So this is what it all came down to. He was running away from his problems just like his father had; ‘like father like son’, some would say. Grace never knew it but that’s where their father was heading the day he died. He had planned to leave the family. Sean never blamed him for doing that and the love and respect he had for his father didn’t falter either.

It was all just becoming too much for him to handle. Grace was sick and in need of medical attention. He was just barely getting by with his rent money and the stress of selling newspapers and never seeming to have enough money was getting to him. On top of that his little sister was becoming more detached from him and it scared him to think what kind of life he was leading her into.

Reaching into his pocket he scooped out what little money he had and placed it down on the counter before him. The elderly looking man behind the booth took the money and counted it, moving each coin aside with one wrinkled old finger.

“Where to?” The old man inquired, glancing his gray eyes upward to meet the boy’s dark blue ones.

“However far I can get with that.” Sean replied shifting his gaze to the map of New York hanging on the wall. “Bronx perhaps?” It would be nice to go back to the place he grew up at, no matter how painful the memories he had of there were.

“Bronx it is,” he slipped the ticket across the counter. “Train arrives at six.”

Sean nodded and smiled a thank you then took a moment to look at the ticket before stepping off to the side. He swallowed hard and clutched the piece of paper in his hand, his eyes still fixated on it. He couldn’t back down now. Only a few more hours and he would be out of Brooklyn and away from all his current responsibilities. A part of him couldn’t help but smile.

more to come...