From Friends to Lovers

Chapter 31

Chapter 31

Rick opened the door to his loft, to find his mother in the kitchen.

"Richard, what happened" she asked when she saw the bruises on him.

He said nothing, and simply walked to the refrigerator to get some ice. He handed her his suspension letter on the way there.

"what is this?" she paused to look it over, "you're suspended? Richard, who did you get into a fight with?"

"It's nothing okay mother, just let it be"

"Richard how many times have I told you, violence is not the solution to anything! I did not raise you to be this way"

"will you just let it go, so what, I hit a few guys, why are you making such a big deal out if this?"

"Because you're hurt, and I'm not letting this go until I know what brought this on, and while you're at it, do you mind explaining to me why I found an empty bottle of scotch in your study?"

He moved past her now with an ice bag held to the side if his face,
"I needed a drink"

"Richard Edgar Rodgers..."

"Mother" he yelled now, "if you we're in my place, you would have had more than just a bottle, and if you heard the things those guys we're saying about Kate, you'd want to hit them too, so just, let me be, okay! I don't regret what I did"

he stormed off into his study, slamming the door behind him.

Martha sighed heavily. It wasn't like Richard to ever hit anyone. But it made sense now. He did it for Kate. Martha had never seen her son love someone the way he loved Kate. He cared for her too much. But Martha couldn't understand why he had drunk the earlier night, obviously, something had upset him.

She was pulled out of her thoughts by the sound of the phone ringing. She picked it up and spoke
" you've reached the Rodgers residence"

"Mrs Rodgers, Its Kate here. Has Rick reached home alright?"

"Oh Kate, just the person I needed to talk to... Could you please tell me what's going on... Rick's miserable, and the last thing I want is him going back to his old habits again. Is everything alright between you two?"

Kate sighed heavily. She took her time, thinking how to answer. Things we're not okay. And she really wanted them to be.

"No, I'm afraid not. We had a falling out, and it was all my fault, and I've been trying to apologize to him, but he just won't listen to me, he won't talk to me, and I don't blame him"

"Kate darling, why don't you come over, I'll leave you two to sort things out. I can't bear to see him this way."

"I'll be right over"

Rick had a glass of scotch. Just to calm his nerves, and numb the pain. The physical pain.

The emotional pain he was feeling couldn't be numbed however hard he tried. He decided he needed a shower. He took if his shirt, threw it on his couch then looked at his knuckle and decided to undress the wound, he went into his bedroom, and sat at the edge of his bed.

His hand really hurt, and so did his cheek bone... But he was strong. He'd endure it. At least these were pains that would heal he told himself.

He took a minute to think of the day he had today. And the only image that came to his mind was Kate, she was really sorry for what she had done, he could see it in her eyes, but for some reason, he couldn't bring himself to forgive her.

He heard the doorbell to his front door ring, hmmm, they weren't expecting anyone. He ignored it, his mother would get it. He began to unwrap the bandage around his hand when he heard a knock on his bedroom door.

Without looking up he whined "mother, would you just leave me alone, I'm tired, I'll explain everything to you later"

"I can't wait to hear it. I'm going out to get some stuff for dinner, But in the meantime there's someone here to see you"

Rick looked up now, to find Kate standing at his bedroom door and his mother waving goodbye while closing the door half way behind her.