LITTLE BOY LOST
by
Phoenix
Chapter 4
The Chapters
“Can we get a cat?” Joe asked as soon as he came down stairs. His mother was searching through the coat closet for his jacket. She’d already found his sneakers.
“A cat?” she repeated, glancing over her shoulder at him. “Why a cat?”
Joe shrugged as he unzipped his backpack to check out his lunch, worried about what his father might have put in there. His face lit up as he recognized his mother’s handiwork. Life was good. Now if only he could convince her to let him have a cat…
“’Cause I can’t be a witch if I don’t have a cat.” It seemed obvious enough to him so he was surprised when his mother straightened up and gave him an odd look:
“Sweetie, boys can’t be witches.”
It was his turn to give her an ‘odd’ look. “Why not?”
“Well,” Laura turned back towards the closet. “Because girls are witches; boys are warlocks or wizards.”
“Harry Potter is a witch,” Joe argued.
“Harry Potter?” Laura echoed and the little boy couldn’t help but giggle as the closet seemed to ‘eat’ his mother. She was no longer in sight, her voice muffled as it resonated from somewhere inside the belly of the beast. His eyes widened. “Sweetie, you’re too young to be watching Harry Potter…” Joe rolled his eyes. “Can you please put your lunchbox back in your backpack, and get your sneakers on? You’re going to be late,” his mother added.
“Okay, but can I still have a cat?” the child persisted. He wanted a black one – ‘cause all witches had black ones – and even had a wonderful named picked out for it. Blackie. He was very pleased with himself.
Joe stuffed the box back in the pack, zipped it up and then grabbed a sneaker, hopping around the room as he tried to get it on.
The ‘beast’ apparently didn’t like the way his mother tasted because she emerged rather unscathed and he decided she must be too sweet…or old. It really was a tossup.
Laura raised an eyebrow as he continued to hop around. He gave her a little smile and then sat down to undo his laces first.
“Frank is allergic to cats, remember, Joey?” his mom reminded as she knelt down to help him tie his shoes. He was much better at knots than bows…. She reached out and brushed an errant blond curl out of his face and he giggled. Her hands were soft and the touch tickled. “And that means no.” She gave him a quick little peck on the nose and then stood up.
Allergic? Joe’s eyes grew wide as he imagined a swollen purple Frank and blanched. A grape would not make a very good big brother!
“Do you have any idea where your coat is, little man?” Laura pressed as he stood up.
“Ummm…” Joe thought hard. His coat…his coat…He knew he had a coat…
“Joey,” she sighed in soft exasperation, “What are we going to do with you?”
“Is there a problem?” his father’s voice suddenly behind them startled the boy who ducked behind his mother.
“You scared me, Daddy!” he accused loudly and then blushed as he realized what he had done.
Fenton chuckled, “I’m glad to see your mother’s wellbeing was the first thing you thought of…” he pursed his lips thoughtfully, “mind you it is harder to do the protecting from behind.” He winked and reached out and mussed the skittish boy’s hair affectionately. “But I respect a man who isn’t afraid of doing things the hard way.”
“Awww, Daddy,” Joe turned even redder under his father’s teasing.
“Boys. Biff is going to be waiting, ” Laura reminded them and then looked at Joe’s father, “Have you see Joey’s jacket? It’s not in the closet.”
His father opened his mouth to say something but the sound of the toilet flushing interrupted. Frank.
“Why don’t you go back upstairs?” Fenton offered, already stooping down to pick up Joe’s backpack, “I’ll take care of all this and get Joe out the door.”
“It’s okay, Mommy,” Joe assured her confidently, now that food wasn’t involved. “Daddy’s got me.”
His mother looked at him, her blue eyes soft and her face crinkled in the kind of smile that made her look like an angel, and then she crouched down and pulled him into a tight hug. “Oh sweetie – you are truly a precious gift.” Joe wanted to huff, pull away and insist he was a big boy and big boys didn’t need hugs, but he didn’t. Instead he wrapped his arms tightly around her neck and hugged back.
He was his mommy’s boy…
And then she pulled away, gave him a kiss on his cheek and winked. “You have a good day, Joey, and I’ll see you after school.”
He nodded and then watched her go upstairs. “Bye, Mommy,” he whispered, wanting nothing more than to chase after her.
“Okay, buddy,” his father started and the little boy turned towards him, “No coat, huh?”
“I got a coat,” Joe corrected instantly indignant that Fenton thought otherwise, “I just don’t know where it is.”
His father chuckled, “Why do you give me such a hard time, kiddo?”
Joe shrugged.
“All right. All right,” his father conceded with a grin. “You have a coat…you just don’t know where it is right now. Okay than, how about this one?” he reached into the closet and pulled out a dark blue jacket.
The little boy frowned, “That’s Frank’s.”
“I know it is, but I don’t think your brother will mind you wearing it for one day, do you?” His father closed the closet door and held the coat towards Joe.
“What will Frank wear?” the child demanded not wanting to leave his brother without a jacket. He might be only six but even he knew sick people shouldn’t get cold.
“Don’t worry about your brother,” his father told him, “he isn’t going anywhere today. Now come on, we need to go.”
Joe still resisted. “It’s too big!”
“It’ll be fine for one day,” Fenton assured him and then added, “Please, Joey?”
The child softened and huffed. “Fine.” He took the coat, put it on and then gave his father a significant look as the coat hung on his frame and the sleeves dangled past his hands. Although Frank was only a year older, there was still enough of a size difference to notice.
Fenton rolled up the sleeves and then eyed his handiwork. “See? I told you it would be fine. Now grab your backpack while I get my shoes.”
Reluctantly the child shrugged into his backpack and then waited at the door for his father.
They had just opened the door to step outside when the phone rang.
His father gave him an apologetic look as he hurried to pick up the living room extension. “Just a sec, Joey,” he said as he answered the phone.
Joe exhaled loudly and leaned against the door jamb. He could tell by the way his father was talking that it was important but the child just wished he’d hurry up so they could go. The boy was anxious to tell Biff that Frank had a space sickness – and the cat.
Maybe he could get a cat and keep it at Biff’s house. But then Biff might think the cat was his. Joe pondered that for a few moments until he realized he’d have to get Blackie a collar and put his name on it, and then Biff would never forget the cat belonged to Joe. His plan set, the little boy became even more anxious to leave.
His father was still on the phone.
Finally, impossible for him to wait another moment longer, Joe marched across the living room and tugged on his father’s pants, “Daddy, I gotta go!”
“Hold on…just hold on a moment,” his father said to whoever was on the phone. He put his hand over the receiver. “Joey, I’m sorry but this is very important…. As soon as Daddy is done, I’ll drive you to school, okay?”
“But I want to walk with Biff!” Joe couldn’t believe this. His brother was sick. His jacket was missing. And now his father wasn’t going to let him walk with Biff? He felt like crying. “Please Daddy! I want to go with Biff.”
“Joey…”
“I can go by myself,” the child persisted. “It isn’t far – I’ll be careful!”
He saw his father’s gaze flicker from the front window to Joe and then back to the window again. He knew the man was considering it and pressed. “It isn’t very far. Only a little bit and then Biff’ll see me. Please, Daddy, please!”
Joe held his breath…
And then his father exhaled loudly and slowly nodded his head. “Okay, Joey, this once. You go straight to Biff’s – no fooling around. You got it?”
He couldn’t believe it! His father was going to let him walk alone. Sure it was only a block, but still –
Beaming Joe nodded emphatically, “Don’t worry, Daddy! I will be very careful and watch out for cars. I will!”
He wrapped his arms around his father’s legs, gave him a quick hug and then raced towards the door.
“See you after school!” the child yelled and then took off out of the house, slamming the door behind him.
The last thing he heard as he bounded down the front stairs was his father’s voice, “Don’t slam the door!”
But it was too late and Joe was already gone….
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Disclaimer
The Hardy Boys belong to Simon and Schuster and the Stratemeyer Foundation. The authors have just borrowed them for an adventure or two. The authors promise to put the boys back when they are done with them. The authors do claim copyright to the original characters in this story. Please do not borrow original characters without express permission of the authors.