I heard my mom's voice carry over to me as I she called my name.

  "Mouse? Baby? What are you doing and why are you acting like I don't see you?" She questioned as she came towards me.

I opened my eyes slowly and looked at her confused. Mom was smiling. She wasn't mad at all. Where the hell This Prince go? Did he really jump out the window? Oh my god! He probably killed himself if he did! I darted my head out the window only to see nothing but grass.

  "Shit! Skipper!" I whispered.

My mom poked her head out the window trying to see what I was looking at.

  "What's with you today Regan?" She asked looking across the lawn.

  "Nothing! I was just uhhhh.....getting some fresh air!"

  "By putting your head out the window?"

  "Well isn't it the same as you sticking your head in the freezer when you have one of your hot flashes?" I playfully snapped covering my blatant fib.

The both of us pulled ourselves back into the confines of my room as she gave me a smirk.

  "Real smooth kid. I swear. You really are your daddy's child!" She said followed by a laugh.

  "Daddy was much funnier that me Ma." I giggled.

  "Well then I guess your just channeling your father's spirit today huh?"

Her smile was just enough to let me know that things were alright and that Prince made a good getaway. But where did he get away to was the main question. My mom ran her hand down my face and walked back towards my door when she suddenly stopped and turned back to me.

  "Where is Skippy anyway?" She asked with a sharp tone.

My face went warm and my eyes widened a little. I was trying not to give myself away but at the same time I read like a book and will tell on myself in a heartbeat according to Prince.

  "Wasn't....he...with you?" I asked trying to avoid the question.

Mom squinted her eyes slightly trying to read my face. Does she know that Prince was just in my room? What if he actually never left my room? What if he's in my closet? My mom and I both looked at my closet door and the sheer moment of panic hit me like a Mack truck on the freeway.

  "Regan Michelle what have I told you about having boys in your room!?!?!" She snapped and charged for my closet door and swung it open.

I wanted to move but my whole body was frozen in place and all I could do was reach out my arm and scream out at the top of my lungs

  "Mama Prince-"

Yeah. That's all I could get out as she searched my closet only to find nothing. She then turned to me and looked stunned.

  "Prince what?" She asked with a hit of burning anger.

I had to think of something and fast before she took that switch and used it on me.

  "Prince.....left. I saw him. He cut through the back yard and went home I think."

My heart was hurting from pounding against my chest so much. My mom still wasn't buying it. She went over to my phone and started dialing.

  "Who ya callin'?" I nervously asked.

  "Brenda."

  "Wh-why? I'm sure she's....not even home!" I said trying to cover up the fact that I was fearing for my life.

I prayed to god that Prince was there to answer the phone. My the third or fourth ring my mom got an answer.

  "Andre! Hi honey? Did Prince come home by chance?"

For Andre's sake he better lie if he didn't. Otherwise I'll go over there and kill him myself.

  "Really? Where's your mama?" My mom continued interrogating over the phone.

As I looked out the window something in the treehouse caught my attention. That better not be who I think it is.

  "Well when she gets in can you have her call me? Thank you dear. Good bye."

Mom hung up the phone and looked over at me watching outside the window.

  "What are you looking at now mouse?" She huffed.

  "I think I found him." I said softly as I pointed out to my treehouse.

  "Good lord why would he be over there?" She asked confused.

There was only one reasons why he would be over in my tree and not at home. Something happened between him and his dad again. I'm almost certain that he ran into Mr. John while crossing my yard.

  "I think I know why." I said.

  "You think? Well why didn't he just stay inside?" She asked.

  "I guess he looked next door."

It took my mom a moment to realize that I was referring to the house that he grew up in.

  "Oh no. Honey go out there and talk to him I'll go talk to John and-"

  "Mama don't make whatever it is their going through any worse please? You know how hard this is for Prince. I'm sure he doesn't want anybody opening old wounds." I pleaded as I turned to her

  "I just want to help baby that's all! I love that boy like my own son!"

  "Yeah but you just called Andre to find out if he was at home and nearly chewed me out for hiding him in my room when he was outside the whole time."

The jig was now up for her and she was the one in the hot seat. Her golden brown face slowly turned a tinge of pink as she smiled showing just enough teeth to keep me from grilling her.

  "Alright I got it. I owe you an apology. I'm sorry sweetheart. I shouldn't have accused you. You're at that age now that's all."

  "Mama you know I wouldn't dare sneak a boy up here!"

Lie. I kept hamming up the situation.

  "There's no way I'd be able to get away with it anyway!"

Lie again. But for the sake of getting away with it just keep it going!

  "Besides if it would be any boy I'd have Andre over here. He's much MUCH faster that Prince anyway."

TRIPLE LIE! I better stop now before she catches on. The look on my mom's face was more of a shock and surprised feature.

  "Faster like how!?!?! Are you-" she stopped herself and leaned in closer to me to finish her thought softly.

  "Are you having sex!?!?"

Now I was the one getting loud.

  "EW! MA! NO! I meant getting out of sight! Don't make it gross!" I snapped.

  "Ok! Ok! I was just asking because these fast ass boys out here don't think about being careful."

  "Ma! Stop!" I yelled as I bolted from my room.

As I got half way down the steps she came out to the hall and watched.

  "We'll wait where are you going?" She asked with a smile in her voice.

  "To check on Skipper." I said before reaching the bottoms of the steps.

I rounded the corner and went out the back door quickly with my mission in mind. I stopped and looked up at the treehouse wondering what could have possessed him to hide up there instead of in the shed like I told him to. I made my way to the treehouse and climbed up to the top only to find Prince with his back turned to me looking at the wall of pictures. Normally when he hears me coming up the ladder he would wait until I got to the top and try to mush me in my face but this felt off.

  "Prince? What are you doing up here?" I asked him.

He never moved or said anything. He just sat there facing the wall.

  "Come on Skipper talk to me. What happened?" I asked him again.

Prince sighed and ripped a picture down from the wall then slid it back to me. When it stopped it came to me upside down. My heart sank at the photo and I knew that it was going to be one of those long talking therapy sessions.

  "You saw him or he saw you?" I asked him.

  "Both." Was the only answer I got out of him.

Grabbing the picture in my hand I climbed inside the treehouse and went over to sit beside him.

  "Turn around Prince." I softly said to him placing my hand on his shoulder.

He turned his head first and then turned his body to the door. He looked out at my bedroom window as he let out another sigh.

  "Tell me what happened." I said to him.

Prince's hazel eyes caught the sunlight as his sadness showed on his face. He took my hand in his and I laid my head against his shoulder and I waited for him to pour out his feelings. Tonight is his show and I don't want him carrying all this weight on himself. I had also managed to save our Sunday. Whatever we don't talk about now we can always save it for tomorrow.