Here is chapter 24. Thanks so much for the reviews. Read and review thanks.

Chapter 24

It's Monday and Kirsten, Sandy, Seth, Summer, Alexis, Adriana, and Parker were all waiting for Marissa and Ryan's return. Sandy and Kirsten were so excited about Marissa coming back and their engagement. They always knew that Ryan and Marissa would end up together one day. They were all waiting so that they could show Ryan that they were here for him. The doorbell rang and Kirsten got up to answer the door.
Kirsten: Hey Julie.
Julie: Where are they?
Kirsten: They aren't here yet.
Julie: Well, where's my grandson?
Kirsten: He's in the kitchen.
Julie walked into the kitchen and Parker's eyes lit up. He ran to her and wrapped his arms around her. She picked him up and kissed him on the head.
Julie: Hi baby! How are you?
Parker: I'm good. I missed you grandma.
Julie: I missed you too.
Parker: Can I stay with you tonight?
Julie: No, honey you need to stay with your mommy and daddy. We will have lots of time to spend together. I promise.
She sat down at the table with Parker sitting in her lap.
Julie: So how is Ryan doing with everything?
Kirsten: Marissa said he has just been moping around and crying all the time.
Julie: RYAN CRYING?
Kirsten: Yeah, his mom died how would you feel.
Julie: He wasn't even close to her, you were more of a mother than she was.
Kirsten: She raised him from infancy to sixteen. She was his mother and she loved him, that's why she left him with us.
Julie: I guess your right. I am just worried about Ryan's well being.
Kirsten: You're worried about Ryan's well being?
Julie: Yes, he's going to be my son-in-law and he loves Marissa I see that now. He's the father of my grandson and I like him because he takes care of my daughter so well.
Kirsten: That's very grown up of you Julie.
Julie: Well, you know me always growing up.

They hear footsteps in the living room and Marissa and Ryan appeared in the kitchen. Parker jumped out of Julie's lap.
Parker: MOMMY DADDY!
Marissa: Hey baby. Come here.
Parker ran over to her and she hugged him and kissed him on his head. He then walked over to Ryan and Ryan picked him up.
Ryan: Hey son, I missed you.
Parker: I missed you too daddy.
Kirsten walked over to Marissa with a huge smile on her face.
Marissa: Hey Kirsten.
Kirsten: Hey Marissa.
They hugged really tightly. They stopped hugging and Kirsten hugged Ryan.
Kirsten: I'm so sorry Ryan.
Ryan: It's okay. I'm just glad to be home.
Julie came up to Marissa and hugged her.
Julie: Marissa I missed you so much.
Marissa: I missed you too mom.
They stopped hugging and she went over to Ryan and hugged him. Ryan's eyes popped open, he was so surprised that Julie was hugging him.
Julie: Ryan, I'm so sorry about your mom.
Ryan: Thanks. I have to go to Chino today so I really have to go. Sorry to just get home and run off.
Kirsten: We understand Ryan.
Ryan: I'll be back a later.
Marissa: I'll walk you out.
Ryan: You aren't coming?
Marissa: With Trey? Uhm, no!
Ryan: Good point. Can I take Parker?
Marissa: Uh, yeah. I mean it's alright with me if it's cool with him.
Ryan: Hey, you want to go with daddy?
Parker: YEAH! CAN I GO MOMMY CAN I?
Marissa: Sure you can baby.

He grabs onto her leg and hugs it really tightly.
Parker: Thanks mom I love you.
Marissa: Love you too. Go say bye to everyone.
Parker: Bye everyone.
He walked over to everyone and gave each a big hug and kiss on the cheek.
Everyone: Bye guys. Have fun.
Ryan & Parker: We will.
Ryan and Parker left and everyone went back to their homes.

Ryan and Parker pulled into his old house in Chino. Memories overcame Ryan as he picked Parker up out of his chair. He felt warm tears running down his face. He almost dropped Parker beacause he was shaking. He put him down onto the driveway and Ryan grabbed his hand.
Parker: Daddy, you okay?
Ryan: Yeah, I'm fine.
They walked up to the door and Ryan knocked. His heart was racing, he couldn't believe he was back in Chino. He thought this part of his life was over. He wished he had been able to spend more time with his mom. The door swung open and Trey was standing there crying.
Trey: Hey little brother.
Trey came in for a hug and Ryan let go of Parker's hand and patted him on the back.
Ryan: Hey Trey.
Trey: Hey who's that kid over there that's about to go into the street.
Ryan: PARKER GET OVER HERE NOW!
Ryan ran over to him and grabbed him up.
Ryan: Don't ever do that again! You understand me? You scared the hell out of me.
Parker started bawling.
Parker: I-I- I'm s-s-sorry.
Ryan: It's okay.
He kissed him on the head.
Ryan: Sorry I yelled at you, but you can't be roaming around in the street okay.
Parker: Okay.

Ryan walked back over to the door and looked at Trey with tears in his eyes. Mostly, because he was so scared for Parker's life and at that moment that was all he cared about. Protecting his baby.
Trey: So, who's that?
Ryan: This is Parker, my son.
Trey: Oh my god. You have a son?
Ryan: Yeah, long story.
Trey: Okay nuff said. How are you?
Ryan: Good, really good actually. Well, I was until Sandy called and told me.
Trey: Yeah, she wasn't much of a mother but I still loved her.
Ryan: Yeah, I know what you mean.
Trey: So hows your family?
Ryan: They are really good. Seth and Summer got married and they have three kids.
Trey: Really? I never pictured them together, I guess I was wrong.
Ryan: Guess so. Sandy and Kirsten are good. I'm getting married soon.
Trey: Wow, you're getting married? I never thought I'd see the day.
Ryan: Yeah, me and Marissa are going to get married in a few months when she gets settled.
Trey: That's great man. I think he's a little tired.
Trey pointed at a sleeping Parker.
Ryan: Yeah, he didn't sleep the whole ride over here. I had to listen to the wheels on the bus about twelve times.
Trey: (laughing) You can go lay him down on the bed.
Ryan: Thanks.
Ryan walked into the house and went into his mother's bedroom and layed Parker down. He kissed him on the head and ran his hand over his hair. He walked out of the room and into the living room where Trey was sitting on the couch.
Trey: That's one cute kid you have there.
Ryan: Thanks. So how have you been?
Trey: I've been good, I guess.
Ryan: You staying out of trouble?
Trey: Yeah, I got a job working construction.
Ryan: That's great man.
Trey: So what are you doing these days?
Ryan: I'm an architect.
Trey: Wow, that's great Ry.

They continued talking for about thirty minutes on everything that had been going on in their lives. Ryan decided to go in and check on Parker. He walked into the room and Parker looked over at him.
Ryan: Hey you're awake why didnt you get up?
Parker: I don't know.
Ryan: You want to come in here with me?
Parker: Yeah.
Ryan picked Parker up and walked into the living room with him. He sat down on the couch with Parker in his lap.
Ryan: Hey, does mom have cable or anything so he can watch cartoons?
Trey: Yeah, I think she has cartoon network.
Ryan turned the t.v. on and flipped through the channels until he found some cartoons.
Ryan: You want to watch this?
Parker: Yeah.
Parker sat in Ryan's lap with his eyes glued to the t.v.
Ryan: That will keep him busy for about an hour.
Trey: So how old are you Parker?
Parker just sat there with his eyes still glued to the t.v.
Ryan: Parker.
Parker: Huh?
Trey: How old are you?
Parker: Two.
Ryan: He's really smart. He can spell his name and he can count to twenty.
Trey: That's amazing I gotta see this.
Ryan: Hey Parker how do you spell your name?
Parker: P-A-R-K-E-R C-O-O-P-E-R.
Trey: That's great buddy. He doesn't have your last name?
Ryan: Well, Marissa didn't give him my last name because she didn't tell me about him until about a week ago.
Trey: Oh.
Ryan: Yeah, I think we are going to change it after the wedding.
Trey: Hey count to twenty.
Parker counted to twenty-three without any hesitation.
Trey: He is really smart.
Ryan: Yeah, Marissa worked with him for a long time to get him to where he can do that.
Trey: So, why didn't she come?
Ryan: She had to catch up with everyone because she just moved back and she hasn't seen them in years.
Trey: Is she going to come to the funeral?
Ryan: I don't know, probably.
Trey: Well, just let her know that I hold nothing against her so she can come and not have to worry about me.
Ryan: It's not about that.
Trey: Yeah, well if it is just a little bit about me then just tell her that okay. I would really like her to come to be there for you. I know how much it would mean to you if she came and I'm not going to let her not come because of me.
Parker: Daddy, I'm hungry will you make me some fish sticks?
Ryan: I don't think there is any fish sticks.
Parker: But, I want some.
Ryan: Well, I don't have any fish sticks. What do you want me to do pull them out of a hat?

Parker started crying.
Ryan: What's your deal?
Parker: I want some fish sticks.
Trey: We don't have any fish sticks.
Parker got off of Ryan's lap and started having a tantrum. Screaming, crying, kicking, the whole nine yards.
Ryan: What the hell! Stop it or your going to time out.
Parker: I DON'T CARE I WANT FISH STICKS.
Ryan: That's it. Come on.
He grabbed Parkers hand and dragged him into the bedroom.
Ryan: You're in time out and you're staying in here until you stop having this tantrum.
Parker: I HATE YOU!
Parker threw himself on the floor and started kicking. Ryan just closed the door and went into the living room.
Ryan: Sorry man, I've never seen him act that way.
Trey: He must really like fish sticks.
Ryan laughed and pulled out his cell phone to call Marissa.
Marissa: Hello.
Ryan: Hey, your son is throwing a fit because we don't have any fish sticks. He's screaming, crying, and kicking.
Marissa: What did you do?
Ryan: I put him into time out and told him he could come out when he was done throwing his fit.
Marissa: Okay. Well, it sounds like you have it all handled.
Ryan: He told me he hated me.
Marissa: He does that a lot when he gets mad. I told him the next time he tells me that he's going to get his mouth washed out with soap.
Ryan: I can't do that.
Marissa: I didn't say you needed to just tell him that if he says that to you again then you will. He's probably just testing you to see how much you will take off of him. Don't give in just give him a sandwich or something.
Ryan: I know. You don't spank him do you?
Marissa: Uh no and you better not either.
Ryan: Oh, no I wasn't going to I was just asking if you do.
Marissa: No, I just put him in timeout and he usually gets the point.
Ryan: Does he throw a lot of fits?
Marissa: Not really, he usually only does that if he doesn't feel good or is tired. Maybe you should go check and see if he has a fever.
Ryan walked into the bedroom and walked over to Parker who was still crying. He put his hand on his forehead and he was burning up.
Ryan: Oh my god he's burning up. I'm taking him to the hospital.
Marissa: Ok I'll meet you there.
Ryan hung up the phone and picked him up and took him out to the living room.
Ryan: I have to take him to the hospital. He's burning up.
Trey: Okay, I'll come with you.
They ran out to the car and drove to the hospital.