MORIANI HOME
His footsteps fall harder and harder
on the wooden floor as they near the front door. The second ring of the
doorbell makes the steps hit even more roughly, and by the time they reach
the door, it's a wonder they haven't pounded their imprints into the floor.
Opening the door does nothing to
ease him. "What do you want?" he asks, significantly less surprised that
this meeting is occurring than he had imagined he'd be.
"Jeez, nice to see you, too,
Nick,"
Stan says, rolling his eyes.
"I would apologize -- if you were
someone actually worthy of respect."
"I see you're keeping up in the class
department, huh? Look, I just wanna see
Ryan. Can you get him for me?"
"He's not here," Nick snaps. There
is a note of satisfaction in his voice. "So scram."
"Not so quick." Stan cuts into the
doorway before Nick can close him out in the dreary autumn day. "Maybe
you can answer my question."
"What question?"
"I was walking downtown the other
day and I happened to see somethin' awfully interesting. Or someone, I
should say -- Claire Robbins."
Something that Stan cannot discern
moves over Nick, who suddenly seems a lot more troubled.
"Did you and Ry know she was here?"
Stan asks. "Is there somethin' going on with the two of them -- her and
Ry, I mean?"
"You'd think a real father might
actually know something like that about his son, wouldn't you?"
Nick sees what he is sure is a surge
of embarrassment swell in the other man's face, and Stan falls quiet. Finally
he stammers, "It's just a question, okay? Answer it."
Nick sighs deeply, clearly taking
as much time as possible before granting Stan the privelege of having his
inquiry answered. "Yes, we did know she was here. But no, thankfully, nothing
is going on between them. They see each other occasionally, but they aren't
involved, or whatever you'd call it."
"There ya go. Not so hard, huh?"
Stan shakes his head. "Damn, never thought the two of them would still
be seein' each other after all this time. She dropped him like a hot potato
back when they were kids. He was a mess."
That same confusing cloud darkens
Nick's expression again. "Why do you care, Stan? Are you out to do some
more damage to Ryan? Is that why you've been lurking around again?"
Again, embarrassment threatens to
swallow Stan -- but in a flash, rage forces it aside. "What the hell? First
Ryan, now you! What's with all the accusing? Is there somethin' I'm missing?"
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