Winter Break

[Samuel Cleary]

"I wonder what kind of person she is. Do you think she's like my mom?" Sam asked. He almost dared to ask--would she become his mom? His step-mom? Sam didn't want to curse it so he kept it close to his heart and left it silent. His dad could get remarried. There could be another woman in his life, now that he was learning to get over the past. Sam was positively gleeful over the idea--he didn't want to jinx it with anything else.

"Do you think she'll like me?" Sam looked down at their two hands together, heart thumping faster. Then he looked up at Iris. "Do you think the reason he hasn't let me meet her is because... of me? Because she doesn't like kids or...?"

[Iris Jones]

"For your dad to like her, I am sure she is a little like your mom, in some way or another." Iris knew nothing about Sam's mother she could only imagine. She always imagined she was sweet and loving as all moms are. Iris and her mother had a bond one she appreciated she looked up to her mother and wanted to be like her when she got older. Iris' mother seemed to always have it together, level headed.

Iris couldn't imagine life without her mother. Sam's situation was unfortunate and she wished him the best. The news of his dad being sober and sharing things was a little alarming. Hopefully, Ethen wasn't sick drinking can kill you! So they preached during D.A.R.E week, don't do drugs kids!

"Sam! I'm sure she will like you. Maybe he just wants to make sure she's going to stick around. And he is trying to protect you."

"What if she has kids?" Iris giggled trying to change the mood. She wanted Sam happy it hurt her to see him sad.

[Samuel Cleary]

"Yeah... maybe." It didn't sound like his father, though, to worry too much about what Sam thought or felt. In fact, most of Sam's life, he felt neglected and distant from his only family. It made it difficult for him to connect to other people in his life, too. Iris was the only one he had a strong connection with. Even the friends they hung out with were mostly there for Iris or met Iris or were brought in by Iris. Sam didn't share secrets with the guys. Some part of him didn't feel as close with them as he did with Iris.

"Ohhh," he said with a laugh, kicking his leg out and letting his heel catch the edge of the bench seat. "You mean built in siblings? I hope it's not anybody from school."

But the fact was, if she was from Hazleton and had kids, they definitely went to their school.

[Iris Jones]

"I mean we are both only children so don't you ever wonder what it would be like to have a sibling?" She dreamed about it a lot to have a sister sounded like the greatest thing ever a built-in best friend. She and Sam were limited on time together and them being the opposite sex they didn't get to stay the night at each other. Not that Iris parents would allow it with Ethan's habits.

"Oh, that would be so weird." She couldn't help but think of an odd match up with Sam and another classmate."Let's just hope she likes kids but doesn't have any." Iris gave Sam a half smile. That would be the best possible situation, right? Sam doesn't need someone taking away the only family he has this could be a scary thing for Sam.

"We'll get to the bottom of this mystery just like we always do."

"Should we follow him tomorrow?"

[Samuel Cleary]

"Maybe? Sometimes?"

Sam couldn't say he had never given it thought. Sometimes, he was envious of people with older siblings that protected them. He wasn't sure if he was equipped for a younger sibling, though. But then, he kinda liked the idea of somebody looking up to him. So... Maybe. He thought it might be nice to have a step-sibling, the more he thought about it.

But Iris didn't think so, judging by what she said, so Sam laughed. Well, it would be kinda weird if the kid was in their class. Like... if his dad was seeing Ollie's... um. Yeah, he somehow doubted THAT was happening. So it could get weird, then.

"Yep. I'll get everything ready and tell you when I see him leave the house. Deal?"

[Iris Jones]

It's not like Iris' parents were going to have another baby not with how old they were it would but nuts to have a baby in the house. Same with Sam's dad. It's not like their parents can't have babies it would be just kinda late most people have them close together. Iris had it a little easier than Sam, her parents put a lot of focus on her and her happiness.

It wasn't always rainbows at home Iris and her mother fought at times they could both be pretty stubborn on holding their ground, Iris was the child so most of the time she was the on admitting the wrong. But she put up a good fight a few times.

"Deal." She smiled at Sam and got up from the table. "Oh, I forgot to tell you I got the new iPhone for Christmas!" She took her phone out eager to show Sam, "I didn't expect it all, you want my old phone?"

"That's if your dad can add it to his account, it still works well." Sam had an old flip phone and her parents already said it was fine, so this was like a second gift to Sam. The could facetime now!

[Samuel Cleary]

"Um... sure!" Sam tried to smile as if it didn't mean anything but... sometimes the charity thing got to him. He knew that Iris was just trying to be a good friend--she had an item she no longer needed and Sam could use a better phone. His current one was hecka old and cracked and it had definitely seen better days. But he wished... he so wished that his father could do these things for him or that Sam himself was capable of it himself. As soon as he could get a real paying job, he was getting one. Not just odds and ends around the neighborhood, but a REAL job. Even if that meant Happy Burger.

"I'm sure my dad can add it to the account," he said. With his father's newfound interest in his life, it seemed like a possibility for once. "Maybe he'll get a new one too while we're at it," he said with a crooked smile. Not like his dad's phone was much better!

[Iris Jones]

Iris thought she was doing a nice thing for Sam giving him a new phone and didn't catch on that it bothered him. She took out the old phone and gave it to Sam.

"Doesn't your dad have an old phone, like you? I think it's time for both of you." Iris and Sam were best of best friends but she still didn't know everything about Sam. She told him everything and trusted him with her life. So if she found out she hurt his feelings it would hurt her.

Silly girl logic to get upset for upsetting someone. In here head they were both good right now. And they were going to go on a hunt tomorrow to see what got Ethan to put the bottle down.

"You wanna ride me home?"

[Samuel Cleary]

"Yeah, we're both living in like, the 90s," Sam said with a laugh. He tucked the phone away, actually grateful at the same time. He didn't want the charity, he didn't want Iris knowing how bad things really were (and she didn't, not fully), but he couldn't help that short-lived feeling. Turning toward his bike, he hopped on and patted the bars.

"Yeah, come on! Let's go~"

[Iris Jones]

"I wasn't being mean about it." Iris was getting a off vibe from Sam now. Now she was feeling bad for bringing it up, it's silly how things don't always end up the way you plan. No matter how much you think you know someone.

Iris peddled up to Sam. "You know you're my best friend and I'd do anything for you and I thought it be cool to both have iPhones." She couldn't drop it now that she felt like she upset Sam. He had to see she was not doing it out of pity. How can giving someone something upset them? Is all she thought.

Iris didn't really know how it was for Sam at home, her parents didn't have addictions or afflictions like Ethan. All she could do is be there for him when he needed her. Iris felt helpless when it came to helping Sam with his father.

[Samuel Cleary]

"I know. I'm not mad. Don't worry about it."

He didn't know what set her off; he thought he did an all right job masking his weird feelings about the charity thing. But hey, he got a free phone out of it, right? And one his father would never be able to afford on his own. He just wished that his father could or that Sam could. It was forever Sam's burden that he was just a kid and the best he could do was get 15 bucks for mowing a neighbor's lawn.

"Anyway, I should get home. But you have to tell me when we move into phase two!"

[Iris Jones]

"All right, I'll text you when I get home," Iris said as she peddled off. She missed hanging out with Sam and couldn't wait to go out and investigating with him again. Spening time with the family was getting to her. Iris could only take them so much she was happy the house was quite again.

"Be safe!" She shouted as her parting words.