LucyKevinFan: thanks, and I'll try to keep this as close to cannon as possible.
krazypirategurl: yep, in this chapter. And my sister has a friend named Grant too, lol.
Latisha C: Don't worry, I definitely will.
Charlie
Chapter Two
By Norwegianchick101
Lucy laughed as she heard her daughter yelling. "Charlie this, Charlie that. Why can't you just shut the hell up about Charlie?"
Lucy and Kevin were at the Glen Oak airport to pick up their daughter and her friends.
"Mom! Dad!" Savannah yelled as she exited the plane, running up to her parents. "I am so glad to see you. I just spent five whole hours sitting between Grant and Rachel, eating raisons, and listening to them argue about Charlie Rivera from the shoe store!"
Kevin raised his eyebrows as Lucy sighed.
"Charlie Rivera?" Kevin asked curious as to whether or not he had heard his daughter's claims correctly. "Carlos Rivera's son?"
Rachel nodded as she walked up to the Kinkirks, still arguing with Grant.
"Yep, and he's absolutely gorgeous. He gave me his number before we left. He even came to the airport to say goodbye."
Grant sighed. "You can talk to him on the phone Rach, but I doubt you'll ever see him again. He lives in New York. You live in Glen Oak. It'll never work out. Long distance relationships never do."
Lucy gripped Kevin's hand and spoke up. "Hey Rachel, Carlos Rivera is actually an old family friend. We lost touch a couple years back, and I was wondering if I could get the number."
Rachel smiled. "Sure. It's 188-555-6782. I have the address too if you want it."
Kevin shook his head. "No Rachel, the number's enough, thanks anyways."
"No problem." Rachel replied, as she Grant and Savannah headed to the luggage claim, leaving Kevin and Lucy a few feet behind.
"Kevin, what are we going to do? Mary ran away from Carlos and Charlie. If we tell her that her niece's best friend is dating her son, she'll get all frustrated. And stress isn't good for a woman who's four months pregnant. But what if they keep dating, and Charlie and Rachel end up getting married. She would be mad at us for keeping it a secret."
Kevin rubbed his wife's back and smiled. "Look Luce, we'll tell her after the baby is born. Until then, it'll be our secret.
5 Months Later
Throughout the next five months, five more children were introduced to the Camden family. Simon and Deena now have a 6 month old baby boy, Lucas Ray Camden. Ruthie and Martin had triplets, Lily Andrea, Jaina Molly, and Kristen Nicole.
It had been 2 months since the birth of Carly Amanda West, Mary and Wilson's second child. And Lucy and Kevin had spent the past week beating around the bush.
-
Lucy sighed as the doorbell rang. Kevin and Lucy had called Mary, telling her that they had something important to tell her.
"Alright," Lucy began. "I'm not sure how to say this, or how you're gonna react, but-"
Mary laughed. "Luce, whatever it is, it's bound to be fine. Unless…you're not pregnant are you?" she asked. "Cuz we've already got 14, and Sarah thinks she might be pregnant. And then Billy's thinking about proposing to his girlfriend, and Sam and David are starting to hit serious relationships as well."
Lucy spoke up again before Mary could say anything more. There was no more time to stall. It was now or never.
"Mary." she said. "You niece's best friend is dating your son."
"Hold it." Mary said, starting to ramble. "My only niece who is actually old enough to date is Savannah, and her best friend is…Rachel? Rachel and Billy? That can't be right. Billy's dating Karen, and he knows her from school."
Lucy groaned and gripped Kevin's hand tighter.
"Not Billy. Your biological son, Charles Miguel Rivera is dating my daughter's best friend, Rachel Terrin!"
Mary's mouth fell open and she grabbed Wilson's hand, if possible, ten times tighter than Lucy was holding Kevin's.
No! Mary thought. This can't be happening. My life has been just perfect for the past thirteen years, and along come my son and my stupid ex-husband.
"What do you think I should do?" she asked Wilson.
"Charlie's your son Mary. If I know you like I think I do, then you should call Carlos and tell him that you have every right to Charlie as he does, if not more. Carlos is a single parent who is most likely not as financially stable as you are. And you're a married woman, but you would be fine even if you didn't have me."
Mary smiled at Wilson and hugged him, before asking Lucy for the number.
Later That Night at the West Residence
Mary took a deep breath as she dialed the number Lucy had given her earlier.
"Hello?" came a familiar voice over the phone.
"Carlos?" Mary asked. "Look, I know it's been fourteen years, but I was stupid, and I want my son back."
"Mary?" Carlos replied in shock. "Look hon, I didn't do anything to you. You left me, and OUR son! So you can just take a hike. But wait a sec. How the hell did you get this number!"
Mary sighed. "I got it from our son's girlfriend's best friend's mother; who just happens to be my sister Lucy. And I could always get the address, and send social services on you!"
"Fine!" Carlos snapped back. "Do what you want, but Charlie is MY son. If you had cared you wouldn't have left us!"
With that Carlos slammed the phone, and went to look for his son.
-
It was around ten when Charlie got home. He had been out with his friends for pizza and a movie after work, to try to get his mind off of Rachel.
"Charles Miguel Rivera! How dare you show up here an hour past your curfew!" Carlos slapped his son, he had gone out himself, only to get drunk after dealing with Mary.
"And you shouldn't be giving your number to girls if you don't know who they are! Your mother just called! The one who didn't give a damn about you or me! Turns out that girl from California you've been raving about and calling every night for the past five months is the best friend of your mother's niece! And now she and God knows who else is going to show up here, on our doorstep, and make your life, and mine, a living hell. Her family has connections to EVERYONE in that town, so don't even think about talking to that girl even ONCE more! You got that!"
"Well you know what Dad!" Charlie screamed. "Rachel's not just some girl! She's my girlfriend! And apparently someone who can help me find a life that's better than this! I don't like living with a drunken father and no mother! So goodbye Dad! Have nice life!"
Back in Glen Oak
"Hello" Rachel answered her cell phone.
"It's Charlie." She said to Savannah, in a hushed tone, causing Savannah to laugh.
"Rach, who's your best friend. Is it Savannah?" Charlie asked.
"Um…yeah, it is. But Charlie, why are you asking me this?"
"Look, could you give me her number. This is really important. My dad just told me something that I need to talk to Savannah or someone else in her family about." Charlie replied.
"Well, I'm actually at Savannah's right now. Hold on." Rachel said.
"Vannah, he wants to talk to you." Rachel told her friend, a confounded look on her face.
"Hello? Charlie?" Savannah asked.
"Savannah? You know how that night at dinner I said that I didn't have a mother? Well, I just found out that's not completely true. My mother, is your aunt." Charlie said softly.
"WHAT?" Savannah yelled. "NO WAY! Do you know her name? Because I have 4 aunts, and they're all married. Mary, Ruthie, Deena, and Sarah."
"Um…I'm not sure. But all I know is that my dad seemed pretty mad about it." Charlie Replied. "I've seen pictures though, if that would help at all. She had brown, straight hair, with a tint of blonde. She looked about 24 in the picture."
Savannah thought for a moment. "Just a minute, here, talk to Rachel for a second. I'm sure she's wondering what this is all about."
Savannah handed Rachel her cell phone back, and left to find her mother.
She found her in the kitchen, talking to her aunt Mary. Perfect, Savannah thought.
"Um…Mom, Aunt Mary? Remember back at the airport a while ago, when you asked for Charlie Rivera's number? Well, I know why."
Mary gulped. Savannah couldn't know. Unless, Carlos had told Charlie about their encounter over the phone, and Charlie had come to Savannah for help.
"Look, I don't know how you found about Charlie, Savannah." Mary said. "But I can tell you this. I talked to Carlos, and Charlie isn't coming home. Carlos is just a selfish arrogant jerk. I was a fool to marry him. I don't know why I did it. For all I know, Charlie could be living with some drunk for a father. Why me Luce?" Mary directed the last part toward her sister, friend, and confidant.
Savannah's mouth dropped open in shock, as she ran upstairs and snatched back Rachel's cell phone.
"Charlie? Your mom is downstairs right now. Hold on and I'll let you talk to her." Savannah said, with as much calmness as she could contain.
"Aunt Mary! Charlie's on the phone right now!" Savannah said, shoving Rachel's cell in her face.
"Hello?" Mary asked uneasily. "Charlie?"
"Mom?" Charlie replied.
Mary heard the worry in his voice and sensed he wasn't at home where he should be. But she didn't want to be to straight forward with him, so she decided to just talk to him for a while before asking if he was okay.
"Oh Charlie. Is that really you? Look, tell your father I'm sorry about everything. Neither of you deserved any of this." Mary said crying.
"No Mom. Dad deserved every bit of it. He's a drunken fool. He's been that way as long as I can remember. Whenever he has a problem, he goes off and gets himself drunk." Charlie said.
"Oh Charlie! Are you at home right now?" Mary asked worriedly.
"No, I'm at the airport. A friend's parent works there, and got me a free pass. I'm flying out to LA and taking a bus to Glen Oak tomorrow." Charlie told his mother.
"No Charlie. You don't have to do that. Look, and I'll come out to get you. What time does your flight get in?" Mary asked again.
"It gets in at 6:30 tomorrow morning." Charlie answered.
"Well don't worry, I'll be there." Mary said, and after saying goodbyes to her son, hung up the phone, before heading upstairs to thank her niece.
"Savannah?" Mary asked, once she reached the room. "Thank you."
Savannah got up and hugged her aunt before heading to bed. "No problem." She replied.