CHAPTER 61 - AND NOW THE SCHEMING AND SCREAMING STARTS…

ROBBI’S RESIDENCE - MONDAY MORNING

KITCHEN

ROBBI

I sip my coffee and savour the last vestiges of peace before the carping crapulent ones return. Ronald is on his way back from the airport, and is relishing reuniting with his wife and her child. The sound of the key in the lock fills the house with gloom, but that is to be short term.

“Hello!” Nancy calls out, and comes up short when she sees me in the kitchen. “Oh…” She looks up the hallway. “...I thought Ronald would be here.”

“He’s on his way back from the airport, hello too by the way.”

“Will he be long?” She looks out of the front door. “We need help with our cases. I have hurt my wrist, and Lindsay, as you know…”

“Want not need.”

“Pardon?”

“You want help with your cases. You have two wrists, and if you put down that very heavy LV bag, which you have the world and his wife in, you can carry the case.” She goes to speak but Lindsay’s puffing arrival halts her. “Are you alright, darling? You look absolutely exhausted.”

“Just so tired as the pregnancy progresses, and…”

“How did you get here?” I have long grown weary of the string of weak patheticness that surrounds this pregnancy.

“By taxi. As I don't know around here very well, I thought it best. You know, to keep an eye on her…”

“You have driven all around this burgh, hither, thither and yon. In fact, you went yon at least twice. Now go and pay...oh, hi Ron!” I smile in almost delirious relief.

“Hey, Robbi, you two come by cab?”

“Yes, we were just saying…”

“You need to pay him or he's taking your things to the office for his colleagues to go through.”

Nancy suddenly finds the speed of a hare to rescue their precious cargo.

“I am going to lie down. Please tell Mother that.”

“Tell her yourself, your voice carries. Think like your card has been rejected and project accordingly.” He strides past her towards the lounge and she makes a big play of leaning against the wall. “Am surprised you didn’t slide to the floor like some maiden on her wedding night.”

“Lindsay! Come and help!”

“Your mistress's voice beckons. Get along, little dawgie.” I taunt her.

MEL AND THE KIDS HOUSE - SAME TIME

GUS’S ROOM

MEL

I look across at Ben as Gus watches him and Brian pack his case. For the duration of the trial he and Jenny are going to be staying with my parents, they are taking them to Florida for a couple of weeks. “So Daddy, you and Jussin must not do the book without us.”

“We won't, we promise.” Justin comes in with a large box. “And you must promise to share with Grandpa Melvin and Grandma Maris.”

“Share what, Jussin?” Gus slowly turns to look at him. “What’s in there?”

“A surprise, which you must wait to open until you get to their house.” His face drops and he sighs. “Now, Gus, do not pout. It’s only a couple of hours.”

“I know, Jussin.” He plucks at the blanket, twisting it before he takes a big breath. “It’s just that I only had one night and now I have to go. Jenny had Daddy Ben all the time.”

“Sonny Boy.” Brian kneels down next to him. “Do you want me and Jussin to take you down to your grandparents?”

“But you're both so busy today, you said to Momma.” He says it so quietly but the sound of his little heart breaking is loud and clear.

“We are never too busy for you or Jenny. Never. So would you like us to?”

“I would love it if you could.” He still plucks and twists.

“Give me ten minutes, Sonny Boy.” Brian stands and shakes his head at Ben when he goes to hand him the hire car keys. We are both very protective of our cars!

“Where are you going now, Daddy?” He heaves a breath.

“We are going to get our car, of course, I can’t take you and not drive our Sonny Boy and Daddy car can I?”

“Really! You’re taking us?! You and Jussin?!”

“Yes. Now help Jussin and Papa Ben finish your packing, and…”

“No, Brian.” Jussin interrupts. “Take Gus with you, I can help Ben.”

“Please, Daddy, please let Jussin help Daddy Ben. I loves Jussin I do, but you are my Daddy, and…” The rest of his sentence is stopped by Brian picking him up and hugging him tightly. “Thank you, Jussin!” He yells as he is carried down the stairs.

“Now would not be the time to point out the lack of shoes would it?” I pick them up and marvel at the size. “He is growing so fast. I only bought these two months ago.”

“No, I think he’s going to carry him all the way.” Justin smiles and then sighs.

“You okay?” Ben puts his arm around his shoulders. “The trial?”

“No. That I am ready for. It is Brian I am worrying about.”

“Us knowing the intricacies of it all is one thing, but everyone else?”

“Yeah. Thank goodness the press believed him the second time.”

“Second?” There are days I regret that restraining order! “What did he do?”

“He must have called them and told them about Daph being Brian’s driver, so they were following her.”

“What possible benefit could that have done?!” Ben grumbles.

“He never needs a reason for anything he does. He just does.”

“No, Ben has a point. What is the gain from that? The press were all over them. No, this is not him. Like Brian said, he has the brains of a gnat after it has smashed into a windscreen. This is someone else.”

“Who though?” Justin rolls up his sleeves and we both gawk at his wrist.

“Oh, very fancy watch you have there.”

“Where did you get that?” Ben demands.

“Brian gave it to me as my birthday pres…”

“BRIAN GAVE IT TO YOU?!” Vic’s bellowing makes us all jump, as we hadn’t heard him come in let alone up the stairs, and we’re even more surprised when he bursts into tears.

“Uncle Vic, what on earth is wrong?!” Justin exclaims as he helps him to sit down.

“I-I a-a-am so ha-happy!” He wails his whole body shuddering as the tears wrack through him.

“Let me know what you’re like when you are so very miserable!” I call over my shoulder as I run to get tissues. I hand them to him and it takes a good 15 minutes for him to get himself together.

“Your birthday?” He sniffs and Justin nods. “Just to be sure, may I see the back of it?” He takes it off and Vic inspects it and again starts to sniffle. “The perfect end.”

“Uh, Uncle Vic, can you tell us what is going on?! Why does that watch provoke that reaction?!” Justin pauses as he goes to strap it back on.

“No, but ask Brian okay?” He clears his throat and smiles widely. “I bumped into them on the way here, Gus wants Charlie and Lola to come too.”

“Charlie and Lola?” Justin looks over at Gus’s shelf of cuddly toys, he started off with one and now he has a whole menagerie of animals thanks to his Aunt Libette. “Which is which?”

“Charlie is the pig and Lola is the rhino.” Ben laughs as he points them out. “And they have to sit next to each other in the case as they are best friends.”

“I see.” He takes them up and then gasps. “Cashmere, they’re made of cashmere!”

“Yes, it seems that Momma was very specific about the types of toys that would do for her Lambskin. God, I hated it when she called him that! Poor Lynette would do as she bid just to see them, and, of course, she never did until now. But speaking of specifics…” I start to smile. “...she is going to be specifically playing up her pregnancy I should imagine, especially when it comes to difficult questions. Though how Nancy is going to avoid what’s coming is another matter.”

“Not got a clue.” Ben answers Justin’s puzzled look.

“Well there is just the little matter of them, yes them, being called to explain their actions with regards to the book that she blackmailed Ms Grassi with.” Frowns abound. “Everyone take a seat and then I shall begin…” I titter as Justin and Ben sit yoga style on the floor in front of me. “...basically, she is going to be charged with blackmail and Nancy is going to be charge with accessory after the fact.”

“You’re kidding?!” Ben claps with joy.

“Oh and it gets better. They aren’t going to be charged yet, they are going to let them get nice and relaxed, thinking happy free thoughts.”

“Why, I mean why not?” Vic is still staring at the watch with a soft smile.

“Because of the baby.”

“The baby?” Ben stops celebrating and looks worried.

“Remember that recording? Well it seems that Andrew Gailsford has had an attack of conscious and reached out. He apologised for his behaviour and said he thinks he knows who the father is and is going to let Lindsay know.”

“So she’s going to follow through with her nastiness to Lynette and give the baby to the father when she finds out!” Vic grumbles.

“No she won’t. I know Lindsay, but now I know the crowd that she and Andrew fucked about with. We are talking money, plenty of it. She won’t give the baby to him, she will…”

“Sell the poor thing to his or her father? She wouldn’t?!”

“Oh yes she would. She’s seething at the moment as well. So is Nancy. Lynette has done the impossible: beaten them at their own game. She was in the society pages with Ronald at the Texan Cattlemen's Ball, and, well you know what she looks like. Imagine that free of the shackles of bitchery.”

“We’ve got to protect her and the baby from them.” Ben storms. “That poor child should not be used as a pawn in their hatred! They sicken me! Truly they do!”

“Whatever happens, the baby will be safe. That is all I can tell you right now.”

DRIVE BACK FROM GUS AND JENNY’S GRANDPARENTS - FOUR HOURS LATER

BRIAN

He has been very quiet and it’s beginning to unnerve me. “Is it the trial?”

“Huh? Oh no, well yes. I am worried about you and how…”

“Don’t worry about me. In a way it’s a freeing thing. Now, can we get back to being sunshiney and happy? I didn’t think Gus had that much in him.” I chuckle at the memory of the non-stop chatter from Gus and Jenny during our trip down. When he said what he said earlier, my heart was almost torn asunder, but we’ve promised to Facetime with him every night until he comes back. I look across again, and this time he’s staring at the watch. “Don’t you like it?”

“I love it, but…”

“Hang on a second.” I check my mirror and pull over, then turn off the engine with a sigh. “Let’s get in the back and talk.” I wonder what has happened to my Tigger. I feel a bit reassured when he leans into my chest and strokes my fingers. “Ribbit.”

“Ribbit.” He replies, and I feel him smile.

“Just say it.”

“Uncle Vic yelled when he found out you gave this to me and burst into tears of happiness he said. Said I should ask you why.”

“Ah. I had completely forgotten to tell you not to wear it before we ask officially.” He looks up and has lost some of his worried look. “I bought that with my first bonus. It was and is the most expensive watch I have ever bought. Michael was with me, so was Uncle Vic, and I said that I would only give it to the one person I would spend the rest of my life with. Michael laughed and said that I might as well get it sized for him. Uncle Vic said, ‘don’t you fucking dare! Give it to the man you are going to marry’. Naturally, Michael said…”

“...he can’t marry himself?”

“Something like that.” Suddenly he sits up. “And there’s the Mr 1500 SAT guy, yeah Vic knows we’re engaged, hence the tears. Take it off…”

“I don’t want to.” He whispers.

“You can put it straight back on, but take it off and turn it over.” His breath catches as he reads the inscription. “Out loud. He said I would want to hear it.”

“The hands will never stop, nor will I stop loving you…”

“What do you want it to end with?”

“End with?”

“Yeah Justin or Tigger?”

“Bear.”

“Done.”

“You know, you said that this is the most expensive watch you’ve ever bought. When did you buy it?”

“Just before Dad moved to New York, so about three years ago. And it's now…”

“Priceless.” He mutters before sealing that with a kiss, which we have to stop before we desecrate Gus’s car, although I do, however, put my foot down...fuck the ticket, he’s worth it!

EMMETT’S HOUSE - EARLY EVENING

KITCHEN

EMMETT

“Okay Mel, I will ask him. Yeah, it does seem odd. Ciao, bella, see you tomorrow.”

“Ask me what?” Drew wraps his arms around my waist and gives me a squeeze.

“Daphne was followed by the press. It started soon after the article went out.”

“So? She was in the picture with Riley, ostensibly as his beard. It…”

“They were camped outside his house and place of work, why follow Daph?” I turn around to face him. At first he is frowning, but then he looks furious. “What? What’s got that handsome face in such a gargoyle knot?”

“Schenk!”

“Cokeboy Charlie? What about him?”

“He must have told the press about Daph.”

“How’d you figure that? Why would he?”

“One way to find out!” He seethes, although does relax a little when I nibble his ear and breathe calm down softly. “My temper or my body.”

“Temper. You want him to admit his part in it. Going in there gangbusting is not going to achieve that.” He wars with himself for a few seconds. “Want to know what I would do?”

“Apart from what you are doing now?” He pulls me tighter to him, and starts to return the pelvis roll.

“Be still.” I admonish him with a groan. “Call him up and thank him for throwing the press off the scent. Ask how he got the information so fast, I suspect I know how. He will think that he’s back in your good books, and, ergo, back in Leo’s. You tell Leo, Leo gets rid of him, and you, as my Aunt Lula would say, get to dip your biscuits in gravy.”

“Did she really say that?”

“She would if she was with us. She made the best gravy and biscuits.”

Half an hour later, we are calming each other down by passionately making out. I was right. Schenk called Michael and he happily blabbed about Daphne, but this time alluded that it was Ben who is the boyfriend. Leo told Brian, and that's why he mentioned Ben in the conference, and the reason Michael hadn't gone back to the press is because of the $4000 Schenck paid him.

“Ems. Can I call you Ems?” Drew gasps as he pulls my shirt out of my pants.

“Yes, and what, Drewsie? Is Drewsie okay?” I start on his buttons.

“Can we slow down a little?”

“Slow down? You’re not exactly batting me away here.”

“I am aware of that, and although every fibre is screaming now dammit, I want our first time to be…”

“Don't say it!”

“Special.”

“You said it.” I drop my head on his shoulder. “Have you…”

“Not since I came out, no.” My heart races. “Like I said, special.” I start to do his buttons back up whilst trying not to grin and blinking back tears. He tucks my shirt back in. “How long is the trial?”

“Two weeks tops.”

“So in two weeks, I top and you top?”

“Toptastic idea!”

ROBBI’S RESIDENCE - SAME TIME

LOUNGE

NANCY

I can’t understand why Ronald is still here. Lindsay is flicking through a magazine, as bored as I am, but we daren't leave just in case we miss something.

“What time is your flight, Daddy?”

“You may call me Ronald from now on, and two thirty tomorrow. Are you all packed, Robbi?”

“Yep, am looking forward to it, and I know that sounds bizarre.” He nods. “A closure on a wound that has long been bleeding.”

I smirk on the inside. Personally, I think this is much ado about nothing. Look at the life he has now, in a way it did him the power of good. Propelled him forward to be the man he is, and…

“Mother!” Lindsay’s shrillness jerks me back into the present, and I look at her, she doesn’t look at all well. “What are we going to do?!”

“Do?” I feel very uneasy.

“We’re being subpoenaed to appear in court on Friday!”

“Wha…”

“And kicked out of here for good tomorrow!” Robbi clinks glasses with Ronald. “I said to you both that you should listen more and machinate less.”

“Machi…”

“This is your new address.” Ronald hands me a piece of paper.

“I have taken the liberty of informing Arthur of where you will living, so a copy of the subpoena was sent there as well. Now you two need to go and pack, and then get a good night’s sleep. It is going to be a bit of a stressful week for you.”

“Yes it is. They say that they are two of the most stressful things a person can go through without the addition of the indictment, which has led to your forfeiture of it.” Robbi again clinks glasses. “And also read more…”

“Read more? Forfeit what are talking about?” I reach for my glass and she smiles at the tremble.

“I had forgotten about it. It was Claire who pointed it out, he should really hire her as his assistant, she has a sharp eye.” Ronald looks as if he's lost the weight of the world. “I’m divorcing you.”

“What?!” We both exclaim.

“Yes, the new prenup says in the event of you doing anything immoral or illegal during our marriage, you walk away with nothing, Nancy. So wheels have been out in motion to take the inheritance back. Oh, Lindsay dear, however are you going to support the three of you for the rest of your lives? It looks like you will have to get a job after all. That is, of course, if you manage to avoid jail.”