Bet ya all thought I died or something. Nope. Just my computer. The repairs would be too much to bother with so I need to buy a new one but just don't have the funds right now. So, I have no computer access at home and my employers are real hardasses about their computers being used for personal use on company time and so I just haven't been able to update before now. I tried logging on to this site to at least inform those keeping up with this story about what was going on but it wouldn't let me access the site from work. So here I am at my sisters house taking advantage of her computer to finally get this put up. I have no idea when the next will come.
At any rate, there's not any Ryan in this one. Just some things I wanted to get out of the way so I could move things along but there is a lot of talk about Ryan. I haven't really had a chance to re-read it since I wrote it a few weeks ago, back before the computer blew up for good (thank goodness for flash drives because otherwise I would have had to start all over again and who knows when I would have been able to post anything more) but I don't really have the time now and I just wanted to get something up. So I hope it doesn't suck. lol.
Chapter Twenty Five
As Sandy leads Ryan upstairs Kirsten and Seth set about cleaning up the mess in the family room as Caleb gathers his things and makes his leave. Although, the extent of Seth's help consists of him filling a bucket with soapy water and setting it beside his mom along with a couple of towels and then hightailing it upstairs to his room. On the way he grabs Ryan's cell phone where he'd left it on the floor as he stood up after talking with Trey. Seth feels responsible for Ryan's meltdown and wants to make sure he gets rid of that damned ring tone. Sitting in his room he lets his mind drift to the instant effect that Trey had on Ryan. He'd thought he was getting a handle on this brother thing but maybe he's kidding himself. While the rest of them stood by helplessly as Ryan spiraled out of control, all it took was Trey's voice to pull him back. He thinks of Ryan as his brother but even before this happened it was clear that Ryan doesn't really feel the same way toward him by the way he stated that he was only Seth's foster brother that day he'd learned that Ryan didn't have to go to the fashion luncheon. Who knows if Ryan will ever think of him as his brother. Especially now, with his dad violently reminding him of where he came from. Shaking his head he pulls out his own cell phone and calls Summer.
"Cohen? How's Chino?", she asks immediately upon answering.
"Hey", Seth says softly. A small smile gracing his face. It's good to hear her voice.
"Seth?", she prompts when he says nothing more. "Is everything ok?"
Seth sighs and answers, "No. It's not. I'm so stupid."
"Cohen? What the hell are you talking about? You're not stupid. Now tell me what's going on before I come over there and kick your ass".
"Ok. Ok. Step off, woman", he says with a chuckle. He takes a breath and fills her in on the recent events, ending with how it's all his fault that Ryan had a meltdown and how Trey saved the day, unable to keep a tightness out of his voice at the mention of Trey.
"I take back my previous statement. You are an idiot", Summer states.
Seth sputters, "Wh..what? I'm not sure you understand how this works, Summer. A guy calls his girlfriend for a comforting ear and she's supposed to, you know, provide comfort."
"Oh, I know how it works dimwit. Sometimes a guy needs some sense smacked into him, too, and this is one of those times. Look, Seth, when you downloaded that ring tone to his phone you had no idea what was going to happen. It was all in good fun and he did the same thing to you and even subjected me to your little ringtone warfare. Since he's been back I think all of you have had other things on your mind. He's not going to blame you. The reason he had a meltdown is because his dad was a psycho. As for Trey, you should be glad that he could help. So why do you sound annoyed by it?"
"I...I am glad. Of course I'm glad...but, just seeing how Ryan reacted to him...dad was trying to calm him down and just wasn't getting through and then the mere sound of Trey's voice did the trick. How can I compete with that?"
"It's not a competition, Cohen. There's room for both of you. Look at it from his point of view, Seth. He had 15 years with this whole other family and then suddenly he's in a completely different world. He went from Chino to Newport. He went from parents like Frank and Dawn to your parents. Suddenly he's got this new family telling him he's part of it but he's also got this other family. It's easier for you. You only had to let Ryan into your life, and all while you were still in your comfort zone. He's had to make a whole new life, with a whole new family", Summer explains.
"Yeah, I guess you're right. I never really thought about it like that. I mean, he never talked about them so it was easy to just kinda forget they existed", Seth concedes after taking in all that Summer said.
"Think about how you're feeling now, Seth, about having to acknowledge the connection between Ryan and Trey and trying to figure out just where you fit in Ryan's life and maybe you can begin to imagine how Ryan must feel trying to figure out where he fits. In your family as well as his other one", Summer says.
"You're right. I am an idiot", Seth says dejectedly. He'd thought he was doing pretty good in the brother department all of this time but he's failed miserably right from the start.
"Seth", Summer says softly. "You're doing the best you can. The brother thing is new to you and there's no set way to handle things. Ryan and Trey had a whole lifetime of experiences to learn how to read each other. You went from being an only child for 15 years to having a shiny new brother the same age as you. You can be a little self absorbed at times but I think it's great the way you accepted Ryan into your life so easily. The way you both look out for each other you are like brothers but he has another one, Seth. That's not ever going to change. Ryan's never going to just forget Trey."
"I know that", Seth huffs and then adds, "you think I'm self absorbed?"
Summer rolls her eyes. "Of course I do. All only children are self absorbed. I know whereof I speak."
Somewhat appeased, Seth says, "I don't know what to do. Trey seemed to know just what to say to Ryan and I have no clue."
"Trey knows first hand what Frank Atwood was like. It's got to be easier for them both because Ryan doesn't have to explain that relationship to him. Trey already knows. You and Ryan have shared experiences, too, since he's been in Newport."
"Yeah, but I bet Ryan would be able to talk to Trey about them", Seth says somewhat petulantly.
"Cohen, have you been listening to a thing I've said?", Summers says in exasperation.
"I know. I know. I'm being self absorbed", Seth says sarcastically. "But I can't help it. I want Ryan to be able to talk to me like he does Trey. What's so wrong with that?"
"There's nothing wrong with that but it takes time, Seth. Especially about this stuff. Ryan's pretty much kept mum about his family up until recently when he couldn't ignore it anymore. He's probably just not comfortable talking about it and can you blame him now that you know what his dad was like?"
"No. I guess not. So, what do I do?", Seth asks.
"Just do what you've been doing. You know how to read him pretty well, Seth. You'll know when to push and when to back off. If or when he's ready to talk you'll deal with it then. When his dad turned up he opened up to you didn't he?"
"Yeah, he did", he says perking up a little before deflating again. "But he was in a full on panic about what his dad might do. I think it was more that he just needed to say his fears out loud and not so much that he was "confiding" in me."
"That's still something and the fact that you understand that about him says a lot. The point is he did open up. To you. The rest will come easier in time. He trusts you, Seth."
Seth smiles, "You're right".
"Of course I am", Summer says with a smile. "You ok now?"
"Yeah. Thanks, Summer. I miss you", Seth says with a sigh.
"I miss you, too", she says softly. "You tell Chino that I hope he's ok and that I'll see him soon, ok?"
"I will. Bye".
"Bye, Seth".
Seth hangs up and grabs Captain Oats as he settles back on the bed, feeling much better about things.
Kirsten finishes cleaning up the floor as best she can and goes upstairs to check on Sandy and Ryan. Quietly peeking into his room she finds Ryan asleep on the bed and Sandy sitting in a chair. He whispers to her that he wants to sit with him for a while longer and will be out later. Recognizing his need to stay with Ryan she nods and tells him she's going to finally make that call to Dr.s Hart and Westcott to see if they would be willing to take on Ryan and the rest of them. Once in the bedroom she calls Dr. Hart and fills her in on the situation. Dr. Hart informs her that normally she'd be happy to work with Kirsten and the rest of the family but she suggests that Ryan might be better off speaking with someone who specializes in abused children and victims of violent crimes. She feels that she would be too rusty in that area seeing as more of her clientele have problems of a different sort. What she is saying makes sense so Kirsten agrees that they should find someone more qualified to deal with the trauma Ryan has endured. Dr. Hart gives her the names of a couple of colleagues and Kirsten calls the first one, a Dr. Daly. He sounds a bit brusque so she tells him she'll get back to him and calls the other. Dr. Morgan is a woman and Kirsten gets a good vibe from her right off. She'll still let Ryan make the choice of which one he goes with ultimately but she has a feeling that this is the one. She goes ahead and calls Dr. Daly back and explains that they are going to let Ryan choose which he's more comfortable with and he agrees to meet with him. He tells her to let him know when Ryan is up to it and he'll make time to see them. After a sigh of relief at having gotten things underway she allows herself to fall back on the bed and before she knows it, sleep has overtaken her.
Caleb went home to make a few phone calls of his own. He discovers that Frank's body will be released from the coroner's office the following day so they can begin making burial arrangements. He makes a few preliminary calls regarding that and then decides to take a little drive to Chino to have a talk with Trey before sitting down with Ryan to discuss things. He figures that Ryan has had a rough enough morning and would appreciate any input that Trey could offer. Sanford and Kiki might be upset that he hadn't talked with them first but he wants to judge this boy for himself. The way Ryan had responded to him on the phone conveyed a close bond despite the fact that Trey had gotten the boy arrested. Once he arrives he demands to speak with the warden himself, throwing his weight around in customary fashion, able to secure a private room in which to speak to Trey. So, here he is waiting for Trey to be brought in.
The door opens and he sees the young man led into the room. A frown graces the boy's face as he spots Caleb.
"Who the hell are you?", Trey asks as he's led to the table and takes a seat.
"Caleb Nichol", Caleb states.
Trey raises his eyebrows and coolly says, "is that supposed to mean something to me?", as he leans back in his seat.
"Kirsten Cohen is my daughter", Caleb volley's back and waits for his reaction.
It's immediate. The mask falls away and he leans forward and asks, "how is he?", the concern evident in his voice and on his face.
"He's having a hard time, as you may have gathered from earlier but he seems to be a tough kid", Caleb says as he studies the boy. He's clearly rougher around the edges but there's a softness about him as he's asking about his brother. It's what he wanted to see. Ryan should have at least one member of his family that has real concern for his well being.
"Yeah, well, he's not as tough as he pretends to be", Trey says as he lets out a breath and leans back into the chair again. "He said my dad fucked him up. How bad?", he asks.
"If the rest of his body looks anything like his face and neck then he's got to be in a world of hurt. He's hiding it well, though", Caleb states honestly.
Trey nods in understanding and then asks, "his neck?".
"I'll be honest, I don't know the details. I can only judge from what I've seen and his neck is bruised pretty spectacularly from someone obviously trying to choke him."
"Shit", Trey says as he closes his eyes. He stands and the guard still in the room starts to move toward him but Caleb waves him off. Trey begins to pace as he says, "dad was always a mean son of a bitch but usually he'd just kick our asses and then toss us in the closet. I guess prison life nurtured his sadistic side" He continues to pace as he wonders just what he's going to be like when he gets out. He's been trying to toe the line since Ryan delivered that car and paid off his debt but he'd been "informed" that there was still interest due by a couple of goons on the inside. Trey's mind had filled with the look of betrayal on Ryan's face when he told him what happened when he delivered the car. Thoughts of sending his brother into a situation that could have ended up getting him killed had angered him, along with the knowledge that if he laid down for that then he'd have to watch out for anyone deciding he was an easy target. He decided then and there that he needed to make it clear that he didn't appreciate the altering of the deal. So he'd put up a hell of a fight and landed himself in solitary but since he's been out he hasn't been bothered. Maybe he'll be able to hang in there and not get any time added on, or maybe even an early parole. Yeah right.
"He's also got a couple of fractured ribs and a concussion", Caleb says, bringing Trey out of his thoughts.
Trey returns to his seat and leans forward on the table. "Can you tell me what happened? I heard about the amber alert thing from other inmates but couldn't really get any details on the news around here. All I know is that my dad had him. I didn't even know he was out".
Caleb takes note of the fact that Trey doesn't seem phased in the least at the news of fractured ribs and concussion. "No one did. He showed up a few weeks ago, catching everyone off guard. Sanford took him for bad news right away and paid him off to get rid of him."
Trey's snorts disgustedly and says, "Only dear old dad didn't stick to the deal". He shakes his head. "Dad doesn't...didn't miss a chance to stick it to someone and he probably busted a nut at the thought of sticking it to a bunch of fat cats." He turns his gaze to Caleb, "Mr. Cohen really shelled out money to keep him away from Ryan?"
"Well, technically, it was my money but, yes. He and my daughter care a great deal for the boy", Caleb answers.
Something flickers in Trey's eyes but is masked quickly. "That...that's good. He deserves it."
Caleb doesn't miss the look that quickly passes over Trey's face but can't quite place it. Envy? Fear?
Trey clears his throat and brings the conversation back to Ryan's abduction. "So, uh, what exactly happened? How did my dad get Ryan and what the hell did he do once he had him?"
"Like I said, I don't really know all of the details. Sanford and Kiki went to speak to the agent in charge of the search early this morning to see what they could find out between the time Ryan was taken and the time he was recovered. That's where they were when I called to get a message to you. All I know is that while we were at an event, and Ryan was home alone with his bodyguard, Frank and an accomplice gave Sanford's private investigator the slip and he shot and killed the bodyguard. Ryan acquired the concussion in an attempt to escape before being abducted from the home. He was taken to a house in El Cerrito where he was locked in the basement. Apparently, Frank didn't search him because Ryan eventually realized he had his cell phone and was able to get a call out once he managed to get a signal. During the course of that phone call we discovered that Frank had shot and killed his accomplice, leaving his body in the basement with Ryan. The phone call allowed the authorities to narrow down a search area and eventually they were able to zero in on his location. Outside of that all I can tell you is that Frank was subsequently killed and Ryan was taken to the hospital. His injuries weren't serious enough to warrant keeping him so we brought him home."
Trey runs a hand down his face as he tries to sort through all he's just learned. "Jesus. Our dad's a fucking murderer. Straight up. I guess it shouldn't surprise me that he'd kill someone someday but, damn, this...this is fucked up." He stands and begins pacing again. "I know I screwed up getting Ryan arrested. He didn't even know what I was planning until I smashed that car window in. Then the Atwood luck reared its head and there was a patrol car driving down the other street and saw us. So Ryan jumped in and we took off. Hell, they would have still arrested him as an accomplice even if he hadn't gotten in. It's not like they'd have believed that he didn't know what I was gonna do if he didn't. They'd seen him with me and he still would have gone down. I know I shouldn't have put him in that position but...", he pauses and looks Caleb directly in the eye before continuing. "...I don't regret it. If that hadn't happened Ryan would never have met your daughter and her husband. Shit, they...you...paid money to keep him safe and got him a damned bodyguard for Christ's sake. You think our mom would have done a damned thing to protect him if he was still with her and dad tracked them down? He'd either be living with both of those train wrecks dealing with their shit every fucking day or, if dad decided to take off with Ryan, I can guaran-damn-tee that she wouldn't have done a fucking thing to find him."
Caleb marvels at how talkative this boy is compared to his brother. He says what he feels and says exactly what he's thinking whereas Ryan keeps everything close to the vest.
Trey seems to be starting to wind down as he retakes his seat. "Look, thanks for coming here and telling me all that. Ryan wouldn't have told me half of that probably. He wouldn't want me to worry. Hell, he said that dad didn't fuck him up too bad", he says with a shake of his head. "Little shit would probably say that even if his arm got chopped off".
"He does seem a little less...forthcoming than you", Caleb offers.
Trey snorts. "It ain't his fault. In our house it was best to keep your mouth shut if you knew what was good for you. Ryan learned it pretty quick. Me? Not so much. I feel bad about it but when we moved to Chino and we got a bit older, I started hanging out around home less and less, leaving Ryan there to fend for himself a lot of the time. I mouthed off a lot and sometimes made things worse. I felt like maybe if I weren't around to set any of those assholes off then maybe Ryan would be ok there. He knew how to be quiet and stay out of the way. I thought he'd be ok. At least that's what I told myself".
Caleb is no stranger to that "every man for himself" mentality and he hadn't gone through anything like these boys had gone through. Trey isn't much older than Ryan and one certainly couldn't blame him for wanting to get away. He'd clearly made some bad choices and fallen into activities often associated with such an environment but in talking with him now Caleb feels that all is not lost with this boy. Not yet. Shifting gears, Caleb decides to address the real reason he came here.
"I actually had another matter that I wanted to address with you concerning Ryan", he states. Trey's attention is immediately back on him. "Your brother has gotten it into his head that he's responsible for seeing to your father's burial arrangements. I thought perhaps he would appreciate your input on the matter".
"Throw him in the fucking river for all I care", Trey sneers.
"I must say that I would not be opposed to that idea but Ryan seems to think he deserves a proper burial", Caleb states.
"Shit. Figures", he responds. "So, what do you want from me?"
"Anything you can tell me that might make things easier on your brother. Suggestions on where to bury him. Whether or not he'd have wanted to be cremated...", Caleb throws out.
"Cremated", Trey jumps in. At Caleb's look he shrugs and explains, "I remember him watching something on tv once and saying that there was no way he was ever going to be worm food rotting in the ground. I can't believe I remembered that", Trey says with a shake of the head.
"That would probably be for the best. I doubt that Ryan would want an open casket if that is even a possibility. I'm not sure of the state of the body", Caleb acknowledges.
"As for where...uh, I guess back in Fresno? I think his folks are buried there", Trey suggests. "He doesn't want to, like, have an actual funeral for the son of a bitch does he? I mean, I can't see some preacher going on about how he'll be missed and all that shit"
"To be honest, I'm not sure exactly how far Ryan is going to want to go with this. I just know that he was quite adamant about taking care of the body and coming up with a way to reimburse me for the cost", Caleb says.
"Reimburse you? You're going to make him pay for this?", Trey asks incredulously.
Caleb holds up a hand and states, "Now, hold on. I informed Ryan that Sanford and Kiki, or even I, would take care of it but he insisted it was his responsibility and the only way I could get him to agree to accept help was to agree that he could repay me".
Trey shakes his head and says, "Sounds like him. Stupid bastard always takes shit on himself. I don't know...maybe it'll be good for him to see it through. I wouldn't mind seeing that son of a bitch stuffed in the ground."
"Speaking of which, I have brought up that possibility with the warden. They'll do a risk assessment and decide if you'll be allowed a pass to attend the funeral if there is one. I also need to run this all by Sanford and Kiki before a decision is made", Caleb informs him.
"Really? There's a chance I can get out of here?"
"If Ryan does want a service of some kind, I do believe that there's a good chance that you'll be allowed to attend", Caleb replies. "But know this, you will be released in my custody and I don't like to be crossed. If you try to run or..."
"I won't. Shit. I know I fucked up but I wouldn't do that to Ryan. Especially not now, when he's dealing with all this shit", Trey says sincerely.
Caleb raises an eye brow, "but you would in any other circumstance?"
With a smirk and a shrug Trey says, "well, I can't say the thought wouldn't cross my mind but, really, the thought of looking over the shoulder the rest of my life, waiting to be thrown back in for even longer, doesn't sound too appealing. I really just want to do my time and see what I can salvage of my life".
"Perhaps I can help with that", Caleb offers.
"What?", Trey asks warily.
"If you do get a day pass and handle yourself well and then try very hard to keep your nose clean, I might be willing to lend you a hand when you get out".
Trey sits back in his seat, shocked at this turn of events but says nothing.
Caleb continues, "Your brother means a great deal to my daughter and her family. Despite my initial rash judgments of him, I'm beginning to see why. You, in turn, mean a great deal to the boy and I feel that he would benefit from having at least one member of his family that he can count on".
"Are you for real?", Trey asks half jokingly.
"Yes", Caleb simply states.
Trey looks down and scratches the back of his head before looking back up and saying, "Uh, that's...I don't know what to say. I'll, uh, I'll try. I really will. For Ryan".
"It might be better if you tried for yourself. You seem like a smart kid. Just don't make me regret it".
Trey nods and gives a very Ryan like smile. He sighs, "shit, I haven't had anything to look forward to in a hell of a long time. Thanks. Really. Thanks." A frown then graces his face, "how are the Cohens going to feel about all of this. I mean, Mr. Cohen didn't seem to think much of me when we got arrested. I doubt that he's going to want me around Ryan any more than he wanted our dad".
"You're not your father. Sanford is capable of seeing that. He might not be comfortable with the idea at first but if he sees you putting forth a real effort, I think he'll understand how important it is that Ryan have you in his life".
"And your daughter?", Trey asks.
"She knows how important you are to Ryan. If she didn't before she certainly realized it after what happened earlier today. We all saw the effect you had on Ryan".
Trey nods as he traces a pattern in the table surface. He feels a relief at the thought, and acknowledgment, that he still has a place in Ryan's life. He looks up and asks what happened. Caleb relays what happened during Ryan's brief meltdown. Trey runs his hand down his face. "Shit. What the fuck did he ever do to deserve the shit that comes his way sometimes? Whoever came up with that line about life not being fair sure got that right. I know I brought shit on myself and let it spill over onto Ryan but he's always been a great kid. Always concerned about others and wanting to think the best but he's always getting kicked in the teeth for it. You know, when he was little and we'd have to hide from mom or whoever, I'd try to keep him quiet until they passed out or forgot why they were looking for us but mom, she'd make her voice all sweet and call out to Ryan saying she wasn't mad anymore and that it'd be ok to come out. I used to get so mad at him because he'd go to her every damned time. Always hoping that this time she was telling the truth. That this time she really meant it. She never did. He'd come out and as soon as he was in arm's reach she'd tear him apart or hand him over to whatever asshole was living with us at the time. I wised up after only one time of her pulling that shit but Ryan, he held out for a long time." He falls silent and Caleb watches as he seemingly wrestles with something. Finally he turns his gaze back to Caleb and states, "I'll keep my nose clean. I will. I'm gonna get out of here and stay out".
Caleb studies the determination on his face and finds himself hoping that the boy can follow through on that promise and he decides then and there that he'll do everything in his power to see that he has a real chance. They say their goodbyes, with Caleb promising that he'll be in touch once he talks with Ryan and the Cohens. As he heads back to Newport to spring this all on the rest of the family, he tries to imagine the look on Sanford's face when he tells him that he wants to help Trey. What the hell is happening to him?