Chapter 1: I Went There
Ryan enters the shop happily whistling to himself. Suddenly Jack approaches him.
"Ryan?!" He shouts. "Where have you been?"
"Just out, looking at this restaurant I'm taking Micki to tonight."
"I mean where have you been for the past two weeks?"
Ryan looked at Jack with a confused look on his face.
"And where is Micki?!" Jack said in a huff.
Seeing Jack upset, Ryan placed his hands on Jack's shoulders.
"She's out buying a new dress, and take it easy Jack, what's this about?"
Jack sighed heavily and walked over to the desk and sat down. He stared off for a moment and sighed again.
"Ryan-" he began and placed his hands on the desk. And began to swiftly talk with his hands as Jack normally does.
"Ever since we got that pillowcase back, and put it in the vault, I've seen less and less of you and Micki."
"Well Jack we-"
"And I've hunted down a pocket watch, a rotary phone, a whistle, and at least two different kinds of necklaces by myself over the past two weeks... ever since you started courting Micki, things haven't been the same around here, I need the two of you to make all of this work."
Ryan placed his hands on the desk.
"Jack, you've gone off and left Micki and I to fend for ourselves...Micki and I have the right to go out and do things if we want too."
"I know Ryan...I know."
"If you know then why are you making a big deal out of this?" "Micki and I have always done everything we could to make sure we got whatever object it was back!"
Jack nods as Ryan speaks.
"I know but I-"
"I'm sorry we haven't been there for you like we should...I'm sorry that made you feel like you had to do all of this by yourself, because I wouldn't want anyone to do that."
Ryan looked down as he finished, then looked back up at Jack.
"Jack... you're the father I've always wanted in my own father...Micki feels the same...and we love you... just because we established that we may have feelings for each other. Cousins or not, and just because we have been spending an awful lot of time together; and just because we love each other more now doesn't mean we don't love you any less."
Jack stared at Ryan and stood up from the desk. He walked around it and touched Ryan's shoulder.
"You're right Ryan...I'm sorry... I don't know what came over me... it's just I do miss the old Mick and Ryan..."
Ryan sighs then smiles shyly.
"We never left Jack."
Ryan pats Jack's arm.
Jack smiles and wraps Ryan in a hug then pats Ryan's arm.
"Now...go have fun... where is it your taking Micki tonight?"
"Oh this fancy restaurant, right up Micki's alley, she'll love it."
Ryan starts to walk up the stairs when Jack suddenly blurts out:
"No hot dogs and the sharing of a funnel cake tonight?"
Ryan stops on the stairs and turns smiling.
"Micki has more class than that Jack, tonight I'm going to show her how much she means to me."
Jack smiles.
A grand restaurant sits comfortably inside a 5-star hotel, with 10 floors. The restaurant gleams bright in vintage glamour with marble pillars, and floors. Along with elegant floor rugs, chandeliers, and a large fountain with a massive flower arrangement in the middle. The atmosphere not too quiet with the bustle of dinning customers. The sound of clanking silverware everywhere. Micki sits in front of Ryan at a small table wearing a sequin and silk black and gold cocktail dress with tinkerbell sleeves. Her red hair just as voluminous as ever pulled back and bumped up; clamed together by a large black bow. Micki's red lipstick ties her entire look together as her red lips move over her pearly whites. Ryan sitting opposite of her has dawned a black suit and gold tie, to compliment Micki's ensemble. They've been laughing and talking for quite some time. There are a few empty plates in front of them.
"Micki watch this." Ryan says with a smile and takes a cigarette out of his pocket.
"Ryan, you don't smoke." Micki says astonished.
"I know just wait."
Suddenly a waiter runs toward Ryan to light his cigarette, then runs off.
"That's how great the service is here, waiters practically throw themselves at people, just to light their cigarettes."
Micki smiles as Ryan puts the cigarette out.
"Makes me feel like a Queen or something." Micki replies softly.
Ryan reaches across the table and grabs her hand. Micki blushes and smiles widely at his touch.
"Should you be treated like anything else?"
Micki bats her eyelashes. Ryan winks at her. At that moment another waiter walks over to their table.
"Your champagne sir."
Ryan lets go of Micki's hand to take the bottle from the waiter.
"Thanks."
"Shall I sir?" The waiter questions.
"I've got it thanks." Ryan replies back and Micki starts to back away from the table as Ryan pops the cork from the bottle. Micki laughs, and Ryan pours his glass first and then drinks from the bottle itself.
"Ah." Ryan exclaims. Mick continues to smile at him.
"You're going to love it."
Ryan then pours Micki a glass.
"Thank you Mr. Dallion."
"You're welcome Miss Foster."
"Shall we make a toast?" Micki askes.
Ryan ponders the question a moment then raises his glass.
"I toast to you, Micki... that you stay safe and happy for the rest of your life and get everything you ever want."
Micki smiles over her glass and raises her own.
"Then I toast to you."
Ryan's smiles slowly fades, and he looks down.
"Is something wrong?"
Ryan looks back up at her.
"No...it's just... it's not you... it's...it's me..."
"What are you talking about?"
"I... I mean it's both of us..."
"Both? Ryan I don't understand?"
"I mean... I had a talk with Jack this afternoon...and he feels really downhearted that you and I haven't been around for the past couple of weeks."
Micki places her glass back down on the table and looks deeply at Ryan.
"Well... does he not understand that we need a break from all the objects, and the death and that we need to just get out of that store!"
Ryan just nods in agreement.
"I told him that."
"And what did he say?"
"He agreed, and I apologized for us and I-"
"Us?" Micki interrupts.
"Well...yeah, you weren't there to defend yourself so I-"
"But I have my own say, I shouldn't have to apologize for just wanting to live my life, and you shouldn't be apologizing for me, if I want to apologize I'll do it myself."
"Micki..."
"Just because we started going out does not give you the right to control me and how I choose to live my life, and just because we're going out does not give you the right to speak for me."
"Mick-"
"And another thing... we keep saying that collecting those objects will come to an end soon, but that never comes!" Micki shouts loudly. "How are you and I supposed to be together and lead happy lives...how am I supposed to stay safe and happy, and get everything I want, when we're bound and chained to that store, I'm not a prisoner of it, and I'm not a puppet of yours!"
Micki stands up and tosses her napkin down and picks up her handbag and begins storming out of the restaurant. Ryan sighs and places his head in his hands and rubs his fingers through his bangs.
