Picket Fences! Part 25.1


On the other side of town at Joyce's house . . .


Her grandaughter Arlene came to visit.


"Hi Grandma, how are you feelng?", asked Arlene.

"I'm feeling pretty good, but having you come visit makes me feel even better", said Joyce.


"Grandma, I need to talk to you about something", said Arlene.

"Sure sweetheart, sit down", said Joyce.



"Grandma, I'm in love with this drooly guy, but he doesn't even notice me", said Arlene.

"Is this drooly guy a boy in your class at school?", asked Joyce.


"No, he's not in school anymore. He's older than me."


"Older, how much older?"


"He's an adult. But Grandma, he's not THAT old."


"Arlene, he's too old for you. You should be thinking about boys your own age. You can't possibly have anything in common with this man."


"But I can't stop thinking about him."


"Who is this man?"


"Rhys Sawyer, our neighbor who lives across the street. You've probably seen him Grandma. Isn't he gorgeous?", she said.


"Arlene, he's definitely too old for you. You're just a baby compared to him", said Joyce.


"I thought you would understand. You're just as bad as my mother!"


"I'm telling you for your own good young lady!", Joyce said.


"You're just jealous because I might have a chance with him and he wouldn't ever look twice at an old lady like you."


Then Arlene walked out the front door.


"Rhys, this is Joyce. Something's come up you need to know about. Can you come over?"


"Sure, I'll be there in a few minutes."


And back at Claudia's house, something else has come up that Rhys needs to know about.


After Joyce called Rhys he soon arrived at her house.


"What do you want to tell me?", he asked.

"Let's have a cup of coffee while we talk", said Joyce.


"Arlene stopped by this afternoon on her way home from school. She told me something that really worries me", said Joyce.



"What did she tell you?"


"She said she was in love with this drooly guy. I asked her if he was a boy at her school and she said no, he's an adult. Arlene thinks she's in love with YOU!"



"She's just a kid. Why does she think I would even be interested in her?"



"Have you ever given her any reason to think you might?"


Rhys jumped up from the table . . .

"I ain't done nothing to make her think THAT!", he shouted.


"I didn't mean to imply that you did. I was just asking. Teenage girls sometmes take things the wrong way", said Joyce.



"I ain't seen her but three times. I talked to her a few minutes when she came home from school one afternoon when I was at Joy's house watching Kevin, then I played Red Hands with her at Julie's birthday party and I spoke to her when she came to pick up Kevin from my place", he said.



"Rhys, maybe Arlene read more into your actions than you intended", she said, "It's very easy to fall in love with someone like you. Just be careful what you say or do when you're around her. I still care about you. I wouldn't want you to get in trouble", said Joyce.




Then Rhys left to go home . .


But then he came back in the front door . . .


Grabbed Joyce and gave her a makeout kiss . . .


Then he left again.


This time he went home.




The next morning at Rhys' place after Ryan left for school . . .


The telephone started ringing and Rhys answered it.
"Hello!"


"It's Claudia. Can you come over?", she asked.

"Sure, I'll be there in a few minutes", he said.

He arrived at Claudia's house shortly.



When Rhys walked in the house Claudia said . . .

"Thank you for coming."



"Sure, I'm always glad to see you", said Rhys.



"There's something I have to tell you. Rhys, I'm going to have your baby", she said.


"I can't have no more babies", he said.


"Well, tell the baby that", she said.


"Rhys, will you marry me?", she asked.

"NO!", said Rhys.

To be continued . . .