Unexpected

Chapter 7: Plotting Delko women and a break down

“Mari ? I might be little late.”

“No you’re not!”

No way was Ryan going to be late. Mari didn’t care how he did it but he had to be here! She knew how his twisted mind worked; if she didn’t push him he would change his mind and not come at all.

Having decided to just ignore her mother and sister's presence – who were trying to pretend that they weren't listening, she went on.

“Now you listen to me Ryan. I don’t care how you get here, by foot, roller-blades, or by doing sexual favours in exchange for a ride... however you want but you better be here within the hour. If you don’t I’ll be obligated to tell everyone –including Eric – every embarrassing story I know about you.” finished Marisol with a smirk.

“What the hell happened to your car by the way?” She could practically imagine Ryan standing there with his mouth gaping in horror.

Suddenly the phone was ripped from her hand. “Hey!”

“Ryan? This is Carmen. Why don’t you ride with Eric? He called a few minutes ago. I will call him to stop by your place. NO no Ryan, I’m sure Eric won’t mind. Don’t be silly, why would you want to pay a cab fair when Eric has to drive by where you live anyway? Don’t sweat, I’ll call him now. See you soon.” Not giving Ryan any time to weasel his way out, Carmen hung up.

Mari was definitely missing something; her sisters were absolutely giddy. They were even giggling! It was common knowledge that a group of conspiring giggling woman meant the downfall of at least one man somewhere in the world. It looked like it would be Ryan this time. And possibly Eric.

She just HAD to ask. “Okay, what’s going on?”
Looking attentively at her sisters –her mother looked just as curious as her, if not amused too- she detected the fake innocent faces. If it wasn’t for the barely concealed amusement in theirs eyes, she would almost believe it. This must be really good. They had taught her that face; Eric called it ‘the innocent Delko women face’. It’s the face passed on from one generation to the next Delko woman; like a tradition. She got off on so many punishment with it. Didn’t work well on her mother though.

Pointing her finger at her two sister she said “That doesn’t work on me. Now tell me.” Mari demanded. Standing there by the sink with theirs hands dripping water, her sisters shared a look. Turning back to Mari, Rosa answered her ,“Some people may have driven by Ryan’s place this morning. Those people may have done something so he wouldn’t be able to use his car.”

Sharing a mischievous smirk with her sisters, Marisol asked “You slashed his tires?”

“Of course not,” came Carmen’s indignant reply, “That would be vandalism.”

“Should we call Eric to tell him to go by Ryan’s?”

Grinning Carmen replied “Already did... this morning.”

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Is it possible to feel both comfortable and uncomfortable at the same time? Because that is exactly how Ryan feels right now.

Not that he had bad company, he was surrounded by nice, loving people who were kind enough to invite him into theirs midst.

No the cause of his uneasiness was sitting beside him. Well actually both people sitting next to him.

He felt just a tad cornered. On his left sat Marisol. Don’t get him wrong he loves Mari and any time he’s with her, he has a blast. Except the past few days; she’s been acting weird. Like now for instance; every time his eyes crossed hers, she would have this look. The kind of look that says ‘I know something you don’t – and there’s no way I’m going to tell you’. Plus, she kept winking!! If he didn’t know any beater, he would say she was coming on to him. Euh gross. Now he would have to bleach his brain. The thought alone made him shudder, earning a inquisitive look from Mari.

Deciding not to worry -for now – he turned his attention to his right.

To Eric.

Now there was the source to all his problems. Well to most of his problems.

The car ride was –once again- weird. Eric kept sending him glances, like he was waiting for something. Maybe he was. If only Ryan knew what to say.


Finding Eric on the step of his door last night had been a nice surprise. They actually had a nice time; talking about theirs families, theirs school years, work,... It had been interesting and not as awkward as Ryan would have imagined. The ‘naked-shower-incident’ hadn’t been mentioned. Obviously it was at the front of their minds, but like -... well men- they had skirted around the subject.

And when Ryan had thought he could finally put that behind him, Erika happened. Erika humiliating him in his own home and Eric hearing had been bad. Ryan thought Eric walking in on him that morning was the worst thing that could happen ... he was wrong! He hadn’t really know what to expect. This sees the fire with Eric was still so new to him. For a second he had thought Eric would use what he heard as ammunition. A bit like tying the noose for your own hanging kind of thing. Thank god that hadn’t happen.

Feeling Eric’s arms around him had been so wonderful. For the first time in a long time, Ryan had felt safe and secure and he had slept! He couldn’t remember the last time he slept a full night without nightmares.

At the time, it had felt wonderful being sheltered in Eric’s arms, protected from everything, even reality. But reality hit him like a bus when he woke up in the morning and found a note from Eric saying he went to work.

Ryan had actually felt a sense of relief when he saw his flat tires. He had been dreading seeing Eric all day long, and this was a potential way to get out of it. Unfortunately his plan had been killed by Marisol’s sister. She didn’t even give him the time to refuse before she hung up!

Every second of that carried had felt like an hour. He had been happy to escape Eric in the sea of people that were consisted of Delko’s and spouses, to end up sitting right were he started, next to Eric.

Is this what Oprah calls ‘ a full circle moment’?

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Why is it that when something is finally going well, something happens to screw it up?? He was getting over Speed’s death and he finds out Marisol is sick, last night was a big progress between Ryan and him and then Erica showed up! Why can’t he get a break??

He should have stayed and talked to Ryan this morning. He would have been late for work but so what. At least they would have cleared the air. Now they were right where they started. No, not quite where they started; they started at yelling and glaring, now there was no glaring but there was the deafening silence. It’s actually worse than the yelling. Eric had to admit that a blushing Ryan was cute!

While at work, he had made a plan. The plan was simple, he had to lay down all his cards on the table and tell Ryan the god honest truth, even if it is humiliating. Especially if Ryan turns him down. But first he needed the missing piece of the puzzle and Eric knew exactly who to talk to: the Devil’s spawn ... Marisol!

*****

Getting cornered while you’re getting out of the bathroom is not the nicest of feelings. Probably because she wasn’t doing the cornering. Getting pushed in said bathroom by your brother who seems to follow you in, freaky. If it was ... say Horatio Caine, she wouldn’t mind. Anyway, she wondered what he wanted.

Pointedly looking around Marisol asked “Euh, I don’t know what you want but could we do this some other time, or even better some other place?”

Grabbing her shoulders Eric ignored her question “I need your help!”

“Okay, what can I do and what will I get for doing it?” Maybe she would get him to tell her what he put into his hair to make it so soft. You would think she would know after stealing his hair products 2 days prior.

Rolling his eyes Eric went on “Look this is serious. I don’t know much about your relationship with Ryan and what he does or doesn’t tell you, but I need you to tell me. A few weeks ago the team went out and had some drinks. I don’t remember much. I know I got drunk and that Ryan brought me home. I have only small flashes of what happened. I think I said some horrible things to Ryan and I don’t know what! You HAVE to tell me what Ryan told you!”

Oh that’s what this is about. She should have known this was going to come up soon. Now what to tell Eric, after all she didn’t know much either. “Eric, Ryan hasn’t told me a thing. All I know is that he’s been weird and sad. I don’t know, when i mention you he has this look in his eyes i don’t understand.” Narrowing her eyes “What exactly DO you remember??”

Dropping his hands, Eric started to pace. Since he was in a bathroom, that meant doing 2 steps and then back. Another place and time Marisol would have found this funny. Eric looked like a caged lion.

Turning back to her with determination he said “It’s bad. Look, I want to apologize for everything I did. But I have to know what I said to him that night, something i said changed him somehow. Everyone at work noticed, Alexx is starting asking questions ...”

Smirking Marisol asked “Oh I see know, you’re afraid of what will happen if she finds out?”

Shaking his head Eric softly replied “No, I probably would deserve everything she would dish at me.”

Cocking her head to the side, Marisol asked just as softly “Tell me the truth, what’s really going on? Why do you want to know.”

Sighing Eric decided to spill, it would be practise before he spoke to Ryan. “You want the truth? The truth is that I like him. I mean really like him. I haven’t been the nicest guy to him. These last few days have been great, I got to know him a bit more but I can still see that suspicious look in his eyes. I know why he’s suspicious, I would be too if I was him; me being all nice and bringing him cookies and pizza after the way I have been treating him? I should be lucky he even gives me a chance.”

Cookies? Eric brought him cookies? Oh right, that was Alexx’s doing. Mari couldn't believe Alexx got him to bring Ryan cookies after seeing him naked! She’s good. Wait a minute! Pizza? That means they had dinner last night. Both of them. Together. In the same room. Talking and stuff. Interesting.

“Okay I get it. What do you want me to do? If you want to apologize then just do it!”

Rolling his eyes in exasperation he spelt it out for her “It is crucial I find out what I said to him that night and we both know he won’t tell me even if I asked him. That’s where you come in handy; you are going to be you and be pushy and get it out of him. And then tell me!”

Pouting “Hey, I am not pushy!” Rolling her eyes “Okay I will do it, but I want to know what you put on your hair to make it soft! And I want you to buy me that great and expensive dress i saw last week!”

“How expensive? Never mind, I’ll do it.”

Linking her arm with her brothers she dragged him out of the bathroom “I want half of the deal now. Come on Goldie locks tell me your hair secret.”

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Evening the curious looks she got from her mother and sisters, she finally got Ryan on the back porch.

“Ryan i need to ask you something. Not answering me is NOT an option by the way. What happened that time Eric got drunk and you had to drive him home?”

The inquisitive face he had on suddenly changed to the blank look she had been seeing the past month when Eric’s name was mentioned.

“Nothing big happened, I told you that already. Would you just drop it?”

Narrowing her eyes she pinned him down “Didn’t I say that not answering wasn’t an option?” Deliberately making her way to him, while pointing her finger she ordered “I have been hearing that line for the past month and the only way you are going to get back in that house is by telling me what the hell happened!”

All the fighting drained out of him and he collapsed on the swing. Running his hands over his face, Ryan started to talk.

Marisol didn’t think it would be this easy. She should have done this sooner.

“Well, like I told you, he told me what he really thought about me.”

Seeing him hesitate, she put her arm around his shoulder. He seemed to draw strength from it and turned his head to face her. Seeing his eyes watering broke her heart. Gently she touched his face, wiping the lone tear on his cheek.

“He told me I could never replace Speed, which I knew I couldn’t and even if I could I never would. He told me I should have stayed on patrol where I belong. That he wished he never would have met me. I...I didn’t know what to tell him, he ...” By the time he finished Ryan was full on sobbing.

She would rip Eric’s head off! How dare he say that to Ryan! Being drunk is not an excuse!

Her heart bled for her little brother. She knew how that Speed comment must have hit home. She knew it was there dream to have Ryan join the team, to work together. Speed had been mentoring him, pushing him to take a chance at being a CSI. Ryan being who and how he is had wanted to take a few more classes before applying for the job. He was about to apply when tragedy had struck. The job had been left to Marisol, she had been the one to push him into it. It was Speeds dream and she was set on making it happen! It had taken a lot of effort to make him do it too.

She was distracted from her musings when Eric appeared beside her. Seeing the look of regret in his eyes made her go all teary eyed. Damn, they would be the death of her.

“It’s okay. I’ll take care of him from now on. If he’ll let me.” whispered Eric.

Sitting on the other side of Ryan, Eric gathered him into his strong arms intending on never letting him go.

Satisfied for now, Marisol stood up and made her way to the back door.

Peeking one last time, she saw them clinging to each other, Ryan's face pressed into Eric’s shoulder and Eric running his hand up and down Ryan’s back, soothing him.

She prayed to God Eric wouldn’t say anything to screw this up. Or that Ryan wouldn’t be his usual stubborn self. So much could go wrong. 'It would be best,'she thought,' if she stayed on to look out.' Going into the kitchen, she opened the window and leaned over the counter to listen to what she was sure was going to be a pivotal conversation in their relationship.

---------------

The men inside the house were wondering what the hell was happening outside. After all, it wasn’t every day you saw the four Delko women huddled in font of the window eavesdropping on whatever was being said out there.

Plus, they knew better than to ask.


tbc