CHAPTER 55 - A MOTHER KNOWS HER CHILD AND A FRIEND BECOMES AN ENEMY

DREW'S RANCH - A WEEK LATER

PEARL

I glare ahead. I'm still not speaking to her. We're talking power sulking, I'm so annoyed. I turn to the sniggering. "It's not fair!"

Mom is smirking at my baleful look. "Sweetheart, this is the consequence of your wonderful idea." 

"Suppose. At least we're going to officially be family, or we will be, but can't she emancipate or something?" I turn back to the window. As we pull up, Dad is heading to the barn with a wagon, whistling. 

"That's for them to decide. Now, in the meantime, take a good look my darling, a really good look."

I get out and do so. I can't see anything different. Whilst they've been in Texas, we've been up at the ranch every day, it's been excellent. Dad, Grandma Debs, and Mom are going to be cooking, there was no way that Uncle Drew would allow the feculent fucktard to do that. I smile as Sapphire hops out of the house, then I spot it, the marble bunny which had always sat outside Dad's front door. Also, there are the cushions on the bench, they used to be on the loveseat in the back garden. 

"He's moved in?" I whisper, Mom nods. "When?"

"Last Tuesday." Uncle Drew makes me jump. "Couldn't believe it, he just asked. It was the easiest question to answer, but I have a question for you."

"Please say I can have the bedroom over the barn?!"

"You can have the bedroom over the barn!" He swings me around.

"Take it she's realised and is not mad then?!" Dad trills as he approaches. I run to him; he kisses my forehead. "I feel so at peace here, so very at peace, and Diva is smiling down, I know it."

‘Indeed, he is. Let's get the food sorted, have a jam that needs tasting!" Mom declares. Laughing, and arms linked, they head inside.

"Hello, all!" I freeze at the cawing that is going to be my something-in-law. "How are we, isn't it a beautiful day?!" 

"Hello, Lindsay." Uncle Drew smiles. He raises an eyebrow. Sighing, I paste one on and turn around. My heart sinks as the door clicks shut, it's just us, great.

"Hi, Pearl." She beams, then kisses my cheek. It takes everything not to scrape my face on the ground. "Where's Jenny, and what about Gus? Are they okay?"

"Their phones work!" I snap. "If you'd bothered to call them once whilst you were in Texas, you'd found that out!" 

"I was busy! They understand how things are when it comes to artistry and the like."

"Really? So how come the actual artist managed to call, four times?" I retort. "Do better!" I stalk toward the jeep. "Am taking them for a walk! Holmes, Watson, come!"

LINDSAY

I hate that she's right! I should've called to check on them, but I got caught up in the whirlwind of the setting up of Justin's show. The contacts I made! The only blemish during the start of my tenure as his manager is I had to return the money to Lynette. 

I'm about to head inside when I hear Michael's voice. Sighing, I go to see what he's complaining about to Matthew. "Lindsay, what do you think?"

"About what? Hi, Matthew, no George?"

"He's with Reva and Grace. He and Michael have fallen out."

"Lover's spat, how unfortunate." I taunt, but Matthew's grimace gives me pause. I must be careful as that's a card I can still play. "I was teasing, what happened?"

"Exactly that!" Matthew fumes. "How many other people know, Michael?!"

"About them fucking?" I enjoy his panic. "Just us, I'm sure of it."

"Pray, Michael, find your piety and pray!" Matthew spits. "Now get the wine out!" 

"I didn't know he was my brother at the time!" Michael mutters as he opens the trunk. 

"Michael." Matthew snipes. "I no longer believe you!"

"Join the club!" Ben declares as he and Brandon saunter past.

MICHAEL

I cringe, then fume as Brandon strokes Ben's ass as they wait for the door to be opened.

"Hey, Uncle Brandon!" Jenny calls as she gets out of Hunter's car with Gus. "And Papa Ben, still looking gloriously loved up I see!"

"Hey, Jenny!" Ben stops being pawed over and meets her halfway. She hugs him, he kisses her forehead. "So, how was the date?"

"Papa Ben, it wasn't a date!" 

"Date? What date?" Lindsay and I demand.

"And this has what to do with the pair of you?" Mel snipes as she appears from nowhere. Jenny runs to her grinning. "Hey, darling, how have you been? Did you have a great time on your non-date and with Reva?"

"Reva?" I echo. Lindsay also looks puzzled.

"Dad! Uncle Blake!" Jenny yells, rushing towards Ted's car. She's hopping up and down as it pulls to a stop. "You look so happy!" She shouts as she hugs them both. I'm beginning to get pissed, as now I come to think of it, she's always been like this with him! 

"I'm Jenny's mother, that's what it's got to do with me!"

"I'm Jenny's mother." Mel scowls at her. "You are Lindsay. You are Michael." 

"Mr. Novotny, or if he continues to piss his dad off, he'll be picking his own surname." Gus sneers. "And you're Lindsay to me. You didn't bother, not once did you call. Mom and Jewel face-timed with us, you saw them do it, but continued talking to someone else."

"She's not your grandma!" I snarl. 

"Remember your previous objets de lust, Brian and Brandon?" Ben rubs Brandon's arm when he gags. "They're your older brothers, thank goodness for their good taste and morals."

"What do you mean?!" Matthew frowns whilst I wonder how much they heard.

Before he can answer, the front door is opened by Reva. "Guys, come in, we've got lots to discuss."

"I thought you said that George was with Reva, Matthew?"

"That's what he told me." He frowns.

"Everyone inside!" Ma declares from behind us. 

LOUNGE - FIVE MINUTES LATER

LINDSAY

What the hell is going on?! Everyone is here. Brian, Justin, Pearl everyone. I glance at Michael, who's looking at Matthew, he stares ahead.

"Joan's trial now starts in a few weeks. Her attorney's been able to stall, but that's at an end." Carl declares. "Debs and I are being called as witnesses for Claire." 

"Why? You weren't there when whatever happened, were you?" Matthew asks.

"No, but we can provide testimony to her behaviour, then there's her trial for abusing Brian."

"Why are you going after her, Brian? What does it achieve? Won't reliving your little trauma be detrimental?" Michael snarks.

"Justice, it achieves justice." Ben bites out. "And because of your behaviour and callousness, George has agreed to be a witness for me." Michael's jaw plummets. "Once everything is over, Grace is moving him away from Pittsburgh. He needs to start somewhere fresh without nasty reminders of his mistakes."

"What do you mean a witness for Ben?" I glance around. Everyone else has an unsettling air of confidence. "Where's George?"

"Nowhere you'd know." Reva states. 

"We want to wrap this up quickly." Debs states. "The focus is on the trials, Justin's show, and the weddings."

"What weddings?" Michael frowns. 

"Uncle Brian and Uncle Justin and Aunt Lynette and Uncle Zach." Jenny beams. "I'm just pointing out that if I'm not a flower girl in at least one of them, I shall be all kinds of peeved!" She returns Michael's derisive look. "And then there's the joining of our families, it's all go!"

I turn to Mel. "What does she mean? We are still married."

"No, we're not, not anymore."

"What are you talking about?!" I bang the table. "My parents were witnesses!"

"That's correct, but then it was annulled." She retorts. "So, I'm free and clear to marry whoever I want, whenever I want."

"When did you get it annulled?!" Michael claps my shoulder. "What a masterstroke!"

"I didn't!" 

"You expect us to believe that?!" Leda scoffs. "It had to be within two years of the marriage. What technicality did you use? That you're no longer a lesbian? After all, you were screwing your attorney and your brother-in-law!"

"You were fucking Gregory?!" Michael gasps. "Way to go, Lindsay!" Again, he claps my shoulder, this is annoying!

"She was related by marriage!" Debs sneers. "You and George have the same father!"

Whilst Michael goes white, there's no reaction from anyone else. "What bullcrap has George been telling you?!"

"We found out about you two at the same time," Reva growls. "Debs was there when we did. He told you the night you met Matthew."

"Can we focus on the annulment, which I didn't orchestrate!" I snap. "I gave the papers to Mother to file for me. She said she'd do it!"

"These are them." She slides across a folder. I open it, there's a document pouch, within which are two envelopes, addressed to each of us. Hers is empty. "Read it." My hands are shaking. "All this time, you thought you were Mommy's little darling; you weren't. Not sure if she and Ronald concocted this together, but they looked out for me, made sure that when the time came for you to cast me aside, as they knew you would, I was taken care of." 

"She did this?!" I look at the papers and her treacherous words. "How and why?!"

"The why is as clear as day," Mel states. "Brian, this is a copy of her letter for you and Leda, you know what to do with this."

"Don't you dare read it aloud!" I snarl at Brian as he clears his throat. "That's private. I'm warning you!"

"Why would I sink to your level?" He sneers, then turns to a smug Michael. "We're coming to you afterward, shiteater!" My smirk turns into a frown when he pockets the letter, Mel smiles as do Gus and Jenny. "For posterity and my attorney. As for why? Like Ronald, who gave Mel the money to set up her practice, Nancy gave her the one thing she knew you wouldn't. No matter who you were with, you wouldn't let Mel be free."

"Money to set up her practice?!" Debs gasps. "How much is that to do?!"

"About a million," Mel replies, and I'm reeling. "I've put a million each into trust for Gus and Jenny. We're going to blaze through the other two million buying the things that you never would let us have!"

"Five million fucking dollars?!" I screech. "How fucking dare they?! I will contest both the will and the annulment!"

"You can't." Leda chuckles. "God how much she must have disliked you! Check the bottom page, you'd have to prove you didn't sign it. And even if that could be done, you'd need to get Mel to agree to marry you again."

I can't speak. 

"Lindz, you're free!" Michael laughs. "Be like me and enjoy it! Rub their noses in it, it's fun!"

"How are you enjoying your precarious position, shiteater?" Brian drawls, again wiping the smile off his face. "Which is a worse one than Lindsay is in, at least she has money. By the time Ben is finished with you, you'll be destitute."

"How do you work that out?!" He scoffs.

"First there are the damages that I will be awarded for molestation, then you need to return the support."

"I didn't molest you! What little sex we had was consensual! And why am I returning the support which was fraudulently obtained? I shall be speaking to my attorney about that, Melanie!"

BRANDON

"About what? That support was returned once your rights were removed, at your request. You found out about Ted being Jenny's father after that." He glowers. "Ben's not referring to the support that he continues to pay for Jenny."

"Why's he doing that?" He cuts his eyes, jealousy writ large. "Oh yes, he's her Papa Ben. You really must get her to act with more decorum, shrieking is so unbecoming, perhaps she could get lessons?" His face twists further as nobody reacts to that, well none that he can see. Ben's grip on my thigh is going to leave a bruise!

"I mean the support money I gave you for the store, our little nest egg, you called it. Well, that's gone rotten."

"You can't ask for that back!" He blusters. 

"You've not opened in months, as you've been living off of the returned money," Ben coldy continues, sliding a large package across. "This is the post that accumulated, which as your business partner, I have the right to open before you scream blue murder. There are bills past due, one of which is the rent. You're close to being evicted."

He looks frantically through the papers, going paler and paler as he reads. "I need to go!" He mutters, standing, but Drew pushes him back down. "What the fuck are you doing?"

"You three leave after you understand your position in life," Dad growls. "Reva, please thank George for his assistance in helping my soon-to-be son-in-law, Mel and Leda will arrange for his statement to be taken. Lindsay, go away, lick your wounds in Canada or wherever, you have nothing to keep you here. No family, no friends, and no aspiring art career. Justin has Brian, Lynette, and Markus for that. We needed you to be kept occupied, Texas was the place to do it. Matthew, I'm not sure what you're up to, but again, get out of Pittsburgh to do it. There are too many people willing to protect Debs and me for you to try. And, finally, Michael, sort the business out, give Ben his money back by selling up and fuck off."

"Who are you, any of you, to tell us what to frigging do?!" Michael spits. He tosses the envelope back at Ben. "No, you're stuck with me! I'm not paying a dime! You want a return on your money, settle the bills!"

"You need to find somewhere to live," Reva announces.

"Why would I need to do that?! I'm fully paid-up rent-wise! You don't own my house!"

"No, but I know the person that does." She leans back. "And they hold their tenants to a very high standard. And you, as someone who was an escort, has committed incest, and is an all-around bad egg, are failing to live up to them." His Adam's apple bobbles as he loses some arrogance. "Give notice now." 

"We will," Matthew states.

"Like hell! Or did you forget my name is on the lease?! They want us out, they have to evict me!" Michael snarls, then rounds on Matthew. "And as for what he's doing, he's blackmailing me!"

"I prefer controlled co-operation." He looks around at us. "And I was enjoying it. Making people uncomfortable is something I've done since Junior high. Michael, as a child, you were a brat, but now as an adult, you're beguiling, with every negative connotation that has. Over the last few weeks, I've felt nothing but shame and revulsion over your behaviour." 

"Another club you've joined." Ben sneers, it's replaced by a frown as Matthew pulls out a phone and slides it to him. "What?"

"The code is 020405. I've prepared the email giving immediate notice to quit. Hit send." 

"What good would that do?" He frowns, but Dad and Mom are smirking. She leans across and taps the screen.

"Done." Mom beams. "You can have that back." 

"Thank you." He hands it to Michael. "Now all we have to do is pack." For a few seconds, he stares at it in confusion. The ding seems to bring him out of it a bit, though he still looks a bit clueless and a lot gormless. "The good thing is that it's his phone, Ben."

Michael goes from gormless to furious in seconds. "You fucking cunt!" The slap echoes loudly. "I'll have you arrested for assault, Boyd!"

"Try, I dare you, Michael! Never use that word around my kids, never!" Drew grabs his phone and throws it to the ground. Judging by their looks, it's destroyed. 

"Be grateful!" Matthew spits. "Because I would've smashed that plate in your face!"

MICHAEL

Although my cheek is stinging and eyes watering, I'm still Michael, and I've never been chased out of anywhere by anyone, and this shit is not happening now!

"I've still got money, connections, and friends!" I turn to Matthew. "I want that replaced, since you stole that from me!"

"You've none of those things. Besides, you lent me your phone last night, George will back me up. Once we've cleared the house, you're coming to live with me," Matthew states. I scoff. "Well us, I think we'd make a formidable pair, Lindsay and I. Between us, we can keep you on a very short leash!"

At first, Lindsay looks stunned, before beginning to smile. "You seem to forget that she's my friend, not yours, so she's on my side!" 

"He's right, Matthew. Michael, here are the keys to my car, you can move to my place." She pulls her papers together. "I did love you and the kids, Mel, but then I simply stopped. Let's get you moved out. We can call the people who moved us here, they can get you done in a day." If Mel or those brats are bothered, they don't show it, now I'm even more pissed off, Lindsay shakes her head when I go to speak. "Go to the car and wait for me, please."

"See you later, fuckers, and I mean all of you, from the pets, the kids, everyone!" 

LINDSAY

I glare at the slammed door, his whistling grates. "I didn't like that."

"Well, you got your just desserts, Lindsay!" Pearl snaps.

"She's talking about Michael." Lynette watches carefully. "He should've kept quiet."

I look through his discarded paperwork. "Indeed not. How much does he owe you for the shop, Ben?"

"Um, ten thousand." 

"I will pay you, via Brian." I take a few minutes to do the transaction. "Matthew, go to the house and get your things." He remains for a few seconds before leaving. As the door shuts again, Brian clears his throat. "Has it arrived?" He nods, then transfers it to a relieved Ben.

Briefly, I close my eyes. "Stage one complete. Goodbye, all. If we see each other around, let's be polite." 

There are nods as I quietly close the door on my past. I see my future, resting his feet on the dashboard. His grin widens as I get in and tell him that I've bought Ben out. As we drive off, he goes on and on about how much fun we're going to have now that we've got rid of unnecessary baggage that was Ben, Mel, and those two brats! 

Outside I smile and nod, and inside I fume and plot. As we pull up behind the store, I know exactly what I'm going to do. Within three hours, his store is mine and he's the manager. Whilst he settles into his room, I send the deed transfer to Brian for Ben and let Matthew in.

"Why am I here?" He whispers. I lead him to the kitchen and close the door. As he listens to what's happened, he starts to chuckle quietly. "So now what?"

"As you said before, keep him on a very tight leash! Nobody disrespects Mel and the children, but me!"