Family Matters

I looked down at the young boy sitting at the kitchen table drawing. I smiled and raised my cup of coffee to my face. He is so innocent, has never done anything wrong. I wish life was that way. I set the coffee down and turned to the sink, where a sink full of dishes waited for me. I turned on the water and got started. I began to think about my life, how it would have been so different if Alex had never introduced me to Ryan. If I would have never met Ryan, I would probably not have graduated college, let alone go. I wouldn’t have Deryk, or Benjamin, or Jace. I would be a girl, probably still living in my parents house, still getting into trouble.

I heard the door to the garage open and glanced to the side. Ryan and Nick walked in.

“Man, you gotta come to the competition in New York, it’s gonna be sick!” Nick exclaimed. I turned off the water and dried my hands.

“What competition?” I asked.

“Oh, hey Karli, um, a competition that is totally safe and completely not illegal.” Nick said with wide eyes.

“Nicholas, you better not be lying to me.” I threatened, standing in front of him.

“Nick, really, gotta freak out my wife?” Ryan asked.

“Yes, it’s so easy to freak her out.” Nick laughed.

“I should kill you right now, and then hide the evidence.” I said. Jace stood from the table and brought over the picture he was working on.

“Look daddy, I drew you!” He gleamed. Ryan knelt down and took the paper. I stole a glace, it was a stick figure of Ryan riding a skateboard and people cheering for him.

“This is awesome little man. I’m going to put this on the fridge right now!” Ryan smiled. I smiled and Jace yawned.

“Someone’s ready for a nap.” I said. Jace looked at me and shook his head.

“Nuh uh, I am really not tired.” He said, but yawned right after.

“Come on Jace, it’s only for two hours.” I said. He pouted and grabbed my hand. We walked out of the kitchen and into the living room, and up the stairs to his and Benjamin’s room. I pulled back the covers on Jace’s bed and Jace climbed in. I put the covers back over him and kissed his forehead and turned on his music and train night light. The drapes in his room make it pitch black, since lightening scares Jace. Jace turned to the wall and I walked out, closing the door most of the way. I walked into Deryk’s room and saw a mess, a complete mess. I sighed and groaned and walked out, and back down the stairs. Ryan and Nick were sitting in the living room talking, with the TV on.

“So, the prize is $60,000 and a four night stay at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. Everything free. You should, go, win and take your wife out for a few nights.” Nick said. I sat down in my Lay-Z Boy chair and put the recliner up, and grabbed the remote. I changed the channel to MTV and watched it.

“So Karli, can I do a competition in New York?” Ryan asked. I looked at him.

“Depending on how long it is. Deryk has his state basketball game on Saturday.” I said.

“I’d leave tomorrow, and be back Saturday morning, if no issues occur.” He said.

“I don’t know. Deryk really wants you at his game and it’s cutting it close.” I contemplated.

“Come on Karli, it’d be great, I could take all of you.” He said. I looked at him.

“The boys are not missing school.” I said flatly.

“Fine, at least think about it while I go get Deryk and Ben. I’ll talk to Deryk and see what he says.” Ryan offered.

“Fine, go get the boys.” I said. Ryan stood and walked out, Nick following close behind. I sighed and watched the program, not really paying attention. I have to clean the house. This sucks. I got up and grabbed the vacuum and got to vacuuming the carpet in the living room and dining room. I finished and left the vacuum by the stairs. I grabbed a hamper and walked up to Deryk’s room. I opened the door and turned on the light and got to picking up the clothes, I tell him to put the clothes down the shoot, but does he listen? No. I brought the hamper out and down the stairs. I went to the laundry room and started to sort the clothing.

The garage door opened and I heard four male voices talking at once. I smiled and Ben went to the fridge.

“Hey mom.” He said.

“Always to the fridge first. Never fails.” I laughed. He looked at me.

“You calling me fat?” He asked.

“No, just eat honey.” I said and put the first load of clothes in the wash and hit start. I walked out and Deryk was having a heated conversation with Ryan in the breakfast nook. I stood in the door way and Ryan looked up at me.

“Dad, you know how important this game is. If we win we go to nationals.” Deryk said.

“I know, but I haven’t skated in two years, maybe it’s time for a come back.” Ryan stated. Deryk looked at him, long and hard, with a look of anger.

“Whatever. Don’t come, I don’t care.” He said with a voice full of vemon, turned and walked past me, I soon heard his door slam. I looked at Ryan.

“I see that didn’t go so well.” I said.

“Nope, I want to be at his game, but I also want to skate.” He said.

“Maybe the next competition, or maybe one closer to home.” I said. He swallowed and walked out. I sighed and turned.

“Better go talk to Deryk.” I mumbled and walked into the kitchen, then the living room, and upstairs. I checked on Jace, he was still sleeping, good. I walked to Deryk’s room and knocked. Nothing. I knocked again, and there was nothing. I opened the door slowly and saw Deryk, laying on his bed, facing the wall, hugging pillow. I closed the door and walked over to him. He breating was choppy, which meant he was crying.

“Deryk.” I said. He took a deep breath and turned around, his face and eyes were red and wet. I sat next to him and he looked at me.

“I know you do care if dad’s at your game.” I said. He looked down.

“I know.” He said quietly.

“I told dad that if he wanted to skate, that he had to fund a competition closer to home. Not all the way across the country.” I said. Deryk wiped his eye and looked up at me.

“Why does dad still skate?” He asked. I looked at him.

“Well, he’s skated since he was really young and he loves it, like you love basketball, and Ben loves cross country, and Jace loves drawing. We all have something we love and we never want to stop.” I said.

“What do you love?” He asked, a slight smirk appearing on his face.

“Well, I love you, and Ben, and Jace, and dad, and my music, and a lot of other things.” I answered.

“Can we go to the park like we used to, and just hang out?” He asked me. I looked at his clock.

“Sure, just let me tell dad to watch Jace and Ben, and we’ll go.” I said. He smiled and we both got up. I walked downstairs and found Ryan on the computer, looking up competitions.

“I’m gonna take Deryk to the park. Watch Jace and Ben.” I said. Ryan nodded and didn’t acknowledge me. I rolled my eyes and grabbed my purse and found Dreyk waiting at the door. We walked out and got onto the sidewalk.

“So, tell me what’s really bothering you.” I said. H e looked at me with a confused stare.

“What do you mean?” He asked.

“I know when something’s bothering you. What is it?” I asked. He looked down, and put his hands in his pockets.

“That dad doesn’t really make an effort anymore.” He said. I looked at him.

“What do you mean?” I asked, worried about him.

“That, with my sports and school, you are really pushy, in a good way, and dad just sits there like he doesn’t care. He used to, but now he doesn’t.” He said. I put my arm around his waist and he put his head in my shoulder.

“Deryk, dad is just stubborn and doesn’t know how to be a proper dad yet.” I said. Deryk smiled and kicked a rock.

“Let’s go get ice cream instead.” I said, eyeing the ice cream stand on the other side of the street. Deryk looked up and nodded. We walked across the street and stopped at the stand. The person behind it smiled and looked at us.

“What can I get you?” He asked.

“Can I get a Double Chocolately Chip ice cream cone?” I asked. Deryk looked up at the menu thing and read through it.

“A Cookie Dough Caramel ice cream cone.” He said. The man smiled and got to work. I took out ten dollars and handed it to the man.

“Keep the change.” I said. Deryk stepped away with his ice cream cone and I looked up at him.

“How do you honestly feel about dad going away for a few days?” I asked.

“It sucks, I wanna spend more time with him, but he’s so wrapped up in his stupid skating that he doesn’t have the time, as he says.” Deryk said and licked the ice cream.

“How about me, you, Ben, and Jace go with dad to the competition?” I asked.

“I can’t miss practice mom.” He said.

“Practice is on Friday, if dad finds a competition close to home, we’d be gone Wednesday and Thursday and be back Friday. You wouldn’t miss it.” I said.

“What about school?” He asked me.

“Um, I guess you can miss two days, just get the homework done when you get back.” I said. He thought about it and nodded.

“If dad has found a competition.” He said. I smiled and we walked back home.