The Runaway Heir

Chapter 12

The next morning Ryan wakes up hungover and sad to her alarm going off. She grabs her alarm clock and throws it against the wall making it go silent. Ryan heads her head under her pillow groaning due to the bright lights and not wanting to deal with the memory of the events that took place last night. "Olivia made it home safely" Rip says entering her bedroom, "I would have told you last night, but by the time I made it back you were passed out drunk." "Good" Ryan mumbles out, "Leave now." "Normally I would let you dwell in your self pity but we open in half an hour and you need a shower" Rip says.

"I'm sick" Ryan says. "Yes, we all know your love sick" Rip says, "But that's not an excuse to miss work, especially since you got out of it yesterday." "Lee's supposed to be the asshole, not you" Ryan says getting up and sending a glare at Rip. "Go take a shower and I'll make something to help with that hangover" Rip says. Ryan takes a five minute shower after puking her guts out and heads downstairs to see Rip finishing up two drinks and zombie Lee walking over to the bar. "Drink up" Rip says, "We open shortly."

Lee downs half his drink by the time I make it to the bar. "How you feeling buddy" Lee asks as Ryan grabs her drink taking several huge gulps. "I don't want to talk about it" Ryan says sending Lee a glare before chugging the rest. Ryan walks to the back to take care of the inventory. "You still think you did the right thing" Rip asks. "I do and I did" Lee says finishing his drink, "And screw you Rip." Lee walks to the other side of the and begins to clean and set tables. "There has to be a way to fix this" Rip says as he cleans up his mess.

It's several hours in and Ryan has been out of it the whole time. She has a sad and far off look in her eyes. Multiple customers have asked if she is ok and Rip has told her to just stay in the back for today. A few more hours in has spent most of the time sitting and staring off. "Ok that's it" Rip says grabbing Lee's arm and dragging him out of the bar and grill and down the street, "Ok look I know you believe you did the right thing but look at Ryan. She is hurting. We have to fix this." "The girl that she has had a crush on her whole life has just rejected her, or she rejected her...or was it a mutual rejection" Lee says trying to figure out what it was before shaking his head, "Look the point it, give her some time and she will bounce back and life will go on."

"Get your head out of your ass. Our best friend is in there, in pain and that's partly our fault" Rip says, "We have to fix this. We have to tell her the other half, the half you didn't mention last night." "Not exactly like we had a chance" Lee says. "And who's fault is that" Rip asks. "We need to tell her" Lee says, "But I did the right thing, you won't convince me otherwise." "Agree to disagree" Rip says, "You know this reminds me of a story we read back in high school." Lee thinks about this while looking at Rip who is standing in front of a Hamlet poster. His eyes widen, "Yeah nope. I got nothing." "Maybe I'm just misremembering something" Rip says as they walk back, "But I could've sworn we read this story already."

They enter with the intent of finding Ryan and telling her the other half that she didn't hear last night and hear someone playing the piano in the back. They look over and see its Ryan. "Can you feel the love tonight, the peace the evening brings" Rip sings trying to convince Lee that Ryan and Olivia being together isn't a bad thing, "The world for once in perfect harmony, with all its living things." "So many things to tell her, but how to make her see. The truth about my past, impossible. She'd turn away from me" Ryan sings, "I'm holding back, I'm hiding. But why, I can't decide. Why can't I be the chief I know to be, the one she sees inside."

"Can you feel the love tonight, the peace the evening brings" Rip once again sings to Lee in hopes that he will change his mind, "The world for once in perfect harmony, with all its living things."  Lee smiles and rolls his eyes walking over to Ryan.  "Can you feel the love tonight" Lee sings putting his hand on Ryan's shoulder smiling, "You needn't look to far." "Stealing through, the nights uncertainties" Ryan sings smiling back, "Love is where we are." Ryan finishes playing the song and everyone claps. "I'm sorry man" Lee says, "And I hope you don't get mad at us again, but there's something we need to tell you."

"Ok, what's up" Ryan asks. "Not here" Rip says. They walk to the back. "So what's so important that you had to tell me in secret" Ryan asks. "Olivia wasn't wrong when she said it was bad back home, your uncle has run the business pretty much down to the ground" Rip says, "I'll honestly be surprised if there is a business for Chad to inherit." "We were gonna tell you that" Lee says, "And that...something doesn't add up, about your "death", according to your Uncle and cousin." "Just tell me whatever you're going to tell me" Ryan says. Rip and Lee look at each other. "Your uncle said that you both died in that car crash" Lee says.

"According to your Uncle, you texted your dad drunk out of your mind asking him to come and get you" Rip says, "But we know that you were pissed at your dad and even in your drunk state, you would never have asked him that, let alone texted him at all." "You did however want to call Olivia and apologize" Lee says, "And we were gonna stop you but you couldn't find your phone." "We think your dad was murdered" Rip says, "And the same people tried to murder you too." Ryan sits down and looks off to the side remembering the events of that morning. Chad told me I texted dad asking for a ride and I couldn't find my phone, my dad was killed in an accident and he thought I was too, he convinced me it was my fault and that my family would never forgive me, he told me to run away and never return, and someone tried to kill me. They would have succeeded if Shayne hadn't found me.

"Ryan..." Rip says knocking her out of her spiraling thoughts. "Why didn't you tell me earlier" Ryan yells, "Why did you wait til now?" "You were traumatized and never told us what happened" Rip says, "We honestly didn't think anything of it." "Screw you guys" Ryan says storming out. "I told you this would happen" Lee says. "Shut up Lee" Rip says. "Just give her some time" Lee says, "Once she's cooled off, she will come back." "Come on" Rip says, "We have to pick up her part of the shift." "Really, again" Lee complains walking after Rip.

Thanks for reading.  What did you think?  What do think will happen next?  What do you want to happen next?  As always votes and comments are appreciated.