Whenever Ray was a few years old, his words came in slower. But we worked on it, me and Ray had tea parties, he's talk about everythng he wanted to. A cat he saw on the way from school, a weird worm or pretty catterpillar. I just let him, I wasn't a carbon copy of my parents. They said a proper lady doesn't talk a lot, same way with my brothers, proper gentleman stays quiet. That led me to being silent, not vocal with what I wanted or vocal to make friends. I refuse to raise Ray like that, plus it tired him out by the end of the day. Three years old, struggling to ask for everything. Apple juice was appy, water was just waa. He knew some words goodly, just had a slow brain. Never bothered me, nor Dan.
Kidnergarten helped him get out there, he was shy. He didn't have much friends, besides one girl, Carrie. They were best friends, they had sleepovers a lot. But she had to move away, little Ray was crushed. Took him to the movies. Helped him in school while letting him grow. Six years old, talking was easier for him, being social wasn't, losing Carrie tore him up, even if it was a year ago. Then... near his seventh birthday..