Bloodfang

Fireworks

Ricky

Ricky lay in bed replaying that scene in his mind with a big grin on his face. Feral always seemed so serious. The unexpected show of humor had been surprising and had made his attempt at humor all that more funny. It was even more, funny because his explanation had actually turned into a much broader conversation regarding various appliances and machinery humans used. Evidently over the years Feral had seen many things and had often questioned the point or not understood their importance. Now he Ricky to help him understand, at least, as much as Ricky knew himself.

Their conversation had ended upon the arrival of Uncle Steve. Ricky had hated saying good-bye to Feral because he knew the wolf planned to leave the basement tonight and return to his home. Though the wolf said that his cave was not far from here and that he would return, Ricky worried he would not. He had wanted to grab Feral into a huge bear-hug before going up to meet his uncle, but he had instead formally extended his hand and had shaken the wolf's paw and made polite good-byes.

Uncle Steve had been coming in through the front door as Ricky stepped into the living room. He had been carrying a brown paper bag with Deer Skin Grill printed in green across the front. Ricky's had stomach growled loud and long. He had been starved!

"Awesome!" he had said walking over and taking the bag from his uncle to carry into the kitchen. "How was your day?" he had asked over his shoulder.

"Busy!" His Uncle Steve had sighed, stretching his arms out wide. "We were actually closed but I spent the day on the office getting caught up on all the paperwork I have been putting off doing to help out on the field," he had explained to Ricky.

"I was wondering about that," Ricky had said. "Mom's office is always closed today. I was wondering why you had to work."

"Being the manager means working when and where I need to keep the business up and running," he had explained. "I would normally have it off, but being down a few employees is making things difficult for me, and I hate that," he had said as pulled glasses down from the cabinet and walked over to the table where the greasy back sat unopened. "Of all times for this to be happening, you're here. I hate that I have to leave you on your own so much!"

Ricky had walked back over to the table with paper plates and set them down before sitting himself. "It's not a problem Uncle Steve. I completely understand," Ricky had assured him.

"You're not too bored?" his uncle had asked.

The grin grew wider as he lay in his bed recalling his uncle asking him that. "Not at all," was all he had replied. Though a gazillion thoughts had raced through his mind of what he would have loved to say. But of course he couldn't. Feral was a secret he could not share. So he had been content just knowing that at least the answer he did give was one hundred percent honest.

They had gone swimming after dinner and then watched a fireworks special on television. His uncle had apologized again about not taking Ricky to the fireworks show. Ricky had assured him it was fine.

Considering his discoveries this summer, he was apt to believe his uncle definitely experienced some ordeal. If he thought staying in after dark was the safest thing to do then Ricky would make no fuss even if it meant missing out on this year's firework display.

After watching the fireworks they had started watching a new action slash comedy movie. Mid-way through his uncle had fallen asleep. Ricky had glanced over at the lightly snoring man and grinned. He had known there was no way he was gonna watch the move and be able to hear it through that noise. So he had gently shaken his uncle awake and told him to go to bed. Ricky had followed along behind him.