Avi wakes up the next morning with the sun shining through the window. He gets up to look out the window and sees that Esther's truck was gone. So it was safe for him to walk around just in his underwear.

He stretches and runs his fingers through his hair trying to tame it down some. He climbs down the ladder and heads to the kitchen. He finds a note on the table:

AVI,
Breakfast is in the oven. (wash your dish xD ) There is lunch meat in the fridge for you sandwich for lunch. I'll bring something from the diner for lunch. Keep the doors locked. Be good.
Love you, Essy.

He shakes his head. She's always leaving him notes. She forgets he can't read. He sits and looks at the note for a good 20 minutes trying to make it out. Finally giving up, he searches the kitchen and finds his breakfast. Eggs, bacon and buttered toast.

He quickly eats and washes his dish. He goes to the bathroom and takes a quick shower. Thankful again that his sister was at work. She wouldn't like it too well him running through the house naked.

He goes back up to the loft and slips on jeans and a t-shirt. He put on his beanie even though it was a little warm for one, but it kept his hair out of his face while he worked. He puts on his shoes and grabs the keys to the house and the shed.

Esther had already locked the front door. So when he goes out the back door he locks it behind him, to keep any intruders out while he was busy in his workshop.

He unlocks his shop, turns on the lights then locks the door behind him. He was taking no chances in case some of the bullies had found out where he lived.

Avi walks over to the corner and pulls out something that was covered with a towel that was hidden behind some other stuff. It was a small log about 12 inches long with a partially carved angel on it.

Reaching into a drawer beside his workbench, Avi pulls out a picture of his mom. He smiles at it and lays it down then got to work carving. He even had a magnifying glass to hold over the picture so he could see every detail of his mother's face.

He had worked all day on the sculpture without even stopping to eat. Suddenly there was a knock on the door causing him to freeze. He finds himself even holding his breath, trying not to make a sound.

"Avi, are you in there?" Esther calls out from the other side of the door. Dang, was it that late already. He lets out the breath he was holding.

"Uh, yeah. Just a minute." He calls out to her. She could hear him moving around inside. Finally, he unlocks the door and steps back giving her his best innocent face.

She walks in, wood shavings were everywhere so she knew he had been working hard on something. "What are you working on?" She asks out of curiosity.

He bit his bottom lip and looked around. He knew it would do no good to lie and say 'nothing'. The evidence was all over the workbench and floor. And Esther knew he would always leave the workshop spotless before he left it.

"It's a surprise." He finally says.

"A surprise for me?" She asks with a huge grin on her face.

"It's for your birthday. IF I get it finished in time. But that's all you're getting out of me so don't even ask." Avi says, picking up a broom to sweep up the mess.

Esther smiles at her baby brother because she knew whatever he was making for her would be beautiful but most of all, made with love.

She grabs the dustpan and starts helping him clean up.

"You don't have to help me, Essy. You've been working all day." He says reaching for the dust pan.

"No, I want to help. The sooner we get done, the sooner we can go eat before it gets cold." She says, holding the dustpan for him.

"I am pretty hungry." He says while sweeping up a pile of shavings.

"Did you eat lunch?" She asks and he shakes his head no.

"AVRIEL BENJAMIN!!" She scolds. "I left you a note telling you there was stuff for you to make you a sandwich."

"I've been meaning to ask you, why do you keep leaving me notes when you know I can't read them?" Avi asks while putting the broom and dustpan away. "Besides I've got two weeks to get this done. I'm gonna be pushing it."

"Well, what is it?" She asks thinking her brother might be so distracted that he might let it slip.

He stops and gives her a 'do you think I'm stupid' look. "Nice try but it ain't gonna work."

**********

Wish I had a dollar for every time I wrote "HE" in this chapter. LMBO!!!

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