AUTHOR'S NOTE: Another one of my "famous" follow up stories. This follows "Family Secrets," mostly because I didn't close up the issue about Fluey's mom. Just a fair warning, this one is going to touch on some issues later on in the story, so be warned ahead of time (nothing *too* graphic, but definitely nothing you'd see in the original cartoon, either).
It had been a little over a month since the Impossibles had tangled with the notorious mob boss, Antonio Manikatti. That particular case left Fluey in somewhat of a state of shock. He had finally found out who his birth parents were. His mother was named Maria Manikatti, who was the daughter of Antonio Manikatti, and his father was named Jack Dawson, who was the son of Big D, the chief himself. Fluey was still reeling a bit when he found out his boss was his grandfather. And even though he found out, Fluey was more comfortable calling him either "Big D" or "Chief."
Coiley and Multi were a bit surprised to learn this as well, though they weren't sure if they were more shocked that their boss was Fluey's grandfather, or that their boss's secretary, Phyllis, was his daughter (and Fluey's aunt, though he never referred to her as "Aunt Phyllis"). And only part of the mystery had been solved. Fluey had found the identities of both parents, and he even found the whereabouts of his father. Unfortunately, Jack had been killed by Manikatti's mob right after Maria had gotten pregnant. And after Maria left Fluey on the doorstep of the children's home, she just disappeared. For all anyone knew, she was in the Bermuda Triangle along with Big Foot and Amelia Earhart.
But all that was about to change.
It was a typical morning. Phyllis was at her typewriter, working on some reports, when a woman walked into the office. She looked like she was in her early thirties, and had long black hair.
"My name's Mrs. Sheldon," she said. "I'm here to see the chief."
"Do you have an appointment?" Phyllis asked.
"No, but it's important," Mrs. Sheldon said. "And a bit personal. It has something to do with Antonio Manikatti."
"What exactly is this about? Antonio Manikatti is a pretty touchy subject with Big D."
"I'm only talking to your chief."
Phyllis sighed, and pushed a button on her intercom.
"Chief," she said. "There's a Mrs. Sheldon out here who would like to speak to you. She says it's about Manikatti, and she only wants to talk to you about it."
"Send her in," Big D said. Phyllis stood up, and led the woman into the chief's office. The minute she shut the door, the Impossibles walked into the office. Multi's puppy, Skittles, shot over to Phyllis, nearly knocking her off her feet.
"Easy, girl," Phyllis said.
"At least she's getting better about applying her brakes," Multi said.
"So what's going on in there?" Fluey asked, indicating the chief's office.
"Beats me," Phyllis shrugged. "Somebody named Mrs. Sheldon went in there to talk to the chief about Manikatti."
"Please, don't ever mention that name around me again!" Fluey shouted.
"Yeah, I think we've all had about enough of him to last us a life time," Coiley commented.
"I'm curious, though," Fluey said. "I wonder what they're talking about in there?"
"Don't get any ideas, fella," Phyllis warned. "Just remember the old saying. Curiosity killed the cat."
Fluey took a couple of steps away from the door. He had a feeling his curiosity was going to drive him out of his mind.
In the office, Big D led Mrs. Sheldon to a chair, and then sat down behind his desk.
"Mrs. Sheldon," he said. "Very interesting choice of alias, I must say. Seriously, though, you're not fooling me one moment, Miss Manikatti. You've had an intimate relationship with my son, and your father and I have been at odds with each other for twenty years. I'd recognize you in a heartbeat."
"I'm aware of it," Mrs. Sheldon (or rather, Maria Manikatti) said. "Believe me, I'm aware of it. But it isn't an alias. My name really is Maria Sheldon now. I've been married for five years."
"I see. I'm not going to beat around the bush Miss Mani . . . . Mrs. Sheldon. You've been gone without so much as a trace for sixteen years. What brings you back now?"
"I read in the newspaper that my father was dead, thanks to your agency. I came back to town for the funeral. While I was in town, I debated with myself to come and see Jack and Little Tony."
Big D nodded. "Little Tony" was what Fluey's name would have been had Maria decided to keep him, instead of abandoning him. She had written a note to Jack, thinking he would go to the children's home and take charge. She wasn't aware he was dead.
"I figured Jack was still an agent," she continued. "And it wouldn't surprise me if Little Tony is an agent, too."
"He is," Big D nodded. "Only your 'Little Tony' isn't so little anymore. And I'm afraid you can't see Jackson. Your father had him murdered sixteen years ago."
"Oh." There was a bit of an awkward silence. Big D cleared his throat and stood up then.
"Wait here," he said. "I need to have a talk with . . . . Tony, as it were."
Big D left his office. He didn't have far to go to find the Impossibles. They were sitting on the couch in the office, tuning their guitars. When they weren't on tour or on assignments, they would sometimes hang out at the office.
"Fluid," Big D said. "I need to talk to you."
"What'd I do now?" Fluey asked, standing up.
"You didn't do anything," Big D said. "At least not that I'm aware of. Can you handle another shock?"
"Something tells me I'm gonna find out about this Mrs. Sheldon in there, aren't I?"
"Yes. Her name is Maria Sheldon. Maria Manikatti Sheldon."
Fluey's jaw just about made a dent in the floor, and his eyes nearly popped right out of their sockets.
"Who . . . . she . . . . you . . . . what . . . . how . . . ." he stammered.
"Chief, you're kidding!" Coiley shouted.
"I never kid," Big D replied.
"Did she tell you she was Maria Manikatti?" Multi asked. "She might be an impostor."
"It's really her," Big D said. "She and Jackson had a very intimate relationship. I'd know Maria Manikatti anywhere."
"If I may borrow something from Speedy Gonzales," Fluey said, sitting down on the couch. "Holy frijoles!"
"Nice of her to finally make an appearance," Phyllis grumbled.
"I know, I know," Big D said. "But she read about Manikatti in the papers, came to town for the funeral, and she figured she'd come by and see Jackson and 'Little Tony.' I had to tell her Jackson was dead."
"Chief, please don't call me Tony!" Fluey shouted. "It's bad enough he was my grandfather, but I had to be named after him too! Sheesh!"
"I know, I know," Big D continued. "In anycase, I'm leaving this up to you, Fluid. If you would like to see your mother, then come into my office. If not, I'll tell her to leave."
"I'll go in and talk to her," Fluey said. "Oooh boy, am I ever gonna unload an earful on her!"
"Just control yourself," Multi warned. "I know you'd love the chance to give her more than a piece of your mind."
"Yeah, you're likely to take her head off in there," Coiley said.
Fluey didn't respond, and he followed Big D into the office. Maria saw them walk in, and stood up.
"This simply can't be little Tony!" she shouted.
"Believe it, baby," Fluey muttered, cringing at being called "Tony."
"I just can't believe it," Maria continued. "When I last saw you, you were just a little bitty thing, and now . . . ."
"You can forget sugarcoating things," Fluey interjected. "I saw the letter you wrote to Dad. Leaving me on the doorstep of an orphanage without any identification, just because you couldn't handle it?!"
"Tony, I was only fifteen."
"Don't ever call me Tony! My name's Fluey now! It never was Tony, and it never will be Tony!"
"Tony, listen to me. It was a mistake. Everything that happened between your father and me was a mistake."
"Including me, right?!"
"To an extent, yes."
"Well that just figures."
"Tony, sweetie, I said I was only fifteen when you were born. I was young and naive. I didn't know what to do, and I didn't know where to go to for help. I was desperate. I was broke, and I couldn't handle it. I know it sounded like I didn't care, and maybe back then, I didn't, but I've regretted the decision ever since."
"So what took you so long to try and find me?"
"Fear of my father, mostly. He is . . . . was . . . . a very intimidating person. I knew he would have a cow if he knew I was pregnant. And I couldn't come here to tell Mr. Dawson. He would have hit the roof, I'm sure!"
"At the time, yes," Big D admitted. "Trust me, Fluid, that letter was a big revelation to all of us."
"I guess," Fluey admitted. Then he turned to Maria. "But don't think that lets you off the hook."
"I know it doesn't," Maria said. Then she took out a pen and a piece of paper, and began scribbling. "Look, I'm going to be in town for a few days. If you feel like talking, just come by my hotel."
"Right," Fluey said, taking the piece of paper from his mother. Maria then left the office.
"Well?" Big D asked.
"Well what?" Fluey said, looking at his superior.
"Are you going to try to make amends with your mother while she's in town?"
"Are you kidding?! After what she put me through?! All I wanted to do was get some stuff off my chest, and now that I've done that, I am never planning in seeing that woman again!"
