times a ticking

Here is was, Ian's birthday once again. A family gathering. Oliver made the cake, marble with butter frosting and coconut. He really wasn't expecting that. But to add to the occasion, his Dad and step-mom had finally found a house. It was quite encouraging even in the end when Eric's Mom mentioned. "If all else fails, Oliver, you two could stay with us for a while." She meant Kayla.

Ian looked at her wide eyed, he thought of last summer suddenly. Really, he hoped not. Seriously, weren't they doing fine in that little apartment of hers. Of course, Oliver looked beat. Ian had stopped asking what was wrong or how he felt because he knew Oliver wouldn't tell him.

"So you know what you want to do with your life yet?" Oliver asked after cake and a heavy duty steak fest thanks to Oliver who had done all the cooking.

"No. Not really." Ian knew they'd wanted him to sort this stuff out so long ago, before he even thought of his O levels. Now it was a bit different here, but not really. Still school counselors asked the same questions.

"That's OK." Oliver told him. "Something will pull your heart to it. I suppose."

Ian tried to smile.

"What about you? What do you really want to do?" Ian hoped Oliver hadn't given up on what he'd started down in the Old Towne, area.

Oliver just shrugged. Ian could tell he was depressed, but he was doing his best to be happy for him.

"I heard, Collette had a baby." Oliver remembered. After all, Collette was from the old neighborhood back home. Her mother had been their mother's best friend.

"Good." Ian smiled.

"Yeah, born just a few days before your birthday." Some how, he made it sound like such a bad omen, when he spoke of it.

"Everything go, all right?" Ian winced.

"Seems so," Oliver shrugged. "She's with Jules now."

"Jules?" Ian winced. He was far from being a father figure with his drinking and drugs. Wouldn't take much for him to be full fledged junkie, or so Ian thought. "Thanks for letting me know." Somehow though, Ian was left uneasy. He knew it wouldn't work, Collette and Jules, but then again..he wanted nothing to do with it. Besides, he was seventeen now and just one more year until he graduated. Still, there was this awful thought, what if he didn't remember. What if there was something he should have remembered with Collette.

He did his best to smile. He hated to think that way now. But a shiver ran through him, just the same. Nothing had had happened the last time he saw her. He knew it. He had to believe that.