated her. That whoever that was underneath him was not Lori’s enemy but her sister. Then when Kate’s face came into the light Lori had a new level of anger at Blake. That boy was a predator, he prayed on someone who was hurting.

The new sisters made eye contact. This changed Kate’s plan of begging for forgiveness. She knew for the compassion mixed in with the fury in Lori’s eyes that they now had a bond. To make the bond stronger Kate said “Let’s make this right.”

So, they proceeded to start rectifying Blake’s actions. They took his clothes, his bags and everything else he had in that room and threw them all into the hall. As they were ejecting Blake’s belongings they were also telling him to get out. This was the beginning of the healing process for both of them.

Blake was scrambling like a confused pilot late for a mission as he was trying to get his clothes when the doors in the halls started to open. The commotion caused by Lori and Kate reacting to the vile person he was disturbed the occupants of the rooms. They needed to see what was going on. Loud noise late at night at a resort filled with teenagers had to be something worth seeing. When they saw Blake stripped down to the bone as his true self, a scared little boy, they all laughed.

Matt kept on looking at the doors as he was eagerly waiting for Lori to come back from getting her phone. The window of time in which they could call Luke was going to close soon and Matt was wondering what was taking Lori so long to get back with her phone. There was no chance that Lori was not coming back down. Luke’s sister was too excited about the other members of the Saturday Morning Bike Club talking with him. Even if she was not extremely enthusiastic about them all sharing time together, there was no way she was going to be spending any time with Blake. Her anger at how he treated her at the prom was more intense than a New Year’s Day swim in the North Sea. She was also acting as frigidly towards her boyfriend as the water for that swim.

The boy who wanted to talk with one of his closest friends was not going to wait patiently for Lori to come. Not being proactive was exactly the reason he lost so much time with Luke. He was not going to lose those two being a part of their huge night. He told his girlfriend, Renee, he was going to Lori’s room to see what was taking her so long and would be right back.

In the lobby, Matt got a lucky break in trying to find Lori. He saw an upbeat Blake walking with his bag towards the exit. No one who was annoyed would have the pep in his step like Blake did. Lori’s friend was a little disappointed that Lori’s boyfriend was in such a good mood. That was a bad sign, if Lori and Blake once again got back together after a break up. Matt did find the good in the bad situation for Lori. She was going to have at least some good memories of her prom night.

After calling out to Blake to get the happy boy's attention Matt asked where Lori was. In a gleeful voice the boy who thought he became a man answered the question by saying “Why should I know? I broke up with that bitch.”

*********
Having an intense experience drained people. Being content made people want to stay where they are at. Being intimate with someone for the first time made people feel exposed. Laying naked next to the person someone loves made them want to stay to savor the moment. These are just a few of the reasons why Luke and Mary did not join their guests at the after prom party. The two lovers were more than happy to keep on sharing a moment of bliss together after they gave each other bliss.

Luke and Mary never thought this moment was going to end. Time was standing still. This was the closest the couple ever felt to each other. Half of who they were was laying next to them. As they were settling into what they believed was their eternity Luke’s phone started yelling at them for attention. Luke and Mary got pulled out of their own personal paradise by whoever was calling them. Knowing he had to live in reality and not that fantasy Luke answered the phone.

***********

After hearing from her boyfriend about where Lori was, Renee called Tracy and Ming over. Those two were going to want to help Lori get over her broken heart. She started to hastily pack her and Matt’s stuff from the poolside. Time was not of the essence, but Renee wanted to be there for Lori as soon as possible.

Laying next to the lady who was in a hurry was Amanda. She was too tired from the long day of decorating and enjoying the prom to enjoy a dip in the swimming pool. Seeing her friend in what looked like a panic, Amanda asked Renee “What up!”

“Oh, Blake broke up with Lori. We want to get up there to see if there is anything which can be done.”

“Yinz, get going. I’ll finish getting your things together and take them to my room. Tell Lori she can call me if she needs anyone to talk to. OK?”

As she was saying “will do,” Renee hugged her friend. Tracy thanked Amanda for getting their things before they left and Ming as he reached for a piece of paper said he would catch up with them.

As he was fidgeting with the paper Ming said “Thank you. Amanda I know you and Lori do not get along. She has not always acted like the best person. She has done a lot of growing up and so have you.

“Here is a little token of thanks for helping us be there for her and also offering to be there.”

After giving that little speech Ming handed Amanda a physical representation of his thanks, a zhezhi swan. Amanda smiled and thanked Ming for the origami. He thanked her and went off without correcting her. Her knowing it was the Chinese version of paper art was not important right now. Catching up with the rest of the group to be there for Lori was.

It did not take long for the straggler to reunite with the group. They were only walking in a hurry and he did a light jog. Ming did not bust into a full sprint because he did not want to draw attention to himself and more importantly he did not want to take a chance of running into anyone. When he finally was with the rest of the gang Ming simply and elegantly apologized for lagging behind by saying “Sorry about that. I said thanks and made her a zhezhi swan. I wanted to make sure Amanda knew how much we appreciated her finishing packing up our things.”

Tracy Armstrong, Ming’s prom date, found what he did to be sweet. She rubbed his arm and kissed him on the cheek before saying “You are so nice.” After giving the small compliment Tracy ended the quick showing of affection by starting another one by holding Ming’s hand.

After meeting with Matt, Renee along with the budding new couple of Ming and Tracy made their way to Lori’s room. The chatter was about how to deal with the situation. Ming came up with the best plan of following Lori’s lead. It was her they needed to help and the biggest part of being there for someone is actually being there. That is, pay attention and sort out what they need to deal with it in the best possible way.

Arriving at Lori’s door they all paused. They did not know who should knock. Tracy suggested the person should be her new beau. After all, out of them, he was the one who knew this side of Lori for the longest and the most. Before anyone could agree, Ming knocked. It made the most sense to him, if he did not wait until others prompted him to do so, the act would seem more of his own doing. That would make how everyone reacted be more natural and authenticity was needed. After Ming’s tap on the door announcing their arrival, the gang waited.

***********

Blake made the choice to go to the gameroom instead of the swimming pool. He finally entered into manhood and everyone knew that men shoot pool and boys played in pools. The darkly lit room felt like a bar to Blake. That was where men went. He casually made his way to the bar and ordered a coke. The server using a fountain gun to pour his drink into a real glass and putting a slice of lemon on the rim made Blake feel like he was drinking the soft drink like a man. Pouring from a can in a plastic cup was how a boy would have been served the drink.

Leaving the bar and going to mingle with the rest of the group, Blake was stopped by Peter Collins. The senior was upset and felt horrible about himself and was asking everyone if they saw Katie Amos. His relationship with Katie ended tonight. She found out at the prom of his plan of ending it with her right after graduation. He knew he messed up letting that information come to light on such a special night. Right now, all Peter wanted to know was how Katie was doing. If she was fine then he could quit beating himself up.

Blake answering he left her with Lori in such a matter-of-fact manner was a relief to Peter. Blake not showing any anger towards Peter was a great sign that Katie, her ex, was already moving on from their relationship. Knowing that Katie had people there to support her took away Peter’s sense of guilt. Not having to be concerned if Katie was crying, made Peter feel how Atlas felt when Hercules gave him a break. The man who had the weight of the world off of his shoulder, showed his gratitude by putting his hand on Blake’s shoulder and saying “Thank you. It is so cool that you and Lori were there for her.”

Blake wanting to get all the credit for being there for Katie corrected Peter. “It was just me. Lori and I broke up. She came back to the room when Katie and I really needed a little privacy.”

Peter’s hand was still on Blake’s shoulder and he started clenching down on it. That was a sign of his disapproval of hearing that those two needed a little privacy. He knew the man code. Needing a little privacy was just a way of saying having sex. He gave Blake a chance to clear up what he said, “What do you mean you needed a little privacy?”

Hearing the disapproval in Peter’s voice made Blake take a step back. He always wanted to get far away when someone confronted him. “Calm down Pete. You broke up with Katie tonight. It’s none of your business why Katie and I needed a little privacy.”

The mad senior amped up showing his disdain for what Blake was insinuating by poking his finger in the boy’s chest and stating. “You better not have taken advantage of Katie, you little fucker.”

Blake got more defensive by blustering himself up. “Like I said, calm down Pete. Don’t talk about me taking advantage of Katie. You were doing that. You planned to break up with her right after you graduated. You were just keeping her around until you had no use for her.”

“Fuck you man! I love Katie.”

Peter’s words match his actions of them both being true. He did love Katie, but wanted some freedom. He did not want to have to consider anyone else when making his plans for his epic summer. How could his senior year’s summer be one to remember if he could not do anything he wanted at any time he wanted to. Katie would have just held him back.

Tom and a couple of Peter’s friends arriving at the verbal ruckus made Blake get brave. He knew those calmer heads would not let the hothead he was talking to get physical. Peter’s buddies would want to make sure that he could walk on graduation day. Tom would want to make sure that Blake’s rep did not take any damage by his friend getting his ass wiped by Peter. “Yeah, you love her so much you broke her heart tonight.”

David Mullins, Peter’s friend, knew that those two talking was a bomb ready to go off so he was going to defuse the situation. “Just leave, Blake.”

Blake amped up the situation. He had nothing to lose now. He was as protected as a vase surrounded by bubble wrap. “No. You take Pete out of here. He’s a punk who is just mad that he lost a good girl and I was able to get with her.”

Peter had enough. The frustrated teenager was ready to start fighting to defend his honor and act like he was defending Katie's and he lunged at Blake. His friend held him back. Pete reacted by struggling to get free. The boy who was egging him on was going to get broken. Blake deserved the beating which Peter was more than happy to give to him. Defending himself was more important than wearing a gown and mortarboard to get handed a lambskin.

David, still working on defusing the situation, looked right into Peter’s eyes as he was saying “He’s not worth it man.”

Even with his mind being foggy from the haze of anger in it, Peter had some clarity. His friend would not steer him wrong. After all, David was one of the ones who made him see why Peter needed to be free this summer. “You’re right, let’s go.”

Blake was not going to let the last words be those which made him look weak. He was protected. Peter’s antagonist had the higher ground of knowing nothing would make this escalate into a fight. “David is right. Trying to look like you’re doing the right thing is not worth getting your ass kicked.”

Peter knew he was not going to have the chance to physically knock Blake out but he remembered a nice haymaker which would metaphorically do so. On his way out of the gameroom he said, “Oh shut up, Black Eye Blake.”

***************

Being there for Katie was the only reason Lori was not crying. The girl with a broken heart was using a great way to forget about her sorrow and pain, being there to help another girl with a broken heart get over their sorrow and pain. Dealing with someone else’s issue was a great short-term method of not having to deal with the issues which are bringing you down. There was one significant pitfall in dealing with one pain in this manner. It only dealt with the symptoms and not the cause of the sorrow and pain. That once there was no one else to help, she would now have to deal with the built-up sorrow and pain from what was bothering her.

The reprise of having to deal with her broken heart ended with a knock on her door. Her friends and reality were on the other side waiting to be let into the room. Even with wanting to stay in the fantasy of not dealing with her pain Lori knew she had to open the door. One of the lessons she got from the taming of the Brat Princess was that she needed to live in reality instead of what she and others wanted life to be.

Lori asked Ming and the rest of her friends to wait a minute. That time was used to start gathering herself to be able to greet her welcomed guests with a smile. The unwanted tagalong, her heartbreak, had put a frown on her face. Now was a time to be strong, tonight was about having a good time. Lori was not going to have the new issue in her personal life bring others down. Their memories of this night should be a joyous one for the prom goers to fondly look back on.

The smile in Lori’s face was glistering as brightly as the sequins on her dress as she opened the door. After all, she was a great actress. She honed that skill by feigning her emotion to get her way when she was in the War of the Twins. Even with wanting to be honest with her friends, Lori did not feel guilty. This was a brave front she was putting on for them, not her trying to manipulate them to achieve one of her goals.

Ming, Tracy, Matt, and Renee unexpectedly were surprised in seeing Katie with a broken smile inside Lori’s room. Those four did their best to repress any sign of being caught off guard. Having a look of confusion or bewilderment would be taken negatively by Lori’s guest. What was upsetting Katie might be a mystery, but her needing comfort and to feel welcomed was not.

Matt asked Katie if she wanted more time to talk with Lori. He knew better than to ask a sniffling teenage girl with running mascara if everything was alright. Clearly, it was not. Doing what was best to make Katie get better was more important than talking with Luke. The call was going to be a surprise, plus his friend was coming back home for two weeks in a month.

Now it was time for Katie to pull herself together. She did not answer Matt’s question right away. During that time she was gathering the strength to say no and get ready to leave. The heartbroken girl’s opinion of men was low at that moment. Tonight two members of the opposite sex did not care about her feelings, other than to get what they wanted from her. Her self-esteem while dealing with men was low from being used and could not consider for a moment a man would want to be there for her. She was shown they only wanted to be with her.

Katie said “I will be leaving now. I have taken up enough of Lori’s time. You guys need to deal with her. Blake really hurt her.”

Lori defending her hurt ego and wanting to be in that fantasy world of being strong enough to not be hurt said “Katie, I am fine. I should have broken up with him years ago. That little boy will never grow up to be a man.”

Then reality, the final guest, made itself known when Katie said “Lori, I want to take a shower. I want to get Blake off of me. I still can’t believe that he fooled me into sleeping with him.”

Lori had no British heritage but somehow she kept a stiff upper lip as she was forced to stare deep into reality’s eyes. She showed no signs of being upset and held no ill will towards Katie for letting that embarrassing fact become common knowledge to her friends. The other heartbroken girl doing a superb job of exhibiting grace under pressure would have impressed Sir Alister Oliver Luckinbill III, the most British Brit ever. The quintessential Englishman would have said “Bully, bully,” to salute her for doing such a good job as he was twirling his handlebar mustache.

Lori stayed calm as she was saying, “You did me a favor. Catching him with you was the best thing for me. I am sorry that he hurt you.

“Katie, use the shower here. Ming will go get you a change of clothes from your room. Matt and Renee, sorry I didn’t come right back. We still have time to call my brother.”

Tracy offered to go with Ming. “Baobei are you sure? I know you would love to talk with Luke.”

Ming’s date agreed without knowing the meaning of Baobei. Even without that knowledge, Tracy could tell by the sweetness in Ming’s voice he just gave her a pet name. She was as sure as this night was special she much rather spend time with Ming than be there for the entire phone call. It would only take 10 minutes to get back from Tracy’s room and she would be able to spend more time with the man who found her precious.

****************

Luke and Mary were still existing in the state of now when his phone rang. The buzzing sound not only informed the two lovers there was an incoming call, but also that there was a past and future. Time not being static meant that their time together was limited. If staying in this bed meant no more past or future they would have gladly accepted having their fate be one of this eternal silent bliss.

Luke started to smile as he was looking at his phone. The call was from his sister and he found it sweet that she wanted to talk to him on their big night. Having that positive reaction to Lori calling him would have been unheard of just a couple of years ago. It was ironic that those two being far apart played a role in them becoming closer.

Luke’s smile also got bigger thinking there was a good chance he would be able to talk with Matt and Renee also. Luke only just started the reconnecting process with them and so wanted to spend some time with them before his visit home next month. He knew his sister well enough to know that she was all about grand gestures and having them with her for the call would be one. Also, it just fit Lori. Luke’s sister had a flair for the spectacular and would want to make her call be a memorable part of Luke’s night. She did love the limelight after all.

Luke answered the phone and Lori greeted him and said that Matt and Renee were there with her. He said he was going on the speaker because Mary was with him. Lori did the same for then it could be more like a group call.

The call went great. For the most part, they did talk about the prom so Luke and Mary were able to stay in the present. The future only reared its ugly head when Matt started to talk about how much he was looking forward to seeing Luke. One reason he wanted to talk about the future was his excitement about the Saturday Morning Bike Club being whole again. The other was that Luke asked Lori about her night. Matt knew that Lori had too much pride to want to be talking about how her heart was broken. Matt did not know that Lori also did not want to bring the night down for others. Part of that was also her pride. She had to be seen as strong enough to not have how Blake cheated on her be detrimental to her.

Luke became less responsive as Lori was trying to steer the conversation back to the prom. She much rather hear about the future, but knew Luke wanted to stay talking about the now. It was more than her brother wanting to be there for Lori which made him want to know what happened. To Luke, it felt right and natural for him to be looking out for Lori.

Reading people was a strength of Lori and she knew her brother wanted to know more about what she was keeping private. She pushed her pride aside and opened up to Luke. The truth came out about how she caught him with another girl and broke up with Blake. Just because Lori was being open to Luke she left out who it was. That part was not important and it was not her story to tell. Also, she did not want to make Katie feel bad about what happened. The other girl was lied to by Blake and she was hurting.

Hearing about the breakup made Luke so proud of Lori. He could tell by the sincerity in her voice that the relationship was permanently over. Lori not swearing vengeance on the other girl made Luke’s sense of pride grow even more. His sister was mature enough to see that the unlucky girl had been used by Blake. Seeing how much his sister had grown as a person by getting rid of the last vestiges of the Brat Queen made Luke feel closer to her.

Ming and Tracy finally returned from getting Katie a change of clothing. Lori used having Luke talk with Tracy as a way to change the subject. For once she did not want to be in the limelight. Tracy’s excitement about having such a good man as a prom date helped to move Luke away from his sister. It also made sure he did not move on to start thinking about how his time laying at Mary’s side was soon to come to an end. Someone sharing their joy has a way to bring people into the moment and not dwelling on either the past or the future.

The call ended with Tracy innocently being the reason why Luke started to think about his future AM, After Mary. The girl who wanted to make the connection she broke stronger, told Luke she was looking forward to him coming back to visit. There will be only one week left with Mary then. He wanted more time but knew it could not be. Mary had her life to live and he had his. Their paths were at a fork and it would not be fair to either of them to have the other follow a path which was not there. Mary deserved to be flying high in the sky and he deserved to be doing what he was passionate about. Little did Luke know that Mary could only reach her highest with him at her side and his true passion was not working with computers. It was sharing his life with his soul mate.

After the call, there was an uncomfortable silence between Mary and Luke. The future coming closer to becoming the present was lingering between them. Knowing this will not last was putting an even greater pressure on them to enjoy the now. Knowing their unwanted fate was making it hard to rest, but being tired from a long day was winning out. As the new lovers were drifting off to sleep, their minds went from being stuck in the future back to where they belong, the present. Mary and Luke were back in the bliss of the forever now as they went to the realm where they knew they would always be together, dreams.

Being in the now has the disadvantage of sometimes not seeing changes, even expected ones, until they are upon you. The past month both Luke and Mary were in the now. They were oblivious to how close her graduation was. They paid no mind to the changing of the day on the calendar. They made the unconscious decision to do so. How could they enjoy the bliss of being in the presence of the one who completes them if they knew the clock was ticking on it. That soon they would be without each other.

The sounds of Pomp and Circumstance being played by the underclass members of Jerry Brown High School Marching Band was a huge wake-up call for Luke. Ever since prom, he had been living in a dream. Each day was a perfect day and also he was under the delusion that this bliss would not end. Luke’s reality alarm clock going off woke him up. He knew his time in Camelot was quickly coming to an end. Soon Mary would be out of his life. She would only reside in his heart and memories.

Seeing the woman he loved, in her cap and gown, walking in the promenade of graduating seniors brought many different tears to his eyes. Tears of joy came from seeing his soulmate moving on to live her dreams. Tears of pain from not being a part of those dreams. They both had their own path to follow. Tears of love from caring about Mary for who she was not what she did for him. Tears of acceptance from telling himself the truth. This phase of his life was soon to be over. The only tears that a human has which were missing from Luke’s eyes were crocodile tears. All of his feelings were genuine and sincere.

Luke only fought back the tears of pain, loss, and sadness. Now was a time to celebrate. Mary was moving on to flying high. Wanting to be a pilot was part of her life before they became one. She would be happy and he would be happy also, he had got early acceptance to Stanford. Hard working people who chase their dreams are always happy. He saw that all the time on the shows he watched. Luke forgot one important fact, the Sun always shines on TV.

Mary, looking at Luke as she was walking down the aisle, got one final lesson from her schooling. Achievements and goals in life come with a price. There was a huge price she was paying for graduating high school and being able to go on to her next path in life, Luke will not be traversing it with her. This was the moment the girl was waiting for her entire life, yet it felt empty. She only was going to be able to share it with the person who meant the most to her. The fruit of her labors will only go on her plate. Mary will not be able to offer any to Luke.

Thinking of never being able to talk about her day with Luke made Mary start to panic. Her heart started to race. She played off her fear of never finding anyone as worthy as Luke to share her plate with as being childish. Afterall, she was given the gift of seeing herself through Luke’s eye. She knew she was an amazing person and in life, amazing people end up with amazing people. That is what she saw on the shows she watched. Mary forgot the one important fact, the Sun always shines on TV.

**************

Nothing would be better to Lori than if her mom and dad were busy with something when she opened the door. The heartbroken girl did not have the energy to engage with them. She used up all her strength and will power holding up a strong front infront of Matt, Renee, Tracy and Ming along with Amanda and Kat. Being around friends did help take the panging pain away from Lori’s heart until she saw one of the two couples show each other a little affection. Seeing Matt rubbing Renee back or Tracy finding any reason to touch Ming was a reminder of her relationship with Blake.

The sadness which came with those memories were not from what she lost, but from what she had. Her relationship with Blake was one-sided. He was not with Lori for who she was, but what he wanted to get from her, to get into her pants. Lori did take little solace in the fact she did not give in to him. That she did save herself for someone special. That was of course if she could find someone special. Having your heart broken by a person of low character like Blake was a jolt to a person’s self-confidence.

Lori losing her self-confidence changed her perception of who she was. The doubt of being worthy of having a special someone needed to be justified. The maturity she gained was now being seen as her trying to stay out of trouble. Lori felt that she was not acting good because she was a good person, but she did not want to face the consequences of bad actions.

Lori was greeted by her mom and dad talking about Alice’s upcoming 25th class reunion. Her mom was class president so she was in charge of running the event. Even if she had not hold that title, Alice would have forced herself onto the committee. She wanted the weekend to be as spectacular as she remembered her highschool days. Afterall, she was the Nostalgia Queen. This weekend had to reinforce how she saw herself, the most popular girl in school. That can only hold true if her class reunion was the best class reunion any of her classmates could ever hope to have.

Them talking about the most important event coming up in Alice’s life should have made it easy for Lori to greet them and then leave them. This was sadly not true for the girl Alice saw as her protege. Alice wanted Lori more involved in the planning. Her daughter was going to have the same responsibility of running her class reunions. Alice also wanted Lori to hear all about her court. The three ladies-in-waiting who worked diligently to make sure their Queen kept her power.

After saying hi to her parents then saying she was going up to her room, that dreaded word of wait came out of Alice’s mouth. Lori rolled her eyes. If Alice was not so wrapped up in living in the past she would not have looked kindly on her daughter’s blatant show of disapproval. The non-enthusiastic “what” Lori gave, was also blown off by Alice. She was feeling good about being able to relive her highschool days for a weekend, so she assumed the lack of energy from her daughter was just Lori being tired.

“Lori I just want your opinion on what you think would be the best activity for my class on the day before the reunion. I was thinking of having us go to Kennywood. We could spend the day riding some rides and not all have to be together the entire time.”

Alice’s other option was going to stay a mystery. Lori gave a one word answer of cool and then excuse herself for the evening. Fred could tell that his daughter was not feeling the discussion so before his wife could continue talking about her vanity project he excused Lori. He was a supporting husband so he had to listen to Alice revisiting and trying to relive her glory days, their daughter need not.

***********************

The week before Luke was going back to visit his family, he and Mary were always at each other's side, but never alone. They went out of their way to make sure that they had company. The other people around them chased away the building tension from their upcoming separation. They both were trying to figure out a way to stay together. Neither could and not failing the other made them feel pressure.

The issue was unsolvable because of Luke and Mary’s similar thinking. They would never dream of asking the other to give up their dreams. Having one give up a dream would just lead to resentment. Mary and Luke much rather be apart and still have the love for each other in their heart, than stay together and lose the love. Living on in each other’s hearts was more important to them than living together.

The star crossed lovers could not offer to give up their dream either. How could either of them expect the other to accept something they would not. Luke would never let Mary give up on her goal of being a fighter pilot and Mary would much rather never be up in the sky than have Luke not be the best educator he could.

Eck and Lil’ losing two weeks together did not add to the tension. This was for they were both going to be out of state from circumstances out of their control. Luke’s visit back to his parents was made by his mom. Alice wanted it at the beginning of the summer because of her class reunion. Luke needed to be back in Western Pa so he could meet her highschool friends. How else could Alice project having the perfect life, one which a homecoming queen deserved, if her son was so far away. Mary had a week of orientation at the Air Force Academy. After that, she was going up to Oregon to visit family.

********************
During Luke’s visit back home Alice felt like she was running around like the Red Queen would have her, without her head. The Nostalgia Queen was trying to do too much to impress people from her past. She was making sure every little detail was covered for her reunion weekend, and making contingency plans for if her contingency plans did not work out. This did not give her time to spend with Luke, even after she called him to her court to be in her presence.

Alice’s perpetual planning was a blessing for Luke. He wanted to spend time with his mom as much as a vampire wanted to soak in the sun. Luke rightfully held his mom never giving him a sincere apology about how she treated him against her. This made the young man resentful towards his mom. This resent was growing as Alice was putting making herself look good to strangers she used to know in front of spending time with her son. If Luke did not love her this would have made him apathetic towards his unregretful mom.

Even if Luke had a healthy strong relationship with Alice he still would have been happy. Ever since Luke had been back in Pittsburgh he had been making up for lost time with his friends.The Saturday Morning Bike Club were as close together as riders in a peloton. The harmony between Luke, Matt and Renee came from them all wanting to sing with each other. Luke had finally felt welcomed and back at home in Pittsburgh again.

Tracy and Ming were always around also. Getting to spend time with Tracy again was great. Luke was so happy to see how much his friend had matured from being that insecure lip biting girl. Getting to know Ming was a pleasure. Luke knew that Ming was a huge influence on Lori and this young man had help his twin sister grow as a person. If not for Ming there is a good chance that Lori and Luke would not have been able to start to repair their relationship.

Lori was another story. Luke was worried about her. He knew that Blake was no good for her so he was happy that those two broke up, but he was broken up by how hard his sister was taking it. Having someone you thought cared for you cheat on you was very forgein to Luke. That betrayal had to hurt so much, yet it was hard for him to reach out to Lori. He offered to spend time with her but she wanted the safety of her solitude. If no one was around they could not hurt her and she could not hurt them.

Even if Lori was in the mood for company, Luke would not fit the bill. Seeing her brother was a constant reminder of who she used to be. Luke had forgiven her for her past transgressions, but she had not forgiven herself. Luke wanting to be there for his sister during her time of need just made her feel unworthy of self-absolution. She was seeing her pain as penntance for all the things she had done to Luke.

Luke’s fifth day back home was two days before the start of Alice’s reunion weekend. Those two were going to have lunch out on the patio together. This was when she was finally able to schedule to spend time with only herself and her son.

As Alice was grilling the burgers Lori stepped out onto the patio. The girl was ready to quit from being in hiding from her past and how she saw herself. This moment of strength quickly went away when she saw Luke and she excused herself for intruding. She was not ready to directly face her brother. His presence was a constant reminder of who she thought she was. Plus his spending time with their mom was more important to Lori than her need to start living life again. She knew her mom would put the spotlight on her once again and right now Alice’s attention should be on Luke.

Alice was happy to see her daughter out and made a decree that she stayed and had lunch with them. The Nostalgia Queen wanted to spend time with her kingdom’s princess. They would be able to talk about the upcoming weekend.

Lori meekly declined as she was making sure to not look in Luke’s direction. Seeing him brought too much shame to her.

Alice got pissed that Lori was not obeying her order. She wanted to see her daughter right then and that would happen. She put the blame on not getting her way on Luke “Lori it will be only me and you eating lunch. Luke can head down to Tracy’s or Matt’s.”

Luke was fine about the plans being canceled. He much rather be spending time with anyone other than Alice and his sister was finally coming around to joining the living. As he started to escape the unwanted obligation of being in the presence of his mom Lori said “No, Luke you stay. I am going back to my room.”

Alice was happy with Luke leaving. She was going to be able to work spending time with him later. “Lori, it is fine Luke understands that you need me right now.”

“No, mom, no. You always put me ahead of Luke. You need to quit doing that. That is one of the reasons why Luke does not live at home. You treated him wrong and always downplayed the damage you did to him. You never even apologized to him for how you putting him in a dress messed up his childhood

“I am the other reason. I treated him badly. I saw him beneath me. I was stupid then, I am beneath him and do not deserve him as a brother. I do deserve to feel how I feel now. I deserve to have a broken heart for the rest of my life. I deserve to have people treat me as bad as Blake did because I am not a good person.”

Luke might have wanted out of his mom’s presence but could not let his sister downtrod herself. “Lori you don’t deserve to be treated bad. You have changed so much since I moved to California. You are not that self-centered brat that was competing for attention and would get it at any cost. I know that for that picture you painted of the cove. I have it hanging in my room. It was so touching you had that small detail of me and Mary out in the water together looking for a wave to ride. It showed you cared for me and know who I am.”

“I am sorry Luke. I should have been happy that so many of our friends liked you. I should have never been jealous. I was wrong for putting you down whenever I could and the easiest way possible. I will never do that again. I will alway try to make your life better when I can. I know right now me not being around is what will make your life better.”

“Lori I have forgiven you a long time ago. You need to forgive yourself. I do not know how to help you but I will be here for you and around. You becoming a bigger part of my life is how you can make it better,”

“Also it is fine that your mom never apologized. Why would she? She is not sorry. She does not care about seeing me, she just wants to put on a good front for her classmates. She needs them to see that she has a perfect life. That is why I am home now. It is not to spend time with me but to show me off to better how people see her.”

Alice was stupefied by hearing the words out of her children’s mouths. Her heart was filled with pain by the revelation that Luke did not believe she was sorry. She was and just assumed Luke knew. She said it once to him. That was always enough when her parents did something wrong. She knew now that was wrong. That not giving a proper apology was just sweeping the issue under the rug. Alice started to cry.

“Luke, I am sorry, I treated you so badly. I am not a good mother to you. I never was. You have to believe me that I lied to myself and thought that what I did was not that bad. This is the truth you were strong enough to handle it. That does not mean you should have. I should have been there for you. I should have never put how I wanted your childhoods to be as an expectation.

“I am happy for one thing, you finally found a good mom. My sister did more for you in three years than I have done in your entire life. I know we will never have the mother son bond but please let me somehow make our relationship better. I am going to make sure I have time for you. I am going to make sure that I am there for you.”

Those words took Luke back to before his mom ever put him in a dress. He admired his mom for admitting she was wrong. The last thing he wanted was to feel apart from her and her to feel apart from him. A child never liked to see their parents cry. Tears were flowing from Luke’s eyes as he was running towards his mom. He went towards her because he wanted to be close to her and do whatever he could to take away her pain. He hugged his mom and said “I love you mommy. You are not a meany. You are my mom and you will always be her. Be my mom.”

At that moment Alice became a true mom to Luke. She was going to be there for him and do what she could to make his life better. Her wants and desires will freely be beneath doing what is right for Luke. She asked her son what he wanted. Luke sniffling from his nose being clogged said “For me you and Lori to have a nice lunch together. For us to be together as a family.”

Alice said “Lori please stay for lunch we all want you here. We can be together. Your brother wants you here.”

Lori knew the only way to get her strength back was to face her past. That confronting her misdeeds was the only way to have them where they belonged, behind her. It was going to take support from her mom and Luke to do so, but she had faith in them. “I want that also. I want to be with my brother.”

Fred came home after 5 and saw something he never thought he would, Luke and his wife sitting on the patio laughing and having a real conversation. Those two stayed out after lunch and spent the time openly catching up with each other. Luke telling her about his friends and adventures back in California did not feel like he was just performing his duty as a son. He was sharing with his mom.

Fred sat down and joined the conversation. He was not going to question what happened to help the rift between his wife and Luke start to close. Fred was going to enjoy having a real family moment with them for the first time in years.

*******************

The bike park felt like home to Luke. It was a nice June day. The warmth of the sun shining felt good. The light cool breeze made sure that there was no overheating. The air smelled clean. The pleasantness of the weather was shared by the people enjoying this fine day.

Even with it being years since Luke was at the bike park spending time with Matt and Renee, he felt as comfortable as a dog sleeping on its favorite blanket. It also felt as familiar to him as that resting place did to the hound. Being at ease put him in the now. He was not thinking of the impending end of his shared love story with Mary. He was not thinking about how hard it was going to be to adjust to the new normal. He felt like he was where he should be.

Luke was feeling he was home more than visiting when Matt made a comment that it would be great if they could all share their senior year in passing. To Luke’s friend this was just wishful thinking. That statement was an indirect way to say he wanted their friendship to become stronger.

That verbalization of Matt’s thought pulled Luke from being in the now to having to deal with reality. Doing his senior year in California did not seem as enticing as having it with The Saturday Morning Bike Club and rebuilding his connection to his mom. Yes he would be leaving the Cove Crew, but that was always a limited time engagement. He knew he would feel more like an alum during his senior year. The people who gave him a deep connection to the crew would be gone. The worst part is their ghosts would linger and he could not move on from them moving on if he stayed. He loved Dirt and the rest of the crew, but did not have the same comradery. He did not like that being in the crew would feel more like doing his duty than spending time with them.

Luke smiled and agreed with Matt and did not let on with what he was thinking. He did not want to give himself or his friend hope. As they went back to just enjoying being in each other's presence, in the back of his mind Luke was working out how to make Matt’s pipedream a reality.

*****************
The sour part of Bittersweet news was usually painful from the selfish point of view. The pain came from focusing on what was being lost instead of what was being gained. This was why Bridgett and Maurice were so happy after catching up with their nephew Luke on how his trip back to Pittsburgh was going. How could they not be happy that he was going home. They helped Luke go from an insecure little boy to a strong self confident man who looks out for others. Their work was done and his time living with them was over.

Yes they were about to become empty nesters, but they did gain so much which will stay behind. They knew that Shy and Greg K. would still stop by. Those two became surrogate family members and lived too close not just to stop by to say hi.

The evening was upon them, so after expressing their feelings on this good news, went outside to enjoy the sunset and start grilling supper. Knowing the future was going to be bright for all involved added to the joy in their heart and made it easy for them to go back to living their life instead of focusing on the past and what would not be.

*******************
The Craving of the Support Beam was a rite of passage for the Cove Crew. This made it a ritual instead of a ceremony. It was done when it needed to be done instead of a set time and place. With Mary needing to go to the Air Force Academy tomorrow, tonight was the night Mary was going to make her mark on a piece of wood to represent the mark she made on members of the Cove Crew.

Mary craving her name was an act of separation, transition, and reincorporation. She was leaving the crew to move on to the next phase of her life. Even with her not being a member of the Cove Crew, signing her name on that pillar was a promise that she would always be a part of them. That she would live her life in a way which the other members would be proud of. That they would always have a connection. That their impact on her life would not be forgotten.

The makeshift ritual site was set up. All the litter from above the boardwalk was cleared, there were two torches lit, and a path made in the sand from the torches to this year’s Support Beam and then from the Support beam to the firepit. Only those who were craving the beam and their torch bearing could walk that path. They would lead the rest of the Crew to the fire pit to commemorate the beginning of the celebration by lighting it.

All the members of the crew were gathered waiting for Mary and Luke to arrive so she could say her final goodbye to them. Tomorrow she would no longer be one of them, but on an airplane flying towards making one of her dreams a reality.

Luke seeing all the smiling faces of these people made him choke up. Tonight was not only the last time he was going to see Mary, but also the last time he would see their faces. He was also leaving on an airplane tomorrow to fly towards making one of his dreams a reality. He was going to go back home.

He held back the tears. Tonight was about celebrating the future so there was no time for sadness. Tonight was also all about Mary. She deserved to see the biggest smile of the night on his face. The person who had the most room in her heart should be the happiest for her being able to make her desires come true.

Luke was able to spend the day with Mary instead of performing the duty of helping prepare for tonight’s ritual. Dirt made the excuse of giving Eck as much time as possible with Lil’ as to why he did not want his help getting under the boardwalk ready for tonight. The true reason was Dirt knew that Luke was also leaving them soon and did not want one of the people they were honoring tonight to have to do any of the prep work.

Luke going back home was only known by Dirt. If Luke did not feel the responsibility of making sure the next de facto leader of the crew knew, he would have not told him. Dirt kept the secret because he knew it was told to help the crew. Luke’s final gesture before becoming an emeritus member of the Cove Crew was to ensure the good hands they would be left in was prepared to assume his role in keeping the crew strong.

Dirt’s actions with this knowledge would also cement his place as the elder of this tribe called the Cove Crew. He kept Luke’s leaving private until the time was right to expose it to the rest of the crew, right after Mary carved her name. That time was almost upon for the guests of honor arrived.

The direct and unpretentious ceremony was about to start. The Crew knew they did not need bells and whistles added to what occurred at the Craving of the Support Beams to make it memorable. Tonight would be notable by all the memories which were shared as the participants of the carving placed their name on the beam.

Dirt called for Mary as soon as Luke and her stopped. The sudden beginning was not due to Dirt being in a hurry to get it over. He wanted to make sure that Luke did not ruin his plans by taking over. To have Luke also carve, someone has to call him up to the beam and offer him the knife. Luke would not do so. He wanted tonight’s spotlight to be on Mary and only her.

When Mary stood next to Dirt and the torches he asked her “Who would be your torchbearer?”

Even with Mary’s answer already being known this was a vital part of tonight’s ritual. The carver of the beam was free to choose anyone and any reason was the right one. Most people choose as their torchbearer the member of the crew they were closest to. This was a way to make one last special memory with each other. Some members chose someone they wished they had gotten to know better. Others chose someone they knew needed a boost. They wanted their last act as a crew member to be uplifting to one of their brothers/sisters-in-arms.

The reason why Luke was the obvious choice was that he fit the three main reasons behind picking a torchbearer. Mary wanted to make yet another memory to share with Luke. She wished she had more time to get to know him better. To her eternity would not be enough time. Lastly she knew Luke needed a boost for his heartache. She was sharing that pain also.

Luke’s torch was to Mary’s carving as he was to her life, the North Star. Him being part of the brightest light in the night sky was helping her navigate what she had to do to reach her destination just like he did by supporting her dream of becoming a pilot.

The moment of him helping her was also her carving her name in the heart of the biggest support beam in her life, Luke. Tonight was important for Mary was making a marker that she was part of something bigger than herself. Years from now members of the Cove Crew would look at the pillars and know she made what they were a part of what it is today. Luke would always remember that he helped her claim the impact she made on those around her and those who will come after her.

When Mary was done engraving her name on the pillar Luke had to start turning away from the pillar and towards the beach. He was on auto-pilot and knew the next part of tonight’s proceedings was the procession to the lighting. If he hesitated to wait for Dirt to say what to do, Luke might have started crying. The end of what should never end was almost upon him.

Dirt said wait. Luke did not care why Dirt was holding up the natural progression of the night. Those words were a temporary reprieve from life after Mary. Those words let Luke have a little more time being at his girlfriend’s side and anytime at Mary’s side was worth remembering.

After everyone else paused from them moving on to the next part of tonight’s festivities, Dirt cleared his voice. He also had to hold himself together, right now he was about to state to everyone about losing the person dear to him. Luke brought him into the fold. Dirt would not be surrounded by so many good friends had Luke not reached out to him. Dirt wanted more time with Luke but knew he already had more than enough time. Any more time would just be them delaying what should be, everyone moving on to the next chapter of their lives.

“There is another torch so we are not done with carving the pillars. Another member of our crew will be leaving us after tonight. Their time here is done. We cannot let them leave us without them marking being a part of us on this Support Beam.

“Luke was only supposed to be here for a summer. Until he was ready to go back home. That summer became three years because he was not ready yet. He found a connection with us which needed to be fostered. He found Mary and needed as much time with her in his life as he could have. Now the connections between Luke and all of us are as strong as they can be and his time with Mary is over so it is time for him to go back home.

“Luke, who do you pick to be your torchbearer?”

Mary was the answer to this question. The answer was a forgone conclusion just like when the master of the ceremony asked it the first time of Mary. The reasoning behind the answer was also the same.

As Mary was going to get the second torch, Dirt hugged Luke as he took the torch from him. He whispered in Luke’s ear, “There was no way I could let you go without us honoring you. You know that. My brother, I love you.”

Those words were affirmation to Luke that Dirt did the right thing. There was no way a member with good standing in the crew was going to leave them without carving their name on a Support Beam. There was no better time for Luke to make his mark as when Mary did hers. There would be no better placement for Luke’s carving than right next to Mary’s. That placement would reflect where both of them were when they were in the Cove Crew. This was a way for them to stay symbolically together even after going their separate ways.

Just like in their relationship and Luke did earlier, Mary was his North Star as he carved his name next to hers. When he finished the rest of the crew gave Mary and Luke a little extra space as they led them to the fire pit. This time was personal and intense for both of them and the crew wanted to let them have this moment alone.

Luke started answering Mary’s question of why he did not tell her even before she could get it out of mouth. “Mary, I am going back to Pittsburgh because it is my childhood home. My time here is over. There is nothing to keep me here. We are both moving on from this time in our life and I needed to be somewhere else.

“I also need to finish what I came out here for, to be able to go back with my parents when it is time for me. It is. I reconnected with my closest friends, Lori and I have become brother and sister and my Mom finally understands what she did.

“Being at your side is home, but I cannot have that so I need to be at the second best place.”

Mary said “I understand.”

Luke’s other half did understand his going back to Pittsburgh was for the best. He was not running away from the memories of her, but taking them with him as he carried on living his life. She was happy that he was returning back to his childhood home. This meant he was not putting his life on hold by holding out on hope that Mary would come back to him instead of staying on the course of making her dreams come true.

They both used their torches to light the bonfire. That fire sparkled a new now. They both relayed that the shared chapter of their life was over. They both were determined to make the best of the little time they had left. Even with them not being together they both knew they would always be in each other's heart.

Mary and Luke made sure to say a quick goodbye to those dear to them. It was tempting to have an Irish goodbye to gain a couple more minutes of being together. Those two decided not to, it was more important to them to give a proper leaving salutation. They might have wanted as many memories with each other as they could make, but knew they also needed to have one more with Shy, Greg K., and Dirt. Then after sharing hugs and tears those two went to Luke’s Aunt Bridgette’s guest house to bask in the now together one last time.

****************

Luke was finally able to get his old bedroom his way again. The only changes to his old bedroom were two pieces of wall art. The painting of the Cove Lori made for him and his surfboard. The picture showed his sister’s potential as a person. It reminded him that how people grow and change was by who stood by them and was their support. Lori started on her road to become a better person by being around the Cove Crew.

His surfboard could not perform its intended function in Pittsburgh. None of the city’s three rivers was known for waves. Instead of it becoming a useless piece of junk Luke gave his surfboard a new function by attaching it to the wall. It went from being a recreational water vehicle to becoming a momento, a souvenir from his longest vacation. He would be able to surf the waves of memories by looking at his board.

On Luke's first weekend back in Pittsburgh there was no welcome home party. They scheduled it for the next weekend because Renee was away at a BMX race. Alice wanted this time to be used for Luke and Lori to spend time together. Lori needed to connect with her brother and Luke wanted to be there for his heartbroken sister. Alice suggested that Luke and Lori spent the day together at the wave pool. The suggestion was not a real suggestion, it was Alice’s way of telling her kids to spend the day together.

Lori hated having to spend time with Luke. She felt nothing but shame. How could her brother forgive her for all of the things she had done to him. She knocked him down numerous times yet that was all forgiven by her standing up for him once. That was not fair, Luke had the right to be the only child and shine in that spotlight.

After they arrived at the wave pool, Luke rented two rafts as his sister changed. Luke had to hold in his laughter seeing that blue and white striped bikini on his sister. That was so childish, but in a way Luke felt like he deserved it. He wanted to hurt Lori with his words and she was going to want to return the favor. He waved her over with a big smile on his face. Lori rolled her eyes. That act of kindness, being happy just seeing her, killed Lori a little inside. How could someone she had detested so much want to be around her.

Lori was close to Luke when she rolled her eyes again. He knew her show of discontent was not aimed at him. He looked at Lori's line of sight and saw Blake there. That was one of those no-good bastards who cheated on Lori. As she walked by Blake said to his new girlfriend “There is the bitch I used to go out with.”

Hearing those words made Luke go into big brother mode. This was the moment when Lori was going to need Luke and he was not going to let his little sister down. He walked up to Blake and as he was firmly tapping on Lori’s ex’s shoulder said “Don’t talk about Lori like that.”

Blake turned around to see what loser his ex was going out with. He saw Luke. Making eye to eye contact with a ghost from his past made Blake turn as white as the beach towel he was holding. Luke defending his sister took Blake back. Those two hated each other. All he could say was “I was pointing out another girl I went out with.”

“Who Black Eye Blake?”

Nina, Blake’s girlfriend, in a questioning manner said “Black Eye Blake?”

At that moment, Lori knew right then even with everything she did to Luke, her brother loved her. Him defending Lori made all of her self-doubt about her worth go away. She also found out that she loved her brother. Luke had a knack for bringing out the best in people by lifting them up. The girl who got her groove back was more than happy to inform this nameless girl why Luke called her man Black Eye Blake. The pride Lori had for her brother was heard for the first time when she said “That is what my bro calls him. See each time Blake tried to fight my brother your boyfriend ended up with a black eye.”

“Luka likes to wear dresses.”

The newly reignited fire in Lori’s soul from Luke’s support gave the former Brat Princess the strength and energy to go in for the kill and slay her personal drake, “Blake, Black Eye Blake, you are nothing but a little boy so concerned about proving you are a man to others. You should instead worry about becoming one instead. You are so scared of what others think of you. That is because you know they will not like the real you. A scared little boy who will hurt others to make himself feel better.

“Now his name is Luke, use it and don’t lie about my brother.”

The look Blake got from Luke told him that he got one free pass saying Luka. The boy who was put in his place still wanted to try to get under his nemesis' skin and asked “Doesn’t your sister look great in that bikini.”

Luke did get a tear of joy hearing his sister call him bro. He was looking forward to being able to call Lori sis for the first time. Blake did not know that the past could not hurt Luke anymore. The man standing next to the boy was not concerned about what someone like Blake thought of him. Luke responded to Blake’s lame attempt to tear him down with a nonchalant. “Yes she does.”

Then he hit Blake with a cold hard truth, “You messed up cheating on her. She was the best thing you had in your life.”

Finally to get Lori away from the pain of being around her past the older brother said “Come on sis, let’s go put our towels down and hit the pool.”

Blake’s words brought shame to Lori. She remembered that she had a blue and white striped bikini. She wanted to change out of that unintentionally mocking outfit. Plus, she did not feel like sunbathing or swimming. Hearing her big bro calling her sis and looking out for her made Lori want to connect with Luke. “How about we leave the wave pool and just hang out at the Bike Park. It will be nice to just sit and chat.”

Those two went to the bike park and just sat and talked. Luke would have loved to spend the day in the water. The imitation waves would have been a reminder of the rides in the ocean. The smell of coconut would have reminded him of just laying on the beach resting around other sunbathers. The beach boy loved the idea of talking with his sis even more than being reminded of the past.

All the kids running around, skating on their boards or riding their bike was just a nice background to Luke and Lori. Those two only lightly talked about the past. The past was over and they both wanted to look forward towards the future. By the end of day Alice got what she always wanted. She could not force it or have it exactly how she wanted it, but now Luke had a little sister and Lori had a big brother.

***************

Almost a year had passed by since Luke and Lori truly became brother and sister. The only part of their senior year which was left was a formality. They had finished taking all their finals. The only part of their high school experience which was left was graduation. With the month of May being so busy with prom also, Luke assumed that there would only be a very low key birthday celebration. Just a cake and nothing else. His family had been eating out so much in the last month that going to a restaurant would not be a special occasion. The assumption was wrong.

Lori loved parties. Before, she loved putting herself in the spotlight, now the ex-princess loved putting someone else in it. She loved her brother and he deserved to have the brightest spotlight on him, for their birthday for once. She had many memories of being in the spotlight and pushing him to the background. On their 18th birthday Luke deserved a party fitting for how great of a brother he was to her. She was going to throw Luke a surprise birthday party.

If Lori had a notion for something to happen, it was going to happen. Luke’s sister might have not been the Brat Princess anymore, that did not mean she lost the ability to get her way. The reason for her being able to get what she wanted was how strong willed she was. The manner which Lori got what she wanted changed. Instead of using lies and deceit, she now used determination and her know-how.

Back at the end of April, Lori approached her mom and dad with her surprise birthday party plan. Her parents were on board right away. They loved the idea. As soon as they heard their daughter suggested that Luke should have his own party they knew Lori would throw one. If they did not help out, she would have just used her own money to fund the party.

Lori started to tell them her plans for the party and Fred interrupted her. He stated that he was in charge of the cake. He was adamant about having that responsibility. To his wife and daughter, Fred taking the initiative to be in the party preparation was out of character. Fred’s philosophy of having a great party was in who the guests were, not in the details.

Being concerned about the party was actually in character for Fred. Six years ago he gave his word to a lonely little boy celebrating his birthday on his own. Fred promised his son that at the next birthday party all of his friends and family would be surrounding him as he blew out the candles on his Rodo-Mon cake. Now Fred could keep his word.

Getting Luke out of the house to set up for the party was easy. Aunt Bridget and Uncle Maurice were flying in on his birthday. They were keeping their word of attending his graduation. Coming in a week early also let them be there to celebrate Luke and Lori’s birthday also. Alice suggested that Luke went with his girlfriend, Tracy, to get her sister and brother-in-law. The idea did not raise suspicion from Luke. This would give him time alone with those two. Plus, he wanted them to meet Tracy.

Luke and Tracy started going out at the beginning of the school year. Tracy had been smitten with him ever since she thought that getting the cooties would not be that bad if they came from Luke. Luke also had a crush on Tracy back then. The crush soon came back to Luke when Tracy started to act like herself around him.

Lori was running around the backyard making sure everyone and everything was ready for the arrival of the guest of honor. Once Luke’s sister was satisfied with the yard she walked up to the patio. The cake was on the patio. The placement of the cake there was important to Lori. She still saw the patio as a special place. Her brother should be above people as they honor him. This was not because he was better than them. Lori knew that no one was better than anyone else. Being elevated, made sure that for that moment, all eyes were on him. Lori wanted to make sure that the spotlight on Luke was as bright as she could make it.

Lori saw the cake and she started to panic. The full sheet cake was decorated on the right side with Rodo-Mon and on the left with Chisaimon. The cake was for both of them. This was wrong. Lori wanted today to be all about Luke. Lori had enough days which were all about her, she needed her brother to have the same. The loving sister gave many warnings to everyone in attendance to not even wish her a happy birthday during the party. This was so everyone knew today was going to be all about Luke.

Fred saw Lori becoming flustered. In a confident voice, Lori’s dad said, “Trust me. This is the cake Luke wants. I promised him this cake many years ago.” How assured of himself Lori’s dad was, worked in bringing her at peace. Him bringing up keeping his word from the distant past helped also. Lori might have been legally an adult today, but she was still young enough to know how important promises were to a small child. Fred said one day Luke would have this cake and having this cake would mean the world to her brother.

He knew the cake was the right choice. He told Luke about getting a vanilla cake for his birthday. Fred wanted to make sure he got the right flavor. It has been 5 years since he got Luke a cake. Luke said that the cake batter should be half vanilla and half chocolate. Afterall, it was Lori’s birthday also. Luke looking out for his sister gave Fred an idea. The cake decoration would be half for Lori and half for Luke also.

Lori had no time to check anything else. The back gate started to open. The guest of honor had arrived. Going to his house in this unconventional manner did alert Luke. His uncle was big into gardening and was talking about wanting to see what Fred and Alice were doing with their backyard. Once everyone made eye contact with Luke they screamed “Happy Birthday.”

Then something came over him, he felt the joy which was usually only reserved for children to feel. For a moment Luke reverted back to being a seven year old kid. He was not a scared one this time. He was brave. He got to feel the freedom every child should have of just being themselves. He felt unabashed and did not care that people saw the tears and ran towards his parents saying “I love you mommy and daddy!” He had a little skip in his step as going up the stairs to join his parents.He gave them a huge hug.

Everyone at the party was laughing with joy at seeing Luke’s reaction. It is not that often you see an 18 year old man running while saying mommy and daddy. The best part to the partygoers was that Luke was proud of showing how happy he was. It made them feel good that they were able to share his special moment.

Lori was affected the most at witnessing Luke’s happiness. Seeing her brother run to be with their parents brought tears of joy to her eyes. This moment was beautiful to her. She never thought that seeing her brother in the spotlight would make her feel so good. Yet, there she was with the warmest feeling she ever had in her heart.

They sang “Happy Birthday” to Luke and he blew out the number 18 candles. Fred hugged his son and in Luke’s ear said “It might be late, but I told you this would happen. Happy Birthday son.” After the father-son embrace, Alice handed Luke a knife. As he took the knife from his mom, Luke whispered “Keep the candles handy.” He cut the first piece. The first piece of cake should have gone to the guest of honor. Instead Luke gave it to his mom.

Alice was taken back. She thought that was the sweetest thing Luke could ever do for her. That was a corner piece, her son remembered how much she loved the corner piece. She had not had cake with her son in over 10 years and he remembered. Luke was so happy seeing his mom knew he remembered, he knew it was a small gesture but he so wanted to show with actions how much he loved his mom.

Luke kept on cutting the cake down the line until he got to Lori’s half. He looked at his mom and she knew what Luke wanted, the candles. Alice was taken again once again. Luke sharing the day with his sister was now the sweetest thing Luke could ever do for his mom. As he was putting them back on the cake he called his sister up to the patio. Now it was twice in a couple of minutes Lori got the warmest feeling she ever had in her heart. She ran up there as quickly as Luke did.

Luke and Lori hugged. Right then the Zahn family was whole. They waited a moment before continuing the party. It was more important for them to soak in how they felt. The elder brother led people singing their second singing of “Happy Birthday.” After blowing out the candles Lori invited all the party goers up to the patio. She knew this moment’s spotlight was big enough for everyone.

Epilogue

Luke was now 30 years old and living the good life, but he did not have a good life. He had a nice high paying job as regional IT director for Fox Racing, a nice home, and an even nicer car. Every year he took a vacation back to Cali to see his aunt and uncle, Shy, Greg K. and the rest of the Cove Crew who were still living there. He traveled a lot for work. He could afford to buy anything his heart desired but something was missing. He had joy but no contentment.

During those 13 years Luke only saw Mary once. Both of them made an unconscious pact not to visit California at the same time. They both would not put themselves or the other through the heartache of not saying goodbye once again. The only time they were in each other's presence was for Shy and Greg K.’s wedding. They both knew the unspoken agreement would have to be broken for that event. Neither of them could turn down the honor of being part of the wedding party, nor the bigger honor of being present at the ceremony.

The time together at the wedding was like a dream for Mary and Luke. Being physically together once again felt more like a fantasy than reality. Their time together did not lead to either of them dreaming about reuniting as a couple.. Since they both knew that after the weekend they would go back to being in the ordinary world living their own separate lives. The bigger reason why this was not a reconnection was that neither had left the other’s heart. There is no way to reconnect to someone who is always with you.

At the end of the wedding again there was no goodbye. Giving farewells would have meant accepting that what Mary and Luke had was over. Not wanting reality to ruin this weekend they would cherish, the two lovers shared a silence. Neither could be weak enough to ask the other to come with them nor strong enough to offer what they knew the other would not accept. They hugged, sharing the joy of once again being as one and the pain of knowing they will only share the sky.

Then one day Luke was at the Pittsburgh International Airport returning from a business trip. Before going to claim his luggage he was window shopping at the Sarris Candies store. He was going to buy a treat for his sister and her son. His nephew, Little Timmy, had not been feeling well and tomorrow was yet another of those endless doctor’s appointments at Children’s Hospital. Those diligent doctors were trying to finally get a diagnosis. Lori was worried because they could not find anything wrong and Timmy was scared. The little fighter kept a stiff upper lip but having those needles draw blood weekly was taking a toll.

As he was going into the store Luke felt Mary’s physical presence. This brought a feeling from Luke’s past to visit him. He felt joy and content. There was a good reason for Luke feeling Mary’s physical presence. She was walking down the concourse. From the corner of his eye Luke caught a momentary and obstructed glimpse. That peep gave enough information to his unconscious brain to know that was her. There was no way he could forget her stride.

The closer Mary got to Luke the stronger the urge to turn towards her direction became. Luke fought it off at first. There was no reason why to turn and look. He kept up the denying until it became inevitable. He did not know why but if he did not follow that desire to look down the concourse he would regret it. Giving in to a harmless look was worth not having to relive this moment and wonder what he missed by not seeing

Turning around turned the feeling of being in Mary’s physical presence into a reality. He saw the lady who lived in his heart and the smile grew. Mary at first only saw a smile as welcoming as an embrace from your true love. Seeing the smile was from her true love made the embrace stronger. Without excusing herself from the rest of the flight crew Mary ran towards Luke. Her true love simultaneously started his sprint towards Mary.

The emotional embrace became a physical one. Right then both of them knew that they could not share that silence of not saying goodbye once again. They were going to be together in each other’s heart and also in each other’s life. It might be true that the sun always shines on TV, but they are going to make it so it always shines on their life together.