** Due to the sensitivity of the content, reader discretion is advised if you do not care for abuse of any kind; small language too but I only put the first letter and blot out the rest with the asteriks **
(Peter got his family home and right away he hit his daughter...)
Peter (Yelling): WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING..?! HUH..?!
Allie (Crying): HIME (I'M) SOR-REE (SORRY)!!
Jenny (Grabbing his belt): LEAVE HER ALONE!! SHE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING THAT YOU AND I NEVER DID!! PLEASE STOP?! (Peter threw Jenny down and beat her up)
Peter (Still yelling): YOU STAY OUT OF THIS JENNIFER!! IF I WANT YOUR OPINION OR HELP IN THIS MATTER I WILL ASK FOR IT!! (To a crying Allie) YOU KNOW HOW I FEEL ABOUT YOU AND JOHN EVEN BEING FRIENDS!! YOU ARE NOT ONLY GROUNDED, YOU ARE FORBIDDEN TO EVER ASSOCIATE WITH THE NESMITHS AGAIN!! AM I BEING CLEAR ON THIS MATTER?? (Allie didn't answer him and he hit her again) I ASKED YOU A QUESTION!!
Allie (Crying): YE-HESS!! (Peter beat her up too and then he went to his locked up cabinet and grabbed his alcohol and began to drink it down)
&&&
(Over at the Nesmith home, things were much calmer even though Mike was pretty mad...)
Mike: John David-Michael Nesmith, you know how Peter has been with his family! Why would you do such a thing to get Allie in trouble?
John: Allie and I want to be together, dad. I'm sorry but I want her away from...from Peter. How in the world can he pretend he even cares about her? You should hear the stuff Allie tells me. It would make you wonder why you ever struck up a friendship with him in the first place.
Mike: He's got a drinking problem John. I told you this when you began seeing Allie that Peter is not the Peter I grew up knowing.
John: Why did he turn like that then?
Mike: Nobody knows. I asked Jenny once what could have caused it and she wouldn't elaborate. The only thing I got out of her her was he went into some kind of depression and began hitting the bottle shortly after.
John: So what's my punishment?
Mike: You've got dish detail, laundry detail, yard detail...
John: So in other words I've got double the chore load?
Mike: You got it buddy! You are grounded for two weeks.
John: Have you been seeing anyone?
Mike: Don't change the subject young man!
John: Sorry; just trying to enlighten the mood. So are you seeing anyone?
Mike (Laughing): You aren't going to give up are you? (John shook his head 'no') I didn't want to say anything but yes. Her name is Rachel James.
John: You mean Mr. James' sister and music teacher, Miss James?
Mike: Shhh. You're not supposed to know that. (The two of them laughed) She's got a smile like an angel. Have you ever met her?
John: No, can't say that I have. I've heard Mr. James talk about her but I've never met her 'cuz I don't take music class. When did you start seeing her?
Mike: Two weeks ago. Mr. James introduced me to her at the club the one night and we hit it off. Will that bother you?
John: No; mom would want you to be happy and so do I. However if you marry her before one year..? I might have a different story to tell. (They laughed again) I'm hungry. Can we go get some lunch somewhere?
Mike: Yeah it's called the kitchen.
John: You *would* make me do that!
Mike: Hey if I make it you'll be guessing what lunch is. When you make it at least I can identify it. (They laughed again and John went to the kitchen with Mike)
&&&
(Twenty minutes into eating their lunch, the doorbell rung...)
John: You expecting anyone?
Mike: No. You..?
John: No that's why I asked you. (John went to the door and when he opened it he had a horrible surprise. Allie was all beaten up and crying) Allie..?! (Yelling) DAD HELP!! (Mike got to John just as Allie collapsed into John's arms)
Mike (Seeing her face and shaking his head in disgust): Bring her in and set her down on the couch. I'll call Rachel and see if she can't...
John: No! Don't call her! If you call her and she sees Allie...? She'll have Allie taken away from Peter.
Mike: It would serve Peter right, John. He's got no business touching *any* woman. (John, carefully, picked a passed out Allie up and walked her to their living room couch. He laid her down and Mike brought John a cool cloth) Put this carefully across her face! (John took the cloth and wiped away the bloody mess) I'm sorry, John, but I'm not going to stand for this. I'm calling Rachel! (Mike went over to the phone while John stayed to take care of his girlfriend)
** Rachel: Hello..?
Mike: Rachel...? It's Mike. Are you busy?
** Rachel: If I were busy would I be answering the phone silly man?
Mike: No; guess not. You've got the key so just c'mon in ok?
** Rachel: This sounds serious. Is everything ok?
Mike: No; that's why I need you to come over.
** Rachel: I'll be there in about 10 minutes.
Mike: Okay. See you in 10. Bye! (Mike hung up the phone and walked back to his son)
John: You think Peter knows she's here?
Mike: I doubt it. He probably went and grabbed his liquor as soon as he was finished. That seems to be his pattern.
John: You think bringing Micky in will stop him from doing it?
Mike: I doubt it. Micky and Peter were best buddies like Peter and I were but they had a falling out about who should control the group and our next move. It was a silly fight but Peter vowed to never talk to Micky after that and he hasn't. David got so mad at all of us for wanting a break that he, too, vowed to never speak to us again.
John: You think Peter's anger has to do with all that?
Mike: No I think his anger goes much deeper than that.
John: Why do you say that?
Mike (Sighing): You might as well know this `cuz you'll find out sooner or later from Allie. Peter and I both loved the same woman; only we didn't know it at the time. Peter never said anything and I did. I won the girl's heart and it wasn't until after I married her did Peter even confess it.
John: Mom...? (Mike nodded)
Mike: I think that he couldn't handle her death and I think he has been silently blaming me for it. We grew up with your mom and I took the interest in her first; not knowing that Peter also had those same feelings for her. When your mom and I got married, Peter just pretended that it was okay with him when it wasn't. He silently loved her.
John: Yeah, well, I'm glad that he didn't end up with her the way he is. This (Pointing to his girlfriend) is just not right! (John leaned over and gave Allie a kiss on the lips) Hey, you ok? (Allie, in pain, managed to open her eyes and look at his handsome face)
Allie (Small fear): You gotta get me outta there!
John: I would if I could; you know I would. (The door unlocked and in walked a beautiful black-haired woman)
Woman: Mike...? What's the...(She saw Allie and Allie's face) problem? Whoa; Allie are you ok?
Allie: Yes. I'm used to it.
Mike: John, this is Rachel. Rachel...? This is my son John. You already know Allie.
Rachel: What happened Allie?
Allie: It's nothing ok?
Mike: It's not nothing. Her dad beat her up.
Rachel: We *have* to do something. She can't go back to a place in that condition. I'm calling my dad.
Mike: No! Please just leave him out of this.
Rachel: No! He's the only one that can help her right now and at my request he'll leave Allie's dad where he belongs.
Mike: Rach, I didn't bring you here for that. I brought you here to help get her cleaned up. She's a mess.
Rachel: I'm calling my dad! (Rachel took the phone from Mike and walked away with it)
Allie: Terrific! Just terrific Mike!
John: Am I missing something...?
Mike: Rachel's dad is a cop.
John (Thinking about the name): Chief James is Rachel's dad...? (Mike nodded) Dang; that means I have to behave myself! (They got a little laugh for that comment)
Rachel (Hanging up the phone): My dad's on his way. He said that he'll send an officer over to arrest Peter and from there it will be up to Allie to take care of.
Allie: I won't do it! I won't press charges! Just leave him alone!
Mike: No; my best friend is *not* going to get away with this. He needs help Allie and if you keep letting him go he will never learn his lesson. This is one time I am going to make you press the charges. He'll be forced into rehab and then you can finally have your dad back.
Allie: You're hoping for *way* too much. My dad isn't going to straighten out. He's been this way since I was 5 years old and it's never going to change.
Mike: It's not going to change until you, your mom or your brother press those charges.
Allie (Thinking): Oh no! (Allie got up quickly) I forgot about Anthony.
Mike: Where do you think you're going?
Allie: Home! If I'm not there to take the...Tony's going to get it. I can't let that happen!
Mike: Allie...(It was too late. Allie was out the door)
John: I'm going after her.
Mike: No! Let her go!
John: I *won't* let her go! She is my responsibility!
Mike: No; she's *Peter's* responsibility! (John didn't care. He ran out the door after his girlfriend)
Rachel: All those times she'd come to music class and ask to play the smaller instruments I thought it was just because she didn't want to carry the big ones. Here this has been happening all along. I should have paid attention to the signs.
Mike: She's a strong kid I'll hand it to her there. She puts up with a lot of s***.
Rachel: I'm sorry to hear that John and Allie were kicked out of school for two weeks.
Mike: Eh, it's nothing on our end. John meant no harm. It's Allie that got into trouble for it and I feel bad. Let's go relax in the spa. (Mike and Rachel walked out the side patio door. They changed into their swimming attire and sat down in the nice warm spa) Ahh, this is the life.
Rachel: I'll say; before this, the closest I came to a personal spa was my Aunt Nancy's in Florida. She had one in her back yard. My dad wouldn't put one in. We begged him for years to get us one and he just kept saying "Spas are for sissies."
Mike: Really..? I always thought they were for this. (He gave her a kiss and she smiled at him)
Rachel: Mmm...my dad was *so* wrong. (They laughed again and began to just soak while talking) So, any word from Micky and Davy yet?
Mike: Nothing. I've tried their phones, their families and they won't return the call. I promised Peter I wouldn't give up though. This reunion *will* happen.
Rachel: How can you be so sure?
Mike: Musician's Instincts. Actually, once Micky hears my new song he'll be at that studio so fast he'll wonder how he got there. It's David we've got trouble convincing.
Rachel: Why?
Mike: It all comes down to Peter again. They were constantly fighting about something. I don't care if it was how short Davy was or how high the ceiling was; they fought about everything. I think Davy just doesn't want the same thing to happen and so he's avoiding us.
Rachel: Well I say you keep on trying. If you give up you'll regret it.
Mike: I aint givin' up, Rach; I just think it's gonna take longer than expected. Here...(Mike grabbed his champagne and poured a glass for both of them) To life; may it never pass you by. (She smiled at him and they continued to sit and relax)
Chapter 1
Chapter 3
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