Chapter 1- Family Togetherness

                                    

                                          
"I love Bdubs, he loves me..."
"We love Daddy, yes-sir-ee..."
"He loves us and so you see-"
"We are a happy fam-i-ly!" Mother, father, and son all finished the song together, and the parents lifted up the little boy to be squished in a perfect hug between them. Bdubs giggled.
"And Scar toooo!" Etho sang, horribly off-key. He went over to his second son sitting sleepily in the high chair to kiss him on the forehead.
"Oh right," said Bdubs. The baby was so new, he sometimes forgot he had a little brother. He walked over to look at him. Scar's eyes were drooping closed, and his cheeks were red from just having had food scrubbed off them. "Hi," Bdubs said softly.
Scar opened his little green eyes. He was so cute and tiny that Bdubs could hardly believe someday he'd be a big kid like him. "It's me, your brother," he said. The baby looked at him- and smiled. It was sort of a lopsided smile, more like a smirk, but it was the first time Scar had smiled so far. It melted Bdubs's heart. He bent down and kissed Scar's forehead, just like Etho. I love my family, he thought.

One year later

Bdubs sat on the couch, staring out the window, swinging his legs back and forth. It felt like he'd been doing this forever. "Mom, when's Dad gonna be back?"
"Don't know, Bdubs." Cleo didn't seem to be paying much attention. She was more focused on keeping Scar from toddling into trouble. The baby- not quite a baby anymore- was wandering all over the place, investigating everything. He babbled as he smacked one of his toys into the wall. He took a book from a shelf and dropped it, and cried out in delight when it fell. He dropped another book and who could have guessed? It fell! Maybe the next book wouldn't fall- but it did! Scar was so proud of himself for making everything fall. He picked up a book... He picked up a toy... He picked up a piece of glassware- "No, Scar!" He toddled off, undeterred.
Bdubs was still waiting for the door to open. Dad had to be home soon. It had been so long. He yawned and leaned back onto the cushion, listening vaguely to the noises around him. "No, Scar. Stop, Scar." Thud! "No, Scar." "Dubs."
He leapt off the couch and to his brother's side. "Mom, did you hear? He said my name! Did you hear him! He said my name!" Bdubs jumped up and down in place and Scar giggled, enjoying the excitement even if he didn't know what was going on.
"It sounds like he did," Cleo said with a smile.
"Bubdubdub ba BA!" said Scar. He climbed into Cleo's lap. "Mum-mum."
Cleo's eyes got misty, and she tightened her arms around the baby. "Not even here to hear his son's first words," she muttered.
Mom was crying? Bdubs put a hand on her shoulder and tried to comfort her, but found he was too scared himself to think of the right words. "Mom," he said quietly, "Where's Dad?"
"BdoubleO100, if you ask me one more time-"
"I won't, I won't! I'm sorry." He hadn't wanted her to get mad. He really hated it when people got mad at him.
Cleo's eyes softened. She put an arm around him to pull him closer. "I don't know where he is." Their eyes closed and a tear finally squeezed through the lids. "I wish I could tell you."
Scar looked up. "Dubs."
"That's right, Scar," said Bdubs, patting his baby brother's head and trying to hold back tears himself. "Good job."

The noises woke him up.
"-gone with no notice, no way to contact you, for hours!" Bdubs slipped out of bed and creaked open his door. He looked up and down the hallway. "I was alone with the kids all day, and where are you?"
"I was with TIES," said Etho. That was Dad's voice! Bdubs ran for the front room.
"And what are you doing with TIES that you need to be there until three in the morning? I-" Both parents turned to look at Bdubs when he came in. Cleo's green skin was almost red with anger, and she was leaning forward so she was right in Etho's face.
"Dad!" said Bdubs, and ran to him.
"Hey there kiddo!" Etho said, lifting him onto his shoulders.
"What are you doing up so late?" said Cleo.
"What's TIES?" said Bdubs. He hugged Etho's head, and his dad laughed when he covered his eyes with his hands. "Can I go to TIES?"
"Maybe you will someday," said Etho. And Bdubs was too busy snuggling his head into his father's hair to see Cleo's death-glare.