Ryan breathed in for the umpteenth times before he was able to gather the supposed courage to face his mother. He tapped on his mother's huge oak door, as usual, ignoring the doorbell, and patiently waited on his mother's reply.

“It's not locked, Ryan…" He heard her voice from with in, his face was with that of surprise. She always knew he was the one at the door, and how she was always able to sound that loud was usually enough reason to baffle him.

Ryan, putting whatever thought he was ...