“You ready to go?” Sebastian asked, making sure the boy was ready for school. Jaxsen sat on the edge of his bed, his backpack between his feet. His elbows rested on his knees, propping up the upper half of his body. He nodded but made no move to get up. Sebastian came into the room and sat himself next to his son. 

“Just a few days and you’ll be on Christmas break.” He nodded again, took a breath and stood. His hand on Sebastian’s knee kept him seated and Jaxsen stepped between his legs and leaned into him for a hug.

“I’m tired, Daddy.”

Sebastian hugged him close and kissed his vanilla scented hair. “I know, sweet boy, me too. We’ll just take it easy this weekend, okay?” Jaxsen nodded and straightened and they left the room.

After dropping Jaxsen off at school he headed for the grocery store. He didn’t know how Nizhoni made dinner last night. She had a knack for making a meal from what seemed like nothing. Half-way there he got a call from the dean at the college that he taught the writing classes explaining that they were letting classes out early for the holidays. This news bolstered his mood and he sang happily with the radio, and not giving a second thought to the amount of traffic that morning. At the grocery store he picked up some things for the house, more rice pudding mixing and apple Snapple for Jaxsen after school. Dinner and lunches for the next few days. With the free time Sebastian found himself in before having to go pick Jaxsen up from school, he paid the bills and decided to finish up with last minute Christmas shopping he needed for Nizhoni and Jaxsen. He made a quick stop at home to put away the groceries before finishing up other errands before it was time to get Jaxsen from school. As he opened the front door to his house, his cell phone began to ring. He fumbled with the bags and his keys and his phone, finally having managed to answer without having a disaster at his feet.

“Hello?” he said, shouldering the phone in order to open the front door.

“Hello, Sebastian.” Sebastian stopped momentarily before taking his burdens into the kitchen. This phone call he was just as unprepared for as he was unprepared for the implications the phone call brought with it.

“Mom…hi.”

“How are you, son?”

“I’m okay, Mom. How are you?”

“Getting older, dear.” There was a pause before, “I spoke to Nizhoni a few days ago.”

“Oh?” Sebastian was aware that Nizhoni spoke to his mother several times a month; though it was rarely spoken of. It had been this way since the death of Sebastian’s son Daniel several years before. Upon Daniel’s death, Sebastian shut down and shut out. He stopped really talking to everyone save Nizhoni, who refused to allow him to do that to her. She even went so far as to force him to live with her in her spare room. 

“Sebastian, I’d like the three of you to come here this Christmas. Nizhoni has only spoken highly of…Jaxsen, is it? She also told me you’re going to adopt him. I’d really like to meet my future grandson.”

He did not want to be having this conversation, but at the same time couldn’t find it in himself to blame her for wanting to get together. After all, it wasn’t she who had caused this rift between them. He’d hurt her deeply by shutting her out. She felt as if she'd lost both her son and her grandson that day. Her tone of voice was soft yet demanding, making it clear she wasn’t exactly requesting. 

He couldn’t help a small smile. “Nizhoni already agreed to this, didn’t she?”

“You’ve always been a very bright boy, Sebastian. I’m glad to see your cognitive deductive reasoning skills haven’t diminished since last we spoke. When is Jaxsen’s last day of school before break?”

Sebastian glanced at the school calendar magnetized to the fridge. “Tuesday is his last day. He goes back on the sixth.”

“Wonderful, dear. Will you drive or will you fly?”

Sebastian heaved a deep breath. “Oh, it’d probably be cheaper by now to drive than three last minute plane fares. Jaxsen isn’t one much for crowds in any case, so…no we’ll probably drive. We’ll probably leave once Jack’s out of school. It’s only a half day. We might stop somewhere to sleep. I don’t know how well he does with long drives but I’ll keep you up to date on our progress.”

“That’s fine, dear. Let me know when you leave for this way.”

“I will, Mom.”

“I love you, Sebastian.” There was the slightest hesitation before she said this and within that small space of silence spoke clearly all else she wanted to say.

“I love you, too, Mom. I’ll talk to you next week.”

Jaxsen walked into his classroom to find Basil already sitting at their table. When he sat down Basil smiled brightly at him with a mixture of uncertainty in his eyes. “Hey, Jaxsen. You doing alright?”

Jaxsen shrugged and looked down. “It…really sucked, Basil. I’m exhausted.”

“You look like it.” 

The conversation paused as a third joined their usual two. Jaxsen smiled at her and greeted, “Hey, Melissa.”

“Hey, Jaxsen. How are you doing?”

He shrugged and diverted his eyes. “Okay. Tired.”

She nodded in understanding before Mrs. House began her lesson and all eyes turned to the front. Jaxsen found himself not being able to concentrate, his mind flashing back to that fateful night.

He allowed the EMT’s to check him over. Physically he was fine, but that was all. Officer Whitlow still held him as they sat on the gurney. She wanted to take him, but she knew it wasn’t possible. She worked hectic hours, dangerous hours, and she knew he would need care and attention that at this point she would not be able to give him. 

He sat up with tears in his eyes and looked at her. “What’s gonna happen to me?” He looked back at his home, the darkness of the night accenting the red and blue flashing lights across the house and expensive yard. He knew things would never be the same for him again.

“Well you’ll likely go into foster care until the state can find a family member who will take you in.” He nodded. He’d never met anyone outside his paternal grandfather, who’d died earlier in the year. His mother’s parents had died when she’d been an infant.

“Can I stay with you?” His voice was strangled. She didn’t have to answer for him to know the truth. “Please?”

“I’m sorry, sweetie. I just don’t know how that would be possible.” She felt her heart break at the look in his eyes. How terrified he was she could only imagine. Her motherly instinct kicked in and she wished nothing more that she could take him home with her.

“I’ll be good! I promise, I’ll be good. I’ll eat all my dinner and I’ll go to bed on time…”

At this moment a woman from child services made her way over to where Jaxsen and Officer Whitlow sat. She was no taller than five foot tall, her slightly graying hair belying her age. She wore a charcoal gray pants suit with thin, white pinstripes. Jaxsen paid no mind to the exchange until he heard his name being called. 

“Jaxsen, honey, I’m Mrs. Willis. I’m with family and child services. I need you to come with me.”

Jaxsen looked back at Officer Whitlow, his eyes overflowing and pleading. “Don’t leave me, please.” Whitlow closed her eyes for a moment.

“I can take you where you need to go, make sure you get there safely. That’s all I can promise, sweetheart.”

Jaxsen nodded and looked down. He knew he’d get no further. To Mrs. Willis, Officer Whitlow said, “You have a home set up already for the night?”

She nodded. “Yes. A wonderful couple I work with often. You can follow me if you’d like to escort him.” Mrs. Willis obliged, wanting to keep the boy calm and feeling secure.

“Jaxsen.” Jaxsen was snapped from his thoughts by the sound of his name.

“Ma’am?”

“Answer the question, please.”

“Question?” He began to fidget with his fingers. Twisting them nervously around each other. Basil watched his hands, the sight making him dizzy. He resisted the urge to set his hands on top of his friend’s. He glared at Mrs. House. Didn’t she know why he’d been absent?

“Yes.” The teacher crossed her arms impatiently, not giving anything away.

“Um…” He looked around the room helplessly.

“Since Mr. Michaels cannot seem to answer the question, can anyone else inform him?” A snobby girl from the first row raised her hand. “Greta?” The teacher called.

“Yu the Great was a legend who, while during his rule in ancient China was made famous for his introduction of flood control, commencing dynastic rule in China by founding the Xia Dynasty. He is said to have had a very upright and moral character.” The girl smiled smugly and glanced back at Jaxsen who blushed and looked away.

“Thank you, Greta. Mr. Michaels, were you able to catch it this time around?”

“Yes, Ma’am,” Jaxsen mumbled, looking down at his hands.

“Mrs. House was kinda mean today,” Basil commented during lunch. Melissa sat down across from Basil and to the left of Jaxsen. 

“I’ve always thought she was a bitch,” Melissa said before taking a bite of the ham sandwich in her hands. Both boys gaped at her. “What?” She asked the incredulous faces of her friends.

“Did you just call Mrs. House a bitch?”

“Yeah. So?”

Basil shrugged. “I’ve never heard you swear before.”

She giggled. “You don’t know me very well, either, Basil.”

Basil shrugged a meaty shoulder in acknowledgement to the truth in the statement. “You okay, Jaxsen? You’ve been really quiet today.”

Jaxsen shrugged. “It’s just…been a really long couple of days. I’m exhausted and plan to sleep all weekend.” 

Jaxsen sleep walked through the rest of the day. As a result of his hazy persona time both sped and dragged by. After recess Melissa had classes at the other side of the school and said her goodbyes.

“You sure you’re okay, Jaxsen?” Basil inquired again once they were alone. The worry for his friend was evident. 

Jaxsen looked at his friend and shook his head. “No. No, not really. But I will be.”

Basil grinned slightly. “Good. Wouldn’t want anything to happen to you.”

Jaxsen stopped, causing Basil to turn back. “You mean that?”

Basil gave him an odd look before replying, “Yeah. You’re the best friend I’ve ever had. I care about you a lot.”

Jaxsen smiled shyly and they began walking to class. “Thanks, Basil. That…really means a lot to me.”