Ryan's Love (22 page)

“
About,
”
was all he said.

“
About Sunshine and the baby. About what happened to us and
the people who followed mom around all day taking her picture; as
well as breaking into the house and taking pictures of mom and
Sunshine while they were sleeping.
”

“
I
’
ll take care of all of the following and breaking into
our house stuff. But as far as Sunshine and the baby. I
can
’
t help you guys while that.
”

“
But
Dad,
”
I
say.

“
Son,
what do you want me to say. If I was her I
wouldn
’
t want to see or hear from you again either. That
video was hard to watch, and I
’
m not a hormonal
pregnant woman. Aside from praying, as well as crawling to her,
explaining to her what happened; then begging her to take you back.
There is nothing else you can do. Even if you do happen to find her
she probably won
’
t speak to you. I
really don
’
t know what else to tell you,
”
he said getting up off
the couch and stumbling into the kitchen and getting a tray filled
with sandwiches from the fridge.

I followed behind him.

“
Dad, I
can
’
t live without her. I don
’
t know what
I
’
d do if she doesn
’
t come back
home,
”
I
say.

He
doesn
’
t even look at me as he says,
“
Son I know exactly how
you feel. Your mom and I had a rough beginning too. Definitely not
as bad as you and Sunshine
’
s, but almost. I was
going thru some of the same feelings that you are. I almost lost
your mom and you three boys because of my stupid naive self, and
trusting the wrong type of people. But I got thru it. We got thru
it together. I just pray that things work out for you because if
they don
’
t, and she doesn
’
t come back, you will
be miserable for the rest of your life.
”

When he finished he looked up at me,
gave me a quick nod. Then left the kitchen with the full tray of
sandwiches and a bottle of water. Stumbling all the way back to his
and moms room. When everyone saw that he was in the room, they all
ran over to me.

“
What
did he say,
”
they all ask me at once.

I blew out my breath and readied
myself to answer but was interrupted by a loud banging on the front
door.

Boom Boom
Boom

“
What
the hell is that,
”
I say as I hop up and go to the door to open it, and
cuss out whoever was on the other side.

“
Wait, you don
’
t know who it
is,
”
Patrick says halting me.

“
So,
”
I say to him.

“
But
what if its someone who wants to do something to mom or
Sunshine,
”
Killian added.

“
Mom
is in the back with dad and Sunshine
’
s not here. Now
unless you all are afraid I
’
m opening this damn
door,
”
I say yanking the door open only to find Charlie
Sunshine
’
s best friend standing outside the house in the
pouring rain.

She was soaked thru her clothes and
she had her hand up ready to pound on the door again, when I yanked
the door open.

“
Oh.
Hi Ryan. Is your mother here? I really need to talk to
her,
”
she said shyly, trying her hardest not to look me in the
eye.

I know
why she
’
s acting like this towards me, and I hate that
she feels this way towards me. She is Sunshine
’
s best
friend. I wanted the first time we met to be on better
terms.

“
My
mother is not doing to well. She is sleep right now. Is there
anything that I can help you with,
”
I ask?

“
Who
is it,
”
Patrick says from behind me.

I see her eyes immediately search
his voice out, but drop back down when he steps up to the front
door. She flinches a bit when he steps out in front of me and
touches her shoulder.

“
Come
in out of the rain, Charlie. You
’
re soaking
wet,
”
he says trying to nudge her into the
house.

She steps back from underneath his
grasp and looks up at the both of us with scared but strong eyes.
If that makes any sense.

“
I
really shouldn
’
t. My plane will be
here soon. I have to get to the airport,
”
she says like she was
trying to figure out a way to get away from the two of
us.

“
But
what is it that you wanted to tell mom that was so
important,
”
I
asked?

“
Well, I don
’
t think I should tell
you. I mean. I can leave you my number that you can give to your
mom when she wakes up. Hopefully she has a chance to call before
its too late,
”
she says.

“
Too
late,
”
Patrick says in question form?

She
suddenly looks more nervous than she did a few seconds ago. I
don
’
t think she meant to say that last
part.

My brother got down in front of her
and laid it on thick.

“
Charlie, please tell us whats going on,
”
he says running his
hands up and down her arms.

Her eyes closed briefly as she
sighed and let him touch her.

“
Well, I guess it will be ok to tell you,
Patrick,
”
she says as he walks her into the house and into the living
room.

“
Charlie, your wet. Your going to get
sick,
”
Killian says as he walks over to her side; and places a
hand on her forehead

Patrick gives him a low growl,
causing him to look up at him and step back. Killian winks at
Charlie and strolls back to the hallway cabinet and retrieves a
blanket. He hands it to Patrick instead of Charlie and chuckles as
he walks back over to the couch, plopping himself down.

Patrick wraps the blanket around a
now shivering Charlie and continues to rub his hands up and down
her arms.

“
So
Charlie. What is it that you needed to tell mom that was so
important,
”
I
ask?

She shies away from me and back into
Patricks arms.

“
I
’
m sorry. Its just that Ryan is so hurt by you Ryan.
Its odd for me to be this close to you and not smack
you,
”
she said not looking up at me.

Patrick giggled under his breath, but
didn
’
t say anything.

“
I
know things are very messed up right now, but you will soon know
that nothing you think is true about is actually
true,
”
I
say.

She looks at me not fully believing
a word that I was saying.

“
So
Charlie, are you gonna tell me what you were going to tell
mom,
”
Patrick asks
her.

She blinks up at him and smiles
deep, then she releases a quick breath.

“
Ryan, I mean Sunshine is going to leave, and I
don
’
t know where she
’
s going or what to do
about it,
”
Charlie
cried.

Patrick drew her into his chest as
soothed her by smoothing her hair down and whispering into her ear
that everything was going to be ok.

“
Where is she at,
”
I ask?

“
I
really shouldn
’
t tell you. She is
going to be so upset with me if I tell you,
”
she
whispered.

I had
to still myself for a few seconds before I spoke to her again. I
was frantic to to know where Sunshine was at. I needed to find her
before she leaves from my life for good. But I
don
’
t want to speak too soon and my frustration and anger
show, scaring her off from telling me about
Sunshine.

“
Ok
come over here and sit down so I can explain to you the whole
situation. Then maybe you will feel comfortable telling me where
she is at,
”
I say to her pointing over to the couch.

I could tell she was struggling
within herself if she should sit or leave. When Patrick came into
her view she smiled and walked over to the couch and sat
down.

I went to the kitchen and poured her
a cup of coffee, from the steaming pot my mom had lift on the
stove; and added sugar and cream before I took it over to her and
sat down next to her on the couch. After taking a sip of the
coffee, she sat back into the couch carefully cupping the cup
between her shivering hands.

“
Ok,
so here is why today has been so crazy,
”
I say then tell her the
full story.

I told
her about how Rachel has been trying to come between us from the
beginning. How I stupidly trusted her and put myself in some
ill-advised situations. How Rachel was set straight, but what we
didn
’
t know was she was extremely unstable; and she was
going to come back with a force that blew us all away. I told her
how she followed Mom and Sunshine around and took pictures;
breaking into the house to take more as they slept. Then I told her
about how her and four guys with guns barged into the hotel we were
in and told us that if we didn
’
t have sex with her
she was going to shoot mom and Sunshine.

When I was finally finished telling
her everything, I was totally drained and thoroughly ashamed at
what happened.

“
Wow.
That is pretty crazy,
”
she gasped.

Then
she glances around the room at all of us. Slowly eyeing each one of
us with cautious eyes. She didn
’
t or
couldn
’
t look at Patrick again. Who she now shied away from
and slowly scooted to the far side of the couch, away from
him.

“
How
do I know you
’
re telling me the
truth,
”
she asked not looking up from her cup?

“
There is a video of everything. Even of her laughing at us
when everything was finished; and her telling us how stupid we were
for thinking she would really do anything to mom or Sunshine. That
she just wanted to make Sunshine leave me. That if she
couldn
’
t have me then she would make sure no one else wanted
me,
”
I
say.

“
A
video. Where is it,
”
she asked with increased
breathing.

Oh
there
’
s no way in hell I was going to let her watch that
video.

“
Its
over there,
”
I say pointing to the phone on the table.

She reaches for it but Patrick
quickly snatches it from the table before she could get
it.

“
You
don
’
t need to watch this,
”
he says to her while holding the
phone tight.

I could see that she was beginning
to get a little upset even though she was still soaked and
shivering.

“
Why not? You
don
’
t want me to see you having sex with that
woman,
”
she says pointing her finger into his
chest.

“
No,
actually I don
’
t. Its not one of my
best moments,
”
he says.