The Wild Ones

CHAPTER 5:

Gracie Montgomery sat eating dinner with her family and a few family friends. Next to her was her boyfriend Mickey. Her mother and father sat talking as they ate when suddenly Mickey stood up. He tapped on his glass as if he was going to give a toast. "Thank you everyone for being here,  so I just thought today would be the perfect time to do this" he said. Gracie's eyes grew wide as he got down on one knee beside her. "Gracie Montgomery, I love you and I would be honored to spend the rest of my life with you" he said pulling out a small box with a ring inside. Gracie stayed quiet for a moment. She looked over at Dennis who sat across from her. He gave her a reassuring smile. "Mickey, I'm flattered, believe me" she said. "Why do I feel like there's a but coming. I love you, I even got your father's approval" he said. "I know, I just can't do this anymore. I've been trying to tell you" she replied. Everyone around them was silent just watching things unfold. "Why?" he asked. "I'm in love with someone else. I didn't mean for things to happen this way they just did, I'm so sorry but I can't marry you" Gracie said. 

" Dad...Dad!" his son called pulling him out of his thoughts. "Ezekiel, how can I help you son" he asked. "You called me" Zeke said. "Yes, right, I will only give you this job if you can handle it" he said. "I've got this, I'm going to take them all down one by one. I won't let you down pops" Zeke replied. "Then get to work. I want you to watch his daughter and granddaughter. I killed two birds with one stone last time. Let's see if you can do the same" he said. 

Faith and Noah sat on the porch swing on Dennis's enclosed back porch. "I'm sorry this happened" Faith apologized. "It's not just your fault. We both knew what could happen. I'm sorry about the way I've been acting. It took me a moment to realize I need to man up and face things" Noah said. He hadn't been himself since finding out Faith was pregnant. He was usually involved in all things that went on around The Carter's house. He had been working with Dennis since Danny introduced them a couple years before. Noah had started out as just working in Dennis's club until Dennis grew to trust him. Then he became part of Dennis's inner circle. This is how he met Faith, the twins, and Drew. Noah and Faith had always had a close relationship. When they met they had quickly become best friends, but it had never gone beyond that. Until one night the two crossed a line that changed their lives forever. Now the two would be embarking on the adventure of parenthood together, but nothing changed their relationship. Even though they had one night together the two of them remained best friends and nothing more.

"It's okay, I understand your scared. I am too, but we will face things together. Our baby will understand someday, and know that no matter what he or she is loved" Faith said. Just then Danny came in, looking distraught. "What's wrong man?" Noah asked. "Where's Dennis? I need to take some time off. My mom called, my Dad didn't come home" he said frantically. " Go home, I'll talk to him" Faith said. "Thank you" Danny replied. He knew Dennis would understand. Danny had known Dennis all of his life. Dennis and his mother had been friends for years. That is how Danny began doing business with Dennis. 

Drew drove towards home as Sophia slept in the front seat. They had been gone all night driving around. Sophia had another nightmare, so Drew wanted to get her mind off things. To him Sophia wasn't like any other random female who ran through his life. Drew found himself spending a lot of time with Sophia in the last few weeks. He helped her a lot with the grief she felt over her mother and sister, but they also took time to learn each others likes and dislikes and even some things they had never told anyone else. Drew refused to open up at first, but Sophia did not let up until he told her about himself. For the first time their friendship meant something to him, but the thought of caring about her in any other way scared him. Especially if Dennis were to suspect anything. He knew he couldn't cross that line and he didn't intend to. He pushed away the thought of that and continued to drive until they reached home. 

Later that night they sat out by the pool talking."You know of all of the things you have told me you never told me where you're from" Sophia said. "I'm from Gravelton" Drew replied. "So, how did you end up working for my grandpa in Willowbrook" she asked. "I got kicked out for beating the shit out of my step dad, and so I walked until I made it here. Dennis found me sleeping in an ally outside the bistro one day and the next thing I know I had a job and a place to live. I wasn't about to complain" he replied. "Thank you for last night, and all of the other times you've listened to me. It really means a lot" Sophia told him, changing the subject. "It's no big deal. You don't have to thank me" Drew replied. "It's a big deal to me. I'm thankful to have a friend like you" she said. Drew looked at the time before standing up. "I'd rethink that, because I'm not who you think I am. You think I'm this great guy but I'm not. I've done things that would make you look at me way differently" he said before leaving. 

Sophia sat there alone thinking about him. She found that thinking about him made her happy. She got butterflies when thinking of him. This is something she had noticed recently, but she also knew that Drew would probably never feel the same. She tried to push the thought of them ever becoming more than friends away, but that was becoming harder to do. She couldn't help it. She felt as though he was not just the person everyone told her about. Faith had even warned her, but the person Sophia had come to know wasn't just a bad guy. In her opinion, yes he may have done terrible things like he had said, but he was only doing what her grandfather asked of him. She believed he did all those things in order to keep the things he had, in order to survive. She knew he was not right, but she chose to focus on the other side of him that she had seen. 

She had been told all about this cold human being who would not hesitate to kill if it was asked of him, she had even witnessed him use women as play things instead of treating them like human beings, but she had also seen a side of him that listened to her and was there for her. Sophia was pulled from her thoughts by Faith screaming at her father from inside the house.

Faith walked in to her father's office where he sat talking to her twin brothers. "Have a seat sweetheart" her father said. He waited a moment to speak, looking at all three of his children he took a deep breath. "As you know Danny won't be around for a bit. This morning I was told his father is missing. His mother Beth called a little while ago, his body was found this evening. We know who did it, but we also talked and feel as though we should be honest with the three of you and Danny. It may be hard to hear, but the man that they found is not Danny's father. He raised him and he carries his last name, but he is not his father. I am Danny's father" Dennis told them.