Chapter 14

Shirley had decided to continue with the Sunday afternoon practice session even though she knew Keith would be just as distracted if not more so than the previous day. However, leaving him alone to stew about this whole situation would only make things worse. Keeping Keith to his normal schedule would do much more to help allay his worries. Keep his mind on his music. That was her plan. She hoped it worked for Keith because it wasn't working for her at all.

The practice was erratic at best and downright awful at its worst, but at least it had made time pass; time that would have crept along like a snail waiting for Reuben's update.

They didn't hear from Reuben on Sunday or even Monday. The kids had gone to school and Shirley had fretted the whole day by herself. If she was this distracted at home she could only wonder at Keith's distraction at school. She just hoped his grades didn't suffer too badly. She hadn't even thought about the rumors that would be making the rounds at school on Monday considering Lyla's display at the taco stand. Laurie informed her of that once she got home. Keith was later in appearing than Laurie had been and Shirley was beginning to worry. Laurie had said that Keith had told her to walk home without him. He had said he'd made plans with Gordy.

Keith made an appearance just before dinner and disappeared shortly after saying he was going to do his homework. Once he was done with his homework he went out to the garage for the rest of the night and worked on his music. Shirley had not shared any more information with Laurie because she didn't want her worrying as well. However, being the only person in the house besides Keith who knew about this was making for a very lonely worried mother.

The pattern continued the next day. Laurie showed up sans Keith once again and told her Mom that he was with Gordy. When Shirley asked if the rumors had quieted down, Laurie frowned and said, "Not in the least. If anything, they're getting worse."

"Worse, how?" Shirley couldn't help but ask.

"Well, they haven't quieted down at all. I even think some of the kids have even started to stop Keith in the halls and ask really personal questions." At Shirley's raised eyebrows Laurie continued, "I ran into Keith right after lunch on my way to English class and he looked really angry. I asked him what was wrong and he said nothing. I obviously didn't believe him because he's normally a pretty happy person. Seeing him walking around as if he wanted to kill someone just isn't normal. When I ran into Gordy around the next corner I asked him if he knew what was wrong with Keith. Gordy said that some of the guys at lunch had really started giving Keith a lot of grief about Lyla."

"What did Keith do?" Shirley didn't like the way this story was going. She sure hoped that Keith had kept his cool.

"According to Gordy, nothing. He just got up, threw his lunch away which he hadn't even started eating and walked away." Laurie's head swung around when she heard a comment from just outside the kitchen door.

"Boy, it must be bad if he threw away perfectly good food." Danny piped in.

"Daniel Partridge, how many times do I have to tell you not to eavesdrop?" Shirley yelled at her forever precocious middle son.

"Sorry, Mom but I just walked up and couldn't help but hear the last comment. I wasn't technically eavesdropping. More like hearing something before I could make my presence known." Danny looked a little sheepish but truly did not feel like he'd deserved that one.

"Sorry, Danny. I'm a little on edge. How was your day?" Shirley waved him over to the table and set down a plate of cookies. Laurie had already headed toward the refrigerator to grab the milk. If Danny was home, Chris and Tracy would be right behind him. Shirley and Laurie shared a look that said they would continue their conversation later.

xoxo

Keith knew he should have gone straight home, but Gordy had talked him into going to the park for some basketball. He'd told him physical exertion would help him to work off his aggressions. And it had been working too. At least until the same group of jerks from lunch had come up and sat at a picnic table just off the blacktopped court. They'd started yelling lewd comments soon after. Keith just threw the ball to Gordy, grabbed his jacket and books and walked away. He was trying to be mature about this, but he was getting very close to giving them a piece of his mind. So far he had been able to tell himself that the results would not end in his favor.

As he walked away he heard Gordy yell, "You're just jealous!" That almost made Keith laugh, but the situation was nowhere near humorous. If they knew the truth they would definitely not be jealous.

Shortly after that he heard, 'hey wait up, Keith' as Gordy jogged up beside him. Keith did not stop moving. He needed to be far away from here. "You're not mad at me, are you?" Gordy asked when Keith didn't say anything or even look at him.

That comment finally brought Keith's eyes to his friend and he stopped walking. "No, Gordy. I'm not mad at you. Why would you think that?"

"Because I was the one who talked you into coming here." Gordy reasoned.

"Well it's not your fault that Rich and his buddies showed up too." Keith assured him.

"Right." Gordy agreed gratefully. "How's about we go to the taco stand for something to eat. If I remember right, you didn't have any lunch." When Keith hesitated he continued, "My treat. My dad paid me for helping fix the fence in the backyard. I'm flush with funds."

"Alright, sounds good." Keith tried a rather pathetic smile but it seemed to please Gordy and they jumped in his car to make the short trip.

When they had first gotten there, several girls from school had stopped them to talk. Gordy was surprised, but Keith even appeared to half-heartedly flirt with a couple of them. Keith never flirted half-heartedly. He either went all out or just wasn't interested enough to even try. He was always unfailingly polite to girls in general. It was all part of keeping up public appearances. But flirting and picking up pretty girls was a science for Keith Partridge. Gordy didn't even think Keith could only sort of flirt. Something was definitely off.

Gordy wasn't surprised that Keith's half-hearted effort had more effect than his all out efforts to pick up girls. He could tell that if Keith had just asked, all four of them would have accepted an offer for a date. Unfortunately, all of them were disappointed when Keith ended the conversation without popping that all important question to any of them.

Keith had flirted in hopes that he could put his troubles with Lyla behind him, but his heart wasn't in it. Besides, if he started dating someone else, that was a sure sign that things were over with Lyla, right?

He had been disappointed that none of the girls had been able to really pull his mind away from his current problems. That was the reason he hadn't asked any of them out. He didn't feel like his relationship with Lyla had been ended. There was too much left open.

Keith and Gordy ordered their food and sat at the furthest table from everyone else. Keith was hoping for a little privacy and so far people had left them alone.

Keith couldn't figure it out. He should be starving but the burrito in front of him held very little appeal. He'd taken a couple of bites but it was sitting in his stomach like lead. He dropped it back into the wrapper and grabbed his drink instead.

"What should we do this weekend?" Gordy tried about the tenth different subject since they sat down trying to draw Keith out.

"I can't do anything. Kip Randall should be here and he wants to work with the group on some of the new songs for the next album. We're gonna start recording in a couple of weeks so he thought he better see the rest of the family perform before we start." Keith's response was definitely the longest in the last two days. Gordy finally realized that talking about music may be the key to keeping Keith talking.

"Oh yeah? I thought he was supposed to see you guys perform in Florida?" Gordy asked unwittingly.

"Florida." Keith said with disgust and got up, "Look Gordy, you've been really great trying to cheer me up, but it's just not gonna work. I'm just gonna go home and get some home work done. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Alright, Partridge. See you tomorrow." Gordy watched his friend walk away. His low mood was having a adverse effect on Gordy too. He was starting to feel a bit depressed himself. He just wished Keith had told him the reason. He was sure it had to do with the new girlfriend, but had no idea what the problem could be. Weren't new relationships supposed to be fun and exciting? Gordy watched Keith walk away with his head down.

Before Keith got too far, Gordy saw him stop and stiffen. He wasn't close enough to hear anything, but he knew Keith had heard something from his reaction alone. He saw Keith's head fall back as if looking for divine intervention and then turn slowly towards his right. Gordy followed his line of site and found the knockout from Saturday night. It was Keith's new girlfriend but from Keith's reaction he was not happy to see her. Gordy couldn't help but watch what appeared to be a major train wreck happening right in front of him.

Keith looked to his right and saw Lyla getting out of her car. This could not be happening was all he could think. "Keith, I'm glad I found you." Lyla said as she walked up.

"What do you want?" Keith asked resignedly.

"To talk." Lyla said hopefully

"We said everything we needed to say Saturday night." Keith reminded her.

"Keith it can't end that way. I won't let it." Lyla tried saying it with enough conviction that Keith would believe it too.

"Lyla, as ugly as it was, it was the end. No matter how much either one of us would like to change the outcome, things were said that can't be taken back." Keith just wanted this whole thing to be over but it appeared that Lyla was not going to let it go.

Keith glanced back at the taco stand which was still well within site. If she'd waited another minute, he'd have been around the corner and this would have been a little more private. But, privacy or not, Keith was not getting in a car with her. So public spectacle it would have to be – again. She sure knew how to complicate his life.

"Keith, I'm really sorry about that night. I look back now and realize I was being unreasonable. I want to make this work." Lyla tried for some tears thinking they might help her cause. She also moved in close and pressed her body up tight against Keith's while winding her arms around his neck. She knew they had a strong physical attraction and figured it couldn't hurt.

"Lyla, you and I have two completely different ideas of where this relationship was and where it's going." Keith pointed out and tried moving away from her clinging arms and body.

"What do you mean?" Lyla realized her tears were having no effect so she dried them and allowing Keith the space he appeared to want, stepped back to watch Keith's reaction. He seemed very distant and disinterested. That had never happened to her before. Most men fell all over themselves just to talk to her. All she normally had to do was smile and flash a 'come hither' look and they were all over themselves trying to please her. First her long-term boyfriend had dumped her by sleeping with another woman and now Keith was immune to her charms. If this kept up she'd start to get a complex.

"It means that I meant what I said the other night. It's over and I don't want to see you anymore." Keith really felt exposed as he noticed again that the crowd at the taco stand was mesmerized by his conversation. In fact, some of them were starting to get a little bolder and starting to walk closer hoping to catch some of the words being said. He'd have to finish this quick or it would be more fodder for the rumor mill.

"Baby, please, you don't mean that." Lyla moved in close again and started to raise her arms once again intending to put them around Keith. This time she intended to keep them there for a long time.

Keith saw her move and spiked it by grabbing her by her wrists and forcing her arms back down to her sides. He let go immediately not wanting to maintain contact any longer than he had to. "No, baby." He said the pet name with pure venom. "It's exactly what I meant. You are the last person on this earth that I want to spend any time with."

There, that should end the conversation quickly, Keith thought.

"You son of a bitch!" Lyla screamed and slapped him across the face as hard as she could. As Keith's head snapped to the side, he had a moment's regret that he hadn't held onto her wrists or at least seen that one coming. Man that really hurt.

He was also quickly aware of the gasp from the crowd that was watching the whole sordid scene. His plan to not feed the rumor mill had tanked spectacularly. If he had any luck at all right now it sucked. "Feel better?" Keith asked resignedly as he reached up to touch his burning cheek.

"A little." Lyla admitted already sorry she had hit him. "I really shouldn't have done that. Does it hurt much?"

"Yeah, where'd you learn to swing like that?" Keith couldn't help but be impressed with the punch she packed.

"Self defense classes. I really am sorry about hitting you, even though you deserved it. Since when did you become such an asshole?" She kept remembering back to the considerate friend and lover from their earlier relationship and just couldn't figure out where Keith's anger had come from. She wasn't able to admit her guilt in Keith's change in attitude.

"When you tried trapping me into marriage." Keith reminded her.

When Keith again glanced over her shoulder at the avidly watching group, Lyla finally looked behind her to see that they were the focus of attention. "Uh oh, I've done it again haven't I? I guess I better go."

Keith was a bit surprised by her comment thinking that she had intended on continuing their argument, but only too happy to accept her leaving. "That would probably be best."

"Can I call you?" Lyla asked making one more overture to continue their relationship.

"I don't think so." Keith replied and felt his cheek again. It was on fire.

"I really am sorry about that slap." Lyla said and then turned and walked to her car. She drove away leaving Keith to stare down the group of kids who had watched the whole thing. When the last set of eyes finally turned away in embarrassment, Keith turned for home once again.

xoxo

Keith had gotten home, snuck in the front door and headed upstairs for the bathroom hoping to put some cold water on his face before he had to face his family. He was pretty sure a petite hand print was well defined on his cheek. His luck was still bad as he ran into Laurie at the top of the stairs. His surprise at seeing her had not allowed him to turn his face away in time and she noticed the bright red cheek immediately.

"What happened to you?" She asked as she grabbed his chin to turn his face more fully into the light.

"I ran into a door." Keith told the obvious lie hoping Laurie would let it go.

"First door with four fingers and a thumb that I've ever seen." Laurie said as she guided him toward the bathroom. "Go put a cold wash cloth on it, I'll grab you some ice."

"Thanks Laurie." Keith said as she headed downstairs.

Laurie ran into Shirley making dinner and told her what happened but suggested her mom let it be as Keith did not appear to want to talk about it. Shirley nodded her agreement knowing that her son had been through a lot already and didn't need the added embarrassment. She just wished she could help him through this.

By the time Keith came down to dinner their was only a slight shading remaining on his cheek that you wouldn't have noticed if you didn't know to look for it. His demeanor was the same as it had been since Sunday, quiet and sullen.

xoxo

As the week progressed with no word from Reuben, the tension in the house could have been cut with a knife. Chris and Tracy were completely oblivious, but Danny and Laurie were well aware of the tension. They had started walking on egg shells around both Keith and their Mom who tended to lose patience more quickly than normal and for no apparent reason. Laurie did not ask Shirley or Keith for any details so she didn't have the whole story. Even so, she tried to act as a buffer between Danny and her Mom and Keith. Danny, left to his own devices, would have questioned either of them at the drop of a hat. Shirley was extremely grateful for her help, but made no mention of it as it would have required an explanation. An explanation Shirley was not prepared to give.

When the phone rang at 9:00 on Thursday evening, Shirley literally jumped. Thankfully the three youngest had already been sent to bed and Laurie was too involved in homework to notice Shirley's reaction. Keith was in the garage. She quickly got up before Laurie could offer and picked up the receiver, "Hello."

"Hi Shirley, its Reuben."

"Oh hi, Reuben. What's up?" She said in an overly cheerful voice.

"Can't talk, huh?" Thankfully Reuben picked up on Shirley's coded message very quickly.

"I'm fine, just fine." Shirley continued falsely mentally screaming at Reuben to get to the real reason he called.

"I think Bonnie and I have worked this whole thing out. She's here right now. She found out that Lyla had recently broken up with her long time boyfriend over another woman who claimed she'd gotten pregnant from Lyla's boyfriend. Anyway, it seems that Lyla was using Keith to salve her hurt and the whole pregnancy thing is likely her way to get back at this boyfriend. You know, get pregnant herself by someone else."

"I see." Shirley said still putting on a show for Laurie.

"Bonnie talked to Sue who is Lyla's best friend and she told her that Lyla was already regretting what had happened with Keith. Apparently Keith and Lyla had another run in after Saturday night and Lyla was feeling pretty badly about how she'd treated Keith. She didn't give any details, but it must have been a pretty interesting conversation because whatever happened, Lyla began to see the error of her ways and spilled everything to Sue. It ends up that she really is on birth control and that she and Keith have almost a zero percent chance of becoming parents."

"Oh, thank God!" Shirley said before realizing that Laurie was still in the room. "I'm so glad to hear that Bonnie is alright." Shirley quickly recovered.

"What?...oh, right someone else is in the room." Reuben had forgotten about Shirley having to be careful. "Bonnie is going to recommend Lyla for a job in Europe with the airline. This will get her far away from Keith and this whole situation. She'll only fly into the states on the east coast on occasion but mostly she'll fly between London, Paris and Venice. It's a great opportunity for her and will help us out immensely. Bonnie had thought about trying for the transfer, but decided to stay based out of San Francisco."

"Oh Reuben, that's wonderful. Simply wonderful!" Shirley said and meant it for two reasons. Keith's problem would likely disappear forever and Reuben appeared to have a new woman in his life that wanted to stick around.

"Make sure to relay the good news to Keith will you? I'll be stopping over tomorrow night to talk to him about Kip's upcoming visit and the recording dates." Reuben had moved on to the next issue as soon as he considered the previous issue handled. And the next issue for Keith was this recording session. The songs had to be ready to go in just a few weeks.

"I will Reuben and thank you. Say hi to Bonnie for me too." Shirley really meant to say thank you to Bonnie, but couldn't say that without giving anything away.

"Do you want me to relay your heartfelt 'thank you'?" Reuben felt good enough to tease.

"That's right. See you tomorrow night. Bye." Shirley hung up the phone and had to resist the urge to scream with happiness or at least beam with relief.

"Laurie did you want a snack before going to bed?" Shirley asked not able to sit back down but not able to run out to the garage without drawing suspicion.

"No Mom, I'm good." Laurie barely glanced up.

"I guess I'll go see if Keith is hungry." She said as she headed out to the garage.

She walked in to find Keith playing around on his guitar. She thought it might be one of his newer songs but wasn't sure as he appeared to be trying something new.

"Hey, Keith. I just got off the phone with Reuben." Normally Shirley wouldn't have interrupted Keith while he was working on his music, but she knew he'd want to know this.

Keith spun around quickly and just looked at her hopefully. Shirley took a moment to notice how tired he looked. Neither one of them had been sleeping well, but this news would change all of that. Shirley couldn't hold her beaming smile in any longer.

"It's over." Was all she had to say and she watched the tension leave her son's frame. A tension that had been there for almost a week without letting go.

"How?" Keith needed to know.

Shirley relayed everything Reuben had told her. When she finished, he put down his guitar and walked over to pull her into a very happy hug.

"I'd give one of these to Reuben too, but I think people would start talking." Keith said into his Mom's hair while still wrapped tightly in her arms.

She could only laugh happily while tears slid down her cheeks.

"Thanks Mom."

The End