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"𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐣𝐚𝐫 𝐭𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭!" The man carefully walked to the bush and waved his arm over to the boy with an open jar. "On 3... 1...3!" the man jumped in the bush swooping his jar through the air laughing. the boy had a wide smile on his face and copied his fathers actions.
"How many fireflies did you get?" The father breathlessly laughed the boy showed his jar "three? that's better than none don't close the lid all the way!"The boy quickly loosened the lid. The father tiredly walked to the porch and sat on the stairs.
"Aiden come release them with me!" The boy jogged to the porch and sat next to his father "On 3...1...2...3!" the boy and his father popped their lids at the same time and watched as the flies lights disappeared in the night sky.
"Beautiful as always... we'll catch ladybugs one day together." the father turned to his boy with a smile on his face as the boy began to smile his father turns and covers his mouth as he lets out an aggressive cough.
His cough worsens the father pulls his handkerchief and covers his mouth. Aiden watches worrying for his father who clears his throat at quickly tucks his handkerchief away. "ahem... it's getting dark let's go before your mother comes." the boy nods and stands offer to help his father up who shakes his head but thanks him.
Later that night, Aiden was awaken by the shouting of his mothers voice. "Will you cut this out Adam! you're a grown man!" "Lower your voice, our son is asleep." Aiden sits up on his bed and sleepingly rubs his eye. "Your treatment bill is raising we can hardly pay for our mortgage." "What do you want me to do Samantha? die quicker?"
Aiden hears his mother laugh "I would've killed you years ago." "Then do it, end this suffering." "Youd leave behind your own wife" "My son is the only reason why I haven't left you yet." A sudden slap echoed the house Aiden covers his mouth scared to move. "Watch your tone when you talk to me." his mother's voice spat.
"Where you going. Adam. IM STILL TALKING TO YOU!" Aiden quickly covers his head with his blanket and lays pretending to be asleep. moments later his room door turns and clicks close. Footsteps approach his bed he feels his feet sunk lower on his bed.
"I know you're awake." Aiden's father spoke softly as his father pulls the blanket from his head his eyes are closed shut desperately trying to seem asleep. His father sighs and runs his hand through Aiden's hair "Im sorry... I wish it didn't have to end this way." Before Aiden could open his eyes his father stood ran his hands down his face and walks out of his room.
Aiden slowly sats up "End?..." he wanted to go after his father but afraid of what would happen if his mother knew he was still awake instead he lays his head back on his pillow and hugs his firefly plushie that his father gifted him closing his eyes trying to fall asleep.
It was the next morning, Aiden sat by the dining table waiting for his father to come down. His mother left early to run her usual errands he wanted for a while but his father never came down. Aiden stood from his chair and walked down the hallway to his parent's room.
