The Wannabes (16 page)

RYDER SAT ON the couch flipping
through the channels; he was bored out of his mind. He picked up his phone and
saw that is was 4:00 in the afternoon, Corbin would be home from work in 30
minutes. He shut off the TV and decided on a shower before she arrived. After
three weeks of excruciating pain, his ribs finally felt like they were healing.
He was thankful for that because he was ready to give Corbin a proper thank-you
for taking such good care of him. He felt a small smile play out on his lips at
the thought.

He had spent two days in the hospital hooked up to morphine.
He didn’t remember much about that time. Due to his injuries, he wasn’t able to
work and lost his job at RJP. But Corbin helped him apply for unemployment and
that would be on its way soon. He still had three weeks to go before he could
seek work again.

He checked his reflection in the mirror. His eyes that were
once purple, blue and black had now started fading into an ugly shade of green.
His eyes were still a little bloodshot from the incident but that was fading
too. The worse injury, in his mind, was the bruising and swelling in his
scrotum. Corbin had said he looked like he suffered from elephantitis. The
doctors were amazed that he didn’t piss blood or have to have surgery on them.
He ran his finger over the spot where his left eyebrow had been stitched and
huffed aloud. A nasty scar would remind daily of what Rob and his merry men had
done to him.

Rob had been sentenced to six months in jail He was also
ordered to pay all of Ryder and Corbin’s medical bills and for the damage on Ryder’s
car. Ryder was told that the day Rob was sentenced he had cried like a baby.

Ryder turned on the shower and took a quick one. The hot
water soothed his still aching ribs. After drying off and dressing, he shuffled
back out into the kitchen and grabbed a beer from the fridge. He sat down at
the kitchen table and lit a cigarette. He took a deep drag from it and was
pleased that he could breathe deeply again.

“I have to get going; do you need anything before I leave?”
Moses asked, interrupting Ryder’s thoughts.

“No man, I’m good.” Ryder gave him a wave and Moses gave him
a nod and then left the room.

Ryder’s thoughts went to Alex. She had finally come clean to
everyone about the pregnancy. She originally planned to have an abortion, but
after much pleading from Moses, she quickly changed her mind. Ryder was glad
she did because after a DNA test, the baby proved to be Moses’. She was now 3
months pregnant. It turned out that she and Moses had slept together once
before they actually hooked up. They were both so hammered they couldn’t
remember that night.

“Ryder?” Corbin’s voice brought him from his thoughts.

“In the kitchen,” he answered. Corbin entered the room.

“Feeling better?” She cocked her head sideways at him.

“A little, just bored.” She walked to him and gave him a
kiss on his forehead then proceeded to the fridge. She grabbed a beer, sat down
across from him, then pulled a cigarette from his pack and lit it.

“Bad day?” Ryder leaned forward in his chair.

“Just tired.” Corbin removed her glasses and rubbed her
eyes. Ryder stood and walked behind her. He began massaging her shoulders and
neck. “That feels good,” Corbin purred.

“I know something that will relax you even more,” he
whispered into her ear. He gave it a little nip. Corbin made that little moaning
sound that always drove him over the edge.

“Are you sure?” She turned to him. He wiggled his eyebrows.

“Oh yeah, he’s ready.” He pointed to his dick. He watched
Corbin’s eyes trail down, she bit her lip. Ryder held his hand out to her and
started to lead her to her room. She started stripping her clothes off on the
way there. Just when they got to the door and Corbin was down to her bra and
pants, Stella burst into the apartment.

“Oh my God, Corbin, look!!” She hurried to them and shoved
her finger in their faces. A diamond ring flashed in Ryder’s eye.

“Stella, it’s beautiful!” Corbin exclaimed. She took
Stella’s hand and brought the ring closer to her face. Mike sauntered in and
Ryder picked up Corbin’s shirt and handed it to her. Corbin took it but just
shoved it under her arm.

“Way to go, cowboy,” Ryder held his hand out to him. Mike
took his hand and shook it. Corbin’s phone started to go off.

“Ryder, can you get that?” Corbin asked not taking her eyes
off Stella’s hand. She and Stella continued to gush. He watched as Corbin
wrapped her arms around Mike’s neck and hugged him. Her shirt dropped to the
floor. Mike looked to him and seemed to not know whether to hug Corbin back.

Ryder shrugged, then dug through Corbin’s purse and found
her phone. “Hello,”

“
This is Jan, from Hospice. Could I please speak to
Corbin Frederick?”

“Just a sec,” Ryder held the phone out to Corbin. “It’s Jan
from Hospice.” He watched Corbin’s face go from full-fledged happiness to a
look of sadness as she took the phone from him.

“Jan?” Corbin’s face grew pale. “She can’t be.” Tears began
and Ryder knew at that moment something awful had happened. Corbin nodded, and
then the phone slipped from her hand and dropped to the floor. She looked to
him, her eyes wide and a look of fear on her face.

Ryder picked up the phone and put it up to his ear.

“Jan, are you still there?”

“Yes, is she ok?”

“I don’t think so.”

Corbin stared straight ahead, Ryder motioned to Stella and
she rushed to Corbin and helped her sit down.

“Is there anyway someone can drive her to friendship Manor?
It’s very important that she gets here soon.”

“Yeah, no problem, I’ll have her there in a few minutes,”
Ryder ran a hand through his hair. The line went dead.

“She’s dying…” Corbin sobbed. Ryder picked up her shirt and
helped her slip it on.

“Can you two help her to her car? I’m going to get dressed.”
Ryder was pacing. He felt a hand on his shoulder.

“I’ll drive.” Mike gave him a nod then proceeded to help
Stella with Corbin. Ryder knocked on Alex’s door she opened it a crack. Ryder
slipped his shirt over his head and some jeans.

“Corbin just got the call about her Mom, Mike’s driving us
there and Stella is going along. I would wait for you but we have to go now.”
Alex’s hands went up to her mouth.

“Tell her I will be there soon,” Alex said softly.

“I will,” Ryder grabbed Corbin’s keys and ran down the
stairs. Corbin was in the backseat of her car. Ryder gave Mike the keys. He
slid over to Corbin and cradled her in his arms. She was shaking and crying.

“I got you.” He gave her a kiss on top of her head.

CORBIN FELT AS if all the air was
being sucked from her lungs as she entered the room where her mom lay.

Jan was talking to her but what she was saying sounded like
gibberish. She felt Ryder’s arm snake around her waist as he walked her to the
chair next to her mom’s bed.

“She was calling your name,” Jan said. She placed her
stethoscope on her mom’s chest. Corbin sobbed and snot ran out of her nose.

“Here,” Ryder handed her a box of tissues. Corbin looked to
him, her brain numb. She watched as he pulled some from the box, then he dabbed
her eyes and nose. She latched onto his hand tightly.

“I called your brothers and they are on the way.” Corbin
gave her a nod then looked to her mom. “She’s resting comfortably, she’s in no
pain.” Jan gave her a small smile.

“Are…you…sure?” Corbin stammered in between sobs.

“Yes, I’ll be out in the hall if you need me, ok?” Jan gave
her hand a pat then left the room.

Corbin took a deep breath and looked to Ryder. He gave her
hand a squeeze and a kiss.

“Talk to her Corbin,” he spoke in a hushed tone. Corbin
shook her head, unsure if she could find her voice.

“Mom…” Corbin croaked. She looked to Ryder and he gave her a
nod. She returned her eyes to her Mom and gathered herself.

“Mom, Jan told me you were asking for me. I am sorry I
wasn’t here.” Corbin wiped her eyes then took her mom’s hand in hers. She gave
it a kiss. “But I’m here now.” Ryder handed her more tissues. Corbin dabbed her
eyes and saw her mom open her eyes a crack. She began moving her mouth but
Corbin couldn’t hear her. She moved in closer.

“Corbin…Corbin…”

“I’m here, Mom,” she whispered. She choked back a sob and
felt Ryder’s hand on her back.

“Thank you for everything you have done for me. I am so
proud of you and I am so happy to see that you are in love, and that you have
found your way.” Her mom reached up and touched her face. Corbin looked into
her mom’s blue eyes, they looked clouded, and their vibrancy was gone.

“I love you, Mom,” Corbin let the sob out.

“I love you too, and I will always be with you,” Corbin gave
her a kiss on the forehead then felt her mom’s grip on her hand loosen. She
watched as her Mom took her last breath, the air slowly released from her lungs
as she left her.

“Oh God,” Corbin groaned. She turned to Ryder and wrapped
her arms around him. He said nothing and just held her tightly as she cried.

CORBIN STOOD IN between her brothers
in front of her mom’s casket. During the family viewing she nearly collapsed at
the sight of her laying there. But Ryder had held her up. People went through
the line and shared their condolences. Corbin had managed to keep from crying
until a familiar voice rang out.

“Corbin, I’ve missed picking on you at Royce’s.” She looked
up and saw Keith. Tears she didn’t think she had welled up in her eyes. He gave
her a hug and then pulled away. He, too, had tears in his eyes. He handed her
an envelope. “Open this later.” He gave her a wink and disappeared into the
crowd. Corbin flipped the blank envelope around in her hands.

“Doing ok?” Ryder asked. She looked to him and nodded.

“Shall we adjourn to the chapel?” the pastor asked. Ryder
stayed close and helped her to a seat. Once sitting he entwined his fingers
withers. Corbin went through the motions of the service and the burial.
Everything seemed to be going in slow motion, almost surreal. At the luncheon
she sat at a table alone and just stared off. When people would talk to her she
nodded. They could have said her hair was on fire and she wouldn’t have given a
second thought.

“I got you some coffee,” Ryder said as he sat next to her.

“Thanks,” she wrapped her hands around the cup. Ryder handed
her the envelope Keith had given her.

“You dropped this at the gravesite.” He gave her a wink.

“Thanks,” Corbin repeated.

“I am going to grab a sandwich, do you want something?”

“I’m not hungry,”

“Ok, I’ll be right back.” He gave her a kiss on the cheek.
Corbin watched him walk away and join Stella, Mike, Alex and Moses in the food
line. He turned to her and gave her a smile. She returned it with one of her
own. She looked back to the envelope, opened it and pulled out a card. On the
front was a picture of the Eiffel Tower. She opened the card and a check
spilled out from it. Inside was Keith’s familiar handwriting as she began
reading new tears flowed.

Corbin,

Before your dad died he made me promise to always keep an
eye on you and your mom and to help you both if you needed it. He loved you
both very much, so much that he made me swear to keep this secret from you
until now. He had a little money put away and told me to put into a savings
account. Instead, I invested in some stock, and the stock did pretty damn good.
I hope nothing but happiness for you. Now take this check cash it, buy some
tickets and get on a plane.

Love, Keith

A little bit of laughter erupted from her. She picked up the
check and turned it over. She felt her jaw drop when she saw the amount:
$10,000.00. She looked around for any signs of Keith but didn’t see him. Soon
she was joined by her friends. She showed the check to Ryder who spit out his
coffee.

“What?” Alex asked threw a mouth full of food. Corbin showed
the check to everyone and watched as they gaped. Then she passed the card
around.

“You know I have a wedding to plan, can I have a loan?”
Stella giggled. Mike gave her a squeeze.

“Yeah, me too. I have so many baby things to buy.” Alex
rubbed her stomach and Moses placed his hand over hers. The look Moses wore was
sheer delight. Corbin looked to each one of them, everyone seemed so happy and
where they wanted to be. She looked to Ryder, as he took a bite of his
sandwich. He gave her a wink.

“What do you think about Paris?” she asked him. She watched
that sly smile play out on his lips.

“I’m thinking I had better learn French.”

“No, I mean to live there.” Corbin watched his face. He set
his food down and took her hand in his. Seriousness washed over him.

“I love you, Corbin and wherever you are is where I want to
be.” He leaned in and kissed her softly. They sat face to face, nose to nose.

“I love you.” They kissed again and Corbin’s mom’s voice
rang out in her head.

I am so proud of you Corbin, I am so happy you have found
your way.