"So everything's set?" she asked while picking the large yellow envelope
off the now emptied desk.
"Ya, everything's ready," he said and paused before speaking again, "I still don't understand why you're doing this."
"You know, John, I don't think you will be able to understand. But it's just something that I have to do," she said with a half efforted smile.
"Mmhmm," John muttered as he turned away from her with a heavy sigh, he turned back and extended his hand, "good luck, but it's no like you need it."
She smiled lightly and shook his hand while picking up her briefcase. She slowly made her way to the door, but turned around and at almost a whisper said, "See ya around."
She knocked on his door softly and immediately large, clumsy, footsteps followed.
"Oh hi grandma," Will said with a disappointed tone, "I thought you were Aunt Jen. She's suppose to come over and get me today."
"That's nice baby," she said only partly listening, "is your dad home?"
"Ya, he's in the kitchen, "Will said focusing his attention back to his already in process video game."
She took a deep breath and mentally crossed her finger before entering the room.
Lucas turned away from his already simmering pan of food and quickly acknowledged her presence before directing thoughts back to the meal.
"Lucas, there's-um, there's something I need to tell you," she said fidgeting nervously with her hair.
"Ok mom, but can you make it quick. I have to meet Denise and Jen was suppose to come pick up Will. But, she just called and said she had to do her show and she couldn't. So, now I have to find someone to watch Will."
"Why don't you just ask Sami? I mean she is the boys mother."
"She is still out of town with Brandon. Hey, mom, uh, would you mind maybe takin' Will for tonight?" he asked with a noticeable desperation in his voice.
"Actually, Lucas, any other night I would, but tonight I can't. That's actually what I came to talk to you about," she inhaled deeply before speaking again, "I came to- I came to say goodbye."
"What do you mean?" Lucas asked completely baffled.
"I took a transfer, a transfer to Rome," she said looking up at him cautiously.
His face was filled with utter shock, "Italy?!?" he hollered.
"Yes, Italy," she stated trying her hardest to sound upbeat, "I really think it's for the best," she lied.
"Wha-Why are you doing this?" he demanded and started pacing the kitchen madly.
"Lucas, come on. It's not going to be all that bad. We'll keep in touch. I just think I need a fresh start. And Rome.well Rome is so beautiful. It really is a great opportunity."
"Well have you even thought this through. I mean, where are you going to live, what are yo-"
She cut him off, "Lucas, settle down. Everything is already taken care of."
"Already? What- wait a minute, when are you planning on leaving?" he stopped pacing and waited diligently for her response.
She bit her lower lip and quietly said, "I leave at four, this afternoon."
His eyes widened and he shook his head, in silence.
"How long have you known this?" he asked suddenly breaking an end to the tranquility.
"We only arranged it in the past few days."
"Why didn't you tell me," he asked genuinely hurt.
"Well, Lucas I didn't think I would be going so soon, if I even went at all. But, now.now just seems so right," she said letting the last few words ring dry in her throat.
"Mom you can't do this!" Lucas snapped.
"Lucas, I," she started getting louder but abruptly calmed herself down, "I gotta go."
She walked over to her son and gave him a quick hug before leaving he room. She wiped a single tear from her cheek before going over to Will. She gave him a brief summary of what was going to happen and a kiss on the cheek.
She walked to the door and stood, facing it, for what seemed like an eternity. Then, finally, she turned and faced her son. She shook her head slightly, but noticeably, while she said, "This isn't goodbye."
She bit her lip as she waited for his response. He nodded his head in minor agreement and stared at the carpet.
She gave a weak smile and walked out the door.
"I'm so sorry about your mom," Denise said as she stroke Lucas' hand sympathetically.
"Ya, well, I'm really sad to see her go. But, at least I know we'll keep in touch. And I still have some of my family here in Salem."
"Oh ya, Jennifer Horton. She's your sister right?"
"That's right."
"Well actually, I have to cancel our date tonight.because of your sister," Denise smiled warmly.
"What are you talking about?"
"Her new T.V. show, "In The House," well I'm a guest on it this afternoon.
"Really? For what?"
"The school I teach at. We're doing a fundraiser and I have to advertise it."
"Well we don't have to break our date. I'll tag along if you don't mind. I'll just have to find someone to watch Will."
"Sure, I'd love for you to come. But I have to be there in," she glanced at her watch, "twenty minutes."
"Well, we can bring Will along and I'll phone come from-oh I think I just thought of someone who could watch him. I'll give him a call quickly and ask him to pick Will up from Jen's.
"Jen?" Lucas yelled as he stepped into her house.
"Oh hey Lucas, Will," she said talking rapidly as she looked down at will who was screaming at his gameboy, "actually guys, were just waiting on our guest and were gonna start the show. But your welcome to watch if you- Denise, how are you?" she smiled quickly as Denise entered the house.
"I'm great. How are you Jennifer?"
"I'm excellent, just in a rush as always. Why don't you just go on back there and the crew will get you all set up?"
"Alright," Denise smiled broadly as she headed out of the room with Will chattering along beside her.
"So Lucas, how have you been?" Jen asked trying her hardest not to look so distracted.
"I've been just peachy up until today."
"What happened, Lucas? What's wrong?" Jen asked deciding that her brother needed her a little then Shmank and the camera crew hollering for her in the backroom.
"Well it's my mom. Today she just up and decides to take off to Never Never Land to forget about all her problems or somethin' like that," Lucas said letting his voice get a little louder then he had probably hoped.
Because from the doorway a deep voiced bellowed, "What da hell are you talkin' about Lucas."
"Ya, everything's ready," he said and paused before speaking again, "I still don't understand why you're doing this."
"You know, John, I don't think you will be able to understand. But it's just something that I have to do," she said with a half efforted smile.
"Mmhmm," John muttered as he turned away from her with a heavy sigh, he turned back and extended his hand, "good luck, but it's no like you need it."
She smiled lightly and shook his hand while picking up her briefcase. She slowly made her way to the door, but turned around and at almost a whisper said, "See ya around."
She knocked on his door softly and immediately large, clumsy, footsteps followed.
"Oh hi grandma," Will said with a disappointed tone, "I thought you were Aunt Jen. She's suppose to come over and get me today."
"That's nice baby," she said only partly listening, "is your dad home?"
"Ya, he's in the kitchen, "Will said focusing his attention back to his already in process video game."
She took a deep breath and mentally crossed her finger before entering the room.
Lucas turned away from his already simmering pan of food and quickly acknowledged her presence before directing thoughts back to the meal.
"Lucas, there's-um, there's something I need to tell you," she said fidgeting nervously with her hair.
"Ok mom, but can you make it quick. I have to meet Denise and Jen was suppose to come pick up Will. But, she just called and said she had to do her show and she couldn't. So, now I have to find someone to watch Will."
"Why don't you just ask Sami? I mean she is the boys mother."
"She is still out of town with Brandon. Hey, mom, uh, would you mind maybe takin' Will for tonight?" he asked with a noticeable desperation in his voice.
"Actually, Lucas, any other night I would, but tonight I can't. That's actually what I came to talk to you about," she inhaled deeply before speaking again, "I came to- I came to say goodbye."
"What do you mean?" Lucas asked completely baffled.
"I took a transfer, a transfer to Rome," she said looking up at him cautiously.
His face was filled with utter shock, "Italy?!?" he hollered.
"Yes, Italy," she stated trying her hardest to sound upbeat, "I really think it's for the best," she lied.
"Wha-Why are you doing this?" he demanded and started pacing the kitchen madly.
"Lucas, come on. It's not going to be all that bad. We'll keep in touch. I just think I need a fresh start. And Rome.well Rome is so beautiful. It really is a great opportunity."
"Well have you even thought this through. I mean, where are you going to live, what are yo-"
She cut him off, "Lucas, settle down. Everything is already taken care of."
"Already? What- wait a minute, when are you planning on leaving?" he stopped pacing and waited diligently for her response.
She bit her lower lip and quietly said, "I leave at four, this afternoon."
His eyes widened and he shook his head, in silence.
"How long have you known this?" he asked suddenly breaking an end to the tranquility.
"We only arranged it in the past few days."
"Why didn't you tell me," he asked genuinely hurt.
"Well, Lucas I didn't think I would be going so soon, if I even went at all. But, now.now just seems so right," she said letting the last few words ring dry in her throat.
"Mom you can't do this!" Lucas snapped.
"Lucas, I," she started getting louder but abruptly calmed herself down, "I gotta go."
She walked over to her son and gave him a quick hug before leaving he room. She wiped a single tear from her cheek before going over to Will. She gave him a brief summary of what was going to happen and a kiss on the cheek.
She walked to the door and stood, facing it, for what seemed like an eternity. Then, finally, she turned and faced her son. She shook her head slightly, but noticeably, while she said, "This isn't goodbye."
She bit her lip as she waited for his response. He nodded his head in minor agreement and stared at the carpet.
She gave a weak smile and walked out the door.
"I'm so sorry about your mom," Denise said as she stroke Lucas' hand sympathetically.
"Ya, well, I'm really sad to see her go. But, at least I know we'll keep in touch. And I still have some of my family here in Salem."
"Oh ya, Jennifer Horton. She's your sister right?"
"That's right."
"Well actually, I have to cancel our date tonight.because of your sister," Denise smiled warmly.
"What are you talking about?"
"Her new T.V. show, "In The House," well I'm a guest on it this afternoon.
"Really? For what?"
"The school I teach at. We're doing a fundraiser and I have to advertise it."
"Well we don't have to break our date. I'll tag along if you don't mind. I'll just have to find someone to watch Will."
"Sure, I'd love for you to come. But I have to be there in," she glanced at her watch, "twenty minutes."
"Well, we can bring Will along and I'll phone come from-oh I think I just thought of someone who could watch him. I'll give him a call quickly and ask him to pick Will up from Jen's.
"Jen?" Lucas yelled as he stepped into her house.
"Oh hey Lucas, Will," she said talking rapidly as she looked down at will who was screaming at his gameboy, "actually guys, were just waiting on our guest and were gonna start the show. But your welcome to watch if you- Denise, how are you?" she smiled quickly as Denise entered the house.
"I'm great. How are you Jennifer?"
"I'm excellent, just in a rush as always. Why don't you just go on back there and the crew will get you all set up?"
"Alright," Denise smiled broadly as she headed out of the room with Will chattering along beside her.
"So Lucas, how have you been?" Jen asked trying her hardest not to look so distracted.
"I've been just peachy up until today."
"What happened, Lucas? What's wrong?" Jen asked deciding that her brother needed her a little then Shmank and the camera crew hollering for her in the backroom.
"Well it's my mom. Today she just up and decides to take off to Never Never Land to forget about all her problems or somethin' like that," Lucas said letting his voice get a little louder then he had probably hoped.
Because from the doorway a deep voiced bellowed, "What da hell are you talkin' about Lucas."