ODDS OF LOVE: Season Nine

Episode 75

" You're playing that game all wrong, dude ," Richie snapped as he reached for Lewis's Switch which Lewis in alarm clutched tightly against his uniformed chest.

" I am not ! ," Lewis declared with more fervent emotion than his family had seen in him since he had returned to America from England. " I know how to play Pokemon. "

Richie smirked," Whatever you say , little dude. Just saying you don't know how to play is all. "

Rebecca rolled her eyes at both of them as she gobbled down the rest of the chocolate chip pancakes shaped like Christmas trees on her plate. " Don't mind Lewis. I think he was dropped on his head when he was born. My mother said his mother smoked stuff when she was pregnant with him. I don't know what kind of stuff though. Mommy was talking to GrandMother at the time. "

" I was not! ," Lewis said as he kept clutching his game device to himself like it was something holy and expensive as he leapt up from his own chair at the kitchen table. " She did not ! My mother said your mother almost drowned you by " accident " in the tub when you were a baby so there. " Then he stomped from the kitchen just as Richard came into the kitchen. He was tightening the Windsor knot in his grey tie that matched another of his expensive designer suits.

Richie turned his attention to Richard now. With a smirk he said," Here comes the Almighty Ruler of the Land , King Richard. All hail the king ! "

Nigel shook his still sleep groggy head as he refilled his coffee cup and filled one for his husband too. " You two stop pestering poor Lewis , Rebecca, Richie. And , Richie, don't bully Richard either. You all need to finish eating. Rebecca, you and your brother need to catch your bus to school. And , Richie, we have a busy day ahead of us today. Starting with getting your sister at the hospital and getting you all set at school. " He looked hesitantly at Richard who took a grateful sip from his coffee. " Barrington ? It just seems more simple. But you're paying. Unless they can get a grant like Sol. "

Richard smiled at Nigel and nodded. " Barrington is fine. Although one more tuition and I'll end up owning the place. " He saw Nigel biting his lips in a worried gesture and reached out to kiss him on his forehead. " It's alright, darling. I'm not Oprah or Rebel rich but I am not poverty stricken either. Hardly. What's the point of making it if you can't spend it ? Besides I don't like the middle school that's public in this area. That Keller woman is still principal although thankfully they fired Skip Sands. "

Then he cut his eyes at Richie who was eating pancakes like they were going out of style fast. " Slow down, son. Keep up eating like that and Nigel will put you on the starvation diet like he did myself and Lewis over a few extra pounds. "

Richie snorted as he gulped down a glass of milk. " You mean you're fat. Dude , I can see that. I'm surprised they don't put wide load on your butt. "

Rebecca laughed. " Leave Daddy alone. He's just big boned. Now Lewis is fat. "

" I am not ! ," they heard Lewis yell in irritation from whatever room in the house he had currently sequestered himself in to avoid his little sister and the houseguest he already did not like.

" Stop bullying my husband," Nigel replied to Richie.

Richard interjected with ," He's not bullying me. Adults can't be bullied. Especially when they pay for the food he's eating and the roof over his head currently. Right, Richie? "

Richie rolled his eyes. " Whatever you say, your hiney. "

Nigel opened his mouth to respond just as his phone rang. He glanced at his furrowed brow that Richard didn't fail to notice. It was the doctor's office.  Their family doctor.

" Yes ," Nigel answered with caution. He didn't mind doctors but they tended to make him a bit nervous.

" Mr. Norland ? ," Dr. Edwina Ellison said precisely. " Nigel , one of the test results I ran just came back. It's a bit troubling to me. Would it be possible for you to come in today to discuss this ? I'd like to run a few other tests as well. '