Chapter Three- Ghosts in the Machine
"So were the tryouts as bad as you expected?"
Janie sighed and rolled over. "Well I guess not, except for the fact that we all know I'm only coordinated when I run. Besides that I'm a klutz," she laughed. "Although Dina said something interesting."
Julie waited for a minute to see if her friend would finish her sentence. "You know I hate it when you do that," she said.
"Do what?"
"It's like you pause in the middle of a sentence; you're a walking fragment Janie Boykewich!"
"Well…that's a first," they both laughed. "But anyway, Nadine said that she caught Hailey Bush all over Riley at lunch today."
"And that surprises you?"
"Well I guess so. I mean I don't think Riley would do that you know?"
"Yeah but she said Hailey was all over him, not the other way around. And we all know the reputation that Hailey Bush has," Julie rolled her eyes.
"Why does everyone keep saying that?"
"Are you serious? How have you not noticed her clothes lately? It's like a walking prostitute, only modestly dressed."
"How can they dress-"
"By wearing the shortest dresses they can find but still being clothed. Oh and they also make sure that the clothes are so tight that every single detail of their body is exposed. Like when it's cold, everyone knows."
"So wearing tight clothes makes you a prostitute? I don't get it," Janie said as she looked down at her own tight jeans.
Julie just sighed. "Forget it Janie. You'll understand when you're older."
"I'm older than you are," Janie threw at her.
"Well then, we have an issue don't we?" Julie giggled as her friend threw a pillow at her.
"Seriously though, I don't think you have anything to worry about with Riley," Julie spoke again, getting serious. "The kid's obviously in love with you Jane."
"That's what I keep telling myself. But then why would Nadine say that? We both know that she isn't the type of person to spread bullshit."
Julie shrugged but didn't say anything; her friend had a point there. Never once in the course of their friendship had any of them lied to the other one about something big and important.
"I'm sure it was nothing though," she said trying to reassure the girl.
"Yeah I hope so."
"Girls!" Amy yelled up the stairs. "Dinner!"
"Hi Julie," Janie's brother said shyly as they all sat down.
"Hey Ethan," she smiled warmly. Janie had informed her friend a while ago that her little brother had developed a crush on her and instead of putting an end to it, like Janie had told her to, Julie had just treated him nicer, doing nothing to solve the problem at hand.
"You look pretty today," he said with somewhat more confidence after she had smiled at him.
"Oh my God," Janie groaned while rolling her eyes.
"Thanks," Julie said as blushed and ignored her friend. Truth be told Ethan was a cute kid and in a few years when he grew into himself a little bit more, girls would be falling at his feet. Julie Peters liked to think that he liked her first and this way when they were both older and he was the good looking guy on campus, his looks wouldn't go to his head and they'd still be friends.
"So how was your day honey?" Amy asked while looking at Janie.
"It was alright, the normal first day of school," Julie said as though Amy was talking to her.
Janie started laughing. "Yeah, what she said."
"Did you get that free period worked out?" Ben asked.
She shook her head. "Nah, I decided to hide out in the library instead. And then when I tried to, some woman was trying to find Adrian so I took her there."
Both of her parents' heads popped up at that.
"What do you mean some woman?" Ben asked cautiously.
"Just what I said, some woman. I guess she knew you Mom because she said she talked to you earlier in the day," she shrugged.
"Grace," Amy muttered.
"Yeah something like that."
"Did she say anything else to you?" Amy asked after a minute.
"Just that she saw my picture at the diner so she recognized me." As she said that both her parents visibly relaxed.
"What's going on?" Janie asked after a minute. "You guys are acting strange."
"Us?" Ben asked.
"No the weird people behind you."
"Nothing honey. It was just…a weird day that's all."
"Ok," she said in a tone that conveyed the fact that she didn't believe her.
"You almost got me in shit today."
The girl just laughed. "Please, Nadine Young doesn't scare me. Neither does your little girlfriend Boykewich. A Care-bear is scarier than her."
"Yeah well…"
"What are you so afraid of?" she asked as she put her hands behind his neck.
He bristled at that. "What? Nothing! I just don't want to hurt her that's all."
She rolled her eyes. "She was such a joke at that tryout today. I really wish I had a camera so I could have recorded it."
"I should break up with her huh?" he asked a second later.
"Wouldn't that like crush her or whatever?"
"Well it's better than what I'm doing now."
She laughed again, but this time it was bitter. "When the hell did you grow a conscience? For the past six months you haven't had an issue with this," she said as she got off his lap and glared at him. "As far as I'm concerned, this has been great for you."
"What, you don't get any enjoyment out of this either?" he smirked.
"Of course I do! I get to fuck you without worrying about the usual bullshit and I know that I'm making you happier than that mess of a girl."
"She's not a mess," he said quietly.
"Whatever," she said flippantly.
"She's a good girl Hailey."
"And I'm not. So what? Apparently you're not that great of a guy," she said as a knock sounded on the door. "Greg's picking me up," she explained as she started getting her bag together. He walked her to the door and opened it to reveal a pair of cold blue eyes looking at him.
"What's up man?"
"Where's my sister?" he asked in a bored tone.
"Let's go," she said as she brushed past him.
Greg turned to leave but not before he gave Riley such a scathing look he was pretty sure he was going to spit on him.
"What the fuck…" Riley muttered to himself as he shut the door.
"What are you thinking about?" Ben asked as they lay in bed.
She sighed. "Nothing. Everything."
He waited patiently for his wife to finally say whatever it was, he knew that if he pushed her then she would just clam up and be mad at him and he was too tired for that.
"I just don't want Janie to find out Ben. After all these years…and they've been good, happy years! We're a family and I'm just afraid that she'll find out that you're not her father," she said sadly.
"Adrian saw her too Amy. And if I remember Grace, she always tried to get on her good side and they were friends for a while. I think we'll be fine," he said as she rubbed her back.
"But if we're not?" Amy quietly asked the question that they were both thinking.
He sighed. "Well she's old enough to choose," he said back just as quietly. "She can either pick the shitbag that didn't care enough to be around or me, the guy that she's known her whole life. Janie's smart, I don't think she'd fall for his act."
"She can't leave Ben, she just can't."
"I know honey. She won't ok?"
With that being said, Amy snuggled into his chest even deeper and slowly drifted off to sleep.
"Well isn't this idyllic?"
"What time is it?" Ben asked without even opening his eyes.
"Why does it matter?"
"Because you shouldn't be here."
"Well I am."
"Apparently it's not a nightmare," he sighed as he rolled over and opened his eyes. "As much as I love you Ashley, what the hell are you doing in my bedroom of all places at," he paused to look at the clock, "nine o'clock in the morning?"
She shrugged. "I was bored."
"It's nine a.m. Ashley," he said in a warning voice.
"Thanks Ben, I'm glad you told me twice. I didn't catch it the first time," she rolled her eyes.
"I'll give Janie the keys to your precious new car if you don't get the hell out Ashley," Amy grumbled.
"That was low Boykewich," she glared at her sister as she retreated to the kitchen.
"I hate her," Amy mumbled as she rolled back over.
"Why isn't she at home?"
She shrugged but stayed silent.
"Amy, I know you know."
"I'm sleeping!!"
He sighed but left it alone. If his wife wouldn't tell him then he would have to find out on his own, as usual.
"The least you could do is make me coffee," he complained as he came downstairs.
He found his sister-in-law already drinking a mug at the table.
"Oh you're good," he said as he sat down next to her.
"What?" she glared at him.
"Why are you in my house Ashley?"
"Because we're family!"
"Yeah that's great. Why are you really here?"
She sighed. "We had a fight," she said reluctantly.
"You and Henry?"
"No, me and the Pillsbury Dough Boy," she snapped.
"About what?"
She rolled her eyes. "I feel funny talking about this with you," she admitted after a few minutes.
"What?"
"I don't know. It's just…this is like a girl thing."
"Ash, you don't have girl things," he cracked and she slapped him on the arm.
"Seriously, what could be so bad that you can't tell me?" he raised an eyebrow. Over the years he had grown closer to Ashley and she became his little sister as well. She used to call in the middle of the night during college or after a boy had broken her heart and when Amy wasn't around for whatever reason, Ben was the one that usually heard all about it. That happened several times and by then a bond had somewhat formed between them and had been there ever since, sometimes to his wives annoyance.
"He wants a baby," she spat out.
Ben just started laughing.
"I don't see what's so funny!"
"You and Henry are in a fight because he wants a baby? I don't see what's so wrong about that!"
"You had a kid at fifteen Ben, no shit," she sneered.
"Ashley you're twenty-eight and the diner is doing great. Why not? What are you so afraid of?"
She looked away. "There's more isn't there?" he guessed.
"Isn't there always?" she agreed. "He wants to have a kid…after we get married," she said quietly.
"What?" Ben's eyes grew huge.
"I know!!"
He shook his head. His best friend had a thing for Ashley ever since they first met when she was thirteen and he hung out with her as friends until she turned twenty-one, just like she told him to. Of course they both dated other people but it was never serious for Henry and when it got serious for Ashley with a guy, he would get all depressed for weeks thinking that she had forgotten all about him. It was actually a woman's reaction and Ben had told him so many times, just to be cussed at. In the end though, Henry won and they started dating, and breaking up, and dating again; it was a vicious cycle they had although they both loved each other.
"It's about time!" Ben exclaimed.
"What is that supposed to mean?" she narrowed her eyes.
"Ashley, the kid has a thing for you since you were a teenager!"
"I saw it coming," Amy said as she came from their bedroom.
"Oh good, come to everyone else's defense," Ashley rolled her eyes.
"Oh shut up. You love him, we all know it and he's crazy about you! What's the worst that could happen?" Amy questioned.
"It's just, things work great as they are right now. So many of my friends have gotten married just to tell me that it was better when they were just dating each other instead. I don't want to go down that road Amy; I can't," Ashley said quietly.
"You're not going to," Amy said putting her hand over her sister's. "You are so different from them and so is Henry! He's not going to let you go Ash and I can't see you letting him go either. You have always been in each others lives and I don't think either one of could fully function without the other."
She sighed but didn't say anything.
"Ashley?"
She turned around to see Janie coming downstairs looking confused. "What are you doing here?"
"Leaving. I need to fix some things at home," she said as she looked at her sister who smiled at her and nodded.
"I'll call you later."
Both of the adults nodded at that and Amy's face grew sour. "Which one?"
Ashley laughed. "What's the point? You're both going to find out."
Adrian shut her car door as she juggled her cup of coffee, purse and multitude of folders. She sighed and shook the hair out of her face when she was done and marched toward the school, what little smile she had on her face was erased when she saw who was in the office.
"Well Mr. Underwood, I think you'd be a fine addition to our staff," the principal was saying as he shook his hand. "This must be your lucky day," he chuckled as he spotted Adrian heading their way.
"What is this?" Adrian asked, not trying to hide her disgust.
Her boss looked right over it and smiled at her. "Ms. Lee this is Mr. Underwood and I think you two will become close friends, seeing as how you'll be working with each other," he said as he walked away.
"What?!"
"Oh what's the matter Adrian?" Ricky asked with his easy going grin.
"Don't talk to me," she muttered as she stalked away from the man.
"Adrian," he said as he caught up with her. "How was I supposed to know that you were the school counselor huh?"
"Why are you here Ricky?"
"Because I work here now. With you," he said the last part sweetly and she rolled her eyes in disgust.
"Doing what?" she crossed her arms.
"Social work."
"You have to be kidding me," she snorted.
"I could say the same about you, Ms. Counselor."
"Whatever. Look we have two separate offices, so we will not be talking got that? If I need you, I'll email you," she turned on her heel and left.
"Hello?"
"It's me, we have to talk. Now."
"Adrian, it's my day off," Ben complained as Amy smiled beside him.
"Look Boykewich, I don't give a damn if you take every sappy anniversary off; get in here. Now."
"Adrian can't you just tell me now?"
She sighed. "Bring Amy with you," she said softly and he looked towards his wife in confusion.
"What?" she asked as Ben hung up the phone.
"Adrian wants to see us…"
"For what?"
He shrugged. "This better be good," he mumbled as he got up to go change.
"So how does this work?"
"I told you to stay in your own office," she spat at him.
"Well I have a job to do Adrian! Do we share students, what?"
"How about if they need help I can't give, I'll send them to you," she said in a duh fashion.
"Well what am I supposed to do until then?"
"Play with yourself, I don't care! Haven't you done this before!?"
He looked down. "Not really. I worked with a private practice before this but had to leave."
She looked at him severely but her curiosity got the better of her. "Why?"
"I got to close to a client of mine. She was a young girl," he was cut off as Adrian snorted and he glared at her. "She was a young girl that was abused by her father but didn't have anywhere else to go."
"You shacked up with your client?" she stared at him incredulously.
"Do I look that dumb to you?" he demanded.
"Do you want the honest answer?" she demanded back.
"Alright what's the big…"
Adrian turned to see Ben and Amy walk up to her office but then abruptly stop when they saw who was inside.
"Ricky," Amy was the first to say his name.
"Hey Amy," he smiled. "Boykewich," he muttered in Ben's direction.
"What's going on?" Ben demanded.
"This charming young man is now the school social worker," Adrian said in a grumpy fashion.
"Isn't that what you're for though? Why is he here?" Amy spoke up.
"Nice to see you too," Ricky rolled his eyes and Ben narrowed his eyes at him.
"If there's something that God forbid Adrian can't handle, that's where I come in. She's the counselor; I'm the social worker. It's quite easy to understand. Don't worry Boykewich, I'm not trying to steal your wife or anything," he said to Ben as he noticed Ben stepping in front of Amy as if to shield her.
"Please," Amy snorted. "Like I'd let you touch me again."
"I see some things haven't changed."
"Exactly, they haven't. So stay the hell away from our family," Ben snapped.
Ricky put his hands up in the air. "Calm down, damn. I don't even know your family."
"Good."