Chapter 7
Ronnie sat at the kitchen counter Saturday morning, reading the sports section and sipping some coffee. The sun was streaming in the window promising a beautiful day. Leslie walked in the kitchen, still in her robe, hair pilled on top of her head in disarray from the nights sleep. She smiled at him as she poured herself a cup from the pot, "Morning Ronnie."
"Morning. Did you sleep well? My dad?" Leslie knew Ronnie was asking about Robert and his health more than anything.
"He's doing fine this morning Ronnie. He's just in the shower right now. He's going to be okay you know." Leslie put her hand on his shoulder and gave it a slight squeeze of reassurance. Ronnie struggled for composure, and then just gave her a quick nod of thanks. Everyday, Ronnie feared he would get a call on his cell phone that something had happened to his father. He lived in constant fear of losing him. Leslie always managed to soothe those fears away.
"I'm surprised Nicky isn't up and at 'em already, it's like 10 o'clock already. He's never been a late riser!" Ronnie frowned a little. Looking towards the stairs, he wondered if Aubrey was up there with him, having sex with his brother. Ugh. Was it too early for a drink? He had to get over this obsession he had with her. He was afraid it was becoming common knowledge that little Ronnie Garrett had the hots for his big brother's girl.
"Oh, Nick is already gone. I ran into him this morning when I came down to get your father's medicine. He was going over to Eddie's place. They were having an early morning celebration over their good news."
"What good news?" Ronnie was going to be sick. Please God, let it be anything but a proposal. If Nick and Aubrey were going to get married he would have to leave the state, maybe even the country. The pain of it would just be too much to bear.
"Well, I assumed that after Nick talked to us last night he went to talk to you too. You don't know about Sam?"
"What about Sam?" Leslie started to fill Ronnie in on all the details about Sam's paternity. He half listened as she told the story that was not so unfamiliar to him. Everyone had suspected that Sam was Nick's son, it was just out in the open now. All the while she was talking; he was just relieved it wasn't about Aubrey. Yup, it was going to be a beautiful day.
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Ray pulled the sheet over his head, rolled over and groaned. No doubt his hangover was coming on with full force. The sun was too bright and the sound of his bedside clock's ticking was too loud. After storming out of Hannah's place last night, he went to his house, and straight to the liquor cabinet. He felt the occasion warranted something harder than a six-pack of beer. He proceeded to down too many shots to recall and pass out on his couch. Sometime in the middle of the night after barely making it to the bathroom, he crawled upstairs to the debatable comfort of his bed. Waking up in the morning, memories of the day before came crashing down around him. Hannah was lost to him forever. He would not be able to go back. She had taken what little faith and trust he had left and stomped on it. Sighing, Ray decided to get out of bed and face the day. He had the twins at noon and needed to call Christine to tell her to drop them off at the house instead of at Hannah's. Sitting up, the room spun out of control. Shit, Shit, SHIT! Holding his hand over his mouth and not moving for a few seconds, he managed to hold off the vomit creeping up his throat. Taking a few deep breaths through his nose, he waited till the room stopped spinning. He got up carefully then made a mad dash to the toilet. All dignity lost, Ray sat on the bathroom floor and cried over the loss of 4 ½ of the best years of his life. Today was definitely going to be a bad day.
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Nick hung up the phone and turned to the guys. They were all joking around and making fun of Eddie, who refused to tell Janet he loved her in front of the guys. Eddie threw a pillow across the room at Phys for his smart mouth and it started a ruckus. Bagels, plastic knives, pillows and crumbled up paper cups flew back and forth across the room in a good old-fashioned food fight. Ikey threw a bagel and it hit Owen square in the chest.
"IKEY!!' Owen thundered and everyone froze.
"Dude, I'm sorry, I just got caught up in the moment and…" Before Ikey could finish, Owen threw a banana at his head and shouted,
"You're fair game now, buddy.." Owen was smiling and everyone relaxed as the banana sailed past Ikey's left ear.
"You never could throw worth a damn O." Eddie broke in and they all started laughing. Nick realized that things were going to be okay with the guys, they would work it out.
"So Nicky, was that Hannah on the phone?" Ikey fidgeted with his baseball cap and pulled on it a little. He kept glancing over at Owen; maybe there was some hope for him and his former best friend.
"Yeah, she wants to meet at one to tell Sam. She also said Big Cat didn't take the news so hot. He left her last night."
"Hey man, that's great, maybe now you and Hannah…" Phil started but was cut off by Nick.
"She's all busted up and confused right now. I gotta play long-ball on this one, right O?"
"That's right Nicky. Long-ball."
"What the hell are you two talking about?" Eddie asked, clearly confused. Phil and Ikey had the same looks of confusion on their faces too.
"It's a long story fellas, a long story."
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Sam pedaled home as fast as he could. He was late, but not by much. Surely Ma wouldn't punish him over a mere, he glanced at his wristwatch, twenty minutes? Swerving his bike straight through the gate and up the path to his front door, he screeched to a halt with an expertise known to many ten year old boys. Dropping his bike where he stopped, he leapt off and ran up the porch steps. Just as he was about to open the door, Ma's head poped out and they both gave a little yelp of surprise.
"Ahhhh!" Sam yelled!
"SAM!" Hannah exclaimed. "You're late mister."
"Sorry Ma, sorry. But Doodie…." Hannah cut him off.
"Never mind Sam, come inside." Now that it was time, Sam was nervous. His back to the living room, Sam put his bike helmet in the front closet and turned around. The first thing he noticed was Nick sitting on the couch. He had a goofy look on his face like he had never seen him before.
"Heyah Nick, what goes on?" Sam started saying 'What goes on' in emulation of his hero.
"Heyah Sam. Nothing much, just enjoying the fine weather the Ridge has to offer. Have a good adventure on the streets with Doodie?"
"Yeah, we had a blast. Are you staying for lunch?"
"Yes, I am. Your mom is making some sandwiches in the kitchen right now. Hungry?"
"Starved." Sam hesitated. There was a lull in the conversation so he jumped on the opportunity. "What are you doing here Nick? No offense, but you have never actually hung out at our place for any type of meal or anything. Are you and Ma becoming friends again?"
"You could say that your mom and I came to some understandings. But yeah, we're friends again."
Just then Hannah called out from the kitchen, "Lunch's Ready!!!" Nick and Sam stood up and walked into the kitchen and sat at the table.
"Looks great Hannah Jane. Is that corned beef? It's my…"
"Favorite. I know." Hannah smiled at Nick and sat down to her own sandwich. They ate in silence for what seemed an eternity. Nick glanced at Hannah and gave her a look. Hannah looked at Nick as if to say you start. After a few minutes of this back and forth, Sam interrupted the silence.
"So, are you guys going to tell me Nick is my dad today, or are you gonna wait till I'm fifty?"
