Home For A Loser With Room For Happiness Chapter 1

The title was decided by my brother and his drunk friend. it's a slice of life story. The first bit is NOT part of the story! It is just the story that the writer in my story is writing.

I love him, even though he hurts me in ways that people dont understand, but to me I can’t describe the pain he gives me that way.

Even though when it comes to times when he hurts me really badly I still forgive him….

“So, you actually want this kind of story to be published?” the publisher looked at me with a freaked out look.

I cleared out my throat a bit “Yes, ma’am...” she still had the same look…I was scared that my 12^th story was going to be rejected……..again.

“I can tell by the beginning of how it’s going to end, listen I know you’re a rookie at this but c’mon……an abusive love story? Only a sadist and a masochist would love this story!” and so I was rejected…again.

“But there are most sadists would love this story! Like……ah, old ladies!”

“What the hell dude..” I actually was getting somewhere with this lady bring up the old lady subject.

“’Old women love dramatic stories like this! trust me it will be a best seller!” she looked really irritated, and then she pointed to the door.

“Get out of my office….now.” I got up sadly, and I walked out the office and old lady Riley outside the office asked “Rejected again?”

“Sadly yes, I was rejected.”

“Well I thought your story was fantastic, I loved it!” I gave her a ‘just-say-it-to-my-face’ look. “Okay, fine it was horrible and a cliche.” She got up and grabbed me by the shoulders. “Listen, you can’t just write a story because you feel like it. You have to know what love is first. You got to feel the love or passion like it’s yours. You got it?” I thought about it for a second…and then it hit me. She was right!

“Thank you so much Mrs. Riley!” I kissed her on the cheek twice and ran out the building. I finally knew what to do! I have to experience first though….I never really dated anyone in while….by the way I look now, I can’t attract any women!

I ran back to my apartment building, and the landlady was walking towards my door. I hid because the landlady is kind of a weird woman, she’s basically my……stalker….man I should move out, but it’s kind of good advantage, I guess.

She dropped a basket of sweets, and there was a letter inside, she looked through the keyhole and left. After I checked to hear her apartment door close, I took the basket and went inside fast. I checked the basket there weren’t any pictures of her thank god, I saw the letter, and it had my old name Lawson. I actually wanted to start my life from a fresh slate, because of my past that kind of almost destroyed my life, so I changed my name to Fredric and left for New York. I opened the letter it was a funeral invitation.

“Oh lord who died now...” I said out of stress from the rejections, stalkers, and no love life. I looked at the letter properly:

We are providing this letter to tell you that we are announcing the death of

Jeremiah Grenaldi

Funeral shall take place on 12/25/2012

And will be held in the house of the Grenaldi family.

As soon as I saw that name my heart sank, I could not believe the name I had seen. Who would send a basket of sweets and a nice elegant letter saying that my dad is dead? Well that's just great.....

Even though I hated that man, I still thought of him as my dad. The funeral was 4 days away, and it was on Christmas! Who the hell planned this?!  So I packed my clothes, my laptop, and my drafts. 3 hours later I left to go to the central station. I got on the train going to New Jersey.

I found my seat beside a young girl, probably in middle school, and in front of my seat I saw 3 boys, one looked normal he seemed like he was 18-19 years old, the second looked like a hoodlum, he had bandages on his face and his hands, but to be honest he was good looking, but he looked scary. The last one was young, just a child playing his little PSP or whatever it is these kids use these days.

I just took one step further they all looked at me. “Hi, um….sorry I just need to get to my seat, if you don’t mind.” My voice totally cracked up. The girl giggled silently. I took my seat and the hoodlum glared at me. I got so scared. “So where are you guys off to?” the question just popped out of my mouth.

“Funeral.” They said simultaneously, they all turned to look at each other. It seems they all didn’t know each other.

“You guys aren’t related?” they turned their gaze to me, and they simultaneously said no.

“Why did you think so?” the young girl asked.

“Well, I just thought since you guys are all going to a funeral, at the same time, in the same train, on the same day.” The hoodlum looking boy ignored what I said but the little boy and girl thought about it. The normal one was checking his phone.  We ended up talking about me and what happened before I got here.

2 hours later, we arrived in New Jersey, safe and sound. I got up grabbed my bags and left the train and the kids followed. When I stopped they stopped. “Are you kids following me?”

“I need a place to stay…..the funeral I’m going to is a few days away.” The young girl said while avoiding eye contact.

“Same here.” The young boy and the normal one said simultaneously. The hoodlum just nodded.

“But you guys have no idea who I am; didn’t your parents tell you not to trust anyone?”

“I don’t have any parents, only a foster parent; who recently died that’s the funeral I’m going to.  And plus you told us your whole life story! It’s like we practically know you.” The normal boy couldn’t make eye contact.

“I’m sorry I didn’t know…..”

“I don’t have parents either.” The young girl said

“Me too.” The little boy had tears appearing in his eyes.

“Same here.” The hoodlum said giving me that glare again.

“But I can’t take you home with me.” They all sighed. The boy walked away with the girl crying. The hoodlum just sat down in front of me and so did the normal one.

I looked at them not knowing what choice I have….if I leave them the girl and boy could be kidnapped! And the hoodlum could be beat up or killed! And the normal boy could be mugged! “You, little girl, what’s your name?” she stopped and ran to me angrily.

“Felicia and I am not a little girl! I’m in high school!” she wiped her tears with her brown coat with fur on the hood.         

“Little man, your name?” he was so cute if you look at him closely.

“Daren, I go to middle school.” Middle school or not, he’s so cute.

The normal boy raised his hand. “Fredric, I just finished college.”

“Wow we have the same name, how strange.”

I looked at the hoodlum. “Nathan, I just finished college as well.” That is such a polite name for a hoodlum, and just finished college? Wow... I guess I shouldn’t judge people by their appearance anymore. I certainly learnt my lesson…

“Fine, I’m actually going to my mom’s house so I guess you guys can come.” They all smiled, Felicia and Daren hugged me saying thank you. “Okay enough hugging c’mon we got to go.”

I walked outside the station and there my mom was standing outside her limo with a champagne bottle smiling and laughing. “Lawson! I’m so glad your home! Ha-ha!! Oh my god, I have never felt this sad in my entire life……..yeah I’m totally sad! Ha-ha!” I forgot to mention my dad divorced my mom for young girl in her twenties. I know it’s a cliché but it’s true.

“Mom, I have some guests.” She bent to her left to see who’s behind me.

“You mean the kids?”

“Yes, they have no place to stay.”

“Don’t they have parents or something?” she waved to them and returned her gaze to me.

“No, they’re orphans.” She suddenly got a flash of sympathy.

“Oh my god, that is so nice of you! One day Lawson you will grow big and strong and help more people when your older.” She was soaked in alchohol.

“Mom, I’m 24…I’m sure I’m old enough.”  She cupped my face in her hands and was squishing my face.

“Who’s a big boy? Tell me who the big boy is?”

“Mom, no.” I heard loud snickering.

“C’mon, who’s the big boy?” I got fed up.

“I am, now get inside the car.” I waved to the kids to come over. They went inside, but Nathan stopped to look at me and he shook his head smiling. “Great, go ahead and laugh all you want guys, this is going to be so fun.” I said sarcastically to myself.

My mom’s house wasn’t that far away; it was a fast drive so there wasn’t much talking just my mom talking gibberish while drinking a whole bottle of red wine. We arrived 15 minutes later, as soon as we left the car I saw a whole different house. The old one was elegant, a nice mansion, but now it’s turned modern, almost like a glass house.

“Mom, where did our old house go?” she got out of the car and looked at the house.

“This is your daddy’s house.” I looked at it again and imagined the old house I lived in as a kid, now that I look at it the shape did kind of resemble the old house.

“Wow, well this is different. Why are we here though?”

“The tramp your father married wanted you to stay at your father’s house.” I felt surprised, that woman didn’t seem like the type to allow any children near her.

I walked further into the house but then someone stopped me, I turned to see it was Felicia. “Are we going to stay here?”

“Yeah, I guess we are.” And so I walked into the house. It was different, the whole place inside out had such a modernized style, and I guess the choice of furniture was up to that woman.

“Lawson! Oh I’m so glad you’re here!” she came running in her loud heels, and a sleeveless red knee-length dress. She looked different from what I imagined, but she was still blonde, she looked young before but now she looks like she’s in her early 40’s, but to be honest she does look good.

She came to hug me but I stepped back and it seemed she got the message. “I’m sorry, I don’t know you well enough.” she nodded.

“Well of course, we’ve never got the chance to actually talk.” She looked kind of flustered, I just stayed professional. “I’m sure you don’t know my name, right?” I shook my head. I really didn’t…I never wanted to see my dad after what happened, after all it was his fault for making this happen, and her fault as well.

“I’m Donna” she offered to shake her hand, but I rejected it.

“I don’t use the name Lawson anymore so just call me Fredric.” She nodded, and looked behind me; I turned to find Felicia and Daren holding my jacket. 

“These guys are gonna stay here with me, if you don’t mind.” She smiled.

“Whatever you want, I won’t intrude in any of your affairs.”

“Yeah, just like I didn’t in yours.” Her smiled disappeared she started to get flustered again.

“I really loved your father, and back then I wasn’t some twenty-two year old bimbo. I was actually 32 years old. It actually surprised me when people confused me for a girl in her twenties.” I kept my reactions in my head; I didn’t want to show any of my emotions to her but truthfully I wanted to laugh so hard hearing how stupid she was. I tried to keep myself from laughing, and it worked thank god.

“If you were so matured, why didn’t you do the right thing and not interfere with a happy family?” she came closer but I raised my hand to stop her from coming any further. “Don’t come near me. I know I should be over this by now but I’m not, I’m just disgusted with my father and you for actually doing this.” She looked like she was about to get angry then she bit her lip.

“I’m sorry; I know I can’t make up for what I did. But please know I’m really sorry.” She wiped her tears which began to fall down and shook her head. “The reason why I brought you here is because I need you to take care of the house while I’m away.” I looked around and back at her.

“Going on a vacation?” she laughed.

“No actually, I’m visiting family.” I nodded.

“Actually I’d rather stay at my mom’s house.” Staying here is only going to bring bad memories.

“Well, could you introduce me to the kids?” I turned to see them sitting on the wooden floors watching us.

“The girl is Felicia; the little man right there is Daren.” I pointed to Nathan who raised his hand.

“I’m Nathan, nice to meet you ma’am.” And Fredric got up. “I’m Fredric; I somehow have the same name as him.”

I looked at her she had a satisfied look. “Well, I am going to be leaving in a minute but before I do so I should you how the house looks like now if that’s okay with you?” I sighed.

“Go ahead, shoot.” I was okay with getting to know the place, but staying in it. No, I’m not going to fall into her little mind games.

“Would you please stay? After all it is your house.” I nodded.

“No it’s not, because I don’t want it.”

 “I understand that you have a life, but this is your house. I can’t be the one taking care of someone else’s s**t.” I was shocked when she said that. “Okay fine you know what I am sick and tired of everyone hating me gossiping behind my back because I had an affair with a married man. Well it happened! Get over it the past is the past! Can’t we just along already?! And you, Lawson, need to get over it! You’re 24 years old! For god’s sake you’re an adult!” She sighed and exclaimed.

“Woman you need to calm the heck down. S**t, you just released a dragon out your mouth.” A maid appearing from nowhere said while shaking her head while laughing. She stopped laughing when she saw my face and cleared her throat. “Sorry.”

“I’m sorry; I’m just stressed out because of your father’s death. I feel so guilty that I have no idea what is even going on.” I became the one who was flustered. Then I felt a tap on my shoulder, I turned to see Nathan.

“Donna is it?” Nathan asked.

“Yes, it is, you have something to ask?” she tried to calm herself; it was as if she were holding back anger.

“Excuse me, but why cameras all over the house?” I didn’t even notice that, he’s smart. She looked shocked then shook it off, then looked around.

“Oh those, well they’re basically part of the protection from intruders. You know like in the movies where they keep cameras so they can stop the evil guy.” She laughed.

“But wouldn’t guards just be enough?” I noticed he was on to something.

“Yes but what if the burglar got past the guards?” she said, he smiled.

“They wouldn't pass unless you have motion detectors. That would be safer.” Her reaction started to get serious.

“Well I prefer cameras.” He moved to one of the counters where the knives were kept.

“But how would anyone help us if we were to be caught by these…burglars? Cameras won’t do a thing, they just watch.” That’s when she snapped.

“What are you on to kid?” she walked to Nathan with a serious face and her hands on her hips.

“So you admit that you are trying to get him killed?” Nathan asked.

“Of course not, you dumb kid!” she said, after that she sighed.

“Did you kill my father?” I looked at her. She looked at me seriously and walked forward.

“Now why would I do that?” she sighed. “I’m his".”  I interrupted her.

“Save that for someone who gives a s**t about you and love. You know what? Get out….now.” I pointed to the door. She came up to me angrily.

“You think I would leave my own house?” I looked back at her, she was the same height as me, and so I don’t really feel intimidated but with those heels she seemed a little taller.

“You said so yourself, it’s my house, and I have to take care of it.” She laughed and turned around and walked towards another area of the house, but she stopped and turned. “You coming or what?”

I followed her and so did the others. “Oh that was some interesting s**t right there.” The maid silently said.

“Where are we going Donna?” I asked in a serious tone. She stopped in front of a glass door.

“I’m sorry but the kids have to stop here for now.” I looked back at them and looked scared, Nathan was just poking around.  She motioned her hand for me to follow her, and I did. We went into the room and I saw the kids outside, and I waved but they didn’t respond. “They can’t see us, it’s just us now.” She came to me slowly and held my shoulders, and pushed me to the wooden wall. “You know the real reason I called you here, is because I’m your father’s lawyer, jackass.” I looked away from her because her chest was kind of exposed.

“Seriously? Then what was with the ‘I’m Donna, your father’s mistress’ act?” she walked back and shrugged. “Ah, it was worth a shot. I had to find out whether you knew her or if you were doing her.” She walked away and walked over to the desk and chair, which I presume was my father’s study.

“Doing her?! Why the hell would I do that?” she grabbed a briefcase.

“It’s was your father’s wish to know whether she loved him or not, or if you were trying to get back at him.” I was stunned. “And by the way, this is my house.”

“Oh, so I guess I’m sorry for what I said a while ago…and this was a scam?”

“No s**t.” She said while she put on a jacket. “Look, I just wanted to see if you or his wife had anything to do with it but since you acted that way I presume you’ve never met. I thought the wife was lying to me when she said she never met you, so I used one of my methods.” 

She went through another door that was wooden, and she came out and grabbed her hair and took it off, turns out she’s a brunette, and she grabbed her edge of her face and took that off too, and it turns out she’s young, beautiful, and a brunette.

“So the cameras were to show the whole thing?”

“Bing! Bing! Bing! Correct! The winner is….. Lawson! Oh wait sorry, I mean Fredric! You get………nothing.” she also had an annoying sense of humor. She grabbed a cigarette and offered me one. I gladly accepted it because I really yearned for one. I smoke, just so you know. She took her lighter and lit both cigarettes.

“Well, that’s reassuring.” I said. She nodded and walked towards me. “You see your boy Nathan over there?” I looked at him he was still poking around.

“Yeah?”

“Send him to law school. He’ll be a great lawyer, the way he took me out there, I never saw that coming. He totally made me snap.”

She tapped me on the shoulder twice and opened the door and walked out. She looked at the kids, nodded, and explained everything to the kids.

“Huh no wonder.” Nathan said.

“No wonder what?” she looked at Nathan.

Nathan pointed to a photo on the fire place; it was a photo of her in graduation attire. “Cause that looked nothing like that lady you tried to pretend to be.” I looked at the picture; there was an old lady in the picture beside her.

“Oh, I guess I made one little mistake. You’re a pretty annoying kid, aren’t you?” he nodded. She smiled and nodded. “Well, I just need to talk with all of you guys, it’s about the will.”

“Wait, what does that have to do with us?” Fredric asked.

“Trust me; it has everything to do with you guys.” I was confused….actually we were all confused. She gestured for us to follow her to a different area of the house. She then opened a door which led us to a room that was beautifully decorated. It was really elegant. “Sit down.”

“Why are we discussing the will before the funeral?”

“Isn’t it obvious? You’re the only kid. And plus there isn’t going to be one.” I was confused.

“What do you mean by that?” I looked at her calmly looking at her care-free expression.

“Your father never wanted a funeral…he didn’t want to see his hypocrite of relatives watching his coffin going six feet into the ground, and after that they will come lying to you and try to swindle you because everything he has are officially yours.” I was shocked; I didn’t know how to react. “Oh and including the kids.” I didn’t hear what she said at the last part clearly, but I was so sure she said ‘including the kids’…

“Huh? Including the what?” she looked at me, and smiled.

“The kids, who are sitting beside you right now, were adopted by your father. And now he wants you to take care of them because he couldn’t.” Now I was really shocked…..I was ultimately speechless.

“Nathan, whose funeral were you going to see?” I asked without looking him in the eye.

“To my foster father’s, his name is Jeremiah Grenaldi” I mouthed ‘Oh my god’ to myself while my hand was on my face.

“Hey! That’s the same name as my foster father!” The way Daren said it was so cute, but it couldn’t cheer me up at all.

“Same here...” Felicia and Fredric said simultaneously. I didn’t know what was going on…Dad what in the hell were you thinking?

“Well, my job is done, here’s the will, if you want it.” She gave it to me still having that care-free expression. I took one more look at it and saw a ‘PS’ note at the bottom. I read it, I was not so shocked but I’m sure she read that part already.

“So I guess you’re my lawyer then. Right?” she laughed really hard, and she was trying to catch her breath.

“What makes you think so?” she clearly did not read the whole thing.

“You didn’t read the whole thing did you?” she looked shocked. She grabbed the paper and looked at it, and exclaimed.

“D****t!” she shouted. “That b*****d lied to me!” she coughed and sighed while holding her cigarette.

“What do you mean?” she looked furious, and looked at me angrily.

“You father set me up. He told me that if I helped find out that you weren’t involved with that bimbo, he would release me from the contract that we had.” Contract? I didn’t know about this…

“What kind of contract?” she laughed.

“Well, I’m a very famous lawyer; my real name is Lisa Hendricks.” I’ve seen her on TV a couple of times.

“Oh yeah, I have seen you a couple of times on TV.” She had a satisfied look on her face.

“And you father offered me a contract to be a family lawyer. I took it because I needed the money, and then when I had clients with big bucks, well I couldn’t work with them because of the contract, and I obviously didn’t want to stop working with other clients because of a stupid contract, so we made a deal, if I helped him investigate, he would release me from the contract.”

“Oh…I see.” My mind was blank.

“So you’re the son of that guy who never took care of us?” Felicia said. I looked at her, she looked really angry. “We barely even saw him, he gave us our own houses, said we had to learn to live alone.”

“Actually I lived with a nanny.” Daren said looking to cute. “She’s really nice.”

“Why should you take care of us?” Fredric said.

“Listen I didn’t know this was going to happen. Okay?” I looked at them, knowing how they felt, I’m basically a mama’s boy. My dad never really paid any attention to me, he only noticed me when I left to live in my own apartment in Manhattan.

“You know what, fine I’ll be you lawyer, but at least let me work with other clients?” she asked ignoring the situation with the kids.

“Yeah sure whatever.” I said not looking at her.

“Yes! Thank you! Thank you so much!” she got up jumping. And then hugged me from behind, I was very uncomfortable.

“Could you not do that please?” I asked her politely. And she stopped jumping around while hugging me.

“Oh you mean the hugging thing that’s happening right now?” she asked nervously.

“Yes please, do you mind?” she let go fast and started to dust herself off. She cleared her throat. “Um, sorry.” I nodded.

“Since there’s no funeral I’m just going to go back to New York.” Fredric said.

“Back? And how the hell are you going to do that boy?” the maid said.

“Train, how else am I going to go?” Fredric said looking upset. The maid laughed.

“Boy, there ain’t gonna be no train to New York. Not for 3 weeks.”

“3 weeks?! But how?! Why?!” Fredric started to worry.

“Turns out they gonna renovate after they have their vacation for their Christmas.” She said. Fredric turned to Lisa in shock.

“Are they even allowed to do that?!” she nodded. And mouthed to him ‘of course they are’ then turned to laugh a little.

“What?! But I have to go to school!” Felicia said. Lisa turned to Fredric looking shocked.

“Oh you were talking about the train station? I thought you were talking about...” she tilted her head to the maid. The maid looked at Lisa shaking her head.

“Even I understood what he meant.” The maid said.

“I have no problem staying with Fredric.” Nathan said.

“Who? Me?” I pointed to myself.

“Who else is named Fredric here?” he laughed and looked at Fredric and his smile disappeared. “Sorry.”

“Why? His father didn’t bother to take care of us he just sent us on our way. Never called us, never contacted us, how do you know he won’t do the same?” Fredric said.

“Fredric, I mean the older one, what kind of job do you have?”

“I’m a writer. But none of my books have been published.” Nathan nodded.

“And your dad’s job?”

“He owned a big entertainment company.” Nathan nodded again, and turned to Fredric.

“See the difference? A loser has nothing to lose so he can keep us, but a rich man has everything to lose so he can’t keep us. Get it?” I didn’t get it…..wait a minute...

“Hey! I’m not a loser.” I said, Nathan laughed.

“Dude none of your books were published! Tell me how many books did you write?”

“I wrote 12 books okay? So they weren’t published big deal, but at least I have another job that has a good income!” Nathan laughed again.

“Really? What kind?”

“I work as an assistant to the editor-in-chief of the brazza fashion magazine.”  Felicia screamed.

“Oh my god! I want to live with you now!!” she hugged me tight.

“But I thought you didn’t like me...”

“Ignore what I said, don’t we love him Daren?” Daren came to hug me too but tighter.

“Yeah!” Daren was squeezing me, does he take wrestling classes?

“Oh god, I’ll only stay with you for 3 weeks but don’t think I’ll like you.” Fredric said angrily as he sat down.

“So where are going to stay?” Nathan asked. I took my phone out of my pocket and dialed my mom’s number. She answered.

“Lawson? Are you done with whatever it is you are doing?” she hiccupped.

“Yes ma, I know everything.”

“Oh, so did you…you know…” she wanted to know If I was involved with that woman.

“No I didn’t.” she squealed with joy.

“Oh thank god! Oh my god, I knew you weren’t like that. You were such a mama’s boy!” yeah that’s really reassuring…

“Ma, can we stay at your house for, what was it, 3 weeks?”

“Awwww you missed me that much?” she chuckled and hiccupped.

“No, after Christmas they are going to renovate the train station, so yeah.”

“Oh yes! I totally forgot about that! I’ll send the driver right away!” she hung up immediately after that. 

I put my phone in my pocket, and put out my cigarette, it was almost finished. “The driver will be here soon, so you better get your stuff ready.” They got up and walked over to the entrance where their bags were placed and kept the bags with them.

“Alright just hope he’ll be here fast, because I am tired right now ugh…” she fell right on the couch and fell asleep.

“Well I guess we now wait….” There was an awkward silence in the room. The maid’s clearing of her throat broke the silence.

“You know instead of calling you older Fredric, why don’t we just call you Rick?” Nathan spoke randomly. I wonder if he was thinking about it for a while.

“Sure, go ahead.” I said, Nathan nodded, and the awkward silence had taken place again. Another thing that broke the silence was Lisa’s snore.

I heard a honking noise; I got up to see a black car in front of the house. “The car’s here.” They all got up and went to the car. I walked over to the maid. “Tell her I said thanks.”

“Alright, now go on.” She smiled, she was a nice lady. I turned to leave; I walked into the car and sat beside Nathan. The car was small so we were close. Nathan was quivering a lot, didn’t know why.

“Rick, um sorry but your hand is somewhere where it shouldn’t be, so could you move it?” he said. I moved my hand, noticing it was on his lower back.

“Oh s**t, I’m sorry.” I said nervously.

“It’s okay, man. I know you didn’t mean it.” Thank god he understood, or else it would’ve caused a lot of problems. 

Author's Note

please tell me what you think is good about the story or what is bad so i can fix it!