[color=silver][indent][indent][center][img]https://i.imgur.com/gQcWJtd.png[/img]

[img]https://i.imgur.com/8Cwhk8E.gif[/img]          [img]https://i.imgur.com/Osp66db.gif[/img]
[sub] A [@metanoia] & [@BrutalBx] collaboration[/sub]
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As Marco walked from the diner to Lyon Park, he had to remind himself to keep a steady pace. He knew if he took a step too big his legs would buckle under him. He wouldn’t fall down per se, but there was a good chance he’d be in immense pain. Maybe in hindsight, he should have asked for a lift [i]to[/i] the park, but he insisted to his mother that he was fine and he just knew she would do that thing that only partially got on her nerves. Only because he truly felt like he could handle the trek. 

He wanted to walk, but more importantly, he needed the time alone. He [i]needed[/i] to be alone with his thoughts. He didn’t want to admit it to his family, especially because a lot of what happened last night felt like it’d be best not to divulge to his family. If his mother found out that he was even anywhere near a gun, or on a wild goose chase about Charlie Decker’s ghost, she’d go into helicopter mode. And hell be damned, he didn’t want to worry her. Because if she was worried, he’d only feel guilty for starting to feel like he couldn’t run away from the past. He knew if she knew he was hurting, that’d only make things worse.

And after last night, especially after some of the harsh truths Jill gave him about Danny, he had a lot to think about. 

But he was done reflecting on things that were eventually going to be addressed in the future, because as he finally made it to the playground, sitting on a bench, watching his daughter proudly in the stroller that was in front of him, was Roddy Callahan. He smiled at his friend and instead of standing up to greet him, Marco shook his head as he took a seat next to him. [color=darkgoldenrod]“Sorry it took me forever, man,”[/color] Marco admitted, giving his friend an apologetic smile. [color=darkgoldenrod]“Made the mistake of walking here from the diner across the street. I thought taking the Happy Trail would be quicker, but with how slow I walk these days..”[/color] He nervously laughed. [color=darkgoldenrod]“But I’m just glad I made it.”[/color] Smiling, Marco looked at his goddaughter, making random, silly faces at her and he heard her laugh in the way that babies did. 

[color=D2D518]“That’s ok, bro beans”[/color] Roddy handed Rylie one of her toys and leaned back against the bench, avoiding the plaque on the back dedicated to the memory of yet another fallen child of Eden. [color=D2D518]“You know I’m an early riser anyway and after last night, I barely slept a fucking wink”[/color] 

Last night had been an extremely strange evening for Rod. He had gone in with a simple enough plan; convince Lanie to take him back. Then the shit with Charlie’s letter happened. As much and as desperately as he wanted it to just be about him and his ex-girlfriend, Roddy couldn’t ignore the chance to find some sort of closure. Too many people assumed that beyond his devastating injury, the butcher's boy was absolutely fine after the shooting. He wasn’t. The night terrors were horrible, the ptsd flashbacks were nauseating and the guilt weighed him down terribly. Rod left more than just a piece of his spine in the gym that day. He had left a part of his soul there. Now he regretted ever suggesting going back. Lanie was distraught, Mei, Jill, everyone seemed worse off than when they first started. Hell, even fucking ReyRey Gonzalez seemed messed up. Whoever was doing this must be getting a kick out of it all. Some kind of monster indeed.

[color=D2D518]“Beyond the obvious, you doing ok man?”[/color]

Marco breathed out a nervous chuckle. [color=darkgoldenrod]“I guess that depends on your definition of ‘ok’. I just had breakfast with my family. [i]All[/i] of them. Pa got off earlier than he has been lately and wanted breakfast.”[/color] Thinking about his siblings’ bickerfest was the one thing that kept him smiling throughout the entirety of the past hour. 

[color=D2D518]“That’s rough, dude,”[/color] Roddy took a sip from his coffee cup and placed it into a nearby bin. Attempting to avoid even more difficult subjects, Callahan pulled out his phone and opened up a news article, handing it to his friend. [color=D2D518]“You see this? DeShawn Marcus just signed with the Patriots. Our D this year is going to be fucking impenetrable. Guys a god damn brick wall.”[/color]

[color=darkgoldenrod]“It wasn’t too bad,”[/color] he muttered, seeing the news article on Rod’s phone and he had to do a double check. [color=darkgoldenrod]“You serious!?”[/color] A genuine feeling of excitement passed through Marco’s body that Rylie seemed to respond to it in her own, baby-like way. [color=darkgoldenrod]“Holy shit, man! DeShawn is gonna be the next Brady--”[/color] He had to laugh, considering present company (talking about himself) [color=darkgoldenrod]“--[i]Tom[/i] Brady, that is. I can’t wait! I’ve been saving my money for that season pass! And maybe by then, my leg will be healed enough so [i]we[/i] can actually attend all the home games we can.” [/color]The rush of some kind of normalcy was a refreshing adrenaline rush for Marco and he welcomed it with a wide grin.

In hindsight, Roddy realised that he’s led the conversation in a way he didn’t want; to yet another sad topic. [color=D2D518]“That may not happen like you want it to, Marco”[/color] He pushed his phone back into his pocket and sighed. [color=D2D518]“I’ve been mulling over something in my head, something big. I’m sort of thinking about…leaving town.”[/color] This was going to be difficult. Marco had been his best friend for a few years now and having not even discussed the idea with him was already a mark in the negative column. [color=D2D518]“Lanie isn’t here anymore and I barely get to see Rylie…”[/color] He grabbed his daughter's little hand and began to play with her fingers as she giggled. [color=D2D518]“There’s a lot of shit here bud and I don’t want her growing up around all these bad memories. You remember I told you that I got into college and deferred for rehab? Well they said I can go back as long as it’s in the next round of applicants and it’d be in Texas. I’d be close to Lanie and Rylie and I got to think of my family. If I go, it’d have to be soon, like real soon.”[/color]

There was a silence that filled the air that Rylie’s giggles couldn’t reach. A silence brought on by Marco’s shock by this sudden news. It was not that he was disappointed -- okay, maybe there was a little bit of that, but it is more for the fact that he didn’t think they’d be leaving so soon. Marco had often relied on both Rod and Lanie for support. He wouldn’t be as far into his recovery had it not been for the hours that he spent in recovery with Roddy, talking and bonding over their love for sports and getting into heated debates about the true football. He wouldn’t be able to walk if it wasn’t for Lanie’s repeated visits to his house and checking up on him every day that she could spare.

Looking down, Marco smiled at Rylie. And of course, every chance he got to spend with his goddaughter was a blessing. Her smile always lightened up any gloomy forecast that was predicted in his mind.

So, it just was a bit of a surprise. [color=darkgoldenrod]“Damn Rod, I don’t know what to say.”[/color] Marco found himself still looking at his goddaughter, smiling at her innocent face, that golden hair making it so obvious who she took after. Internally, he was digesting it slowly, but weirdly enough, he found quick peace with it. [color=darkgoldenrod]“I mean, I know she’s been thinking about it. And I know with everything going on with the letters and last night, it was too much for her to handle.”[/color] Reflecting on how he couldn’t find her when she ran out of that house, Marco completely understood why this had to happen. [color=darkgoldenrod]“D-do you guys have a set date when you might be leaving? Or even a general time frame?”[/color] Marco asked, finally looking up at Rod.

[color=D2D518]“Not yet. I don’t even know if we’re going. It’s pretty much up to Lanie.”[/color] Rod ran a hand through his trademark shaggy hair and looked up towards the sky. [color=D2D518]“I think about all the people we know who didn’t have dads or grew up on the Southside. I think of Charlie and how he looked at me when we were in that gym.”[/color] Roddy gripped the bench just a little bit tighter. [color=D2D518]“I didn’t know him like Poppy or Jade but we were always cordial, always friendly but he was so broken, what he was carrying was just too much.”[/color] He returned his gaze to his little girl. [color=D2D518]“I don’t want that for her. I want to be there as much as I possibly can be. To help her; to carry that weight. I don’t believe in ghosts Marco but this place has too many.”[/color]

Marco felt the pit in his stomach suddenly drop when Roddy started to talk about Charlie. In all the time, he hadn’t thought of him and in the past twelve hours alone, he was starting to learn more and more about the boy that caused so much harm. Before, he just thought of him as someone who took all of his dreams away -- the dreams of going pro, being a star, being the person he was in high school but on a grander scale. And then learning about what happened nearly five years ago and on top of all of that, Jill's words about Danny lingering, Roddy was right about there being so many ghosts in Edenridge. 

As he listened, he thought about what it’d be like without them around. The few genuine moments he had when he could smile were right now: spending them with one of his best friends, seeing Rylie’s face light up any time they glanced her way, but he knew that Lanie could barely handle it last night. She loved Ally like a sister and he couldn’t blame her for wanting to leave and he sure as hell couldn’t fault Roddy for wanting to go so he could be closer to his daughter. 

[color=darkgoldenrod]“If you guys do end up going,”[/color] Marco spoke, smiling, [color=darkgoldenrod]“it should be together.I don’t know how badly she took last night...I mean about Ally and the other things said, but maybe getting away might be good for you two--[/color]” He caught himself looking down at Rylie, smiling at his goddaughter, [color=darkgoldenrod]“--I mean the [i]three[/i] of you to have a fresh start.”[/color] Marco let the thought linger for a few moments, quietly thinking about what it might be like and then another thought came to him and he couldn’t help but let a chuckle escape. [color=darkgoldenrod]“At the least, you won’t have to endure the arctic winter in the south.”[/color]

[color=D2D518]“I dunno,”[/color] Roddy shrugged. [color=D2D518]“I think I’d miss the cold”[/color] the shaggy haired man chuckled lightly. He was partial to the winter weather of Boston, anything close to summer heat killed Roddy…maybe it was all that hair? He hoped Rylie would never suffer the same fate and that she’d take after her mother as a golden goddess. [color=D2D518]“So what happened with Danny last night Marco? You guys admit your undying love or what?”[/color]

Suddenly Marco found himself tensing up somewhat. He didn’t expect Roddy to be so...forward, but that’s how he always was. Maybe it was his mind not prepared for it, but as he expelled out a small chuckle, he just looked at his friend. [color=darkgoldenrod]“Now what makes you think we did?”[/color] The nervous laughter persisted as Marco scratched the top of his left forearm, a nervous habit of his. [color=darkgoldenrod]“I...no, we didn’t get to see much of each other yesterday. At least, not after the bombshell of a story Rey Rey GOnzalez told us.”[/color] His admission came just moments before he found himself thinking about Jill again and how their conversation about Danny had been living rent free ever since.

[color=D2D518]“You two will get there.”[/color] Roddy put his arm over his friends back and gave him a soft but firm pat. [color=D2D518]“I got a feeling.”[/color] He stood up to his feet and strapped Rylie properly into her stroller. [color=D2D518]“You wanna go grab a bite before I take the munchkin back to her Mom?” He asks. “I’m thinking the Godmothers? I could murder a sandwich.”[/color]

Marco smiled at Ruddy and Rylie. He didn’t know exactly what the future held for him and Danny nor did he think he’d be lamenting on what Jill told him for so long, but that was a task for another day. Besides, Marco’s pensive expression changed into a bright smile as soon as Rod mentioned The Godmother. He ate a big breakfast not too long ago, but he could never say no to Godmother’s, especially when it might be one of the last times he and Rod might be able to hang out with each other. [color=darkgoldenrod]“Only if you let me pay. It’s the least I can do for you and my favorite little blonde person.”[/color] He smiled like the proud uncle-like figure he was to the little one.

[color=D2D518]”I mean, I’ll never turn down a free meal”[/color] Roddy walked behind the stroller and put both his hands on firmly ready to guide his baby girl to the Godmothers for the best meatball sub five dollars could buy. He glanced down at Marco before he too stood up and a small smile crossed his face. Had you asked him years ago that he would be as close to the former soccer player as they now were, he would’ve laughed. Yet for all intents and purposes, sans Kylee, he was his best friend. [color=D2D518]”Hey Marco, can you do me a favour after I’m gone? Look out for my cousin Clay? He’s a bit of a tool but he’s a good guy with a good heart. With everything the way it is, he’s gonna need a friend”[/color]

Walking as steadily as he could, Marco turned his head to his friend when he stated a request. He knew Clay somewhat. Not well enough to say they were regular buddies, but Marco has seen him around town sometimes. His dad might have told him something about some new detective that the force had a while back, but he couldn’t be sure. Regardless, Roddy didn’t have to ask him a second time. [color=darkgoldenrod]“You got it man! He sounds like a nice guy. I mean, he’s your cousin, so he can’t be that bad, right?”[/color] 

Marco grinned, walking at his own pace, Roddy not seeming to be in a rush (at least from where Marco could see). For better or worse, they would make it to Godmother’s, and Marco would enjoy a fully stacked Reuben.[/indent][/indent][/color]