WINTER'S BROKEN MATE

EPISODE 10

Casey had been in the garden for a while, the garden was almost as amazing as Thurston’s. Casey’s fascination with the flowers, plants and herbs in the garden was only broken when she heard soft crying. She followed the heartbreaking sound and found a small boy not more than four years old.

“Hello, are you okay?” Casey asked softly as she neared the bench where the boy was rocking. He looked up at her, his jungle green eyes spoke of sorrows she understood only quite well.

The boy just stared at her, his tear-streaked face in an inquisitorial look, his brick-red hair a jumbled mess around his face.

“If you tell me who made you cry, I’ll make them pay.”

“Promise?” he said shakily in a small voice.

“Promise.” Casey affirmed,

“Some kids were making fun of me at school because I don’t have a mommy.” The boy said innocently, Casey’s heart shattered for him. To lose a parent was to lose a part of yourself, but this boy in front of her, this small boy with such pain in his eyes, she shattered.

“Oh honey.” She said as she wrapped her arms around the boy, his hands immediately held her and he cried some more. Casey placed the small boy on her lap and rocked him gently, making quiet soothing sounds to help him calm down, which he eventually did.

“You are nice.” Said the boy, “What’s your name?”

Casey smiled sweetly at the young boy, “Casey, what is yours?”

“Kenny,” he chided, “My wolf’s name is Kai?”

“Your wolf?” Casey asked surprised, wolves almost always got their wolves in their teens. The earliest she’d ever known a child to get a wolf was at 8. But she figured Kenny’s wolf realized he needed him sooner, and he came to fix the void left by his mother or try to. Casey was glad he had his wolf.

“Tell me about your wolf.” Casey said.

“I haven’t shifted yet, but when I see him in my head, he is big and strong, his fur is the same color as my hair, he is pretty and fierce.”

“Fierce, you say!”

“FIERCE!” Kenny affirmed, “He protects me and I protect him, we are one.”

“That’s very smart Kenny.”

“I am a smart boy,” he chirps proudly, “top of my class.”

“Brilliant and beautiful, I reckon you have the lethal combination.” Casey offered. Kenny smiled proudly.

Quietly, “Don’t listen to the mean kids in your class, okay? You will be just fine.” Casey said, “And if they don’t want to be your friend, that’s quite alright. You don’t want to be their friend either, okay?” Kenny nodded as he attentively listened.

“And you have me!” Casey whispered conspiratorially, “I will always be your friend.”

“Promise?” he asked shakily, a glimmer of hope in his eyes.

“Promise.” Casey said that as Kenny broke into a huge grin and gave her a tight hug. Casey giggled happily.

“Remember, you are better than you think you are and more than you think you can.” Kenny just nodded and hugged her tighter. When he let her go, Casey asked Kenny,

“Do you come here often?”

“Whenever I’m sad.”

“Would you like me to tell you about the flowers and plants here?” Kenny’s face lit up as he nodded. Casey stood with him still in her arms and went round the garden, telling him about all the flowers she knew and what they meant. She showed him her favorite flowers, and for what appeared like hours, the two forgot about the world and got lost in the land and its beauty as they would for years to come.