Fanfic: B&S episode 607: part 1/4
Season 6 - Episode 7 - PEOPLE WILL SAY WE'RE IN LOVE
By Marea67
About: Brothers & Sisters (general)
Rate: Can’t go higher than PG-13, as this is American Television, but I may add a few ‘deleted scenes’ here and there. ;)
Disclaimer: Just escaping from reality here, not created for financial gain
Summary: It is my very own season 6, you guys! Go with it! ;) Don’t complain! If YOU can do better, post your own story! (I dare you!)
Warning: This episode is one those few when religious nut-cases go “I’ve been watching this show since it started, but now they are suddenly pushing the gay-agenda on me by having two men kiss, I quit.” … Bwahahahaha!
*****
Starring:
Also:
Also appearing: Evan McCallister,
***** Part 1/4 *****
“Scotty, I’m so terribly, terribly sorry about all the mess my nephew left behind.” Saul says and Scotty nods.
“Saul, you’ve apologized at least 15 times to me. It’s alright. It’s not your fault, nor is it Kevin’s or Julia’s. Tommy chose to walk away. His decision.”
“He made such a mess of everything.”
“No. He made changes that we don’t understand. He might have had a good reason to do so, we just haven’t figured it out yet.”
“You’re way too kind about him.”
“It serves no purpose to get angry... Don’t feed the ulcers.” Scotty sighs philosophically.
“Too late.” Saul replies softly and then both he and Scotty start to laugh.
“We just have to do the best we can with what we have. Be creative and resourceful. I’m sure we will running ‘as usual’ soon enough.” Scotty says encouraging.
“I keep saying that to myself as well, but every time I think we’re nearly there, I find out that something is missing, people aren’t paid, orders not given … Very frustrating.”
“I agree. But complaining about it all the time, isn’t helping.” Scotty says resignedly, tired of hearing the same words from Saul over and over again.
*****
“Mom! Mom, can Roddy come and play here today?” Cooper asks.
“The new boy in your class? Sure, honey, it’s nice of you to ask him.” Sarah agrees and Cooper doesn't want to tell her that Roddy has been kind of asking himself over. Joe finishes up Cooper’s sandwiches, slides over Paige’s lunch-package.
Sarah catches it without even noticing that she did it and she hands it to Paige. Joe and Sarah look at each other over the table and smile at each other. There was a time when they were this well-oiled machine that managed to get two children, three if Gabe was staying, on their way to school in a limited amount of time.
Somehow that old feeling of blindly knowing where the other one is, is still in their system. Paige sees it happening and finds it all confusing. She knows that her mom is happy with Luc, even though they haven’t seen much of him lately, but at the same time, there is this strange familiarity to seeing Sarah and Joe be together like they used be when she grew up and when they were still a family.
Gabe enters the room.
“Hi, honey, sleep well last night?”
“Yes.” Gabe smiles at Sarah and then gives his half-sister a quick kiss on the cheek. “I think that Paige must be happy to sleep in her own bed again as well.”
“It was kind of weird, but good. I’m glad you slept through the whole night.”
“Sarah, dad,… I’m staying with Michael and Susan after school. I don’t think I’ll be home before nine.”
“That’s fine, Gabe.” Joe says.
“And you don’t have to pick me up, mom, I’m going with uncle Kevin, I want to help Olivia some more.”
“I’m glad that you and Olivia get along so well.” Sarah smiles and Paige nods. She doesn’t plan to tell Sarah that her real reason for going is that she hopes to see Mateo again.
“Agatha’s mother is here, I have to go….” Paige quickly kisses her mother and father and rushes off. Cooper is right behind her about to be picked up by the mother of another friend and Gabe takes the car-keys, glad that, while Joe’s leg is still broken, he’s allowed to use Joe’s car.
From the living-room, where he’s sketching, Luc watches how easily Joe and Sarah work with and around each other. His teeth are clenched. He tries not to be jealous, he keeps telling himself that Joe is here only for a few more weeks, but it’s getting harder to ignore that Sarah and Joe are growing closer to each other again.
*****
“Hey, buddy, what are you doing here in your room?” Seth asks. Evan shrugs, while continue to play listlessly with his dinosaurs. “Is something the matter? You’re not sick, are you? Tummy-ache or something?” Evan shakes his head. “Are you angry?” Evan shakes his head again. “Are you sad?” Again the boy’s head shakes.
“What is the matter?” Seth lifts him up and Evan nestles closer to him.
“Mommy is going to love that new baby more than me.” He finally sighs.
“What? What makes you say that?”
“She likes him better than me already.” Evan shrugs.
“First of all, we don’t know if it will be a him or her, maybe it will be girl. And I’m sure that mommy loves you very much too, and so do I…. But why do you think she loves the baby more than you?”
“She doesn’t talk about anything else…”
“I’m sure she must have been same way when she was waiting for you to be born.”
“You don’t know?”
“No. She was with your father, Robert, then.”
“Oh.” Evan is quiet for a few moments, but then asks: “Did he want me?”
“I suppose so. Who would not want you?” Seth smiles. Evan can’t answer the question, but seems to be still be in deep thoughts over this.
“Did mommy also have a large baby-room for me?”
“I don’t know, kiddo, your mom and Robert lived at a ranch. I’ve never been there.”
“I can’t remember much.”
“That is not so strange. You were just a baby… But, you know what? If your mom comes home, we’ll ask her, alright? … Shall we play with the dinosaurs a bit more?”
“Yes, but quietly. I have a sleeping T-Rex over there….” Evan warns.
*****
Kevin knocks on the door of Chad’s dressing-room and Chad opens up to let Kevin in.
“What? No Scotty?” Chad’s question makes Kevin smile sadly.
“No. He had to work. The only way to get him out of this hotel or Café 429 is to surgically remove him.”
“That bad?”
“Don’t get me started. Where is your better half?”
“He got a call from Fawn and rushed off to the hospital.”
“Oh, sorry, that can’t be good.”
“No, usually it’s not.” Chad sighs.
“Did he find out anything about the hotel? Jason was investigating it after all.”
“The worst that ever happened to the place was a fire in 1928. It raged through the 5th floor, but there were no casualties reported.
It used to be a place where they did all sort of cleaning and repairing. They assume a boiler exploded, or something. I don’t remember all the details, but there is no reason for anyone to haunt us, because at the time of the fire, there was no one here.”
“So we can strike that of the list?”
“My money is still on the ancient Indian burial ground.” Chad jokes and Kevin laughs, as he looks out the window.
“Nice view.”
“Yes, it is very pretty.” Chad agrees.
Standing behind Kevin, he lets his hands rest on Kevin’s hips. Chad can feel a little jerk in Kevin’s body, as if he’s not used to being touched anymore. Chad lets his head rest against Kevin’s shoulder.
“Is everything alright between you and Scotty?”
“No.” Kevin says. “Scotty is drowning in work. Tommy left us several days ago and we’re still trying to see what he has done in the time that he was at Café 429. Tommy implemented changes that he didn’t tell Saul and Scotty about,… or perhaps he didn’t have the time to do so. Scotty still believes there’s some good in Tommy. I don't.
Orders are incorrect, food has to be send back, we’re overstocked on one thing, but lack other ingredients. There is a sort of constant panic in the kitchen at 429, where everyone’s living on a hope and a prayer. Saul, Scotty and Angie are working long days, they make mistakes, have to revise… more panic.
Scotty was busy before Tommy left, but now, he’s practically invisible. And, what is worse, he doesn’t keep up with his appointments. Yesterday he forgot to pick up Olivia from soccer-practice. She knows she’s not allowed to travel alone on the bus. Scotty’s phone was off, because he was in a meeting.
She couldn’t reach me, because I was in court, thinking Scotty would pick up Olivia. So, she sent Scotty and me a text that she had called Mateo and that he would pick her up on his way to see his grandmother. She went with him to the hospital and had a great time with Mateo’s grandmother. But that is not the point.
I then had to pick up Mateo and Olivia at the hospital, go get Daniel at mom’s place, call Scotty to confirm that, only to discover that he was still in a meeting, hadn’t heard or seen Olivia’s call and forgotten that he was supposed to have picked up Daniel….He forgot about Daniel.
I get that he can’t always change his schedule at the last moment and that he has a job to do, but so do I. He knows the rules: If something is not possible, then say it,... We have a baby-sitter, we have a safety-net, we have people we can rely on, but…. forgetting appointments altogether makes it difficult to depend on those safety-nets ….”
“How did Scotty feel about it all?” Chad asks.
“He was very upset when he came home, he apologized several times. Olivia could see the humor of it. Mateo didn’t mind. But it’s not how I imagined things would be. I knew it would be hard work, but …. This is getting to be too much….”
Kevin turns in Chad’s arms, suddenly feeling the need for some comfort and Chad holds him tightly for a few seconds, before he kisses the side of Kevin’s head, just above his ear.
“It’s going to be alright.” Chad promises and he lets his forehead rest against Kevin’s with a certain comfortable intimacy.
“I miss Scotty. I miss my husband. I miss having him with me.” Kevin’s voice is close to a whisper. “I have to assume it’s only temporary. I have to believe it will all work out… I know, I shouldn’t complain. We have so much to be grateful for, but…. I miss him.” Kevin repeats. Chad pulls him into an embrace and Kevin's mouth is now only inches away from Chad’s….
*****
“So, you’ll be staying at Nora’s house even longer?” Rebecca asks. Holly can still be surprised about inventions such as Skype, but she’s glad she can actually see her daughter and that Rebecca can see for herself that Holly is doing great and feeling even better.
“Nora says she doesn’t mind. I’m not tied to her. I can move about freely and I’ve done my Christmas shopping already and … it was nice to bring back memories… even the not so good ones.”
“Such as?”
“Our food-fight at the opening of Walker Landing.. Not proud of that…”
“I still wish I could have seen it.” Rebecca smiles. “Justin used to laugh his head off whenever he remembered the two of you afterwards.” Her face softens when she mentions Justin.
That hasn’t happened in a long time and Holly assumes that Rebecca’s wounds are healing as well.
“It must have been something…” Holly now smiles as well. “Nora and I visited the former Ojai offices, but there have been too many changes made. It’s nowhere near the Ojai Foods we used to know… We plan to drive to Ojai later this week.”
“You and Nora?” Rebecca still can’t believe it is possible that her mother, as William’s mistress, could have managed to build a friendship with William’s wife.
“Well,…” Holly tries to carefully choose her words. “It seems that Nora also has a question or two about William. Especially now that this Brody is back in her life, she, too, has been spending a lot of time thinking about the past and about how she just accepted William’s words as the truth, even if they might not have been.
We want to see if we can find out more about William, when we’re in Ojai. It’s where he came from and where we hope to find out what is true and what isn’t.”
“Sounds exciting.” Rebecca laughs. “Snooping around, looking for the past. Holly and Nora, Private Investigators….” She finishes dramatically.
“We already bought matching trench-coats…” Holly laughs, but then she continues more seriously. “When are you guys planning on coming back? It’s been months now and … I miss you guys.”
“We’ve had quite some unforeseen troubles and it didn’t help that half the crew, including dad, got sick with a stomach-bug, or that the place we were filming got robbed, forcing us to buy new equipment, but it’s all working out. The plan is that we’re here until Christmas or just afterwards.
We should be back by the end of the year for sure and I hope to be celebrating the new year with you…. Oh! Rick is calling me, I have to leave…. Bye, mom, love you.”
“Love you too.” Holly says as well and then Rebecca is gone and Holly stares at her screen.
*****
“Why are there always emergencies on our lunch-breaks?” Dan wonders.
“Don’t know. Some people are just inconsiderate?” Justin offers as an explanation. “We’d better brace ourselves though. The accident has been reported by a few hysterical calls to 911. There seems to huge pile-up of cars.”
“Well, maybe it’s not as a bad as it looks.” Dan says softly and Justin quietly hopes he’s right. Car pile ups remind him of the huge accident that claimed the life of his brother-in-law. However, he needs to be realistic.
“They would not have called us as extra back-up, if there were just minor bruises.”
Dan quietly agrees and when they arrive at the scene of the accident, he immediately knows that Justin’s little prayers have been in vain.
“Are you going to be okay, man?” Dan asks, quickly looking at Justin to see his reaction, because he knows what sights like these mean to him. Justin nods.
“Let’s get it over with.” He sighs. As there are already paramedics attending to the those in back of the pile-up, Dan and Justin carefully move more to the front. A police-officer stops them.
“We could use some extra assistance at the heart of the accident, over there.”
“We’ll get there.” Dan nods and again Justin is surprised by how careful Dan can be with the ambulance, even though he’s usually such a speed-devil. Arriving at the front of the accident, they both hold their breath. The fire-department is busy with one car, the police is talking to passengers of another car.
“I could use help!” Someone yells and Dan immediately answers to the call. “I can’t get her free. She’s pregnant, complains of pain in her belly….” Justin just stares at the young man, who’s talking to Dan. He’s covered in blood.
“Thanks. I’ll see what I can do. My colleague will have a look at you.” Dan says.
The young man seems to only now turn around and notice Justin and for a moment he’s frozen to the ground.
“Justin.” He’s not sure if he’s happy to see Justin or not.
“Oh, my God, Ryan?”
*****
Kevin can still appreciate looking at a shirtless Chad and Chad, feeling that Kevin looks at him, smiles at Kevin.
“Feeling better? A bit more relaxed?”
“It certainly helped…. I’m so sorry.”
“For what?”
“For ruining your shirt with my tears.”
“Oh, that. I have to admit I was a bit surprised by the outburst, but it’s alright. My shirt can be cleaned, you know. Are you sure you are okay?”
“Yeah, I think it all got to me a bit. I was really feeling sorry for myself.”
“The two of you have been under a lot of pressure.” Chad reasons.
“I know, but it’s no excuse for making a fool of myself though.” Kevin rubs his face and Chad puts some cold water on a guest-towel and hands is to Kevin, so he can freshen up too.
“You had a good cry. You obviously needed it. Better let go of your frustrations here, with me, than in the middle of a court-room.” Chad winks and Kevin shudders at the thought.
“Oooh, I don’t want to think about that possibility.” But then he laughs. “You’re a good friend, you know?”
“I guess that I’m learning a lot from Jason.” Chad replies modestly, gladly giving credit to the man he loves. “Come on, let’s get something to eat. That is why you came here.”
“Yes. Good idea. Something really good, tasty and completely unhealthy.”
“You got it!” Chad laughs and pushes Kevin out the door.”
*****
“Are you hurt? … You’re covered in blood.” Justin awkwardly states.
“I’m fine, I think. I escaped the accident by a hair. My car is over there… I just went back to see if I could help… This blood isn’t mine. It’s from that guy there…” He points at the car, surrounded by firemen.
“…. The driver is badly wounded, unconscious, but there was a child in the car with him. I had to reach over the wounded guy to get to the child…”
“Child okay?”
“In that ambulance over there.” Ryan says, following Justin to another car.
Justin looks over at Dan, who’s helping the pregnant woman by calming her down. He turns to Ryan.
“If you’d rather not get involved any further….?” He says.
“How can I help?” Ryan answers instead.
*****
End of part 1/4
**** COMMERCIAL BREAK****
By Marea67
About: Brothers & Sisters (general)
Rate: Can’t go higher than PG-13, as this is American Television, but I may add a few ‘deleted scenes’ here and there. ;)
Disclaimer: Just escaping from reality here, not created for financial gain
Summary: It is my very own season 6, you guys! Go with it! ;) Don’t complain! If YOU can do better, post your own story! (I dare you!)
Warning: This episode is one those few when religious nut-cases go “I’ve been watching this show since it started, but now they are suddenly pushing the gay-agenda on me by having two men kiss, I quit.” … Bwahahahaha!
*****
Starring:
Also:
Also appearing: Evan McCallister,
***** Part 1/4 *****
“Scotty, I’m so terribly, terribly sorry about all the mess my nephew left behind.” Saul says and Scotty nods.
“Saul, you’ve apologized at least 15 times to me. It’s alright. It’s not your fault, nor is it Kevin’s or Julia’s. Tommy chose to walk away. His decision.”
“He made such a mess of everything.”
“No. He made changes that we don’t understand. He might have had a good reason to do so, we just haven’t figured it out yet.”
“You’re way too kind about him.”
“It serves no purpose to get angry... Don’t feed the ulcers.” Scotty sighs philosophically.
“Too late.” Saul replies softly and then both he and Scotty start to laugh.
“We just have to do the best we can with what we have. Be creative and resourceful. I’m sure we will running ‘as usual’ soon enough.” Scotty says encouraging.
“I keep saying that to myself as well, but every time I think we’re nearly there, I find out that something is missing, people aren’t paid, orders not given … Very frustrating.”
“I agree. But complaining about it all the time, isn’t helping.” Scotty says resignedly, tired of hearing the same words from Saul over and over again.
*****
“Mom! Mom, can Roddy come and play here today?” Cooper asks.
“The new boy in your class? Sure, honey, it’s nice of you to ask him.” Sarah agrees and Cooper doesn't want to tell her that Roddy has been kind of asking himself over. Joe finishes up Cooper’s sandwiches, slides over Paige’s lunch-package.
Sarah catches it without even noticing that she did it and she hands it to Paige. Joe and Sarah look at each other over the table and smile at each other. There was a time when they were this well-oiled machine that managed to get two children, three if Gabe was staying, on their way to school in a limited amount of time.
Somehow that old feeling of blindly knowing where the other one is, is still in their system. Paige sees it happening and finds it all confusing. She knows that her mom is happy with Luc, even though they haven’t seen much of him lately, but at the same time, there is this strange familiarity to seeing Sarah and Joe be together like they used be when she grew up and when they were still a family.
Gabe enters the room.
“Hi, honey, sleep well last night?”
“Yes.” Gabe smiles at Sarah and then gives his half-sister a quick kiss on the cheek. “I think that Paige must be happy to sleep in her own bed again as well.”
“It was kind of weird, but good. I’m glad you slept through the whole night.”
“Sarah, dad,… I’m staying with Michael and Susan after school. I don’t think I’ll be home before nine.”
“That’s fine, Gabe.” Joe says.
“And you don’t have to pick me up, mom, I’m going with uncle Kevin, I want to help Olivia some more.”
“I’m glad that you and Olivia get along so well.” Sarah smiles and Paige nods. She doesn’t plan to tell Sarah that her real reason for going is that she hopes to see Mateo again.
“Agatha’s mother is here, I have to go….” Paige quickly kisses her mother and father and rushes off. Cooper is right behind her about to be picked up by the mother of another friend and Gabe takes the car-keys, glad that, while Joe’s leg is still broken, he’s allowed to use Joe’s car.
From the living-room, where he’s sketching, Luc watches how easily Joe and Sarah work with and around each other. His teeth are clenched. He tries not to be jealous, he keeps telling himself that Joe is here only for a few more weeks, but it’s getting harder to ignore that Sarah and Joe are growing closer to each other again.
*****
“Hey, buddy, what are you doing here in your room?” Seth asks. Evan shrugs, while continue to play listlessly with his dinosaurs. “Is something the matter? You’re not sick, are you? Tummy-ache or something?” Evan shakes his head. “Are you angry?” Evan shakes his head again. “Are you sad?” Again the boy’s head shakes.
“What is the matter?” Seth lifts him up and Evan nestles closer to him.
“Mommy is going to love that new baby more than me.” He finally sighs.
“What? What makes you say that?”
“She likes him better than me already.” Evan shrugs.
“First of all, we don’t know if it will be a him or her, maybe it will be girl. And I’m sure that mommy loves you very much too, and so do I…. But why do you think she loves the baby more than you?”
“She doesn’t talk about anything else…”
“I’m sure she must have been same way when she was waiting for you to be born.”
“You don’t know?”
“No. She was with your father, Robert, then.”
“Oh.” Evan is quiet for a few moments, but then asks: “Did he want me?”
“I suppose so. Who would not want you?” Seth smiles. Evan can’t answer the question, but seems to be still be in deep thoughts over this.
“Did mommy also have a large baby-room for me?”
“I don’t know, kiddo, your mom and Robert lived at a ranch. I’ve never been there.”
“I can’t remember much.”
“That is not so strange. You were just a baby… But, you know what? If your mom comes home, we’ll ask her, alright? … Shall we play with the dinosaurs a bit more?”
“Yes, but quietly. I have a sleeping T-Rex over there….” Evan warns.
*****
Kevin knocks on the door of Chad’s dressing-room and Chad opens up to let Kevin in.
“What? No Scotty?” Chad’s question makes Kevin smile sadly.
“No. He had to work. The only way to get him out of this hotel or Café 429 is to surgically remove him.”
“That bad?”
“Don’t get me started. Where is your better half?”
“He got a call from Fawn and rushed off to the hospital.”
“Oh, sorry, that can’t be good.”
“No, usually it’s not.” Chad sighs.
“Did he find out anything about the hotel? Jason was investigating it after all.”
“The worst that ever happened to the place was a fire in 1928. It raged through the 5th floor, but there were no casualties reported.
It used to be a place where they did all sort of cleaning and repairing. They assume a boiler exploded, or something. I don’t remember all the details, but there is no reason for anyone to haunt us, because at the time of the fire, there was no one here.”
“So we can strike that of the list?”
“My money is still on the ancient Indian burial ground.” Chad jokes and Kevin laughs, as he looks out the window.
“Nice view.”
“Yes, it is very pretty.” Chad agrees.
Standing behind Kevin, he lets his hands rest on Kevin’s hips. Chad can feel a little jerk in Kevin’s body, as if he’s not used to being touched anymore. Chad lets his head rest against Kevin’s shoulder.
“Is everything alright between you and Scotty?”
“No.” Kevin says. “Scotty is drowning in work. Tommy left us several days ago and we’re still trying to see what he has done in the time that he was at Café 429. Tommy implemented changes that he didn’t tell Saul and Scotty about,… or perhaps he didn’t have the time to do so. Scotty still believes there’s some good in Tommy. I don't.
Orders are incorrect, food has to be send back, we’re overstocked on one thing, but lack other ingredients. There is a sort of constant panic in the kitchen at 429, where everyone’s living on a hope and a prayer. Saul, Scotty and Angie are working long days, they make mistakes, have to revise… more panic.
Scotty was busy before Tommy left, but now, he’s practically invisible. And, what is worse, he doesn’t keep up with his appointments. Yesterday he forgot to pick up Olivia from soccer-practice. She knows she’s not allowed to travel alone on the bus. Scotty’s phone was off, because he was in a meeting.
She couldn’t reach me, because I was in court, thinking Scotty would pick up Olivia. So, she sent Scotty and me a text that she had called Mateo and that he would pick her up on his way to see his grandmother. She went with him to the hospital and had a great time with Mateo’s grandmother. But that is not the point.
I then had to pick up Mateo and Olivia at the hospital, go get Daniel at mom’s place, call Scotty to confirm that, only to discover that he was still in a meeting, hadn’t heard or seen Olivia’s call and forgotten that he was supposed to have picked up Daniel….He forgot about Daniel.
I get that he can’t always change his schedule at the last moment and that he has a job to do, but so do I. He knows the rules: If something is not possible, then say it,... We have a baby-sitter, we have a safety-net, we have people we can rely on, but…. forgetting appointments altogether makes it difficult to depend on those safety-nets ….”
“How did Scotty feel about it all?” Chad asks.
“He was very upset when he came home, he apologized several times. Olivia could see the humor of it. Mateo didn’t mind. But it’s not how I imagined things would be. I knew it would be hard work, but …. This is getting to be too much….”
Kevin turns in Chad’s arms, suddenly feeling the need for some comfort and Chad holds him tightly for a few seconds, before he kisses the side of Kevin’s head, just above his ear.
“It’s going to be alright.” Chad promises and he lets his forehead rest against Kevin’s with a certain comfortable intimacy.
“I miss Scotty. I miss my husband. I miss having him with me.” Kevin’s voice is close to a whisper. “I have to assume it’s only temporary. I have to believe it will all work out… I know, I shouldn’t complain. We have so much to be grateful for, but…. I miss him.” Kevin repeats. Chad pulls him into an embrace and Kevin's mouth is now only inches away from Chad’s….
*****
“So, you’ll be staying at Nora’s house even longer?” Rebecca asks. Holly can still be surprised about inventions such as Skype, but she’s glad she can actually see her daughter and that Rebecca can see for herself that Holly is doing great and feeling even better.
“Nora says she doesn’t mind. I’m not tied to her. I can move about freely and I’ve done my Christmas shopping already and … it was nice to bring back memories… even the not so good ones.”
“Such as?”
“Our food-fight at the opening of Walker Landing.. Not proud of that…”
“I still wish I could have seen it.” Rebecca smiles. “Justin used to laugh his head off whenever he remembered the two of you afterwards.” Her face softens when she mentions Justin.
That hasn’t happened in a long time and Holly assumes that Rebecca’s wounds are healing as well.
“It must have been something…” Holly now smiles as well. “Nora and I visited the former Ojai offices, but there have been too many changes made. It’s nowhere near the Ojai Foods we used to know… We plan to drive to Ojai later this week.”
“You and Nora?” Rebecca still can’t believe it is possible that her mother, as William’s mistress, could have managed to build a friendship with William’s wife.
“Well,…” Holly tries to carefully choose her words. “It seems that Nora also has a question or two about William. Especially now that this Brody is back in her life, she, too, has been spending a lot of time thinking about the past and about how she just accepted William’s words as the truth, even if they might not have been.
We want to see if we can find out more about William, when we’re in Ojai. It’s where he came from and where we hope to find out what is true and what isn’t.”
“Sounds exciting.” Rebecca laughs. “Snooping around, looking for the past. Holly and Nora, Private Investigators….” She finishes dramatically.
“We already bought matching trench-coats…” Holly laughs, but then she continues more seriously. “When are you guys planning on coming back? It’s been months now and … I miss you guys.”
“We’ve had quite some unforeseen troubles and it didn’t help that half the crew, including dad, got sick with a stomach-bug, or that the place we were filming got robbed, forcing us to buy new equipment, but it’s all working out. The plan is that we’re here until Christmas or just afterwards.
We should be back by the end of the year for sure and I hope to be celebrating the new year with you…. Oh! Rick is calling me, I have to leave…. Bye, mom, love you.”
“Love you too.” Holly says as well and then Rebecca is gone and Holly stares at her screen.
*****
“Why are there always emergencies on our lunch-breaks?” Dan wonders.
“Don’t know. Some people are just inconsiderate?” Justin offers as an explanation. “We’d better brace ourselves though. The accident has been reported by a few hysterical calls to 911. There seems to huge pile-up of cars.”
“Well, maybe it’s not as a bad as it looks.” Dan says softly and Justin quietly hopes he’s right. Car pile ups remind him of the huge accident that claimed the life of his brother-in-law. However, he needs to be realistic.
“They would not have called us as extra back-up, if there were just minor bruises.”
Dan quietly agrees and when they arrive at the scene of the accident, he immediately knows that Justin’s little prayers have been in vain.
“Are you going to be okay, man?” Dan asks, quickly looking at Justin to see his reaction, because he knows what sights like these mean to him. Justin nods.
“Let’s get it over with.” He sighs. As there are already paramedics attending to the those in back of the pile-up, Dan and Justin carefully move more to the front. A police-officer stops them.
“We could use some extra assistance at the heart of the accident, over there.”
“We’ll get there.” Dan nods and again Justin is surprised by how careful Dan can be with the ambulance, even though he’s usually such a speed-devil. Arriving at the front of the accident, they both hold their breath. The fire-department is busy with one car, the police is talking to passengers of another car.
“I could use help!” Someone yells and Dan immediately answers to the call. “I can’t get her free. She’s pregnant, complains of pain in her belly….” Justin just stares at the young man, who’s talking to Dan. He’s covered in blood.
“Thanks. I’ll see what I can do. My colleague will have a look at you.” Dan says.
The young man seems to only now turn around and notice Justin and for a moment he’s frozen to the ground.
“Justin.” He’s not sure if he’s happy to see Justin or not.
“Oh, my God, Ryan?”
*****
Kevin can still appreciate looking at a shirtless Chad and Chad, feeling that Kevin looks at him, smiles at Kevin.
“Feeling better? A bit more relaxed?”
“It certainly helped…. I’m so sorry.”
“For what?”
“For ruining your shirt with my tears.”
“Oh, that. I have to admit I was a bit surprised by the outburst, but it’s alright. My shirt can be cleaned, you know. Are you sure you are okay?”
“Yeah, I think it all got to me a bit. I was really feeling sorry for myself.”
“The two of you have been under a lot of pressure.” Chad reasons.
“I know, but it’s no excuse for making a fool of myself though.” Kevin rubs his face and Chad puts some cold water on a guest-towel and hands is to Kevin, so he can freshen up too.
“You had a good cry. You obviously needed it. Better let go of your frustrations here, with me, than in the middle of a court-room.” Chad winks and Kevin shudders at the thought.
“Oooh, I don’t want to think about that possibility.” But then he laughs. “You’re a good friend, you know?”
“I guess that I’m learning a lot from Jason.” Chad replies modestly, gladly giving credit to the man he loves. “Come on, let’s get something to eat. That is why you came here.”
“Yes. Good idea. Something really good, tasty and completely unhealthy.”
“You got it!” Chad laughs and pushes Kevin out the door.”
*****
“Are you hurt? … You’re covered in blood.” Justin awkwardly states.
“I’m fine, I think. I escaped the accident by a hair. My car is over there… I just went back to see if I could help… This blood isn’t mine. It’s from that guy there…” He points at the car, surrounded by firemen.
“…. The driver is badly wounded, unconscious, but there was a child in the car with him. I had to reach over the wounded guy to get to the child…”
“Child okay?”
“In that ambulance over there.” Ryan says, following Justin to another car.
Justin looks over at Dan, who’s helping the pregnant woman by calming her down. He turns to Ryan.
“If you’d rather not get involved any further….?” He says.
“How can I help?” Ryan answers instead.
*****
End of part 1/4
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