Later on Annemarie, Tom, Jeff, and Neenah return from the dance in Annemarie's car. Annemarie looks over and notices Steve's car is parked uneven, "Tom how come your dad's car isn't parked right?"
"I don't know, but I hope he wasn't drinking and driving."
They all get out of the car and enter the apartment. It is quiet so they all slowly open the bedroom door and Jeff's jaw drops, "Mom!?"
Michelle is in the bed on top of Steve when she looks up and sees the shock on everyone's faces, "Oh, boy, well you guys are home early!"
Steve then pushes Michelle off him and puts his pants on underneath the covers, "Um...your mom and I were, you know um..."
"Practicing CPR!" shouts Michelle.
Jeff scratches his head, "You practice CPR naked!?"
Tom looks over at Jeff who is confused, "Jeff, they were having sex."
Michelle and Steve both shout, "No we weren't!"
Jeff crosses his arms, "See Tom they weren't having sex. They were practicing CPR."
Tom rolls his eyes and leaves the room, "Yeah, ok whatever you say Jeff."
Michelle then wraps herself in the bedsheets and stands up, "I think you guys should leave the room now."
Neenah and Annemarie walk out of the room, but Jeff stays, "Hey Mom, can you teach me CPR?"
"Jeffery, just go." Michelle points to the door. Jeff then walks out of the room and she turns to Steve who is trying not to laugh, "Come on, it's not funny." She then gets dressed.
Steve lounges on the bed and looks up at her, "So I did it well, didn't I?"
Michelle shrugs her shoulders, "I guess so, this was my first time so I wouldn't really know."
Steve scratches his head, "What do you mean this was your first time!? Didn't you have sex with Jeff's father!?"
"Let's just say, his father and I weren't really dating or anything and it wasn't a one-night stand."
Steve looks up, "So, did he..." he bites his lip.
"Yeah, I was raped, that's why I acted upset when you asked about my son's father. I was so traumatized that I could hardly eat and my boss talked me out of getting an abortion, he even offered to buy gifts for the baby."
"I'm sorry that it had to happen that way."
"Yeah, but Jeffery made me a better person, so it was worth it. Though I wish he could have been conceived in a loving relationship. I mean it would be nice if the psychic was right and I married a man like Nick Noble. However if I was married, I would have never got to get with you."
"I feel me becoming a parent made me a better person too, but I still feel I failed as a dad to my kids."
Michelle rubs Steve's cheek, "No, I think you're a great dad. I mean your son, Tom is so good to my son and your daughter, Neenah seems like she's doing good too."
Steve gets up and walks up the door, "Yeah, too bad Neenah hates me." He opens the door,
"Ah, all teenage girls get mad at their dads, someday Neenah will appreciate you."
"I hope you're right!" He then shouts out to the teens, "Alright, guys you can come back in now."
Michelle walks out and grabs Jeff, "Jeffery and I are going, so I'll see you guys later." They both walk out of the apartment.
Annemarie goes to leave, but Tom stops her, "Hey, Annemarie."
Annemarie turns around, "Yeah?"
Tom rolls up to her and grabs both her hands, "I never thanked you for saving my life."
Annemarie smiles, "You're welcome." She then walks out of the apartment.
Steve puts his hand on Tom's shoulder, "I know you're getting paid to date this girl, but I really like her."
Tom takes Steve's hand off his shoulder, "Jeff's not paying me anymore, I really like Annemarie."
Steve smiles, "Well that's good, because I wound up giving all the money he gave us back to him."
"How are you going to pay the rent?"
"I got that taken care of, don't worry about it." Steve then pats Tom's head and walks back into the bedroom.
Neenah walks up to Tom and whispers, "You didn't tell dad, that we got kicked out of the dance right?"
Tom whispers back, "No, I didn't." Tom then grabs Neenah before she goes back into the bedroom, "Hey Neenah, be honest, do you really hate dad?"
Neenah nods her head, "Yeah, he's a jerk, he wouldn't even let me go get ice cream with Bruce. I mean it's not like we were going to have sex or anything."
"I know you don't want to hear it, but he really loves you and he's right Bruce is no good."
Neenah puts her hand on her hip, "Tom, you don't get it." She then walks outside and looks up at the night sky. The stars are bright and the moon is almost full. She looks over at the brightest star, "Starlight, star bright, I wish I may, I wish I might have this wish tonight." She then closes her eyes and says to herself, "I wish my mom would come back."
"Be careful what you wish for." Says a voice.
Neenah turns around and it's Tom behind her, "I didn't hear you come out."
Tom grabs her hand, "You know, maybe it's better she doesn't come back."
Neenah yanks her hand away from Tom, "No, I want her back! Every girl should have a mom!"
"Well, unfortunately, it doesn't always work like that and she's been gone for almost six years now."
"I don't care long she has been gone for, I want to see her again."
Tom wipes the sweat off his forehead, "Neenah, dad told me not to tell you this, but I think I should." He takes a gulp, "Mom had some serious drug problems. I'm sorry I had to tell you that."
Neenah laughs sarcastically, "Did dad tell you to say that?"
"No, I just told you he told me not to tell you, but I just thought you should know."
"Yeah, right, maybe if dad was nicer to her she wouldn't have had those problems!" she then goes back inside and slams the door.
YOU ARE READING
The Pearl of the of Sea
RomanceTom Cashlin was a greedy teenage boy who proposed to his girlfriend and then became a paraplegic after he slipped on jetties. His fiancé dumps him after he becomes poor and his goofy friend Jeff Dyson pays him to date Annemarie Gilligan to which he...
