“Mr. and Mrs. Learner, it’s Sean…Sean Parker….”
He thought he had been clear before, asking Michelle not to have that boy call this house again, but here that heathen was ringing them again. His eyes narrowed and his lips pursed as he listened in a bit of frustration.
“….you both have made it abundantly clear you have no intention of actually getting to know me as a person…”
“Obviously not clear enough” he thought as he disregarded the remainder of the message and ended the call dismissively. He got up, setting his phone on the kitchen counter as he went for a cold glass of water, and then to the shower to wash the yard work grime off himself. It wasn’t long after when Leslie made it home calling out to him.
(Leslie Learner): Dear? Dear I’m home, you just won’t believe some of these people.
She puts her purse down on the table in the entryway and makes her way into the home. It certainly wouldn’t make it in the posh Parade of Homes, but it was nevertheless a beautiful 5 bedroom home that they had raised a loving family in the light of the lord, and was filled with love. The homes she visited today felt cold, and void of spirit. She walked into the den and Gary was watching HWA Havoc.
(Leslie Learner): Oh, is Michelle on? Did I miss her?
Gary doesn’t answer, he’s focused on the match with Sean Parker vs. Legion a few weeks back.
(Leslie Learner): Dear?
Snapped out of it by her voice closer to him, he pushes pause and turns around.
(Gary Learner): I’m sorry sweetheart, I didn’t hear you come in.
(Leslie Learner): Did I miss Michelle? You’re recording it aren’t you? I have to get dinner ready.
(Gary Learner): No, No, this is the DVR from the other week. That…..that Sean boy phoned again.
Leslie has an obstinate look on her face as she folds her arms.
(Leslie Learner): Well, what did he have to say this time?
(Gary Learner): I don’t know…I didn’t listen to it. I cut it off.
Panic sets in on her as she turns looking around for his phone.
(Leslie Learner): Good Lord, what if something’s happened to Michelle. Where’s the phone? We have to call the…
(Gary Learner): Michelle is fine sweetheart, I didn’t listen to the whole message…he started talking about getting to know him and some other such nonsense and I hung up.
(Leslie Learner): Goodness gracious, Gary Learner you almost gave me an infarction! Well, did you talk to Michelle? Where’s the phone, I want to listen to this message?
Gary points to his phone over on the counter and she heads over grabbing it and dials the voicemail. She listens as he did to the opening message, and stands there stoic as Sean goes on.
“….And what I'll also do is keep fighting to show you both why you've made a mistake to misjudge me, to dismiss me when you know nothing about me.”
Leslie puts one hand up to her chest and after about 2 minutes she hears…
“….Please…because I am completely, unequivocally, hopelessly in love with your daughter, Mr and Mrs. Learner…I love her…
Leslie pulls out a chair and sits down. She suddenly feels like the wind has been knocked out of her. She doesn’t know how much time passes as she sits there, Gary focused again on the Havoc replay. Sean’s match had just ended and she looks over to see him and Michelle coming down the hallway running into Jeremy. She remembered this, they were talking about what that Erica did and Alexis and Sarah were looking for her. The words were all still a blur to her as she watched and Gary turned the DVR off and put on the local news. He turned to find her sitting there just staring.
(Gary Learner): Something wrong my dear?
Her eyes shift to him and she extends her hand out with his phone.
(Leslie Learner): You need to listen to that message. I’m going to get dinner ready.
Without another word she heads into the kitchen to focus on the meal. The distraction would do her good. The house was absent of speech for the next hour. Only clinking of plates, pans, and flatware from the kitchen were the only sounds. The kids were all at various things around town so it was just the two of them this evening. Gary came to the dinner table at the smell of the food which indicated it was nearly ready. Leslie had set the table and was bringing in the dishes before she sat down. They prayed in silence, folded their napkins across their lap in silence, cut their meat in silence, ate and drank in silence until 15-minutes in that silence was broken.
(Gary Learner): So……I take it you want to go then?
(Leslie Learner): Matthew 7.
Gary nods his head, resignedly.
(Gary Learner): Yes!
Over in Los Angeles Michelle is coming from a beach run with Sarah. The two sitting on a bench on the beach just a couple blocks away from HQ and the Academy, huffing and puffing as their heart rates have almost returned to normal.
(Sarah): Somebody’s been eating her darn Wheaties, you got me on that last turn girl!
Michelle giggles, wiping sweat off her face with her small towel.
(Michelle): I’ve had the last couple of weeks off, you know how that is when your body has that recovery time. I just seem to be able to do a little more.
(Sarah): Little more my black, you know what…you smoked me!
(Michelle): Not by much, you’re pretty fired up yourself…how are you feeling about your match? Is Alexis really ok with me taking Erica away from her?
(Sarah): Michelle, girl…I don’t know. You have to ask her, she hasn’t said diddly squat to me about it. All I know is we are ready to tear into the Shining Twins.
(Michelle): The Shining Twins?
Sarah waves her hand off…
(Sarah): It’s a movie thing…ask Sean. Anyway…come on…let’s head back…I’m starving.
They head back to HQ, part ways and about an hour and half later Michelle had been home, showered, ran to the market for some fish and was back home. She wanted to try this new miso glaze sea bass recipe. It was probably an old recipe in truth, but it was new to her. As she’s unpacking the few little groceries she picked up…her phone pings. She picks it up looking at it and sees a text from her mom which was unusual because her parents typically called.
We got his message! We’ll be there sweetheart!”
Michelle’s cute little face furrowed with confusion at her mother’s cryptic message. What message was she talking about? Her mom must have sent this to her phone instead of one of her brother’s, that’s probably what this was. As soon as she finished getting her food on, she’s give them a call and let her know. In the meantime, she turned her TV on and started the HWA app to play a little catch up from the day. There was a lot of activity. Everything was buzzing for Art of War and she saw that Sean had posted a video, which of course she felt a little guilty clicking on first because there were so many others that had done so before him, but she couldn’t help be a little biased.
Her face lit up as he comes on the screen. She listens as Sean speaks to Fallen and grabs the remote as he finishes ready to click on the next, but the video keeps going and suddenly Sean looks distressed. She thinks he forgot to click the button like she did the other week because he isn’t looking at the camera anymore, he’s just sitting there with his eyes closed and breathing deeply. She feels worried, and goes to sit down on the sofa taking her phone with her. Sean’s handsome face in 4K on her screen brings a little smile to the corner of her mouth.
“Mr. and Mrs. Learner, it’s Sean…Sean Parker….”
Michelle gasps as she jumps up from the sofa, covering her mouth. Her eyes go wide as Sean talks to her parents, oblivious to the recording. As he continues…her heart just fills with joy, and pride at him as pours his heart out. Tears come to her eyes as she watches him, his face in utter, palpable desperation.
“….Please…because I am completely, unequivocally, hopelessly in love with your daughter, Mr and Mrs. Learner…I love her…
The levee breaches, and tears cascade down her face like precious pearls falling from a broken necklace. It takes her several moments to gather herself, her mind so frantic as she looks around for her keys. She was last in the kitchen and goes there recalling the meal she was about to prepare.
(Michelle): Oh fiddlesticks!
Michelle grabs her keys off the counter and rushes out the door. Despite the fact that she was going, under the speed limit as usual. Her emotions made the drive to Sean’s apartment felt she was on the Daytona Beach Speedway. As she pulled up to his place she looked at her phone again at her mom’s message.
We got his message! We’ll be there sweetheart!”
She was more confused than ever before. Were they coming to meet Sean at the upcoming Havoc in Salt Lake she had sent them tickets for? Were they coming to take her home? She didn’t even know what she was going to say to him right now, she had just jumped in the car because this is where she felt she had to be. Moments later she was on his doorstep, wrapping the door ever so gently with her soft hands. Shortly after the door opens and Sean is there, he barely has but a moment to acknowledge her presence when she leans up wrapping her arms around his neck, leaning up on her tippy toes. She buries her face into him as he wraps his arms around her, unsure of what this is going on. She’s quivering, he can tell she’s crying and his frustration and anger mounts as his thoughts turn to Fallen. She must be having another episode and it hurt him to see her this way over what he did. He pulls her back from him, brushing her hair back from her cheeks.
(Sean): Hey, hey there…it’s okay. It’s gonna be alright. He won't hurt you anymore, I promise.
Michelle sniffles as she looks up at him.
(Michelle): No, it’s not that you silly goose!
Sean looks so very confused at her as she pulls herself together, lifting her head up to look at him.
(Michelle): I love you too Sean Parker!
Everything registers in him like a lightbulb coming on. Jesus…her parents must have called her. He’s caught off guard and speechless and she’s lost for further words herself and they stand there staring at each other as the scene fades to black.
Message Thread
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