During the meal after returning home:

  "How was your day, honey?" Bob asked while serving potatoes to Gabe.

  "Good, there wasn't much to d my shift. We didn't have many patients in the emergen. There was a boy who went fishing with his father, and the hook got stu his lip," she said while trying to show where on the lip. "Also, Mr. Johnson came back for his spoh. It's amazing how quickly his body hair grows," Mom tinued.

  "Great, now we have to hear about Dad's is and Mr. Johnson's body hair," Gabe said disgustedly, putting down his utensils on his pte.

  "By the way, Dr. House finally accepted a patient," Mom said, ign Gabe's ent as she served food oe.

  "Oh, really, dear?" Bob said. "What's so special about this patient that the awful Dr. House finally accepted him?" he tinued.

  "No one knows for sure. Rumor has it among the hat she's reted to someo the hospital, but I think it's because of the challenge. Everyone says House is a medical genius, but it seems he only cares about special cases," Mom said.

  "So, he won't see anyone unless he finds the case iing," I said, now more annoyed with this Dr. House.

  "What happeo her, Mom?" Teddy asked suddenly intrigued.

  Pausing for a moment, Mom stayed silent.

  "Well, acc to the head nurse, a month ago, she had a seizure in front of his entire css. She was a teacher, and during one of her csses, the children said she started speaking strangely, then she wrote on the board to call the nurse and passed out," Mom said, trying to add suspeo her words.

  "That's awful. Why could that have happened?" Teddy said, scared.

  "Brain tumor," I blurted out without thinking, still angry with Dr. House.

  Everyo the table fell silent and looked at me.

  "Yes, that's what they thought, but they ras, and there's no visible tumor. Besides, she's still young, only 29 years old," Mom said, eyeing me suspiciously. "How do you know it could be cer, PJ?" she asked, surprised and intrigued.

  "I read it in a book," I quickly lied.

  "A book?" Mom said. "Why would you read a book about that?"

  "He's been studying to bee a doctor. Sometimes, he practice 'suturing' fruits in our room," Gabe quickly chimed in.

  Bob and Mom seemed surprised.

  "Well, since my head injury, I've been thinking about studying more about the brain, and in one of the chapters of this book, it mentions symptoms of a brain tumor that sound like what you described," I lied again.

  "Oh, PJ, you don't have to study medie if you're worried. We take you to the hospital if you ," Mom said with on her face.

  "Actually, I'm not just studying because of fear. I mean, sure, that's how it started, but after reading a few books on the subject, I find myself developing an i in medie. I've been thinking about being a doctor," I said resolutely. I had been waiting for the right moment to tell my family, and now seemed like the best time.

  Once again, my words seemed to leave everyone speechless.

  "PJ, a doctor?" Bob finally broke the silence. "I hought I'd hear that," Mom added.

  "Yeah, I've been sidering it. I've improved a lot in my studies, and I'm studying every day. I might eve a sports schorship, so I thought, why not bee a doctor?" I said, looking at them, waiting for their reas.

  "That's true. When PJ expins my assigs, he does it better thaeacher. I find it easier to uand things I hadn't fully grasped in css. I didn't know you'd been studying so much," Teddy said.

  "Whatever you want to study, we'll support yht, Bob?" Mom said.

  "Yes," Bob replied as he chewed his food.

  After dinner, as was the routine, Gabe and I went outside to py ball.

  "We were pying in the yard, throwing the ball around, and my friends said I'm the best," Gabe said proudly as he threw the ball. "Yeah, you've improved a lot these days. If you keep it up, by the time you get to high school, schools will fight for you," I replied, throwing the ball ba.

  We tinued pying for a while until Sheldon came out from the Cooper's house and approached us. "Good afternoon, PJ, Gabe," he greeted us.

  "Hi, Sheldon. Good afternoon to you too," I replied. "Robot," Gabe added with a slight nod.

  "Do you know why my mother wants me to iam to diomorrow?" Sheldon asked, intrigued, as he stood beside ame.

  "Well, Sheldon, it's natural for a mother to be ed about her child, so she probably wants to meet your new friend," I replied while tinuing to py with Gabe.

  "No, she probably wants to know if this 'Tam' is real. It might just be a robot halluation," Gabe said, mog.

  "It's unlikely for a robot to experience halluations, and for your information, Tam is my friend, and he is real. I met him in the school library. He's ied in rocket reading, not just children's ics," Sheldon said proudly.

  "As I said, robot," Gabe said with a sigh as he threw the ball back.

  Interrupting their argument, I said, "So, Sheldon, are you going to iam to diomorrow?" I asked.

  "Oh, yes, in fact, that's why I came. My mom asked me to invite you to di our porrow, as Tam and apparently you are my only friends," Sheldon said.

  "Alright, I'll be there," I said, trying to ignore a shat escaped from my brother.

  After nodding, Sheldon stood there for a few more seds, watg us py. Wheiced his i, I brought the ball closer to him and asked, "Do you want to throw it?"

  "No, thanks. It's dirty," Sheldon said, stepping away from the ball. "If there's nothing else, I've pleted my task for my mom. See you tomorrow at school, PJ, Gabe," he said, bidding us farewell.

  "Goodbye, robot," Gabe said, "So, the best friend of a nine-year-old who's undoubtedly smarter than you," Gabe added, teasingly.

  "Yes, he doesn't have any friends and he's ye, Gabe. How would you feel if nobody wao talk to you?" I asked him seriously as he threw the ball.

  Gabe seemed to be thinking about my question while throwing the ball bae.

  We tinued pying without speaking for several more minutes until Gabe got tired, and we went baside the house.

  After wiping off the sweat, I joined my family for dinner, where I told my parents about Sheldon's invitation to di the Cooper's house tomorrow and headed to my room to study a bit more.

  Gabe ractig with one of his guitars. "You're right," he suddenly said, stopping his pying.

  "In what? I mean, I'm always right, but I'd like to know in what case this time," I said, teasingly.

  "About the robot... Sheldon. I'd feel bad if nobody wao talk to me," he said, l his head slightly.

  "Gabe, it's n to not like someone, but making fun of someone who's different from you isn't right. Sheldon is very smart when it es to numbers and anythied to studying, but because of his intelligence, he finds it difficult to make friends. You, oher hand, already have many friends iary school, even the chubby kid with the chis is your friend now. I'm not asking you to be his best friend, but I am asking you not to treat him worse than he deserves," I said, smiling when Gabe nodded. "Now, tinue pying that thing you were doing a moment ago. I like it," I added.

  "Really?" he asked excitedly. "Yes, did you write it? It's good," I asked.

  "No, it's just a chord progression shown in the book. It's the first time I've practiced it," he said, still excited.

  "Well, whatever it is, it's nice. Keep going," I said.

  The day went on as usual. I woke up before my arm, ran a few miles, had a light breakfast, and Bob dropped me off at school.

  The first two periods were normal, and Sheldon and I peted with each other to answer questions. I tried to answer as many questions as possible while helping more cssmates. It seemed like word had spread, and now almost everyone asked me for help when they , and I was happy to provide that help.

  During lunchtime in the cafeteria, Sheldon and Tam approached the table where my friends and I were sitting.

  "Hello, Sheldon, Tam," I greeted them. "Hello, PJ Dun, my friend," Tam said, half-shouting and puffing out his chest.

  "Why are you here, Sheldon?" Geie asked, annoyed.

  "I don't think that's any of your business, but if you really want to know, Tam here wao e and say hi to PJ," Sheldon expined calmly, making my friends (except Geie) ugh.

  "Oh, Cenius is quite funny," Brock said, giving Sheldon a thumbs-up. Suddenly, Sheldon wrinkled his nose and covered it, looking disgusted. "Now that Tam has achieved his goal, we're leaving. See you at my house for dinner, PJ," he said as he turned around to leave quickly.

  Tam stood for a moment beside our table, lookiween Sheldon and the empty seat o Brock. After a few moments, he made up his mind and followed Sheldon to ay table.

  "I 't believe you're friends with him. I thought you and I were friends," Geie said, annoyed.

  "We are friends, Geie. I don't know what you're talking about. I'm also friends with Sheldon and apparently with Tam," I replied. "Tam?" Geie asked, intrigued.

  "The guy ith your brother, idiot," An said.

  "What a strange am'," said Brock, emphasizing the boy's name.

  "Anyway, you be Sheldon's friend if you want, but he won't sit with us. If you want, you sit with him and that Dam, I don't care," said Geie grumbling, arms crossed.

  "Calm down, Geie. He eve want to sit here; he's bothered by Brock's smell," I joked with my good friend.

  "It's better that way," he said, still annoyed.

  David and An started teasing Geie about his little brother, and occasionally, Brock threw in his own joke, only to resume discussing something else with me.

  At an iing point in my versation with Brock about movies that I haven't see, I felt a tap on my shoulder. Turning around in my seat, I saw Regina again, with her two friends behind her.

  "Hi, PJ from Coloradina said with a smile. "Hellina, Gret, Karen. How are you?" I greeted all three friends.

  Karen started chatting with David, Geie, and Brock, who immediately engaged with her as they arrived.

  Gret, oher hand, approached An to chat.

  "Alright, PJ, I was w if you'd like to go to the movies tomorrow. They're showing 'Ghost,'" said Regina while pying with her hair.

  "Sure", 'Ghost'? Is it about ghosts? I had never heard of a movie called 'Ghost'; I know about the 'Ghostbusters,' but I don't think it's that movie.

  "Alright, see you there tomorrow," said Regina happily as she dragged her two friends back to their table.

  "Well, then we're going to the movies tomorrow," I told my friends.

  "No, no, Superstar, she was inviting you alo's a date," An said mogly.

  "Are you sure? I mean, we're going to watch a movie about ghosts. I don't uand how that be a date," I replied thoughtfully. "Besides, her friends are going too."

  "For someone so smart at school, you sure are clueless with women. She's definitely asking you out, buddy. Gret and Karen won't be there because they'll be at Gret's house," An said a little exasperated.

  "Yeah, buddy, it's definitely a date. Regina Gee, the hottest girl of eion, is asking you out. I don't know what she sees in you," Brock said with jealousy. "Sure, you're tall, you smell good, you're the quarterback, and you're smart, but apart from that, I don't know," he tinued.

  "Thanks mate," I said, grateful for the pliments.

  "Fet what I said, PJ. You stay at this table as long as you want, as long as you keep attrag pretty girls," Geie said, chewing his food unpleasantly.

  "I agree," said David and Brock simultaneously.

  Ign their nonsense, I tinued eating until I remembered something An had said earlier.

  "By the way, how do you know where Gret will be?" I said, now teasing my friend.

  "Reasons," he replied, not giving it much importance.

  Notig that something might be going on, my other friends started interrogating the usually calm one in roup.

  Exasperated by the situation, An thanked me without really saying anything, and I just smiled at him.

  The day tinued without many is.

  During practice, Mr. Cooper made us run through our pys to see how well-polished they were.

  In the locker room, Mr. Cooper asked for everyone's attention.

  "As you know, week is the first game of the season. I want you all to be prepared to give it your all. Stick to what we've trained fet plenty of rest, and as long as you py as you've been doing during this season's practices, we go far," he said with pride in his voice.

  "Now, go to the showers; some of you smell bad, especially you, Brock. For the love of God, use deodorant," Mr. Cooper said as he entered his office with Coach Wilkins.

  Today, Mr. Cooper drove me home again. As I got out of his car and was about to say goodbye to Geie, Mr. Cooper stopped me. "PJ, one moment, please," he said, returning to where I was.

  "Yes, Coach?" I asked.

  "Here at home, you don't o call me Coach, PJ. I just wao thank you for what you're doing for my two sons. I appreciate it a lot," Mr. Cooper said, pg a hand on my shoulder.

  "You don't have to thank me; both of them are good friends of mine," I replied.

  "I know Geie is a good friend of yours; you've been helping him with his schoolwork. In fact, all the teachers say that. But I want to thank you especially for Sheldon," he said, gng suspiciously at his house. "Between you and me, Mary was very worried about Sheldon, and so was I. I'm just gd Sheldon has a friend like you, you know, someone normal," he said, almost whispering.

  "Again, Mr. Cooper, you don't have to thank me. Sheldon and Geie are my friends," I said with a smile.

  "You're a good kid. I'm gd to have you as the quarterback. You're a good leader too. Well, see you at dinner, son," he said as he went back to his house.

  Leaving my things at home, I went to my room to ge. Gabe was sitting at my desk, writing in a notebook, but he got distracted wheered the room.

  "Hey, PJ, didn't see you e in. Horactice?" Gabe asked, quickly closing his notebook and moving to his side of the room.

  "It was good, thanks. What do you have there?" I asked, pointing at the notebook he was trying to hide among his ics.

  "Oh, it's just homework; I fi already, nothing to worry about," Gabe said hastily.

  Ign his strange behavior, I finished getting dressed and headed to the kit, where Mom was making herself a fruit bowl.

  "Hi, Mom, sorry for not saying hello when I got home," I greeted her while grabbing a gss of water.

  "Hi, PJ, don't worry. I see you've ged already. Are you going to the Coopers' now?" Mom asked as she sliced an apple.

  "Yes, in a few moments," I replied, looking at her strangely as she added hot saud peanut butter to her fruit.

  "Have you told Dad about the pregnancy yet?" I asked.

  "No, why do you ask? Do you think he suspects something?" she said, ed, while eatirange mix of foods.

  "I don't know, but if he doesn't suspeything, he might start to," I said, pointing at her pte.

  Surprised, Mom looked at her food.

  "No, your dad doesn't know yet," she said sadly.

  "Mom," I said, patting her back. "The longer you wait, the harder it will be to tell him," I tinued.

  "Yeah, I know, PJ. I just 't do it yet," she said as she took her pte ahe kit.

  On my way to the Coopers',

  I saw Tam walking in the family's garden.

  "Hey, Tam, how's it going?" I said as I approached.

  "Oh, PJ Dun, good evening," said Tam, his hand for a handshake. "You know, you just call me PJ; you don't have to use my st name every time. We're friends, so drop the formality," I replied as I bumped fists with his hand.

  Seeing his hand, Tam stood still for a moment. I decided to leave him with his thoughts ao the Coopers' front knock the door, with the boy joining me.

  From ihe house, we heard Mrs. Cooper shout, "They're here, everybody stay calm! Just a normal day," even though she was the only one screaming. " I eat in front of the TV?" I heard Missy ask her mother. "No, you eat in front of Sheldon's friends," her mother scolded. "Aw, fudge," Missy responded. "I know what 'fudge' means, and you're right on the edge, young dy," Mrs. Cooper scolded again.

  I noticed that Tam jumped with eatera of the Cooper women, so I put a hand on his shoulder and said, "Calm down, they're just a regur family, well, an Ameri family," which didn't seem to calm him.

  Immediately after, the door to the Cooper's house opened, with Mrs. Cooper elegantly dressed, and Missy standing behind her with her arms crossed.

  "Wele," Mrs. Cooper said with a smile at Tam. "Oh, hi, PJ, I didn't know you were ing too. This dinner won't be s after all," said Missy as she uncrossed her arms a me in.

  "Hi, Missy, good evening, Mrs. Cooper, you look radiant today," I said as I ehe house.

  "Oh, good evening, PJ. A true gentleman as always," said Mrs. Cooper.

  "And do I look pretty, PJ?" Missy asked while twirling her pink dress.

  "Like a princess, Missy," I said, smiling at the little girl.

  With a smile, Tam followed behind me and greeted everyone as Mrs. Cooper led us to the kit.

  "This is Tam, Sheldon's friend," she said, introdug the new boy. "I'll be right back; I'm going to get the dinner," she tinued, giving a big smile to her you son and his new friend as she left the dining room.

  At the Cooper's dining table, Mr. Cooper and Geie were already seated, along with Sheldon.

  "And I am PJ Dun, but I think everyone already knows that," I joked as I took a seat o Geie, who greeted me with a light pun the shoulder, which I returned.

  "Good evening, Mr. Cooper," I greeted after taking a seat. "PJ," Mr. Cooper replied in kind.

  "Duh, of course, we know. We've been neighbors for almost two weeks," Missy said as she took a seat o me.

  Laughing at Missy's ent, I noticed the sudden sile the table.

  Everyone had awkward smiles, looking at each other, except for Sheldon, who remained undisturbed, staring fixedly at the empty pte in front of him.

  Until Mr. Cooper decided to break the silence, "So, uh..." he said, trying to remember something, "Tam," he blurted out, recalling the boy's name. "What kind of name is that?" he asked shamelessly.

  "Vietnamese, sir," Tam replied with a friendly smile. "Sure. You know, I spent a little time over there. Army," Mr. Cooper said with pride.

  No one said anything again, so I decided to break the silence. "Well, thanks for your service, sir," I said, smiling at Mr. Cooper, who wi me in good spirits.

  Suddenly, remembering something, "Your mom's name isn't Kim-Lee, is it?" Mr. Cooper asked with seriousness.

  "No, sir," Tam replied.

  "Good! Good. I mean, you know it's a small try, so..." Mr. Cooper said with an awkward smile. "Mary, how's that food ing?" he tirying tet the unfortable moment.

  "Almost," Mrs. Cooper replied from the kit.

  Geie seemed to be thinking, "So, Vietnam, like in Rambo?" he asked Tam. "Yes," Tam replied, ughing a little, "that's a ovie," Geie affirmed excitedly. "Yes," Tam repeated, "are you in it?" Geie asked, now very excited. "No," Tam replied dryly, disappointing Geie.

  "Why would you think you know his mom?" Sheldon asked suddenly, making me uionally burst out ughing, which I tried to stifle by taking a sip of water, only to choke a little.

  Mr. Cooper just looked at me with annoyan his face, but he couldn't say anything as Mrs. Cooper suddenly appeared with a rge pte of meat. "Alright, Tam, I decided I was going to make you a real Texas dinner. Barbecued chi and brisket," she said.

  "Thank you," Tam replied with a big smile.

  "Well, I figured you were probably tired of stuff wiggling around on your pte," Mrs. Cooper said shamelessly as she sat at the table.

  Once again, a quick ugh escaped me, "what?" Mrs. Cooper asked, and I lied, "oh, nothing, just remembered something Mr. Cooper said," with horror on his face, Mr. Cooper quickly interrupted me, saying, "okay, Mary, why don't you say grace? Tam must be hungry," saying it half with a smile for his wife and half with annoyane.

  "Okay, let's say grace," Mrs. Cooper said, taking Missy and her husband's hands. "Now, Tam, when I say 'Jesus,' feel free to say the word 'Buddha' in your head," Mrs. Cooper fidently said, assuming Tam was Buddhist. "I'm actually Catholic," Tam said with a smile. "Oh! Well, that's too bad," Mrs. Cooper said as she closed her eyes to give grace.

  The Coopers closed their eyes as Mrs. Cooper said her grace, "Thank you, God, for this food." While the Coopers had their eyes closed, Tam exged gnces with me, shrugging and giving him a little encement.

  "And thank you so much for Sheldon's new friend," she tinued, "Amen," everyo the Cooper's table separated their hands and started serving themselves.

  "Everything looks great, Mrs. Cooper," I said, trying to lighten the mood a bit. "Oh, thank you so much, PJ," she replied as she took another bite.

  After a few minutes of only hearing the sound of forks and knives against ptes, Mrs. Cooper said, "So, Tam, tell us about your family. What brings y'all to Texas?"

  "Well, after the Ameri war-" he was interrupted again, this time by Mr. Cooper, "you mean the Vietnam War," "we call it the Ameri war," Tam quickly replied, expining to Mr. Cooper.

  "Anyway, after the war, my father was sent to a reeducation camp because he fought on the wrong side," said Tam cryptically.

  "You mean our side," Mr. Cooper joked.

  "I was trying to be am said sharply.

  "So, for many years, my mother, my sisters, and I were very poor and very often didn't have much to eat," Tam tinued, making everyo the table feel guilty for some reason.

  "Then, when he was released," he was interrupted again, this time by Geie, "What'd they teach him at the reeducation camp?" he asked intrigued, "how to be a unist," Tam replied.

  "Cool, like Rambo," Geie said excitedly.

  Ign Geie's affirmation, Tam tinued, "When he was released, we escaped on a small boat and spent many weeks at sea dodging Cambodian pirates until we reached Thaind."

  Seeing an opportunity to lighteuation, Mrs. Cooper quickly said, "Oh, that's supposed to be a beautiful try."

  "Lovely beaches," Mr. Cooper affirmed.

  "I wouldn't know," Tam cut him off, "We were forced to live in a refugee camp, where the only thing we had to eat were pigeons and rats."

  "Ha!" Geie said, "That's a job for hot sauce," firming.

  Apparently intrigued by what Geie said, Tam looked at him curiously, while calmly tinuing to eat from his pte.

  Ign Geie's ent once again, Tam tinued, "Finally, we were allowed to e to the Uates and start over in Galveston," he said, "my father saved money and bought his own shrimp boat."

  With a big smile, Mrs. Cooper said, "there's a happy ending, when the goiough, America provides."

  Thinking the story was over, everyone tinued with their dinner.

  "It did," said Tam, cutting the ret good spirits short, "until the Ku Klux Kn burned our boat and chased us away."

  "You gonna put a good spin on that one?" Mr. Cooper asked his wife.

  "So we came to Medford and opened up a venieore," Tam tinued, "my parents work 16 hours a day, seven days a week for very little money," Tam finished with his head down.

  "Well, that was depressing," Sheldon said as he tinued with his dinner.

  "Yeah, definitely depressing," I firmed, "the Ameri dream works for some, I suppose."

  The day, after my m routine, I saw Sheldon and Tam in the Carage. "Hey, Sheldon, Tam, good m. What are you guys doing here?" I said as I approached the two, who had a miniature rocket in their hands.

  "Good m to you too. We're iigating why this rocket didn't unch," I heard Sheldon say while w with the rocket's wires.

  "Probably the fuel," I said as I approached their work table.

  Surprised, Sheldon turned on his stool and said, "Do you know anything about rockets?"

  "Absolutely nothing," I replied with a smile.

  "You smell like sweat," Sheldon said as he tinued w with the rocket's cables.

  "Yes, sorry, I just got back from exerg. I usually do it earlier, but si's Saturday, I gave myself a bit more time to sleep," I replied.

  "It's good that you exercise your body, but until you're , please—" Sheldon was interrupted as the rocket suddenly unched.

  Broken gss and the sound of a car arm were enough for Sheldon to shout, "Sorry!"

  "I don't know what happened; I was trying to calibrate the ignition wires, and suddenly it went off," Sheldon said nervously about what had just happened.

  "Sheldon Cooper," Mr. Cooper said angrily, apanied by his wife, as they ehe garage, "these people want to talk to you," he tinued, stepping aside for two people dressed in FBI uniforms.

  "Hello, kids, I'm Agent Gabe Gallo, and this is my partner Aaron Hoter," said the older of the two, "whie of you is Sheldon Lee Cooper?" he asked seriously.

  "Me," Sheldon said as he slowly raised his hand.

  "If you could e with us, we have some questions for you," said Agent Gabe, guiding Sheldon ihe house.

  "Kids, you go; we'll just talk a little with your friend Sheldon," the agent said again as he bid farewell with a slight nod.

  "Goodbye, PJ, Pam," Mr. Cooper said as he hurriedly followed his wife, who had gone ih the agents.

  Tam and I were left alone in the garage, looking incredulously at what had just happened. "My name is Tam," the boy corrected, although Mr. Cooper was no lohere to hear it.

  "Well, Tam, I think it's time we leave here," I said, pg a hand on his shoulder.

  "Okay," Tam said, still surprised by what had just happened.

  Tam seemed to be pting whether or not to say something, and as we left the Carage, he gathered the ce and turo me, "PJ, would you like to do something today?"

  "Oh, I'm sorry, Tam. I'm actually going out with Regina; we're going to the movies," I said apologetically.

  "With Regina Gee?" Tam asked, surprised. "She's the hottest girl of eion. Your reputation precedes you, PJ Dun, my friend," Tam said with a smile as he walked away down the sidewalk.

  "Okay... goodbye, Tam," I said, puzzled by the boy's behavior, but he was already too far away to hear me.

  When I got bae, I took a shower to the dirt and sweat from my m exercise.

  It was still early, so I spent some time reading in the living room. As the time to go out with Regina approached, I approached Bob, who was also in the living room on his armchair.

  "Dad, you take me to the ema? I'm going with Regina," I asked.

  Bob, who was reading his i magazine, froze for a moment and then asked in surprise, "Do you have a date?"

  "I think it's just a social outing, you know, to get to know each other, but my friends think Regina invited me on a date," I replied.

  "Wait, she invited you?" Bob said, increasingly surprised as he stood up.

  "Well, yes," I said, feeling a little embarrassed by his rea.

  With a snort and puffing his chest with pride, Bob said, "It's the gehe Duns always triumphing. Let's go quickly. You're lucky your mom is on duty right now, and I have time to take you," he said as he left the house with the car keys in hand.

  On the way to the ema in the horrible yellow truck, Bob said, "You're almost old enough to drive, PJ."

  "Yeah, a few more months, and I'll be 16," I replied with a slight nod.

  "You o start practig and studying for the test. weekend, I'll take you to practice," Bob affirmed as he tinued driving.

  I already knew how to drive, even though in my past life, I didn't have my own car. To be a paramedic, you need a driver's lise. I still remember the questions they asked in the exam; I hope they haven't ged pletely.

  "We're here, PJ. I don't know what kind of outing this is, but I want you to remember that you always have to respect a dy. I won your mother's heart by being a true gentleman, and that's what I want you to be a gentleman," he said seriously as he stopped me from getting out of the car. "Take this," he said, handiwenty-dolr bill. "You pay for everything, ah! and I'll pick you up in about two hours. Have fun," he tinued, patting me on the back as I exited the car.

  I stood outside the ema iicket line, watg Bob drive away in his horrible truck.

  Some time passed while I waited. Then, on the main street, an incredibly luxurious car stopped in front of the ema. The back door opened, and Regina, looking incredibly well-groomed, stepped out of the car. She immediately spotted me, waved with a big gesture, and a wide smile, and approached me.

  With a hug and a kiss on the cheek, Regina said, "PJ, hi, you look... good," while she looked me up and down. I hadn't specifically prepared myself for the outing; I was just wearing my regur clothes.

  "That's not true; I feel underdressed. Just look at you; you look incredible," I said, smiling at her.

  "Thank you," Regina said, pying with her hair.

  We tialking, mainly Regina, as the liarted moving. When we reached the ticket ter, I said with a smile to the young worker selling the tickets, "Two tickets fhost," paying for them, aered the ema.

  "Do you want something from the snack stand? Pop, for example," I asked while guidiowards the stand.

  "No, thanks. Pop has too many calories, but water would be perfect," she said, taking my arm and leadio the stand.

  With our purchases in hand, we headed to the theater, where I noticed that only couples were cuddled up in the seats. It probably wasn't a ghost movie as I had thought.

  Regina tialking about middle school until the movie started.

  In the end, the movie wasn't what I had expected. Twenty minutes into the movie, there was a cy modeling se that was far too erotic for what it was supposed to be. Regina, who had been quiet the whole time, started caressing my arm, which caused an immediate rea in my body. The se in the movie, along with the cool touch ina's delicate hand, made my mouth dry. I quickly cleared my throat and shifted in my seat, trying to hide the issue that was arising in my pants. Damn teenage hormones.

  In an attempt to distract myself from the movie and Regina's touch, I started imagining various ailments in imaginary people in my head. I recalled the patient my mom talked about; if it wasn't cer, the altered mental state and inability to speak could be symptoms of a brain injury, an aneurysm*, stroke*, or some other ischemidrome*. It could also be Wernicke's encephalopathy*, but without knowing the blood thiamine levels, I couldn't say for sure.

  What they need is a trast MRI.

  I kept thinking about different fial patients, and before I k, time had passed.

  "PJ," Regina suddenly woke me from my thoughts, speaking with for my ear. I turo her with intrigue; she seemed upset.

  "Yes, I suppose you where somewhere else. The movie has ended," She said.

  "Well that was a good movie" I said lying as I stood up and stretched a bit. I really didn't know what had happened in the middle of the movie.

  "Yeah," Regina said without getting up, still with a forced smile and a curt tone.

  "Are you okay? Is there something b you?" I asked, worried that I had messed up, that I hadn't been a gentleman as Bob had advised.

  "No, nothing," she said as she stood up and gathered her things to leave the theater. I followed her outside, feeling much calmer now, she said she was ok.

  Outside the ema, I saw her luxury car waiting on the main street. I walked with her to the car and opehe door, trying to be a better gentleman than before.

  Befetting in, Regina paused and asked, "PJ, are you... gay?" looking carefully around.

  Surprised by the question, I remained silent for a moment, then quickly replied, "No, no, what makes you say that?"

  "Well, I tried several times during the movie to get your attention, but nothing worked," she said, not looking me in the eye. "I took the initiative and asked you out first, but it didn't work," she tinued, disappoi evident in her voice. "Regina-" I began, trying to get her to stop. "I like you, PJ, but I don't think you feel the same way," she interrupted, shutting the car door in my face before I could finish what I was about to say. A few moments ter, the car accelerated away.

  Surprised by her fession, I stood frozen iil a honk from Bob woke me from my trance. He had arrived in the horrible trud opehe door with a big smile.

  "There's Romeo! How did it go, son?" he asked as I got in the car.

  "I think I messed up," I said after a moment.

  Bob lost his smile and started driving dowreet. "Were you disrespectful? Did you try anything inappropriate?" he asked seriously as he drove.

  "What? No, not at all. On the trary, I was very distracted during the movie and didn't give her the attention she deserved. I think she hates me now," I said, feeling embarrassed.

  Letting out a sigh of relief, Bob said, "That's good. I raised you well not to be a bad guy." Thearted ughing. "My son, a real heartbreaker. Don't worry; she doesn't hate you. Your mom got angry with me like that several times. What you o do is give her a gift, maybe take her out to dinner and give her a bouquet of flowers. That should make her five you," Bob said as he gave my shoulder a small pat. "Well, at least it worked for your old man," he tinued, driving home.

  When we arrived at the house, it was already night, not too te but dark outside. In the Cooper's yard, I could see Geie throwing firecrackers on the roof of his house. When I got out of the car, I told Bob that I would go to the Cooper's to talk to Geie, and he gave me permission. I approached my friend.

  "Hey, what's up?" I said, giving him a little tap on the shoulder followed by a high-five. "Nothing much, Meemaw is watg over us," Geie replied, me some of his firecrackers.

  In medical school, they showed us the risks of pying with these types of firecrackers, like missing fingers in the pictures or sometimes just burumps. I definitely wouldn't py with fireworks. "No, thanks. Who's Meemaw?" I asked after deing the firecrackers. "Oh, it's my grandma, my mom's mom. My parents went out to dinner after dealing with the feds because of my idiot breie said as he threw another firecracker on the roof.

  "Speaking of wich, what happened with those FBI agents? Why were they looking for Sheldon?" I asked.

  "I don't know. They wouldn't let me listen. Sheldon is pying ih Meemaw. You ask him yourself," Geie said as he threw another firecracker.

  Entering through the backyard gate, I found Sheldon and an elderly ying cards and s at the table. "Good evening," I said, surprising the woman, who had her bae.

  "Oh, hi, PJ. We're pying Draw Poker," Sheldon said cheerfully as he showed me his cards.

  "Oh, Moonpie, you're losing at Draw Poker. Who are you? Surely not one of my grandsons," the woman interrogated me after speaking with Sheldon.

  "o meet you, ma'am. I'm PJ Dun, Geie and Sheldon's friend, also their neighbor, and we go to school together," I introduced myself to the woman.

  "Oh, the brother of the boy with the guitar. Fet about that ma'am stuff; it makes me feel old—" the woman said, but Sheldon interrupted, "but you are old." "It's a good thing I love you," she said, offended by the boy's ent.

  "Then I'll call you Meemaw too, if you don't mind," I said to the woman as I approached the table. "By the way, is Gabe here?" I asked.

  "Oh, no, no. You call her stance. I call her Meemaw. You have your own Meemaw," Sheldon quickly interjected.

  "Well, that's not o say to your friend, Moonpie. He call me Meemaw if he wants. A friend of yours is like a grandson to me too," Meemaw said with a big smile. "Now why don't you sit and py, PJ. Oh, your brother is with Missy; they're having a little cert," Meemaw said with a smile as she poio the chair o her.

  "I see. I actually came to ask Sheldon about the FBI agents who were looking for him today," I said as I sat in the offered chair.

  "Oh, yes. Agent Gallo and Agent Hoter. They were just ed because I called some mines in ada a while ago to ask for uranium. Remember, I had problems getting my scale rocket to take off? I thought that with uranium, I could solve those problems," Sheldon said calmly as Meemaw dealt the cards.

  "And you won't do it again, right? Now, PJ, do you know how to py Draw Poker?" Meemaw asked when she finished dealing.

  "ly, but I see we each have five cards. I suppose the best hand wins," I replied.

  "Correct," Meemaw said with a smug smile. "I see you know what you're talking about. Why don't you put your money where your mouth is, kid," Meemaw said, tilting her head challengingly. "I'd py with Geie, but that boy 't remember the rules," she tinued, looking at her cards with a poker face.

  With a big smile, Sheldon said, "I bet a nickel," sliding his across the table.

  Using a nearby mirror, Meemaw said, "Hang on a minute, Moonpie," pg the mirror in front of Sheldon's face. "Look at your cards, and then look in the mirror." "Hey, I'm smiling," Sheldon said happily.

  "Yeah, and what does that tell me about your cards?" Meemaw asked with a hint of mockery ione.

  "That I like them," Sheldon deduced with intrigue.

  "Attaboy. Now, look at my face. Tell me what you see," Meemaw prompted as she looked at her cards.

  "You're unhappy," Sheldon deduced. "Which means...?" Meemaw prodded.

  "You don't have good cards," Sheldon cluded with pride.

  "Right, so I'm going to see your nickel and raise you a quarter," Meemaw said as she dragged the s to the ter of the table.

  Before Sheldon could say anything, I quickly interrupted, "Well, I'll call the nickel and the quarter a everything you have there, Meemaw," I said as I ted the s oable and pulled out my bill, which amouo thirteen dolrs and some ge.

  Meemaw looked surprised, as if she had fotten I was there.

  Sheldon looked at his only oable. "All in?" he asked, a little worried. "You fold," I said with a bit of swagger.

  "No, I have good cards; Meemaw has bad cards, but I don't know if you have good cards. Okay, all in," Sheldon said as he pushed his st across the table.

  Meemaw raised an eyebrow and engaged in a staring test. I tried not to ge my expression at all. After a few seds, she made up her mind. "Okay, all in," she said, dragging all her s to the ter of the table.

  "Nines and fives," Sheldon said proudly as he put his cards oable.

  "Mmh, that's too bad," Meemaw said, putting on a fake look of annoyahree queens. You lose!" she said after a moment, with a big smile of excitement as she revealed her cards.

  Meemaw began t the s back to her side of the table until I stopped her.

  "Well, Meemaw, three queens is a great hand,"

  I said as I put my hand oable. "But unfortunately, it doesn't beat... four aces!" Shocked by my hand, Meemaw didn't stop me as I pulled the s and my bill to my side of the table.

  "What? But you didn't look happy," Sheldon said, uo believe it.

  "I made you think I was unhappy," said Meemaw with a drooping expression. "But that's lying. You lied to your Moon pie," said Sheldon, disappointed.

  "I bluffed my Moon pie, although it didn't serve any purpose. We have to take you to a o, kid. You have good luck," Meemaw said, pointing at me with one hand while colleg the cards with the other.

  "Do people know about this?" Sheldon asked as he took his grandmother's mirror.

  "Sheldon," Meemaw said calmly, "what's on a person's face is not always what's in their heart." "Well, this ges everything," Sheldon said incredulously. "How do you know who to trust?"

  "You don't; that's what makes life iing," Meemaw said with a sad smile. "Yes, you never know, but the best you do is hope for the best in people and prepare for the worst," I said while ting my money.

  "Yes, that's true," Meemaw said with a smile.

  "Mom, we're home!" Mrs. Cooper suddenly shouted.

  "In here!" Meemaw replied from the table.

  Mrs. Cooper ehe kit, followed by Mr. Cooper, who leaned against the door frame. Mrs. Cooper was surprised to see Sheldon and asked, "What's he doing up?" pointing at Sheldon. "Good evening, PJ," she greeted me wheiced my presence.

  "Good evening, Mrs. Cooper, Mr. Cooper," I greeted them both.

  "Well, he was losing to me until Mr. Aces here arrived," Meemaw said, pointing at me.

  Mrs. Cooper looked surprised and seemed about to say something, but suddenly one of Geie's firecrackers exploded, surprising everyone and annoying Mr. Cooper.

  "What the hell is that?" he asked, heading to the backyard door.

  "I sent Geie on a beer run, and tipped him with firecrackers," Mrs. Cooper expined while shuffling her deck of cards.

  "Oh, Mom," Mrs. Cooper said with disappoi.

  "Was I supposed to stiff him?" Meemaw asked defiantly.

  From the Cooper's dining room, Missy followed by Gabe came running into the kit. "I ate so much dy!" Missy excimed, holding a notebook in her hand.

  "Not me, but she has my notebook," Gabe said, chasing after Missy.

  "Let's go, Gabe. Get your things; it's getting te," I called out to my brother as I left the kit behind Missy.

  "Okay, PJ, ing!" Gabe shouted back from a distance.

  Mrs. Cave Meemaw a grateful but forced smile, staring at her ily.

  "Okay," Meemaw said, standing up. "They are all yours," she tinued as she left the kit.

  "I'm leaving too. Good night, Mr. and Mrs. Cooper, Sheldon," I said as I said goodbye and followed Meemaw out.

  "Gabe, let's go!" I yelled from the Cooper's front door, and he responded with a shout that he was ing.

  "I wasn't lying, kid. We really have to take you to a o. How old are you?" Meemaw asked as she waited fabe outside.

  "I'm turning sixteen, Meemaw. I'm not old enough to enter os yet," I replied.

  "Oh, that's too bad. I was going to Las Vegas in a few weeks to bet on Tyson's fight. Hopefully, the odds won't be too skewed in his favor, even though he's the obvious winner. A friend of mine said the odds might be 30 to 1. you believe that?" Meemaw said as she was leaving.

  Something didn't add up. We were in mid-August, and if I remembered correctly, the only Tyson fight in 1990 in my previous life had taken p February. That fight was crucial for the time, and Tyson was ued until he was beaten by anhter, i remember my roomate talking about this.

  "Wait, Meemaw, who is Tyson fighting against?" I asked quickly as I stopped her.

  "Don't you know? He's fighting against Dougs. It's the biggest boxi of the year. Even when Rocky came out, boxing wasn't as important," Meemaw said with intrigue.

  This was my ce. If things were the same as in my world, Tyson would lose, and a pced on Dougs would multiply by at least thirty.

  "When is this fight?" I asked her, "It's in a few weeks. Why? Do you want to pce a bet?" Meemaw asked, showing i in my sudden curiosity.

  "Yes, I'd like to bet. Could you do it for me?" I asked.

  "Sure, I'm going to Vegas anyway, but what's in it for me?" she asked, a bit greedy.

  "Well, how about I give you 10% of whatever I win, if I win anything?" I suggested.

  "That's not much, Mr. Aces and much less if you bet on the clear winner. I want something else," Meemaw said as if it were obvious.

  "Oh, but I won't be betting on Tyson. I want to bet on Dougs. And if I win, that 10% will be much more than what I inally bet," I said, correg her.

  "What?" she asked incredulously at my statement.

  "Yes, I want to bet on Dougs. I'm not sure if he win, but I like those odds. If I bet ten dolrs, I could win 300. Sounds good to me," I said fidently.

  "Well, kid, I won't tell you what to do with your money. It's up to you," she said as she took out a notebook and pen from her purse. "Tell me, how much do you want to bet?" she asked, moistening the pen's tip with her tongue.

  "Oh, I don't have all the money I want to bet yet. Let's discuss it a few days before you leave fas. I want to save up more money," I said as I turned my head towards the Cooper's house, where Gabe was leaving through the front door with his guitar in a case on his back.

  "Wait, you want to bet all your money?" Mrs. Cooper said, impressed. "That's not a very smart move, Mr. Aces," she tinued, shaking her head.

  "Oh, don't worry, Meemaw. I'm only fifteen. How much money could I possibly get?" I said with a smile as I headed tabe, saying my goodbyes to Meemaw.

  "Why were you talking to, Missy's grandmabe asked as we walked home.

  "Oh, nothing, just about the card game she taught me," I replied as I gave him a half-hug.

  "Okay..." he said, thinking for a moment. "Do you think you could teach me the game sometime?" he tinued after a pause.

  Chug a bit at his request, I opehe front door of our house. "Sure, I'll teach you ter. What do you have there?" I said, ging the subject, asking about the notebook he was holding.

  Embarrassed, he quickly hid the notebook and said, "Nothing," as he rushed ihe house towards our room.

  In the main living room, Bob and Mom were watg TV. "Hi, PJ, what's going on with your brother?" Mom asked from the couch.

  "I don't know, Mom," I said as I greeted her.

  As I tinued my way to my room, Mom suddenly excimed, "Oh, that's right. Your dad told me you had a date. How did it go?" she said as she ran up o me.

  "Not very well, I think he's mad at me, but Dad gave me some advice," I said. "Well, if you want my..." she was about to say, but I interrupted her. "Speaking of Dad, have you told him yet?" I asked quickly ging the subject.

  Surprised, Mom quickly turned her head to where Bob was watg TV to see if he had overheard. Seeing that he hadn't, she rexed a bit and turned her face bae.

  "No, not yet," she said with a plicated expression.

  "Mom, you 't keep putting it off like this. I know, how about tomorrow I'll prepare a special dinner for you both, and during the meal, you tell him. Dad said it's the best way to ask for fiveness, but this time you won't be asking for fiveness; instead, you'll be giving him some great news," I said, smiling because my strategy had worked. Mom fot what we were talking about before.

  "That's a great idea, PJ," Mom said happily, "but do you think you handle making dinner? Maybe we go shopping tomorrow to get the ingredients," she said.

  "Yes, let's do that. You and I will go shopping, and then you take Dad out of the house for a few hours. Teddy, Gabe, and I will prepare everything, and I'll serve as the waiter. What do you think?" I said calmly.

  "Perfect," Mom said with a big smile and teary eyes.

  "Okay," I said as I tinued my way, but Mom stopped me again with a tight hug. "Thank you so much for all your help, PJ. You're a great son; I don't know what I did to deserve you," Mom said, then released me. "Go to bed now," she said, wipiears as she walked back to the living room.

  Standing there for a moment, I chuckled at the happiness. "No, I don't know what I did to deserve you all," I said in a whisper befoing bay room.

  I slowly opehe door to my room since Gabe ying his guitar.

  [Here es the Sun - The Beatles]

  "Here es the sun, doo-doo-doo-doo. Here es the sun, and I say it's all right," Gabe sang as he pyed his guitar, fag away from the door.

  "Little darling, it's been a long, cold, lonely winter," he tinued but paused at that part to write it down.

  "Lonely winter," he murmured, trating as he wrote.

  "That's good; you wrote it," I said.

  Startled, Gabe jumped in his pce, dropping the notebook and pen he was using.

  "Yeah, no, maybe, do you like it?" he asked a bit nervously.

  "Yes, I like it. Who are you writing it for?" I said as I approached the notebook and took a quick look.

  There were many lyrics; some pages were just a bunch of words written with some words circled in red. es had titled songs, and many were crossed out, except for the st used page.

  "'Here es the Sun,' good title, and I like the chords," I said as I handed him the notebook without letting go. "Don't be ashamed to do what you like doing, especially with me; I support you, little brother," I said, winking at him and then releasing the notebook.

  "Keep going; I want to hear what you have," I said as I headed to my closet.

  Gabe tio sing and py some of his songs. Most of them were quite good; he had a talent for writing. He stumbled a bit with hand positions on the guitar, but he always mao adjust and make the songs sound good.

  "How do you do it?" I asked. "Do what?" he replied as he wrote something else iebook. "Write music," I crified.

  Putting the notebook aside along with the guitar, he sat up straight and said, "I don't really know. I learn the chords, and the lyrics of the songs just e to me as I py. When I perform the song, I might make some ges if I e up with something."

  I didn't think writing songs could be that easy, but Gabe definitely had talent for it.

  "How about if we tell Dad ter to enroll you in more music csses so you learn faster and not just on your own?" I asked from my bed, already prepared to sleep.

  "I don't know, do you think it's really worth it?" he asked somewhat worried.

  "I'll tell you what, you try a few csses. If you don't like them, you quit and tinue on your own," I enced him.

  "Alright, but I don't think Dad will want to pay for the csses," he said as he tidied up his things and prepared to sleep.

  "I could get a part-time job. I'll help you pay for them, don't worry about it. Just pay me back with a fancy car once you're famous and really rich. For now, just enjoy what you love," I joked as I turned off the table mp.

  "Goodnight, Gabe," I said as I turned around to sleep.

  "Goodnight, PJ. Thanks," Gabe replied weakly.

  I slept very well.

  The day, I woke up a bit ter than usual but still early. I got ready for my daily exercises ahe house.

  Outside the Cooper's house, the Cooper kids were there along with Mrs. Cooper and Meemaw, it looked like they were going to church.

  "Good m," I greeted as I jogged past them.

  "Good m, PJ," Mrs. Cooper responded happily, along with Missy and Sheldon.

  "Mr. Aces," Meemaw said, nodding at me.

  Returning from my daily exercises, I ehe kit where, as always, Mom was waiting with a gss of water. "Good m, PJ," she said. "Get ready to go shopping," she added, looking behind me cautiously and winking.

  "Yes, Mom. I'll just take a quick shower a dressed to go," I said as I left the kit with a banana in hand.

  I got ready for shopping by taking a quick shower and dressing up for the outing. Mom and I went shopping aurned after a few hours. We quickly put away the groceries i ao the living room, where Bob and the kids were watg television.

  I decided to sit with Teddy, Gabe, and Bob in the living room, so Mom thought it would be a good time to leave.

  "Well, kids, your dad and I are going to check out some curtains. We won't be back for a few hours. If yoing to do something special, do it now," she said, giving me a wink and dragging Bob out of the house.

  Surprised by the sudden pns, Bob excimed, "Check out curtains? But we already have good curtains!"

  Taking the remote from the coffee table, I turned off the TV, ign the kids' protests, and said, "Alright, chipmunks, we're going to prepare a special dinner for our parents because they deserve it. Teddy, you'll set the table and prepare the house. Mom and I bought a few dles; put them around the living room and dining area. Gabe, you'll help me i," I said authoritatively, not expeg any objes. I picked up Gabe around his waist and carried him like a sader my arm.

  "Let's go," I said as we walked into the kit. "Don't make me carry you too, Teddy!" I shouted from the kit door.

  Putting Gabe ba the floor ihe kit, we got to work. It wouldn't be a fancy dinner because none of us really knew how to cook. I had some ideas about certain dishes, but everything would be trial and error.

  With Gabe's help in cutting and taste-testing the dishes I prepared, we fihe dinner a few hours ter. The house was elegantly decorated; Teddy had pced dles in strategic spots that I lit up along with a well-chosen tablecloth. It felt like a pletely different home.

  After taking a bath, I dressed up and prepared for my parents' dinner. I served the kids a portion of the food I made so they could eat before dinner and not bother Bob and Mom.

  I expio the kids what we were going to do, from the moment our parents arrived until the final moment when Mom would tell Dad something – I didn't reveal what it was, of course.

  We sat on the couch, waiting for our parents to arrive. Several mier, we heard the car parking outside. I positioned myself behind the door with the lights off, along with my siblings, and we waited for them to enter.

  "Kids, we're home!" Bob shouted as he ehe house. We turned on the lights, and my siblings and I jumped out from behind the door, yelling, "Surprise!" as we showed them the decorated house.

  "What's all this?" Bob asked, happily surprised. "Well, we thought, why not do something special for you two, so we prepared a dinner," I said, hugging my two siblings on each side and smiling at our parents who had just entered.

  "Wow, this is amazing! Thank you, kids, I had no idea," Mom said, clearly feigning surprise, winking at me.

  "Yes, that's why it's a surprise," Gabe pointed out.

  "e on in, don't just stand there at the door," I said, ushering them in.

  "Allow me to take your coats," Gabe said, even though they didn't have coats to give him.

  "Right this lease," Teddy said, leading them to the table. "Table for two," she said as she pulled out Bob's chair, and Gabe did the same for Mom.

  "Thank you very much, waiter," Mom said, giving Gabe a kiss on the forehead before taking her seat.

  "You're wele," Gabe replied, wiping off the kiss from his forehead and going to the kit.

  "Excuse me," Teddy said as he went with Gabe.

  "In a moment, we'll bring you the appetizers. May I serve your drinks, sir?" I said, pretending to be a waiter from a restaurant.

  "Please, kileman," Bob said elegantly.

  Unc a beer, I pced it in front of his pte, and I used the water jug oable to pss for Mom.

  "Pardon me," I said as I went back to the kit.

  The dinner went smoothly, a our parents talk for a while, listening to the musi had chosen on our shopping trip.

  When I brought out dessert, Mom gave me the secret signal we had agreed upon, and I left them alone, going back to the kit with the kids.

  "Well, chipmunks, it looks like we did it," I said as I sat down at the kit table, feeling tired. Teddy and Gabe celebrated, which made me smile. "I want to tell you something," I said seriously, making them stop their celebration and pay attention. "It may seem like what's going to happe will make Mom or Dad pay less attention to you, but I want you to know that if you ever feel like no one is listening, I will. Okay? No matter what it is, if you need a listening ear, I'll be there for you. I'm your older brother, and you always ask me for anything," I tinued with a big smile.

  Teddy and Gabe looked at each other, someuzzled, and said at the same time,

  "Okay... What do you mean, PJ?" Teddy asked afterward, "What's going to happen or-" she tinued, but a scream interrupted her. "What!" Bob seemed to have received the news.

  Immediately after Bob's scream, we heard banging on the front door. "Amy, please, Gee is having a heart attack!" we heard Mrs. Cooper shouting.

  Quickly, the kids and I rushed out of the kit to the living room where Bob and Mom were at the door with the very agitated Mrs. Cooper and Mr. Cooper, who was holding his chest in pain.

  I hurried to Mom's medie et and took out a box of aspirin, grabbing one and bringing it to the adults.

  "Mr. Cooper, chew this, it's an aspirin," I said as I ha to him.

  "Alright, PJ, take care of your siblings. Your dad and I will take Mary and Gee to the hospital," Mom said in a rush as Bob helped Mr. Cooper walk to his awful-looking yellow truck.

  "Kids, you go to our house; my mom will be there," Mrs. Cooper said as she got into the ugly yellow truck.

  With Bob driving and Mom o Mr. Cooper, trying to keep Mrs. Cooper calm, they quickly left for the hospital.

  f my nervous siblings, I led them to the Cooper's house after log our home. We ehrough the backyard gate, where Missy and Sheldon were sitting at the kit table. Sheldon was reading a book, while Missy looked worriedly at a basket of eggs.

  "Oh, hi Sheldon, Missy, are you okay?" I asked as I entered.

  "Hi PJ, yes, we haven't had dinner yet, and Mom quickly left with Dad," Sheldon said, tinuing to read.

  Teddy sat dowo Missy and hugged her, trying to fort the you girl.

  Gabe also took a seat, grabbing an egg from the basket. "And these eggs?" he asked, slightly moving away from Teddy's f embrace Missy said, "They were a gift from Billy Sparks."

  "More like from Matilda Sparks. I highly doubt Billy y eggs," Gabe joked, putting the egg ba the basket.

  "Yeah, I don't think Billy y eggs either," I said, ruffling my brother's hair. "Okay, let's have dinner. By the way, where's Geie?" I asked, remembering the oldest of the Cooper kids.

  "I don't know," Missy said nontly, talking to Teddy.

  "Don't worry, Meemaw is here! Everything is under trol," Meemaw announced as she ehe house through the front door.

  "We haven't had dinner yet," Sheldon immediately told Meemaw as she came into the kit.

  "Really?" Meemaw asked, sounding annoyed. "I don't feel like cooking," she tinued with a hint of frustration.

  Relieved that I didn't have to cook, I took a seat o Gabe.

  "You're new. I know Mr. Aces and the Rockstar, but not you. Who are you?" Meemaw asked, pointing at Teddy.

  "It's Teddy, my best friend," Missy said, hugging Teddy tightly.

  "Oh... okay," Meemaw said as she walked into the kit.

  "PJ, do you think it's mathematically advisable to believe in God?" Sheldon suddenly asked, setting aside his book.

  "Well, Sheldon, you're the one good with numbers, although there was a French mathemati who believed it was better to believe in God and have Him than to not believe in Him and have Him exist," I replied.

  "Yeah, Bise Pascal. I was just reading about that, but I don't know if that makes it mathematically necessary for me to believe in God," Sheldon said, p.

  "If you have to believe in God for a mathematical reason, then you're not really believing in God, but in mathematics. Beliefs are important, yes, just like the ck of beliefs, Sheldon. You shouldn't believe in God just because it's ve, and you 't stop believing in Him just because it's no longer ve. People choose to believe out of faith. If you don't have that faith, you shouldn't force yourself to get it. I believe you should believe in what you want," I said.

  "I uand, I think," Sheldon said.

  "Mr. Aces, Rockstar, and pretty girl, do you want dioo?" Meemaw asked from the kit.

  "No, thanks, Meemaw. We already had dinner," I replied on behalf of all of us.

  A few moments ter, Meemaw came in with ptes for her two grandkids and herself.

  "Your dad had a little chest pain. Don't worry," Meemaw said as they started eating.

  A few moments ter, Missy asked, "Is Daddy gonna be okay?" looking to Teddy for fort.

  "Oh, yeah," Meemaw brushed it off, "Your Pop-Pop used to have little chest pains all the time," she tinued with a small joke.

  "Didn't he die of a heart attack?" Sheldon asked.

  "Well, for insurance purposes, yes," Meemaw joked, leaving everyone except me puzzled.

  "Missy, I'm sure your dad is going to be fine. Before they left, I gave him an aspirin, and if the chest pain was really a heart attack symptom, your dad was well enough to make it to the hospital. I'm over y pert sure your dad is going to be okay," I said, notig the puzzled looks around the table, and added, "or at least that's what the books say," elig a relieved sigh from Sheldon.

  "Do you want to study medie, Mr. Aces?" Meemaw asked as she chewed her food.

  "Yes, Meemaw, I want to be a doctor someday," I replied with a smile.

  From the entrance we had used earlier, Geie walked in.

  "Hey, what's goin' on?" he asked when he saw all of us seated.

  "Dad's in the hospital," Missy quickly said.

  "What?" Geie repeated, surprised. "Why is Dad in the hospital?" he asked Meemaw.

  Meemaw and Sheldon simultaneously answered, overpping their responses. "He's gonna be fine," said Meemaw, "He had chest pains," replied Sheldon.

  "He's gonna be fine," Meemaw said again after Sheldon didn't speak at the same time as her.

  "What are we doing? Why aren't we going to the hospital?" Geie quickly demanded, ed.

  "Nobody's going anywhere," Meemaw said firmly. "We're just gonna stay calm, have a nice dinner, and wait for your mama to call and tell us what's what," she tinued, not bag down.

  "I'm not hungry," Geie said angrily as he left the kit.

  "What did you mean by 'insurance purposes'?" Sheldon asked, intrigued.

  "Just eat," his grandmother ordered.

  Getting up from my seat, I said, "I'll go che him," and followed Geie to where he had gone.

  Sitting on the cou the living room with his arms crossed, Geie was watg TV. Taking a seat o him, I didn't say anything, ached TV together.

  Several mier, his siblings and mine joined us, and we tinued watg TV while Meemaw searched through the Cooper's fridge, taking out a bottle of rosé wine.

  Suddenly, the pho the house rang, and Meemaw answered it. The Cooper kids gathered around, waiting for news. After a few moments, Meemaw hung up and looked at her audiehe three Cooper kids waited for her response.

  "What'd she say?" Sheldon asked.

  "The doctors are doing some tests, but, dolrs to donuts, your daddy's just got a bad case of gas," Meemaw said, downpying the situation.

  "What do you think, PJ?" Sheldon asked, turning from his seat, causing everyoo foe.

  "Well..." I said, looking at Meemaas gesturing with her hands and her face. "There's a possibility it could be gastric reflux. The pain it causes in the esophagus, in areme case, be mistaken for a heart attack," I tinued, watg as Meemaw signaled her gratitude.

  "Y'all three go get ready for bed," Meemaw told the younger kids in the house.

  "I don't want to stay around here," Geie said angrily. "I want to go to the hospital and see Dad," he tinued, demanding his grandmother.

  "Well, I want to be in Las Vegas and see Willie Nelson, but that ain't gonna happeher," Meemaw mocked Geie.

  "This is stupid," Geie said angrily as he left the room.

  "You know what's stupid?" Meemaw asked him. "I got to drink pink wine!" receiving the smming of a door in response.

  Gabe and Teddy went to bed with Sheldon and Missy, respectively.

  I stayed in the living room on the couch, still watg TV and thinking about Mr. Cooper and how my father died in my previous life. Several times throughout the night, the house ph, and Meemaas in the backyard, quickly eo a.

  "Everything alright?" I asked the st time she came in.

  "Yes, Mr. Aces. Try to get some sleep. It's going to be a long night," Meemaw said as she left the house again.

  An hour ter, Geie, along with the other kids, emerged in front of me from the television.

  "We're going to see my dad, and they want to e. Are you ing?" Geie asked, pointing to my siblings.

  Seeing my hesitation, Teddy said, "What if it were dad, PJ? Let's go."

  "Alright, let's go," I said as I got up.

  Geie, Sheldon, and Missy went to grab Meemaw's car keys, while Gabe, Teddy, and I waited in front of the house.

  When Geie and Missy, without Sheldon, arrived a few moments ter, Geie seemed like he wao drive. So, I stood in front of him and reached out my hand. "I'm the oldest; I'll drive," I said firmly, using my age to assert myself, as I was one year older than most of my peers and friends due to my birthdate.

  "Just for a few months," Geie said, relut to hand over the keys. "Doesn't matter; I'm the oldest, and I'll drive," I said seriously.

  "Alright," Geie gave in, handihe keys.

  We all got into the car, with Geie and me in the front. I started the car. " we put on some traveling music?" Missy asked. "Sure," I replied, turning on the radio. "Thanks," Missy said.

  "You know what you're doing, PJ?" Teddy asked, a bit worried. "Yeah, don't worry; I've practiced a few times with Dad," I lied to reassure them.

  Sheldon, for some reason, was wearing Geie's football helmet and had a bunch of pillows with him as he got into the car. "I'm ing with you," he said as he settled in.

  "Alright, let's go. Everyone buckle up, please," I said as I drove out of Meemaw's garage.

  During the drive to the hospital, Geie, who was in the passenger seat, said in surprise, "You really drive. I thought you were lying."

  "Yeah, PJ, you drive really well," Missy said, moving her head to the rhythm of the music.

  "Really well. Now, I feel like my practice was useless," Sheldon said, throwing his pillow into the trunk. "But I'll keep the helmet, just in case," he added.

  Chug a bit at his antics, I tinued driving.

  We spent several minutes on the road. Unfortunately, Meemaw's cassette had only two songs, so the kids quickly got bored. "Admit it, PJ, we're lost," Gabe said anxiously.

  "We're not lost!" I replied, a bit a having to repeat myself several times.

  "Why don't we just ask for dires?" Sheldon suggested.

  "Because we're kids in a car, genius," Geie snapped. "Even PJ, despite being older, still doesn't have his lise," he tinued.

  A few moments ter, we heard a siren behind us. Reizing the type of siren, I didn't get flustered a driving.

  "Oh no, we're going to jail!" Sheldon said worriedly.

  "PJ and Geie are going to jail," Missy said, "I'm saying I was kidnapped," she added quickly.

  "That's a good pn," Teddy aowledged.

  "We were kidnapped," Sheldon cluded.

  Chug a bit at the kids, I said, "No one is going to jail; it's just a sign that we are on the right track."

  "Why, though?" Geie asked.

  "It's an ambunce," I replied with a calm smile, pulling over slightly to let the emergency vehicle pass.

  "Oh, thank God," Geie said in relief.

  Following the ambuhe kids rexed a lot.

  Upon arriving at the hospital, I parked the car and hahe keys to Geie. Without hesitation, Geie took the keys and rushed with everyone else to the emergen.

  Ihe hospital, we saw Mrs. Cooper sitting beside Meemaw, Mom, and Bob.

  "Mom!" Sheldon and Missy shouted as soon as they spotted their mother, running quickly to her side.

  Gabe and Teddy also approached their parents, while Geie and I stood still under Meemaw's furious gaze.

  "I lost the little rascals in the hall," she said while giving us a furious smile.

  "I want to see Dad," Gee said, ign his grandmother.

  "Me too," Sheldon and Missy said at the same time.

  "The doctors are with him now," Mom said, trying to calm the kids.

  "I'll take you in a bit," Mrs. Cooper said. "Why are they here?" she asked her mother, pointing to the two kids.

  "I think it's obvious," Meemaw said. "They love their daddy," she tinued with a ugh.

  "No, I get that," Mrs. Cooper said. "Why aren't they home in bed?"

  "Well," Meemaw said, looking angrily at Geie and me, "nobody could sleep, and I couldn't leave the Dun kids unattended," she tinued with a fake smile, as the smile didn't reach her eyes.

  "Thank you for that, Mrs. Tucker," Mom said, hugging Gabe and Teddy.

  Approag Mom, I hugged her, "You did very well in bringing that aspirin. Good thinking. Where did you learn that?" I asked.

  "In a book," I half-lied, "Did you tell Dad?" I asked.

  "Yes, he was very surprised, but with Gee's attack, we had more immediate things to think about. I think he has digested the news now," she said, pointing to Bob, who was sitting reading a pamphlet about childbirth at the hospital.

  Stepping away from Mom's hug, I said, "Well, I'm going to the bathroom. Does anyone need something? Is anyone hungry?" I asked everyone, receiviive responses, and the.

  Upoering the bathroom, all the stalls were occupied, so I left to find another ohe room from the emergen was the hospitalization room.

  As I exited the bathroom, I noticed a patient who looked very ill through one of the windows. Feeling sorry for her, I stood there for a few seds, watg.

  "We know what she has," a voice suddenly said behiurning quickly, I found a grumpy man with a e in his hand.

  "I'm gd," I said, genuinely happy, looking out of the window again.

  "Yes, it's a shame we won't treat her," the man said, standio me.

  "What!" I asked, surprised. "Why would you say that? Isn't she your family?" I asked, a little annoyed.

  "Oh, no, not at all. I'm her doctor," he said. "I thought she was your retive, so you must be one of her kindergarten students," he said sarcastically.

  "Kindergarten teacher, brain tumor," I blurted out without thinking. "Ah, you know the case. What's your name, young man?" the doctor asked, taken aback, grabbing my arm.

  "PJ Dun," I said, pulling my arm away from his grasp.

  "Dun, Dun," he said, trying to remember something. "Ah, yes, the pregnant nurse. Your mother told you about the case," the doctor deduced.

  "Ah, you must be Doctor House," I reized who he was.

  "I see my reputation precedes me, and no, it's not a brain tumor," he said, turning around to leave.

  "Then it's an aneurysm*, stroke*, or some other ischemidrome*," I said again without thinking.

  Pausing in his stride, Dr. House turned ih a look of fusion on his face.

  "Why would you say that?" he asked.

  "If it's not a tumor, my first thought would be an injury, but that's something the patient would reveal," I said without thinking.

  "Everybody lies," House replied sharply.

  His sharp response snapped me out of my trance. His question reminded me of my teachers in my past life, so I responded without thinking.

  "Fet what I said, they've already figured it out, don't mind me," I said as I turo leave quickly.

  "Hold on there, or I'll report your mother," House said from his position, makiop. "What do you want?" I asked, annoyed by the threat.

  "You're iing. Quick question: a pletely healthy man takes good care of himself, is e in color, has no symptoms. What could it be?" he said, standing in front of me.

  I hesitated to answer, and this seemed to disappoint House. With a sigh, he turned in his pd prepared to leave. "I thought you'd be more iing, kid," he said as he walked away.

  "Carrots and multivitamins, in excess," I replied, feeling challenged by his tone.

  Stopping in his tracks without turning, House said, "Expin."

  "Excess ake them yellow, and nia or vitamin B make them red. One plus one," I said. "Isn't that right?" I asked, someroud to see him turn.

  "Okay, I retract it. You're somewhat iing, smart kid. Let's py a little," he said, taking a seat in front of the room and me the other free spot.

  "It may or may not be one of those three things. What else could it be?" he asked with closed eyes and a smug smile.

  Taking it as a challenge, I responded quickly.

  "I thought of Wernicke's encephalopathy*, but without knowing the blood thiamine level, I couldn't reay clusion," I said.

  "Alright, the tests for blood thiamine level* came baal, but there be fusions, so ruests again," he said, straightening up and opening his eyes. "Now what?"

  "Perform a trast MRI*," I quickly replied.

  "During the trast MRI, she had an allergic rea. Oh no, she was about to die," he said sarcastically. "What are you going to do now?" he asked, trying to intimidate me.

  "Look for enviroal eic causes that trigger an infmmatory response," I replied, showing him that his intimidatio work.

  "They give her a dose of steroids. Why?" House asked.

  The question caught me off guard. "I don't know," I replied, thinking of possible reasons. House was about to say something when it hit me. "Wait, got it. To try to check if it's cerebral vasculitis*, but it doesn't make sense, especially for someone her age," I said, a bit annoyed.

  Chug for some reason, House said, "Yes, it's strahat someone her age has cerebral vasculitis, but it's alse for it to be a tumor. Sometimes, you have to test to see if your theory works," he said sarcastically.

  "So, it's cerebral vasculitis, then?" I asked.

  "Do you think it's that?" he said, pointing towards the room.

  "No, it doesn't make sense. She looks bad," I replied.

  "Yeah, she initially responded well to treatment, but then she lost his vision for a moment, and subseques only showed itent altered mental status," said House as he swung his e bad forth.

  Remembering something, House said, "They have a parrot in her . Is that the cause or not?"

  "Obviously not. If there are little kids in the , I doubt they have good hygiene around the bird, at least not more thaeacher," I responded.

  With a small smile, House said, "Good. We entered his house, and there was nothing among her clothes that could expin her symptoms. Her refrigerator had everything, all within the expiration date. Even one of the doctors ate a ham sandwich from there. There were ne pnts, no neighbors with animals, not a si dropping," said House. "After that, we figured out what it is," he said, leaning on his e, asking a silent question.

  Thinking about everything he had just said, I realized a clue.

  "Is she Jewish?" I asked.

  With an even bigger smile, Dr. House said, "Everybody lies. We thought so initially, but now we know she's not. So, what does she have?"

  "Neurocysticercosis*," I said with a bit of joy as House nodded.

  "Well done, kid. You arrived at the same clusion as I did, but as I said, unfortunately, we 't treat it," he said as he stood up.

  "What?" I raised my voice a bit. "Why not?" I asked again.

  "I'd like to treat it, really, but I lost her trust. She doesn't want any more intrusive tests," he said as he walked away slowly.

  Frustrated with the doctor's clusion, I stared at the patient until it hit me. "His thigh," I said.

  House stopped abruptly. "What?" he asked.

  "Yes, if you do X-rays test on his thigh, you will find the neurocysticercosis parasites. Those parasites like muscles," I said. "And X-rays are not intrusive at all," I cluded.

  Turning around and looking at me ily, House remained silent for a moment. "Fet what I said before. You're the most iing kid I've ever met. We'll meet again, and you possibly saved a life, kid. gratutions," he said as he ehe patient room.

  ...

  Glosary

  Aneurysm*: An abnormal swelling or bulge in the wall of a blood vessel, such as an artery.

  Stroke*: A loss of blood flow to part of the brain.

  Ischemidrome*: Vision-threatening dition associated with severe carotid artery occlusive disease.

  Wernicke's encephalopathy*: Acute neurological dition characterized by a ical triad of ophthalmoparesis with nystagmus, ataxia, and fusion.

  Thiamine level: Vitamin B1, the normal level is 2.5-7.5 μg/dL, or 74-222 nmol/L.

  ...

  Author Thoughts:

  Chapter a bit short (Overused joke), it was almost 14k words of history, wow.

  I'm not Ameri, and I'm definitely not a doctor.

  Sorry for not posting these days; I was writing this chapter, which turned out lohan usual as a special celebration for (drumroll) reag the tenth chapter. Thanks for reading all these chapters. There's still a long way to go for this novel and, therefore, to improve my writing skills. Thank you for bearing with the errors I make.

  Now, I o crify a few things:

  1. I know the Mike Tyson and Dougs fight happened on February 11, 1990, not in August-September, i got the bet parley in i i dont know if its accurate. But I thought that in the Uates, like in Mexico, the school year starts in two dates, January and August. However, it seems that, acc to the i, the school year in the Uates only starts in August.

  2. Not all iions in the House story will be as I wrote them here; it was just a first approach. I would like to know what you thought of it; it was like a little duel in which House was clearly leading.

  3. I will try to make the retionship with Regina as realistic as possible. Remember that they are in their first year of high school, so it's not a full-fledged romance just yet. It has hints of being one, but we'll see how it develops.

  4. As I expined before, the Dun family serves only as a base to work on. Many things will ge in their personalities and future goals in this stabe has talent for music.

  5. The idea of writing song fragments I got from the novel by Alittlepiggy33 (if you ever read this, know that I really like your story; I'm a big fan). Together, we'll imagihat the songs Gabe "writes" are his owions. I'm not a musi, and I don't know how to write songs, so I apologize if it bothers anyone.

  6. The FBI agents are just a nod to other series; in Young Sheldon, the agents don't really matter, so I decided to add them as aer egg.

  7. I also know that in the first episode of Dr House, he said that he leaves at 5, let's ighat and think all together that he stayed in the hospital all night.

  I think that's all. As always, if you find any errors, please let me know, and I'll fix them immediately.

  Thank you so much for reading. Please leave a review, it ences me to keep writing.

  PS: The update schedule might be a bit spaced out, as I'm still writing, and don't expect chapters shorter than 2-3k words. Happy return to school for those going back to csses.

  PS2: I saw the movie fag the giants, such a bad movie, If you think it's a good movie I apologize, mainly because you haven't seen a really good movie in your life. If you have any reendations food football movie, I would greatly appreciate it.