Wow! This chapter is SO past due, and I apologize. I have been beyond busy with graduation type things as well as being in the hospital with my fun, new diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. The joy never ends. Anyways, I hope you enjoy reading this chapter as much as I enjoy your feedback! Please rate and thank! Also, since this chapter is so late I'm planning to get chapter 10 out ASAP. So without further adieu.



Dina Goth slunk down her staircase wearing a tight green dress. She had a self assured smirk poised on her face. The shimmery fabric clung to her body, and the headmaster of Pleasantview’s most prestigious private school couldn’t take his eyes off her curves. He gulped; his pulse quickened. “Good evening, Mrs. Goth. It…it is Mrs., isn’t it?”


Dina strutted towards the curly haired man and shook his hand delicately. “Yes. Mrs. Goth. But, you may call me Dina. The late Mr. Goth won’t be joining us tonight…unfortunately.”
“Oh…well I’m sorry to hear that.” The headmaster began to sweat, and trying to remain professional, abruptly changed the subject. “Your son, Ricardo, was just showing me around the house. You have a fine home, Dina.”
“Oh why thank you. We just redecorated. Please, won’t you join Ricardo and I for dinner now?” Dina’s words rolled off her tongue elegantly. She was the picture of wealth and class. Quite proud of her new image and lifestyle, she planned to continue the trend for her dear son. He deserved only the best, and private school was indeed the best.


Dusk came, and the group filed into the dining room for a dinner of seared prawns. The headmaster’s eyes lit up after the first bite.“This meal is divine! Do you cook, Dina?”
Dina laughed musically. “Why yes, I dabble in the culinary arts a little. I have my own vegetable garden in the backyard so I can cook with fresh produce. That garden is my pride and joy! Well, besides Ricardo, of course.” She winked at her son. Although Dina did have a green thumb and gardened frequently, both mother and son knew the butler had really cooked the night’s dish.
The headmaster smiled. What a fine family! “Of course. Let’s hear a little more about Ricardo?” He turned to the boy and smiled warmly.


Ricardo opened his mouth, thankful for the invitation to speak. His mother cut him off. “Oh Ricardo is an amazing boy! Not only intelligent, but gifted in the arts! Tell him about your paintings, darling.” Ricardo lit up and began, but Dina again interrupted. “The other day he painted this piece. Oh, what was it honey?”
“It was…”
“That’s right! It was an outdoor scene! A moon with trees and snow. It was stunning! “
“I…”
“You’ll have to show the headmaster after dinner, sweetie.”
Deflated, Ricardo smiled and nodded while popping another prawn into his mouth. It was no use trying to get a word in edgewise when his mother was excited about something. Ricardo was a sweet natured boy, and loved his mother dearly. He knew she loved him, and was only that way because of how proud he made her.


After every last bite of prawn was consumed, the butler cleared everyone’s plate. Ricardo shook the headmaster’s hand before Dina sent the boy to bed. The adults rose from the table, smiling. “Well Dina, I think your son would be a fine addition to our school. You have a lovely family. We’d love to see Ricardo for his first day starting next week.”
Dina beamed and shook the headmaster’s hand joyfully. “Oh thank you sir! I know he won’t disappoint you. Not my son.”


Between her hectic job, her obsession with giving Ricardo the best money could buy, and keeping up with the lifestyle of the elite, Dina often forgot she had in fact, two sons. Little Gideon spent most of his time alone, crawling around the Goth mansion undetected. He got into all kinds of trouble. The only person who really noticed and cared for the child was the butler. After all, that was his job.


“What are you doing in here you little rascal?” The butler scooped up the toddler from the now sopping bathroom floor. Gideon had been playing in the toilet, again. He had also soiled his diaper, again. The butler sighed. “Your mother should have you potty trained by now." He felt sad for the boy. The man had not been serving the Goth household for very long, but he knew some of the secrets that went on behind closed doors. He knew Gideon was only born as an inheritance insurance. Unlike Destiny who had been rescued by her older sister, Gideon would never have the love he deserved.



Letti Caliente sat alone in the rubbery swing at Pleasantview’s newest playground. It was a sunny spring day, and her mother had sent her out of the house for a little bit while she had company over. Letti enjoyed the nature, and didn’t mind being sent outdoors for a couple hours. After growing bored with kicking around brown mulch with her shoe, Letti began to pump her legs.


Letti closed her eyes and listened to the wind rush through her black hair with each swoop of the swing. She imagined she was a bird flying high into the air. *Plop* A fat raindrop suddenly hit the girl smack dab in the forehead. *Plink* Another splashed onto her glasses. Letti opened her eyes and noticed the sky had grown a sad, gray color. She squinted and frowned, disappointed by the sudden weather change. While contemplating walking home, Letti watched a familiar young boy walk onto the playground.


Ready to head for a dryer climate, Letti hopped off the swing and began venturing towards the playground fort. Before she could reach the ladder, the familiar child stopped her. “Hey! I know you!”, the dark haired boy exclaimed. “You’re one of the kids who used to go to my old school. Letti, right?”


Letti’s green eyes went wide. Surprised somebody remembered her name, she smiled meekly. “Yes. That’s my name. I remember you too. You’re Ricardo. You got into that private school.”
Ricardo beamed. “Yes I did! You’re really smart, right? You should come too. I bet they’d love for you to be in my new class!”


Letti blushed. “Oh, I wish I could. My mom says private school costs a lot of money though. We don’t have a lot of money.”
Suddenly aware of Letti’s embarrassment, Ricardo changed the subject. “Oh, well that’s okay. It’s not so great anyway.” He looked around the playground somewhat nervously. “But hey, do you come here a lot? We could meet here to play. We can be playground friends!”


Letti giggled and nodded, suddenly enthralled by the idea of having a friend that was not of the four-legged, furry variety. Ricardo smiled a toothy grin, reached out, and tapped Letti on the shoulder. “Let’s get started! Tag! You’re it!”


The two children spent the rest of the afternoon chasing each other around the playground, inventing all sorts of different games. They laughed and played for hours but soon enough, the rain grew too thick and they decided to part ways. Ricardo and Letti hugged, agreeing to meet again as soon as their mothers would allow.


Letti skipped all the way home, glowing with excitement. Nina quirked an eyebrow at her daughter when she bounded breathlessly into the kitchen. “Back so soon?”, she said sarcastically.
“Sorry, Mom. I made a friend at the park and lost track of time!”


“A friend, huh? I thought I told you not to talk to strangers.” Nina listened half heartedly, cleaning up the dirty lunch dishes.
Letti followed her mother around the kitchen like a giddy, lost puppy. “Oh well, he wasn’t really a stranger. He used to be in my class. Not dangerous either. Just a kid like me.”


“He’s in your class?”
“Used to be. Now he goes to private school. His family is rich.”
Now intrigued, Nina listened carefully. “Really now? Who’s his family?”
Letti was confused as to why her mother cared so much, but was excited to be asked so many questions about her new friend. “I’m glad you asked! That’s the funny part! We have the same last name!”


Nina froze. This couldn't be happening. Not now. “What did you just say?”
Letti picked up on her mother’s changed tone instantly. “Uhm…we have the same last name. Caliente. His name is Ricardo.”
Nina was silent.


Letti gulped, growing nervous. “What’s wrong mommy? Am I in trouble?”
Nina took a deep breath, finally composing herself. “No Letti, you’re not in trouble. But c’mon, let’s go sit down for a minute. We have something to talk about.”



Don Lothario climbed out of the mud spattered camouflage army vehicle and stepped onto his freshly manicured lawn. Lorenzo’s nanny walked out of the house and got into her van, her shift now over. Don nodded at her absentmindedly, stretching and yawning. His long, hard days at the army base running drills made him tired; he was happy to be home where he could finally relax.


“Kaylynn, I’m home!”, Don shouted as he stepped into his house. He looked around his living room. Empty. He listened. Quiet. Puzzled, Don peered around the corner. “Hmm…”, he thought out loud, “I know Kaylynn was off today.” After knocking on the bathroom door and inspecting the dining room, he decided to try the kitchen for any signs of life.


Don walked into the green kitchen, his army boots clicking on the linoleum floor. He glanced around, still no one. One thing did seem different: a note tacked to the bulletin board hanging next to their phone. Don quirked an eyebrow and moved closer to read it.


Don:
I took a mini vacation with Brandi to that new spa place in Bluewater. Will be back tomorrow afternoon. You’re home alone with Lorenzo once nanny leaves. Don't panic. Make sure he has dinner and a bath. Try to get him to use the potty.
Xoxo,
Kay

Don buried his face in his hands, immediately sent into a frenzy. “Oh no! Oh no no no no NO!” Panicked, Don grabbed the phone and wildly dialed Kaylynn’s cell phone number. “Please, please, please pick up Kaylynn!” The phone rang and rang; Kaylynn’s answering machine picked up.


He begged to the robotic voice for mercy. “Kaylynn! You have to come home right now! I…I don’t know how to take care of babies! Not alone! Please help me! Please!” He waited, hopeful she’d pick up and assure him this was a joke, that she was not hours away and would be walking through the front door any moment. Don was not that lucky, and soon, he heard Lorenzo screaming from his crib upstairs.


Don eventually hung up the phone and made his way upstairs, Lorenzo’s cries growing louder with every step. Nervously, Don entered the hollering toddler’s room. “Hi little guy. Have a nice nap?”
Lorenzo blinked at his father, mouth agape. He burst into tears. “I WANT MOMMY!” The bunny-slippered boy wailed for his mother as big salty tears fell down his face. Don bit his lip and frowned.


“Mommy isn’t here buddy. She went…on vacation. She’ll be back tomorrow.”
Lorenzo stopped yelling for a moment, intrigued. His mother left him? She wouldn’t be back until the morning? Suddenly realizing the implications of his father’s statement, Lorenzo melted back down to an emotional wreck. “MOMMYYYY!”
Tired of the screaming, Don plucked Lorenzo from his crib awkwardly. “Okay that’s enough of that.” Lorenzo went silent, surprised his father actually picked him up. Upon being so close to Lorenzo, Don noticed a horrendous smell coming from his bottom. “Oh no…did you poop?” Lorenzo nodded solemnly, and Don carried him off to the bathroom, holding him at a distance. 


Don stripped his son down and drew some bath water, oblivious to the standard diaper change protocol. “In you go, stinky. You’re supposed to use the potty, you know?”


Lorenzo sat in the water patiently while Don attempted washing him. “Mommy does it different”, he said frankly, in mumbled toddler lingo.
“Yeah I bet. Well, mommy isn’t here, is she?” Lorenzo’s little lip quivered at the reminder.


The remainder of that night went horrifically, as well as the next morning. Don chased his son around the house endlessly; Lorenzo’s curiosity and hunger for trouble was immense. Finally defeated by the uncooperative toddler, Don gave up and collapsed onto the couch. He laid there helplessly, watching chaos unfold until Lorenzo finally ran out of steam and passed out on the carpet.


The next morning, Don was awakened by a knock on the door. He sprang up, ready for action, but was relieved to see Kaylynn standing in the doorway. She looked radiant in her springy, purple dress. “Mommy!”, cooed Lorenzo as he opened and closed his chubby fists, signaling for his mother to pick him up.
“I’m home! How are my boys?!” Kaylynn could hardly contain her excitement upon seeing the face of her small son.


Before Lorenzo could steal his mother's attention away, Don leapt from the couch and bounded to Kaylynn. He engulfed his wife in a desperate bear hug, smothering her with a thankful kiss. “I am so happy you’re home! It feels like it’s been years!”


“Well well, what a lovely welcome home!” Kaylynn gladly accepted the sudden flow of appreciation coming her way.
Don beamed at his wife. “Honey, I don’t know how you do it. You’re an amazing mother. I could never do this alone. Please, please, don’t ever leave me again.”


Kaylynn smirked, trying to hold back a victorious snicker. She’d have to remember to thank Brandi for the “spontaneous” vacation later. Mission accomplished.