Jerry adjusted the fuzz on the small television set, returning his hand to the bag of potato chips in his arms. He sat back, yawning. His day was being wasted for the customers of a store that never seemed to come.

The door to the back room shut as Chris came out, frowning at Jerry who was still watching TV, and eating their merchandise.

"Why don't you just go home?" Chris asked. Jerry looked up and shook his head.

"At least when I lay around here, my wife doesn't nag me about it. Besides, someone has to stay here and look after things. It certainly won't be you."

"Why not me?"

"Oh please, you come and go outta here like no one's business. Sometimes it feels more like my store than yours."

"Shut up." Chris muttered and scoffed. He leaned on the counter, catching a glimpse of Zoe standing outside the door with some guy.

"What do you think you have to do to become a referee?" Jerry gestured towards the man standing in the middle of the football field on the screen. When he recieved no answer, he double-took to Chris and smirked. "Hey,"

"What? Oh, I dunno. I guess they go to referee school."

"You know, things are getting pretty serious with her and that Cameron kid."

"Yeah, I know. What should I do?" Chris inquired, baffled.

"Well, in my expert opinion I think you're too late. You should have gotten her before she got another boyfriend. You have to intercept between them, not during." Jerry explained.

"But, what... what would happen if he tells her he loves her?"

"He'd be one up on you, I'll tell you that much."

"Would you quit teasing me? Maybe I can try and find something wrong with him to make her hate him. Maybe's he been in jail before."

"Oh, sure. Even if he has been in jail, wouldn't that be kind of mean to take away the one person that loves him?"

"Well, he apparently doesn't deserve her...wait a minute. Did you say that she loves him? Are you sure?"

"No, I'm not sure. I just assumed. She probably doesn't."

"Probably."

"Look, Chris this kind of thing happens in movies and TV shows all the time. The guy that keeps his feelings secret always wins. When he tells her, she just can't help but love him back because she thinks it's just sweetest thing that he kept it a secret because he was so scared that she wouldn't feel the same way. You'll win eventually."

"Right." Chris turned to him. "Do you think I should write her a note?"

"You have to ask yourself. How does God want to use me? He's given me talents now how can I use them to serve God? You all know the story about the three men and the talents?. They're all given talents, one is given something like four talents, one is given two and one is just given one talent. God sent them out into the world and asked them, how did you use your talent? What are you going to say when Gods asks you that question?"

Justin smiled gratiously at the man in front of him. He lowered his pen down to his piece of paper with notes scribbled all over it. The piece of paper correctly named as a the church goers serman notes. He had enjoyed attending this church; he had learned so much about life and the preciousness it has when you really stop to look at it. He had not gone to Sunday school. He didn't think that was something he would like, but the service had been so far, very moving for him.

The music began to play and people began filing slowly out of the sanctuary. Justin folded his notes and stuck them in his jacket pocket, placing the pen back where it belonged. He rose from his seat and made his way out into the congregation.

"Justin!" Justin turned at the sound of his name being called and was met with the smiling face of Evan Drigardy. The same who had convinced him to come in the first place. "Good morning, son. How are you doing?"

"I'm doing good, sir."

"I'm glad to hear that. Tell me, do you plan on attending the dinner party this Friday? It's the welcome party for our new associate pastor."

"Well, I hardly know him."

"Perfect, you can get to know him. The youth is also going to be helping with the serving. Would you be interested in that?"

"Evan, I appreciate all the welcoming you guys have doing for me here and I have been enjoying myself, but I'd rather just be...more of a quiet church attender. I'm not to into the participating in church stuff, if you know what I mean."

"Being part of a church is different than that, Justin. You can't just go in and go out without so much as a hello. You have to get to know people and go to events and dinners. We're a family here, Justin."

"I see that, sir. But perhaps, maybe I'm not meant to be a part of it."

JC pounded down the stairs, going completely unnoticed to Justin who was doing the dishes. He trotted over towards the back door, adjusting the collar of his old jean jacket.

"Where you going?" Justin asked. He reached for the dish soap to lather up the existing water in the sink.

JC shrugged. "I dunno. I'll probably go down to Jake's for a while. I'll be back later."

"Oh, well thank you for assuring me that you'll back be later because I wasn't sure you'd ever come back." Justin stated with sarcasm.

"Can I go?"

"Yeah, I trust you. Go." Justin waved him off and returned to the scrubbing the former white dishes. The sound of pounded stairs repeated as Lance came down them this time. Justin used his soapy hand to turn off the faucet, grabbing a dishrag to wipe his hands dry.

"Did JC already leave?" Lance asked.

"Yeah, a couple minutes ago."

"He said he'd wait for me and that I could go." he pouted. Justin stifled a laugh and shook his head. "I just had to put my shoes on, he's not very patient is he?"

"Well, I hate it break it to you, but I think he left without you on purpose. Where did you want to go?" Justin asked. At that point, Scooter came running in the room, scratching and pawing at the door.

"Wherever he was going." Justin was about to reply, but Chris burst through the door the back door, slamming it behind him. He shook his head and smiled sarcastically.

"Zoe's engaged." he said simply.

Justin turned to his little brother, "Lance, why don't you take Scooter outside to do his stuff?"

Lance giggled at the phrase 'do his stuff', but quickly obliged, disappearing behind the door with Scooter in tow.

"Did you hear what I said, Justin? Engaged. She's engaged. To that stupid Cameron creep."

"Maybe if she knew how you felt, she wouldn't go getting engaged, Chris." Justin said, knowingly.

"Don't be such a smart mouth. Don't they teach you manners in church?" Chris inquired.

Justin reached over and turned the water faucet off. "Well, I don't think I'm going to go back."

"What? Why? I thought you liked going to church."

"I do...er, I did. I dunno." Justin threw his dish towel aside and slowly walked towards the table. He took a seat next to Chris. "They want me to be involved in all of their stupid activities. Why can't I just go without people talking to me?"

"Because, man, that's how church is. That's why we stopped going. Do you remember what happened that first week we went back after Mom and Dad died? Everybody pitied us, everybody kept patting us on the shoulders and saying they were praying for us. Everyone made us feel like we were the ones that died. The pastor mentioned us in his sermon! Mentioning it only made it worse for us."

"I know, but that's what I'm saying. They think they're helping, but they're just driving me away. I want to go, I want to hear the stuff I've been hearing. I just wish that I could be invisible while doing it." With that said, Justin got up and started up the stairs to his bedroom. Chris frowned after him, forgetting his own problems for the moment. He still wished he had someone to talk to.

Upon hearing the back door open and Lance come inside, Chris's frown disappeared and a smile replaced it. "Lance, buddy. Why don't you come over here and listen to your brother vent about some girl?"

Lance shrugged and pulled a chair out from under the table, hopping up into it. "OK."

"Zoe's getting married."

"Uh huh." Lance nodded.

"I really like Zoe and that hurts that she loves him and wants to marry him. Especially when he's nothing like her. Not good for her at all."

"Does she know you like her?" Lance asked.

"No."

"Then why so mad?"

"I dunno, because I guess I just expect her to know. Seeing her with another guy is awful enough as it is, but then add the fact that she'll a have husband? That's ten times worse. What'll I do then? Kills me just to see her."

"Then stop seeing her." Lance stated simply.

"It's not that easy. She works for me down at the store. I can't just stop seeing her."

"So fire her. Then you'll never have to see her."

Chris smirked and ruffled the little blonde boy's hair. "Thanks for the advice, buddy. I think I might have to deal with this one on my own, though."

"Are we done?" Chris looked around in confusion, but nodded in response. "Good, because there's something I have to tell you." he said, in a very serious manner.

"What? What is it?"

"I lost Scooter!" Lance's eyebrows furrowed in worry. Chris almost had to chuckle at the expense of the kid, because the expression on his face was priceless. However, he remembered that to him and especially to JC, this was serious business.

"You lost Scooter? Where'd you lose him?"

"Just outside! He ran away. He was too fast for me; I couldn't catch him. JC's gonna kill me!" Lance was near tears now.

"Lance, calm down. He's not going to kill you."

"Yes, he is. Yes, he is. Yes, he-" Chris put a hand over Lance's mouth to quiet him.

"We're going to find him. Don't worry." he said, removing the hand.

"Before JC gets back?" Lance anticipated.

"No, we're going to tell JC and then maybe Justin and I will go out and look for him later."

"Later? Maybe? Those aren't good words. Later means never, and maybe means no way."

"What makes you think that?"

"Joey told me."

"Of course he did." Chris shook his head. "Don't worry about it. No one is going to pin this on you. I'll deal with it; I'll tell JC."

Lance looked anxiously at the door as JC came through it, at the exact opportune time. "Good luck, I love you." Lance whispered, giving Chris a quick kiss on the cheek, and then racing up the stairs.

"JC, sit down a sec. I need to talk to you." Chris started.

"Can it wait? Jacob's waiting for me outside." JC replied. Chris sighed. That alone told JC it was important. "I'll go tell him I'll catch up with him later."

JC turned back around, disappearing just outside the door to tell Jacob to leave. Chris shook his head, biting his lower lip. This was probably something Justin should be doing.

"So what's up?" JC took a seat across from Chris, leaning forward on his arms.

"JC, it would appear that...um, well you see, I hate to tell you this, but...." Chris paused, looking up at the look of intent listening on JC's face. He found it better not to look at him. "Scooter's missing." Chris looked up cautiously, to see that JC had shifted and moved his arms off the table.

"What do you mean?" JC asked, softly.

"He got out; he apparently ran away." Chris immediatly noticed JC's expression falling more and more. He said his next statement in an attempt to ease his worries. "Justin and I will go out later this evening to look for him."

"Later this evening? No, I wanna go now." JC complained. "Let's go now."

"I have to get back to the store in about a half hour."

"Who needs you? I'll go on my own." JC instantly jumped from his seat and was walking towards the door, but Chris got up and grabbed his small arm.

"Hold on, I'm not letting you go by yourself. You'll probably have to travel a few streets over and I don't trust you going that far." Chris explained.

"Then come with me."

"JC, I can't."

"Then I'll take Justin with me."

"Stop." Chris instructed. "I want you to just forget about it for now. He'll be fine for a few hours. Justin and I will look for him later." he repeated for what seemed like the thousandth time.

"Gosh, this is exactly why I hate living here! No one ever understands the way I feel. I finally find someone who loves me no matter what, who listens when I talk, and who just makes me feel better because he can't possibly say anything rude because he can't talk! And what happens? He's gone and the person who is supposedly my parent doesn't understand how important this is to me and how worried I am."

"JC, it's a dog. You have plenty of people who love you and listen to you. You don't need to have a dog as your best friend."

JC shook his head. "Guess that must say a lot about the family I have and the people I live with."

"JC." Chris breathed. He had heard stuff like this from Joey hundreds of times, but from JC these words were unfamiliar. The person in front of him appeared to be a stranger to Chris.

"I'm sick of hiding how I feel because I get told you have enough problems without worrying about us. Without worrying about minuscule problems like my dog getting lost. I'm too old to be cute and too young to be taken seriously. It's not fair. Maybe the things I deal with are stupid and pointless to you, but to me they mean something. To me, losing Scooter would be like losing Mom and Dad all over again. Don't you even get that?" he paused, wiping his eyes and taking a breath. "And if not, can't you at least pretend to?"

JC turned on his heels and started up the stairs as so many people had that day. Up to his bedroom, to grieve in solitude.

"I dunno, Jerry. It was like some other kid had taken his place. He was saying things I coudn't even imagine myself saying at his age. He knows what minuscule means." Chris raved. Jerry chuckled at Chris's exasperation and continued emptying boxes to store for sale.

"He's growing up."

"Oh, don't say that, man. Please don't say that. I went through this stupid stage with Joey. In fact, I'm still going through it with him."

"Well, for me I can totally relate to JC. In my family, I was the youngest. Granted, JC is not the youngest, but I felt the same way. You see, all of my siblings were pretty much grown when I started to be aware of everything around me. You know, when I was done being a baby and such. So I was a kid in a family of adults. No one my age, no one even close to my age. I remember going to my Grandmas's and sitting on a couch, listening to them talk and talk about college and careers and stuff. They'd ask me when I come in, 'How are you doing, Jerry? School going all right?' I'd answer politely and sit down while they began talking. Taking no interest in me at all. I went to Europe the summer of my sophmore year in highschool. People talked about it for about five minutes. I was still no interest to them. It occured to me why all of my cousins and siblings, aunts and all them were getting so much attention. Divorces," Jerry began numbering off, "Being layed off, having problems with the kids, getting sick, having surgeries, getting robbed sometimes even being the robber."

"Gee, Jer, what kind of family did you have?" Jerry shook and head and went on.

"They were getting attention by having negative things happen. They weren't doing them on purpose, they weren't striving to be unsucessful. It's just that everything I did could never measure up to what they did because mine were all good. There was no thought or advice to be given to anything in my life. I even considered making up problems just to get through things. I remember I once told my dad I had impregnated a girl at school."

"You're serious?"

"I'm serious. I eventually told him I made it up. He, of course, asked why and I spilled. I told him everything I was feeling and everything I had been feeling. After that, I felt more included."

"Well, that's all good Jerry. But JC was saying that no gets how he feels. You just weren't being included."

"Same thing, Chris. No one knew how I felt about it. From another level, I had interests and I had goals that were just weird. No one thought it was interesting. I get mentioned for two seconds about one thing I've achieved and that's it. My cousin wanted to be a teacher and everyone loved that. I said I wanted to be one and they ignored me. Sure, I got encourage every now and then, but nothing compared to my cousin. So I chose this."

"But it sounds to me that you could have been more than this. Way more than this. You were smart and dedicated. Why'd you want to work here?"

"Chris, I did have a job before this, you know."

"Sorry. But you did say you chose this instead of teacher."

"This meaning a meaningful lifestyle. Nothing influential or typical. I wanted to be different. I chose to do this early in life. I chose to quit my profession and work at a place where I could be appreciated. Your father provided that for me."

"So tell me, what did you do before this?"

"I was a child psychologist."

"Really, why children? Why not adults?"

"Because I understand them better. I understand how they feel about things. Adults and teachers these days treat children; teenagers, especially like they're all the same. They stereotype them into liking certain TV shows, music, and then being brainwashed by them. I know plenty of young people who do important things when they're young. I encourage them into doing things worthwhile before college, before developing a career. To show them who's smarter."

"You sound like you'd be very successful. Still can't understand why you quit."

"Because Chris, I wanted to show my family who was smarter." Jerry repeated. Chris spotted Zoe across the room and decided to join her and see what she was up to.

"Hey Zoe. What are you doing?" Chris asked looking over her shoulder.

"I'm taking inventory." Zoe replied. Chris nodded looking over what she was doing.

"I think you've made a mistake in your calculations. We just got a new shipment of ho-hos and there should be more of them." Chris pointed out.

"Oh gosh. I'm so sorry about that. I go back and count them." Zoe starts to head for the back room.

"You're fired!" Chris blurted out. Zoe turned around to face him.

"What! You're firing me?" Zoe asked infuriated. Chris nodded his head. "Why? Just because I made a small error in calculating?" Chris was in shock about what he had just said.

"Well, I…uh…well yes I am." He replied stuttering since he really didn't know what to say. Zoe sighed obviously annoyed, grabbed her coat and stormed out of the store, the door slamming behind her.

"Gee, man. What did you fire her for? You know you totally blew your chance with her now." Jerry said after watching the scene unfold.

"Hey Justin. Sorry I'm late. Things just got crazy down at the store." Chris said after walking in the door and sitting at the kitchen table where Justin was doing homework.

"It's ok. You do know that we have to go looking for Scooter, right?" Justin asked.

"Yeah. How could I forget?" Chris replied. Just as he said that Lance came running into the room.

"You're home! Are you and Justin going to look for Scooter now? I asked Justin before but he said not until you got home." Lance said full of joy that his older brother was home so they could look for their missing dog.

"Yeah. I'm ready. How about you Justin?" Chris asked.

"Yeah. Let's go. I still have some homework to do when we get back." Justin answered.

"Joey!" Chris yelled. Joey appeared from the living room a few minutes later. "Can you please keep an eye on Lance and JC while Justin and I go looking for Scooter?"

"Do I have to? Aren't they old enough to watch themselves?" Joey complained.

"I'm not saying sit with them the whole time just make sure that they stay out of trouble and don't get hurt." Chris replied.

"Fine." Joey mumbled. Chris and Justin went looking for Scooter carrying on conversation as they went down the neighboring streets.

"So Justin, have you decided if you're going to church again or not?" Chris asked casually as they strolled down the streets with their flashlights shining in bushes and possible places where the dog could be hiding.

"Yeah. I decided I'm not going anymore. I still want to learn about God though. I heard of this book store in town that has them. I might pick one up tomorrow." Justin replied.

"What's going on with you and Zoe?" Justin asked as they turned onto Breeze Avenue. Chris sighed and started to explain things to Justin.

"I was upset about her getting engaged and I don't know what came over me. I just kind of blurted it out before I had time to stop myself from saying it. She stormed out of the store. I guess I did it because I thought maybe it would affect their engagement and I would have a second chance with her. The only way I know I got that idea in my head was from Lance. He said I should fire her." Chris explained still keeping a cautious eye out for Scooter.

"You took advice off a seven year old! That's priceless." Justin said laughing at his older brother's stupidity. Once his laughter died down a little bit he said, "I'm really sorry about you guys. You looked good together….." Justin said letting it trail as he saw a dead dog in the middle of the road and knew right away that it was Scooter.

"What should we do? JC's going to be heartbroken." Justin asked.

"It would break his heart if he knew his dog was dead. We should just tell them that we couldn't find it. It will be a lot more easier on all of us." Chris answered as they turned around to head home.

JC was watching cartoons with Lance in the living room. He wasn't really paying any attention to the cartoons though. Chris and Justin had just come in and said that they couldn't find Scooter and to let it go. But JC couldn't just let it go. He had to go out and look for his dog.

"Hey Lance." JC whispered as he got right next to Lance so he could whisper in his ear. "I'm going to look for Scooter and I need you to cover for me."

"What do I say if someone asks where you are?"

"Tell them I'm in the bathroom or in my room moping or something. I don't care what you tell them just so you don't tell them where I really went. You understand?" JC asked and Lance nodded.

"Alright. See you later." JC waved and crawled out of the living room window since it was getting warmer and they were starting to leave their windows open more. JC really had no idea where to go so he just picked a direction and headed that way.

"Where's JC?" Justin asked as he went into the living room to check on the boys.

"He's at the…..uh…….bathroom. That's it. He just went in." Lance replied. Justin didn't really believe that this was true but Lance hardly ever lied to him so he figured he must be telling the truth. Justin decided to sit down and watch some T.V. with Lance before he had to put them to bed. It was a half hour later when Justin spoke up.

"What's taking JC so long? He went into the bathroom a half hour ago. Maybe I should go check on him." Justin said making a move to go check on JC. Lance looked up at Justin from laying on the floor and jumped up when Justin said that.

"You can't check on him." Lance replied.

"Why not?" Justin asked.

"Because he had to go really, really bad." Lance explained trying to cover for his older brother. Justin knew better than this and decided to tell Chris about it. Lance knew that he didn't sound very believable.

"I'm sorry. JC isn't here. He's out looking for Scooter. He made me promise not to tell anyone. That's why I lied to you. I'm sorry." Lance apologized.

"It's ok. We'll find him." Justin assured.

"You're not going to tell Chris are you?" Lance asked concerned that him and JC would get in trouble.

"Sorry bud but I have to. Your brother is somewhere where he shouldn't be." Justin answered and was about to leave the room when Lance said "Don't tell JC I told you, please. He will mad at me if he finds out that I told you. He will kill me if he knows that I told you."

"Ok. He won't kill you, I promise." Justin said. He found Chris and explained the situation to him.

"I better go look for him. Keep an eye on Lance please. I shouldn't be too long." Chris said.

"Sure thing. Good luck." Justin replied. Chris nodded and was out the door. He knew where JC must of end up but he looked on the other streets too. Sure enough he found JC sitting next to a dead Scooter on the road where he and Justin had been earlier that night.

"Hey JC." Chris began sitting down next to him and putting his jacket over him since the nights were still a little chilly. "I'm really sorry about Scooter. I should have told you but I didn't want to see you hurt. Look I'm real sorry. I wished I knew how you felt sooner. If I had known how you felt I would've paid more attention. I need to start paying more attention to my brothers. I don't spend enough time with you. I want that to change. I love you guys. I would never want anything to happens to you all." Chris apologized while JC sat in silence. He knew that Chris meant well and for some reason it seemed really easy to forgive that way. JC leaned over and began to cry on Chris's shoulder.

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