"Oh, Ryan!" Beverley came running up to the swings, Sharpay followed behind her, Mickey in her arms.
Beverley got to her knees in front of Ryan, taking him by the shoulders, she looked up at him. Ryan looked down. "Ryan look at me!" He did. "Don't you ever, ever do that to me again, okay?" He nodded and she threw her arms around him. "You had me so worried."
Mickey ran into his arms then. He ran his pudgy, toddler fingers around Ryan's face, as if looking for something. He had the most serious look on his face. "No owies?" he asked, brushing at Ryan's bangs.
"No," Ryan assured him, "I'm fine."
Beverley pulled Ryan back into her arms. She kissed his cheek. That was the moment that Ryan begant to weep. Quietly at first and then louder and with fervor. He cried for being ashamed, he cried for being scared, he cried for being confused. Beverley sat there with him, as it grew darker, rocking him and hushing him soothing.
It was a long while before she pulled him to his feet and led him back to their van, and drove him home. She brought him tea and sent him to bed. On his way up, he stopped in Sharpay and Winona's room.
"Decent?"
"Yeah," he heard Sharpay call, "C'mon in."
He entered slowly. Sharpay was sitting on the bed, Winona brushing out her hair. "Hi," he mumbled.
"Hey," they both replied.
"Shar, I--I wanna talk to Dad tomorrow."