New Beginnings (Charlie Bartlett Fanfic Starring Robert Downey Jr.)

Chapter 57 - Telling Dad's Secret

Susan was spread out across Rodine's bed, watching a movie on the television across the room. Rodine had gone to take a shower, leaving her on her own for a bit. Her cell phone rang and she smiled when she saw who the caller was. "Hey, Gram!" she answered happily.

A concerned voice answered her. "Oh, Susan, sweetheart, thank goodness. Is everything all right?"

"Uh, yeah," she answered, a little confused. "Why?"

"I've been trying to get a hold of your father for two days. He isn't answering his cell or the house phone and...where are you, honey?"

"I'm at my friend's for spring break."

"He said he wasn't chaperoning that trip anymore," her grandmother interrupted, sounding confused.

"No, he changed things and went away with Syd."

"Syd? Oh, he's not off on...on a bender, uh, oh sorry honey...or something is he?"

Susan laughed. "No, Gram, I told you before he hasn't touched anything in months. He wanted to have some time alone with Sydney so he..."

"A woman?" Her voice suddenly took on a brighter tone. "He's seeing someone? And he took her away?"

Shit. Shit, she didn't know! Dad's gonna kill me. She knew there was no point in trying to lie, her grandmother would hear right through it. "Um...yeah. He...didn't...say anything?"

"No." Her voice was still cheery. "Though that doesn't surprise me, he's always been..." She sighed and Susan felt guilty.

Well, he's gonna kill me anyway. "If it makes you feel any better, hardly anyone knows. I just recently found out about it. They were waiting until this school year ended...she's a teacher and..." She heard her grandmother make a noise and could picture her covering up a smile on her face. Nathan didn't have the greatest relationship with his parents, not because of anything they'd done, but because he felt he always disappointed them. Susan was more than aware of this.

"And they've gone away together? Oh, honey...is it serious? You can tell me, I promise I won't say a word to your father."

The happiness in her voice was too much for Susan to say no to. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure it is." She wasn't going to let it slip that Sydney would be moving in in a few months. Though she was going to be sure to say something else. "I didn't tell you this, but...she's good for him. Really good. Gram, she's kept him from slipping a couple of times and he lights up every time they're together and..." She sighed, regretting saying so much, but not wanting to keep it all to herself. She cleared her throat. "Anyway, he had a 'don't call unless it's an emergency' rule and gave me the hotel number. Everything's okay, right?"

"Yes, sweetheart, I just wanted the four of us to have dinner together, we haven't seen you in a while." She paused for a moment. "Oh! Do you think your father would let it be five?"

"Um...maybe? I wasn't exactly supposed to tell anyone so..."

"Oh, don't worry about that, Susan, Gram-ma will take care of it. You enjoy your break, honey, and Grand-pa and I will see you soon, okay?"

"Okay, Gram," Susan replied, dreading having to tell her father about this conversation once he got home.

"Love you."

Susan smiled despite the situation. "Love you too, Gram." She hung up the phone and Rodine walked back into the room. "Well, this will be the last time we see each other for a while, Ro," Susan chuckled.

Her friend raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"I just told my grand-ma something my dad hadn't told her yet."

"Ouch...". Rodine's face looked pained.

"Yup...extra large extra extra cheese tonight?"

Rodine laughed. "Freedom food, take it while you can get it!"