Back at last! :D It's been a long time, I know.
Before anyone beats me or chases me with a pitchfork, let me tell you my three semi-acceptable reasons for taking so long to update.
1.) My computer has been on the fritz for quite a while now, so I couldn't get on the site.
2.) I was in a show and it was taking up a lot of time!
3.) ...semester exams are generally acknowledged as a giant time suck.
But I'm back now, and on summer vacay, so expect many more updates!
Here we go!
The airline flight was the worst he'd ever been on. It was crowded, ran late, they'd run out of blankets, and they played Fletch as the in-flight movie.
Fletch was the most awful movie on the face of the planet.
Beck groaned and called a taxi. Never again. He remembered the last time he'd gone on a plane. It had been a totally different experience. But then, he'd been on his way to a business meeting then.
Maybe the nature of his trip reflected itself in the comfort of his flight.
That was a disturbing thought.
Beck shook it off and flagged down his taxi. "PS 167, please," he said. The cabbie nodded and the taxi sped off.
Beck sighed and put his hands to his head. He already missed Cat and the girls so much it hurt. But he knew he had to do this.
It was for his son.
BATBATBAT
"So, Beck's all gone, huh?" Tori asked. Cat nodded and stared into her lap. "I miss him," she said softly. Jade rubbed her shoulder.
"I know," she murmured. "But he'll be back soon. Don't worry." Cat shrugged. "I just-I don't know. What if this changes...everything?"
Tori and Jade shared a look. "What could Caleb possibly change?" Tori asked softly. "Beck loves you," Jade chimed in. Cat shrugged. "I know, but the girls-"
A timer beeped and Cat looked up. "That'll be the coffee," she said, struggling to get up. Jade steadied her. "Up you go, girl," she said gently, helping Cat up. The tiny redhead smiled and thanked Jade, moving off.
Tori sighed and stared at her hands. She didn't know what to say. The tension between Jade and Cat was obvious, and it felt weird.
"So...a kid, huh?" she asked Jade.
Jade nodded. "Yeah, seems that way."
"What does he look like?"
Jade pulled a photo out of her pocket and handed it to Tori. Tori squinted at it. "Hmmm." Tori looked at the boy's intense stare and laughed. "He looks like you," she said, handing it back to Jade.
Jade nodded and smiled softly. "Yeah," she said. "And Beck."
Cat came back in, holding a tray with three coffee mugs and a tea bag. "Here you go," she said gently. Tori took one eagerly and began loading it with cream and sugar.
Jade smirked at Tori's sweet tooth, drinking her coffee black. Cat began steeping her tea absentmindedly. She wasn't focusing at all.
"Uh, Cat?" Jade asked. Cat looked down and saw that the water in her teacup was overflowing. She jumped. "Whoops," she breathed. She grabbed a few napkins and began mopping it up.
Jade looked down. She felt awful that she had caused this kind of worry and pain to her best friend. She wished she could somehow make things right, but she didn't know how. If only she could bring Beck back from Indiana.
"So, Cat, tell us about the baby!" Tori chirped, trying to diffuse the tension. Cat smiled gently and curled up on the couch with her tea.
"Well, with my...condition and all, Beck and I were going to keep this a secret, but I can't keep secrets. It's too tempting!" she said with a giggle. Tori and Jade laughed as well.
"What's the secret?" Tori asked, leaning forward eagerly.
"Tell us!" Jade said just as eagerly.
Cat smiled and took Tori's hand. She bit her lip and smiled at them.
"It's a boy," she said with a little laugh.
Jade and Tori exploded with whoops and squeals. Well wishes were shouted at Cat, and they attacked her in a bear hug.
"Oh my God, Cat, that's amazing!" Tori said once they had settled down. "A boy! Oh, Cat, that's wonderful," Jade said with a big grin. Cat grinned back at them. "Thanks, you guys," she said with a smile.
"So have you thought of any names?" Tori asked. Cat nodded. "Well, you know how Nerina's middle name is Jade, and Cadie's middle name is Victoria, after you two?" Tori and Jade nodded. "Well, this little guy's middle name will be Andrew, after Andre," Cat said. Tori beamed.
"That is so beautiful!" she sighed. "I can't wait to have kids of my own." Cat smiled gently. "Your day will come, don't worry," she said, rubbing her swollen stomach.
Jade nodded. "And trust me, waiting is a good thing. Those things hurt like a bitch coming out," she said with a grimace. Cat nodded in agreement. Tori laughed. "Noted," she laughed.
Jade and Cat shared a smile.
It was the happiest moment the three had shared since they'd heard about Caleb.
BATBATBAT
Beck felt his heart beat faster as he paid the cabbie and got out. He stared up at the school. It was pretty average looking-nothing unusual or interesting.
But his son was in there.
He sighed and began slowly climbing up the stairs. He walked inside and saw hand drawn pictures of all sorts of things. Beck smiled and touched a picture of a rainbow lightly. It reminded him of his girls back home.
"Sir, may I help you?" He turned and saw a receptionist. "Hello," he said, walking over. "Yes, you can. I'm looking for Caleb Mason's classroom. He's eleven, if that helps," he said, trailing off.
He coughed nervously. The receptionist nodded. "May I ask who you are?" she asked in a polite voice. "Uh, I'm his birth father," Beck whispered. The receptionist raised her eyebrows.
"Really?" she asked. "May I see some proof of identity?" Beck pulled out his driver's license and handed it to her. She stared at it for a minute, typed something into the computer, and handed it back to him. "Okay. He's in Mrs. Sayers' classroom-down the hall and to the left."
Beck thanked her and walked down the hall. Until he saw the room.
Mrs. Sayers.
He took a deep breath and knocked.
A pretty woman with a bun opened the door. She looked him up and down and winked at him. "Hello?" she asked in a flirtatious voice. Beck smiled uncomfortably. "Hi, I'm here to see Caleb Mason."
The woman nodded. "Caleb, there's someone here to see you," she called into the classroom.
Beck saw Caleb get up and walk towards him. "Thanks," he said to the woman. She beamed. "Don't mention it," she sighed. Caleb walked outside and she shut the door.
Beck stared, almost not believing it. There he was. He looked just like the picture Jade had shown him-dark skin, blue eyes, his nose. Beck felt tears well up, and he pushed them down as quickly as he could. Caleb stared at him.
"Who are you?" he asked. Beck knelt down so that he was eye level with Caleb. "Well...Caleb...I don't know if you know this, but you're, uh-"
"Adopted?" Caleb interrupted with a thin smile. Beck laughed a little. "Uh, yeah. Yeah. Well, I'm your birth father."
He searched Caleb's face, looking for a reaction. Caleb simply stared intensely at him, studying him. "Yeah," the little boy said after a while. "Yeah, you kind of look like that guy my parents showed me."
Beck breathed a sigh of relief. "So what are you doing here?" Caleb asked. "Well...um...I'm not really sure," he admitted. Caleb raised an eyebrow.
"I guess I just...wanted to see that you were okay. And to tell you that I love you, and I want to be in your life."
"Well, where were you before?" Caleb asked. Beck sighed. "Uh, I didn't know about you," he said with a little laugh. "Why not? Didn't you know my mom was gonna have me?" Caleb asked curiously.
Beck bit his lip. "Well...yes and no. But your mom...she's a very interesting woman. She likes to do things on her own. So she just told me about you three days ago," Beck explained.
Caleb nodded slowly. "Okay. You live here?" he asked. Beck sighed again. "No, I live in California," he said. Caleb's eyes lit up. "Cool!" he said excitedly. "Do you and mom live in Hollywood?" Beck laughed. "Yeah, we do," he said.
"Awesome! Can I visit you and mom at your house?" he asked, jumping up and down a little. "Sure, buddy, whenever you want," he said. Caleb grinned.
"So do you and mom have a big Hollywood house and eat dinner at fancy places when you guys go out like movie stars?" he asked in one breath.
Beck bit his lip again. "Um, buddy, your mom and I aren't together anymore," he said gently. "What?" Caleb asked, his smile fading slowly away.
"We, uh, we weren't married when your mom had me, and we broke up a little while after high school."
"Oh," Caleb said softly, looking down. Beck put his arm on Caleb's shoulders. "But your mom and I do live near each other. And I married another woman, and she's very beautiful and nice. I think you'll like her when you come visit," Beck said, hoping to cheer him up.
Caleb nodded. "Who is she?" he asked. Beck smiled gently and reached into his wallet, taking out a picture of Cat.
He handed Caleb the picture. "You married mom's best friend?" he asked, looking at Cat's picture. Beck wondered how he knew that.
"Uh, yeah, I guess I did," he said with another smile.
"She is really pretty," Caleb said, handing Beck the picture back. "Yeah, she is. You have a whole bunch of family back in California I want you to meet someday-a stepdad, a stepmom, two baby half sisters, and a few other good friends. And I'd really like to meet your other parents while I'm here," he said.
The look Caleb gave him frightened him a little bit.
"You don't know?" Caleb asked. "Know what?" Beck asked, feeling dread in the pit of his stomach.
Caleb stared him down.
"My parents are dead."
BATBATBAT
Cat watched the girls play in the park with big smiles on their faces. She brushed a strand of hair out of her face.
She was feeling pretty calm, despite the fact that Beck was still gone.
Suddenly a handsome man came up to her. "Hello, I couldn't help noticing you from across the park," he said politely. Cat beamed back up at him. "That's very sweet of you, but I'm married," she said, patting her stomach.
The man smiled and laughed a little bit. "No, you misunderstand. I'm a casting director for Pampers. We're doing a new set of commercials with women who are expecting, and I think you'd be perfect," he said with a grin.
Cat laughed. "I'm sorry, who are you?" she asked. "Malcolm. Malcolm Doherty," he replied with a wink. Cat raised an eyebrow.
"Okay...tell me a little bit more," she said, turning cautiously around on the bench to face him.
"We'd pay handsomely-1300 a commercial, plus royalties for every time a commercial is aired. We have full daycare available, and we'd provide costumes...makeup," Malcolm said.
Cat smiled. "Well, this is a very kind offer, Malcolm, but I don't think-"
"Oh, no, miss-"
"Cat."
"Cat. I won't take no for an answer," Malcolm said with a bright smile. He gave Cat a card. "A face that beautiful and radiant deserves to be seen. Call me if you change your mind." He winked again and strode briskly away. Cat looked down at the card in her hand and laughed softly to herself.
"Mama! Watch me do a swing!" Nerina shrieked. Cat looked up suddenly and smiled.
"Okay, I'm watching!"
BATBATBAT
Tori heard an ear-splitting scream and jumped out of bed as soon as possible. "Oh my GOD!" Trina screamed from down the hall. Tori grabbed a baseball bat her dad had given her and raced out of her room. "What is it? What's wrong? Who's dead?" she shrieked.
Trina stood in the middle of the kitchen, jumping up and down. "Tori! I got e-mail! You did too and I opened it! YOU GOT THE PART AND MY SHOW IS BACK ON AIR!"
Tori dropped the bat. It felt like she was moving through molasses.
Trina ran up and hugged her, and everything fell into place. "OH MY GOD!" she screamed. The two sisters began jumping up and down, squealing and hugging. They finally sank to the kitchen floor in a heap.
Tori brushed tears away.
"Oh my God," she repeated. Trina nodded, grinning. "I know," she said back. Trina grabbed Tori's hand and squeezed it. "This is it! The Vega sisters are taking Hollywood by storm! You know, mostly me! But you too."
"I have to call Andre," Tori said, slightly dazed. She sat up and reached for the phone. Trina sat up as well. "Are you nuts? You can't just call him and tell him! That's so anticlimactic!" Trina said, slapping Tori's hand down.
"Well, when?" Tori asked with a little squeal. "I wanna tell someone!" Trina sighed. "Well, isn't he taking you to that super nice restaurant tonight? Tell him then," she suggested.
Tori nodded.
She couldn't believe her luck.
BATBATBAT
Rex sat in a tiny hole under the Hollywood sign. He'd been running away from the cops for hours.
They still hadn't found him.
Robbie had taught him a few things, after all.
He threw rocks listlessly at the skyline, wondering what he should do. Then he figured it out.
He could run down that hill whenever he wanted and be an actor, then run back up the hill to this hole and hide!
Once he found a way to get food.
Maybe he could get McDonalds.
Rex smiled, satisfied with his new life plan, and curled up in the hole to sleep.
It wasn't much, but it was better than living with Robbie.
BATBATBAT
Andre grinned across the table at Tori. She had an equally big smile. "You look happy today," she teased. He laughed. "Well, I have some big news," he said, feeling the ring box in his hand for the fiftieth time that evening.
"Really? Me too! You go first," Tori said with a little jump. Andre smiled. "No, no, you go. You look too excited. What is it?"
Tori squealed. "I got the movie part!" she said with a laugh. Andre raised his eyebrows in shock. "What?" he asked loudly. "I got the part!" Tori repeated.
Andre stood up in the restaurant and hugged Tori tightly. "Oh, baby, that's great," he said happily, kissing her. She smiled as he sat down at the table again.
"Yeah! It's times like these I'm actually glad I'm not married," she said with a laugh.
Andre froze.
"What?" he asked, stunned. "Yeah, I mean, if I was married or something, I'd have to check in with them all the time on set, and share all of the money with them, and it would be this big deal if I had to go away while I was working on the movie, you know."
Andre gulped. "Well, it doesn't have to be like that necessarily," he mumbled. "What'd you say?" Tori asked, leaning over the table. He sighed and put the ring back in his pocket. "Uh, nothing, nothing," he said quickly.
"So anyways, what was your news?" she asked, leaning back in her chair and taking a sip of wine.
Andre looked down. "Uh...my boss gave me a raise."
BATBATBAT
Beck paced in front of the caseworker's desk angrily. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Caleb playing in the next room.
"Who has he been living with?" he asked. The caseworker sighed and checked her paperwork. "He's lived the last two years with the late Mrs. Masons' sister," she said.
"Why were we not told about this? Don't you notify the next of kin if these things happen? Isn't that how it works?"
"No, sir, that's the case with funerals," the caseworker said, adjusting her glasses. "In the case of a parent's death, the child, adopted or biological, is given to the care of their legal guardian. For Caleb, that guardian is Mrs. Whitmore."
Beck stormed out of the office and knelt in front of Caleb. "Hey, buddy," he said. "I need you to answer a quick question." Caleb nodded.
"Do you like living with your aunt?"
Caleb shook his head. "She's mean. She hits me sometimes when she's drunk, and she never takes me out anywhere. And she spends our grocery money on drugs, but I'm not supposed to know about that."
Beck's mouth fell open.
"Caleb," he said once he'd regained the ability to speak again. "It's really important that you're telling the truth here."
Caleb nodded. "I am," he said, pressing his lips together and clutching his borrowed GameBoy closer.
Beck ran a hand through his hair. "Oh..kay," he said slowly. "Can you tell the lady in there just what you told me?" Caleb nodded and slid off of his chair.
Beck sat down and sighed. He put his head in his hands.
This was a mess. He watched Caleb talk to the social worker. Her eyes widened.
Beck wasn't really sure about anything anymore, but he knew one thing.
Caleb was flying home with him tomorrow.
So what did you guys think? :) review please! Love always.