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Father of the year




Kevin Richardson senior was doing the best he could under the circumstances he was left with. Every day he woke up and sighed, convinced this was the penance he would have to pay for leaving his family behind all those years ago. His beautiful wife dying was the ultimate punishment as far as he was concerned and the selfish him wanted nothing but to bail once more, become that dead man who lived a carefree and lonely life.



He wasn’t ready to jump back into fatherhood especially all alone. He knew there was no way he would be able to handle it. He sighed once again as his son walked into the house, late as usual.



Nick tried running up the stairs to avoid a confrontation but Kevin got to him first, “Nick…come here please.”



Even though he didn’t see it, he knew his son rolled his eyes in disgust before entering the kitchen. “Hi dad.”



“Where were you?”



“I went to visit AJ.”



“Didn’t I tell you to come straight home?”



“Yes, but I needed to see AJ, God that’s all I did though.”



He thought about arguing further but when he saw the look on his son’s face, he decided to drop it. “Do you have a lot of homework?”



“Not really.”



“Is there anything I can help you with?”



“No.”



“I was thinking maybe we could watch a game on TV tonight, just you and I. What do you say?”



He was sad to see his son look down at the ground, was it that hard to make eye contact with your own father? “Um…yeah, I guess.”



Kevin smiled, even though it wasn’t exactly the most enthusiastic of replies, it was a start. “Well good, we haven’t done that in a long time kiddo.”



“I suppose not.”



“Why don’t you get washed up for dinner, I made us pasta.”



“Again?”



“That’s all I know how to make Nicky.”



“Whatever.” And the attitude was back, just like that. Kevin wanted to say something to the boy, possibly yell at him for being rude but he just didn’t have the energy. Truth was, for all the detective work he had done over the years, all the people he had managed to put behind bars including some of the most sinister, evil people around, he had no control at all over his youngest son and that made him feel so lost.



So instead, he watched as Nick ran out of the room and listened for the usual slam of the door which signaled he had managed to once again agitate the boy. “I guess we can always order a pizza. I wonder if that would get him to like me.” He found himself grumbling as he led himself over into the living room and took a seat on the recliner.



Clicking on the big television he landed on the news just as they were reporting on two bodies and an FBI investigation. There he saw his best friend standing there with microphone in his face, answering questions about how the investigation was going.



He found himself missing being out in the field. He felt like now was maybe the time to go back. It’s not like Nick would mind. Sometimes he felt like maybe the kid wished he would get killed and disappear from his life. “Stop feeling so damn sorry for yourself Richardson.”



“Dad?”



By instinct, the father of the family jumped up ready to attack whoever had just entered their home and instantly relaxed when he saw his oldest son standing there staring at him. “Sorry…didn’t mean to startle you. Do you always talk to yourself?”



Kevin Senior nodded and sat back down, this time opting to move the lever to let his feet actually recline on the chair. “Yes, I think it’s a family trait. What brings you here son? Would you like to stay for dinner? I made pasta but Nicky disapproves…I know big shock there.”



Kevin laughed, picturing his brother shaking his head at the mention of pasta, the only thing the boy has probably had to eat in the last seven years. His eyes moved to the screen where he saw the ending of Rob talking to a reporter. “I was put on that case. It’s mine now.”



He wasn’t sure what kind of a reaction he was expecting from his father. The older man looked over at his son and gave a nod. “Brian is working on it with me.”



“Really?”



“Yes.”



“Do you think he’s ready for this kind of case?”



“I don’t know…I hope so.”



“So if you didn’t come for my food, what brought you here? Or did you come here to tell me about you and Brian?”



“Actually…” Kevin said now walking over and taking a seat on the couch, “I wanted to let you know that I’ll have to be talking to Anita Nicosia. Seems she is linked to these victims and truth is, I’m not sure I’m ready to see her again.”



That took Kevin Senior by surprise mainly because for a moment, it seemed as though one of his boys was actually leaning on him the way a son should lean on his father. “Rob will understand if you don’t want to do it son. I’m sure if you send one of your men instead, it’ll be just as well.”



“I need to do this myself. You know what I mean?”



His father nodded, of course he knew because there were many times he felt the same way. He stared at his son for a few seconds and felt as if he was looking into a mirror. It was the look of intensity that did it for him. He used to have that same look, the same intense drive and passion. “I am thinking about coming back to work.”



Kevin junior looked surprised, “Really? What about Nick?”



“He hates me son. It’s not like he would mind. In fact, I think he would be happy that I’m not around the house all the time.”



“Dad, he doesn’t hate you, he’s just an angry kid. He loves you, he’s just well…a teenager.”



“I can’t do anything right in his eyes. Do you know he came home late again? It’s like he doesn’t care what I think.”



“He did? Do you want me to talk to him?”



Kevin senior sighed because he knew that where he failed his oldest son would succeed, but even still he shook his head, “Don’t worry about it, you have your own things to worry about. Are you sure you want to go talk to Anita alone? Are you at least bringing Howie with you?”



“No, he’s checking out something else for me.”



“What about Brian, I’m sure she wouldn’t mind seeing Brian again.”



“I don’t know if Brian wants to be reminded of that night when he found her.”



“Son, if Brian wants to be part of this field, you can’t coddle him. This would be a good test for him so to speak.” Kevin nodded in agreement, his father was right. This would be a good test for him. If he couldn’t handle seeing Anita again how on earth could he handle what else was to come.



“I’m going to bring him along then. Thanks dad.” Kevin stood up and stretched his arms over his head.



“Good, I’m glad I could at least help one of you.”



“Dad, stop being so hard on yourself… Nick will come around.” At the mention of his name, the young blonde came running down the steps, smiling when he saw his big brother standing there. Kevin senior couldn’t help but feel a pang of jealousy.



“Kev! Are you staying for dinner?”



“Sorry buddy, no can do. I have work to do, just stopped by for a few minutes.”



“You weren’t even going to say hello?”



“Of course I was, but you beat me to it.” Kevin reached over and tousled Nick’s hair and quickly, his eyes went to the boy’s hand which was bruised and swollen. “Nicky, what happened to your hand?”



Instantly Nick took and moved his hand into his pocket, “Nothing…just fell off my skateboard.”



“Don’t lie…that looks like you punched something.”



Instantly the father got up and came over to examine his son’s wound. “What happened? Kevin is right; it looks like you punched something…or someone!”



The blonde looked from one Kevin to the other and feeling trapped he pushed through both of them, “You know…it’s none of your business!”



“YOU are my business!” Kevin Senior said blowing up at his son, screaming so loud that both boys recoiled.



“You know what, screw you both! I’m out of here!” Nick ran past both men and out the front door, never looking back.



Kevin Senior ran towards the door and opened it, ready to scream something after his youngest son but finally deciding not to; he slammed the door and then rubbed at his temples.



“Do you want me to go after him?”



Kevin’s father shook his head, “No, let him be. He’ll be back.”



“How do you think he hurt himself?”



“I don’t even think I want to know at this point son. Now, you better go talk to Anita before it gets too late. Don’t worry about Nickolas…I’ll handle him.”



Kevin senior didn’t like the way his oldest son looked at him when he said that, it was a condescending look. Almost like he could hear the ‘yeah right’ coming from his son’s mind.



“Okay then, good luck dad. I’ll let you know how my meeting with Anita goes.”



“Thanks.”



As he watched his son leave the house, Kevin Senior plopped back down on the recliner, feeling like a failure and not knowing what to do.



~*~*~*~*~~*




“He punched someone?” Brian asked AJ as they both sat at his very small coffee table which also doubled as his kitchen table. “Why on earth would he do that?”



AJ shrugged as he grabbed a paper plate filled with Chinese food that the brothers had ordered. Between all three of the boys who were now out on their own, they had maybe four real dishes and three forks between them all.



“He said the kid was making fun of mom.”



“What?”



“I know, its nuts how mean spirited kids are these days, isn’t it?”



Brian nodded, looking more annoyed than Nick had when he entered the fire house. “I’m on my very first big case AJ.”



“Yeah?”



“Yeah, you know that killing that was on the news recently? That’s Kevin’s case and I’m working on it with him and Howie.”



“Wow, he’s letting you?”



“Not willingly no. But he knows he has no choice.”



“Oh I see.”



Brian nodded and shook his head, reaching over and grabbing some more Lo Mein from the center of the coffee table. AJ stood up with his dish and emptied it into the trash can, “Well, I better be going. I am meeting Stacey in my apartment in ten and I want to look like the stud I am.”



Brian laughed, “Yeah, good luck with that.”



“Shut up, at least I have a girlfriend.”



“Yeah…whatever!”



“Oh and Rok, please don’t tell Nick I told you about the fight he had and whatever you do, don’t tell dad.”



“I won’t, but that kid who was talking smack about our mother better not come anywhere near me.”



AJ laughed even though he felt the exact same way, for that matter the kid better go nowhere near his little brother either. He got up to walk out the door and just as he opened it, he was greeted with Kevin standing there. “Good lord you scared the holy crap out of me! Were you just standing out there this entire time?”



“Yeah dumbass, that’s exactly what I was doing, I figured why knock… eventually Brian would open the door.”



“Okay you don’t have to get all sarcastic on my ass.” AJ said as he opened the door for his big brother and let him inside.



“You started it.”



“Whatever, I’m going to go have some wild sex now. Later boys!”



Both brothers laughed as AJ exited, “So what’s up Kev?”



“I was wondering if you wanted to come to talk to Anita with me?”



“I didn’t realize you asked your agents for permission before bringing them on an assignment.”



Brian made sure to end his statement with a smirk to let his brother know that he realized he was being treated differently.



“I do ask them when it’s clearly after their quitting time.” Kevin said returning the smirk knowing he had won this round.



“Oh.”



“So what do you say? Are you up for it?”



“Yeah…let me just get my jacket.”



“Cool you got Chinese?”



“Yeah, you want some?”



“Maybe later.”



Brian closed the cartons of food and then made his way out the door, following his brother towards the car.



~*~*~*~*~*~




Nick sat there staring at his mother’s grave. The only place that felt like home to him nowadays. He felt so isolated and alone, like no one understood him or cared. And he was mad, so mad at his mother for leaving him behind, leaving him to have to live with a total stranger.



“He doesn’t know me mom and I don’t think he wants to either.”



He massaged his swollen hand, AJ would yell at him when he found out that it was yet to be iced. Maybe he would go back to AJ’s house; ask him if he could spend the night. Maybe make up some elaborate lie that dad had left him for the night or something. No, by now he realized that all the siblings have probably been called and Kevin was most likely out looking for him.



“I’m such a trouble maker mom, I’m really sorry.” He placed a loving hand on the tombstone and bent his head down to the ground, the card he had laid there yesterday now moist with dew. “I just don’t know what to do anymore. I want to run again but honestly, I have no idea where I’d go.”



He shivered as he finally let go of the tombstone as if doing so would make him plummet into an abyss, and instead found himself clinging onto his own arms for warmth. Rubbing them lightly, still refusing to get up and let her go again. Every time he came to this graveyard, which was a lot more often than anyone in his family was aware of, he felt like he was abandoning his mother whenever he walked away.



Suddenly he turned around; feeling like someone was watching him. He felt uneasy and slightly paranoid when he was alone, but he wasn’t about to tell anyone that he constantly felt like he was being either watched or followed. All the time he felt like this but especially when he came to visit his mother.



He thought it was maybe because he was the only one who suspected his mother was murdered. That perhaps the bad guys somehow found out about this and decided that maybe they needed to kill him as well. Or maybe he just had an overactive imagination. He turned once more, this time focusing on the set of trees off to his left; did he see someone move in the shadows?



That brought him to his feet and he once more put his hand on his mother’s tombstone and briskly began to walk away from the graveyard. As he got closer to the gates, he was sure he heard someone running towards him, so without turning around he started to jog out of the gates and down the street, now more than ever convinced that he was being followed he booked it as fast as he could only to be cut off by the boy who threatened to kill him earlier in the day, him and at least ten of his best friends.



“Where do you think you’re going Richardson?” He asked as the boys all circled Nick.


YAY to the weekend! :O) Hope you all have a great one and i'll be back next Friday!