Chapter 9

"So you think you can stone me and spit in my eye"

Lucas parked his truck across the street from the café and stared at the outside of it. He accomplished a huge task today by cleaning out his house, and now he was ready to take on a new challenge. It would be the first time he stepped foot inside of the café since his mother died. He felt Haley's hand on his shoulder. He was glad she was there to support him. "Are you ready for this?" Haley asked. Lucas simply nodded his head.

Dan sat at the counter of the café and took a long sip of his coffee. He would never admit it, but he loved the coffee there. He had been coming there everyday since Deb took over. It was one of the few times that he and his wife spent time together. "I was thinking, Deb, we should make some changes to this place."

"What kind of changes?" Deb asked with a raised eyebrow.

"We'll make it bigger, change the décor, and change the name to Deb's Diner."

"Who the hell do you think you are? You don't belong here!"

Dan and Deb both turned around to see Lucas and Haley standing there. "Don't talk to me that way, boy; besides, you can't throw me out," Dan responded.

"I can do whatever I want when it comes to the café…I own it now," Lucas drawled.

Dan looked at Deb, hoping that she would prove Lucas wrong, but she smirked at him. "I'm sorry, Dan, but Lucas is right. I'm just running the place for him."

Dan was about to make a witty comeback, but stopped when he saw the evil glares he was receiving from some of the regular customers. For once in his life Dan walked away without getting the final word.

When Dan was gone Deb approached Lucas. "I'm sorry you had to hear that," she said. "He didn't mean it."

"You don't have to apologize for him," Lucas replied.

"How do you do it?" Deb asked as she looked him up and down.

"Do what?"

"How do you handle all of this without breaking?"

Lucas sat down on one of the stools and Haley sat down next to him. "I really don't know," he replied.

Deb noticed two more customers come in, and excused herself to help them. Haley poured herself and Lucas a soda. When she sat back down she asked, "How are you holding up?"

"As best as I can," Lucas answered. "I need a moment alone; I'm going to go in the back."

Haley nodded her head. "Just call if you need me."

Lucas ran into the back where he let his tears fall. He didn't realize that it would be this hard to be in the café. It was heartbreaking not seeing his mother standing behind the counter. As he sat in the back he noticed that the safe was open, and his temptation ran wild.

A part of him wanted to grab a few twenties so that he could buy more pills, but the other part was screaming that it was wrong. What would his mother think if she saw him stealing from the safe? She would be disappointed in him, and that's the last thing he wanted. However, his temptation got the better of him and he grabbed the money.

Lucas found himself standing in a dark alley behind the grocery store. He saw Benny standing at the other end with one of his friends. Lucas cautiously approached them. "What do you want, Scott?" Benny asked when he saw Lucas.

"I need some more pills," Lucas responded.

"Do you have the cash?" Benny asked. Lucas pulled the twenties out of his pocket and handed them to Benny. Benny counted the money and then nodded to his friend, who handed him a packet of pills. Benny handed the pills to Lucas. "What will people think if they find out that the star of the basketball team is a pill popper?"

"You can't tell anyone," Lucas responded nervously.

"I won't…unless you double cross me."

"I don't plan on it," Lucas said before walking away.

Dan sat in his office at the dealership and pulled a lockbox out of his bottom desk drawer. He held it in his hands a few moments before opening it up. He pulled out pictures of a blonde boy with the same eyes as him. They were pictures of Lucas that Karen had sent him through the years.

He wondered what his life would be like if he didn't abandon Lucas. Would they have a good father son relationship? Maybe his relationship with Karen wouldn't have been so strained, and Lucas wouldn't resent him so much.

Lucas was staggering as he walked up the stairs to his bedroom. He had taken two pills and the numbness has kicked in. It was a feeling he was beginning to love. He had to hold onto his dresser for support as a wave of dizziness came over him. When it passed he lay on his bed and let the darkness wash over him.

This chapter is titled after a lyric from the song "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen