Lee sat at the table awaiting his parent's response.

Lee's father said “I can't promise to not get mad. I can promise to not love you any less. Now tell use what is going on,”

Lee's mother said “What's on your mind sweetie? Whatever it is I promise we'll listen carefully. You know you can tell us anything”.

Lee said “Well, it's like this. On my 8th birthday, you know, the day I meant Al.... oh, Al I a girl by the way..”

Lee's father said “Really? You always talked about her like she was a boy!”

Lee said “I thought she was! I only found out she wasn't today and...”

Lee's mother gave a stern look at then Lee's father. She said “I take it this isn't what you wanted to say right sweetie? Now tell us what's going on?”

Lee stopped for a moment to compose himself and then continued “Anyway, she told me that day she was looking for frogs. I wanted to help her find some for the next day so I went into the woods you see..”

Lee's father interrupted “You went into those woods by yourself!? Lee that could be very dangerous!”

Lee's mother shushed him again and said “go on dear, what else”.

Lee said “Well, I went deeper and deeper into the woods and I met this old man. I discovered that he could use magic and so I convinced him to teach me. After that he let me take a few books home to read at first. The past 2 months we've been doing some more training and I have been over there a lot more. He said if I'm going to continue to see him I had to tell you both and get your permission to do so”.

Lee mother said “You mean this has been going on for 6 months and you never told us? Lee, how could you keep something like this from us?!

Lee sunk down in his chair “I was afraid you wouldn't let me go... I really want to learn magic. It isn't like I lied to you you know...”

Lee's mother stood up from her chair and said “not telling us something like this is the same as lying, you know we don't approve of lying Lee.”

Lee was sure she was going to ground him and say he couldn't go again. He felt his heart being crushed by the thought.

Lee's father spoke “So this has gone on for 6 months? Have you actually seen him use any magic or is he just some crazy old man?”

Lee's mother spoke up and said “That isn't the point!”

Lee's father said “I'm not happy about Lee lying to us either. However, we need to know if he is actually learning magic. Learning magic certainly isn't a bad idea. If he can really learn magic that could give him a chance to have a better life than we could give him. It's something we need to keep in mind.”

Lee's mother sat down and said “He's probably just some dangerous crazy old man! Even if he does know magic why would he live all alone in the woods like that! It is highly suspicious! I don't think I want my son around such a person”.

Lee's father said “It certainly seems odd, however he is a wizard so maybe he has some reason that makes sense for wanting to do that. We don't know any wizards so we don't know why they may do the things they do”.

Lee's mother said “He could just be a dangerous criminal too!”

The silence filled the room. Lee broke it by saying “He told me to tell you. He also said the only way he would keep teaching me is if he met you and got your permission in person. He said it is the only way he would know I talked to you for sure and it was important. If he was a criminal why would he do that?”

Silence again filled the room. After a while Lee's mother spoke up “Well obviously we need to meet him before we even consider letting him see you again! I don't know if that is even worth doing. Maybe we should make it end right now and keep you home for a month to teach you a lesson”

Lee's father spoke “I don't know... Lee seems to be okay. I think Lee’s probably right, if he was dangerous to be around he wouldn't send Lee home to tell us he wanted to meet. I think it is worth at least meeting him before deciding for sure”.

Lee's mother sighed and said “I suppose it wouldn't hurt to meet him. But I don't want my only child going to that place alone again until we do meet him though. He just seems really suspicious and it seems risky to me.”

Lee's father spoke “Well it would take an hour away from work to go there with Lee just to deliver a message saying it's okay to meet us. I really don't want to take any time off work if I can help it”. He turned to his wife “I know you are needed here and the money you make is important to us. Since Lee has been so many times already I don't see how one more can hurt”.

Lee's mother said “Fine, he can go back one more time alone. But I want to know exactly how long it will take him to get there and back. If he is one minute late I'm calling the town patrol to go after him and going to get you myself as well.”

Lee's mother turned to him and said “about how long does it take you to get there and back normally?”

Lee said “about an hour I guess. The woods are pretty close and it is a little less than 30 minutes to walk to it from where the woods start.”

Lee's mother said “If we decide to let you go tomorrow... and we will talk about it later tonight so it's no sure thing... but if we do I want you back through our front door not 1 second later than 45 minutes. I will be watching the clock and if you are one second late we call the whole thing off I am going to get you myself and you're grounded.

Lee agreed and tried to look sad. Inside he was positively giddy. He felt sure they would at least agree to meet the old man. That was step one he was unsure he would even get. He had to be sure the old man made a good impression and Lee had to stress to his parents what a great opportunity this was for him too!

Lee's father said “If we choose to have him over it may as well be for dinner don't you think dear?”

Lee's mother snorted “I expect you'd want me to make something special for the man who has been seeing our son behind our backs don't you? Weren't you worried about taking a mere hour off work just a while ago?”

Lee said “my teacher told me to tell you... if you decided you do want him over for dinner he would like to bring his own food as a thank you for inviting him and an apology for this being hidden for so long”.

Lee's mother seemed even more angry “My, isn't he full of himself? Just assuming we would invite him over for dinner. Are all wizards so full of themselves or is it just this one?”.

Lee's father stepped in “I don't think he meant it like that dear. I think he is just trying to be nice and apologetic. We should let him I think, if he insist. He may have strange taste as well so it could be for the best. To turn down his attempt to apologize would be rude”.

Lee's mother stood up and said “fine. Have it all you're way then!” and she went to the bedroom and slammed the door.

Lee's dad slumped down in his chair and looked to River “I guess you aren't the only one in trouble tonight huh?” Lee laughed a bit at this. Then Lee's father said “You might think the way she acts is odd sometimes... She is only like that cause she wants to be sure you're safe. She loves you fiercely”.

Lee's father leaned back in his chair “She blames herself that she couldn't give me more children and feels like she let me down. I tell her it isn't her fault but she is the kind of woman who puts it all on her shoulders. She's strong like that. She always feels badly for you that she could never give you a brother or sister to play with. She sees how alone you look sometimes and cries herself to sleep at night”.

He then leaned closely toward Lee “I'm only telling you this so you know how much you mean to her. How much it hurts her when you lie or when you put yourself in danger. Lee, I'm not really all that mad you kept this from me honestly. I'm more mad you kept it from her. Now she'll feel like she couldn't keep track of you and protect you. She'll blame herself for that and feel like she let you down again as a mother”.

Lee's father looked down and then back up to Lee. “The reason I'm telling you this now is because I think you're old enough to understand it. Before you put yourself in such a situation again try to think of the ones you are most important to and think if it's worth making them cry and worry”.

Lee said “yes sir, I'm sorry”.

Lee' father said “Now about this wizard... are you sure it's safe to meet him and go in the forest? If not I'll go with you. Tell me honestly and remember if you get yourself hurt how it would make your mother feel”.

Lee said “It's safe, I’m sure of it. The wizard said he made sure it would be safe to go in the woods. I don't know how he does it but I have not seen even a poisonous mushroom since I have been seeing him. The old man is a good guy too. I know deep down he is so it will be fine”.

Lee's father gave a long pause and said “you're sure?”

Lee said “Yes, I won't let my mother cry again. I'm sure”.

Lee's father stood up “Then I think you will be able to go alone to see him tomorrow. You better be sure to hurry and be back fast though. I'm sure your mother is serious about that 45 minutes. She may even make it a shorter time if I don't talk her down from that. Anyway, get to bed. You'll still be in trouble for lying but for now get some sleep. Tomorrow we will see your wizard and tell you what we think”.

Lee got up and walked to his room. He felt a mix of happiness for this moving forward and sadness for the betrayal of his parent' trust.

He climbed into bed and grabbed the magic book which laid by it. He wasn't sure how well he could focus tonight but he swore he would never take a day off from reading until he was a wizard. He would not make sure never to break any promises again. Not just for himself but he figured if his parents hated lying so much they would hate it even more if he ever broke his word.

*****

Lee's father knocked on the door and then walked inside. “Hey, honey. I talked to Lee and tried to make him realize how wrong it was to keep this from us. I think I really got through to him. I doubt he will keep anything like this from us again”.

She was on her bed with her head against the pillow “that's good...” is all she said.

Lee's father laid next to her “I'm sure he will be safe tomorrow. I think the 45 minute thing is a good idea. That was very smart of your”.

She didn't move “Thanks...”

He cuddled her “There is no way you could have known he was up to this. I'm at just as much fault for not knowing. You shouldn't shoulder everything yourself. I couldn't ask for a better mother for my son or wife to me; you know that. And I promise, if after tomorrow you are not absolutely convinced it's okay to let him continue with this we'll stop it and I'll fully support your decision”.

She let out a soft weep “I just want him safe. I can't stand the thought of something happening to my baby boy”.

Lee's father said “I want him safe too, we'll make sure he is together”. They held each other for a while after that and then drifted off to sleep. They knew tomorrow would be a big day. It could decide the rest of the course of Lee's life. If they agreed to let him continue would they point him towards a great and glorious future or down a dark and dangerous path? Sooner or later, if they let him continue they knew they'd have an answer someday.