The Burning Barn [BxB]

Chapter 9

The Story of Lukas and Beau

April 21, 2006, Tennessee

Sharp spring air bubbled around the moving van as a small, copper-haired boy watched people move in and out of his grandmother's old house carrying furniture and boxes. Today was going to be his first day in his kind of new house. Shelby had inherited it from her mom and she wasn't going to pass an opportunity as nice as this one.

The old antique house was a fixer-upper but they would learn to love it, at least that was what Shelby always told Beau. And Beau didn't mind. He always loved visiting grandma. The nice fresh air, the horses, and the never-ending array of sweets.

Beau couldn't be more than three, maybe four when he first remembered meeting Lukas. A tall and stern-looking man had approached them with a beautiful woman at his side. She was slender and had gentle features, heart-shaped lips, and the same blonde hair as the boy in her arms.

"Hello, we just wanted to welcome y'all to the neighborhood" The man spoke up. He extended a hand to David and he gladly took it. Shelby on the other hand had been gushing over the boy in the woman's arms.

"Is he your son? Isn't he such a cute Lil' thing? How old is he? My boy Beau could use some friends here" Shelby rambled. The woman looked startled by Shelby's friendly nature at first before letting out a light and angelic laugh.

"This is Lukas, he's just about to turn four" She smiled down at the boy who was hiding in her hair. "He's a little shy, but I'm sure he'd love to meet a new friend. Won't you, Lukas?"

Beau stared in amazement as she set down the much bigger kid, despite them being the same age and Beau even being six months older. He had round chubby cheeks and the prettiest blue eyes Beau had ever seen. A bright smile erose on his face and he quickly dug through his pocket for something to give him... Beau always loved giving gifts at the age.

"Here!" Beau chirped as he handed the boy a button. Lukas only stared at him wide-eyed for a moment before smiling.

"You look like a flower..." He decided as he excepted the button.

"Lukas-" His mother tried to correct him, but he had already sparked Beau's interest.

"Like a daisy?" He asked excitedly. "Or a rose?"

"No... Like a sunflower" That was the day Beau learned what a sunflower was. He had been dragged all around Lukas's farm to look at his mother's garden only to find that the sunflowers were dead. So instead, Lukas had shown him a photo and given him a daisy to make up for it.

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August 18, 2006, Tennessee

The world seemed so gray for the second time in Beau's life. The first was his grandma's funeral, although he didn't remember much from it besides how sad Shelby was. But this day was completely clear. First, there was the screaming, then there was an ambulance. And now Shelby was walking inside their house with a crying blonde boy.

"Hey, Beau. Lukas is having a tough time... Do you think you could take him into the kitchen to get a popsicle? I have to call your dad" Shelby mumbled. Her eyes were glazed with tears. Beau understood she was sad but he didn't know why, nor could he understand.