Happy birthday, Olivia Rodrigo!! I made these videos because I wanted to see what they would sound like and figured putting them out there wouldn't be a bad idea, specifically today.
She. Sounds. Amazing.
Also, if you haven't seen Olivia's video that she put out for her birthday, you should check it out.
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Oh boy. Here we go. Nini goes back inside alone, and everyone immediately looks at her. Kourtney's the first one to speak up. "Well?"
She goes up to her and whispers, "Can you get the kids to leave for a second?" in her ear. Kourtney nods, and Nini goes into the kitchen to tell her moms.
"So what now?" Madison asks.
"You guys get to go up to Jayden's and Lauren's rooms for a little while. Great? Good."
"But what's going on?" Jayden asks, eyeing the stranger that's sitting on their patio.
"You'll all find out soon... I hope." Kourtney says that last part to herself.
"But-" Lauren starts.
"No buts."
"What about-" Aidan tries to say.
"Nope."
The four reluctantly go upstairs. They look like they're being sent to prison the way they're dragging their feet up the steps.
Nini goes back outside, and Carol and Dana join everyone else in the living room. "What's going on?" Carol asks first.
"Who even knows at this point?" Gina says, throwing her hands in the air.
Nini goes outside to where Ricky is and says, "The kids are upstairs. Feel free to talk about whatever when we go inside." He nods and follows her in.
Ricky hesitantly sits on the couch, purposefully not too close to anyone. He sits there awkwardly, not sure if he should be the first one to say something.
Carlos decides to break the silence. "Are we just gonna sit here in silence or get some answers?" Seb hits his husband's shoulder at the question.
"I guess I should give a short explanation." Ricky then goes on to tell them everything he told Nini outside. As he was explaining, people's eyes grew wider.
"Ok, that clears up some things," Seb says.
"But if you guys are mad, I don't blame you. I'm not trying to go back in time and turn things back to how they were fifteen years ago. I'm not expecting instant forgiveness or any forgiveness. I understand that you guys have started families and have your own lives, and I don't want to seem like I'm invading or overstepping in any way."
"You're not invading on anything, Ricky," Gina tells him.
"And we're not mad," Ashlyn says.
"We just... we need a little time to process everything," EJ says.
"I have an idea," Big Red says, leaving.
"What are you doing?!" Kourtney shouts after him.
"You'll see!" he yells as he climbs the stairs.
He knocks on Jayden's door, and someone says to come in after. He opens the door and asks Jayden, "Can I borrow that?" while pointing to a certain toy.
"What for?" Aidan asks, handing it to him.
"No reason. And don't worry if you hear screaming." And he quickly leaves.
Curiosity was too high, so the boys snuck downstairs. They hide behind the corner as people start talking again.
"Ricky, close your eyes," Big Red says.
"What if I don't want to?" Ricky responds.
"You'll be fine," Big Red insists.
"I'm not entirely trusting you on this," he says while covering his eyes with his hands.
Big Red pulls a foam bat out from behind his back, and Nini asks, "Red, what are you doing with that?"
"What is he-?" Ricky starts but stops because he's hit over the head with the bat.
He stands up and faces Big Red. "Dude?! The hell was that for?! You said you weren't mad!" he screams, rubbing the back of his head.
"Oh, I'm not upset about the whole being gone for fifteen years thing. That was for beating me at Among Us right before you left!"
"I married an idiot," Ashlyn murmurs, facepalming.
"So you remember that from a decade and a half ago, but you could never remember your class schedule in high school!?" Ricky exclaims.
"It was a lot to remember, ok?"
"Dude, it was four classes!"
"Your point?"
A playful smirk comes across Ricky's face. "My point is-" Ricky says, grabbing a magazine off of the coffee table. He rolls it up before looking at Big Red. "-you're dead meat."
The two start chasing each other around until they end up outside. "Yup, perfectly grown adults," Gina says.
"I see he hasn't changed," Dana points out.
"Nope, I can't say so," Nini says.
The group laughs as Ricky pins Big Red and starts hitting him with both things. EJ stands up, and everyone thinks he's going to join them, but he goes somewhere else. "Gotcha!" he yells.
"What?!" Kourtney yells.
"Looks like we've got a couple of snoopers," EJ says, pulling Jayden and Aidan out from behind the wall. Nini and Gina glared at the boys.
"What were you two doing?" Gina asks first.
"Red came up and asked to use a bat for something, so we were curious," Jayden explains.
"Just go back upstairs," Nini says. They go back upstairs, defeated, and still confused.
That's when Big Red and Ricky come back in. Ricky had Big Red thrown over his shoulder. "Why are you carrying him around like a rag doll?" Kourtney asks, laughing.
"I finally tired him out, and here we are," Ricky says, walking toward Ashlyn. "I believe this belongs to you." He puts Big Red down next to her.
"Dude, how- how are you not- tired?" Big Red asks, panting heavily.
"Not to bring this up again, but what part of running for my life don't you understand?"
"The running part, apparently," Seb comments.
Ricky's phone buzzes, and a blank expression appears on his face. "Uh, I have to head out."
"You're not leaving without a proper goodbye," Carol says, going to hug him. Dana follows her shortly after, wrapping him in a tight hug.
"It was great to know you're not dead," Kourtney says.
"Kourtney being nice to me? I never thought I'd see the day," Ricky responds, hugging her and faking offense.
"You almost didn't," she mutters.
"Touché."
"When will you be back around?" Big Red asks.
"Do you guys want me to come back?" he asks delicately.
"Of course!" everyone shouts.
"Ok," Ricky laughs. "The best way to reach me is through my dad's number."
"Did you not just have a phone out?" EJ questions.
"Yeah, but I tend to forget it."
"I'll walk you out," Nini says, getting up.
The two go to the front door while the others continue talking. "Why do you think he's showing up now?" Gina thinks out loud.
"I don't know, but I'm glad he's back," Carlos says.
"Carlos happy to see someone besides Madison or Seb?" Ashlyn says, shocked.
"Shut up."
They stop laughing when Lauren comes around the corner. "Why is everyone staring at me?" she asked when she noticed everyone's blank faces.
"Nothing. Why are you down here?" Gina asks.
"First, I live here. Second, I came down to get a refill." Technically, she was telling the truth. The whole truth: she poured her water down the bathroom sink, so she'd have an excuse to come downstairs and see what was happening.
*Earlier*
"Lauren!" Jayden whisper shouts as he barges into his sister's room, not wanting the adults to hear him.
"What do you want? And don't you knock?"
"There's something weird going on downstairs."
"Wow, did you figure that out all by yourself? There's a total stranger in our house, and our parents all seem to know him, but they won't tell us anything. Yeah, I kinda already knew something was up."
"No, but Red just came and asked if he could borrow a bat for some reason."
"He probably wants to, oh I don't know, hit someone with it."
"Jayden and I got caught trying to see what was happening," Aidan says, joining the conversation.
"You two are idiots," she says, getting her drink.
"Where are you going?" Madison asks.
"You'll see."
*Back to Present*
Lauren goes into the kitchen and refills her cup but only a little so she could come back down later. She glances out at the patio, and there's no one there. When she passes by the living room again, she asks, "Where's Mom and the other guy?"
"She walked him out. I don't know what's taking them so long though," Kourtney says, eyeing the front door.
"Ok. What was he here for?" she asks casually.
"He's an old friend that wanted to catch up," Seb quickly says.
"But why have we never heard of or from him before. I mean, you guys have known each other since forever so..."
"He doesn't live in Utah; that's why," EJ says.
"Oh... kay," she says, going back upstairs. She was definitely still suspicious.
"That went well," Ashlyn commented.
*Meanwhile | Outside*
"Don't worry, I don't plan on disappearing any time soon," Ricky says.
"That's good. I... I've really missed having you around."
"I've missed being here."
"I, um... we still have a lot of questions."
"I'm sure. I can answer them whenever."
"So you really are staying in town?" she asks hopefully.
"Yup."
"Great. Um, I'm not sure when, but we should talk again when the kids aren't here. If you're free, I think they're going to a friend's house this weekend."
"Yeah, I'm free whenever. I don't exactly have a plan for right now, so that means lots of free time," he chuckles. Ricky really didn't know what he was gonna do now that he was back in town, but for right now, he was gonna fix his relationships.
"So Friday?"
"Friday."
They hug and stay that way for a while. Many thoughts are circling both of their heads on how that conversation is gonna go.
When they pull away, they stare at each other before Nini awkwardly clears her throat. "See you in a couple of days." He nods, and she goes back inside.
As expected, everyone's eyes are on her. "How'd that go?" Kourtney asks.
"We're gonna talk again in a few days."
"About?" Gina pushes.
"Why he was gone, I'm assuming."
"Shouldn't you bring up, you know," Seb says.
"Uh, I- I don't know," Nini stutters.
"Nini," Ashlyn whines.
"How would I start that?"
"You just come right out and say it," Carlos says.
"No, not that way."
"Then what way?" EJ asks.
"I don't know. Would you guys like to join? I'm sure we all have the same questions."
"Yeah, we'll be there," Big Red says.
I hope that goes smoothly, Nini silently prays.
*The Bowens'*
"How'd it go?" Mike asks when Ricky opens the front door.
"Better than I expected."
"Really? So you told them everything?"
"Pretty much. I just didn't go into detail. Nini actually said I could come back in a few days to say everything," Ricky said happily.
"I'm assuming Carol and Dana's jaws dropped when they saw you," Mike chuckles.
"Yeah, it was great to see them again. They treated me as if nothing changed."
I wonder if he's met the kids yet. I doubt Nini told him since it's the first time she's seeing him in fifteen years.
"So you're all on good terms?"
"I mean, I think so. Nobody seemed mad." Mike nods before looking back at the TV. Ricky's about to go up to his childhood bedroom when another question comes to mind. "Hey, Dad. Can I ask you something?"
"Sure."
"Did you know?"
"Know what?"
"Know about the kids?"
"I knew about them, yes."
"How old are they?"
Mike pauses the TV again and properly faces him. "Which ones?"
"All of them. But Lauren and Jayden specifically."
"Why don't you have this discussion with her?" It's not my place to tell, and if Ricky puts the pieces together, I don't want Nini mad at me.
Ricky nods and goes up to his room. Please don't be what I think it is, he prays as he stares at the ceiling fan.
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Like I asked in the sixteenth chapters of my other two books, what do you think of the story so far?