Author's Note: I don't own Grease nor Grease 2 or any of the characters. I only the plot to the story and a few characters which are my own.
Summary: Grease 2 Au. Michael Carrington and Stephanie Zinone grew up together. They went their separate ways after graduation. Michael to the Marine Corp and later Vietnam. Stephanie a recently divorced single mother of two.
Six years later in the summer of 1968. Michael returns to Rydell after being medically discharged from the Marine Corp struggling to adjust back to civilian life. Stephanie recently divorced single mother to two boys.
Chapter 4
Rydell California June 1968
Dinner was quite and the tension around the table was thick to say the least. Maybe more then yesterday. There was an occasional short conversations around the table. But they didn't last all that long.
"So what are you plans now Michael" Aunt Edna asked breaking the silence that fallen over the dinner table.
"I've got a job working for Jake Zinone. I'm going to stick with that for now." I answered not failing to hear my father scuff under his breath.
"Anyone with a half a brain can fix a car. Or carry a gun for that matter" My father commented from his seat at the head of the table sipping his whiskey.
"Thomas" My mother scolded at him. I glared back at him. I had been waiting for him to start this shit again. Everyone else at the table knew soon enough if someone didn't intervene the fists would start flying.
"Didn't take you long to get started to lay into me about how I'm a failure. Did it Dad" I snarled at him.
"I'm simply stating fact. There most of have been a reason they kicked you out of the Marine Corp." He stated.
"Bull fucking shit you are. I wasn't kicked out of the Corp. I was discharged from medical reasons if you must know." I snapped at him. My temper flaring more by the minute.
"What one little flesh wound." My father scoffed in a tauntingly way. Well that was the way it sounded to me at least.
"No not one little flesh wound. I nearly lost my right leg in a fucking artillery shelling." I snapped standing up and slamming my plate down on the table in anger.
"Stop up it the both you. Thomas I would refrain from saying another word unless you want Michael to jump across the table and thump you. And to tell you the truth I wouldn't stop him" Uncle Jack said stepping to us before I most likely would have beat the living crap out of my 'loving' father.
"Stay out of this Jack. This is between Michael and Me. This is doesn't concern you." My father spat with venom in every word.
"Thomas." My mother tried again to heed the argument. I gritted my teeth trying to control my temper.
"Stay out of this Lillian. Michael oblivious has something to say." My father said.
"You know what 'Dad'. As much as it would give me satisfaction to wipe that smirk off your face. I'm not going to stoop to your level." I said not giving him the satisfaction of getting another rise out of me. "Thanks for dinner Ma. It was nice to see you guys again" I said to my mom, Sandy, Danny, Aunt Edna and Uncle Jack.
I grabbed my empty plate and limped into the kitchen. I set it on the sink. It was only a minute later. I heard raised voices coming from the living room. I leaned against the sink and looked out the kitchen window up at the night sky.
"Michael. You ok" I glanced over my shoulder at Sandy who was standing in the doorway of kitchen from the dinning room.
"Yeah. I'll be alright Sandy. I'm guessing Mom's ripping him a new one." I said turning around and leaning back against the sink.
Sandy watched her cousin with concern. There seemed something different about Michael. Maybe it was because it had been six years since she had seen him. But to Sandy there something off about him.
"I know you father can be a piece of work. But he really excelled as A Plus bastard tonight" Sandy commented.
"You can say that again. Nothing's changed that's for sure." I replied as Danny came into the kitchen from the dinning room.
"Hey Mike"
"Danny." I said limping to the fridge. I grabbed two beers. I threw one to Danny.
We tried to ignore the raised voices coming from the living room. Sam and Ellie came into the kitchen a few minutes later. The argument going on in the living room seemed to stop. The sound of the front door and screen door slamming shut came a few moments later.
I sat down at the kitchen table to elevate the pain in my right leg. I took another sip of my beer as Aunt Edna and Uncle Jack stepped into the kitchen. My Mom came into the kitchen not long after.
"Hey Mike. You want take these beers out on the porch." Danny asked as he grabbed what was left of the six pack from the fridge I had opened the night before.
"Yeah. Uncle Jack. You want to join us." I asked grabbing my beer before standing up and limping after Danny.
"No you two go ahead." Uncle Jack answered. Sam and Ellie where starting on the dishes as I left the room.
Danny held open the door as I limped out onto the front porch. I sat down on the old front porch swing and stretched my right leg out. Danny sat on the front steps.
We sat in relative silence. Which was a good thing. I didn't feel much like talking anyhow. I knew people would ask about Vietnam.
"So what have you been doing the past six years" I asked breaking the ice. It was first time Danny and I had a chance to talk in private.
"Just working and that. Nothing all that special. What about you man. What was Vietnam really like. I know what they show on the evening news." Danny asked changing the subject.
"In simple terms Hell on Earth." I half mumbled under my breath. I took a long sip of my beer.
The shrill of the phone ringing from inside the house. It interrupted Danny before could ask more questions about Nam. An old saying came to mind. 'Saved by the Bell'. In this case saved by the ringing phone.
After about twenty minutes I stood up from the swing and limped over to the railing of the front porch. I leaned against and took another sip.
"Danny" I heard Sandy say from the now opened front door.
"Yeah Babe. What is it" Danny asked standing up and turning to face her.
"That was Frenchy. She can't watch Ryan all night like planned. Doddy's in hospital. He stacked his motorcycle." Sandy explained.
"Ok. Sorry Mike. We'll catch up properly next time." Danny said apologising Sandy had already disappeared back inside the house. Most likely gone to tell my Mom that they had to leave.
"It's fine Danny" I said as I grabbed the half finished six pack. Danny nodded before heading back inside.
I downed the last of my beer. I headed towards the kitchen. By the time I had limped to kitchen. Danny and Sandy had left by the back door. Sam and Ellie had disappeared most likely upstairs to their rooms.
"Lillian has Michael seemed different to you since he's been back" I heard Aunt Edna ask my mom.
"So I'm not the only one who's noticed. I don't think he's been sleeping well. I heard him wake up two or three times last night. He says he's fine. But Edna I don't think he's fine at all." Mom explained to Aunt Edna.
"He could just need time to readjust back to civilian life. Lillian he's been in the Marines for six years. Just give him some time. I know when I first came back from the Pacific it took me a little while to get readjusted." Uncle Jack pointed out.
"Jack you maybe right. And I could be worrying about Michael for nothing. But I am really worried about him though. I never seen him lose his cool like that tonight. I thought that he was going to hit Thomas." Mom said unaware I had been standing at the door to the kitchen and could hear pretty much every word.
I back away from the door and limped towards the living room. Not wanting to eavesdrop anymore then I had already. I placed the half finished six pack on the coffee table. I sat down on the couch. I leaned my head against the back of the couch.
"Michael" I heard someone trying to wake me up. I most have fallen asleep on the couch. I opened my eyes and glanced at my mom.
"I must have dozed off. What's the time" I asked yawning and stretching. I go to my feet gingerly. The pain in my right leg was a dull ache.
"It's just after nine. Your Aunt and Uncle left a little while good. Why don't you head to bed." Mom suggested.
"Night Ma" I said kissing her on the cheek before I limped towards the stair case.
I limped up the stairs and headed towards my room. I noticed the light was on in my room. I opened the door and found that it was Sam that was in my room.
"Sam" I said announcing my presence to him. Sam's head whipped around at the sound of my voice.
"Sorry. I know I shouldn't have been snooping." Sam said putting my medals back down on the dresser.
"It's okay. I'm not mad at you. But what are you doing in here anyway. I thought you'd be asleep by now" I said closing the door behind me and limping over to the bed.
"I'm twelve not six anymore Michael. I just wanted to talk to you" Sam said not looking me in the eye.
"Sam what did you want to talk to me about." I asked sitting down on the bed.
"It's nothing really." Sam said trying to change the subject.
"Sam. You know you can tell me or talk to me about anything. You know that" I pointed out.
"Are you home for good or are you going to go back to Vietnam" Sam asked so quietly. I barely heard him.
"No I'm home for good Sam. You know how I walk with a limp. I was discharged from the Marine Corp. Because I was too badly injured to continue to do my job over there." I tried to explain Sam.
"I know. You said you nearly lost your leg. I'm glad your back though." Sam said.
"I'm glad to be back to. Come on you'd better head to bed before Dad get back" I said standing up from the bed.
"Night Michael" Sam said before hugging me.
"Night Sam" I said hugging him back. I watched him leave the room. I heard the door close behind him.
I woke at about five the next morning after another night of restless sleep. I woke up up twice during the night in a cold sweat. The nightmares seemed so real to me at least. I pushed back the blankets and sat up.
I got up and got dressed. The house was dead silent as I limped to the kitchen. Everybody else was most likely still asleep. Seeing as it was Sunday. I made my self breakfast and a cup of coffee. I took it out to the front porch.
I sat on the front steps and watched the street in the early dawn light. This was something I made missed when I had been in Vietnam. Just sitting and watching the world go by and enjoy the silence.
It was just after maybe six thirty when the paper boy started his round of neighbourhood. I heard the familiar thunk of the morning paper hitting the front porch. I limped out the to the front porch to collect the paper.
I was just coming back inside when I saw my Mom coming down the stairs.
"Morning Mom" I said shutting the front door behind me.
"Good Morning Dear. Your up early" Mom commented as we walked/limped towards the kitchen.
"I've been up since about five" I replied as I took a seat at the kitchen table.
It was just after seven when I heard movement coming from upstairs. I was reading the paper when Sam and Ellie came into the kitchen a few minutes later.
"Morning Mom." Sam and Ellie said to Mom who was making breakfast.
"Morning Sam, Ellie" I said turning the page of the news paper. Sam sat next to me at that table. Ellie sat down across from me.
"Morning" Ellie mumbled under her breath as the kitchen door opened again.
Our father stepped into the room. I turned my attention back to the paper. Sam was reading the paper over my shoulder. Mom set breakfast down for Sam and Ellie.
I glanced up as I turned the page of the paper. I saw that my father was giving me the death stare. I ignored him and went back to reading the back page of the newspaper.
It was a few hours later. I was tinkering with my motorcycle. Sam was playing with Jax in the yard. Mom and Dad had gone over to a friend of theirs place. Ellie. I had idea where she was.
I looked up from where I messing around with the brakes when I heard a car pull up. It looked like the same car that had dropped Ellie off last night. It was most likely her boyfriend David.
David Anderson shut the driver's side door of his Buick. He glanced up the driveway. He noticed someone working on a motorcycle. It was probably Ellie's older brother Michael. Ellie had mentioned yesterday that he was back in town.
"Is Ellie here" I heard someone ask. I looked up to see a lanky seventeen year old who stood maybe an inch taller then me.
"She's in the house I think. It's David isn't it" I asked standing up to my full height.
"Yeah. Michael right. Ellie mentioned you where back in town." David answered as Sam came around the corner of the garage with Jaxs in tow.
"Hey Sam." David said to Sam.
"Hi" Sam said as the back door opened and Ellie came into view a minute later.
"Hey Babe. You ready to go" David asked turning his attention to Ellie as she walked over to us.
"Yeah. I see you've met my older brother" Ellie said standing next to David.
"Yeah we've met Ellie" I said leaning against my motorcycle.
"Oh shoot. I'll be back in a minute. I just remembered I left something in the house." Ellie said before running back towards the back door.
"So David. I'm only going to say this once. You hurt or disrespect Ellie in any shape or form. I will break your neck." I said giving him the 'you mess with my little sister I'll break your neck' riot act. David eyes widened at my little 'threat' to break his neck if he hurt Ellie.
"David you ready to go." Ellie said as she came back over to where we were standing.
"Yeah. Let's go." David replied taking Ellie's hand and walking down the drive way to his car.
"Why'd you threaten to break his neck." Sam asked once Ellie and David had driven away.
"I was just giving him fair worrying. If he hurt Ellie. Then I'd hurt him" I explained to Sam. I went back to working on my motorcycle.
It was getting close to lunch time. It was just Sam and I at the house or it had been Sam had gone over to a friend of his down the street. Mom and 'Dad' where still out and Ellie wouldn't most likely not be home until around dinner time. I finished locking up the garage when the phone started to ring from inside the house.
I managed to get to the phone before it stopped ringing.
"Carrington Residence" I said answering the phone.
"Hey Mike you busy" Davey said from the other end of the line.
"No. Not at the moment. Why what's up Davey" I asked.
"Well. The boys are coming over. They wanted to know if your coming" Davey said answering my question.
"Yeah alright. Just tell me the address" I said grabbing a piece of paper to write down the address.
Twenty minutes later I was heading out the door. I left a note saying I was going out and would be home before dinner. I shut the back door behind me and limped over to my motorcycle. I pulled on my gloves and helmet.
I kicked-started my motorcycle into gear and pulled out of the driveway. I rode for about twenty minutes till I found the street that I was looking for. I pulled up alongside the curb out the front of the address Davey had given me.
I grabbed the piece of paper from my leather jacket just to double check it was the right place. It seemed to be the right place. There where a few cars parked in the drive way. I put the kick stand out and cut the engine.
I set my helmet on the handle bars of my motorcycle. I limped over to the front porch. I knocked on the door.
"It's open" I heard Davey call from inside the house. I pushed open the door and limped inside.
Goose McKenzie nearly choked on his beer when he caught a glimpse of a ghost or more like an old friend. The only two people who weren't shocked to Michael 'Shakespeare' Carrington again was Davey and Johnny.
Goose glanced over a Louis who was just as shocked as he was to Michael again after all these years. Goose took in the changes to his old friend.
"Shakespeare glad you could join us" Johnny joked before throwing a beer to Michael.
"Goose, Louis" I said nodding in their direction as I took the top off the beer that Johnny had thrown to me.
"When'd you get back" Louis asked breaking the ice of the awkward silence that had fallen over the group.
"A couple of days ago" I answered taking a sip of my beer.
"What you home on leave or something" Goose asked next.
"No. I was discharged from the Marines for medical reason" I explained somewhat as I took a seat on the couch.
"Hows the wedding planning going." Johnny asked Davey changing the subject.
"I don't know. Ok I guess. I'm leaving that to Dolores and My mother to sort all of that out. They seemed to be doing pretty much everything. Me and Dolores only have to turn up on the day" Davey explained to Johnny.
"Hey ah Davey is Sharon still coming to the wedding" Goose asked. Louis got up and left the room abruptly for some reason. I got up from the couch and limped after him.
"Yeah as far as I know." Davey answered.
I followed Louis out to back porch. He was scuffing the dirt at the bottom of steps with his boot. Something was eating at him. Most likely it was about Sharon.
"Louis you ok" I asked sitting next to him on the steps.
"I'll be alright Michael. It just hurts still." Louis half explained. Something most of happened between them.
"Things between you and Sharon ended badly" I asked taking a cigarette from the half empty pack of cigarette. I grabbed another and handed it to Louis.
"You could say that again. I though me and her would last you know" Louis said taking the cigarette I handed him.
"What happened between you two. If you don't mind me asking." I said lighting my cigarette before offering Louis a light.
"College. Sharon got accepted to a College on the East Coast. We said we keep in touch and all that. Things were good. At least I thought they where. Then She came back at Christmas Break. And she was distance and avoiding me.
She left to go back to college after Christmas. I was still here doing my apprenticeship. I finally saved up enough money. I went to see her at College. I found out that she met someone or more to the point had someone else. Let's just say things didn't end to good" Louis said explaining the whole situation that gone on between him and Sharon.
"I'm sorry man." I said taking a sip of my beer.
"Don't worry about it Mike. It was a long time ago." Louis dismissed taking a drag of the cigarette. "What about you. Anything on the girlfriend front" Louis asked changing the subject.
"No. Not at the moment. I haven't had a girlfriend since I left for Nam. Lets just say she didn't take to well when I told her I was deploying to Vietnam" I answered.
"Well that sound just like you. You've always had a way with women" Louis joked.
"Yeah. A real Casanova huh. Come on lets head back inside." I replied jokingly before standing up.
"Hey Mike is your leg the reason you where discharged" Louis asked as we walked/limped inside.
"Yeah. I'm not much used to them with a bum leg." I said limping through the kitchen and towards the living room.
"Hey Shakespeare how's your dancing skills" Johnny asked as Louis and I walked back into the living room.
"Decent. Why" I asked sitting in one of the arm chairs.
"Well. I'm short a Groomsmen. Louis is going to be best man. Johnny and Goose have agreed to be Groomsmen. I'm going to need three groomsmen as Dolores has three bridesmaids. You don't have to do it if you don't want to." Davey asked nervously.
"I don't see why not." I said agreeing to be apart of the wedding party for the wedding.
"Decent. Is that code for two left feet is it" Goose said sniggering behind his beer.
"Oh yeah and what your dancing skills like Goose. I bet you where trodding on Rhonda's feet when your where dancing at your wedding" I shot back.
"Well it's not far from the truth." Johnny said smirking behind his beer.
"Of yeah Nogerlii. As I seem to recall you where trodding on Paulette's feet as well." Goose shot back at him. They where only taking the piss out the of each other.
"Alright children. Let's stop bickering shall we" I said stepping in. Davey just shook his head and took a sip of his beer.
"So it must be a real 'joy' living your old man" Johnny said changing the subject thankfully.
"Oh yeah a real joy." I answered. Not really wanting to talk about my father all that much.
The rest of the afternoon was passed talking about old times. And just shooting the breeze mainly. It had been a good while since I had felt this at ease. It was good to catch up with the boys.
It seemed six years hadn't changed my friendship with the boys. They seemed to understand that I didn't want to talk about Vietnam. The subject of Nam was still to raw. I sat quietly and listen to the conversation going between the boys.
To me those four men where more then just friends to me. They where more like brothers in a way I guess. Blood Brothers. You'd call it. We all had the same mark on our right hands. A testament that time has no bound on friendship.