3 Years

90 - Rooms

While the Salazar-Roberts family was in the living room, Ricky was being slightly scolded back in the kitchen. "Well, at least you're alive."

"It was just a little ice. We've been through much worse," he countered.

"I know, but since we now have control, we shouldn't be putting ourselves in those kinds of situations," Nia disciplined.

"Don't worry. I already got in trouble with Nini for still coming over."

"Told you so."

"Did you call just because you wanted to criticize me?"

"No, I wanted to let you know that the power has gone out."

"Really. Damn it."

"Yeah, it's definitely not great."

"No need to freak out; I'm not driving at the moment."

"You might even end up staying the night over there."

Ricky's eyes bulged out of his head. "Wait, seriously?"

"Have you not checked the weather recently?"

"Yeah, but I didn't think it was that bad."

She shrugged even though he couldn't see her. "We'll just play it by ear."

"Ok. Is Noah ok?"

"Yeah, he's fine. It's not like this is new, but he's not freaking out over anything. He's just kinda bored without the TV."

"Well, at least he's calm. I'll be home as soon as possible."

"Just don't do anything stupid and start trying to drive through the mountains of snow."

"Hey, you know that car is built to withstand anything."

"Yeah, the car can; that doesn't mean you will."

"Don't worry so much."

"That's all there is to do."

He just chuckled. "Put Noah on."

Ricky talked with Noah for a few minutes, the boy saying they needed to build a snowman as soon as possible. The father grinned and promised that that would be the first thing once it was safe to go outside.

Once the call ended, Ricky went into the kitchen, expecting to see the other three but was greeted by an empty living room. "Guys!?" he hollered. Footsteps came pounding down the stairs, and both kids were soon standing at the bottom. He looked at them suspiciously. "What's going on?"

"Come upstairs," Jayden said. "We want to show you something."

Ricky was still wary of the situation but followed them nonetheless. He hadn't seen the upstairs of the house since that day when Nini invited him over... and he learned they had children together. He felt his heart grow heavy as he thought about that day and soon felt disappointed in himself once again. He quickly changed his face and put a smile on.

The kids led him down the hallway, passed Nini's room and the bathroom. Lauren put her hand on the doorknob to her left and said, "This is my room." She opened the door and gestured for Ricky to go in. (He heard Jayden slip away behind him.)

He stepped inside and took in all the decorations: there was a queen bed in the corner farthest from the door; sliding closet doors next to the bed; and a desk with a small lamp. It wasn't perfectly clean; Ricky could see some clothes sticking out from under the bed and a mound of shoes building by the desk.

The one thing that stood out the most to him was the keyboard on the stand on the opposite side of the shoe pile from the desk. It had clearly been worn down yet still appeared in decent condition. He went over to it and just gazed. "Mom gave me that for my tenth birthday," Lauren explained. "I wanted to learn, and she was tired of me constantly touching hers."