Forever RiverCreek

Chapter 27 - Making Amends

A few days later, when everyone arrives home, the majority of travelers rest at home. Tara and Cory take one day to relax and relish in the news about the pregnancy. First, however, Rick and Janet try to find a bigger place to live so that their marriage and home can combine under one roof. Then, when they run into the same bit of luck that Cory and Tara feel, they decide to hit a couple of pawnshops to find a decent set of wedding rings.

"Do you see anything you like?" Rick inquires, standing back and allowing Janet to look through the store's light selection.

"To be blunt, nothing jumps out at me. I mean, the silver ones look okay, but I want something that looks and feels special at the same time."

One of the employees comes over to try to offer some assistance, "Hello, sir and ma'am, is there anything you would like me to take from the case to examine closer?"

Rick looks up at the ash-blond woman with green eyes that are tan with a perky bust, but words can't come out fast enough, "Vanessa?"

"Yes..." she pauses when she recognizes him, "Rick? Oh my gosh, it's been years. How have you been? I heard you went to prison, and I heard Cory knocked some girl up before they graduated and almost got himself killed in the service," she babbles on, leaving Rick nearly speechless.

"Pardon my intrusion, but who are you?" Janet speaks up with a confused look.

Vanessa introduces herself with a hand over her heart, "I take it you're not from here with that thick accent. Anyway, hi, I'm Vanessa Hedges. I used to date his best friend Cory back in the day. Oh, 'Quick Rick' here wasn't a fan of me dating his best friend."

As the memories flood back, Rick battles to keep his poise, "It was a long time ago, but I recall how you couldn't keep other guys out of your bed. Even that dumnfuck Frankie had a piece of you when he wasn't avoiding Lloyd."

"It's true? Was Frankie a bisexual? Oh dang, no wonder he always wanted to go into my no-no spot. But, wait, he slept with Lloyd? Why? He's f'ugly, fat, and a redhead."

Janet gets a bewildered look in his eyes when they widen, "Loyd is none of those things. He's a good man, and you just lost yourself a sale. Come on, let's get our kids and go home."

Before they walk away, Vanessa mutters something under her breath that nearly gets her ass whipped, "Yeah, better leave trailer trash. Take your welfare-looking ghetto ass on out of here and go eat something deep-fried, fucking losers."

"What did you say to me bitch?" Janet turns around and finds Vanessa backing away, walking to the back, "Yeah, she best walk away. I'd break that twig in half!"

On the way out the door, Rick makes a declaration that brings his wife some join, "Here's an interesting tidbit, Tara back in the day broke her nose and was about to fuck her up when she dropped in at Cory's one night. Oh man, she was hot under the collar, but that's the girl Cory dated before he met Tara. If you ask me, Tara was such an upgrade."

"I'd be a goddamn upgrade! That snobby tramp needs to get over herself because she ain't all that and a bag of chips. Let's go get our kids and pick up dinner at the deli. They made chili today, and that sounds good."

Janet tosses the keys to the Crown Vic to Rick, and he takes them to Oliva's, where they're surprised by what she has prepared for dinner. Walking inside, Janet gets a whiff of homemade chili, and as an added surprise, there's a bag of yellow corn tortilla chips.

"Hey, moms, is that chili we smell?" Rick calls out, walking through the door.

"It is. I thought it sounded good, and the kids have had about three bowls each already. There's plenty in there, so enjoy and take some home."