"Shh, Charlie," the blonde giggled behind him, "you'll wake the whole house."

"Oh right, sorry," he whispered in a loud voice brushing snow off his leather Fire Department jacket.

Seven year old Tatum, got up from his spot on the futon and skulked his way down the old hall way. This was his chance, mother had always said that every man has one of the seven deadly sins, he knew that if he played his cards right he could use this.

Charlie turned his head downwards and stared at the Rolex watch on his wrist, "It is, it is,... it is..."

Bingo. The bait had been set and the prey would soon bite. Tatum was a good child, but mother use to say it never hurt to have leverage, and respected his father. Tatum even adored his father, the man was a god. He could live his life with no worries and no responsibilities, and he chose to share it with his son. Yes Tatum adored his father.

"Oh, how cute, is this your little roommate?" the blonde asked, removing her jacket. Tatum had been waiting for this chance. He had no problems with his father bringing home strange women all the time. It made him happy, and Tatum could use it all as leverage to get an extra cookie every now and then.

"Yeah, that's my boy-" he belched, "-how's it going Tatie boy?"

"Well" Tatum said. The hunt is on, this was his chance to strike and he never missed, " I have to ask, oh wonderful father of mine, what is for dinner?"

"Its nine o'clock!" the blonde said looking at Charlies watch, " Why don't you go freshen up while I make something to eat."

"Oh, ok," Charlie mumbled. Tatum struck his victory pose as he trotted along behind the nice blonde lady. No bad father creations tonight, not for Tatum. "Oh by the way Jessie-"

"My name is Ashley, who is Jessie?" she asked, as she whipped around to face Charlie.

"Damn-" Tatum said under his breath, then, "His Tuesday."

A demonic beast was about to explode onto his father. Tatum was through the hall and on the other side of the house, so fast you'd have thought he'd just swallowed a burrito with extra with extra gwakamoley sauce. He was not going to be caught in that firefight.

"You pig! Womanizer, Evil brute," She screamed storming out.

"Why son! Why would you betray your own father," Charlie cried, drunkenly falling to his knees. Tatum slowly walked over to his father and looked him in the eyes.

"Self preservation," Tatum said flatly.

"I see your point but still," Charlie wined. The two stood there for a brief moment then Tatum broke the silence.

"I'm hungry you can't cook, order pizza, please" Tatum said his voice more requesting then commanding.

"Oh, alright, but just for tonight," Charlie said getting to his feet and heading over to the phone.

First Pov

"I'm home-"Charlie yelled, stumbling drunkenly through the apartment's ancient threshold, " -and I brought company!"

"Shh, Charlie," the blonde giggled behind him, "you'll wake the whole house."

"Oh right, sorry," he whispered in a loud voice brushing snow off his leather Fire Department jacket.

Seven year old Tatum, got up from his spot on the futon and skulked his way down the old hall way. This was his chance, mother had always said that every man has one of the seven deadly sins, he knew that if he played his cards right he could use this.

"Hello father-" Tatum said walking up to the two adults, "-do you know what time it is?"

Charlie turned his head downwards and stared at the Rolex watch on his wrist, "It is, it is,... it is..."

Bingo. The bait had been set and the prey would soon bite. Tatum was a good child, but mother use to say it never hurt to have leverage, and respected his father. Tatum even adored his father, the man was a god. He could live his life with no worries and no responsibilities, and he chose to share it with his son. Yes Tatum adored his father.

"Oh, how cute, is this your little roommate?" the blonde asked, removing her jacket. Tatum had been waiting for this chance. He had no problems with his father bringing home strange women all the time. It made him happy, and Tatum could use it all as leverage to get an extra cookie every now and then.

"Yeah, that's my boy-" he belched, "-how's it going Tatie boy?"

"Well" Tatum said. The hunt is on, this was his chance to strike and he never missed, " I have to ask, oh wonderful father of mine, what is for dinner?"

"Its nine o'clock!" the blonde said looking at Charlies watch, " Why don't you go freshen up while I make something to eat."

"Oh, ok," Charlie mumbled. Tatum struck his victory pose as he trotted along behind the nice blonde lady. No bad father creations tonight, not for Tatum. "Oh by the way Jessie-"

"My name is Ashley, who is Jessie?" she asked, as she whipped around to face Charlie.

"Damn-" Tatum said under his breath, then, "His Tuesday."

A demonic beast was about to explode onto his father. Tatum was through the hall and on the other side of the house, so fast you'd have thought he'd just swallowed a burrito with extra with extra gwakamoley sauce. He was not going to be caught in that firefight.

"You pig! Womanizer, Evil brute," She screamed storming out.

"Why son! Why would you betray your own father," Charlie cried, drunkenly falling to his knees. Tatum slowly walked over to his father and looked him in the eyes.

"Self preservation," Tatum said flatly.

"I see your point but still," Charlie wined. The two stood there for a brief moment then Tatum broke the silence.

"I'm hungry you can't cook, order pizza, please" Tatum said his voice more requesting then commanding.

"Oh, alright, but just for tonight," Charlie said getting to his feet and heading over to the phone.

10 Year Jump Forward

The summer air was heavy as Tatum ascended the old stairs of his apartment the Cheever Arms. He had been living there with his father for about ten years now. Tatum had become a fine young man, With a lean frame and dashing eyes.

"Hope I didn't forget anything," Tatum mumbled, shifting the grocery bag that was digging into his side. The solid old wood door creaked open.

"130 years old,..." Tatum whispered. He passed through the gnarled threshold and by the door of the first floor apartments. Then the door suddenly swung open, and standing there was old aunt Margarete.

"Oh Comrade, where is the drowning?" she asked in her very thick Russian accent.

"Hello, aunt Margarete, I believe you mean where is the fire," Tatum said walking over to give her a greeting hug. She still smelt of vinegar and potatoes.

"Is what I say no?"

"Well no."

"There you have it, come, come I have something for your papa," she said as she hurried him through the open door.

"I wonder what it could be?" Tatum said with a lick of sarcasm.

"Oh, you never guess," she stated with a giggle. Aunt Margarete lead him to the cozy den and left him standing amongst all the little Russian trinkets and doodads. In one corner was a stuffed bear, uncle's pride and joy.

"Oh, Comrade! Have I ever told you story of how I catch Grizzly," uncle Fedor said abruptly strolling into the den.

"Yes."

"Good I tell you," uncle Fedor bellowed, "It was cold winter, and we hunters were deed in forest. Then I get separated in snow storm, and become all alone. Do you know what happen?"

"Yes, uncle I've heard this before."

"I tell you! I find big bear!" he roared waving those, tree trunks that he called, arms around.

"What did you do?" Tatum asked with a sigh. When uncle Fedor told a story there was no stopping him.

"I give bear my crazy eyes, and bear jump out of skin!" he yelled triumphantly, "and I put it in den here, but you know what?"

"What?"

"Sometimes I see naked bear, hiding behind tree, or behind car-" he whispered getting closer, "-and sometimes I see naked bear in bed when morning come."

"I hear that," aunt Margarete screeched, coming back to the den with a bottle of homemade Vodka. She handed the bottle to Tatum, "For Papa. And you Mister, no strudel for you."

"Oh babushka," Fedor wined. Tatum left the two to bicker like they always did.

"At least some things never change," Tatum said with a smile on his lips, as he closed the door and headed up the stairs.