Chapter 1
813 Words
“I don’t know if I really want to go, babe. I don’t think that I want to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of Ralph’s disappearance. I just don’t feel right about it,” Mike said, after his wife, Marsha had read the invitation to him.
“Come on, honey. They want to do a tribute to him and what good is a tribute if my brother’s best friend won’t do a speech on how much he meant to our class? Please… for me,” Marsha gave him the sweetest grin she could muster.
“Exactly what I don’t feel right about, Marsha. Ralph is just missing, he isn’t dead. So why do we need to do a tribute? You only do a tribute if the person is dead and gone.”
“Mike, people do tributes for people who are alive, too. They do it all the time on award shows. And besides, what if Ralph decides to make his grand reappearance at our reunion? How’s it going to look if his best friend isn’t there waiting to beat the crap out of him for disappearing for so long? You know just as well as I do that sounds exactly like the kind of stunt the class clown would pull off,” Marsha said as she walked up to Mike and wrapped her arms around his neck. “I think that we should go and at least stay through the tribute. Then, if my brother doesn’t appear, we can leave early. Does that sound doable?”
“I will think about it. But I am not making any promises. When is the reunion, anyway?” asked Mike as he kissed Marsha on the forehead.
“June first. If you are serious about us going, I can see if Abby can watch the twins for that whole weekend. Unless you want to take them with us. I am sure our parents would love to see them since we haven’t been to see them since the boys’ first Christmas three years ago.”
“Yeah, we can take them with us. But why don’t you see if Abby wants to come, too. That way the grandparents have a little help. Just in case.”
“That’s a good idea. And I will look at getting a hotel room for the weekend, too,” Marsha adds as she looks at her watch. “Oh, babe. You have got to get ready for work or you are going to be late. I will get everything in order for the trip for us, just don’t forget to ask Jason to cover for you that Friday and possibly Monday.”
“The guys will be okay without me for a couple of days. Heck, depending on how far along we are with this project, I might give them a four day weekend. I mean they have kind of earned it, but that is still a month or so away,” Mike said over his shoulder as he headed for their bedroom to change.
As he entered the hallway, he heard the unmistakable sound of his 3 year old twin boys laughing.
“Babe, Ralph and Ryan are awake,” he called down the hall as he opened their bedroom door. The boys rushed out and wrapped their little arms around Mike’s legs.
“Daddy! We got you, Daddy. Now you can’t go to work. You can stay home and play with us. Right, Ralph?” Ryan squealed with delight.
“Right, Ryan. Come play outside with us, Daddy. Please,” agreed Ralph.
“Not today, boys. The guys at work really need me today, but I will be home early. That I can promise you. Then we can go get pizza for dinner. What do you guys think?” Mike asked, as he gently pried their little arms loose.
“Slice Galaxy!!!!!” the boys screamed in unison.
“But only if it is okay with your mom and you have to be good all day. Is that a deal?” asked Mike, holding out his hand to his sons.
“Yes, sir,” they replied as they shook their father’s hand in turn.
Then they both went running down the hall towards the kitchen, yelling at the top if their lungs, “Mom! Dad said we can get pizza for dinner if we are good all day!!!!”
Mike chuckled and shook his head as he headed down the hall to their room.
But as he got dressed for work, his mind went back to the upcoming reunion. It still didn’t feel right, celebrating without Ralph there.
- Writer
