Whistle Stop

[Delroy†]

(Continued from Variables...)

Travis Webster had grown up to become a cheerful boy with a talent for both painting and music.
One morning, when he was six, his mother had taken the day off to care for his newborn baby brother. Travis had been so excited! An entire day with just him, his mommy, and his two brothers, spent at home in the small suburban home outside of Seattle!

While his youngest brother, Rory, was napping, and his middle brother Oscar was still at daycare, Travis would have his mother all to himself. And true enough, soon he was sitting by the piano, in his mothers lap, playing along with her. While he was not even near as good as her, he could still help her with the easier bit of her compositions.

"Mommy, what are we gunna learn today?", he asked curiously. She always taught him something new during these alone times, even though he had gotten less of them now, with Rory having been born. Not that he minded. He loved his brothers. Almost as much as Mommy and Daddy. He was a very sensible child in that way, never trying to outshine his siblings, or ever feeling jealous of the attention the newborn got. He would often spend hours rolling around on the floor, playing with the baby, thriving on his gurgling, bubbly laughter.
His mother smiled at him. It was a warm smile, filled with joy.

"Well, my sweet boy.. What do you want to learn?"

The question left him pondering. He rarely got to pick what would be played. Not that he minded. His mother had a knack for picking songs he enjoyed.

"Well... this boy at school.. He showed me..."
He hesitated. Would his mother frown upon the fact that he wanted to do something ELSE than playing the piano? No, she was an understanding parent. He felt safe to continue.
"... He showed me how to whistle. And I've been practicing! But I don't know any tunes to whistle!"

His mother threw her arms in the air, in feigned shock.
"SO THAT WAS WHAT THAT NOISE WAS! It's been driving me crazy for the past weeks!"

"Yes, mommy, I'm sorry", he said and lowered his head in shame. Gently, she put her hands on his cheeks, lifted his head up and kissed him on the forehead.
"It's okay, darling. I'll teach you a song to whistle. Say, remember that cartoon movie we watched together? Robin Hood?"
He smiled at her. He did remember that movie.

But just as he was about to start whistling the song with his mother, he heard a voice.

"Mr. Webster? MR. WEBSTER!? Sleeping in class are we? Late night, last night?"
Travis raised his head up from the bench and moaned. Suddenly he was back in school, behind that fucking desk, in fucking calculus class. It had been such a nice dream though.

(Continues in Variables...)