CHAPTER 18 - SIBLING SHOCK

MEL AND LEDA’S HOME - FOUR DAYS LATER

LOUNGE

LEDA

I tap the invite on the table top and wait for Mel and the kids to return. I chuckle at the pomposity of the wording. “Cordially invited to the Gala Dinner to honour the great and the good, to acknowledge and give accolades for their philanthropic work…” I look out the window at the crunch of tyres followed by the combative tones of our Pitbull.

“You are being ridiculous!” Hank snaps as they come in, oblivious to my presence.

“I am not. I am merely continuing where my dissertation left off!” She snaps back.

Dissertation?! This is bad!

“Don't you think you will be causing more problems for Uncle Justin if you do this?!” 

“When I do this, there won’t be any problems!” Jenny retorts.

“Jenny, come on…”

“No I won’t, and if you want to any time soon you will shut up! It is happening!”

“Right. I know I am taking our love, friendship, and sex life in my hands, but I am going to do it...I am ordering you not to...” I hold my breath as Jenny slowly puts her bags down then cracks her neck. “...go and see you ex-dad with your Uncle Justin. It is just spiteful and goading, counsellor!” Now it is not often that Hank stands up to Jenny, mainly because 99.9% of the time whatever they are arguing about she is spot on, but judging by the droop of her shoulders and the scuffing of her shoe, she’s wrong and he’s right. “He killed someone. Thinking of Uncle Justin, he killed someone. I can't have you near him. I know that the little girl that he lost just want to spit her dummy out and bash him in the nuts with her tractor, but that achieves nothing. This, moving on up with integrity, decency, and humanity achieves that. Please, Jay, promise me you won’t go.”

“I won’t…”

“Promise or go?” Hank presses.

“I won’t go. I promise, but can I at least ask Uncle Justin to tell him that we are still together and have been having rampant, hot, edging sex every night?”

I cringe and resolve to have words with a couple of hellcats. I never thought I would ever agree with that tosspot, but she does spend far too much time with Zee and her Aunt Daphne sometimes!

“Well, can I?” She demands.

“Yeah.” He laughs, but stops when he spots me, goes bug eyed and then red. 

“What’s wrong with…” She turns to where he is pointing and goes as red as he is. “...how much did you hear?”

“I stopped listening after won't go” I return.

“His or mine?”

“Yours.” I giggle, then sober up a little I sigh. “Don’t do anything that gives him fuel to whatever fire he has there. So no sex life talk either. Promise, the pair of you. Hands in front where I can see them.”

Two pairs of hands with uncrossed fingers appear. “We promise.” Jenny rests her head on his shoulder and he looks so relieved. “Why are you home this early anyways?” She frowns.

“Spyder is leaking again.” We all snicker. The thing is on its last legs after he battered it yomping all over the world, but he refuses to trash it. It's a fixer upper he keeps saying, as yet another piece drops off, but because she gave it to him, he won’t get rid of it. But I know my Zee, she is getting pissed off with the oil, fucking up her garage floor and is very close to casting the whole thing in and sticking it in the front garden! “Oh, where’s Gus? Thought you were collecting him.”

“Oh, we were, but where’s Mom?! She has to be here!” 

“Right here, and here for what?” Mel asks as she comes through the door. We all go quiet and just stare at her. She looks so beautiful. “Oh, thanks baby.” She sighs as Jenny takes her bags. “Guys, will you quit doing that!” She blushes.

“Can’t help it!” Jenny beams, then looks at her watch. “Mom, you might want to sit down. Nurse…”

“Momma Melly, what are you doing standing?!” Taylor demands from the doorway, hands on hips. “You should be sitting, you promised!” 

“I was about to, Taylor.” She bends down to bestow a kiss on Taylor’s cheek before sinking into the window seat. “What a day. Won two, one postponement, and a no show.” She smiles as Taylor rummages in the fridge for her home snack, then stretches out. “So, Gus is?”

“Still in Tuscany, flight got delayed, but will be back in time for the planning of it. It was his idea after all.” Hank grins and I don’t think I have ever seen Jenny look so proud.

“Time for what?” I join Mel in the loveseat putting her ankles in my lap.

“The inaugural Liberty Avenue Mayoral PFLAG Charity Dinner.” She announces before grinning wider as Taylor carefully carries over the snack, then gets a napkin and finally her juice. “Mom, at least have some juice. She’s not going to leave you alone until you do.” 

Mel chuckles and has half the juice. “May Jenny continue, Taylor?”

“Yes she can.” She replies, and sits next to me.

“Thanks, Sis. So Gus wants to throw a charity dinner, like what we did for the Foundation, but to celebrate his dad’s successful campaign.”

“And how does Ted feel about that?” I laugh remembering the smoke almost coming out of his ears and the calculator as he frantically tried to rein in the excesses of Brian. Naturally, he failed. Not helped by Zee and Faal simply ‘lending them the money, then he pays them back, because Ted couldn't tell them how to spend their coin.’ Unsurprisingly, he hates debt, unless of course it is Michael’s.

“He’s taken to his bed with a cooling cloth and the lights out!” Hank laughs. “But on the bright side, at least we won’t have to pay for the staff…”

“Costino’s are doing it for free?” Mel grins.

“Yep.” Hank checks the time. “Okay, lil lady, time for reading. Go get your books.”

“Yes, Hank.” Taylor replies, and trots upstairs. 

“She is going to be so awesome.” Hank beams.

“Of course she is, she learned from me!” Jenny boasts. “But right now, let’s get dinner ready.”

SCI ALBION - NEXT DAY

STUDY ROOM

MICHAEL

I AM BORED OUT OF MY MIND! 

I look up at the clock and have only been here for thirty minutes. “Novotny!” I jump, then try to keep the scowl off my face as Officer Lobe approaches. “Your educational assessment will go a lot quicker if you do the assignment.” 

“I did one in New York, I don’t see the need to do one now.” I return.

“Because that was two years ago and you are being told to do it. So do it.” He turns as the door opens and another guard steps in. “Hey, what’s up?”

“He’s up.” He points at me; I can’t help feeling smug. 

“Whoops.” I shrug as the paper ‘flutters’ to the floor. “Looks like I won't be doing that after all.” I smile on the inside as I follow the guard out. “So where are we going?”

“Your new attorney is here. Has trial news I think.” He replies as he leads me to the interview room. He raps twice on the door before stepping inside. “Prisoner Michael Charles Novotny. This is…”

“Edwin Birch. We are familiar with each other.” He smirks. “Have a seat, Mr Novotny.” My insides quake as I sit opposite him. He says nothing as he looks through the file just sighs and shakes his head. “You’re a murderer now?”

“It was an accident!” I protest.

“Of course it was.” He sits back scowling. “His estate has been settled and you will go to trial for the murder of Jacob Jones in two weeks. It, you will be pleased to hear, is going to be a very short trial since you have admitted your guilt, and…”

“I am not guilty of murder in the fullest sense of the word! He…”

“Is dead. You admit to causing the injuries that killed him, which was after you were told to leave by your accomplices…”

“I was defending myself from the…”

“Attack of an unconscious man? Please do not go there again.” He piles the papers together before closing my file, then looks at the guard. “Can I have it, please, since I am going to see him after this?”

“Have what and see who?” I frown.

“Your assessment. I am going to see Dr Singer. He and Justin Taylor-Kinney are going to be doing your rehabilitation and educational programme, I believe you were advised of this when you got here.” 

“He hasn’t done it.” The guard replies.

“And I am not going to.” I fume. “I don't need rehabilitating, and there is nothing wrong with my intelligence. I got through school just fine and have forgotten nothing!”

“Except that Brian Taylor-Kinney got you through school, you failed to go to college because he wasn't there to hold your hand and do your homework. And, judging by that twitch when I said his full surname, you do need to be rehabilitated, no matter how long it takes. You will have to accept that you are as dead to him as Jacob Jones is to his family and friends! Could you get him another...” His stream of bullshit is stopped by the door being knocked on. “...enter!”

My heart sinks further as Officer Lobe comes in with a piece of paper.

“For the purposes of the recording Officer Kyran Lobe has entered the room at 1037. And for what reason?”

“For him to do his assessment.” His smiles makes me sick as he puts the paper on the table in front of me. “As I said earlier, do it.”

PETERSON-DENVER RESIDENCE - AFTERNOON

LOUNGE

LYNETTE

I sip my drink and relish the bubbles on my tongue, but not the smug expression on Lindsey's face. 

“Is there some kind of law against this?” I hedge.

“No. Once full restitution has been made to all injured parties, the remaining monies are mine to do with what I wish…”

“But you haven't made full restitution, remember? The Ugerstachts still need paying.” I enjoy the twitch of annoyance. 

“They do not. They have said that I do not owe them any money, and…”

“Have you got that in writing?” Richard, my husband, questions. “Them saying they won't…”

“Of course I will!” She bridles. “Besides, Faal gave his word, and his word is his bond.”

“It’s not his word or bond you need to worry about…” He cuts across her sharply. “...it is the, as you have often complained, persuasiveness of his wife that should be your concern. And until such time as you have that document, the money could still be demanded. You may have wormed the money out of them, but we are an entirely different matter.”

“How did you do it? Persuade Marcel, I mean.” Again the smug look has me wishing I had taken the chance to visit her in prison just once!

“It had nothing to do with me. I did not worm as you crassly put it, Mother called out of the blue and said that they were going to help me get back on my feet again…”

“What’s the caveat?” Richard takes my empty glass. “Another glass Lynnie?”

“Please. Well, what is it?” I know my mother and sister too well, they are thick as, literal in her case, thieves.

“One of the conditions, as I said, is that I stay with you. You have checked with Mother and she has confirmed it. As for any other, it is on a need-to-know basis, and you don’t need to know it. Now…” She stands and looks down her nose at me, like she always has done. “...I am going back to my temporary abode to pack. I will be a couple of hours, I do hope my room is ready by then.”

I say nothing as she sweeps out and wait for the front door to close. “Oh, your room will be ready alright!” I snarl.

FOUR HOURS LATER

LINDSAY

I curl my lip in disgust at the sparseness of it. That vixen thinks she's got the better of me, how foolish and naive. I have been besting her for years, and my winning streak is not going to stop. I seethe when I notice there isn't even a mirror, let alone a dressing table. All I have is a bed with plain cotton white sheets and one pillow. A chair, a side table with a lamp on it but no shade. I will not be treated like I am back in prison, so head downstairs to resolve the situation! I find her on the phone and myself in the unusual position of being discomforted by her demeanour.

“When did this happen? Oh, I am so pleased to hear it. Ah, she is, is she? When is it? I will make sure to be there, we all will be. Thanks for calling Catherine.” She hangs up with a delighted expression. “Problem?”

“The guest room is so spartan, how can you treat me this way? Mother would be appalled.”

“I am treating you kinder than you would me, not that I would ever commit fraud in the first place. And before you squawk some more, you are in the spare room, not the guest room. Our guest room is for people who we wish to be in our home, not who we are forced to accommodate.” She heads to the lounge. “What are you doing on Friday? I mean, during the evening, because clearly you will be job hunting during the day.” I shrug and will myself not to rise to her bait. “Good, then you can come to dinner with us at the club. There’s a shower being hosted by Millicent and Harold Foster-Brown.”

“Why would I want to go to something like that?” I scoff.

“Because the Ugerstaschts will be there and it will give you a chance to get that letter sorted out.” She still seems unnecessarily chipper.

“What kind of shower? A baby one?” I gasp. “Who is pregnant? Ze...Zaden surely can’t be?” I wrack my brains to try to remember if there was a sign of a bump.

“No. The shower is for Mel, you remember her, your ex? Not sure about a baby, but she is getting married.”