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Chapter 18: Dunphys 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."

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  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."

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