An Unforeseen Turn of Events

Chapter Sixteen

Before starting his engine, Ryan checked his cell. Megan had called but he was in no mood for apologies or romantic conversations. No messages from Buddy.

Shouting every invective he knew inside his head, he started up his Maserati and headed over to his parents' house.

Beaming, his mother opened the door before he had a chance to put in his key, but her smile vanished when she noticed all his features turned downward.

"Ryan, what's wrong?" Sara creased her eyebrows and put her hand to her cheek. It was early so she still had on her robe.

When he didn't respond, his father, wearing the purple silk robe Ryan bought him last Christmas, rushed to the door, "Son, what's happened?"

"I got into a fight with my agent," Ryan mumbled. "I don't want to discuss it."

He didn't want to reveal to his parents what was going on. At least not yet.

"Well, Phil has always made great decisions when it comes to your career. We'll discuss it when you're ready, but don't make any hasty decisions. I've got a lot of confidence in Phil. When you hired him, your career really took off," his father said.

"Let him sit down and relax, Jerry," his mother scolded her husband. "I know after Ryan eats, he can think more clearly. She turned to her son, "I just made hash browns and sausages. Let me make French toast for you, just the way you like it."

"Thanks, Mom," Ryan fell heavily into a kitchen chair. "So what's going on with you two today?" he asked his parents, hoping to change the subject since they now wore worry-stricken expressions. Although they were his most reliable confidants, he realized they were getting older, so he didn't want to alarm them

"Well, I've actually decided to take mah jongg lessons today," his mother responded after an initial pause.

"That's great," Ryan said weakly, not even attempting to drum up enthusiasm.

"Your mother needs to stop puttering around the house," his father added. "She's got to go out more. Be with other ladies. She'll find she has lots to talk about with them, won't you, honey?"

Sara looked down and pursed her lips. "I'm sure I'll be hearing a lot about their grandchildren."

Ryan covered his eyes as he heard his father getting ready to scold her.

"How many people do ya know live in Beverly Hills? Remember where we came from? The problem is you want it all! No one's got it all. Whadoya rather have? Living in Beverly Hills with no grandchildren or struggling every day to pay the bills, both of us still workin' and squeakin' by but havin' a bunch of grandkids?" Ryan's father snapped at his mother, thinking by raising his voice, he would get through to his wife.

She looked down, failing to respond, her lips slightly trembling.

You might already have grandkids! Ryan felt like telling his mother. You might even have twin grandkids! Wouldn't it make your day to hear that.

He opened his mouth to calm the tension when his mother blurted out, "Who knows what Robbie would have done?"

Father and son covered their eyes and turned away. Ryan knew his mother mentioning his younger brother who died at birth was always her trump card, her perfect response when she didn't have what she wanted.

She too covered her eyes and shook her head. "I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me." She removed her hand and looked over at her husband and son. "I'm very grateful for all we do have," she said, turning to Ryan. "Only it would be so much sweeter if Robbie were here with us..."