"So, you actually won?" Admiration rose in Leah. "A sixteen-year-old teenager against a thirty-year-old man?"

Wren offered a half smile. "A sixteen-year-old trained boxer against a thirty-year-old street brawler. In appearances, he had the advantage. In reality, all he had was size and muscle."

"That makes sense. So, what about your mother?"

Pain filled Wren's eyes and he turned from her to stare at the vast expanse of landscape before them. Somehow, she knew he wasn't really seeing it, though.

"Well, actually it was the next morning, that one of the biggest bombshells came....." His quiet voice trailed off and she waited for the story to continue.

**************************************************

Stiff and sore, young Wren sank slowly into a chair, biting back a groan as he rested his elbows on the kitchen table. "Morning Mom." He tensed as he waited for his petite mother to turn from the stove with a sweet smile as she always did. His forehead throbbed from his blow at the fighting ring; Would she believe his lie he had cooked up about it? He frowned when she didn't turn. He studied her stiff back and noticed her hand reach up to swipe at her cheek. Rising from his chair in alarm, he quickly rounded the table practically filling his aunt's tiny kitchen, reaching out to rest one hand on her shoulder.

"Mom?" He gently forced her to turn to him, not able to ignore her red puffy eyes. Her normally sparkling brown orbs were troubled and sad, tearing at him. There was no one in this world that meant more to him than this woman did, and he hated it when she was upset. "Hey, hey! What's wrong?"

Her eyes filled with unshed tears again. "What's wrong with your head, young man?" Even though her voice trembled, it was still concern- filled as she eyed the huge knot.

"I just walked into my door post last night. Now, why are you crying?" Without really much thought, he took the spatula from her hand to stir the eggs sizzling on the stove top.

"I have something important to tell you, but let's eat breakfast first."

Unsettled, he nodded. "Fine, but go sit down. I will finish this."

Wren practically swallowed his food without chewing, leaping up to take their plates to the sink as soon as she finished her last bite. Settling back down in front of her with rapid speed, he leaned forward with intensity. "Now, spill it."

Taking one deep breath, Lauren Adams made sure to look her son in the eyes. She noted how green they were at that moment, memories of his father resurfacing as they often did when she looked at him. Who knew the charming man she had run off with would turn into such a pathetic excuse for a human being. At least he had left her this one treasure. Reaching out to grip her son's hand, she noted the busted knuckles but decided to say nothing. It wasn't like him to lie to her, but she knew how much he had been struggling since they had moved a month ago.

She began, keeping her voice soft. " I know how angry you have been since we moved, Wren. I'm so sorry for that, but I think now is the time to tell you why."

"Okay..."

"I haven't been feeling well for a very long time, but your aunt offered to pay for me to go see a doctor and get some tests done. I didn't have enough saved, but your Aunt Helen thought it important enough, so gave us some from her own savings. From those tests, it was discovered that I might have cancer. Again, I didn't have money for further tests, so..."

"You have cancer?" Wren tried to wrap his mind around this information. Cancer. One word, yet so terrifying.

"Yes," Lauren took one shuddering breath. "Aunt Helen said that we could come live with her for free here if I wanted to sell our house to be able to pay for further tests and treatments. That is why we moved. I finally received a call from the doctor today. It wasn't good at all."

Lauren had intended to tell her precious boy this news slowly, but instead, the words poured out. "It's already in the very late stages, and after more tests, they found a tumor in my brain. The news today, was that it was cancerous as well as the tumors in my breast. They want to start treatment immediately. "

Feeling as if he had been body slammed, Wren struggled to gather a breath. What was she saying?! When he spoke, he didn't sound confident or cocky like his usual. Rather, he trembled with fear and panic. "Wait...so you're dying?" he whispered.

"I didn't say that!" Lauren snapped. " I refuse to give up so easily and say that! You are a fighter Wren, but you didn't get that from your Father!"

Blinking in surprise, Wren couldn't remember his dad ever being spoken of, but her words comforted him. "So what is the plan -of-of action?"

" Surgery, on the breasts and brain, followed by radiation. They think it's my best shot."

Wren could only sit there stunned for several minutes. Shame and fear coursed through him. How could he have been so selfish? How could he have not realized or have seen how much his mother had been struggling? How could he have doubted that she would take him away from his world without a very good reason? In fact, she had done her best to make sure he still had an opportunity to work for his dreams! He had tossed them away with his bitterness. Choking on a sob, Wren once again slid his chair back, knocking it to the ground as he rushed around to his mother, enveloping her in his arms.

"I'm so sorry, Mom!"

Together, the two clung to each other and cried. "I forgive you Son."

****************************************

Leah's heart broke as a tear slid down her butler's cheek; He drew in a shuddering breath as he paused his story.

"I'm so sorry, Wren. If you don't want to finish -"

But, her butler shook his head, forcing a half smile. "No, it's okay. I think its about time I got all this off my chest, and ...you need to know."

Puzzled by his last statement, the heiress nodded. "Okay... So, I'm guessing your debt was to pay for your mother's treatments?" She didn't miss the heaviness that settled on him.

"I wish that was the case. When I apologized to my mom, I meant it. I told Jason I wouldn't be coming to the ring anymore and I didn't for a good month or two. My mom had her surgeries and I helped her as much as I could. I picked up a part-time job in the evenings and gave her whatever I earned to help pay expenses. I was committed to helping her get through it all."

Leah didn't miss his slight shudder.

"One night, I heard Mom and Aunt Helen talking in the kitchen. The money was already running out and they weren't sure how they were going to continue the treatments. When my mom mentioned she should just give up, I knew I had to do something. The money I brought in wasn't enough and I knew Mom would never let me quit school. I battled it all night, but I finally could see no other way."

"The fighting ring," Leah stated in a matter of fact voice, causing Wren to nod.

"I made more money one night in the ring than I did an entire week of work. "

"So, you went back?"

"Yes. Every night that I left for work, I actually went to the fighting ring. I was gladly accepted back and won more than I lost. Maddie, the druggy lady I told you about, had a heart of gold despite her rough life and took me under her wing. Once, I almost walked into a rigged fight, and she blew the whistle on them when the ref refused to call it."

She seemed puzzled. "How do you rig a fight?"

"They put shards of metal under a cloth they bound over their knuckles. It would have caused a lot of damage had they actually landed a punch."

"Oh!"

"Anyway, Maddie was the only one I confided in about my reasons for fighting and she went to the hospital and paid our bill with my winning money every week. It wasn't always quite enough, but Aunt Helen filled the bill where I couldn't."

"Wow." Leah squeezed his hand gently. "Did your mother take it well?"

"She never knew. I never told her and though Aunt Helen knew I had something to do with the guardian angel as my mother called it, but she never found out it was me."

"What about all the bruises? Don't tell me she didn't notice?"

"Oh, she did! No matter how sick she became...She never stopped caring for me. I told her I practiced boxing with some friends after work to kind of de-stress and she let me. Unlike most moms, she didn't have a problem with me being bruised up a little. If I ever got really beat up, I made up an excuse to Aunt Helen that I was staying with friends for a week. In truth, I was crashing on Maddie's couch until I healed up enough to slip under my mom's radar. "

"That's so sad Wren," Leah shook her head in disbelief, realizing her life was very blessed compared to his.

Wren shrugged, "I would be lying to say I didn't enjoy it. I loved it and my Mom's bills were the perfect excuse for me to justify it. This worked for two years. Then, when I was eighteen, Mom took a turn for the worse. There was another tumor in her brain needing removed and cancer was found in her lungs. She was so weakened already and I was struggling to bring in enough to meet the bills as it was. So, on top of fighting, I took a day job as well. I had graduated from school and tossed away any dreams I had of boxing. The only thing I cared about was my mother. I wanted her well no matter the cost. They did the surgery but again, we ran into money. I knew Aunt Helen was thinking of getting a loan for the rest of her sister's treatments, and for some reason, I felt like a failure. Then, another opportunity fell into my lap, one I regret taking with everything in me!"