Two days after their dinner with Rusty and Jordan, the two lovers decided to spend quality time with Rocky, Lucy and Silas. Due to the fact that the two of them were dealing with a baby who at this point was about three months old they ended up with pizza delivery and a movie. (If anyone is wondering, the movie was a Hammerstein Horror film.)
"They just don't make them like this anymore!" laughed Rocky as he helped himself to a slice of pepperoni and sausage pizza.
"Probably because the blood effect isn't all that great," replied Haiku, helping herself to the same kind of slice.
"Yeah well, you have to admit, the performances Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee used to give in these movies were always awesome!" added Ryan.
"They sure were. By the way Ryan, I never understood, where did you and Haiku officially meet? Because as I recall the two of you didn't interact all that much at our (meaning me and Rocky) wedding?" asked Lucy.
"Oh, we met at the Burnt Bean, I went there on a whim, she was performing for poetry night. We believe there was some divine force guiding me there that night," answered Ryan as he looked over at Haiku with a smile.
"There are certainly strange things at work in the universe," replied Lucy as she looked over at her baby monitor, only to find Silas was still fast asleep.
"I have to admit, when that kid sleeps, he sleeps," said Lucy.
"Don't jinx it!" hissed Rocky at his wife. Lucy knocked on the table with a laugh.
"So Rocky, you seem comfortable with your dad and I dating, your older brother Rusty felt uncomfortable about it. Any special reason?" asked Haiku.
"Well, I'll admit it's actually weird for me. But unlike my brother, I don't want to cause a scene. One thing being with Lucy has taught me, love comes in weird ways. I mean, when Lucy and I first met, her sisters tried to change her so that I would like her, but the honest truth of the matter is that I liked her the way she was. Spooky and mysterious," he replied smiling at his eerie wife, Lucy smiled back at him.
"Furthermore, you're a nice girl and you clearly care for my dad, and he cares for so I just don't think it'd be a good idea to for me to interfere," he continued.
"Thanks, and you understand I'm not in any way trying to replace your mom, or is that a sensitive subject for you?" inquired Haiku. Rocky sat still for a moment, and looked at everyone silently, not knowing how to answer. Until Ryan patted him on the back.
"It's okay sport, the fact your mom left us isn't easy for me either," he comforted his son, poor Rocky just nodded sheepishly. They finished the movie, Haiku and Ryan thanked their hosts for the evening and started walking. They were holding hands, not really saying anything until suddenly (well out of sight of Lucy and Rocky's home) Ryan collapsed to the ground!
Haiku got down beside her boyfriend and immediately called 911. She was permitted to ride in the ambulance as the paramedics asked her a variety of questions. She was asked to sit down in the waiting room while the doctors did what their training permitted them to do. A nurse came to see her about forty-five minutes after he was brought into the operating room.
"Ma'am, are you the one who was brought in with the middle-aged man?" she asked.
"I am, is he okay?" asked Haiku as she finally stood up.
"He's fine, his appendix burst which caused him to collapse so we had to remove it, he should be fine to leave in two weeks. We're getting him ready to come back to consciousness so he's still groggy, do you wish to see him?" she asked. Haiku obliged and the nurse walked her into the operating room where she saw her boyfriend lying there on the hospital bed with one of those oxygen masks. His eyes were open, but he wasn't seeing anything. Haiku gently held his hand to let him know she was there. His two sons came in later, they sat by their dad and were there when he became conscious. The group talked for a while, Rusty and Rocky saying they were just glad he was okay, and then thanking Haiku for being with him. After reassurances that Ryan would be just fine and they all had the opportunity to calm down, Ryan told them that it was okay for them to go home. They nodded in understanding, promising to visit him regularly, Rusty volunteering to take Haiku home.
When they got to Haiku's apartment building, Rusty hugged her.
"Haiku, I'm sorry I got upset about you dating my dad. Right now, I'm just grateful that you were there when he needed you. And the fact that you stayed with him the whole time he was undergoing that operation, thanks," he told her.
"I love your dad, and I was more than happy to help him," answered Haiku.
