Chapter 27

"Here we are," Audrey said a few days later. "A whole stash of snacks, the remote, your favorite blankie, and your beer. Mom even compromised and got you a whole carton of cigarettes. Now is there anything else you'd like?"

"Yeah," Brian said, "you girls not fussing over me would be nice. Jesus, I'm not dying anytime soon. I can't even take a shit in peace without you two sending out the search party."

"Doctor told you to rest a few days," Steffi pointed out. "And you should be nice to me for letting you smoke in the house temporarily."

"Oh, aren't you special," he teased.

"I am," she smiled back. "Once you're really healed up and a very good boy, there's something else for you too."

"LALALALALALALALALALA!!!" Audrey covered her ears. "Okay, Mom, I don't need to hear any of that part of yours and Daddy's lives!"

"Why not? That's half the reason for yours and your brother's existence," Brian joked, lighting a cigarette.

"Thanks, Daddy, but I really don't need that vision burned into my brain," Audrey shook her head.

Steffi looked at the clock. "Half an hour. Told you it would be less than two hours before he lit one," she said to Audrey.

"What the hell? You two are making bets now on how much I smoke? You need a hobby." Brian rolled his eyes, flipping TV channels.

"Is something burning out here?" Barbara asked when she came out a few minutes later before spying her son on the couch. "Brian David, are you smoking in the house?"

"Fucking hell, is this Gang Up on Brian Day?" he asked.

"Watch your language," she said sternly. "There are ladies in this room and I raised you better than that."

"It's perfectly fine, Barb," Steffi reassured her. "He can smoke temporarily in here until he's healed up, and as for the language, we're pretty much immune to it by now."

"He's probably used worse than that in the locker room," Audrey added, picking up food wrappers and dumping them in the wastebasket.

The phone rang. "I got it!" Heath yelled from upstairs.

"He's expecting a call from Kellie," Audrey said with a giggle.

"Hey Dad!" Heath bellowed down a few minutes later. "Pick up the phone. Some big shit from the talent office wants to talk to you about doing a documentary."

"A what?" Brian looked confused.

"Yeah. They sound real excited. Pick up."

"This should be fascinating," Brian said as Audrey handed him the extension receiver with a grin.

"We'll be in the kitchen while you wheel and deal," Steffi said, beckoning to both her mother in law and daughter to follow.

Later:

"So let me get this straight," Paul said, "they want to do a whole documentary on the mall hold up thing and you going in there after Audi?"

"Yep," Brian nodded eagerly. "And they want to interview Audrey for a part of it too, though I'm not sure about either putting my own kid out there or if she's even ready to relive that whole thing. I don't want to force her beforehand, and you know how I've always felt about keeping the kids away from the spotlight. I want her and Heath to live as normal lives as possible."

"Have you talked to her about it?"

"Sure. Audrey says she's okay with it and seems excited about the whole project, but I'm still kind of uneasy."

"Well, if she's all right with it, I don't see a problem. Dude, it isn't like someone's going to come along and grab her again. You and I both know the place is wall to wall with security to keep the nuts away."

"That's not what worries me," Brian sighed. "I know she'll be safe there; hell, I'll be there with her, but it's just the effect this whole thing could have on her at school or wherever she goes."

"Or it could be a learning experience for both Audi and girls her age. You may also stop to think that this could also be a good influence on Heath. His sister just went through a hellish thing, his old man risked his own ass to save her. That's kind of a big thing to any kid Heath's age, let alone the boy himself."

Brian gave his best friend a look. "I don't know what the hell you were smoking today, but I suggest you stay on it more often. You're actually making sense."

"I can be smart," Paul sniffed. "I mean compared to you sometimes, I can be considered a genius."

"Oh right, Mr. College Man. I will have you know I may not have gone to a fancy college or even paid attention in school much, but I have street smarts, which, by the way, I have passed on to my loving and handsome son."

"And apparently your daughter, along with your mouth," Paul laughed. "From what Frannie told me from the news reports, Audi didn't take any shit off those guys who held her either."

"That's right. Mama and I taught our babies well. They may be short, but they're sassy."

"Yeah, and God help us if either of them follow your footsteps into the business," Paul sighed.

"Anyway," Brian grinned, "getting back to this documentary thing……….."