Like Father, Like Son
Author's Note: What's going on everybody? I'm back at it with another chapter of Like Father, Like Son! Ladies and gents I'll make it crystal clear to you that this chapter will be dinner at the bakery after hours when everybody has dinner together on a Friday night! Let's see how the rest of the kids handle the news about Xander and Billy Ross.
Disclaimer: I obviously don't own Girl Meets World. I'm not getting paid by the writers to write stuff like this (but I wish I was) Sadly they wouldn't allow stuff like this to air because it's Disney!
September 2037
It was 9pm closing time at the bakery, Chloe had left an hour earlier to go out with Chris and the doors were closed. Riley, Farkle, Zay, and Cory cooked dinner for everybody as Lucas and Vanessa prepare for tomorrow while Maya, Topanga and the kids cleaned up the bakery. Once dinner had been called everyone had taken their spot enjoying dinner together with some of the other employees that stayed to help out. The phone in the office was ringing as Cory raced towards the phone to pick up the call. "Hello?" Cory answered the phone after taking a deep breath from his jog.
"Hey Cory it's Josh, are you guys still at the bakery?" Josh asked his older brother.
"Ya, you guys coming over for dinner?" Cory asked.
"Ya, Gabriel played great in softball today! He scored the winning run!" Josh told Cory very excited for his son's victory.
"That's awesome! I'll have Riley save 3 more spots for you, Courtney and Gabriel." Cory told Josh as he hung up the phone and made his way back.
"Riley! How much food is still left?" Cory asked his daughter as Riley observed the spread.
"We can still feel all of us 3 times over." Riley answered.
"Good because Josh, Courtney, and Gabriel will be here soon!" Cory told Riley as she prepared the cutlery for their arrival.
"Gabriel is coming?" Troy and Corey asked.
"Yeah guys and please, guys no more sparring for today?" Mr. Matthews begged the two young boys.
"Don't worry Grandpa besides we're still eating!" Troy answered Mr. Matthews as they went back to the spread with their plates and grabbed more food made earlier. 20 minutes passed until 3 figures came through the door.
"Hey kiddies!" Josh greeted the family along with his wife: Courtney, and their 10-year old son: Gabriel in his blue baseball uniform. The kids all greeted him after a great game where he scored the game winning run after smacking a double into left field.
"Hi Uncle Boing!" Maya greeted the 39-year old man.
"Really Maya?! Still calling me that name around your husband?" Josh groaned to Maya still tolerating that nickname.
"Kinda yeah!" Maya chuckled at Josh knowing she could still make fun of him years later.
Gabriel went over to hang out with his cousins and the other kids while Josh and Courtney joined Riley, Lucas, Maya, and the others. Everyone was enjoying themselves and knew that time for everyone to be together as a family was very precious since the kids were getting older and they too were getting older. "Hey guys, there is something I need to talk to you guys about." Cory told all of the adults in the room as he looked at Shawn first to nobody's surprise and then Topanga as she held his hand. "What's going on dad? "Riley asked being very curious.
"Yeah Matthews, it's not like you to do something like this in the middle of dinner." Maya backed up Riley as usual not seeing this behavior from their former teacher.
"You guys, I've been thinking about something for awhile." Cory told everyone at the table becoming hesitant to make his announcement.
"What's on your mind Mr. Matthews?" Farkle asked as he brought his arm around Maya's waist.
"Well, everything has a time and place and everything we do has a time limit weather we like it or not. Lucas is retiring this year from the NBA to be a more present father which I applaud to you my son in law." Cory said appreciating his son in law's decision to retire so that Lucas could spend time with his kids.
"What are you trying to get at here Mr. Matthews? Now I think I can speak for all of us in saying that, you're freaking us out!" Farkle asked the elderly man knowing it was time to tell them.
"After this school year, I will retire as Principal at John Adams High!" Cory finally announced as Riley spat out her glass of water.
"I'm sorry what?!" Riley exclaimed not seeing his retiring announcement coming.
"Yeah Riley, I'll be retiring at the end of this school year." Cory told his daughter from across the table as he had everyone stunned.
"What are you guys staring at? Is there something on my nose?" Cory looked around seeing he has shocked everyone as it was dead silent among them except for Topanga and Shawn who were very supportive of his decision.
"No dad, nothing is on your nose it's just…I can't imagine school without you in it!" Riley told Cory as she could never picture not being in school and her father is not there. She and the others were always used to Cory being there in some shape or form as a teacher or even principal!
"I don't think any of us could ever see school without you in it!" Maya told her former teacher.
"Yeah sir, school without you won't be the same!" Farkle protested.
"Guys, I know it's time and I know that I have taught you all well. It's time for me to take a step back now." Cory told them.
"But Dad you're only like what 65?" Riley asked somewhat insulting her father.
"Honey, I'm 57!" Cory told off his daughter.
"Are you sure you're ready to do this and retire?" Josh asked his brother as he handed him the mashed potatoes.
"You know what Josh, I've thought about it for awhile now and I know that this school will be in good hands after I'm gone. I know it…I know whoever will take it over is ready to teach these kids about the world and that they just don't come and go, they will all see what their gifts are to the world and use it." Cory told everyone his vision of the school without him seeing as how John Adams has been a fantastic school since he took over as Principal.
"How are you handling this Uncle Shawn?" Riley asked her uncle who was sitting beside Cory as he looked over to his best friend.
"So that means we get to spend more time together?" Shawn asked Cory raising one of his eyebrows.
"Oh yeah! You and me!" Cory told his best friend. Shawn looked around the group as he got out from his seat and invited Cory to stand up.
"YAY! YAY! YAY!" The two best friends yelled together jumping up and down.
"Unbelievable! I'm your wife nimrod!" Topanga groaned complaining to her husband knowing his relationship with Shawn as her right palm smacked her face.
"When was the last time you saw them this happy together?" Katy asked.
"Oh when we were about to move to New York together, I packed Shawn's stuff and they thought they were saying goodbye to each other but knowing how big of a mess Cory would be without Shawn, I knew he had to come." Topanga told Katy vividly remembering the day they moved from Philadelphia to New York.
"Well, somethings never change do they?" Katy asked as the two wives looked at their husbands embracing each other.
"Especially those two!" Topanga told Katy as the bakery phone rang.
"I got it!" Maya said excusing herself rushing over towards the phone while Cory and Shawn did their old happy dance from their childhood.
"Oh my God Dad! Uncle Shawn! Stop it! You guys are embarrassing!" Riley hid her face not wanting to see her dad dance ever again!
"Hey Matthews! It's for you, it's Auggie!" Maya called over to her brother in-law as Cory and Shawn left together to answer the phone while Maya rejoined everyone.
"Hey dad, can we talk for a second?" Aaron asked with his siblings beside him.
"Yeah sure buddy." Lucas happily accepted Aaron's request as he rose from his seat.
"Mom, we need to talk to you guys too." Natalie told them as Lucas and Riley looked at each other knowing something wasn't right. They wondered what it could be about as they sat together at the patio just outside the front entrance of the bakery as they all sat down together.
"So what's up guys?" Lucas asked feeling the tension in the air.
"What was that with you and Xander?" Natalie asked complaining about how Lucas handled the situation.
"Look guys, I know his father and he was one of the reasons you guys don't have an older brother or sister!" Lucas told his kids before he was cut off.
"Wait, let me ask you something dad, were you always "Mr. Perfect?" Huh dad?" Aaron asked as Lucas didn't know what to say.
"I'm waiting dad!" Aaron demanded his father's answer running out of patience with him. Lucas took a deep breath before letting out a sigh, he looked towards Riley wondering if it was the right time to tell them.
"Guys, I know I'm not perfect. I wish I was around more rather than staying busy, training, working, and travelling but I promise I'll make it up to you guys." Lucas told his kids.
"Not about that dad, we meant before we were ever born!" Natalie told her father.
"Honey, I'll tell them." Riley told her husband.
"You see, when your father was playing for the Senior Boys Basketball team, on opening night at the school, he got injured really badly injuring his neck and also gaining a concussion for landing on the back of his neck. The doctors told him that his career was over and needed to fuse two discs in his neck missing his chances to impress any scouts from universities." Riley told them
"Well injuries do happen mom but I don't see how it doesn't make him perfect." Aaron interrupted his mother.
"Aaron, can you let your mother finish the story?" Lucas asked of his son. Aaron was silent allowing Riley to continue.
"So, your dad became depressed knowing his career was over and he took it a little too far with the painkillers. One time he came to grandpa Cory's class drooling on himself and I was able to smell alcohol in his breath. He came to school drunk and pilled up. We talked about it in the hallway and I needed him to stop because combining painkillers with alcohol could kill him if he wasn't careful, eventually things got out of hand and I remember him hitting me before he dumped me. Uncle Farkle and Aunt Maya helped me out while Grandpa talked to your father and sent him home for the day." Riley told the story as Lucas held his head down as his children looked at him with disgust.
"So, you preach to Aaron and Troy to never hit a woman and we finally know that you actually hit mom and then dumped her?!" Natalie exclaimed in disgust at her father as she crossed her arms shaking her head.
"…I'm sorry honey." Lucas tried to apologize.
"Dad, why would you ever hit mom?! That is the last thing I could ever picture you doing especially since you were a Senior in High School!" Natalie kept up the pressure as he just sat there and took his verbal beatings.
"Natalie! Take it easy on your father, he was drunk and he had painkillers in his system! That side of your father was only seen once by me and I've never seen that side of him ever since!" Riley defended Lucas understanding that he was not himself and not in complete control of his mind.
"Pfft yeah! Dad was a hypocrite!" Aaron said accusing his father.
"Woah! Hold on for a second, I may be a lot of things, but a hypocrite is definitely not one of them Aaron, the last thing I needed to hear was that! But guess what Aaron, you made a similar mistake that I made!" Lucas told his son as Aaron could understand where his father was coming from.
"Ok I'll give you that, guess I got that from you!" Aaron said walking away from the table and walked back inside.
Lucas looked to Riley to chase after him but Riley stopped him knowing that Aaron needed to blow off some steam. Like his father, Aaron has a temper and when angry, Aaron can be a danger to anybody at any given moment. Topanga rushed outside while there was quiet among the Friar family to get them. "Guys you need to come inside for a moment, dad wants to speak to you." Topanga told her daughter as Riley, Lucas, Natalie, and Troy rushed inside where Cory's eyes were puffy and red while Katy and Shawn stood beside him to support him.
"Dad what's wrong?" Riley asked her father with a concerned look on her face knowing something isn't right.
"I…I…I just got off the phone with Auggie. Something bad has happened." Cory struggled in the beginning to speak but was finally able to get the words out.
"What's wrong honey?" Topanga asked rushing to Cory's side rubbing his back to help him.
"Umm…Umm…There's no easy way for me to say this so I'm just gonna come out and say it… Auggie and Ava lost their baby…They had a miscarriage." Cory announced as everyone at the bakery was stunned losing a future member of the Matthews Family.
Author's Note: And that ends another chapter of Like Father, Like Son! I hope you guys enjoyed that chapter and woah, what happened back there with Aaron and Lucas jeez! Second, Cory is retiring as Principal! Yeah ok, who's gonna take his spot and finally and the big bombshell at the end, Auggie and Ava having a miscarriage...Is this a sign of things to come in the lives of everyone in the family? Tell me what you guys think in the reviews, speaking of reviews...If you guys got any suggestions, by all means pitch some right at me on the reviews or private message me whichever one makes you feel more comfortable. Review, fav, and follow the story guys and I wanna thank you guys for your continuous support for Like Father, Like Son. We're on this journey together guys and hopefully you all have been enjoying this ride this far but next time on Like Father, Like Son. While Cory, Topanga, Lucas, and Riley rush towards the Hospital, Maya and Farkle bring Aaron, Natalie, and Troy to their place and let's just say some needed conversations are going to take place. See you guys next time and as always I hope to hear form you in the reviews or even private messaging me :)
Let's Talk!
4ne1: Yeah Xander kinda gives that feeling of Harry Potter defending his father's name in front of Professor Snape in one of the later books/movies and don't worry you will see him again and Billy.
James Stryker: Oh yeah Riley, Lucas, Zay and the others will feel some heat from the kids soon for certain secrets and Chloe still doesn't know Charlie is her father! Still trying to think of the right time for that to happen and trying to picture how Chloe will be told who her real father is so goodluck to me on that one.
PS: Also guys I wanna give a shout out to 4ne1 who has been helping me with this story and the ideas we exchange together have been getting a good chunk of stress off my mind while I'm either trying to think of some stuff to add for each chapter or I'm focusing on some stuff for work. Thanks 4ne1 for being a great helping hand and I enjoy out conversations on what could happen in this story. :)