by Laney Smith
“It won’t either. That tooth is barely hanging on. Go let Ryan get it for you.”
Ryan stared at his mother like a deer in headlights. He softly repeated her words in the form of a question, “Loose tooth?”
Nathan started crying and threw his hands down at his side. “I can’t believe this is happening to me,” he dramatically cried. “This is the worst day of my life.”
Frannie and Ryan both laughed at the way Nathan emoted his discontentedness.
“Come here,” Ryan said, with a chuckle. “You’ll be alright. Let me see.”
“Don’t take it out, OK? Is it bad? Is it really bad?” Nathan cried.
Ryan covered his eyes with his hand as he laughed. “Nate, I lost my teeth, too. It’s OK, buddy. I’m not going to hurt you. You know that. Now, come here and let me see.”
Nathan walked over to him and opened his mouth, holding his hand beneath his lower lip, prepared to block Ryan at any moment. “Please, no! Don’t . . . do . . . it,” Nathan nervously muttered.
Again, Ryan covered his eyes and laughed. “You’re being ridiculous. It’s already out. It’s just hanging by one tiny piece of skin. I’m just going to catch it so you don’t swallow it. The Tooth Fairy doesn’t pay for the teeth you swallow.”
Nathan covered his face, crying into his hands. “This can’t be happening. I don’t want this to happen. This is going to be so bad.”
“No. Everybody does this, buddy. It’s OK.”
Frannie glanced at Ryan, contemplating another solution. “Maybe he needs an apple?”
Nathan cried and pressed against the dangling tooth with his tongue.
“Oh, stop bellowing. You’re a tough guy. Think of the money the Tooth Fairy will leave for you.”
“I don’t want anything from the Tooth Fairy. I want to my tooth,” Nathan bawled.
Ryan and Frannie laughed as the boy went through his emotions. Then, as though a switch flipped, Nathan quit crying and looked at Ryan. He wiped the tears off his cheeks.
“The Tooth Fairy will bring me money?”
“Yep!” Ryan nodded confidently.
“How much money? Can I buy a PlayStation?”
“Ha!” Ryan scoffed. “No!”
Nathan threw his head back and started crying, again. “This is my worst dream come true.”
Ryan reached his fingers in Nathan’s mouth, quickly gripping the dangling tooth. With one smooth tug, the tooth was out, before Nathan even had time to react. The boy went silent, staring at Ryan as though betrayed in the worst possible way. He covered his mouth, pressing his tongue against the new opening. He stared at Ryan for a second.
“What did you do?”
Ryan held his hand out with the tooth in his palm. “I’m the Extractor,” he offered in a menacing voice.
“You knocked my tooth out?” Nathan asked. “My mom is going to be mad at you.”
“Well if you tell the story that way, yeah. She might be a little miffed. It was coming out. I just helped. See? I can already see the big tooth coming in,” Ryan offered as he looked into Nathan’s mouth. “It was time.”
“Will it be here fast? Before I eat?”
“Um,” Ryan slowly shook his head. “No. Probably not that fast. But, you’ll be OK. It happened to me when I was a little guy, too.”
“I’m going to make you a smoothie,” Frannie offered. “A nice, cold smoothie to go with your breakfast. Losing a tooth deserves a cold treat, don’t you think?”
As Frannie kept Nathan occupied, Ryan sent a photo of Nathan’s tooth along with a text to Corlay.
Your boy lost his first tooth. I’m so proud of him. He’s a tough guy.
Within a few seconds, he got her reply.
Upper right front? That tooth has only been loose for forever. Was he dramatic about it?
Ryan read her response and laughed to himself.
Not at all. It was just the worst thing that’s ever happened to him in his whole life.
A few seconds later, Ryan’s phone pinged.
That’s my boy! Lol!
Ryan sighed as his eyes absently shifted around his mother’s kitchen.
No. That’s OUR boy!
I love you, Ryan!
I love you, too. See you in a few.
~THIRTY-SIX~
Over the next few days, as the end of the month drew closer, Corlay was irritable. She was sweating rent time and knowing that she would spend her final paycheck to cover the expense. She had begun to question what she had done for the eighty-billionth time when Ryan announced that he had a meeting with a realtor at the house in Castle Hills. He also suggested that since they would be out there, anyway, that perhaps they should check on the nursery that was for sale.
It was such a harmless plan. Ryan and Corlay loaded Nathan up in the car and started the fifteen-minute drive to Castle Hills. The three were in great spirits. The weather was perfect. It was a fantastical start to an exciting adventure. Ryan and Corlay held hands as he drove into the cute little suburb. He turned into the driveway and he gasped.
“I cannot believe this place. Would you look at that house?” he smiled and excitedly squeezed Corlay’s hand.
Corlay stared at the house as Ryan drove up the winding driveway that led to the backside of the home. As soon as he rounded the corner, he saw the car, he assumed, his new realtor was driving. Parked in front of that was that familiar, red sports car. Ryan felt his face drop.
He cleared his throat and glanced at Corlay. This time, his face had worry and concern. He nervously shifted in his seat as he parked behind a gray Lincoln something or the other. He smiled at Corlay, unsure of what to say.
“Uh . . .” he started, pausing as his tongue jabbed against the inside of his cheek. “I just want you to know, I have nothing to do with her being here.”
“Who?”
“Ryan . . . I mean, Dad, Scottie is here,” Nathan chimed in from the backseat, stretching his body, looking out the window.
Ryan sheepishly smiled at Corlay. His face emoted more guilt than he should have owned. He shrugged and sighed.
“Do you want to leave?”
“Absolutely not,” she answered with a confidence that made him nervous. “I have nothing to worry about, right?”
“I don’t know why she’s here. I didn’t call her. I didn’t tell her that I was coming.”
“She’s probably the listing agent,” Corlay said with a sassy smirk.
Corlay stepped out of the car before Ryan could get around to open her door. She stepped out in her jeans, sneakers and a t-shirt, made to look worn, that read, “Rock Star” across the front. She had her hair loosely pulled back in a perfectly messy ponytail. She wished she would’ve known that Scottie would be here. She would’ve worn the red dress that Ryan seemed to have such an attachment to. It didn’t matter, Corlay convinced herself. She was going to march into that house as though she belonged.
As they walked along the walkway to the front door, Corlay tucked herself under Ryan’s arm, sliding her hand into his back pocket. She talked to him, though most of what she said was insignificant, nervous chatter. With each step, she had more time to think about the fact that she was going head-to-head with an intimidatingly, beautiful woman. This happened to be the same beautiful woman who Ryan had a very recent history with. Corlay sighed as Ryan depressed the lever on the long, stately door handle. He pushed the door open and called around the door.
“Hello?”
“Mister Priest,” a man with black hair and captivating blue eyes said as he appeared in the foyer, extending his arm to shake Ryan’s hand. “I’m David Louette. You ready to look at this perfect home for your family?”
Ryan nodded. “Let’s see what you’ve got.”
Corlay’s eyes darted around the entry way. She wasn’t looking at the expansive home layed out before her. She was looking for Scottie. Then, with the clicking sound of her needle-sharp heels preceding her arrival, Scottie stepped around the corner. Corlay’s confidence inst
antly bottomed out. There before her, stood a long-haired beauty with zero body fat and a clingy, layered pink dress that looked tailored for her perfect body. Their eyes locked.
Ryan reached for Corlay’s hand as his eyes met hers with a look that seemed reassuring. “You ready to go check it out?” he asked.
“It’s a beautiful home. That master bedroom, Mister Priest . . .” Scottie smirked as she flashed a flirty look at Ryan.
Ryan cleared his throat and tugged Corlay’s hand. “Let’s go see.”
“OK,” Corlay agreed.
“My mom is Ryan’s girlfriend,” Nathan offered, gripping Ryan’s free hand. “He said I can call him Dad.”
Scottie stared at the boy, wishing she could melt his existence with just a stare. “That’s sweet,” she sarcastically offered.
Ryan pulled Corlay and Nathan into the family room. Nathan ventured across the room to some built in shelves.
“Mom, Dad, look. I can reach,” he said as he strained to reach one of the higher shelves.
“Good to know,” Ryan teased. He glanced at Corlay. “Are you doing alright?”
“Are you doing alright?”
Ryan flashed a cocky smirk and nodded his head. “Never better.”
“I don’t like her,” Corlay announced with a sarcastic grin.
Ryan sighed. “The good news is she never makes it for Christmas dinner, anyway.”
“Keep joking, Mister Priest.”
He smiled a playful smile. “Mm! So formal.” Realizing Corlay’s guard was up and she wasn’t falling for his playful, flirty attempt to distract her, he opted for a more serious conversation. “So, what do you think?”
Corlay’s eyes darted around the room. “It’s a little excessive. It looks more like a museum or a shopping mall.”
Ryan smiled as he looked around. “It’s nice, right?”
“You live in houses like this? How many roommates are you looking at having?”
“You don’t like it?”
Seeing the disappointment on his face, Corlay sighed, releasing her pent-up bitterness. “It’s beautiful, Ryan. Truly.”
A smile crept across his face. “You think so? Come on! Let’s go get a look at the rest of it.”
As they made their way to the elaborate staircase, Scottie caught up with them. “So, what are you thinking, Ryan? How did I do? Pretty damn good, I’d say. Wouldn’t you, Miss . . . I’m sorry. I forgot your name,” she said as she flashed a fake smile, looking at Corlay.
Corlay stared at Scottie, “Quite honestly, this just isn’t my thing.”
“It depends on what you’re used to,” Scottie jabbed. “Ryan, this house just screams your name. It has everything you told me you wanted,” Scottie offered as she followed Ryan and Corlay up the stairs.
At the top of the stairs was a recreation room with a bridge that opened on either side to the downstairs below. The bridge led to some of the bedrooms, as well as a theater room. Nathan could hardly contain himself.
“This house has a race track,” he said as he ran across the bridge, to the other side.
“Stop running, Nate,” Corlay coached.
“Oh, he always does that when I show these guys a house,” Scottie quipped.
Ryan flashed her a look of warning. “He’s a kid. He’s excited.”
“Oh, yeah! That’s what makes it so much fun,” Scottie covered. “I’ll show you the master retreat.”
Scottie’s thin heels clicked across the granite flooring as she led Ryan and Corlay across the bridge. They strolled down a hallway, Scottie reciting the typical, irrelevant side notes as they made their way to the end of the hallway.
“Here’s a guest room. There’s a nice sized closet in there. Here’s a powder room that leads into a smaller guest room. This door is the upstairs laundry, complete with a chute that leads to the laundry in the lower level.” It was all typical – nothing special – chatter to fill the silence. Then, as though she were the queen addressing her subjects, she threw open a set of French doors. “And, Ryan . . . here’s where the magic happens,” she said as she spun around, walking backwards into the bedroom with her wide eyes and flirty smile. As she had done before, she pretended to draw him to her by some invisible thread. The familiar gesture did not escape Ryan’s notice.
“What do you think? You belong in this house, Ryan. We both know it,” she said, cutting Corlay out of the conversation.
Ryan smiled as his eyes studied the crown molding, the pillars between the bedroom and the dressing area, the way he could see beyond the enormous, marble bathroom, into the massive walk-in closet with built in shelving. His eyes met Corlay’s and his smile faded. She looked terrified.
“You look like you’re going to turn around and run,” Ryan offered.
Corlay nodded. “I might.”
“C’mon. What do you think?”
“This house makes me feel nauseous.”
Ryan smiled. “It’s pretty.”
“You’re out of your mind. I hope you’re planning on having a ton of kids to fill this place. Otherwise, it will never matter how much furniture you put in here, it will always feel as empty and cold as it does right now. It would take you all day, every day to clean this house.”
Scottie hiccupped a laugh. “Oh, that’s so funny!” she said as she rolled her eyes. “He doesn’t clean it, dearie. You don’t clean a house like this, yourself. You have personnel to tend to that. You’re so funny. I know, you were just kidding, right?”
Corlay shook her head, pressing her lips together. “No. No, I wasn’t kidding.”
“Oh, honey. Let me help you out. People like Ryan don’t waste their time cleaning. His time is far too valuable to too many people for that. You see? I guess you could do that for him, if you wanted. Maybe he could pay you. A little extra income, right?”
Corlay laughed a wicked, throaty laugh as she turned and walked out of the room. Ryan glared at Scottie.
“Really?” he shook his head. “People like Ryan hate catty, bitchy jabs like the one you just dished out.”
Scottie rolled her eyes as she sighed a heavy sigh. “I’m trying, Ryan. What’re you doing with her? Is she some charity outreach program, or something? You’re better than that. You should have some beautiful woman flowing from your arm. You worked hard to get where you are. She doesn’t belong in this house. She doesn’t belong with you.”
Ryan pressed his tongue against the inside of his cheek as he bobbed his head. “You’re not going to like what you get if you keep doing what you’re doing.”
“Ryan, don’t you see? She’s looking for a solution to all of her problems. You’re such a nice guy. I hate seeing someone use you like that.” Scottie searched his face for a reaction. “Alright. Do one thing for me. Try to visualize her here . . . with you . . . in her worn out sweats and that hyper kid, running around, climbing all over your beautiful home as though he were in a barnyard. Now, imagine all of that when your friends come over,” Scottie smirked. “It doesn’t fit, does it? I’m looking out for you. I don’t care what you think. I really do care about you. I don’t want to see you make a mistake you can’t recover from. She will be dragging you through divorce court when she’s gotten everything she wants from you. Imagine having to hand this beautiful, dream house over to her because you lost it in a scammer’s plan. She doesn’t belong here. I know it. You know it, and she knows it, too. It’s time for you to think about you.”
Ryan stepped closer to her, staring into her eyes. “You’ve gone too far, too many times. I knew the game you were playing before you started playing it. I’ve bounced quite a few of your kind on my lap. Your kind is nothing new for me. I can see you coming from a million miles away. I’ve tried to let you duck out with a little dignity. You’re starting to bother me.”
“You’re being an idiot.”
Ryan smirked as he tilted his head. “Wouldn’t be the first time, now would it?”
He shook his head and exhaled, heavily before he turned to go fi
nd Corlay. In his search for her, he found himself sidetracked by the sounds of Nathan’s voice coming from one of the other bedrooms. Ryan stepped into the room to see Nathan lying on the floor, playing with one of his cars.
“What’re you doing?’
“I want this room,” Nathan said as he lifted his upper body so that he was sitting, looking up at Ryan.
Ryan shook his head. “I don’t know. This might not be the house we want.”
“Where’s Mom?”
“I don’t know. I was thinking maybe you could tell me.”
Nathan shook his head. “No. I don’t know where she is, silly goose.”
“Silly goose? You’re the silly goose.”
While Ryan and Nathan bantered back and forth, Scottie stomped down the hallway, across the bridge, down the stairs and out the front door. She marched over to her car, tossing her portfolio in through the driver’s side window. Just as she reached for the handle to open the door and slide in, the car door slammed shut.
“I don’t like you,” Corlay announced, once her eyes met Scottie’s. “I know that you want Ryan. Don’t we all? I don’t fault you for that. You’ve been less than hospitable to me. I don’t really care about that, either. But, you will not speak to my son, anymore. You’ve never had a nightmare as horrible as the one I will become for you if you even look his direction, again. Understand?”
“You know what? It doesn’t matter what you do, you’re never going to belong at his side. I don’t care how many little shit heads you pop out. There are certain things called class, grace, and elegance that you clearly know nothing about.”
“The class I know about is what’s keeping me from shoving your skinny ass in the trunk of this heap and driving it off into forgotten waters. The grace within me is what keeps me from ripping your mouth off your face, though I really want to. And that elegance you speak of is what put me next to that man you want so badly – but will never have. You poor thing. I hope someday you figure out that it’s not about designer shoes, highlights, push-up bras, and flashy cars. Everyone loves those little colorful chocolate pieces. But, that colorful shell only means so much. At the end of the day, everyone wants what is under those colorful shells. You’re nothing but a colorful shell, Scottie. That’s why you keep getting spit back out. Get in your car and drive away. Your make-up is starting to run. I doubt you want Ryan to see you like that,” Corlay smirked. “By the way, we’ll find our own house. Thanks! Enjoy all that class, grace, and elegance that I just afforded you.”