CHAPTER 78 - PLANS TAKE SHAPE IN NEW YORK

KOSLOV MOUNTAIN RETREAT - SUNDAY MORNING

RUTH AND ARNO’S ROOM

ARNO

I refuse to wake up until she gets to the shoving stage! She has been tossing and turning all night and now she’s huffing, puffing and punching pillows. All the little ones are in one room and being closely watched, so as to give the parents a break. She sits up again for the second time and sighs.

“I know you are not sleeping; don’t make me shove you or you will end up on the floor!” She growls.

“Bathroom and then kitchen.” I order and she nods. When we get downstairs it seems we weren’t the only ones that couldn’t sleep.

“Okay, I have to say it and I know it is going to be unpopular, but I have to say it anyway.” Ruth begins in her usual no nonsense fashion.

“Wait a second…” Debs comes in rubbing her eyes. “Carl’s behind me.”

Before long, we are joined by everyone but the children. “So what is it you want to say?” Carl asks.

“I think we should show…”

“Gus the photo?” Brian finishes and looks at Justin. He, like everyone else, is nodding.

“We don’t have to tell him who they are. But just to tell him that if he sees them, he doesn’t go with them.” Daph adds.

“He’s at the dreaded why stage. So he will definitely ask.” Mel sighs.

“Has he asked about her at all?” Carl frowns. He has a thought, I know it.

“Well no, not to me. Brian? Justin? Has he said anything to you guys?”

“Nothing.” Justin replies and then pauses. “In fact, he’s not mentioned Lindsay at all.”

“What are you thinking, Carl?” I ask.

“Gus. Gus is the important piece in this plan. Well, I think so, but hear me out. They need Gus to get to Gumdrop. She dotes on her brother and follows him everywhere. So if she can get her grubby hands on Gus, she also gets her. So that’s two down and three to go…”

“How’d you make it three?” Tucker asks.

“Hiccup.” Carl replies.

“What about him?” Ruth is bristling with rage.

“She doesn’t believe that Arno is the father. But even though he is, she will relish the opportunity to heap misery onto you. So if the opportunity presents itself, she will encourage Michael to take him too.”

“Which it won’t.” I snarl.

“Which it will.” Ruth retorts and everyone looks at her in astonishment.

“Unset your jaw and tell us what you got ticking.” Gilly orders.

“Whatever it is…”

“Arno. Hush!” Papa orders with a slight smile and Carl is nodding. “Ruth…”

“They are waiting for an opportunity to take the kids. Let’s give it to them. I am sick to the back fucking teeth of having to deal with swampcunt and chunderdick. Time to take out the trash; time we push some of their buttons on our own terms! Starting with him!”

“Go on.” Papa encourages and Carl starts to make notes.

“Have you all got your licenses?” She looks at Ted, Blake, Debs and Carl and they nod. “Good...you guys can all stay up here for the rest of the week, right?” More nodding and Brian starts to smile. “Get married here, have the christenings and everything... do it all here and then return on Thursday and…”

“Have a fuck-ass in Babylon on Saturday night?! Can’t think of a better way to send the big FUCK YOU to the two of them.” Emmy cackles.

“Oh very nice!” Carl snorts. “I’ll ask my guy to make sure Agent Coltrane drops in that nugget of information…”

“Agent Coltrane? How is that going to help?” Justin demands.

“I was going to tell you later, but since she’s fired us all up, we might as well discuss it now. He and Agent Brown have moved in and made contact. Of course, she went into the semi-damsel in distress routine. She’s lining up her alibi just as you suspected she would, Ronald.”

“What about Hobbs?” Brian asks.

“He’s going to do as they ask.” Carl responds, but there’s also a smirk. “Or at least that’s what they think. Before you bite my head off, let me explain. I was still shonky about him so had him hauled to a safe house and locked down. But his phone is with us and sure enough, they called him. Our agent agreed to do as they bid. So the guy who hangs around you is not him, okay? He’s not him, Justin.”

“Don’t talk about anything else until we come back. We won’t be long.” Brian leads a slightly shaken Justin out.

LOUNGE

BRIAN

Even though we are still having therapy sessions with Alex and we’re doing great... but sometimes, only sometimes he still gets a little blindsided by a memory and it freaks him out. I hold him while he gets himself back together in silence. Alex has told me that by speaking or trying to help him piece himself back together, it doesn’t help to heal long term; it just gets him through the moment. For complete wholeness, he has to do it himself so he knows that he’s as self-reliant and self-assured as he was before the bashing. I swallow hard when I feel wetness on my shirt.

“Tell me it’s going to be okay?” He whispers.

“It’s going to be okay.” I whisper back.

“I k-know I’m being a fucking pussy by…”

“Don’t you dare!” I moderate my tone a bit. “You are one of the bravest men I have ever met. You’ve gotten through so much and that doesn’t include me and my bullshit. You are my hero.”

“And you are mine.” He smiles up at me and wipes his eyes. “Okay, let’s go back and plot the final annihilation of Cindernever and Crumpledforeskin!”

KITCHEN

CARL

“You okay, son?” I ask Justin and he nods, even though it’s obvious he’s been crying.

“So where are we?” He swallows hard.

“Hobbs is not Hobbs.” I reply. “You are safe, okay?” He nods. “While you were away, I made another call just to be on the safe side.”

“Who about?”

“Craig. He’s trying to locate him.” Jennifer takes his hand.

“Why?”

“Like we said to be on the safe side. Although he’s not bothered you at all, when the premiere hits the news and being as unashamedly out and proud as you two are....”

“He comes near my children, I will be the last thing he ever sees.” Justin retorts coldly.

“And as a serving police officer, I did not just hear that!” I point out tartly.

“I need a photo.” Jules orders quietly and I look at Jen, who nods.

“Okay so we have a plan in hand, correct?” Reba stands up looking at me and Jules. We all nod. “Good. Now, I think that we should all go back to bed and sleep. A lazy day is definitely called for!”

KITCHEN - FIVE HOURS LATER

RUTH

God, I needed that sleep! I stretch out my back and start to gather my ingredients. I want to cook to soothe my frazzled and fucked off nerves! I can’t wait to get back to the Pitts and for that bitch to try and touch any of my kids. Like that guy who tried to drag me off the street, she will end up regretting the day she was ever born. I am very proud of my American Indian heritage regardless of who I got it from and studied Okichitaw. It is a form of martial arts that I fully intend the Carummies and Hiccup to learn....

“What you doing?” Daph interrupts my thoughts.

“Making dinner. Want to help?”

“What we doing?”

“Korean chicken stew with sweet potato and a Serbian chocolate torte. We’ve made the torte for Brian and Justin before.”

We work together in silence for a while before she clears her throat. “I was so jealous.” I look at her in surprise. “That they asked you and not me. I understood their reasoning but…”

“They didn’t ask me. Gus asked them to ask me. And if I said no, then they would’ve asked you.”

“Really?” She sniffs and I smile. “But I’m glad you’re their mom. They have your fighting spirit, especially Harper. Lee is much quieter in her determination, but it’s there just the same. I talk a good game but you have no problem, not one…”

“Paying someone to drop a fat pan on a bitch’s head?” She looks confused. “Are you telling me that Justin hasn’t shown you the video of what happened to swampcunt when she slapped me?”

“She slapped you?” She fumes.

“Oh honey, cop a squat and watch!” I laugh and once I find the video, hand her my phone. Her snorting chuckles wash away any remaining tension and when she honks with laughter, I just have to see where she’s up to. “It gets better!” I chortle and go back to prepping. When I hear the blood curdling scream, I turn around and Daphne has tears running down her face. “And better.”

“Oh my God!” She shrieks and I look over her shoulder.

“Ah yes, the snow woman!”

“What are you gals laughing about?” Brian comes in with Harper and as usual, she has her chubby fist in his hair. Daph can’t speak and just holds up my phone and he starts to chuckle. “I’ve always wanted to know what you said to make her flounce like that.”

“Told her step up once she didn’t smell of Eau de Hog and get some mouthwash.”

“You didn’t!” Daph snorts before gathering herself. “Where’s Justin and does he have Lee with him?”

“Bedroom and no. Why?”

“Because he and I are going to have words about why he never sent me this!” She smirks and heads out.

“Well there goes my sous chef.” I grumble as I take in the amount of work she’s now left me with.

“Here take Harper. Let me gather some troops….ouch!” Between the two of us, we manage to disengage her grip on his hair. As soon as she’s in my arms and he’s out the door, I set her down on the table.

“Now listen to me, young lady.” She looks up and frowns. “No frowning. Stop holding daddy’s hair so tight. He’s very precious about his locks and you have your mother’s grip. Ease up, sweetheart.” I look at my little girl and she grins up at me and I spot it. “Oh fuck!”

“What? What is it?” Brian demands as he comes back in and I point to Harper’s mouth. “Oh my God!” He rushes to the door. “Justin! Bring Lee!” The kitchen is filled with people, all confused as to what the ruckus is about. “Put her next to Harper, now look at Harper.”

“What’s different?” He looks her up and down.

“Wait.” Brian gently tickles his daughter and she giggles and grins up at him.

“Tooths, she has tooths!”  Justin gasps.

“And…” Brian chuckles and drops a kiss on a stunned Justin. “Mr 1500 has left the building!”

“Okay, grandmas, take the Carummies. Let me show the daddies how to make the popsicles!” Hunter declares.

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