"Dad?" 

     "Yes son?" 

     "Why is this happening to us?" 

     "We merely got unlucky, is all. And don't you worry, we will find a way to be back to the way we were. Alright?" 

     "Yes, Dad." Dougal hugged him hard, and all three of them proceeded to their new home. 

     "And son, we're greatly fortunate that we were able to afford any house in the first place." His dad said with relief filling in his voice. 

     "Yes, now let's set up this damn house so I can get to bed and forget that this day ever existed." Dougal's mother suddenly snapped, and that forced him and his father to get started shortly after her abrupt order. After all, they were never comfortable enough to test his mother's patience, especially if she's lost something very special to her above her control. Like the great piano, of course. 

     The wind blew roughly once again while Dougal and his parents were unpacking their boxes into their new apartment. An apartment full of strangers. Dougal wasn't sure if this new apartment was a good idea, but what could he do now? He always had the thought of running away from his family, but he knew that that wouldn't make much of a difference if he did anyways. They'd just be disappointed and would not trust him ever again. What would be the point of that anyways? All that would do is cause even more trouble for Dougal(Yay, a rhyme!). 

     He wished over and over that he could just sink in a mudhole and never come back to this cruel world. But he also wished that that would never happen. He has a close grandmother, for Christ sake! Why would he even think of leaving this world behind? Let alone run away. The least he wants to do is to make his grandmother worry sick about him. 

     Speaking of his grandmother, she promised to visit at their apartment immediately just so she could check on him and see if he's alright. He decided to act normal, obviously, just for the sake of her poor, old heart. But he also liked that she cared enough to promise such a thing in the first place. His mind does many wonders. He wishes many lopsided things all at once. 

     His mind began racing the more he thought about his grandmother. He honestly wished very terribly that it would stop, but hell, what could he do about it? 

     That is the reason why he has therapy in the first place. 

     Anyways, he lays on his bed to wait, and wait, and wait... and wait. He wished so terribly that his grammy was here. What was taking her so long? 

     He got up from his bed, and began to pace in his bedroom back and forth. His hands clasp behind his back as he strode here and there, not knowing what the hell he could do right now. He glanced out his window, watching over and over again to see if she has appeared at all. 

     'Come on grammy!' He thought as he began to get mildly frustrated with the slowness of the time and his grammy's long drive to his house. 'Where are you and what's taking you so long?' 

     He decides to exit his room and go visit his dad. And of course, his parents aren't done packing yet. Although, his mother seems to be taking a break. She's been having a bad day, and he wasn't sure if he should even talk to her, let alone appear in her sight. Perhaps... could he? 

     'Ah, what the heck.' he thought to himself as he proceeds over to her, and says, "Mom? May I sit and talk?" 

     "Mmpf." she grunts, and after a few seconds, she finally grumbles, "Well, alright. If you don't behave..." 

     "Yes mom, I know." Dougal sighs, and plops down right next to her, and averts his eyes from his mother's face. 

     They sit there for a few awkward seconds, and his mom starts the conversation, "Dougal? Are you alright with this new apartment?" 

     He had to think for a moment before answering, "I... guess so. What about you?" 

     She grunts for the second time, and just shrugs her shoulders. 

     "So... you don't really like it?""Ugh, Dougal. What the hell am I supposed to think!? We've only been here for a few minutes, and you're already asking stupid questions! Can you just... I don't know... leave me alone for once? Think for yourself, and stop relying on others for help or opinions. Have your own, and stop getting in people's way! Do you understand me, young man?" 

     "I do understand that, mother. But what I don't understand is why you make everything such a big deal! And why are you always blaming me for everything? Oh no no no! Don't you go telling me that those are stupid questions. Just please answer me, please?" He actually began to plead because of his mother's uncontrollable anger. 

     "Just take you and your annoying little ass out of here! I am so sick of you being very dependent to people all the time. Why can't you just grow up like all the other kids have?" 

     "Doesn't anyone need a little help every now and again? What is wrong with me asking you questions?" 

     "You're missing the point, you wretched little brat. The problem is that you ask too much questions. Now leave! Don't talk to me ever again! You understand me? LEAVE!" she screams when he remains in his seat, staring at her in utter shock. She was about to grab his arm until he sprung right up and dashed to his bedroom without looking back. 

     'What the hell is wrong with her?' Dougal thought with a new adrenaline of anger.He kicked his dresser over and over until his foot became very sore. His butt fell on the bed and he glanced at his fish tank on his huge desk. It contained 3 goldfish, 3 Rosy Barbs, and 3 freshwater snails. All those fish were always friendly together, no matter what. Once he thought more about those beautiful sea creatures, the more he wished his family was the same way. Why couldn't everyone just get along like those fish do? 

     There's 3 very good reasons why he received those fish in the first place: 1.)He's always wanted pet fish ever since he was a 3-year-old. He's always admired those beauties without ever changing his mind once. 

2.)They've always been his comfort zone. Whenever he visits them for a bit, they've always calmed down his anger, even when it was at it's highest peak. When anything overwhelms him, then he comes to them without second thought. 

3.)Why not have a few friends that don't judge you for who you are? Most of his friends at his old school indeed do judge him very much. He only has one male friend that doesn't, named Casey. All the others are just not good choices, but his fish are the definite friends he truly trusts, no matter what the circumstance. 

     Now, back to the situation at hand. 

     He continues to stare at the fish, until he hears a familiar voice downstairs.    

     'Grandma!' His mind screams with excitement as he dashes out of his room and remains at the top of the stairwell to see if she is truly there, and she is!       

      Oh, what a relief this was for Dougal! He's never felt this happy in a few months, and he cherishes that emotion for the time it lasted. Although, it didn't last that long, because his mother was there as well.

     'Oh well. At least grammy's there.' He thought as he descends down the slippery stairs to the main room where there are workers behind cash registers, working endlessly everyday. He wonders how they do it, but that train of thought only lasted for a second, as his grandmother says to him, "Oh Dougal, hello! How long has it been since we last met? Oh, I don't know, perhaps a few years?" 

     "I don't know, grandma, and I don't care. As long as you're here, anything else shouldn't matter. I don't care if you have a busy life, because you'll always be my favorite grandma. I love you." Dougal begins to cry as he held onto his grammy for dear life.

     She giggles, and pats his head. "Oh, you silly little goose! I love you too, and I'll always love you, no matter what. Don't you ever deny that." She tousles his hair, and they both let go.

     Dougal's mother grumbles to herself, and continues to sit around like the lazy mother she usually is."Is your mother alright?" Dougal's grandmother asks.

     "Not really, grandma. You see, she had a hissy fit with me earlier, and I was just asking her if she really liked this place or not... and well, you know what her reaction was." Dougal explains.

     "Oh geez. I'm so sorry about my daughter's behavior. I wish I..."

     "No, grammy. It's not your fault. It's just the way my mother is." he assures, and hugs his worryful grandmother one last time, and they proceed up to Dougal's bedroom to look at the fish, and have a few conversations here and there. It was so he could calm her down. 

*****