CHAPTER 25 - LISTEN YOU MIGHT NOT LEARN BUT YOU MUST LISTEN
MEL’S BATHROOM - TEN MINUTES LATER
BRIAN
The amount of tissues I have gone through in the last few minutes is ridiculous! I hear the tapping on the door and let in Justin. “I think I have taken about 1000 pictures in five minutes. She’s even more beautiful in person!”
I can’t help the smile on my face. “We can’t stay much longer. We need to get Gus home and Mel needs her rest. I’m surprised that Debs hasn’t been to see her.” He giggles. “Okay what?”
“Franc is not the only one that’s had a word with Debs. Leda made it clear that she’s got to wait until Mel is ready but they have been sending her pictures. She’s getting a little impatient as grandma doesn’t know her name yet.”
I groan. “I see a slap to my head in my future. Okay, let’s go get our wee man and placate grandma!”
We head back into the room and Gus is peering at Ruby. “Gus come on, we’ve got to let Momma and Ruby rest. Then you, Sonny Boy, can tell grandma and everyone else your little sister’s name.”
“Really daddy? Oh that’s awesome!” He whispers. “Goodbye Ruby, be a good sister for Momma and I’ll see you soon. Bye Momma, bye Momma Leda, love you!”
“Our wee man is going to be the best big brother in the world!” Justin tells me, taking Gus’s other hand.
“I couldn’t agree more.”
MEL & GUS’S HOUSE - SUNDAY MORNING
DEBS
Well finally, I get know what to call that cute as a button little lady. Ruby! She’s adorable and she’s going to be tall, I think. Brian will be stocking up on shotguns, I’m sure!
“Debs! Can you get that please?” Franc calls out as she and Ems direct the decorators.
The redecoration is going really well. We’re a lot further ahead than I thought we would be. I open the door and find myself looking at Lindsay.
“What do you want?” I demand then try to keep the smirk off my face. I’ve yet to share the latest development with the rest of them. It’s just been such a whirlwind and then of course, there’s the Michael conundrum.
“I want to speak to Mel.” She attempts to step inside. “And I would rather not do this on the doorstep!”
“She’s not here. And you wouldn’t be coming in even if she was. I will take a message for you and she may or may not choose to respond to it.”
She narrows her eyes at me and sighs. “Debs…”
“Mrs Novotny.” I cut across her.
“Very well then. I don’t want to make this unnecessarily difficult for Mel. After all, she’s a single mother bringing up soon to be two children. Sam and I can provide a much more stable environment than she can. And…”
“Are you threatening Mel?” I demand.
“No of course not, Mrs Novotny. I am merely pointing out that with our resources…”
“Well you and your resources aren’t worth dick! You seem to have forgotten who the father is.”
“On the contrary, that counts in our favour.” She looks slappably smug. “Do pass that message onto Mel when you see her.”
“You gave up your rights, remember?” I point out.
She gives a tinkling laugh that makes me want to knock her teeth down her throat.
“Easily reversible. We are a straight couple; she’s a single lesbian. She would know more than anyone how the courts respond to that. And Italy is lovely all year round. Tell Mel I want to speak to her and…”
“I’ll just play this for her and she can do what she wants with it.” I smirk at her. “Now be gone and don’t come back until you’re invited. But seeing as you are such an emotional vampire, I don’t foresee that happening for a very long time, if ever!”
Her smug look slips and she glares at me. “I could…”
“Debs, who is it?” Franc asks, opening the door wider. “Oh it’s you. The false reporter. This constant turning up is beginning to feel like harassment.”
“Don’t flatter yourself!” She snaps. “You’re not worth my…”
“I do hope you’ve given the police the correct address for you. You do know what happens when you give false information? And I also need to know the name of your lawyer.”
“What for?” She feigns indifference.
“I’m taking the judge’s advice and am suing you for defamation of character. So as Mrs Novotny said, you need to leave now! Or I shall be forced to call the police, who I’m sure will be delighted to see you...again.”
“You need to have a character to defame, which you clearly don’t!” She taunts her.
“Whatever game you are playing, you won’t win.” Franc looks at her like she’s just stepped in her. “So if you’ll excuse us, we’re bored of you now.” She closes the door on the indignant noise Lindsay made and pulls out her phone.
“Officer Markus Deacon please.” She winks at me. “Officer Deacon, this is an official business call. We’re currently at the residence of Melanie Marcus and Lindsay Peterson has been verbally threatening. I wonder if you could send a squad car to make sure she’s no longer in the area? Thank you that would be most kind.”
“Official business call? Oh you and I need to talk!” I laugh.
“A lady never tells.” She demurs and I cock my head at her. “Well until there’s something to tell anyway!”
“And when is the something going to be?” I demand.
“Oh. Next Wednesday.” Ems calls out and she gapes at him. “What? Marie knows people!”
LINDSAY
I am going to wait it out. Mel has to come home sometime! I’ve been here for two hours now and still no sign of her. I used some of the money that Sam sent me to hire a car and am parked just down the street where they can’t see me but I can see the front door easily. Ten minutes later, there is a knock on the window and I wind it down.
“Yes?”
“Lindsay Peterson?” I nod and he drops and envelope in my lap. “You’ve been served!”
As he walks away, bitch-face suddenly appears. “Know your enemy and listen to them when they speak.”
“I’m more of an enemy than you know!” I snap back at her.
“Doubtful since, sweetie, Sam has been fucking anything with a pulse since you left Italy. For such a WASP, you are more like a drone when it comes to men. Now while you still can, drive away. The police are coming.”
DEBS’ HOUSE - EVENING
DEBS
We’re all around the table cooing over Ruby and how sweet Gus was. Unbeknownst to anyone, Leda had filmed what he said to Justin and that of course set him and me off! We’ve had a lovely evening and now I have to ruin it a bit. First, I lead with Lindsay’s visit and, of course, that invokes the Kinney Temper but it’s when I tell them about Michael wanting to buy the store that he almost explodes.
“I have an idea.” Franc’s voice cuts through his rage and brings him to a surprised halt.
“What is it and is it legal?” Ems asks warily.
“Boringly so. Why don’t I buy the store from you?” The room goes quiet. “Justin, when you’re on shore leave, what do you do? I mean after you’ve sorted out the Kids Club, what is it that you love to do?”
“Teach kids art and…”
“So you’d have an already made base. This Nate guy sounds like he has good ideas, doesn’t he Ted?” He nods enthusiastically. “The proverbial but oh so considerable fly in the ointment is Michael. So you sell the store to me and fly gets squished.”
Brian regards her carefully. “Are you serious?”
“This is business and I don’t fuck around when it comes to business.” Franc replies. “I haven’t done much research into it admittedly but comics are worth a mint in the long term. And…”
“It would help Gus be less scared of comics.” Justin points out. “He really doesn’t want to look at any of them now. Just books, which is great but comics are also great.”
“Maybe if he drew his own that would help him?” Blake suggests.
“Sold!” Brian exclaims. “Ted draw up the paperwork. I want this done quickly.”
“No problem Bri. But I do have a question. Who gets to tell him?”
“Why should he be told until it goes through?” Franc asks. “It will be a cash transaction.”
“Off the top off your head Ted, how much is it worth?”
“Roughly $50K.” We all look at Franc, who just stares back. “And that’s not going to be a problem.”
“No. Not really.” She laughs.
Ted smiles and then frowns. “But I’ve had a thought. He entered you in the competition without you knowing. We need to find out what else he knows about your business. Once this hits the fan, he could go back to VanGuard and spill his guts.”
“And he would. He really would.” Vic sighs sadly.
“And if he does, we’ll be as ready for him as I was for Lindsay. Like I said, you don’t fuck over my friends or my family!” Franc growls. “I’ve been wanting to have a pop at VanGuard for years!”
“Wait a minute? What do you mean about Lindsay?” I demand and by the time she’s finished telling us, we are in awe, speechless and a tiny bit scared!