A two way street to love.
Chapter 9: Routines Galore!
"So, Shawnie, how's life?"
"Well, Dad's good. He loves traveling and Jeanne is a pain-in-the-ass, but what are you going to do? I got to see the Yellowstone Nation Park right before I tried to catch the plane. That's why I didn't catch yours. I didn't want to leave." Shawn said sheepishly. I remember how insanely obsessed Shawn was with nature and the beauty of the world. I leaned over and ruffled his deep red hair.
"You've grown up so much!" I said. "I can't believe the last time I saw you was four years ago. You were only eight years old. It feels like forever ago."
"I know." We sat on the sand, looking out on the Atlantic Ocean and remembered the big split. I had been ten and Shawn, six. Our parents had fought for at least three years and finally they got sick of it. A few bricks were thrown. A few hearts shattered. Dad stayed in the house in New Mexico and Mom moved to Chicago. "He misses you."
"Oh, yeah? That explains the missed birthdays and him not even saying "hi" once in a while." I said bitterly.
"He told me the other night that he wishes he had fought for you harder and-"
"Yeah, right. Damn it, Shawn, why are our lives so freakin' messed up?" I stood and starting pacing. "I mean, I know we have it good compared to some, but still."
"I don't know Cacia. It's just God's plan for us." Shawn answered my rhetorical question.
"Don't go all religious on me Shawn Aiden O'Riley. Good God!" I flopped back on the sand. "Sorry, I'm all hyped up. Where's Mom?"
"Oh, see, now it gets interesting." he answered. "Mom would be in Chicago still. You know that dude she was with at the airport? She left with him, so... yeah."
"For some odd reason, I'm not surprised." I said.
"Right?"
"Well, anyway, come on. We've got to get you settled. I think I'm spending the night with the gang in the woods again so I left my stuff with Shani, but you're staying at the b-and-b." I stood up and pulled him up. We walked down East Main Street in comfortable silence until we got towards the end.
"Did Mrs. Lacey have her baby?" Shawn asked of the woman who owned the bed-and-breakfast we always stayed at. We even had our own rooms.
"Yeah. It was a boy, born on May third at..." I paused, trying to remember, "4:53 PM. He was 21 inches long, eight pounds, two ounces. His name is... Are you ready? Aiden Matthew Bock." Sean’s face kind of twisted.
"Really?' he asked, incredulously, "She named the baby after me?"
"Yeah, you're practically her son. And besides Aiden means like, fire, or something in Celtic and that's what Christopher is, so... worked out good." I summed up.
"Wow."
We got closer and closer to the b-and-b. There were little twinkling lights all around the outside of the house and then little solar-powered lights up the walk. The house was almost like a cottage. It was split-level, but HUGE! That's why Christopher Bock bought it though. Then when he met Lacey, they turned it into the b-and-b. As they say, the rest is history.
"Where's all your stuff?" I asked, suddenly realizing that he had only a backpack and a duffel bag.
"Oh, umm... well, Dad said he might, uh, come see Amber for a few days in like two weeks so I left the rest with him. I'll just have him bring it over when he does." Shawn babbled in less than ten seconds.
"What? Sorry, don't think I heard you right."
"Dad's bringing it when he comes in like a week or two."
"Wow. What nerve! I'll just make sure I'm behaving badly." I thought for a second. "Because what girl's father wants to see her making out with an older guy?"
"Cacia."
"Oh, come on." We walked inside. "We're here!" I yelled.
"Oh, my God!" Mrs. Lacey ran out of the kitchen, with flour in her hair and her apron on that said "I cook better than I look, which is pretty damn good!” screaming.
"Oh, my God!" Cole Richards mimicked. He ran out of the kitchen behind her. Lacey pulled Shawn into a big bear hug and then Cole tackled Shawn onto the couch. I had already come here yesterday when I arrived, so all I got was a hug, but I did get to finish our ritual. Cole said, "I can't believe you're here! That means it's..."
"SUMMER!" I finished.
"Whoo-hoo!"
"Alright you two! In the kitchen! All of you!" Lacey said. "Shawn, you're stuff goes in the corner for now!" Shawn obeyed and then we all followed her into the kitchen and sat at the table.
Lacey brought over milk and cookies, as was her normal routine when we both showed up.
"Well, Dad's good. He loves traveling and Jeanne is a pain-in-the-ass, but what are you going to do? I got to see the Yellowstone Nation Park right before I tried to catch the plane. That's why I didn't catch yours. I didn't want to leave." Shawn said sheepishly. I remember how insanely obsessed Shawn was with nature and the beauty of the world. I leaned over and ruffled his deep red hair.
"You've grown up so much!" I said. "I can't believe the last time I saw you was four years ago. You were only eight years old. It feels like forever ago."
"I know." We sat on the sand, looking out on the Atlantic Ocean and remembered the big split. I had been ten and Shawn, six. Our parents had fought for at least three years and finally they got sick of it. A few bricks were thrown. A few hearts shattered. Dad stayed in the house in New Mexico and Mom moved to Chicago. "He misses you."
"Oh, yeah? That explains the missed birthdays and him not even saying "hi" once in a while." I said bitterly.
"He told me the other night that he wishes he had fought for you harder and-"
"Yeah, right. Damn it, Shawn, why are our lives so freakin' messed up?" I stood and starting pacing. "I mean, I know we have it good compared to some, but still."
"I don't know Cacia. It's just God's plan for us." Shawn answered my rhetorical question.
"Don't go all religious on me Shawn Aiden O'Riley. Good God!" I flopped back on the sand. "Sorry, I'm all hyped up. Where's Mom?"
"Oh, see, now it gets interesting." he answered. "Mom would be in Chicago still. You know that dude she was with at the airport? She left with him, so... yeah."
"For some odd reason, I'm not surprised." I said.
"Right?"
"Well, anyway, come on. We've got to get you settled. I think I'm spending the night with the gang in the woods again so I left my stuff with Shani, but you're staying at the b-and-b." I stood up and pulled him up. We walked down East Main Street in comfortable silence until we got towards the end.
"Did Mrs. Lacey have her baby?" Shawn asked of the woman who owned the bed-and-breakfast we always stayed at. We even had our own rooms.
"Yeah. It was a boy, born on May third at..." I paused, trying to remember, "4:53 PM. He was 21 inches long, eight pounds, two ounces. His name is... Are you ready? Aiden Matthew Bock." Sean’s face kind of twisted.
"Really?' he asked, incredulously, "She named the baby after me?"
"Yeah, you're practically her son. And besides Aiden means like, fire, or something in Celtic and that's what Christopher is, so... worked out good." I summed up.
"Wow."
We got closer and closer to the b-and-b. There were little twinkling lights all around the outside of the house and then little solar-powered lights up the walk. The house was almost like a cottage. It was split-level, but HUGE! That's why Christopher Bock bought it though. Then when he met Lacey, they turned it into the b-and-b. As they say, the rest is history.
"Where's all your stuff?" I asked, suddenly realizing that he had only a backpack and a duffel bag.
"Oh, umm... well, Dad said he might, uh, come see Amber for a few days in like two weeks so I left the rest with him. I'll just have him bring it over when he does." Shawn babbled in less than ten seconds.
"What? Sorry, don't think I heard you right."
"Dad's bringing it when he comes in like a week or two."
"Wow. What nerve! I'll just make sure I'm behaving badly." I thought for a second. "Because what girl's father wants to see her making out with an older guy?"
"Cacia."
"Oh, come on." We walked inside. "We're here!" I yelled.
"Oh, my God!" Mrs. Lacey ran out of the kitchen, with flour in her hair and her apron on that said "I cook better than I look, which is pretty damn good!” screaming.
"Oh, my God!" Cole Richards mimicked. He ran out of the kitchen behind her. Lacey pulled Shawn into a big bear hug and then Cole tackled Shawn onto the couch. I had already come here yesterday when I arrived, so all I got was a hug, but I did get to finish our ritual. Cole said, "I can't believe you're here! That means it's..."
"SUMMER!" I finished.
"Whoo-hoo!"
"Alright you two! In the kitchen! All of you!" Lacey said. "Shawn, you're stuff goes in the corner for now!" Shawn obeyed and then we all followed her into the kitchen and sat at the table.
Lacey brought over milk and cookies, as was her normal routine when we both showed up.