The Reason
By S. Driscoll
Copyright 2011 Jeani Driscoll
Published by Jeani Driscoll
A special note from the author
Thank you for downloading this free e-book. I hope you like the Characters and will read the next book in the series “The Confession”. Also look for “The Letter “coming out in late 2011 or early 2012. 2011 has started off a little rough with me having my second stroke. I am back on my feet and will get back to normal soon. Thank you for all the kind words and prayers you sent my way. It really kept me going when things didn’t look so good.
Some have asked about the names I use in the book. I have to admit that it is hard for me to remember names so I used my friends and my wife and children’s names throughout the books. The advantage is I can always kill off the characters if they piss me off. So to them I say if you’re still alive in the book you are doing something right. If not, well sorry! You were warned! Jeani! The exception is Amy who had to die to push Chris into the FBI. Sorry Amy!
Dedication
As always I dedicate my book to my wife and children. They are the best and make writing fun.
I also want to thank T-Roy, Amy, and Mat, also known as “The Follow”. Running sound with Troy at Woodcrest has been a major highlight in my musical career. Doing video with Mat directing was never dull even if I had to be reminded of my cues. Amy is just Amy a sweet spirit and wife of Troy. If you want to hear some great U2esk music check them out at thefollow.com or catch a live show in 2nd Life.
Lastly…to my sister Mona I say, I teased you too much as kids. I never told you how proud I am of you. You have always amazed me. Thanks for everything. But I’m still trying to figure out how your kids turned out so well. I guess it must have been Mark’s genes. Just kidding!
This book is a work of fiction.
–noun
1.The class of literature comprising works of imaginativenarration, especially in prose form.
So by definition it comes from my imagination. All my works and characters are made up and have no connection to real events or people. If you are offended and think I am writing about you then maybe you are a bit paranoid and need some professional help or maybe you’re right! Enjoy “The Reason”
The Reason
CHAPTER 1
There are moments in our lives that change who we are. Most are not for the best, some are. For Chris O’Driscoll the jury is still out on that one. For better or worse this is Chris’s story of the events that changed his world and placed him on a new path.
It was a beautiful August Day. The sun was shining. A cool breeze kept the temperature at a wonderful 73 degrees. College would be starting for Chris O’Driscoll in just a few Days. He arrived at the school early to get the lay of the land. His entrance into his dorm room went off without a hitch. After all, his mother was an alumnus of the Manchester NH college. It was only the third year that men were allowed to attend the predominantly female campus. He went to a local pub for lunch and when he returned to his dorm room a few hours later he found the door blocked by boxes of stuff, and the stuff was not his.
Reaching over the boxes he knocked on his dorm room door. “Yah, Who is it?” Came a sleepy voice from the other side.
“It’s Chris O’Driscoll, can you move your boxes, so I can get into my room?”
“I’ll be right there.” The door opened to expose a 6’ 1” tall white guy with wavy blonde hair and the build of a hockey forward. Wiping the sleep from his eyes he said, “Sorry dude, my brother’s idea of a joke. I was beat from the drive, and the party last night before we left and wanted to catch a nap before we unloaded the trailer. Guess they got tired of waiting for me and dumped my stuff in the hall. Give me a sec and I’ll make a path.”
Chris couldn’t help but burst out laughing. “Nice brothers,” Chris smirked.
“Ya they’re a fun bunch when you get to know them. I’m Duff, by the way, nice to meet you.” Duff continued to wipe the sleep from his eyes with an impish grin on his face.
“Nice to meet you too, I’m Chris.” Reaching for a couple of boxes Chris took them into the room and placed them on Duff’s side. “Sorry to wake you dude.”
Still smiling Duff gathered additional boxes and continued to move them into the room. “No problem, but I hope this isn’t a sign of things to come.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well I was kind of hoping that our first meeting would be on better terms than can you move your junk, I can get to my room. I’m sorry Chris.” Duff kept his eyes on the boxes and the floor waiting.
“Duff it’s no problem,” Chris laughed. This put Duff at ease, and he extended his hand. Chris shook it smiling and said, “Let’s get the last of this stuff inside.”
The rest of the afternoon was spent getting to know each other. They found they had quite a bit in common. Duff did indeed play hockey, and Chris suggested they head over to the rink to skate. Duff turned down the offer not because he didn’t want to, but he didn’t know what box his skates were in. Chris suggested coffee, and Duff had a huge grin on his face. “I know a spot just off campus,” Chris said.
“Let’s go,” replied Duff and the two walked the three blocks to the coffee shop. “So what do you want to be when you grow up,” Duff asked with a smile.
“Old enough to drink,” Chris joked. “But seriously I want to be a pilot. I’ve already done my ground training, and I figure two years here getting my generals out of the way then I’m off to the University of North Dakota. They have a great program for pilots.”
“Did you say North Dakota? Isn’t it like always below zero there? Why on earth would you want to go there? “
“The program has one of the highest placement ratios in the country. I guess if you can stand the cold employers think you can do anything. Besides I’m paying for this, myself and its cheap there. How about you?”
“Well I’m going for independently wealthy myself. However, the stork dropped me off with the wrong family, can you believe they are poor? So, I plan to study engineering until I find the girl of my dreams then live off her Daddy from that point on. What do you think?”
“Interesting plan you got there,” Chris laughed.
“A guy can dream can’t he?” Duff joined in the laughter. “I mean the ratio of men to women at this school is 1 to 12. I’m bound to find at least one wealthy one. I have no problem being a kept man.” The two laughed harder as other customers glanced at them.
Chris liked Duff right off and from the look on Duff’s face, Chris knew Duff, and he were going to get along fine. Coffee lasted hours and as the sun set Chris said pizza and Duff readily agreed. The two headed to a local pizza house where they found they both loved linguica pizza. They polished off a large and headed back to the dorm.
Classes started the next morning Chris and Duff disco they had a number of classes in common. They soon were the best of friends helping each other with homework, projects, and notes. Classes were easy as Chris’s mom had predicted. Most were reviews of the senior classes they took in High School only at a faster pace. The reading was divided between the two friends and then shared with the other. This kept the work load light giving them time for other things.
CHAPTER 2
Chris took to a local pub owned by an Irish national who allowed him to drink Guinness at a back table. He listened to the music of a group of old Irish musicians singing country and drank his beer. It reminded him of home and when things got a little stressful, he would walk the four blocks to unwind. As he was enjoying his second pint a barmaid walked up to his table and said, “Can I get you another root beer?”
“It??
?s a Guinness actually,” Chris corrected her.
“No it’s a root beer. You’re too young to be drinkin real beer.”
Chris looked up at the server and found his mouth didn’t work. Her brown eyes, red hair, and smile could stop an army in its tracks. Chris just stared with his mouth open.
“You got something to say, or you just gonna sit there with your mouth open? I got other tables here you know.”
Chris shook his head trying to make his brain work. “I’m a friend of the owners, and he lets me drink Guinness back here. What’s your name?” His eyes never left her face.
“I know the owners too, and I think my Da would know better than to let some underage kid drink in his pub.” She smiled a smug smile and added. “My name is Amy, by the way.”
“Amy, a lovely name, for a lovely woman. I’m Chris.”
Amy blushed and smiled at Chris. “I’ll bet that blarney works on all the girls.”
“No, I mean I don’t use that blarney. I mean blarney on any other women. You are the first women, I have ever said anything like that too. Sorry if I offended. It’s just I’ve never seen anyone like you before.”
“My Da told me you would fluster easy. I guess he was right.” Amy laughed.
Chris felt a bit embarrassed but soon joined in the laughter. “Do you have a break soon? I’d love to talk can spare the time.”
“I think that could be arranged.” Amy smiled at Chris, and it made his whole world light up. I’ll ask me Da and be back in a bit.”
“Great,” Chris said.
Amy headed back to tend her tables and twenty minutes later walked back to Chris’s table with her apron in her hand. “I’m all yours,” she said as she placed the apron on the table and smiled at Chris.
If only that were true, Chris thought.
Amy and Chris talked for the next two hours. Chris learned that Amy had just come over from Ireland to go to university. The University of Notre Dame to be exact. Amy wanted to be a teacher. Chris had only been able to talk to one other person like this in his life, and that person was his mom. Amy was defiantly not his mom, but the conversation came easy. At 9:30 Chris asked Amy if she wanted to get something to eat.
“I’m starving and my throat is dry from talking the last two hours.” Amy flashed that big smile at Chris.
“You like Pizza,” he asked?
“Not really, how about some Japanese,” she inquired?
“Do you know a Japanese place nearby?”
“There is a Japanese grill over on the other side of town.”
Chris felt embarrassed as he said, “I don’t have a car.”
Amy smiled a warm reassuring smile, “Don’t worry we can take my Da’s.”
“As long as he won’t mind, that sounds great. Even so, let me ask him. It’s a guy thing,” he smiled. Chris got up and walked to the bar. “Mike can I talk to you for a second?”
“Give me a sec Chris,” Mike said.
“No problem.”
After a few minutes, Mike walked over to the end of the bar where Chris was sitting nervously. “What do you need Chris?”
“I would like to take Amy to dinner if that is OK with you.” Chris had never been so nervous in his life.
“Well I think that would be up to me Daughter Chris.” Mike was holding back a smile. He was working the whole father thing on Chris and was enjoying making him sweat.
“No Mike, I mean yes Mike she said she would like to go with me. The problem was, is that I don’t have a car, and she wants to go to the Japanese place on the other side of town. I was wondering if we could borrow your car to make the trip?”
Mike set his face in a frown. “I don’t know about that. It’s my only car.”
Amy walked up to the bar seeing the frown on her Da’s face, she said, “Stop it Da. You are just teasing Chris. Give him the keys.”
Mike burst out laughing as he dug in is pocket and tossed the keys to Chris. “Had you going, didn’t I boy.”
Chris realized he had been had and smiled with relief as he caught the keys. “Thanks Mike.”
“No problem, but I need the car back by 2, so I can go home.”
“I will Mike,” Chris smiled as he took Amy’s arm and lead her to the door.
“She likes the fillet and shrimp,” Mike called out to him. “She has eaten there every Day, since she got to town.”
Chris gazed into Amy’s eyes and asked, “Is that true?”
“Uh huh,” she smiled. “We don’t have Japanese grills in Cork. I love the flavors, and the grill show is fun to watch too.”
“Well if the lady likes the show than the show it is.” Chris opened the door and walked her outside.
They ate dinner and laughed at the show. The conversation moved smoothly from topic to topic. Chris was in heaven, a beautiful woman by his side, good food, even better conversation. He hardly noticed that the restaurant had closed. It was only when the small Japanese women came over to the table and coughed loudly was he jerked back to reality. “I’m sorry, I guess we lost track of time.”
“Time stops for those in love,” said the small Japanese women. “Unfortunately I have workers who need to sleep before they start all over again tomorrow.”
Chris and Amy blushed and stood to leave. “Thank you for your patience,” Amy smiled at the women.
She just smiled back and followed them to the door. When they exited the door locked with a click, and they heard a string of Japanese, they didn’t understand, but they got her frustration loud and clear. As they got in the car, they laughed at the situation and drove back to the pub.
Outside the pub, Chris thanked Amy for the dinner Date and leaned in hesitantly hinting at a kiss. Amy closed her eyes as their lips met. The kiss was tender and warm. Chris began to explore with his tongue starting at her teeth. She opened her mouth slightly and allowed him entrance to her mouth and tongue. When their tongues met the spark of excitement was more than they had expected, and the kiss turned passionate and eager. After a couple of minutes, they separated. They both were breathing hard and deep. Catching their breaths, Chris said, “Wow, that was amazing.”
Amy flushed turning a deep shade of red. “Why thank you sir.”
“Amy I would really like to see you again,” Chris said letting the unspoken question hang in the air.
“Well I think that could be arranged.” Amy was smiling now looking into Chris’s eyes.
Chris took the hint and asked her out for Friday night.
“I’ll have to ask my Da for the time off, but if he says so I would love to go out with you. I want to take you down to Newburyport to hear some Jazz and dinner if you are interested”
“I love Jazz. That would be great.” Amy gave Chris another kiss, which turned into another passionate few minutes. The kiss was going fine when there was a knock at the window.
Both Amy and Chris jumped back from each other and looked out the window. There stood Mike with an evil grin on his face. “Sorry I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“Ya right Da,” Amy said with a frustrated tone.
Chris opened his door said, “It’s OK Mike. We were just on our way in to get your keys back to you.” Chris tried not to look guilty as hell, but he failed. “Thanks for letting us use your car. Dinner was great, and the show was cool.”
“It’s OK Chris that is just my Da’s idea of humor. I’m a big girl and can kiss whoever I like. He is just trying to be the protective father.”
Chris blushed and made his way to Amy’s door. Taking her arm he walked her into the pub. He tossed the keys to Mike and went inside.
Mike, on the other hand, just stood there laughing at Chris and his nervousness.
CHAPTER 3
When Chris got back to the dorm room, Duff was fast asleep. Chris was dying to talk to someone. He grabbed the phone and went into the hall. He dialed a number and waited for an answer.
“Hel
lo,” the voice was full of sleep.
“Hi mom, you got a couple of minutes?”
“Of course baby boy. What’s wrong?”
“Nothing mom. I just had the most amazing night, and I needed to tell someone. If it’s too late, I can wait until morning. I’m sorry mom. I know you have to work in the morning. I’ll just call you then, go back to sleep.”
“No, no, Chris. Tell me about it. What’s her name?”
“How did you know it was a girl?”
“Chris, I’m your mother and there is little that disrupts your sleep other than women.”
“She is amazing. Her name is Amy, and she is from the old country…”
Chris went on for half an hour about Amy and the time they spent together. He told her that the conversation flowed between them, and he knew when they kissed that he wanted no other women than Amy.
Ruthie smiled as she listened. This was only the third women who had ever affected Chris like this. The other two lasted a few months but fizzled out as time went on. However, Ruthie was a social worker who understood new love and was happy for her son.
When Chris was talked out he apologized to his mother again for waking her up. She told her son, she loved him and was happy for him then hung up and returned to a peaceful sleep. Chris returned to his room and fell asleep within minutes of his head hitting the pillow.
CHAPTER 4
The alarm came way too early for Chris. He felt like he had not slept at all. He pulled himself out of bed and into the shower. He needed to wake up so he flipped the water to be cold after his shower was complete standing in the icy stream for as long as he could. It worked, and he was now totally awake as he shivered in his towel.
Back in his room Duff was crawling out of bed. “Where were you last night? I was up until midnight until I fell asleep.”
“Well I met a woman last night at the pub.”
“And who might this woman be?” Duff was smiling as he dressed for the day.
“Her name is Amy and she is wonderful.”
“Well, spill it big man. I want detail's dude. Where did you meet her, did you spend the night? Tell all.”
“First off, no to spend the night and I wouldn’t tell you if I did. She is Mike’s daughter and she just arrived from Ireland. She has the most amazing red hair and brown eyes that sparkle when she smiles. We went to Japanese, and I kissed her when we got back to the pub. I have a Date with her on Friday if she can get the night off.”