CHAPTER 13 - MOTHERS TONGUES LASH

DINER - NEXT MORNING

DEBS

My hands are trembling so much that I can’t pick up my cup. “Debs, if he didn’t want to meet you, he wouldn't be coming, stop panicking!” Kiki declares. 

“What if he doesn’t like me?!” I twist the napkin.

“Don’t give him a reason not to!” She sighs, sitting opposite. “I need to tell you something. I had a number for Brian, to be used if anything happened to Vic.” She gauges my reaction, her eyes widening when I pat her hand. “How long have you known?”

“It was after you called us about Vic’s collapse, said you’d look after them. It didn’t register until a few weeks afterwards, then he and I had that row. And that reminds me, I must speak to Ted. He and Emmett seem fine, but he needs to pay that money back.” She looks surprised. “It’s our fault that he found out about it, so we need to talk about our part in that.”

“Are you serious?!” She gasps. “Michael won’t like that!” 

“Michael can be as mad as he wants. It's the right thing to do!” I sigh heavily. “I really regret it. Plain pride and fear of losing another son was why I went into business with him. I spend most of my time bored shitless and dying inside every time we watch a cartoon, a movie or go to a convention. Really made a rod for my own back, although I’m close to snapping it! He was such a jealous shitty shrew it was ridiculous!” 

“Yea, Kip did mention that he wasn’t happy.” She giggles. 

“Hi, Debs!” Joan calls from behind me. Bracing myself I turn around. “This is Hunter. Hunter, this is Debs. You can call her Grandma Debs.”

“Oh shit, oh shit!” I mutter, my palms and eyes both start to sweat. Although he doesn’t look like him, he’s got the same shyness I remember when I first met Brian, the lip twist and fist balling. As he gets alongside the booth, I stand and put out my hand. He looks puzzled. “I know your Dad, so he’s told you about me. I need to earn a hug.” He pulls me into one and squeezes as hard and mumbles something. “I didn’t hear you, what was that?”

“You mess it up and I take it back. Deal?”

“Deal!” I hiccup. “Sit down, both of you.”

“Thanks. So, am figuring you’re Kiki?” She nods. “Great! Gus said you do the best double chocolate mocha floats.”

“Nice to meet you!” She beams. “And I do, but how did Gus tell you that?

“Because he and Mel are just coming, they bonded very quickly!” Joan laughs. 

HALF AN HOUR LATER

GUS

“Mom, stop laughing! And you, stop that!” I declare, rubbing my cheek. “I’m gonna wear a football helmet if you carry on!” 

“Okay, for now I will, but they’re so pinchable!” Grandma Debs giggles, which is the first time I’ve heard her do so. Yes, she laughed, but it always sounded hollow. Mom said it’s because she saw Dad in me and it hurt as she missed him so much. Mom was stunned when she admitted that to her when they were out. I am so glad that they seem to have made peace. I’m still wary of it because her son can make her turn on a sixpence as Uncle Ted says.

“Are we going to order now we’ve transferred every photo of Hunter to you?” I grumble. Whilst a little shocked, she had so many of me. “I’m starving, and, hey Grandpa Vic!”

“Oh, for crying out loud, Debs, why didn't you answer your phone?!” He grumps as he comes up. “I was worried, thinking it had gone badly. He called saying he was going to get you to see things from his point of view now that you’ve sobered up. Said he saw you heading here.”

“Sorry, sweetheart, got caught up in everything.” She kisses his cheek.

“What happened earlier?” Mom asks, signalling Kiki much to my delight.

DEBS

“Who don’t you mean?” Vic snarks, and goes on to tell them about how Michael behaved, but not what he said about Joan. 

“Absolutely not!” Joan seethes. “He doesn’t get to meet - oh fudge, too late!”

We turn to the door. Whilst Michael has come in, he’s got his back to us, talking to someone.

“Vic, boys, get out back quick!” I shoo them away whilst Kiki removes any trace.

“We’re planning the playdate!” Mel whispers, Joan and I nod. 

As he strides up, he switches from angry to sad face. Ah that’s the game plan is it?! 

“Michael, what are you doing here? Is Kip at the store? I thought he was at the retailers’ convention today.”

“Store’s closed. Hi, Mel, Joan. How are you both?” He sighs and slowly sits. Kiki sticks her fingers down her throat.

“Why’s the store closed?” I frown.

“I’m meeting Brian and Ted later this afternoon. I’m worried that he’s going to be mad at me.”

“Why would he be mad?” Joan asks, I’m fuming, and wondering how long this has been happening?! “He was okay with you when we were out, except, of course, when you were pissing off his boyfriend.” 

“I was just surprised that he had one. I wish Uncle Vic had told me about that. I wouldn't have been taken so off guard and reacted like that. Then there’s the new child.” 

Joan's gaze freezes over. “You’re going to have to learn his name, or is he going to be that kid #2? You weren't taken off guard, you've always been rude and shrill.” As she places her glass down, I realise where his Kinney death glare comes from, her. “I don’t care whether you believe my sobriety. The important people do. You remember our last conversation outside your family home? I could barely get my words out, but oh how they stung eh?” His goes both ashen and red. “Treat my son and grandchildren better, understand?”

Although he never told me what was said, his reaction was everything. He was really scared for a few days, but as Brian came by as normal, slowly his cockiness, for that’s what it was, returned.

MICHAEL

How I hate this old crone! I check my watch, grab my phone, and stand by Ma’s side. “You should come now. We really need to talk about this.”

“What this?” She replies. Of course she’s showboating for her new bestie! “Surely, it’s best if you and Brian have whatever conversation you want to have alone? You know like you wanted to last night.”

“You can go afterwards.” I decide. “You’ve gotta be there for when he and Ted talk. You know how he can get when he’s upset, and that was very upsetting, wasn’t it?” 

“To Brian, not you, since apparently you laughed.” Crone craps on, I do wish she would stick a cork in it. “So to my mind, it’s for both of you to apologise, isn’t it?” 

“Brian!” Kiki gasps.

Heart soaring, I whirl around, but my joy dies when I see he’s with Ted!

“Hey, Kiki!” He gives her a hug. “Thank you, thanks for everything. The place is looking good.”

“You’re welcome, now you, Mr Schmidt, look at you! Come here, welcome back, welcome back the pair of you!”

“Brian, what are you doing here? I thought we were meeting later.” 

I go in for a hug, like last night Ted gets in the way as he slides in next to Madam Brat. Seconds later, finally, I’m in my happy, and rightful place, next to Brian. Just as I'm about to set Ted up for the Kinney kicking, the other brat comes in. “Uncle Vic, what are you doing here?” 

“Coming to say thank you to Kiki. And now I see them, getting Brian and Ted double chocolate mocha floats if they want.”

“We want!” Brian declares. When Joan links their arms, he chuckles then kisses her cheek. My stomach boils at her sly and smug look. “Are you going to order, Michael?”

“Just a coke, Uncle Vic.” When he doesn’t order it, I direct my anger at the interloper. “Ted, what do you have to say to Brian? Does he know what hurtful words you said that made him leave?” 

“Thank you for your gracious and generous offer, and I accept.”

“Accept what?” Ma and I frown. 

“The job as my CEO at Kinnetik. I’m opening an office here, that’s why I reached out to Uncle Vic via Kiki to feel it out. I miss this place. Wanted to see if we could co-exist again.”

“Wait a second, you’re back-back as in moving back?!” Ma gasps.

“Yep. Mom wants to be closer to Hunter, so I’m going to use this as a base instead. But there’s one person I need to clear it with, make sure it's okay.”

Of course it’s fucking okay! I want to dance! I want to scream! But mostly I want us to kiss like old times, to really reconnect!

“And who’s that?” I start to smile.

“Mel. We’ll have to sort out the custody and visitation for Gus. They bonded really quickly. Do we need to go to lawyers, or shall we just shake on it?”

I’m flabbergasted! Mel?! Mel is the important one?! What’s this bonded and custody mumbo jumbo? And why is he offering that smackhead a job after all he said about him?!

“Michael, are you alright?” Uncle Vic fakes concern. “Do you need the bathroom or something?”

“Bathroom? No. I’m in need of clarification.” I take a couple of deep breaths. “Brian, have Gus and Hunter already met?”

“Yeah, this morning, Mom suggested it.” He smiles. Seriously, why is he allowing himself to be fooled by this act?!

“It went perfectly. The next person he has to meet is you, Debs.” Crone squeezes her hand. “And of course Vic. I’ll sort that out.”

“Ma, are you happy with this? Uncle Vic?”

“Delighted. Why wouldn't we be? So when can this be set up?”

“How about this afternoon?”

“Yes, perfect!” Ma leans across to kiss her cheek, or should that be ass! “And Kiki, you can come too. If it wasn’t for you, these two would never be back!”

I feel like I'm in the Twifuckinglight Zone! “Can someone explain what Kiki has to do with that?”

“You still don’t listen when sulking?” Brian frowns briefly. “Or maybe it was too loud in Babylon. I was in touch with Kiki.”

“All this time?!” I turn to her, that deceitful mangy grinning Cheshire Cat! “Why didn't you say? You knew how much Ma especially was missing him. What kind of friend does that?!”

“I asked her not to tell her. Now let’s leave all of this in the past, we're all friends again, aren’t we?”

“Yes, we are.” Ma declares. “But there’s one thing that can’t be left in the past. Ted, I’m giving you $10,000 from the store to help pay Emmett back.”

“What?!” I gasp. “It wasn’t our fault, what he did!”

“If we hadn’t told him, he couldn't have taken it. It's the right thing to do.”

“The right thing is that he repays it, he stole it. Not us. That’s not fair!”

JOAN

I’m so pleased. I knew If I kept mentioning it, she’d come to that conclusion. I may have been a drunken old sot, but I remember everything. Now for this wily old fox to get that Mikey Monkey dancing to our tune!.

“That’s very good spirited of you, Debs. If I may venture another idea? It makes sense for Emmett to be in this custody conversation too. He’s Gus’s godfather, and since they’ve gotten on so splendidly, maybe Hunter would like him to be that as well?”

He has that same expression he had all those years ago - utter devastation

“Hunter wouldn’t like that.” Brian states. I watch the monkey relax, but the squeeze tells me it will be short lived. “He’d love it!”

“But, but what about me?” He stammers.

“What about you?” He shifts under my gaze. “Mel says, you’ve barely been in Gus’s life compared to Emmett, so why should you be ahead of him?”

“I thought, as his best friend, that I would be the first choice.” He looks beseechingly at Brian, who is on his phone. I wink at Mel and mouth Justin, when I see it’s him he’s checking in on. He got hit by a migraine and has been resting at Brian’s - at his vehement insistence - ever since. “Brian? Brian?”

“If Emmett says no, then yeah, you can be next I guess.” He declares, getting up. “And Ma, thanks for accepting blame. Really appreciate it, so will Emmett. I’ll tell him when I see him.”

“See him, what do you mean see him? Don’t you and Mel have things to talk about?” He babbles, his sneakers squeak as they fail to slow Brian’s forcing him out. “Where are you going?”

“To meet his boyfriend, Ben, I should imagine.”  I smile. While he smiles back, it’s sickly. “He is another person you have to be nicer to.”

“Oh yeah, Mikey, as first impressions go, not the best. Thankfully, David came through. Get my number off one of them and we can talk. Ted, speak to Jen about the office. Now I've got bones to jump - tata!”

“But Brian, wait a second, what did David do?!” 

In his haste to catch him, he leaves his phone, Debs pockets it. “Ted, off you go, we’ll chat later tonight.” 

As she strokes his chin, he's blinking back tears. “Around eight, and can I come round instead?”

“I insist. Now shoo! Kiki, close up, please.” 

“Debs?” I frown, Mel and Vic also look confused, it doesn’t take Kiki long.

We wait in silence as she scrolls through his phone. “Do, do you think I can come back?”

“Come back where?!” Mel demands

“Here, if you can work with me again, Kiki. I know you’ll have to speak to the owner, it's been a while.”

“I am the owner, so consider yourself re-hired!” Kiki beams. “This is where you belong, always have and always will, but what did he say to make the rod snap?”

“It’s what he didn’t say or do, isn't it?” Briefly, I feel for her, but she has to go through this. She has to see what we see. “He never said sorry nor accepted blame, and until he’s brought to his knees, he never will.”

“Then that’s what I’ll do, I’ll bring him to his knees!”