Chapter 4
Home Sweet Home
As he got closer to the door he made the sound out to be lots of laughing, which struck him as a bit odd. They all knew what the day was and even though they couldn’t make it to the funeral you wouldn’t think they would be laughing and carrying on. What the hell is going on here? He thought as he got to the front door and opened it up. There sitting on the couch with his mom and dad on either side was Jen and in her lap sat a large photo album.
“What’s going on?” Mike asked nervously. He was nervous because his mom was a wannabe photographer and she took photos of every little moment with of course her specialty being the embarrassing ones.
All the faces in the room looked at him as he stepped through the door and closed it behind him.
“Nothing honey.” Jen said with a big smile on her face. “Your mom and dad were just showing me some old photos of you.
“I see.” Mike said. “Um… What are you doing here Jen?”
“What kind of question is that Michael?” His mom asked. “She is welcome here whenever she wants.”
“And I would never dream of saying otherwise... Seriously though… What are you doing here?”
“Michael Alexander Lachey.” His mother said. “You rude boy.” She began to shake her head as she glared at him.
“Yeah, come sit down Mal.” His father said “I’ll move over to the chair so you can sit by your lovely lady here.”
Mike hesitated but knew he was stuck. He couldn’t very well leave now, even though that was exactly what he wanted to do. He walked over and sat his envelopes on the kitchen table then very reluctantly made his way and sat down by Jen. Just as he expected the photo album was open to a page that had an embarrassing picture of a young Mike playing with a football naked. That one sat next to a picture from the same day of him sitting on the football and of course he was naked in that one too.
“So Jennifer... how’d you get here?” He decided to approach it from another angle, not wanting to catch hell from his mom again.
“Well I mentioned something to Heather about you coming to your parents and she kindly offered to bring me here.” She brought her gaze up from the photo of a young Mike holding his newborn sister. “Just in case you were upset and needed me. I forgot she is from this neighborhood too.”
“Oh… Me too, totally slipped my mind.” Of course it hadn’t really, he knew full well that they grew up together. He just never thought about her coming here on her own which was the case because as much as he hated it, his parents had a tendency to embarrass him. They took the opportunity any chance they could too, especially when he had a girl over. They started back when he first started dating and they just kept explaining to him that, that’s what parents are for. He chalked it up to too many dumb movies and TV sitcoms. “That was nice of her to offer to bring you. I’ll have to be sure to thank her.” I bet she’s just laughing it up all the way back to school. He thought to himself.
He had dated Heather for short period so she knew exactly what was going to happen because his parents got out the same photos when he brought her over for the first time.
“Yeah I wasn’t going to but she talked me in to it. She’s a very good friend.” She said with a wicked look on her face. She might as well have been saying “Ha, Ha I win!” She had been trying to get him to bring her here for a while now but he always had his family come visit them.
“Yep the best.” Mike said through lightly gritted teeth.
“Your mom and dad are showing me old photos. You were such a cute little kid.” She said with a huge smile. “These are the most adorable photos I have ever seen.”
“Yeah?” Mike said with a smile. “Well I can’t wait to go to your parent’s house and see what photos they have of you.”
Jen smiled and laughed a little. “Well I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed.” She flipped the page of the photo album. “My parents didn’t take many photos themselves. Most of the photos we have of me as a kid are professionally done and I assure you I am not naked in a single one. The most embarrassing thing you’ll see in there is… I do believe a picture of me covered in mud that my Aunt Jonnie took when I spent a summer at her house.” Jen turned the page.
Mike sat back on the couch and started shaking his head. “Well ok then.”
Jen began to laugh. “Who is this other boy in this picture with you?”
“What picture?”
Before Jen could show the book to Mike his mom answered for him. “That’s his cousin Jeremy. That’s a result of Jeremy having a much older sister with a wild sense of humor.”
Mike sat back up in his seat. “Well Honey it’s getting late we should probably get going. We have a long drive ahead of us.” He stood up and forced a stretch and a yawn.
“But sweetie? We can’t leave yet you just got here, besides your mom said she has about four more books like this.” She smiled.
“All the more reason.” Mike replied.
“Oh come on Mal. You haven’t been back home in a long time.” His father said as he nudged him to sit down. “You two should stay the night you can have your old room. We never did turn it in to that work out room I wanted to.”
“Yeah I can see that.” Mike said as he looked down at his father’s oversized belly.
“Hey now.” His father began to rub his stomach with his hands. “This is what you have to look forward to, it’s a Lachey tradition. Besides it took me a lot of work to get this sexy physic.”
Mike smiled. “It’s a long drive and I have practice on Monday.”
“We can leave early in the morning and I’ll drive back if you want.” Jen pouted her lips and tilted her head. Seeing that wasn’t enough she brought her hands up in a begging position. “Please?”
“We didn’t bring any extra clothes.”
“Sleep naked.” His mom piped in. “Or in your undies. It does get a bit warm back in that room anyways, remember?”
“Really mom?”
“We could run to the store I’m sure there is a store around here.”
“Yeah There is a Wal-Mart right down the road. Open twenty four hours. I’ll make a nice big breakfast in the morning.” His mom walked in to the kitchen and began going through the cupboards and then the fridge. “Yep we have everything we need. Oh this is so nice having you back in the house Michael.”
“Are there any of my old clothes still in my closet?”
“If you had it in there then it probably still is.”
“I’ll just use a pair of dad’s shorts and I’m sure I have something Jen can wear. I’m not in the mood to go to the store.”
“I’ll run to the store sweetie, you can stay here. I need a few things anyways.”
“Oh, well I’ll go with you then.” Mike’s mom volunteered. “If you two are staying then I can grab some stuff and make Mike’s favorite food in honor of him being here.”
“Well it’s settled then.” Jen stood up and clapped her hands together. “Mrs. Lachey and I will run to the store.”
“Oh that’s enough of that Mrs. Lachey talk. Call me Betty or better yet call me mom.”
“Ok… Mom would you like to drive or do you want me to? We can take our car.”
“Oh if we are taking your car I’d love to drive. It’s such a cute little car, I bet its loads of fun to drive.”
“Oh it’s very, very fun.” Jen smiled.
Mike shook his head. “Well you ladies have fun then. I have some stuff I need to look over anyways.”
“What’s that babe?” Jen asked.
“Oh, Wes’s will. I’ll have to tell you about it later after I understand it a bit more myself.”
“Want me to take a look at it Mal?” His dad asked? “If it’s giving you some trouble I’d be more than happy to.”
“I haven’t even looked at it yet. I just meant I don’t understand why I am in it.”
“You two were practically inseparable until…”
“I know.” Mik
e cut his dad off. He had a long day and wasn’t in much of a mood to hear about his and Wes’s friendship ending. “He left me his house. I don’t understand that part. He knew I wouldn’t need it. Just don’t understand which is why I have to read the will.”
“I see your dilemma.”
“Ok while you read the will, we are going to run to the store. What do you want me to get you to wear?” Jen asked.
“Just a pair of shorts and a shirt is fine. Probably won’t wear the shirt much anyways.”
“Hey, hey now. There won’t be any of that in this house.” Mike’s father said through a half smile.
“Oh hush honey.” Mike’s mom turned to Jen. “You two are welcome to have sexual relations here. You’re young; it’s natural, so you just feel free.”
“Oh Jesus…”
“Well thank you Mom.” Jen cut off Mike. “It is very natural. My parents would probably shoot us if…”
“Don’t you two have to go to the store? The clock is ticking and chicken and dumplings takes a long time to make.” Mike was the one interrupting this time.
“You are absolutely right honey.” Mike’s mom walked to the table and grabbed her purse. “Ok Miss Jennifer let’s go have some girl time.”
“Not so sure that’s a good idea… but hey have fun.” Mike sat back on the couch again, waved to His mother and Jen, then folded his arms behind his head. “Oh will you get me some cranberry juice please?”
“Yes dear.” Mrs. Lachey and Jen said in unison. “Anything else?”
“No that should do it.”
Mrs. Lachey and Jen turned and made their way out of the door closeing it behind them.
Mike stood up and walked over to the table where he had laid down his two envelopes one containing the letter Wes had wrote and the other the will. He picked up the letter folded it and placed it in his pocket then picked up the large envelope containing the will and opened it up.
“You know you never told us why you two stopped talking.” Mike’s father said as he was pouring himself a drink in the kitchen. “You want a drink?”
“What is it?” Mike asked as he pulled the will out and sat it on the table.
“Same thing I’ve drank for the last twenty years.” He said as he grabbed another glass out of his cupboard. He grabbed a few cubes of ice and placed them in it then poured the light brown liquid in the glass.
“I never did much care for scotch dad, but no point in letting it go to waste.” Mike said with a smile.
Mr. Lachey picked up the two glasses took a sip out of the one he poured for himself and walked to the table to sit down. He slid Mike’s glass over to him. “I take this as you’re not going to tell me what happened between you two.”
“Wes came by from time to time, he didn’t tell you?” Mike took a sip of his drink.
“We never asked him, just like we never asked you.”
“Honestly it’s a long story and I’d rather not get in it right now. Maybe some other time.” Mike took a sip of his fresh drink. “I don’t remember this tasting so good.”
“Well maybe your tastes have refined themselves in your later years.” His dad took another sip and then smiled. “Or it could be that I splurged when I got this bottle. It’s a tad better quality than what I normally buy.”
Mike Laughed. “Well you’ll have to tell me what brand it is and maybe I’ll buy some.”
“Nah it’s not good for you.” Mr. Lachey smiled. “I imagine your coaches would rather you not drink anyways.” He took another sip of his scotch. “One drink with your old man isn’t going to hurt though.” He shot Mike a wink. “You want me to look at that for you?” He poked his finger on the will.
“Yeah sure.” Mike said as he slid it over to him. “I can’t think straight right now.”
Mr. Lachey grabbed the will and began to read it. He’d stop occasionally to take a sip of his scotch.
Mike sat their watching and sipping his drink. After a few minutes he was done with his and stood up.
Mr. Lachey took the last gulp of his drink and handed his glass to Mike. He walked in to the kitchen and made them each a fresh drink then made his way back to the table and handed his dad his drink before sitting
“Well most of this is just legal jargon, what it boils down to is that he left you the house and his savings account as long as you agree to maintain the house.”
“What? Why? What if I don’t want to have to worry about that stuff?”
“Well none of it goes in to your name until you agree and sign some papers.” Mr. Lachey took another sip of his drink. “Basically he wants you to be the care taker of it. It doesn’t say specifically how much money he has but it says that the interest from his account will be enough to hire people to maintain it.”
“He knew I had no plans of moving back to the area. I’m not going to live there I’ve always hated that house.”
“Well he doesn’t expect you to live there it says.” Mr. Lachey took another sip of scotch. “It actually says he wants it to stay vacant. He wants it in your name so that it doesn’t get taken and auctioned off. He wants you to have it in your name, set all the utilities up, keep them paid, and keep it from falling apart.”
“How am I supposed to do all that if I’m nowhere near the house?” Mike grabbed the will from in front of his dad and slid it back into the large manila envelope.
“Well utilities can be set up on an auto payment plan I’m sure, so they come straight out of the account. The rest I guess you’d have to hire someone every year to give the place a once over and see if anything needs replaced.” He took another sip of his scotch. “The will is pretty adamant that no one live there outside of you if you are in need.”
“Why the hell wouldn’t he want anyone to live there?” Mike took a drink of his scotch. “We haven’t spoken in years and barely spoke before that point. Why me? Why not his parents?”
Mr. Lachey took a large gulp of his scotch and sat his glass on the table. “I honestly don’t know. It didn’t say anything in that letter?”
“No nothing about this. Just about why he killed himself and some things about us.”
“Well I guess you’re going to have to answer that question yourself then.” Mr. Lachey picked up his glass and swirled the ice around. “Why did he kill himself? We always liked the boy but he was acting a bit strange towards the end there.”
“He was sick, didn’t want people to see him suffer.” Mike wasn’t about to tell him the main reason he did it though. He wished he himself didn’t really know. It made Wes seam absolutely insane.
“Well I guess that makes sense. It’s hard to see a family member suffer.”
“Yeah makes it more acceptable. Never know what you’d do until you’re in those shoes.” Mike took a large gulp finishing off his drink. I honestly think he would have done it even if he wasn’t sick. He thought to himself. “Does it say when I have to have an answer by?”
“No it didn’t but I’d expect a call in a few days from his lawyer or is parents at the very least.”
“Guess I have a lot to think about then.” Mike stood up and took his glass in to the kitchen and sat it in the sink.
Just then the front door opened and Mrs. Lachey and Jen walked in laughing. They each had two large bags. Mike walked over to the door and took the bags from his mom and sat them on the table.
“Such the gentlemen.” His mom said as she sat down in the chair he had been sitting in.
Jen handed Mike the bag of clothes and sat the bag with a bottle of cranberry juice and a tall bottle in a brown paper bag on the kitchen counter.
Mike reached in and pulled it out. “What’s this?” He said with a smile.
“Nothing just a bottle of wine. Your mom has never had it so I figured we could try it.” She leaned in and gave Mike a kiss. “Besides she said that you two were probably already getting into your father’s scotch.”
“Never.” Mike and his dad said in unison.
“And w
hat’s that you have in your hand then dear?” Mrs. Lachey asked.
“This? Oh it’s nothing, just some iced tea.” He held up his glass and swirled the ice around before finishing off the liquid that was in it. “And now you can’t prove otherwise.” He winked at his wife.
Jen let out a loud laugh. “My parents are so uptight. This is such a welcome change.”
“Well I’m going to go take our clothes in the other room and change.” Mike grabbed the bag of clothes that he had sat down on the table and began to make his way to the stair way.
Jen followed suit and they walked up the stairs.
Mike stopped at the first set of doors that sat directly across from one another then turned to his right. “Well here is my old room.” He turned the knob and opened the door. “What do you think?”
The room was painted a bright green, the color of grass and it was trimmed in white and on the far wall there were stands painted on it and a bright yellow field goal post. His bed sat in the far corner. It wasn’t made but a set of blankets and sheets sat on it. Jen took a few steps in and turned to her right and saw posters of football players. There were two on either side of a large set of shelves that where either covered in books or trophies.
“Yep the room of a teenage jock.” Mike tossed the bag of clothes on the bed and began to take off his tie.
“I don’t really know what to say.” Jen said as she began to laugh. “Now that I see it I don’t think it could have been any other way.” She laughed as she walked over and began to look at the rows of trophies and plagues that sat on the shelves.
Mike finished undoing his tie and started to unbutton his shirt. “For breaking different records and championships and stuff.”
“I see.” She turned and saw that Mike was half undressed now. She walked over to him and wrapped her arms around him. “I love you.”
He smiled as he wrapped his arms around her. “Love you too baby.” He gave her a kiss on the forehead. “You ok?”
“Yeah I’m ok, how are you though… Are you ok?” She leaned back and looked up at him. “I can’t really tell if you’re truly not that upset or you’re just really good at holding in your emotions.” She placed her head on his bare chest. “Just worried that you’re holding it all in and exploding later.”
“Honestly, I’m just trying to make it past the season. I can deal with it all then.”
Jen unwrapped her arms and turned around. “Unzip me?” She pulled up her hair so it wouldn’t get caught in the zipper.
Mike slowly unzipped her black dress. He leaned down and kissed her back where the top of the zipper had been, and then he kissed her on the neck. He leaned back up and began to unbuckle his belt.
“Thank you.” Jen said as she pulled her arms out of the dress and let it fall to the ground. She gave her hips a little shake. She wasn’t looking at him but she knew exactly where his eyes would be focused. She turned around, walked over to the bed and began to pull out the clothes she had gotten.
Mike had come up behind her and wrapped his arm around her stomach and moved her hair so that he could kiss her neck again. He began to kiss his way up to her earlobe.
“That’s about enough of that.” She said as she smiled and spun out of his arm. “Your parents are expecting us down stairs.” She grabbed her clothes. She had gotten herself, a pink pair of pajama shorts and an oversized men’s shirt.
“We have time for a quickie.”
Jen smiled as she began to put on her new clothes.
“Grrrrrr…” He finished taking off his pants and then grabbed his clothes off of the bed. She had gotten him a blue pair of shorts and a shirt that displayed the Ole’Miss logo. “Nice.”
“Yeah they had a section of college stuff actually. Figured can’t have enough school clothes.” She smiled.
Mike pulled on his shorts and then his shirt. He grabbed the clothes he had just taken off and folded them up.
Jen followed suit and grabbed her dress off of the floor. She didn’t fold it she just laid it flat on the bed. “So did you go over the will while we were gone?”
“Yeah dad went through and just gave me the quick version.”
“What did it say?”
“Basically he left me the house and money to take care of the house.”
“It’s a beautiful house but…”
“We have no intention on living near here, trust me I know babe. I have no idea what he was thinking. He knew I wanted to move away.” Mike placed his folded clothes in the bag that had come from the store. “Selfish asshole. He doesn’t want me living in it, not that I would. He wants me to make sure no one else does and that it doesn’t get torn down.”
“That’s odd.” Jen said as she began to walk to the door of the room.
“You have no idea.” Mike started following her.
Jen stopped and turned around to face Mike. “You know… I’d like to.”
“Like to what?” Mike asked as he reached past her and turned the knob to open the door.
“To have an idea. I’d like to know about you two and why you stopped talking after all those years of being friends.”
“Oh… I know you would babe. Later ok?”
“Yeah.” Jen leaned in and kissed him. “Oh yeah, before I forget this was in the car.” She held up the small flash drive that Wes had put his journal on.”
“Oh damn. I forgot all about that.” He reached and grabbed it. “It’s Wes’s journal. He put it on a disk and wants me to read it. Thinks it will help me understand things.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah told you… Odd.”
Jen turned and made her way out of the room with Mike following behind her.
Unliving Love Page 6
