Off Sides

dinner rush finally slows down around 7:30 p.m. and I pour myself a glass of ice water. Sipping at it, I watch as the door to the diner opens and in walks Ryan's mom. There is a young girl with her that has the same dark hair and whiskey eyes as Ryan. It must be his sister, Emily. She wears the same scowl as her mother.
    My heart starts a mad thump in my chest. She's looking straight at me and there's no doubt that she has come here to talk to me. I watch with trepidation as she walks up to the counter and inclines her head at me.
    "Danny, would you be willing to talk to me?"
    I nod my head, terrified of what she's going to say. I want nothing to do with this woman but I can't be sure she isn't here to try to patch things up with Ryan. And I would very much like them to make up.
    I lead them over to a booth at the back of the diner. Celia doesn't bother to introduce me to his sister.
    We sit down in the booth, Ryan's family on one side and me on the other. How apropos.
    I look expectantly at Celia to say something. She doesn't mince any words. "It's no secret that I don't want Ryan seeing you. He clearly will not listen to me or see reason. So I need you to break things off with him."
    Astounded, all I can do is stare at her. Does she think I'm just going to jump to do her bidding?
    "I'm sorry, Mrs. Burnham, but you are sadly mistaken if you think I'm going to walk away from Ryan."
    I watch as she leans over into her purse and pulls out a checkbook. She looks me straight in the eye and asks, "What is it going to cost me?"
    Laughter bubbles up from my mouth and I can't hold it in. I know it's rude but I can't help it. This woman is trying to buy me off and the absurdity of it tickles me. She, on the other hand, doesn't see the humor and just waits for me to respond.
    Finally, I remove the smile from my face and look at her solemnly. "There is no amount, Mrs. Burnham. I don't need or want your money."
    She scoffs. "Nonsense. Everyone needs money."
    I shake my head. “I don't. Now, if you'll excuse me..."
    "Isn't it obvious, Mother?" Emily drawls.
    My gaze snaps to her and I wait to see what she says.
    "She's going to decline your money because she thinks Ryan is a bigger gravy train. She's in it for the long haul."
    If I could reach across the table and throttle Ryan's sister, I would do it in a heartbeat. I remain calm though and stand up from the booth. I look down at them. "I'm sorry your trip here was wasted. Now I have to get back to work."
    I turn to walk away but then Mrs. Burnham calls out softly. "Ryan is going to be ruined, you know?"
    I'm not sure if this is a ploy but I turn my attention back to her. She merely points her finger at the seat I had just vacated and I sigh as I sit back down.
    "I can make Ryan's criminal charges go away. My attorney has had contact with Mr. Malone's attorney, and we can offer him a very nice settlement in return for him dropping the charges against Ryan."
    My eyebrows raise and now she has my complete attention. "That's wonderful," I say with excitement.
    "Yes, I suppose it is," she says dryly. "But I'm not going to waste my money on this deal if Ryan is still with you. If you want me to bail Ryan out of this mess, you will break up with him and get out of his life for good."
    My heart sinks to my stomach and turns into a lead weight. The solution to Ryan's criminal charges lie with this woman, and the price is steep. She wants me to give up the one thing in my life that represents a lifetime of love and happiness.
    I try to call her bluff. "You wouldn't abandon Ryan like that."
    She arches a perfectly plucked eyebrow at me. "Wouldn't I? He's already turned his back on our family, why wouldn't I do the same thing?
    I suck in my breath. How could the woman that birthed such a wonderful man as Ryan do this to him? Having had the most loving and wonderful mother in the world, it’s just beyond my comprehension.
    I bite at my lip and glance out the window at the darkened street. It was only ten short days ago that Ryan walked into my life...right here in this very diner. And now, I am being asked to make a decision to give it all up. I've sadly come full circle.
    Mrs. Burnham leans across the table. "Look...I can see you're a nice enough girl. But you could be his downfall. If he gets convicted, he can kiss a hockey career goodbye. Without my support in getting these charges dropped, Ryan could end up in prison. Do you want that to be on your head?"
    My shoulders slump in