Chapter 1

"Crazy, intense focus - really become one with the genre - that's why we limit our memberships to comic book club this semester. We can always reassess over Chrismukkah break, right?"

Ryan unlocked and stepped through the front door. He took back his 'Weights and Pulleys' project he was working on for Physics class that Seth held, but didn't bother to reply to the question. The majority of Seth's questions were rhetorical anyways. Ryan led the way into the kitchen and stopped abruptly when he saw Kirsten and Sandy. Seth crashed into Ryan's back.

"Moshing in my own house. How cool is th-"

Kirsten was leaning against the stove, her arms crossed, staring vacantly out the window. Her normally nicely styled hair was flat, pushed behind her ears. Neither she nor Sandy had bothered to turn on a light in the fading sun, but Ryan could make out that Kirsten's face and eyes were puffy from crying. Sandy sat defeated, his forearms resting on the island countertop with his head slumped over. He wore a rumpled dress shirt with the tie pulled loose. Neither Kirsten nor Sandy moved or spoke.

Ryan cleared his throat softly.

Sandy nodded his head back and forth but didn't meet either of the boys' eyes. "Hey guys," Sandy said with a false voice.

Kirsten turned her back to them, blew her nose quietly, and wiped her eyes. She twisted the handkerchief in her hands a few times before tucking it in her pocket. She went to Sandy and cupped her hands over one of his. "Okay, Sandy. Just what we're sure of," Kirsten said quietly, looking down.

Sandy pulled at his already loose tie with his free hand. "You know about the DA's case against Caleb. There have been some complications..." Sandy's voice trailed off.

Seth let his backpack slide off onto the floor. He asked stunned, "So Grampa really is getting away for some confined T and T?"

Kirsten said softly, "He's going to jail."

Seth let out a breath that could just be heard. "Holy Harsh Judge Hachett episode. How long?"

"Probably a year." Sandy looked at Kirsten again, and she nodded in acquiesce and started crying silently. "Your mom has been implicated by association."

Ryan stopped breathing. His lost all sensation to his arms and dropped his project. Fishing lines, ball bearings, and sinkers came off their pulleys, clattering over the kitchen floor. He stared at them stupidly for a moment before lifting his book bag over his head and scrambling to his knees to round things up.

No one reacted to Ryan's mishap; the only sound the next minute was Ryan sweeping the parts back into the demonstration box. He left it against the wall next to his bag and stood up, casting concerned, furtive glances at Sandy and Kirsten.

Seth stared at his mother with wide, frightened eyes. "Will you …?"

Sandy answered for her. "No, that's crazy talk. We are going to repay the city what it thinks Caleb has cost them in overbids from shady dealings. She won't have to go anywhere."

"Yeah, yeah," Seth repeated trance-like. "Okay then, we'll just do that. No problem, no more mint condition first edition comic books for me, or lobster dinners for you, Ryan. I can grill. Mom, easy on the spa weekends and yogalates classes." Seth paced the length of the kitchen, continuing to list budget saving steps they could take. "No more pudding packs, we can make the same from powder for a tenth the cost, we'll take the bus, burn newspapers for heat." His list got more fantastic and gestures more frantic until Kirsten stopped him; she put a hand out and touched him lightly on the elbow.

"Sorry, Mom. Nothing serious has ever happened to me – our family - I don't know how I'm supposed to act." Seth sat heavily on a stool. The room fell quiet again.

Sandy said, "Just be yourself; we'll all be fine. We haven't figured out all the details. Let's sit down and go through a few things." He pulled out a stool for Kristen. He pushed two empty wine glasses away, and slid his note pad closer.

"Where will Mom work? Will we still go to Harbor? W-what …" Seth sputtered.

The sun had set and the room was darker now. Ryan picked up Seth's bag and put it out of the way near his stuff. He pointed to the light switch. "Should I?"

Sandy nodded, and the light flooded the room exposing everyone's grim and tense faces. Ryan sat next to Seth, opposite Kirsten and Sandy.

"Yes, of course, Harbor. Education is top priority, and all your friends are there. We'll try to make this as painless as possible, but we'll all have to make sacrifices. It's just a short-term cash flow issue, until I'm back to work in a private firm. I've sold my soul before, I can find the few pieces left and do it again," Sandy said dully.

"I'm taking a leave of absence while we work things out at The Newport Group," Kirsten said. The kettle whistled and she stood up and got out a couple of mugs and tea bags.

Sandy said, "We're going to move out and rent this house."

"No!" Seth yelled. "No. No. I asked before and you said that was crazy talk. What other crazy talk is not so crazy?" His eyes challenged Sandy angrily. "Is-Mom-going-to-jail?" Seth paused between words for emphasis.

Sandy stared right back. "No. I'm sorry I spoke too quickly about the house last time. I was wrong before, but this I know: Your mother is going nowhere."

Kirsten returned with two mugs of tea. "He's right, Seth. The DA's office is playing some stupid games to pressure Grandpa, but we'll straighten it all out." She motioned with the mugs to ask who wanted one, but everyone shook their heads no.

"Where will we live?" Seth's plaintive voice cracked at the end.

"The Newport Group has a few minor residential properties. We'll live in a nice house … in the numbered streets."

Ryan and Seth both sat taller, shocked. "What about the monster mansion?" Seth asked. "We can all fit in the grotto."

"It's in Julie's name, but they'll probably have to sell eventually," Kirsten said.

"I know this is all happening fast. But it will be just like our Berkeley days. A chance to simplify our lives, find out what's important. Get to know each other better. It won't be all bad. Right?" Sandy's painfully cheerful voice fell flat.

"Umm, would you take away my merit badge if I said yes?"

"You've never earned a merit badge in your life," Sandy joked.

"I will if I survive the numbered streets."

Sandy laughed a little too hard, and even Kirsten smiled tightly.

"Okay, let's get on with dinner." Sandy stood up to get the take-out menus. He casually put his hand on Ryan's shoulder and Seth's head as he passed by them. "So what's T and T?"

"Tennis and Tivo, Daddy-O."

Kirsten opened the refrigerator and listed the beverages available. "Hmm, a nice white I forgot about. I'm not a tea person anyways. Would you open it, Sandy?"

Sandy took the bottle from her. "Honey, we're working our way down to the Manischewitz tonight. Not that I'm complaining; The Manischewitz always made us frisky." They laughed together, but Kirsten's eyes teared up again and she left to use the bathroom. Sandy went to the new bar to find a corkscrew.

"Okay, the everything-is-normal-even-though-it-isn't act is one way to cope." Seth shrugged and opened the drawer for silverware. "Maybe it won't be so bad. Finally your chance to show me a 'hood."

Kirsten returned and they argued menu choices. Ryan numbly went along with everyone trying to act naturally doing their dinner routines; he even smiled and nodded at the right times to their banter. His legs somehow managed to find their way to the napkins, and his hands folded them up like he did most nights. He made his way into the dining room with them.

Around the corner, he leaned against a wall with his eyes closed and breathed deeply. He sank to the floor and balled up the napkins in his fists. His head fell to his knees. He vowed: this time, on his watch, the Cohens would be all right. He would not lose another family to money problems, crappy neighborhoods, and jail again.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

Tbc.

I need a beta if anyone is interested in this story. Email me, please.