CHAPTER 37 - HAPPY FAMILIES?
BRITIN - FIVE MONTHS LATER
KITCHEN
MAYA
“H!” Gus bellows at his retreating back. “Did you see that?!” He grouses, whilst I suppress my laughter. “He took both of them! He's so greedy! H, don’t you dare, I mean it, I will fart on your pillow!” He yells, running after him.
“Is there anything ice cold for me to…”
“You’ve not seen me!” Justin cries as he streaks up the backstairs.
“MORO!” Brian bellows, Ronald and I are stunned, he’s wet and covered in hay. “Where?!” Ronald chuckles and points. He heads back to the mudroom. We hear an ice bucket being filled plus evil chuckling.
“Hello, daddy!” We turn to find Lindsey and Michael standing in the doorway, holding hands and smiling. “We…”
“Don’t come up unless you hear the safeword!” Brian yells as he disappears.
“Safeword?” Lindsay frowns, whilst Michael looks meaningfully at the coffee machine. We jump at the ‘gotcha’ Brian hollers. “What does he…” She’s cut off by a shriek.
“Whilst I go and check that, you pour the coffee, Maya…” Michael orders, heading towards the stairs. “...it sounds like…”
“None of your business!” Ronald barks. “Why are you here?”
“We told Mother and Debs we were coming…” She trails off at Ronald’s blank look. “...didn’t they say?”
“We hoped they were joking.” Ronald scowls. “So what do you want?”
“To mend bridges.” She replies, before turning her sycophancy towards me. “You’re blossoming, Maya…”
“Which bridge is that?” Ronald interrupts, their smiles slip a bit. “You crossed so many to fuck behind Mel’s back for all those years.”
“It wasn’t like that, we love each other!” Michael exclaims. “We always have, it just evolved and grew into something deeper, didn’t it, Lindz?”
“Much like mould or a tumour…” Daph states. “…excuse me, I need to get by.”
Michael glares as she passes, before turning to me. “You don’t look as pregnant as…” He grunts at Lindsey's sharp elbow. “...I mean how’s it going?”
“You don’t.” Ronald returns crisply. “I take it by that, she is?”
Their smiles give their answer, Ronald flinches as he kisses her cheek then stomach.
“Oh that is so gross!” Daphne shudders, who’s not the only one discomfited. Lindsay looks nauseated.
“No it’s not, it’s perfectly natural for me to want to do that…”
“Are you going to breastfeed?” Daphne asks.
“Oh yes, definitely.” Michael replies, Lindsay shivers. “Are you two cold?” He croons, leering at her chest.
“Make sure you leave some for the baby.” Ronald retorts.
“Darling! Nobody wants to imagine him doing that!” Nancy exclaims. “Stop blocking the doorway…” She nudges them forward, he makes a great show of pulling out the chair and watching Lindsay carefully sit down.
“That's a good sign.” Debs states as she follows Nancy. “Let’s hope that continues.”
“What do you mean, Debs?” Lindsay fans herself. “Could I have some water, instead please? I can’t have coffee right now, it gives me terrible indigestion.”
“I’ll have water and coffee, Maya.” Michael declares, we smirk at his failure to wrap his arms around her because of the chair. “Let’s sit in the lounge, you’ll be much more comfortable there.”
“You don’t want to go….” Debs begins only to be interrupted by another shriek. “...was that the safe word?!” She guffaws, cocking her ear. “No, I guess not! I think he’s going to put his hip back out if he’s not careful.”
“Hi…” Juri shuffling in; wearing just his boxers gets both their attention. “...coffee on?”
“Juri, hi!” Michael squeals, jolting her in his eagerness to get to him, arms open wide. “Long time…”
“No feel!” Juri snaps, stopping him cold. “I wondered what that smell was. I really hoped you’ve gotten some decency or compassion, but nope. Why? Just why are you…”
“She’s pregnant.” Nancy replies, setting up a tray. “Did you two sleep well?”
“Two?” Michael scowls, red faced. “You bought one of your conquests home? With Gus here?”
“You’re aware of the irony of your moralising?” Daph snaps. “Scuttle back and shut up if you want to stay.”
“Michael, please sit down. This is a cause of celebration, can we please just be happy for…”
“Why are we celebrating your pregnancy?” Debs demands. “This, like the affair, is between you two.”
“Ma! This is your first grandchild!” Michael steams. “Are you saying you don’t want anything to do with him or her?!”
“Fourth grandchild, and of course I’d like to be involved in their life, but you’ve not been in contact for months!”
“Fourth? What do…I meant from me! Your son!”
“Who has yet to apologise for the harm he caused! Claims to be bisexual and in love; however, the moment a half naked man appears, starts shaking his dick noodle at him!”
“Nancy!” Ronald grimaces.
“We’re even, darling.” She returns. “Well!”
“Well, I’m just over...”
“APOLOGISE YOU ASSWIPE!” Nancy explodes. “THE FIRST WORDS, THE VERY FIRST SHOULD BE I AM SO FUCKING SORRY!”
“We tried!” She declares. “But Mel wouldn't return our calls!”
“Our? What ‘our’?” Ronald seethes. “Also, you must have seen Gus! But, as usual, you made no effort!”
“He was gone before we could…” Michael unwisely declares. “...he should be here actually. Maya, go and get him, I need to be by my baby mama’s side.”
“It’s not changed; call him!” I snap. They exchange looks, my fury mounts as I realise what she might have done. “If you’ve deleted…”
“No! No, I’ve not done that!” She exclaims.
“So you’re scared and you damn well should be!” Nancy fumes. “Put it on speaker!” The room is quiet as it rings and rings. When it goes to voicemail, Michael cuts the call. “What the fuck are you doing?!”
“I was trying to move it closer, it was an accident!” He blusters, but nobody is fooled.
“I’ll try again, do not touch it.” She growls. It takes a few seconds, again we're quiet.
“Make it quick!” He snaps.
“Hi Gus, how…” She begins.
“You’re going to be a big brother!” Michael exclaims. “Now come back and celebrate with us!”
“Michael, for goodness sake!” Lindsay elbows him again. “Gus, I’m sorry he told you that way! Would…would you come back to the house, so we can talk properly?”
“Bully for you, you’re gonna have a kid; hope you treat them better than me.”
“Gus, I get that you may feel hurt, but your mother and I…”
“Fucked around and got found out!” Gus retorts. “So where are you now?”
“With us in the kitchen.” Juri calls out. “Can you please come back?”
“Fine.” He sighs.
“Thank you, Gus. I appreciate how difficult this is for you.” Lindsay simpers. “Will you be long?”
“I’ll be there in ten.”
THIRTY MINUTES LATER
MICHAEL
I’m furious! Not only did he keep us waiting, there was no apology or reprimand either! He’s been upstairs for the last five minutes, insisting that he needs to talk to Justin. We’ve finally been allowed something to drink. Whilst Lindsay is having a cup of tea and they’re on wine; what do I have? A glass of tap water! Tepid, tap water!
“Lindsay. Michael.” Justin deigns to join us. “Gus is just finishing showering. So…”
“You worked up an appetite?” Daphne snickers. “Is he coming down?”
“In a minute, he’s talking to H.” Justin states. “You recovered from your shenanigans now, Ethan?”
“Just about!” Ethan laughs as he enters. “So Justin, how’s the homestead?”
“Great, just great!” Justin grins and gives him a hug. “So do the boys know you’re back, have you seen Zeus, Odin and the kids or did you just see the ceiling?”
“Not yet to the boys or seeing Zeus and his fam. And it wasn’t just the ceiling, I saw the dust bunnies under the sofa, bits of bush…”
“Hello, Ethan, you’re looking well.” Lindsay interrupts. “How long have you two been together?”
“Officially…” My heart sinks at Elliott’s voice. “…four months, however, they were seeing each other quietly for the first two. So where’s your partner, Lindsay?”
“Behind you.” I retort, then, at Lindsay's glare, paste on a smile. “You’re looking well, Elliott. How are the wedding plans? Are Lindsay and I invited now that things are back to normal?”
“You were serious, Debs, you never said?!” Brian strolls in with Gus and Hunter smirking behind him, in fact everyone, bar Lindsay and Ethan, who’s in the fridge, are. “Oh man, I can't wait to tell Emmett and the others when they get back from Madison!”
“What?” I demand. My jaw drops when Ma shows me her wedding ring! “When the fuck did that happen?!”
“Two months ago.” Brian replies. “Really good shindig.”
“Shindig! Why didn’t you invite me?! I am so hurt, Ma!”
Juri looks furious. “You’re hurt?! You really are a selfish…”
“Juri, please, expend your energy on Ethan.” Elliott interrupts. “Michael…”. I slowly face him. “...now I’m your stepfather; there are some things I must insist…”
“Like what?!” I scoff. “I’m not going to call you dad if that’s what you think!”
“I would prefer that we not speak at all, but such is life. Now that Debs has moved in with me and Whistler, should you wish to meet with her, it must be in the diner…”
“The diner? What’s wrong with our home, Ma?!”
“I’ve sold it.” She replies. “Got just under $355K after…”
“Really? How much do I get?” I’m almost hugging myself.
“Nothing. My home, my money.” She clips out. “Much like your lottery money is yours.”
“That’s not fair! I contributed to the upkeep, put food on the table, and…”
“And you’ve been living high on that lottery hog when it suits you ever since!” Ethan scoffs. As he turns around, he goes bug eyed. “How many months are you?!”
“Hardy har-har, Ethan!” I snipe. “I haven’t put on that much weight!”
“He's talking to Mel…” Lindsay looks past me. “…I thought Maya was carrying?”
“Plans changed.” Mel returns as she sits down, Justin puts a cushion behind her. “And it’s three months, with twins.”
“TWINS?!” Gus screams, rushing to embrace her. “I am so ha-ha-happy! I told you, Dad! I told you it would take the first time, didn’t I?!” He tugs on Justin’s arm. He nods whilst snivelling on Brian’s shoulder.
“We get one each to train to be trainers!” Hunter cries as he and Gus jump up and down.
“Everyone please, quiet down, quiet down!” Lindsay calls out, slowly it does so. “I am happy for you, Mel. Please, may we talk to you and Gus in private?”
They exchange looks, then nod. “Just you…” Gus snipes. “…I don’t want him anywhere near our brothers or sisters!”
I feel like I’ve been slapped as she nods and follows them out. We will be speaking when we get home!