Never Say Never Read Free Page B

to ask, Luke." Heather walked over to him, ran her fingers through his dark hair and kissed the top of his head. "You keep your father company and I'll call you when dinner is ready."
    "Thanks Mom." Lucas nodded and watched as his mother exited the lounge heading to the kitchen. He looked over at his father sitting opposite him and frowned. "How have you been, Dad?"
    "Better. Your mother has been very supporting and patient." Patrick said with a frown, looking slightly ashamed. "I know it sounds like she gets on my nerves with her nagging, but I wouldn't have made it through without her."
    "That's good to hear, Dad." Lucas nodded and dropped his gaze. "I was at the grave earlier."
    "You should visit more often. Your mother and I miss having you around." Patrick said.
    “Why do you always do that?” Lucas frowned.
    “Do what?” Patrick asked.
    “Change the subject whenever I mention him?” Lucas asked.
    “He was a criminal, Luke…” Patrick muttered. “He disgraced the family name…”
    “Sure, I get that, but don’t you miss him? He was your son after all.” Lucas looked at his greying father.
    His sideburns, that were once thick and dark, were now silver grey and matched the rest of the hair on his head, and his skin was sallow. There were deep laugh wrinkles around his eyes and he could remember his father laughing when he was younger, when Ric was still alive. He tried to recall the last time he saw his father laugh, truly laugh, but he came up empty.
    “I did not raise my son to be a criminal, Lucas!” Patrick grumbled.
    “I know, Dad.” Lucas nodded and looked away.
    “We do miss you.” Patrick looked at him, a heavy frown on his aging face.
    "I know, and I know I should visit more often. Work is very demanding at the moment." Lucas frowned. “I barely get time for myself.”
    "I understand, son." Patrick nodded and looked at him. "Is that why you and Claudia split up?"
    “Yes, she said that I wasn’t there anymore. That I was always working, and that I didn’t have any time for her anymore.” Lucas nodded.
    “You’ll find the right girl, Luke. Just be patient.” Patrick nodded. “I waited thirteen years for your mother.”
    “Thanks Dad.” Lucas chuckled and crossed his arms.
    "I want to show you something your mother and I found the other day." Patrick stood up and walked over to the desk on the far side of the room. "We found it in the attic, when we were looking for wallpaper.”
    “What is it?” Lucas asked.
    “Come look.” Patrick said. “It's an old picture of you two lads."
    Lucas looked up at his father and walked over to him. Patrick handed the photograph to him and Lucas grinned. "That's me?"
    "Yep you were the smaller of the two." Patrick grinned proudly.
    "Dad, I was the youngest." Lucas frowned and looked at his father.
    Patrick had a brief vacant expression on his face and frowned at Lucas. "I know that."
    "We loved Spiderman." Lucas grinned and looked back at the photograph in his hand.
    "That’s the understatement of the century. You were besotted with Spiderman." His mother said behind them. "You know how many times I fought with you and Ric to get you to take the costumes off?"
    "Loads?" Lucas laughed.
    "Even more than that." Heather laughed and took Lucas' free hand. "I'm so glad you came to visit."
    "Me too, Mom." Lucas nodded as Heather kissed his wrist.
    "My little Spiderman." Heather grinned at him and he looked at the picture, feeling a slight ache in his heart.

Chapter 2 – Stores & Sprinkles
     
    "Thursdays are cupcake day at our house. My mom and I bake cupcakes with lots of sprinkles; we bake the whole day, until bedtime." Owain smiled broadly at the class and looked at Miss Oliver. "When it's bedtime, Mom cleans up the kitchen."
    "Don't you ever help your mom to clean up, Owain?" Grace asked.
    "No, Mom says that she gets it done quicker without me." Owain frowns at his teacher and thinks for a second. "It's true; I usually make a mess, all the