Chapter 18: Dunphy's Cycling (Part 1)

Ryan – "Hi"

Claire – "Honey, look, it's Ryan."

Phil - "Hi Ryan, good to see you here."

Ryan - "Likewise."

Claire - "We are just about to head home. Would you like to come along?"

Ryan - "Yeah, I was headed home too, so why not."

Ryan, along with everyone, slowly starts riding back while chatting.

Phil - "So, how is school?"

Ryan - "It's going great."

Claire - "I heard from Alex that you left school during self-study."

Ryan - "Oh, that I did leave early as I had permission to go to do some volunteering work. As a matter of fact, I have a funny story for you."

Luke - "Yeh, funny story."

Phil - "Don't keep us waiting. Go on."

Ryan - "I went volunteering at Saint James toddler play class and ran into uncle Mitchell and Cameron."

Claire and Phil stopped simultaneously and said, "What?"

Claire - "I knew they were going to Saint James, but why were you there?"

Ryan - "I was looking online to earn a volunteering certificate and, by chance, had found the place. I have been going there for a while" (Author Cough - "lies")

Phil - "I see, so it was a coincidence."

Luke - "That wasn't funny at all."

Claire - "Luke."

Ryan - "I haven't finished my story. So they show up, but I didn't want to be a bother, so I minded my own business."

"That was until uncle Mitchell called me aside and told me he needed my help. Can you guess with what?"

Claire - "Something related to the play area?"

Ryan - "Hotter."

Phil - "It had something to do with an activity at the play area?"

Ryan - "Bingo."

"So the kids were playing with blocks. The teacher Mrs. Danielle was going around appreciating the kids who stacked the blocks up."

"Guess what happened next?"

Phil - "Why are you making your story so full of suspense? If I didn't know any better, I would have thought you were some suspense writer."

Ryan - "Sorry, I guess habit. Last weekend I was continuously writing suspense, so it still stuck in there."

Phil - "Writing?"

Claire - "On a new script?"

Ryan - "No, actually, I wrote a suspense novel this time."

Claire - "So, like a short novel?"

Ryan - "No, it's 96 pages in total. If you want, I can email it to you."

Claire - "96 pages?"

Ryan - "Yup."

Phil - "Wait, I feel like I am missing something where's the zinger."

Ryan - "There isn't one. I have already signed a publishing contract with Felony and Mayhem Press."

"A full 10,000 book printing is confirmed while the rest will depend on sales, but as you can see, the publisher and I both are very confident."

Claire - "In that case, congratulation, and I would love to take a look. I will give you my email when we reach home."

Ryan - "Alright."

Phil - "How are you able to believe this?"

Claire - "When I talked with Ryan in private before, he even showed me his credits on a movie and a tv show, so at this point, I kind of just feel numb."

Phil - "What, you had already had a talk with him, and he survived on his own. Welcome to the family, buddy."

Before Ryan could reply, he was interrupted by Claire.

Claire – "Bye, I gotta go. "

Seeing Desiree come up, Claire suddenly became a flight risk.

Desiree – "Hey. "

Claire – "Hey"

Before Claire could pedal away, Desiree blocked her road and asked, "Hi aren't you going to introduce me? "

Claire – "Hi, um... This is my husband, Phil. "

Phil – "Hi"

Claire – "And that's my son, Luke, right? This is… Desiree. Desiree right? Sorry she just moved in down the

block."

Ryan – "Hi, I am Ryan. Claire's neighbor. I live right across the street from there."

Desiree shook Ryan's hand, but her eyes remained on Phil, making Claire uneasy.

Claire – "Oh right, I almost forgot you are here."

Ryan – "No problem."

Phil – "By the where do you live? "

Claire elbows Phil. Phil. – "What? I was just being polite."

Desiree – "I don't mind. Actually, I live at 314."

Phil – "Oh, the two-bedroom cottage With the indoor/outdoor family room."

Desiree – "Very good. How did you."

Phil – "I bet you're loving that steam shower."

Claire – "Phil."

Ryan – "To avoid misunderstanding, Phil is a real estate agent."

Phil – "Yeah, as a matter, we caravanned that house. Great, uh, deck."

Desiree – "Thanks. I'm just there till my divorce is final."

Phil – "Now, who is coconuts enough to divorce you?"

Claire had to resort to pinching Phil to make him get the hint.

Phil – "Ouch, what was that for."

Ryan – "I think we got to get going."

Claire- "Yeah."

Phil – "We will see you around. Why don't you come over sometime? "

Desiree – "I did love that. All right. Bye"

Phil – "Bye."

Claire, Phil, Luke, and Ryan start riding cycling in the opposite direction."

Phil - "She's awesome."

Claire - "No, we are never having her over. From what I hear, she's slept with two dads from the school.

Phil - "What."

Claire: "Mhh hmm."

Phil: "That's… horrible."

Luke: "Why are you looking behind? You should be watching the road in front."

Claire: "Phil, don't even think about it."

Phil - "You know, I am just wondering. You can't tell a person by just his looks. Just look at Ryan. I would have never guessed he was an author and a scriptwriter."

Ryan - "About that, I heard from aunt Claire that you both like horror movies, so I wanted to invite you over for the premiere."

Claire - "Have you got a release date?"

Ryan - "Kind off it a predicted release date of 18th Jan if no issues arise during shooting."

Phil - "We would love to attend the premiere."

Luke - "Can I go?"

Ryan - "Unfortunately not. It will probably be R-rated due to the violent scenes. The only reason I am able to is that I wrote it."

Claire - "R huh?"

Ryan - "It's tough to make a non-R movie get produced."

Phil - "That actually kind of makes sense."

Claire - "I would normally suggest a check-up if my kid wrote an r-rated movie but knowing how mature you are, I don't think it's a problem."

Ryan - "Thank you for your trust, but I don't want to get branded, which is why I wrote the book. It has been certified for all ages 7 and above."

Phil - "Good."

Claire - "When we reach home. You should come over. I will pass my email, and you even get to meet Alex.

Ryan - "Alright."

Phil - "By the way, I have been meaning to ask does Alex know about all of this?"

Claire - "I don't know about that, does she?"

Ryan - "Nope, absolutely not. It's not that I am hiding it. The topic just never came up."