A BLAST FROM THE PAST....

FITZGERALDS, ATTORNEYS AT LAW - TUESDAY LATE MORNING

ARTHUR’S OFFICE

ARTHUR

I watch the video again, and try to figure out who is the worst of the pair: him for doing it because he loves him, or her for doing it because...actually I can’t see why she did it! It makes absolutely no fucking sense at all why she would have started this in the first place!

I reach for the photo of her book again, and start to read, and then I notice something. There are pages missing. It looks like they have been torn out. Frowning, I reach for his first notebook and check the start date. It starts after hers, which makes sense, but what doesn’t make sense is his entry; I can’t believe what I have read, how could she? How could she what? I am assuming the she is his mother, but what is it that she did to annoy him so much? I read some more; well, if she thinks that I will show her, I will show her that I am no slouch, I can be smart like him. Why start the book? Why would he want this to happen? This is what I don’t understand.

“Come!” I bark out, slightly annoyed to be interrupted in my thought process.

“Are you sure?” John pokes his head around cautiously.

“Hey! Sorry, was just working, come in, come in. What are you doing here?”

“Peter and I...Peter and I, well we’ve asked Mom and she said to ask you to ask him and…”

“Where is Peter?”

“He’s with Gus and Jenny at Aunt Mel’s.”

“Ah, I see. So I am going to assume that you want to read them? Why as a matter of interest?” I sit back and watch him think about this carefully before he sighs. “John?”

“Why? I want to understand why he would do it. He was his best friend and for years he let him suffer like that! Mom told us that Uncle Brian stood up to his...that man...to go to college. So how did he know about college? Who told him?”

“Mr DeVore did. What are you getting at, John?” I sit forward and marvel at this remarkable young man that I am proud to have call me Dad.

“Mom says he was jealous and wanted Uncle Brian not to leave him, but maybe he was jealous about something else. It can’t just have been that Uncle Brian is smarter, better looking and richer than him, could it? I mean, he remained his best friend until all the shit went down...oh sorry!” I wave it away with a wry smile. “So what else is there? Like, in school you have people falling in and out of friendships every damn day, but this just seems so pathological, like he was punishing him for something that…”

“John!” I explode, and then hold my hands up as he almost hits the ceiling. “Sorry, sorry, but you’ve done it. You’ve given me his reason why!”

“I have?” He looks warily confused.

“Yes! Her one and only notebook is not a notebook at all!”

“It isn’t?”

“No. It’s a diary!”

“A diary?” He frowns. “You mean her notebook was her diary and…”

“Look!” I shove the photo under his nose. “Don’t read it, look at the book itself, what do you see?”

He’s silent for a few seconds. “Are there pages missing? It looks like there are.”

“Yes. So...get your Mom on the phone and on speaker!” I pace as he dials.

“Hi, sweetheart, is…”

“Claire, can you remember how the book looked when you got it?” I demand.

“What do you mean how?”

“Oh I get it!” John exclaims.

“John, what are you…”

“Mom, where was the bookmark in the book when you got it?!” He is pacing with me.

“Towards the back of the book, I didn’t move it if that’s what you mean.”

“No that’s not what I mean, but yes it is, John...” I nod encouragingly at him. “...go on!”

“Uncle Justin said he got it off that Scuzzball’s parents, right? So where did she find it to blackmail her in the first place?! He hid them, so it stands to reason that she would’ve too, right?”

“Yes...yes!” Claire starts to get excited. “It is one book that…”

“Diary. Mom, it looks like it’s a diary. Do you let your diary out of your sight?”

“No. And that is what I was going to say. So she lost it somewhere, and then forgot about it until Scuzzie came calling?!” She cries. “Okay, hold on, let me email Jennifer and I will be at your office in an hour!”

“Why Jennifer, and why are you coming here? Not that this is a problem!” I add hurriedly and she laughs.

“Because she can ask Scuzzie’s parents, and I am taking my genius husband and son to lunch, unless of course you don’t want to go to Burgatory.”

“I’ll book the table!” John grins. “And then text Petey to let him know…”

“John!” We both exclaim.

“Just kidding!” He chortles.

TAYLOR RESIDENCE - TWO HOURS LATER

STUDY

CRAIG

I wait for Jennifer to calm down. She has just read the email from Claire, having been in a PFLAG meeting all morning, and shown it to me. “Let me put a call in to Ronald and see what he can glean from the...what did she call her?”

“Scuzzball, or Scuzzie for short!” Jennifer clips out, and I squeeze her shoulder as I go to get her a brandy. She sighs and rubs her temple. “Nobody aims the slings and arrows of outrageous misfortune better than your supposed friends!” She takes it and takes a huge sip before nodding that I should make the call.

“Peterson residence, may I help you?”

“Yes, may I speak to Ronald Peterson? This is Craig Taylor.”

“I’m afraid that Mr and Mrs Peterson are out of the state at the moment. May I take a message?”

“No, thank you. I will call him on his cell. Could you tell me what time zone he is in, please? I wouldn't want to wake him.”

“Of course, I understand. He is currently an hour behind us. Will that be all?”

“Yes. Thank you. Goodbye.”

“Why didn’t you do that the first time?” She frowns.

“I thought I hadn’t seen them, well him, for a while, and I wanted him to come here so I could see him…”

“Craig, he looked too disappointed, ashamed, and disgusted to lie when he came over and made her apologise. Call him now.” She takes a couple of healthy sips, and I push my beef sub over to her. She demolishes it in seconds!

“Ronald Peterson speaking.”

“Ronald, it’s Craig, Craig Taylor. How are you? I hope I am not disturbing you.”

“I am very well, thank you. Yourselves? You’re not disturbing me at all, in fact, could you bear with me a moment? I just need to step out of the room.” We listen to him walking somewhere, and then the sound of a door opening and closing. “Sorry, Craig, the walls had very big society ears. I take it this is a Lindsay problem?”

“Yes, this is what I like about you, Ronald, straight to the point. The book that she held to ransom for this Grassi woman, can you find out where she found it and what state it was in when she did?”

“I will. May I ask why?”

“Ronald, it’s Jennifer. We think that her notebook was a diary as opposed to what it ended up as.”

“I see. Let me ask her and call you back.”

“Thanks. Oh, by the way, where are you?” Jennifer calls out as she pours another brandy for herself and one for me. “Your service said you were out of State.”

“Oh, Paris in Texas, much to her annoyance!” He chuckles. “She’s staying with her Aunt Roberta, she’s my sister, until the baby is born.” He sighs. “Have you seen the children at all?”

“Yes, just this weekend.” She replies. “He didn’t ask about her at all.”

“I’m not surprised.” He sighs again. “Such a…never mind, I have to be patient. Let me speak to her and get back to you as soon as I can!”

“Thanks, Ronald, speak to you soon.”

“Yes, bye, take care.”

As we hang up, I see some of the anger leave her. “I couldn’t imagine not seeing them either. To go from semi contact to virtually nothing, and for her not to care is just…”

“I will speak to Justin. Maybe he can raise the subject with Brian and Mel. I know they've been so busy and…”

“Yes, darling, you do that.” I smile at her while wondering how Scuzzie could give up just like that!

ROBERTA O’DONAGHUE CARSON’S RESIDENCE - AN HOUR LATER

STUDY

LINDSAY

I feel like I am in the middle of a Spanish Inquisition! I have Daddy and Aunt Roberta on one side, and Mother on the other. I am blossoming now, having got over the last month of continual all day sickness!  I have walked the grounds and I have to admit that she’s done very well for herself. She married well but is now widowed.

“So who was that on the phone? It clearly was of some import as you have dragged us in here.” Mother demands.

“I did not drag you in here.” Daddy snaps. “I asked Lindsay to come and talk to me and you followed. This is Robbi’s house, so she can be where she wants to…”

“And I choose to be here. If my presence is so onerous, Nancy, do feel free to comport yourself to the lounge.”

“I wasn’t implying any…”

“The quicker you let Ron speak, the better. The baby is due in less than 5 months.” Aunt Roberta sniffs and looks pointedly at Mother, who grinds her teeth but says nothing else. “So, Ron, what’s this about?”

I look across at Daddy and hope he is not going to say what he’s going to say.

“Lindsay has been playing blackmailer, and now the attorneys need to know more detail...”

She turns to look at me, her face darkens in disapproval. “Blackmailer as well as a stomping strumpet? How aspirational of her. Definitely your side of the family, Nancy. Now then, Ron, explain this blackmailing thing to me.”

I smoulder with anger as he goes into exacting detail of what happened for me to have ended up here, and her face darkens more and more. The only redeeming feature of his story telling is that he didn’t mention any names!

“And this is how you treated your friend, the father of your child? How long have you had it?”

“Justin asked her that, but she never answered.” Mother pipes up. “And before she does, why are you seeming to try and place blame for this at her door? She never caused the abuse…”

“But she profited from the knowledge of it, so that makes her complicit in retrospect. How long?” Daddy repeats but I say nothing.

“Tell us what we need to know right now!” Aunt Roberta barks, causing us all to jump.

“3 years.” I reply quickly.

“And where did you find it, and what did it look like when you did?” Daddy demands. “And before you say you don’t understand, what I mean is when you found it where you found it, did you tamper with it at all?”

“I found it at Michael’s house when we went over with the children. As for its condition, it was as she sent it to you.”

“Who sent it?” Aunt Roberta sighs crossly.

“Debbie Novot...I mean Grassi, she’s Michael’s mother. It was hers, and he was Jenny’s father but he, like me, has had his rights removed.”

“I have had enough fucking flim-flammery!” I press closer to Mother. “Where did all of this happen? And don’t even think of drip-feeding me bullshit, I had 40 years in the school service, now answer!” She snaps, looking as if she could happily and easily, tear me limb from limb!

“Pittsburgh, it happened in Pittsburgh. I black...I mean returned the book for a nominal fee, and the…”

“Novot? You said that before you said Grassi, did you mean Debbie Novotny?”

“Um, yes, that was her name before she was disowned by her brother.” I look at Daddy and he is looking as perplexed as I feel!

“Grassi, Vic Grassi?” She starts to look a little queasy.

“Robbi, are you alright?” Daddy rushes to get her some water.

“Fine. Yes, I am fine, just haven’t heard that name in a while.”

“You know Uncle Vic?” I ask, and then wish I hadn’t as her face goes almost purple.

“Don’t you dare speak his name! You are not fit to have him wipe his shit on you!”

“Now hold on there!” Mother rebukes her. “You don’t speak to my daughter like…”

“Your daughter is it?!” She lets out a laugh. “Your daughter benefited from the pain of someone else, something I am sure she learned from you!” She inhales and then exhales slowly. “So, how in God’s name did you end up with Michael as the father of Gus?”

“Michael?! Michael is not the father of Gus, he’s the father of Jenny. Brian is the father of Gus.”

“Brian?” She squeezes her forehead. “So who was the person who she was telling tales on in this book?”

“Brian.” Daddy tells her. “Brian Kinney, he’s…”

“Brian Kinney.” She whispers and blinks a few times. “He made it. I often thought of him, very smart boy.”

“You know Brian?” I gasp. “How?”

“I taught him.” She seems to be reminiscing. “I taught him a lot.”

“He made it.” Mother repeats. “What do you mean by that?”

“You two get out! Get out of my sight!” She yells at us and we quickly leave.

ROBBI

I slam the door hard after them, and lean against it. “Robbi? What is it?” I turn into the arms of my brother and take comfort in his embrace.

“I used to see them. The bruises and the cuts. He would always say he got into a fight on the way home, but I knew better. Very proud and protective even then, not that his folks deserved his loyalty. A couple of times I saw him with Vic, invariably taking him to or from the hospital, but I never said anything through fear of making it worse for him. I can’t believe that she, his protector and saviour went and did that anyway!”

“From what I’ve heard it wasn’t her that caused most of it, it was him.”

“Of course it was him, he was a drunkard and a bully, and she was a pious old cow who spent most of her time snockered! And…”

“No, I mean it was Michael who caused some of the abuse to happen.” I search his face for some flicker of a mistake, but there is none, only sadness. “He wrote the books for 4 years. That’s all I know about it, and they are being taken to court.”

“Mi-Michael Novotny...I knew I never liked that whiny, wet behind the ears mama’s boy!” I inhale and exhale again. “Now, I want you to tell me about the other protagonists in this merry round of hellions, and as much as you can about what they did!”

Four hours later she has a ticket booked for Pittsburgh, and is on her way to the airport, and I have been sworn to secrecy!

FITZGERALDS, ATTORNEYS AT LAW - THURSDAY LATE MORNING

ARTHUR’S OFFICE

CLAIRE

Brian is looking relaxed, if a little apprehensive. He has been away on business, but Arthur insisted he come in the moment he lands. Justin is five minutes away.

“Any idea what this is about?”

“No, he got a call early Tuesday evening and then was in court all day yesterday…”

“To do with my case?”

“Yes. But other than that, I don’t know.”

The door opening brings in Arthur and Justin, and my heart soars as they kiss each other hello...for a really long time!

“Ahem. Gents.” Arthur coughs.

“Sorry!” Justin blushes.

“I’m not.” Brian smirks earning himself a swat.

“So what’s happening?” Justin asks settling down next to Brian and giving his thigh a squeeze.

“Just one more person, and...ah, I think this is her. Come!”

We all look to the door as a woman comes in. “Arthur Fitzgerald?” She asks, and he stands to shake her hand. “I’m…”

“Mrs O’Donaghue Carson.” Brian blinks and his mouth is hanging open, then he slowly gets up. “It is you, isn’t it?”

“Yes it is, Brian, small world.” Her smile is full of warmth. “Now step up and give me a hug, Kinney Square!”

“Jesus, I haven’t heard that in years.” He laughs and hugs her tightly. “You look really well. Where’d you end up after you left the Pitts?”

“Paris. Paris in Texas. Been there ever since.”

“Brian?” Justin prompts and he looks sheepish.

“Sorry, this is Roberta. I can call you that now, right?”

“Yes, Square, you can.” She laughs.

“Roberta O’Donoghue Carson, she was my headmistress at school. This is Justin, my partner, and Claire, my sister. She’s also Arthur’s wife.” We all shake hands and then look expectantly at Arthur. “So, why is she here?”

“Like she said, the world is a small one.” Arthur is smiling really widely. “Guess who is her niece?”

“Have no idea.” He shrugs.

“Kinney Square, I didn't teach you all those things you needed to know for you to be dense now! Come on, think! Why would I be here if I didn’t know someone who has caused you harm and profited from it?”

“I can’t think of anyone that…” He trails off and looks at her hard. “...it’s the eyes, yours are warmer, but you have the same eyes. Lindsay?”

“You’re her Aunt?!” Justin exclaims. “That…”

“For my sins and deep embarrassment, I am. Ronald is my brother, and I could not abide the gentrified ponciness of Nancy. He should never have married her, but I digress. So when I had the opportunity to teach in Texas, I took it. However, we’re not here to walk down memory lane, it’s about these notebooks...oh, sorry, Mr Fitzgerald, I'm used to taking charge of a situation.”

“No problem. His books we will come back to, but we think that her book was a diary to start with.”

“It was John. He figured it out, well we think he’s figured it out. There are pages missing from the book, can you show him the copies, Arthur?” I prod, and he hands them to him, they look at them in silence for a while.

“My clever little Tigger.” He leans across and kisses him on his forehead.

“What?” We all say at the same time as Justin smiles at his praise.

“He said there is something off about it, but you took them away before he could look again.” Again he looks proudly at Justin. “So what does that mean?”

“It’s a diary. It’s something very personal, Kinney Square, you don’t tear pages out of it. She has documented everything, so where’s the rest?”

“And his notebooks start about a month or two after hers.” I add.

“Where did Lindsay find it?” Justin almost spits out.

“DeVore’s house. Said she’s had it for three years, but she swears that it was as she gave it back to Miss Grassi. Miss Grassi sent it the very next day. At the latest.”

“I wouldn’t put any trust in what she says.” Justin cavils.

“Oh, trust me, the one person she is not going to lie to is me, especially if she wants to have a roof over her head…”

“How do you know when she sent it?” I frown.

“Because Ron got it within 2 days of Lindsay getting the money, so that gives us a timeline. Now, John, what is his take on this?”

“Jealousy. Michael was jealous.” Arthur sighs.

“It’s not my fault that I am smarter than him, he just didn’t apply himself!”

“It’s true, he didn’t!” Roberta rolls her eyes. “And don’t think I couldn’t tell when you’d done his homework, Square!”

“Yes, but it wasn’t because of that. He knew his limitations, it was because of what she wrote in her diary that made him start his tattling.” Silence, so Arthur continues with a look of pride. “John thinks he read her diary, and she said something that upset him. When he first starts the notebooks, he says, I can’t believe what I have read, how could she? Then: well, if she thinks that I will show her, I will show her that I am no slouch, I can be smart like him. The him is you, but I can’t fathom what he read or…”

“May I see them, Brian?” Roberta asks, and he and Arthur hand them to her. “And can you all be quiet please? I read quicker when it’s quiet, luckily haven’t lost that part of my faculties!”

For twenty long minutes she reads, frowns, nods, and reads some more. “Who is John?”

“Our son and his nephew.” I reply.

“Very smart boy. He’s right about the jealousy, and I think I know what of. If my memory serves me right, prior to her first foray into tattledome, there was a parent and teacher evening and your parents weren’t present…” Brian scoffs and rolls his eyes. “...so she and Vic stood in for you. We discussed Michael’s progress first, it was a brief talk, but then it came to you. You had the school’s first A* report card. She was so proud of you, as was Vic.” She sighs. " have always wanted a son like you, why can’t Michael be like you instead of slouching his way from pillar to post? Those were her words that night.”

“So Michael heard them and…”

“No, he wasn’t in the room, Justin. It had to be the student and the parents only. She must have…”

“Written them down and he read them.” Justin finishes the sentence, and we just sit wrapped in our own thoughts for a while. “Doesn’t explain why she started doing it in the first place, though, why she kept telling on him or why she took the money from her?!”

“That is only something she can answer.” I rub my temples. “But at least we know where his comes from. He wanted his Ma to love him best, and she didn’t.” I tilt head at Brian as a thought hits me. “What happened to the report card? I don’t remember you bringing any home from high school.”

Brian’s face darkens. “I knew our folks didn’t give a fuck about that, so I gave it to him to give to her. Bet it never got there.”

You’re right, it didn’t.” Roberta is smiling, albeit at little sadly. “I found it in the bin and always wondered why you threw it away.” She hands him an envelope, and he takes it with a shaking hand.

“Want me to open it?” Justin asks, but he shakes his head. Justin leans over to read it, then they start to giggle. “It’s from him?! I can’t believe you got me to say that!”

“What? He was hot to my young and very horny eyes!” Brian smirks.

“Mr Champion?” Roberta laughs and Brian nods.

“Kinney Promise!” Justin says quickly as Brian goes to divulge and he rolls his lips. “I said Kinney Promise!”

“Kinney Promise”

“Roberta, why do you keep calling him Square?”

“Nice segway!” She laughs at Justin’s reddening face. “It’s because he squared up to me one day. He was hurting and scared to go home.” Brian gives a small shrug. “But it worked out in the end, didn’t it Square?”

“Yeah, he died never knowing!”

“Never knowing what?” I look at Arthur and he shrugs.

“I had long suspected abuse but didn’t want to make it worse, so I did the next best thing…”

“Generally by the time I got home he was too soused to hit me. Then I had a growth spurt, and you know what happened before I left to go to college.”

“Roberta, what? What did you do?” I press.

“He knew how to brawl and get into a fight, but what he didn’t know was how to get out of one. Well, not without causing serious damage! So I taught him how to…”

“Defend himself against that man!” Justin exclaims.

“A bully stops when you hit back. That’s what she said one day, which was the day she taught me how to…”

“Box!” I exclaim and then get up and hug her. “Thank you! Thank you! That punch he gave him most likely saved his life!”

“It was the least I could do.” She smiles.

Justin starts to giggle. “I always said you fight like a girl!”

We all laugh at that before Roberta clears her throat. “About Gus and Jenny; now please don’t think I have done this so that you will let…”

“Fuck! Ronald!” Brian exclaims and Justin looks horrified. “Get Mel on the phone!”

I quickly dial her and she picks up immediately. “Arthur? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, nothing. Well…”

“Smelly, it’s me, there is nothing wrong, case wise, but we have fucked up family wise, I think. I am really hoping you told Nancy that they could see the kids, but her being the cold hearted bitch that Lindsay learned from didn’t pass that message on.”

Silence.

“Has she hung up?”

“No, Claire, I’m still here. Oh shit, he must think. Oh God, what must he think?! We were all so busy and...let me call him!”

“Get him to come over for dinner at the weekend. We can host it at yours, would that be okay?” There is something in his tone that has everyone looking at him and he slowly starts to smile.

“That’s fine, but why not at yours? What are you up to, Kinney?” Mel snickers.

“She may be a WASP, but she is also a bully.” He replies before looking at Roberta with great fondness. “Remind me what it was.”

“Hit once, hit hard and walk away.”

“Who’s that?” Mel asks.

“Lindsay’s Aunt Roberta.” Brian starts to laugh.

“From Paris in Texas?” She gasps.

“The very same. I had no fucking idea that my old headmistress is her Aunt!”

“Fuck my life. Right, first, let me call Ronald, second The Gaggle, and then Ben. There is no way in hell that they will want to miss whatever you have planned!”

“I’ll call Pa and Ma and get them over!”

“I’ll get Mom and Dad, and you guys are coming, right?” Justin exclaims looking almost feral in glee.

“Yes, but we can’t do whatever you are going to do in front of the kids.” I point out.

“We won’t.” Brian looks shark like. “We will deal her on Saturday, then Ronald can see the kids on Sunday. Is there anything else anybody would like to add?”

“Oh yes, I will be having a word with Debbie Grassi and Michael DeVore.” Roberta’s smile is as grim as it is determined. “And this time I won’t be constrained by the rules of the school governors!”