Author's website: http://www.1freespace.com/linda1

Disclaimer: Ray, Barbara and Damien Kowalski belong to Alliance Communications.

Author's Notes:

Story Notes: A fourth Ray as a boy story.

This story is a sequel to: The Weekend

Winter had arrived suddenly during the night with the first snow fall covering the streets in a heavy white blanket. Snow ploughs had managed to clear most of the roads, but had left large heaps of snow piled at the sides of the roads.

Christian stared out of the window morosely - he was sulking. His parents had risked a visit to a sick maiden aunt, and wouldn't be back until later that night. Christian sighed loudly - it was Saturday and he had planned to spend the whole day with his girlfriend Angie when instead he was stuck babysitting his brother, and he hated it. He had complained and grumbled, and surprisingly it had been his mother - not his father - who had given him a ten minute lecture on being a responsible adult. She had also pointed out, in the firm way that she had, that they didn't often ask him to look out for his brother. Christian had admitted to himself that his mother was right, as usual, but it didn't stop him feeling angry at not being able to spend time with Angie. He sighed again silently cursing his sick maiden aunt and his younger brother for being eleven.

"Christian," he was startled out of his miserable reverie by his younger brother bouncing into the living room.

"What?" he snapped turning towards Ray scowling.

Ray was hopping from one foot to the other, his skinny body alive with its usual non-stop energy. His blue eyes sparkled, and his blonde hair stuck up wildly as normal. "Do you wanna help me build a snowman?" he asked with a happy smile.

"Why would I wanna do something that stupid?" Christian asked unkindly. He knew he was being unreasonable - it wasn't Ray's fault that he couldn't spend the day with Angie, but he was angry and couldn't help himself. Christian felt a momentary flash of triumph at the downcast look that crossed his brother's face.

"Oh," Ray's face clouded with disappointment. "I just kinda thought we could build a snowman for when Mum and Dad get home." He looked at his brother, his blue eyes hopeful. Ray had heard his mother and brother arguing, and he knew that Christian would rather be spending the day with Angie than looking after him - he was hoping that his suggestion of building a snowman would cheer Christian up. "I got all the stuff," Ray held up a scarf, a carrot and an old hat.

"That's kid's stuff," Christian turned his back on Ray to continue staring out of the window. "It's stupid. And any way Mum and Dad wouldn't want a stupid snowman."

Ray pulled a face at Christian. "They would too," he shouted back. "And building a snowman's not stupid," he ran out of the room. "I don't need your help." Christian sighed - he could hear Ray mumbling angrily under his breath as he put on his coat and boots. He felt an icy draught as the front door opened and then slammed shut. Christian peered out of the window again.

He watched as Ray marched down the front path. Laying the hat, scarf and carrot on the ground, Ray put his hands on his hips as he surveyed their front lawn. Christian couldn't help smiling at the picture, his bad mood disappearing at the sight of a hatless Ray dressed in his thick coat, his head peeking out of the top of his red woollen scarf, which he had obviously wound around his neck several times. Christian could see the determined look on Ray's small face, and he smiled again deciding that he would make up for his earlier unkind words by making them some hot chocolate, and may be ordering Ray's favourite take-out pizza for their dinner.

Christian watched as Ray began to roll a ball of snow towards the middle of the lawn. He continued to watch as Ray started to pat the snow into a "body" shape. Ray stood back to admire his work before starting to roll another ball of snow towards the snowman's body. Satisfied that Ray was alright, Christian made his way towards the kitchen.

Changing direction at the shrilling ring of the telephone, Christian picked up the receiver. "Hi. Kowalski residence," he answered with a grin as he balanced on the arm of the one of the chairs. "Angie," his grin widened. "How you doing?"

Half an hour later, Christian wandered back over to the window, the receiver tucked in the crook of his neck as he giggled and flirted with Angie. He pulled back the curtain staring out of the window to check on Ray's progress.

The snowman was gone, smashed into the ground. Looking to the side of the driveway, he saw Ray facing three larger boys. They were yelling at him, and shoving him trying to knock him over into the snow. Ray stood his ground, his pose stubborn, arms folded across his chest. The larger of the three boys, at least ten pounds heavier and four inches taller than Ray, suddenly stepped forward grabbing for the red scarf trying to pull Ray towards him.

With a yelp, Ray stepped back pushing at the boy's hands in an effort to escape. Before Christian knew what was happening, the larger boy knocked Ray to the ground and leapt on top of him. Ray and the boy rolled in the snow. The second and third boys cheered on their friend as he rolled Ray onto his back and sat on him. Christian could see Ray tenaciously fighting back trying to push the boy off him, but the boy had one of his arms pinned on the ground. "Angie," he said. "I'll call you back later," Christian hung up running out to the hallway without waiting for Angie to reply. Shrugging on his jacket, he rushed outside and down the driveway.

"Hey," he shouted. The two cheering boys saw Christian advancing towards them - they nudged each other before they turn-tailed and ran down the street. He dragged the other boy from Ray's stomach by the collar of his coat. "Just what do you think you are doing?" Christian yelled at the writhing boy.

"Leave me alone," the boy screamed as he wriggled in Christian's firm hold. "I wasn't doing anything."

"Oh yeah," Christian shook the boy angrily. "So why were you sitting on my little brother? And what happened to his snowman?"

"Nothing," the boy squirmed out of Christian's grip. "He's just a stupid skinny little kid. Who's no good at school," he shouted as he ran down the street. The boy stopped suddenly - he turned scowling at Christian. "And his snowman's stupid."

The boy yelped loudly as Christian's large snowball hit him firmly in the chest knocking him to the ground. "And if I catch you near my little brother or his snowman again," Christian yelled as the boy scrambled to his feet running down the street again. "I'll hit you with more than a snowball." The boy disappeared around the corner.

Christian turned back to Ray, who was still lying on the ground, his breath was coming in harsh pants and he had wrapped an arm across his chest. "You OK shorty?" he offered his hand to Ray.

Ray scowled at the use of his nickname, but nodded as he accepted Christian's outstretched hand. "I had it all under control," he wheezed as Christian hauled him to his feet.

"Oh yeah," Christian chuckled as he helped Ray brush the snow off his now soaked jeans and jacket. "I could see that," he teased.

"I did so," Ray protested with a small cough.

Christian noticed that Ray's breathing was still slightly harsh and he was still wheezing. "You're not hurt anywhere are you?" he asked concerned as he patted his hands down Ray's skinny body looking at his small face for any signs of pain or discomfort.

"No," Ray answered wiggling away from Christian's hands. "I'm OK. Just outta breath from where Aaron sat on me." Ray ran over to his destroyed snowman flopping down in the snow. He picked up the carrot nose turning it over in his small hands - it had been broken in two.

"Hey," Christian leant down close to Ray. "Let's go inside and get you outta those wet clothes. I'll even make you some hot chocolate. OK?"

Ray looked up at his brother, biting at his bottom lip. He wanted to cry for his lost snowman, but knew that his brother would only tease him and call him a baby. "OK," he murmured carefully pocketing the carrot. He hauled himself to his feet. With a last look over his shoulder at the pile of snow that had been his snowman, Ray followed his brother into the house, his head down.

Christian moved around the kitchen preparing the hot chocolate, and setting out chocolate chip cookies - Ray's favourites - onto a plate. He knew that Ray was upset over the snowman - he had seen the threatened tears in his brother's pale eyes. Christian thought back to when he was eleven wondering if a snowman had been that important to him - he smiled to himself deciding that it probably would have been.

Shaking his head, Christian poured the hot chocolate into their mugs. "Hot chocolate's ready," he shouted as he heard Ray coming down the stairs. The door burst open, and Christian couldn't help smiling to himself - even miserable and dejected, Ray was unnecessarily noisy. Ray slid onto a chair with a huge sigh crossing his arms on the table. He lay his head on his arms staring distractedly into the distance.

"Here you go," Christian offered Ray a mug of hot chocolate with a smile. "I even found your favourite cookies in the cupboard," he pushed the plate towards Ray.

"Not hungry," Ray mumbled staring up at his brother.

"What's wrong shorty?" Christian asked, cursing himself silently for using his brother's nickname again.

"Nothing," Ray murmured as he slowly dragged himself upwards, resting his elbows on the edge of the table, his chin on his hands. He stared down at his hot chocolate despondently.

"So," Christian sat next to his brother nursing his own mug of hot chocolate. "You know this Aaron then?"

Ray nodded taking a sip of his hot chocolate. "He's in my class at school," he answered.

"Is he always so mean?" Christian asked. Ray shrugged; he avoided looking at Christian, instead staring into his hot chocolate. "Or is it just you, he's mean to?" Christian asked gently. Ray shrugged again. Christian sighed nudging Ray's shoulder with his shoulder. "You can tell me. That's what big brother's are for."

Ray turned his face towards his brother, his pale eyes large and anxious. "You won't tell Mum and Dad will you? They'll be mad at me."

"Hey," Christian put his arm around Ray's bony shoulders. "Of course Mum and Dad won't be mad at you. They'd just be worried about you. Especially if they thought you were unhappy."

"I'm OK," Ray looked sideways at his brother snuggling closer into the embrace. "He don't bother me all the time." Christian unconsciously tightened his hug of the skinny body. "Just calls me names and runs away."

"That's still not right," Christian said. "I'm the only one allowed to call you names," he teased pulling out of the embrace. Christian punched his brother's arm lightly. "Shorty." Ray giggled as he leaned up against Christian. They sat is silence for a few minutes as they sipped at their hot chocolate.

Ray shifted about his chair before nudging his brother. "You promise you won't tell Mum and Dad," he turned troubled eyes towards Christian. "Because I'm OK. And happy. Honest."

Christian glanced down at the worried face. He smiled at Ray. "Look. I promise not to tell Mum and Dad, but you gotta promise me something. OK?"

Ray stared back at Christian for a moment before finally nodding. "OK."

"You gotta promise to come and tell me if anyone is being really mean to you at school," Christian said, the tone of his voice serious. "And then we'll figure out what to do. OK?" he stuck his hand out. "Deal?"

Ray bit at his bottom lip as he thought about the deal. "I promise," he finally replied shaking his brother's larger hand. "Deal."

"Good," Christian grinned. "Now about this snowman of yours. How about we both go outside and put him back together?" he squeezed his brother. "What do you say? Do you think the Kowalski boys could rebuild old Frosty?"

"Really? You mean it?" Ray asked, his voice doubtful. He bit at his lower lip again, his expression full of uncertainty. "But you said it was kid's stuff."

"Yeah I know what I said. But I was just being a jerk," Christian grinned at Ray. "I think that you and me can get it done before Mum and Dad get back home. What do you think?"

"Cool," Ray nodded, his face shining with happiness. He leapt to his feet and hurried towards the hallway in a flurry of arms, legs and noise. "Come on Christian," he shouted over his shoulder. "Hurry up."

"Boy," Christian murmured to himself. "The things that big brothers have to do for their little brothers," he grinned to himself as he made his way into the hallway. Shrugging into his jacket, he wrapped his own scarf around his neck before joining Ray on the front lawn.

Christian glanced down at his brother. Ray was fast asleep, his skinny body cuddled close to his own. After finishing the snowman, they had eaten pizza in front of the television. Christian had then persuaded Ray to get ready for bed while he tidied up the kitchen. Snuggling together on Ray's bed, they had been reading comics waiting for their parents to get home.

Christian chuckled to himself as he studied his sleeping brother - Ray was so full of life all of the time as he bounced off the walls with frenetic energy and noise, his small body seemingly in constant motion. But when he crashed, he crashed - it was as simple as that. It was as though someone had turned off a switch. Ray had been talking to him in his usual rapid-fire chatter about everything and nothing. Christian had looked down to reply to find that Ray had fallen asleep.

Wrapping his arm around Ray's bony shoulders, he had pulled him closer revelling in the warmth of the small body against his own. Christian suddenly felt sad, knowing that there probably wouldn't be many more moments like this one - they were both growing up - and he wanted to savour every minute he could.

His thoughts turned to the time they had spent rebuilding the snowman. He had to admit to himself that he had really enjoyed himself playing in the snow with his brother. It had taken no time at all to rebuild the snowman together. They had made the snowman fat and strong patting down the snow with their bare hands until it was hard, solid and almost ice. Christian had cut some branches off a tree, and they had fashioned arms. The snowman was so tall that he had to lift Ray up to place the battered hat on its head. Together, they had wrapped a scarf around its icy neck, added a carrot for a nose , black buttons for eyes and coloured stones for a smiling mouth. They had laughed and giggled at each other as they worked on the snowman.

When the snowman was finally completed to their satisfaction, Christian had run into the house to retrieve his camera - a birthday present from his Mum and Dad. He had then persuaded a passing neighbour to take a photograph of Ray and him with their snowman - it was a treasured memory that Christian wanted to keep forever. Christian was suddenly glad that his mother had made him stay at home because he wouldn't have missed the afternoon with his brother for anything in the world.

He was startled out of his reverie by a light shining on the window signalling that his Mum and Dad had made it safely home.

Damien carefully parked the truck in their driveway. It had begun to snow again, but fortunately the roads had been kept pretty clear. However, Damien was glad to be safely home. Slipping and sliding in the melted snow, he made his way around to the passenger side of the truck to help Barbara out of her seat. "Come on honey," he teased with a cheeky grin. "Hold onto me."

"And we can both fall down together," Barbara teased back as she took hold of his arm with a smile.

Arm in arm, they made their way across their front lawn. Damien chuckled. "I see our Stanley has been busy," he pointed at the large fat snowman dominating the centre of the lawn in front of the living room window.

The snowman sat proud and tall in front of the living room window. It seemed to grin at Damien and Barbara as they studied it. An old scarf had been wrapped around its neck, and it wore a battered old hat at a rakish angle. Twigs had been pushed into the side of the body to make thin arms that seemed to be waving at people passing by. A carrot for a nose, black button eyes, and coloured stones for a smiling mouth completed the picture.

"It's wonderful," Barbara smiled at her husband. "I bet it took him all day to build," she said as she followed her husband into the house. "At least it would have kept him out of Christian's way."

"Christian," Barbara called as she entered the house stamping her feet to get rid of the snow. "Stanley."

"Up here Mum," Christian called. "In Stanley's room."

"He probably smothering Stanley with his pillow or something,"Damien grinned widely.

"Damien," Barbara whacked his arm. "Go do something useful," she waved him towards the kitchen."

"Yes dear," Damien tormented. Barbara pulled a face which dissolved into a grin at the teasing look her husband shot her. "I'll go make the coffee," he volunteered as he ambled towards the kitchen, shedding his coat along the way.

Barbara shook her head in exasperation as she made her way up the stairs to see what her sons were up to. She stood at the bedroom door watching as Christian carefully disentangled himself from Ray's body. Ray stirred slightly mumbling in his sleep as he snuggled further down the bed; Christian pulled the comforter up high, tucking it carefully around his brother's body. With a grin, he tucked Ray's favourite bear under the comforter close to his brother. He turned off the bedside lamp.

"Everything OK love?" Barbara whispered as Christian crept towards the door. "Did Stanley behave himself?"

"Yes to both questions," Christian grinned at his mother. "He wanted to stay up until you and Dad got home. But as Dad says all the time," he looked back at his sleeping brother. "His batteries just plain ran out."

"They do that sometimes," Barbara smiled. "Sorry we were so long, but some of the roads were a little bit tricky," she touched his arm lightly. "And I'm sorry about giving you such a hard time this morning. I know you wanted to spend the day with Angie."

"No sweat Mum," Christian grinned again before kissing her cheek softly. He started along towards his own bedroom. "Oh by the way," he stopped half way along the hallway. He turned towards his mother again. "Thanks," he said simply.

"What for love?" Barbara asked, her expression one of confusion at her son's gratitude.

Christian shrugged his shoulders. "Oh you know... for making me remember what it was like to be eleven," he grinned again at the surprised look his mother shot him. "And for making me spend time with my little brother. Oh yeah," he grinned at the memory. "And for giving me a chance to build a snowman again." He opened his bedroom door. "Night Mum," he winked at Barbara.

"Night love," Barbara whispered as the door closed. Taking a last look at her younger sleeping son, she started back down the stairs to tell Damien what had happened while they were visiting Aunt Matilda.

THE END

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End Snowman by Linda: linda18@ntlworld.com

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