RATING: PG-13 (language)
DISCLAIMER; One word----Paramount.
Alternate Universe: I’m not sure which one; all I know is that it’s in Alaska in the dead of winter.
Asking for Trouble 4
“Where’s Will?” Deanna asked in between breaths. The contractions were times at two and a half minutes apart, and it was all she could do to control her breathing.
“He’s at the admitting desk, they’re going to keep you, Deanna.” Thomas answered.
“Okay.” It was all she could say. The pain was becoming more unbearable with each contraction.
“Hey, while he’s gone you want to fool around?” he teased.
Deanna attempted to laugh. “Don’t make me laugh, or I’ll have this baby right here in the hall way.” Suddenly another contraction hit and Deanna squeezed her brother-in-laws hand with a force she didn’t even know she possessed. Thomas’ face began to twist in pain, his mind trying desperately to think of something else, but all he could think of was the fact that every bone in his hand was no doubt breaking.
Finally she let go.
“That’s my drinking hand, Deanna.” Thomas stated shaking the pain from is hand.
“Sorry . . .” she breathed
A nurse came from around the corner, “Let’s get you situated, and prepped.” She said pleasantly, and then turned her attention towards Thomas. “You’ll have to go to the waiting room until we call for you.” With that, she wheeled Deanna into a huge sterile room with double doors.
“I’ll tell Will, Deanna.” Thomas called after her.
“Where’s Deanna?” Riker asked, as he rushed towards Thomas; there was a nervous tone to his voice.
“They took her in there.” Thomas nodded towards the two double doors. “The nurse said to wait here, until they call for you.”
Thomas sat down with his elbows resting on his knees, and both hands clasped in front of him; he raised his eyes and looked up and down the corridors. “Damn I hate hospitals.” He grumbled.
“Me too.” Riker stated, “What in the hell are they doing in there?” he asked, standing to his feet. He began pacing the hallways of the hospital; Deanna had been in the examining room for only three minutes.
“You think she’s all right?” Riker asked.
“They said they had to prep her.” Thomas answered. “Hell, I thought you prepped her ten months ago.” Thomas smiled an evil devilish smile, “So. . .” he said, clapping is hands together, “They say when you can have sex again after the baby is born?”
“Shut up.” Riker stated, rolling his eyes at his brother. “Move over.” Riker stated sitting down next to his brother on the bench.
“Just trying to make you feel better.”
“Well, you’re not.”
“Damn, I wish I had a beer.” Thomas stated. “You got any beer?”
“What are you drunk? What in the hell do you think I packed, a cooler? My wife is in labor for Christ’s sake.”
“You’re going to need a beer.” Thomas stated. “Look.” He said his head motioning towards the woman walking at a brisk pace, heading towards them, her heels clicking loudly on the shiny tile of the corridor.
“Oh shit.” Riker stated with defeat. “It’s mommy Cecilia.”
“Oh thank the Gods you boys here.” Cecilia sounded relieved, “I was in the shower, trying to wash off the blood, and I decided that it would be best if I came to the emergency room.”
“Blood?” Thomas asked, looking up. “What blood?”
“Is that you Tommy?” she asked, rather confused. “Oh well, doesn’t matter. I’m talking about the blood of the damnable mosquito. I squished him today; he refuses to die. They say if you take a hot shower the pain will go away.”
“What pain?” Thomas asked, wanting desperately to tease the woman.
“Do you mind?!” Riker snapped at his brother, with wide eyes, the last thing he wanted was to have a conversation with is psychotic stepmother. “What are you doing here, Cecilia? Where’s dad?”
“Probably under a rock.” Thomas stated under his breath.
“I can’t hear you.” Cecilia stated.
“I said, where’s dad?”
“I can’t hear you.” She repeated, hitting the side of her head with the palm of her hand. She never wanted to talk about Kyle Riker, Thomas thought it was probably due to the fact that he was out cheating on her all the time, and Cecilia couldn’t bear it, so she simply refused to reply whenever he was away.
Thomas and Will shot each other a look of confusion. “Is dad out with another woman, Cecilia?” Thomas asked.
“Is Deanna faking it?” Cecilia asked unrepentantly, ignoring the younger Riker. “You know she’s always faking it. I think she does this for attention.” She continued to ramble on. “It could be her appendix, what side is the appendix on, right or left.”
“It isn’t her appendix. She’s in labor.”
“I think it’s her appendix.” Cecilia stated. “Did she take any thing for an upset stomach?”
“No.” Riker barked. “She’s in labor, they’re prepping her now.”
“Prepping her?” Cecilia looked puzzled. “Like for a salad bar?”
“What?” Riker asked totally confused. Thomas sat and fought back his laughter.
“Mr. Riker.” A nurse called from two double doors.
“Yes.” He quickly stepped forward.
“You may come in now.”
With a nod of his head, Riker gave his brother a quick glance, and walked towards the nurse and entered through the double doors.
“Don’t look so worried.” Cecilia stated, after noticing Thomas fidgeting with his hands nervously. “Which one are you?”
“Thomas. I’m Thomas.”
“Oh it’s my baby, Tommy.”
“Yeah, that’s me.” Thomas sighed.
“Don’t look so worried, Tommy.” Cecilia stated, “Deanna’s faking it. She’s always faking it, don’t you know she’s faking it?”
“Deanna isn’t faking, she’s in labor.” He stated calmly.
“What day is this?”
“Uh?”
“What day is this?
“Wednesday.”
“What day?”
“Wednesday.” He repeated more firmly.
“I had breast implants.” Cecilia stated out of the blue, “What to see them?”
“No.”
“Why don’t you and Willy come over for Sunday dinner and I’ll show you boys my breast implants?”
He let out a long breath. He stared at her silently for a moment and then thought what the hell. “Because.” He began again. “The idea of seeing a seventy-five year old woman’s breast implants doesn’t set too well with Sunday dinner.”
“You’re father likes them.”
“My father’s an alcoholic that chases prostitutes.”
“We’ll have pork for Sunday dinner.” Cecilia stated ignoring Thomas’ crude remark about his father.
“I hate pork.”
“Then we’ll have ham.” Cecilia stated as if the problem had been solved, “That’s it? It’s settled, we’ll have ham.” Her voice grew serious, and she asked, “Tommy?”
“What?” Thomas asked looking up at his stepmother.
“Do you love me?”
“Would you please go away?”
“Answer me. Do you love me?”
“You’re married to my father.”
“You don’t act like you love me.”
“Okay in answer to your question. I love you, but I don’t like you, you wear purple lipstick, bird shit looking blue eye shadow and you paint your fingernails that gaud awful blood red. You also wear that damn ugly wig that makes you look like a poodle and you talk about mosquito’s all the time, which makes you nuts.”
“Do you have a girl-friend?”
“What?” Thomas asked totally clueless.
“You need a wife.”
“I need a beer.” Thomas stood to his feet and stated, “I’ll be right back.”
“Where are you going?”
“There’s a liquor store about two blocks from here. And if you ask me any more questions, I’ll kill you.”
“They sell laxatives?” Cecilia yelled, as Thomas walked down the corridor.
~*~*~
“It’s about time you got back.” Cecilia stated standing to her feet. Thomas had smuggled a six-pack of beer underneath of his coat into the hospital.
“Why?” He asked his voice full of concern. “Is Deanna all right?”
“They’re taking her to surgery.”
“Surgery!?” Thomas stated in shock, “What in the hell happened? Where’s Will?”
“They always perform surgery to remove the appendix. Which side is it on, anyway?”
“Oh shit.” Thomas said letting out a breath, he sat down in the chair across from his stepmother and opened a beer and began to drink it.
“You can’t drink that in here.” Cecilia warned.
“Why?” Thomas asked, taking a huge gulp of the cold liquid.
“It’s against hospital regulations.”
“So is sitting here in a maternity ward with a woman who thinks it’s just an appendix problem, but I’m doing it anyway.”
“I’ve got a pork roast in the oven.”
“Pork roast? How domestic.” Thomas said with a little snicker to his voice. He finished the beer in one gulp and threw the empty can in the trash.
“If you’re going to be so bitter, perhaps you shouldn’t come to dinner Sunday.”
“All right.” Thomas said, reaching for another beer.
“I even found you a date.”
“A what?”
“A nice girl. She’s a nurse at the hospital.” Cecilia continued. “Just think---having a nurse in the family. Perhaps, she could help come and take care of me. She’s so nice.”
“They’re all nice.” Thomas said, opening up the beer. “I’m the one who’s the jack-ass. I’m drinking beer in a hospital waiting room while my brother’s wife is giving birth. I ask you this --- would you want your daughter to go out with me?”
“If she was a nurse, yes.”
“I don’t want to date anyone who talks about illness all of the time.”
“Aren’t you lonesome?”
He gave her a silent look, and then took a big gulp of the beer; he swallowed hard and finally spoke in a quiet voice. “Leave --- me --- alone.”
“Oh no, it’s that damn mosquito.” His stepmother stated slapping herself in the ear, and then checking her forehead as if she had a fever. He couldn’t help but notice the long red fake fingernails.
“I’ll ask the janitor where the broom closet is, maybe you and the broom could teach me the foxtrot.” Thomas chuckled.
“You drink too much.”
“I know. I’m a mess.” He said finishing off the can of beer in one gulp.
Just then Will Riker stepped out of the double doors and his face radiated with a huge smile, he had tears cascading down his face. “It’s a girl! Thomas it’s a girl.” He exclaimed joyfully, hugging his brother.
Thomas started to laugh and hugged him back. Cecilia stared at the two brothers and stated with a sober face, “I hope Deanna doesn’t die. She was such a sweet little thing, poor girl, poor poor girl.”
“What the hell is she talking about?” Riker asked confused.
“Nurses and pork roast. How’s Deanna?” Thomas asked, concerned.
“She’s fine and so is the baby.”
“You wait--- that’s what they all say.” Cecilia stated mournfully. “They do good and then poof they’re gone; joining all of our loved ones on the other side.” Both men stood silently and just stared at her as she rambled on. “I knew this lady once, her name was Irma Jean. She didn’t talk for years, walked around like some zombie, and then one day, she woke up and wanted to go shopping. Her husband came and they went shopping, and even out to eat. They spent the whole day together; and she talked his legs off, just like she was normal. Her husband was so happy, they went to bed that night and –poof—the next morning she was dead. Dead as dead can be.”
“She makes more sense when you drink these.” Thomas stated opening up his jacket revealing the remaining cans of beer.
“You were my oldest, such a shame to be a widow at such a young age.” Cecilia stated her attention set on Riker, she then moved her gaze to Thomas and stated, “And Tommy, he’s my baby.”
“She hugs me. I swear I’ll deck her.” Thomas stated with a quiet calm.
“I need to contact Lwaxanna.” Riker said, ignoring his stepmother. “They’re transferring Deanna to a room now. I’ll be right back.”
“I’ll find out what room they’re moving Deanna into.” Thomas stated. With a nod, Riker was gone at a steady pace down the corridor. Thomas headed towards the nurses station.
“Poor Willy.” Cecilia stated, as Tom returned to the waiting room. “I’m so glad you’re my baby Thomas, I remember the day you were born. Remember what Grandma said?”
“What in the hell are you babbling about?” Thomas asked; his dad married this crazy woman only four years ago. He finally let out a long breath, took a seat and thought what the hell. “Okay, I’ll bite, what did Grandma say the day I was born?”
“She said, ‘If you don’t want them I do.’ I wasn’t about to give you or Will up to that senile old battle axe.”
“Grandma was crazy eh?”
“Yeah, the woman in the bed next to me died that day. I think you’re grandmother suffocated her because she had triplets.”
“You’re one sick cookie you know that, Cecilia?” Thomas stated standing to his feet, “Just do me a favor and stay away from Deanna’s baby.”
“Deanna had a baby?”
“Oh shit.” Thomas thought.
Then he finally said, “No, she came in to have her appendix taken out.”
“I contacted Lwaxanna, she’s on the next shuttle and headed this way.” Riker said. “Where’s Deanna?”
“Room Three-twenty-one.” Tom answered.
“Let’s go see her, and you can meet your new niece.” Riker said slapping his brother on the back, both men totally ignoring their sobbing stepmother.
*~*~*
“One large pizza, and a pitcher of beer.” Riker told the waiter.
Thomas leaned across the table and whispered, “That damn stepmother of ours is nuts.”
“Tell me about it.” Riker stated. “What the hell was she rambling on about?”
“Pork and Nurses, or porkin’ nurses, hell I don’t know.”
The waiter came over and sets down two glasses and a pitcher of beer. “Better bring us another one.” Riker stated to the young teenage waiter.
“Another what?” the boy asked dumbfounded. “Beer, glass or Pizza?”
“Another pitcher of beer.”
“Oh, okay.” The boy turned and walked away.
“So how does it feel to be a father?” Thomas asked, taking a sip of his beer.
“Feels damn good.” Riker smiled, pouring the beer into is glass.
“I’m glad I’m not married to Cecilia, can you imagine waking up to that every morning?”
“Broom Hilda? Christ no!”
“How does dad do it?”
“He doesn’t.” Riker answered, “He spends most of his time away.”
“Cecilia wants us to come to dinner Sunday and take a look at her new breast implants.”
“That’s disgusting. Don’t talk about disgusting shit when I’m getting ready to eat.”
“I’m serious. She would have flopped them out at the hospital if I hadn’t of stopped her.” Thomas stated.
“I said, shut up about Cecilia’s plastic tits.”
“I wonder if you have to wear a bra with plastic tits?”
“Beats the hell out of me.” Riker answered, but one thing is for sure, “I don’t do artificial stimulants.”
“Me either.” Thomas replied, sipping his beer. “You going to stay at my house tonight?”
“Probably. It’s closer to the hospital than my house is.” Riker answered, “That’s okay isn’t it?”
“Yeah.”
“Plus, I think I left my jacket at your house.”
“Yeah, along with the other half of your wardrobe.”
“Has Virgil chewed up my clothes?”
“No, I hung them up in the closet.”
“That’s good. It’s snowing like hell outside.” Riker said, looking out of the plate glass window of the bar.
“Well, fancy meeting you here.” A short petite, red headed woman stands at his table. She is a fairly attractive, with a cute button nose and huge adorable green eye. She’s wearing a forest green coat that accents her eyes, making them sparkle. “We met about two weeks ago at the market, remember me?”
Thomas quickly swallows the mouthful of beer and answers. “Uh . . .no, but I’ll let you refresh my memory. Would you like to join us?”
“That would be nice.” She smiled and he scooted over, and she sat down in the booth beside him. “I met you at the marker, you were buying groceries.”
“He never buys groceries.” Riker stated. The woman suddenly notices Riker and then looks from one brother to the other. “Then it had to be you that I met at the market.” She states, looking at Will.
“I don’t buy groceries either.”
The waiter came and set the pizza down at the table, Riker gave him a curt nod. “Would you like some pizza?” He asked.
“If you don’t mind.”
“No not at all. Help yourself.”
“I guess I am sort of hungry.” The woman exclaimed, taking a piece of pizza. “Pass the cheese, please.”
“Sure.” Riker stated, handing her the container of grated Parmesan cheese.
“Do you come here often?” The woman asked, all the while chewing on the piece of pizza.
“No.” Tom shook his head.
“Do you?” She stated, looking at Riker.
“Yeah, I do.” He answered picking up a piece of pizza. He took a bite and continued. “Me and my girlfriend. But,” he added. “She’s married.”
“Is she going to divorce her husband?” The woman asked wide-eyed.
“No.” he shook his head. “She’ll never divorce the bum. He’s a real jerk.”
“And he’s also a liar.” Thomas added, taking a sip of his beer.
“Does she have any children? Your lover?” The woman asked, this was getting interesting, and he curiosity was growing with each new line of bullshit.
“Yeah, one. A little girl.”
“How do you do it?” She asked with sincerity. “Knowing that she spends her spare time with her husband, and all you get is small tid-bits here and there.”
“It’s not that bad.” Riker stated, “I’m crazy her and her kid.”
“That’s such a sad story.” She states placing her hand on top of Riker’s. “You need to find a nice girl, and forget all about her.”
“Nah, all the good ones are taken.” He said, removing his hand.
“Do you have a girl-friend?” she asked Thomas.
“Nope.” he answered, taking another piece of pizza. “Just a dog. Women don’t like me. They used to. But, I find that now that I’m girl friendless: I have more time to swat my dog Virgil on the butt when he shits on the floor.”
“Shut up about dog shit when I’m eating.” Riker warned.
“Sorry I was thinking about Virgil. He’s been locked up in the apartment all day.”
“Well stop it. I don’t want to think about dog shit when I’m eating?”
“You want to talk about Deanna giving birth?”
“Gods no.” Riker exclaimed.
Thomas looked over at the woman, “Which do you think is more disgusting dog shit or giving birth?”
The woman let out a lighthearted laugh. “You’re not serious.” She asked, and then suddenly realized that he was. “Well a woman giving birth is a beautiful thing and a dog defecating is a normal body function.”
“Okay, what about plastic tits?” Thomas asked. “If you had plastic tits would you wear a brassiere?”
“I beg your pardon?” The woman looked over at Thomas wide-eyed.
“Stop talking about disgusting shit when I’m trying to eat Thomas, you do this all the time.” Riker warned. “Damn.” Riker turned around and flagged the waiter down, “We need some more beer.”
“And another pizza.” Thomas stated, and then he smirked. “With anchovies.”
“That’s fish.”
“I know.”
“You don’t see me ordering a pizza with genetic mistakes on it do you.
“Virgil’s a dog. Not a genetic mistake.”
“Yeah, well I don’t eat little fish.” Riker sassed. “That’s like cannibalism.”
“You need to find a woman.” The girl stated to Riker.
“I’ve got one.”
“She’s married.”
“Yeah, well so am I.” He answered, finishing off his glass of beer.
“You’re married?” She asked wide-eyed. “Where’s your wife?”
“In the hospital, she gave birth today.”
Ignoring the fact that her mouth dropped to the floor, Thomas turned his attention towards his brother. “Hey, Will.” He whispered.
“What?”
“In case you’ve forgotten I’m broke.”
“I know, you’re always broke.” Riker stated thanking the waiter for the pitcher of beer. “Could we have another pizza and a . . .” he directed his attention towards the woman. “Would you like something to drink?”
“A glass of iced tea, please.”
With a nod the waiter turned and walked away.
“Thank you.” She stated towards Riker. “That was very nice of you.”
Riker poured himself another beer and stated with a smile. “You’re welcome.” He looked at her through squinted eyes. “Just what ---is--- your name?”
“Samantha. But, every one calls me Sam.”
“Nice to meet you Sam.”
“Hey, let’s do something.” Thomas stated, filling his half empty glass with beer.
“What?” Riker asked.
“Let’s go by….”
“Oh shit!” Riker exclaimed, cutting he brother off. His eyes wide and focused on someone at the bar.
“What!” Thomas asked, turning around quickly and then realized what Will has just seen. “Holy shit, I don’t believe it.” He whispered, turning back around abruptly.
Samantha turned and saw the girl; the men knew as Betty up at the bar, “Is that your wife?”
“No, my wife’s in the hospital. She’s had a baby remember.”
“Is that your lover?” she whispered.
“Oh hell no.” he quickly retorted, trying to hide himself behind is mug of beer. “It’s his.
Thomas started laughing, “Bull shit. She’s my next-door neighbor, who makes rock hard cookies and claims that I curse too much. That definitely does not constitute her as my lover.”
“If she’s --- his--- lover why are—you—hiding?” Samantha directed her attention towards Riker. The waiter came and sat down the second pizza, looking at Riker who was hiding at the time, he simply rolled his eyes turned and walked away.
“She’s not my lover.” Thomas laughed. “And he’s going to feel like hell in the morning. Damn you’re drunk Riker.”
“I’ve got to go see Deanna in the morning.” Riker stated, sitting up straight in his chair. “I don’t have any time to feel like hell.”
“And she’s going to know you got drunk with me tonight.”
“I get drunk with you every night, Thomas.” Riker retorted. “Look at this. Gods you’d think we were alcoholics or something.” He said pointing to the several empty beer pitchers on the table.
“We are alcoholics, Will.”
“Oh yeah, we’re a mess.”
“Hello.” A female voice stated.
“Hi.” Thomas answered, looking up.
“And who’s your friend?” Betty the next-door neighbor asked rather sarcastically. Both men heard the tint of jealousy to her voice.
“I’m Samantha.”
“She’s with me.” Thomas quickly stated, placing his arm around the petite blonde.
Samantha shot his a look and then added with a smile. “I’ve got plastic tits, you want to see?”
“Plastic what?” Betty asked, her eyes glaring.
“Tits.” Riker added, finishing off his glass of beer, and grabbing a piece of pizza.
“Oh and don’t tell me, you left your pregnant wife all alone again, so you could traipse all over town with him.” Betty stated, her eyes focusing on Riker.
“My wife gave birth today. She’s in the hospital.” Riker answered, “I’m just here looking for a couple of hookers.”
“That’s disgusting.” She stated whirling around and storming off.
Both men roared in laughter at the look on Betty’s face. Thomas choked on a piece of pizza and Samantha started to pound him on the back.
“Are you okay?” she asked, slapping him on the back.
Thomas gulped, “Stop hitting me.” He gasped, quickly taking a gulp of beer.
“You okay?” she asked.
“I am now that you stopped beating the shit out of me.” He said.
“Okay guys, so what is it?” Samantha asked leaning into the table. “You’re married, and let me guess the woman you’re in love with happens to be the same married woman that’s in the hospital, and she recently had your baby right?” Riker nodded and raised his eyebrows impressed with her keen sense of understanding. “And you . . .” she stated towards Thomas, “You’re out of work and the two of you go around bull shitting every one, right?’
“Right.” Thomas stated with a smile.
“I’ve got to go.” Samantha stated standing to her feet.
“Can I call you sometime?” Thomas asked.
“When?” Samantha asked.
“Tomorrow.”
“No.”
“Day after?"
“No.”
“Day after that?”
“No.”
“When?”
“When you ask me my full name and then you tell me yours.”
“All right.” He smiled, “What’s your full name?” he dragged out the words.
“Samantha Ryan.”
“I’m Thomas Riker.” He said, “Now can I call you tomorrow?”
“No.”
“Day after?”
“Yes.” She smiled, “Thank you for the pizza.” She stated towards Riker, “That was very nice of you.”
“Stop that.” Riker said.
“Stop what? Does it offend you? Can’t anyone tell you you’re nice?”
“Hell no.” he said, drinking the last of his beer. Standing to his feet, he threw a wad of chips on the table. “Let’s go Thomas. I’m going to stop by the hospital. I’ll probably just stay all night there.”
“We’re drunk. It’s almost midnight and you want to stop by the hospital?”
“Yep. I don’t want to go home if Deanna’s not there.” Riker explained. “Our house spooks the hell out of me. I wonder if My-fish is all right?”
“That’s pathetic. Why in the hell do you say pathetic things all the time?”
“When I’m this drunk. I’m totally pathetic.”
“Visiting hours is over.”
“Bull shit. We’re family, we have no visiting hours.”
“I’ll go with you guys. Neither one of you are in any shape to drive.”
“I beg to differ. I can drive.” Riker stated holding up a finger.
“Yeah, me nuts.” Thomas stated under his breath. “Hey speaking
of nuts, let’s go by Cecilia’s house and see if she’s dancing
with her broom.”
“No.”
“Oh come on, Will.” Thomas stated. “I talked to her today, you know she’s not all that bad. Aside from being battier than hell, I think she really likes us.”
“Who’s Cecilia?” Samantha asked.
“Our stepmother.” Thomas answered. “She’s a bug shitty nuts.”
“She’s got plastic tits.” Riker slurred.
“She needs to be committed.” Thomas stated walking towards the door. “She’s got a mosquito that keeps singing in her ear. . .” He looked at Samantha and added, “Jazz.”
“Are you two really going to the hospital?”
“Yep.” Both men said in unison.
“I don’t think your wife would appreciate you coming into the hospital drunk. And after all it is after midnight.” Samantha questioned quietly.
“You don’t know my wife.” Riker answered.
The hospital was quiet and the lights were dim as they walked through the corridors.
~*~*~
“Damn it’s cold out there, and it’s snowing like crazy.” Thomas grumbled. “The air alone sobered me up.” Here and it’s snowing like crazy.” Thomas grumbled. The air alone will sober you up.”
“No kidding.” Riker stated, shaking the snow from his jacket. “You all right?” he asked Samantha.
“Yeah.”
What room was that?” Thomas asked standing in the middle of the corridor.
“Room three-twenty-one.” Riker answered.
“It’s got to be. . .” Thomas said, turning around in a full circle,
as if he were a compass. “This way. Yeah, this way is good.”
“Oh shit.” Thomas laughed not believing his eyes.
Sitting there in the waiting room was Cecilia, wide awake and pacing the floor.
Cecilia heard their footsteps and looked up, she ran towards Riker and began to cry.
“Oh Willy you’ve got to get in there, her pupils are fixed and she’s dying.” She cried.
Riker’s eyes immediately flew open and he ran towards Deanna’s room without hesitation.
“What the hell is going on Cecilia?” Thomas demanded grabbing the woman by the shoulders. “What happened to Deanna?” he insisted.
“Tommy you’ve got to go in there and repent for all the terrible things you’ve done to her, before it’s too late.” She cried, “Ask for her forgiveness, so she’ll die with a clean heart.”
“Stay here with her.” Tom told Samantha; he then took off running towards Deanna’s room.
Samantha folded the woman in her arms while she wept for the loss of her daughter-in-law. When her tears finally subsided, she looked up towards Samantha and asked, “Who are you?”
“I’m a friend of Will and Tom’s.” Samantha stated in a soft-spoken voice. “What is going on?”
“Willy’s wife, Deanna---She’s dying.” Cecilia’s bottom lip began to tremble again, “They took her appendix out and I think they got the wrong part.”
“The wrong part?”
“You know those Doctors they tally in there and find all sorts of extra parts that they need, and they just take them out.”
“I’m going to kill her.” Riker glared as he stomped through the
corridors of the hospital.
“Wait . . .” Samantha stated, holding a hand up stopping Riker from
approaching Cecilia, “What exactly is going on?”
“Deanna isn’t dying.” He glared, “She’s fine, and so
is the baby. As a matter of fact they’re both going to be dismissed in
the morning.”
“But—she almost had a heart attack after Will and I stormed into her
room like two maniacs.” Thomas stated.
“What in the hell is wrong with you Cecilia?” Riker asked, trying
to control his breathing, his temper and his heart rate all at the same time.
After all, he just had the shit scared out of him.
“Are you two coming for Sunday dinner?” Cecilia asked, as if nothing
had happened.
Both men shot each other a look of surprise. Finally, Thomas shrugged and stated,
“Welcome to my family.”
“Are you coming for Sunday dinner, Willy?” Cecilia asked.
“Yeah.”
“What?”
“Yeah.” He repeated as he began to walk away, back towards Deanna’s room.
“What?”
“I said, yes I’ll be there.”
“Good we’re having pork.”
“I hate pork.” He called out from over his shoulder.
“All right. Then we’ll have ham.”
“Great!” Riker yelled as he disappeared around the corner.
Cecilia looked at Samantha and stated with a friendly greeting, “Oh, you must be Tommy’s wife.”
“I’m sorry, but . . . we’re not . . .” she began to explain.
“Save it, Sam.” Thomas stated. “Come on, I’ll take you back to your car.” He stated his attention directed towards Samantha.
“Are you okay enough to drive?” She asked.
“Yeah, between the cold air and Cecilia. They both have a way of sobering up a man real quick.”
“Tommy you’re my baby.” Cecilia said, patting Thomas on the cheek. “Come over to my house and I’ll make you some breakfast, oatmeal and cucumbers.” She offered. “Just like I did when you were little.”
Thomas laughed; holding an elbow out he offered it to his stepmother. “Come on I’ll take you home Mom. But, I’ll pass on breakfast. You coming Sam?”
“No, it’s late.” Samantha stated, “I want to go and get a cup of coffee from the cafeteria down stairs. I'll talk to you later.”
“Suit yourself." Thomas stated. "But rest assure, I’ll call you---tomorrow.” He smiled, emphasizing the word tomorrow.
“Who’s Sam?” Cecilia asked concerned, as she took Tom’s arm and he escorted her down the corridors of the hospital.
“A friend.”
“Is that a man or a woman?”
“A woman.”
“She a nurse?”
“Nope.”
“I wanted you to marry a nurse”
“She’s an exterminator.”
“A bug killer?”
“Yeah.” He chuckled.
“She do mosquitoes?”
Thomas Riker threw his head back in laughter as he escorted his stepmother out of the hospital.
THE END