Happily Ever After
Chapter one : The subject Of college
Everyone on Tracy Island was just finishing off with their breakfast when Jeff called Alan into his office.
"Alan I would like to see you in my office when you are done helping to clean up here." Said Jeff with a stern expression on his face.
"Oh look who is in trouble now." said Robyn as she ate the rest of her breakfast.
"I didn't do anything." Alan protested.
"You must have or otherwise Dad wouldn't be calling you in." Teased Gordon.
"You know something I think that Missy Robyn is enjoying herself." Scott drew attention away from a clearly uncomfortable Alan.
"You bet I am." said Robyn with a smile.
"Jo,Virgil?"
"Are you wanting Robyn by any chance Tin-Tin?" asked Virgil. Ever since Jo came to the island with Robyn, she and Tin-Tin had become the best of friends. Tin-Tin would baby sit Robyn from time to time to give her parents at break.
"Yeah, how did you know ?"
"Because you love looking after Robyn about as much as she loves swimming."
"Oh ok, so can I have Robyn then?"
"Yeah why not." said Jo with a smile. "Let us know if you want to keep her all day Tin-Tin."
"Ok will do, come on Robyn why don't we go and have some fun." Said Tin-Tin as she held out her hand for Robyn to take. With that she wandered away and left everyone else to their business.
"Now that we have everything more or less done this morning, why don't we head down to the beach for our morning walk?" asked Virgil.
"What you are going down to the beach again? You only came up not too long ago."
"Jefferson Tracy let them go for their walk on the beach. It wasn't that long ago that me and you were taking nice walks back home. Don't forget they've been together for a year now and from what Penny has told me they have had a very rough year."
"It's good to see Dad getting told off for a change." Said Scott with a small smile. "Mum really has got Dad wrapped around her little finger again."
"Should you not be starting your repairs on TB1 son?"
"Ok I'm going."
"I am going to make a start on TB2 for Virg, once I have finished taking Robyn for her morning swimming lesion. You never know Robyn might turn out to be as good as me."
"Are you ill or are you after something?" Asked Alan as Gordon spoke.
"No why?" Alan raised an eyebrow, clearly not believing his brother. "I am just being the perfect brother that's all."
"Yeah right and pigs can fly."
"I am not up to anything." said Gordon as he held his hands up in surrender to his younger brother.
"Alan, Gordon don't forget we have a little girl here. So stop." Lucy warned, wary of things getting out of hand.
"Sorry Mom." Alan and Gordon both said together. The sentence seemed strange after all these years.
"Ok go and do what you have to do, Alan I am coming with you to your Fathers office. From what I have been hearing every time that you go in there you come out in a bad mood, how do you feel about changing that Alan?"
"Really you want to come in with me?" It was something that he'd never really had before. She actually wanted to help.
"Yeah I do Alan, why don't we go and get this over and done with? See what he wants you for, maybe it's something good who knows."
"I don't know Mom, Dad never listens to what I want to say even if it's something important. If I am honest with you, I don't get on with Dad as well as what the others would do and I am sick of being babied." It was the first time he'd really said it out loud, of course he'd thought about it many times before but talking about it was a new feeling.
"I am sure that your father treats every one of you the same. He loves you all and just wants the best for you." said Lucy as she and her youngest son walked into Jeff's office.
" Hey Dad what is it you wanted to see me about?"
"You will need to start thinking about colleges soon. Yes I know it's still a whole year before you leave but I would like at least a couple of them."
"I know all this Dad but like you said there is still time to think about it. I am in no rush to start picking any colleges at the minute. I haven't made any decisions yet."
"Alan you ARE going to college just like all your brothers and they did well. I will expect the same from you young man." Jeff's voice came out far harsher than he'd originally intended.
"What if I don't want to go to college? What if I wanted to help out here full time Dad? With Virgil going off the island for six months you are going to need me." Alan had thought about it before but he'd never dared mention anything.
"Alan you are going to college like it or not." College had never been up for discussion, it was something that all of his kids were going to do.
"I am not going Dad you can't make me. It's my choice and YOU CAN'T MAKE THAT FOR ME." Just as the argument starts heating up, Lucy walks in.
"Jeff what is going on here?"
"Dad is trying to force me to go to college, I don't know if that's what I want."
"Jeff what are you thinking? Don't forget Jefferson Alan is the very last of your sons to go to college. He has a mind of his own." said Lucy as she walked over to stand by Alan.
"Dad I can do college over the internet now. I don't have to go away, like I said with Virgil going away we'll already be short on people." Alan was trying to reason with his father, although he doubted it would work, he'd tried it many times before.
"Alan is right Jeff."
"No Alan is going to college just like his brothers. Like or not Lucy our son is going to college." Jeff had made his position clear.
"This is Alan's choice not yours."
"But-" Jeff should have known better than to argue with his wife.
"No buts Jeff, if Alan wants to do college over the internet then he is doing it. Like it or not!"
"Dad we have this thing called the 21st century you know. People do college on the internet all the time. I'm not saying I don't want to go I just need some time to think." added Alan as he made to walk out of his Fathers office.
"Don't you ever speak to our son like that Jeff, yes we all know that Alan needs to go to college what he doesn't need is you pushing him into it. Just give him some time Jeff to work things over in his head. Anyway what is so wrong about Alan wanting to take classes over the internet?"
"Lucy I didn't have to push the others to go to college. I knew it was going to be a hard subject to bring up with Alan." School had never been Alan's favourite subject.
"That's not the point Jeff and you know it, what is the real reason that you want your youngest son to go to college? I know that you had sent all our boys of to boring school. When I found out I wasn't very happy." She had to admit that it had struck a beat in her heart when she'd found out.
"Ok Lucy you walked out on me when our sons were so young, Alan barely knows you and the others...I don't know what they think of all of this."
"Jeff I have told you the reason for why I had to leave. If I didn't do as the agency told me then I would have been dead and you would have lost me anyway. I am here now to make everything up with you and our sons." They'd been over this time and time again since she'd returned.
"I know you do Lucy; I just found it really hard over the years with Alan. The older he got the harder it got for me to deal with him."
"Jeff Alan is growing up just like the others." said Lucy as she made her way over to the computer.
"What are you doing?"
"Going online to order a few things if that is ok with you? I need to get a few things if I am going to be staying here." This clearly signalled an end to the conversation and Jeff was forced to concede defeat for now.
Robyn ran into the office looking for something to do. Seeing both Lucy and Jeff she put on her best smile.
"What are you doing?" She asked her grandmother.
"Spending your Grandpas money, want to join me?" asked Lucy with a devious smile.
"Yeah." said Robyn as Lucy picked her up and put her on her lap in front of the computer. A few minutes past before Tin Tin wandered into the room.
" Hey Mr and Mrs Tracy have you seen Robyn at all?"
"Yeah she is in here with us." Jeff gestured over to the computer.
"Ok thanks. She took off so quickly I just wanted to check she was okay."
"See you later Tin-Tin." Tin Tin could feel there was tension in the air as she walked out of the office, something had happened she could sense it.
