The Big, Bad Bet

Chapter 19

Ryan’s POV

I can’t believe it. After all I put her through; she was here, sleeping in my arms, literally. Just as the movie ended, I heard a knock on my door.

I gently laid Jessica on my bed, and then went to answer the door, “Genevieve?”

“Sir, your mom sent me here to bring you this.” She holds up a silver tray of food. “And they brought you and your girlfriend a gift as well, I just have to go back down and get it. May I come in?”

“Sure.” I open the door wider for her to come in.

She carefully places the tray on top of one of my many desks. “I’ll bring back the gifts, sir.”

“Okay.” I smile thankfully at her, and she exits the room.

I haven’t eaten anything since last night, but it didn’t really matter, but right now, I just realized how hungry I was.

I took the plate of food off of the tray. I placed the plate on my study desk, and ate there. Just as I finished my meal, I heard another knock on my door.

I walked to it, and opened it, relieving Genevieve, who happened to be holding two perfectly wrapped gifts, “May I put this in your room?” she asks.

“Sure.” I let her in once more, and she placed the gifts on the little table near my bed. She went up to the TV and turned off the movie Jessie and I were just watching, then took my empty plate off my desk, placed it back on the tray, and headed to the door, with the tray in her hands.

“Uh, Genevieve?” I call.

She stops walking, and turns to look at me, “Yes sir?”

I swallowed, “Thank you.”

Her eyes widened, just like I expected. All throughout her eight years of serving me, I never really thanked her; I guess I never really thought about it. Genevieve was really more of a mother than my actual one, and you could say that Paul was kinda my dad.

My actual parents were always in another country, always working their asses off, so they never really had time for me and Beth…

“Y-your welcome.” She stutters, making me chuckle.

“Okay.” I pull the covers over Jessie’s sleeping figure, as Genevieve leaves my room.

Once she was gone, I went over to my closet to change into something I could sleep in, and just as I finished changing, another knock was heard.

I walked up to the door, expecting to see Genevieve, but instead it was Paul, “Yeah?”

“Sir, your mother expects you to be downstairs immediately.”

“Uh, sure.” I walk passed him, down the stairs and into the living room, where my mom was sitting on the couch, “Where’s Beth?” Why aren’t you spending every moment with your favorite child?

“She’s upstairs, she needs her rest.” My mother says.

“Okay.” I shrug, “Uh, you called?”

“Yes, I did.”

“Why?” Just get it over with already!

“Ryan,” she stands from the couch. I was actually taller than her, but with those heels on, we were pretty much the same height, “don’t you miss us? You didn’t even eat dinner with us.”

“I do.” I know ‘bonding time’ wasn’t why she called me down here, but I just didn’t say anything.

“Come here, give me a hug.” She opens her arms for an embrace, which I reluctantly took. “Now, Ryan,” she sits back on the couch, “sit.” She pats the spot beside her.