SECOND CHANCES: LESSONS LEARNED
Rick is facing his greatest challenge as a parent,
Can he make the grade? This is a work of fiction. No money is being made on it, and the characters are owned by Universal
and are only being borrowed for a little while.
Chapter 1
"It's after 1:00, you know your curfew is 10 on a school night!"
"I forgot, I'm sorry, it won't happen again!" Robin replied, shifting from side to side.
"You bet it won't happen again, you're grounded this weekend!"
"That's not fair, I've never blown my time in before, and I was supposed to go to a concert this Saturday! Mom, you understand, tell Pop, it's ok", the girl pleaded.
Laurie looked at Rick, then shook her head, "Divide and conquer doesn't work here, Robin, you heard your father. Besides, you have paperwork to turn in if you want to go to summer session, right? You can get all that completed this weekend."
"But it's not right, you guys just don't understand!" Robin stormed out of the room, leaving Rick with a churning stomach. He turned to his wife, growling, "What does she mean, we don't understand, I understand just too well, 3 hours past her bedtime is 3 hours doing.well, you know!"
"I guess we've been spoiled, darling," Laurie sat down on the sofa and patted the place next to her. Rick took the hint and plopped down, his stomach unknotting as she rubbed his neck. "After all," she continued, massaging his tense muscles, "Robin has always obeyed the rules we laid down, but then again, she's never been a college sophomore before. The problem is, you remember what boys that age think about, and she's about to find that out. That's the "you don't understand", part."
Rick turned to look at her, then put his arms around her, kissing her. "When did you get to be so smart, Mrs. Simon?" he whispered, as she returned his embrace. "When I married you," she sighed, "Remember, we agreed never to let Rob or Robin play us against each other, all family decisions we would make together."
"Well, I think this time you get to talk to her, sweetheart, I'm the lightning rod here, see if you can get her to tell us what was so different this time." he returned, nodding toward Robin's closed door.
"Yes, Mr. Simon," she grinned, getting up and dodging a swat as she went past him. Watching her go, he shook his head then headed to the barn to close up.
Laurie knocked on the girls' door, waiting until she heard a reluctant,
"come in". Entering, she saw Robin lying on her bed, facing away from her.
"Can I ask you something, honey?" she said, perching on a chair opposite her youngest. After a moment, Robin turned, saying, "What?" "When did you stop going out with Jonathan?" Laurie watched her daughter's jaw drop, then continued, "No, I haven't been following you or listening to your phone calls, but when did you decide not to see him anymore?"
Robin sat up, then facing her mother, blurted, "When he didn't want to take no for an answer." She looked down not meeting Laurie's eyes, until she heard the sharp intake of breath, then saw her expression of fear. "Oh, Mom, no, he didn't, I didn't mean it like that. I mean, Jonathan kept saying if I really cared for him, and I told him if he loved me, he wouldn't force me to choose, you know, to
show it that way." Robin turned red, then dived into Laurie's arms.
Her mother held her and rocked her, saying, "it's all right, you did the right thing." Finally, Robin raised her tear-streaked face, and told her, "I didn't mean it when I told you and Pop you don't understand, because I know you do. But when Rob's friend Mike asked me out, I thought it would be nice to be with someone new, and you know Rob wouldn't run around with a jerk."
Laurie sat back, "Well, was he?" Her daughter nodded. "Yeah, I'm afraid he is, the bad thing is Rob doesn't know it. That creep wanted the same thing Jonathan did, only he made me get out of the car when I wouldn't go up to Crystal Point with him. I had to get a ride home with Tasha, and she wasn't too happy with Mike either!"
Her mom went white with anger, and Robin immediately grabbed her hand, "No, Mom, whatever you do, don't tell Pop tonight, he'll go ballistic." "You're right, he'll go off, but your father will have to wait in line, of all the disgusting, Neanderthal stunts to pull," Laurie stood up, then exhaling, said, "The only wrong you did tonight was not telling us what happened when you came in, I know you can handle yourself, but this kind of thing could have gotten out of hand if Master Mike Kincaid didn't like your answer." Taking Robin by the hand, she said, "I want you to tell your father the whole thing, I know if you wait it'll get harder to do."
"Oh, no Mom, he'll." No," Laurie interrupted, "He won't because nothing did, but I want him to have a talk with Rob about his friend, ok? If we don't say anything, both your Pop and your brother will feel we didn't trust them."
Robin got off the bed, then looking at her mom, asked, "How come you and Pop know so much about this stuff?' "Oh, we're not that old! Your father was quite the ladies man, at least according to your Uncle A.J., and me, well, I had 18 years to wait for him, I saw what happened to all the girls who "couldn't wait", even with your Uncle Steve, I never felt like I had to, to show I cared about him. Besides," she smiled at her girl, "Steve and Jaime were always meant for each other, just like your Pop and I, after all, good things do come to those who wait!"
The two embraced, then Robin opened the door, and going into the living room, saw Rick sitting on the sofa, pretending to read a file. He looked up quickly, then opened his arms as Robin came over, hugging her as she said, "I'm sorry, Pop, I should have called, but something happened and I didn't want you to get mad."
Laurie watched his face as she told Rick what Rob's friend had pulled, then went to him as he started to get angry. "Of all the slimy little snakes, how dare he come to this house and then try to, where's Robert?" "Rick, calm down," Laurie put a hand on his shoulder, "Rob is at his finals study session at Gary's, he told you he would be spending the night. As for friend Mike, Robin handled her part fine, We need to speak to Rob about this tomorrow, then this goes no further." Her husband stared at her, as Robin looked at both of them, then quietly said, "Pop, thank you for believing me, I know I should have told you right off. It won't help anything if you go beat him up or something. I just won't go near him again. The other girls know about what he tried, they think he's scum already."
Rick glanced at Laurie again, then turned to Robin, "Ok, we'll talk to your brother first. Then we'll see where it goes from there. But that little punk is never to come in this house or be around you or your brother again, capice?" Laurie gazed at Rick, then smiled, "Capice? I haven't heard you say that since Chicago." Robin puzzled, repeated, "Chicago, oh, you mean when
Pop and Uncle A.J. were your bodyguards." She yawned, then said, "well, I'll let you guys settle your part, I'm going to bed."
Hugging them both good night, Robin went to bed, as Laurie went around turning off the lights, then came and sat next to Rick. For a moment, he was quiet, and then he put his arms around her. She rested against him for a moment, then said, "Darling, thank you for listening to Robin, and me. I'm just as angry as you, and just as scared for what could have, well, you know." He kissed the top of her head, then answered, "It's the thought of what that punk could come out with about our girl that bothers me now. If he spreads one story about her, well, we'll talk about it in the morning".
"For now," he grinned, "let me remind you about "capice" ". Lifting her up, he carried her laughing to their room.
Rick is facing his greatest challenge as a parent,
Can he make the grade? This is a work of fiction. No money is being made on it, and the characters are owned by Universal
and are only being borrowed for a little while.
Chapter 1
"It's after 1:00, you know your curfew is 10 on a school night!"
"I forgot, I'm sorry, it won't happen again!" Robin replied, shifting from side to side.
"You bet it won't happen again, you're grounded this weekend!"
"That's not fair, I've never blown my time in before, and I was supposed to go to a concert this Saturday! Mom, you understand, tell Pop, it's ok", the girl pleaded.
Laurie looked at Rick, then shook her head, "Divide and conquer doesn't work here, Robin, you heard your father. Besides, you have paperwork to turn in if you want to go to summer session, right? You can get all that completed this weekend."
"But it's not right, you guys just don't understand!" Robin stormed out of the room, leaving Rick with a churning stomach. He turned to his wife, growling, "What does she mean, we don't understand, I understand just too well, 3 hours past her bedtime is 3 hours doing.well, you know!"
"I guess we've been spoiled, darling," Laurie sat down on the sofa and patted the place next to her. Rick took the hint and plopped down, his stomach unknotting as she rubbed his neck. "After all," she continued, massaging his tense muscles, "Robin has always obeyed the rules we laid down, but then again, she's never been a college sophomore before. The problem is, you remember what boys that age think about, and she's about to find that out. That's the "you don't understand", part."
Rick turned to look at her, then put his arms around her, kissing her. "When did you get to be so smart, Mrs. Simon?" he whispered, as she returned his embrace. "When I married you," she sighed, "Remember, we agreed never to let Rob or Robin play us against each other, all family decisions we would make together."
"Well, I think this time you get to talk to her, sweetheart, I'm the lightning rod here, see if you can get her to tell us what was so different this time." he returned, nodding toward Robin's closed door.
"Yes, Mr. Simon," she grinned, getting up and dodging a swat as she went past him. Watching her go, he shook his head then headed to the barn to close up.
Laurie knocked on the girls' door, waiting until she heard a reluctant,
"come in". Entering, she saw Robin lying on her bed, facing away from her.
"Can I ask you something, honey?" she said, perching on a chair opposite her youngest. After a moment, Robin turned, saying, "What?" "When did you stop going out with Jonathan?" Laurie watched her daughter's jaw drop, then continued, "No, I haven't been following you or listening to your phone calls, but when did you decide not to see him anymore?"
Robin sat up, then facing her mother, blurted, "When he didn't want to take no for an answer." She looked down not meeting Laurie's eyes, until she heard the sharp intake of breath, then saw her expression of fear. "Oh, Mom, no, he didn't, I didn't mean it like that. I mean, Jonathan kept saying if I really cared for him, and I told him if he loved me, he wouldn't force me to choose, you know, to
show it that way." Robin turned red, then dived into Laurie's arms.
Her mother held her and rocked her, saying, "it's all right, you did the right thing." Finally, Robin raised her tear-streaked face, and told her, "I didn't mean it when I told you and Pop you don't understand, because I know you do. But when Rob's friend Mike asked me out, I thought it would be nice to be with someone new, and you know Rob wouldn't run around with a jerk."
Laurie sat back, "Well, was he?" Her daughter nodded. "Yeah, I'm afraid he is, the bad thing is Rob doesn't know it. That creep wanted the same thing Jonathan did, only he made me get out of the car when I wouldn't go up to Crystal Point with him. I had to get a ride home with Tasha, and she wasn't too happy with Mike either!"
Her mom went white with anger, and Robin immediately grabbed her hand, "No, Mom, whatever you do, don't tell Pop tonight, he'll go ballistic." "You're right, he'll go off, but your father will have to wait in line, of all the disgusting, Neanderthal stunts to pull," Laurie stood up, then exhaling, said, "The only wrong you did tonight was not telling us what happened when you came in, I know you can handle yourself, but this kind of thing could have gotten out of hand if Master Mike Kincaid didn't like your answer." Taking Robin by the hand, she said, "I want you to tell your father the whole thing, I know if you wait it'll get harder to do."
"Oh, no Mom, he'll." No," Laurie interrupted, "He won't because nothing did, but I want him to have a talk with Rob about his friend, ok? If we don't say anything, both your Pop and your brother will feel we didn't trust them."
Robin got off the bed, then looking at her mom, asked, "How come you and Pop know so much about this stuff?' "Oh, we're not that old! Your father was quite the ladies man, at least according to your Uncle A.J., and me, well, I had 18 years to wait for him, I saw what happened to all the girls who "couldn't wait", even with your Uncle Steve, I never felt like I had to, to show I cared about him. Besides," she smiled at her girl, "Steve and Jaime were always meant for each other, just like your Pop and I, after all, good things do come to those who wait!"
The two embraced, then Robin opened the door, and going into the living room, saw Rick sitting on the sofa, pretending to read a file. He looked up quickly, then opened his arms as Robin came over, hugging her as she said, "I'm sorry, Pop, I should have called, but something happened and I didn't want you to get mad."
Laurie watched his face as she told Rick what Rob's friend had pulled, then went to him as he started to get angry. "Of all the slimy little snakes, how dare he come to this house and then try to, where's Robert?" "Rick, calm down," Laurie put a hand on his shoulder, "Rob is at his finals study session at Gary's, he told you he would be spending the night. As for friend Mike, Robin handled her part fine, We need to speak to Rob about this tomorrow, then this goes no further." Her husband stared at her, as Robin looked at both of them, then quietly said, "Pop, thank you for believing me, I know I should have told you right off. It won't help anything if you go beat him up or something. I just won't go near him again. The other girls know about what he tried, they think he's scum already."
Rick glanced at Laurie again, then turned to Robin, "Ok, we'll talk to your brother first. Then we'll see where it goes from there. But that little punk is never to come in this house or be around you or your brother again, capice?" Laurie gazed at Rick, then smiled, "Capice? I haven't heard you say that since Chicago." Robin puzzled, repeated, "Chicago, oh, you mean when
Pop and Uncle A.J. were your bodyguards." She yawned, then said, "well, I'll let you guys settle your part, I'm going to bed."
Hugging them both good night, Robin went to bed, as Laurie went around turning off the lights, then came and sat next to Rick. For a moment, he was quiet, and then he put his arms around her. She rested against him for a moment, then said, "Darling, thank you for listening to Robin, and me. I'm just as angry as you, and just as scared for what could have, well, you know." He kissed the top of her head, then answered, "It's the thought of what that punk could come out with about our girl that bothers me now. If he spreads one story about her, well, we'll talk about it in the morning".
"For now," he grinned, "let me remind you about "capice" ". Lifting her up, he carried her laughing to their room.