Kyle yawned, coming into the room and it was pretty late.
"Dad?"
"I'm okay, Kiddo. . . Just been a long day."
Norman nods, his dad sinking into a chair,"I'm. . . Sorry.", Kyle shook his head,"No, no. . .", Kyle took his son's hand,"No. . . You have nothing to apologise for, this. . . Wasn't your fault, you couldn't have seen this happening. No one could. . .", Norman nods, he just didn't like seeing his dad so tired and sad.
. . .
"Can you tell me the story again?"
Kyle chuckled, smiling,"You really like it huh?", "My favourite.", Kyle sighed, nodding and adjusting himself as Norman got comfortable to listen.

=

"Today is the day!"
Norman put his jacket on, hat and shoes,"Ready?", "Yeah, you've been so excited for this Ike, you really want me to meet Theodore.", Ike nods, taking his hand,"Yeah. You'll have fun, I promise.", Norman nods, taking his word for it; He was happy to talk to someone else and get out of the bloody hospital for a while.

Kyle signed him and his son out, the receptionist smiling as she handed Norman a treat.
"Have a nice weekend."
"Bye."

~

"Woah, that's a nice house."
"Isn't it? Pretty big too, what does Robert and Adelle need with all the space?"
Cornelius rang the doorbell.
"Sometimes they invite other scientists over for dinner and they have a lot of things, some best stored here than in their workplace."
Kyle trailed behind them slightly, taking in the house and hearing someone coming to the door.
Adelle opened the door,"Ah, Cornelius and Ike: And you must be Norman.", Norman smiled nervously,"Hi. . . Mrs Peterson.", "No need for the formality; I'm Adelle, please come in everyone.", so everyone entered, Kyle nodding as Adelle smiled ever so kindly.

~

"You have a very nice house."
"Thank you."
Adelle turned to Cornelius,"He's down in the basement, he'll be a moment.", "All good; Kyle, this is Adelle and Adelle, Kyle's Norman's father.", Adelle shook his hand,"So nice to meet you, Cornelius spoke highly of you.", Kyle nods, Adelle took them to kitchen talking of drinks.

Theodore heard the voices, Ike came in with. . . Norman; The friend he was talking about.
"Hi Theodore, this is Norman."
Norman looked really pale, as to be expected if he was in hospital for so long and looked to have lost a lot of weight, he was smaller than Ike and maybe himself so. . . Younger?
He had glasses, a baseball pat, a baggy coat and yellow trainers.
"Hi."
"Hello. . ."
Theodore sat up, standing a little with the support of the arm of the sofa; Ike could say he looked better than he did when they had first met.
"Theodore."
"Norman. I've heard a lot, and I'm pretty happy to meet you; Ike spoke a lot.", Theodore nods,"Uhm. . . You like lego?", Norman nods,"Mhm.", Ike smiled, this was going to be a great start.

~

Soon they were talking over the coffee table or not all, putting together the lego train and teamwork really made the process a lot faster and easier.
Theodore saw his dad emerge from the basement, face and hair covered in soot and cobwebs.
"Dad?"
"I'm okay son, just working and some chemicals blew in my face a little, that and a pipe might need to be replaced."
Norman, turned around and was stunned at the tall man that was by the basement door, wiping his glasses and then looked at him with interest.
"You must be Norman. . . Norman, Darbly?"
"Y-Yeah. . ."
He smiled, knelt down and held his hand out to him,"I'm Robert; Theodore's father.", Norman shook his hand,"Nice to meet you, Sir.", Robert chuckled, pulling something out of his bag,"Very nice to meet you Norman.", Robert then stood up,"I hope you'll stay for dinner, I'll go meet your dad.", Robert left, pulling out his inhaler and disappeared around the corner.
"Your dad is really tall; That explains the doorways being so tall."
Theodore nods.