https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuErECk4_iA&list=PL7BD033C7883C10ED&index=14

Callum sat on the stage working his scales as his mother had told him to, the rest of his family practicing for the show. His youngest sister was on stage learning the show so she could join it soon, possibly after her 5th birthday. He had been practicing all day hoping to join the show soon as well, he knew better than hope for a real birthday celebration already. He flinched at the wrong notes his little sister hit and changed tempo of the scales as a result. “Callum did I tell you to stop…” His mother snapped at him “ Sorry mam “ Callum replied knowing NO excuse will be accepted. For the 5th hour in a row he continued to play hoping to someday be good enough.

Callum twisted trying to catch his little sister as she stepped off the front of the stage. Unable to keep one of them falling off the stage he pushes her backwards hard and crashes into the concrete floor cracking his head and splitting his scalp open . The world spun and he could hear his little sister crying as he bled laying there. The world was foggy and black when he could hear his mom move up to him “ Callum get up and stop bleeding on the floor get the bandages for you and your sister. You scraped her up when you shoved her, be more careful next time. “Foggy he struggled to his feet pressing his hand to the side of his head. “Yes mam “ he said and begins to move to the office where the medical kit is. ‘ Next time’ he thinks ‘I will be fast enough’

Callum smiled holding Tara’s hand as they walked home from high school classes. Tara had been real quiet all day and at the point where she was ready to go inside her house she let go of his hand and stepped back . “Callum … I … I think we should see other people. Your mother doesn’t like me and she acts like I am not good enough for her family. I can’t … you take care Callum and I wish you the best.” Tara turned and quick walked into her house not giving Callum anytime to say anything. The pain welling up all Callum could do is walk home knowing that to continue on he needed to be strong enough .

Callum felt the car turn sideways as it slid off the road bed and flipped two and a half times landing on the roof. Waking first right before Justine whimpered in pain the water filling the car. Hanging upside down he saw his Aunt and Mother move slightly as Justine whispered “Gaia not now, don’t take my child Gaia.” Stunned as pain laced through him, she was pregnant? He was going to be an Uncle? They couldn’t die not now, the water rose as he struggled with the jammed belt. The world seemed to go distant as his mom moaned and begun to cry in pain, Justine starting to lose control and cry as well. Sparks filled his vision as the car got so hot; his aunt screaming in pain as she woke. Feeling something shatter inside of himself as the world exploded in fire, ice, and warmth so beautiful to make one weep. Standing up he shrugged off part of the car as the world slowed, his hands crunched on the metal of the car as he lifted it right-side up back to the roadbed. The love coursing through him intense and bright as he felt EVERYTHING around him and how it was all connected. As the flames died that powered him that saved his family his mind saw that there was a way to be enough.

As the den parent yelled at him for forgetting the lessons from the prior day Callum saw the other Galliard cub laughing at him behind his hand. The den parent told Callum to recite the litany as he ran 50 laps around the Sept as punishment for forgetting the simple things. Callum took off at a ground eating lope thinking he needed to try harder to be smart enough.

As the fire exploded inside him the horror in everyone’s eyes as Callum leapt onto the insulting cub. His rage overcoming his self-control and willpower as he ripped into the Fenris cub who would never stopped teasing. As his claws tore through the cubs throat the adults running over to break up the fight. Callum gripped the jaw of the screaming cub and tore it off as his other claw ripped into the cubs chest tearing away more of his body. A massive black wolf slamming into Callum separated the two cubs as Callum’s rage expired. The yells for a doctor way to late as the cub’s death rattle shook his chest. As exhaustion claimed him the realization of what happened like a raw wound in Callum’s head the thought loud in the background ‘ I must be patent enough’

As she left him he closed his eyes and collected his mind before glancing in on his daughter. Everything spotless around their home the single father ‘s mind in turmoil. Was his timing off? Was he not waiting for the right amount of time? Was he missing something they said? Was he not a good Warrior of Gaia? Was he not talented? Did he not look right? Did he say something offensive? Did he choose the wrong time? What was the standard? What was the hope? What did Gaia have planned? Skye was his world now and he loved her like she was his own blood. He knew he was providing well for Skye and she was very happy and that was what mattered. All he wondered is if he would ever be Good enough, fast enough, smart enough, strong enough or patent enough for a serious relationship. He knew what enough was, he had felt it once , but fell short of that perfection he was once part of.

When would he be enough?