The Talk

Edwin turned the wheel into the pub's parking lot and wondered what his brother wanted or why he was even here. Okay, he knew why he was here. Lizzie asked him to try to be nice to Derek. LIZZIE of all people had asked him to give Derek a break. Maybe Edwin shouldn't have told her about the ring.

To be fair to Derek, he had been in a better mood these last six months than he had been in in the last decade. Those close to him knew why, he was dating Casey. Oh, it wasn't a secret, even if the pair thought that it was. They should have taken notes from Lizzie and him. They had gone six years without anyone being able to prove that they were dating. People had suspected but "Betty" and "Winnie" had covered their bases enough that there had been those with doubts. If only he hadn't been one of them.

Shutting off the electric car, Edwin heard a tap on the window. It was his dad, George, with a confused look on his face. Popping the door open, Edwin suppressed the Venturi urge to smirk, "Derek call you too?"

"Yes," George let out slowly as his eyes flowed between his third oldest and the car he knew didn't belong to him. Hiking a brow, the older man voiced the question going through his mind, "Should you be driving Lizzie's car? Pantec is still reeling from the lawsuit."

"And it's probably going to get worse as a former employee of Global Investments is now helping Clean Conscience to file a new one." Locking the car, Edwin decided honest was the best way, but that he was going to have fun at the same time.

"Former employee?" His father asked, hiking up an eyebrow.

"Yeah, he was fired a few days ago for 'breach of contact', but Lizzie thinks they have a good case." The younger Venturi beamed with pride. After all, Lizzie was the most intelligent person he knew.

"How so?" George asked, curious as both a father and a lawyer since Lizzie was likely one of the best attorneys he's ever seen.

"Morality Clause. If they felt the firm was willfully ignorant of the wrong doing of one of their clients, any act done with that in mind is free from reprisal." Edwin explained. The clause was something that he had pushed for shortly after becoming the firm's PR man, citing that if the employees felt that they could freely criticize their employer they would be less likely to go outside the company to deal with their issues. Irony.

"You and Lizzie talking a lot?" George asked, Edwin seeing the gears turning in his mind.

"Well she is letting me crash at her place until the divorce is settled." Dropping one of the bombs that he knew would surprise his father.

"Divorce?!" George boomed in surprise.

"Bonnie didn't think it was funny for her to walk in on me for a change." Edwin elaborated, trying not to laugh at the memory of his wife and the pool guy walking in on the staged scene between him and Betty.

"You and ..?" George lead, his old lawyer habits not stopped just because he was talking with his son.

"My best friend Lizzie getting back in the habit." Edwin answered, another bombed dropped but still not the biggest one.

"Your college sweetheart Betty Green?" His father asked, knowing that this explained the change in personality between two of his children.

"The love of my life." Edwin stated the biggest truth and the one that he had tried to deny for six years, a period of time he now looks back on with regret.

"How long?" His father asked, needing to know how long this had been going on beneath his and Nora's nose.

"Since I first saw her. But we didn't get back together until the Winnipeg Scandal was finished." Edwin answered the last past being technically true.

"Over a year?! When were you going to tell us?" George shouted in surprise.

"Hey, where's this with Derek and Casey?! They're having romantic moments over Sunday dinner and you're mad that Lizzie and I have been subtle?" Edwin shot back, the playfulness gone. They were here because Derek, perfect Derek had called them for help and somehow he was the one getting the third degree.

"What?" Was his father's only reply.

"Seriously, Dad? Casey spend most their visit holding Derek's hand or sitting on his lap." Annoyed at having to explain something so obvious to his father and wanting to get this over with he said, "Never mind, let's just go inside so Derek can tell us that he's knocked up Casey."

"That's not funny." Was George's response, but Edwin could see him thinking.

"No, it's hysterical. Twenty years of foreplay finally paying off. And just in time for their firstborn to be heading to college." Edwin countered, his feelings of self-loathing over his past mistakes and the annoyance he held for the two older members of their family who had spent most of his life dancing around the truth.

"What?" Was again his father's only reply.

"Robbie, Dad; or did you miss them playing house?" Edwin stated, irritated that he had to walk his father through this.

"They were just helping raise their brother." George offered, Edwin seeing he was trying to find any alternative than the one his second youngest son had given.

"They were raising a Venturi-McDonald and kicking themselves that they weren't his parents. I don't know what's changed in the last six months but I wish it had happened sooner. Lizzie and I could've been happily married with our kids instead of this hell for the last decade." Edwin spat out, explaining the reason for the tense that had covered their home the last ten years.

"That's the reason why you guys have been fighting?" George asked, finally accepting what he was hearing.

"The Great Derek Venturi called it quits and so did I." Edwin stated his annoyance at his former idol clear in his voice.

"Meaning?" George inquired, needing to know all the facts of this story that had played out without him or his wife noticing.

"Meaning that if Derek was afraid to admit he was in love with his step-sister, who was I to chance it? Then I got married and Derek wouldn't let up on how great the single life was. BA-ULL SHA-IT! I saw the way he looked at Casey; he was in hell, just like the rest of us." Edwin said the biggest mistake of his openly acknowledged for only the third time in his life.

"Why did you marry Bonnie?" George questioned, the mention of his son's wife making him curious of where she fit into all this.

"Business. Her dad's a high level executive at Pantec and Pantec is a client of Global Investments. Being his son-in-law allowed for me to have a reference that they would listen to. If I couldn't marry for love, I could for work." Edwin explained coldly, Global Investments' former star employee surfacing.

"That's psychotic." His father stated.

"That's me punishing myself for breaking the heart of the kindest woman I have ever known." Edwin stated right back.

"And what, no guilt over Bonnie? She's your wife, Edwin." George asked, the coldness of his son shocking him.

"Who was never faithful and had divorce papers drawn up and ready before we were even married. Her father threaten to break Pantec's contract with Global Investments if they hadn't fire me. No one's innocent here, Dad." Edwin again spat, explaining to his father how deep into hell his son had put himself.

"Well that explains your drinking." George observed, finally understanding why his son had spent years as a functioning alcoholic.

"Notice that, did you? Well, Derek was already doing the man-whore thing and I was through with trying to be him. You think he's stewed long enough?" Edwin asked, wanting this whole thing to be over with so he could go back home to his girlfriend.

"If you're right, yes." His father answered, still grasping for any answer than the one Edwin had presented him with.

"I'm right. What else could it be?" Edwin responded; challenging his father to come with something else that would have leaded them here.

"He might have found out Marti was gay." George suggested; the words hollow even as he said them.

"I doubt it. It barely registers to him that she's a famous photojournalist." Edwin countered, glad that they had moved away from sore subject of his past mistakes.

Shaking his head, George said, "Let's just go inside before Derek's too drunk to tell us what he wants advice with."

Heading inside, Edwin observed that his dad was nervous about what Derek would tell them. That was fair. Four of his kids were dating each other. One is getting a divorce because of it and another might be pregnant by a third. Just because two of them were his children by marriage didn't stop the fact that all of them had been his and Nora's for the last twenty years. Edwin almost pitied him, but his father and step-mom were smart people and should've seen this coming. Not wanting to see it didn't stop it from happening.

Edwin spotted his brother almost as quickly as Derek spotted them, but he was still able to see the tension ease from the older Venturi. Waiting is the hardest part after all and Edwin would know.

Derek covered his relief with a teasing comment, "You ladies carpool?"

Edwin counted with, "No, we met outside and were trying to figure out what you did that you would call both of us to a pub." Leaning closer, he took a sniff of his older brother then turned to his dad, "He's not drunk." From the corner of his eye, Edwin noticed a look of envy that passed through his brother's face. Does he know?

"Thank you. Edwin," was George's reply, hinting that he wanted to avoid the fighting that might start between the two. Turning to his older son he asked, "So what is the emergency?"

Derek singled for them to wait until the server returned with the beers. When he did, Derek almost yanked the bottles from him and sat them in front of each man at the table. Gesturing for them to grab their beers, he picked up the one he had been nursing. Then, as if it was a dark secret, he took a long gulp and said, "Casey's pregnant. It's mine."

The statement hung in the air as Edwin and their dad took it in. Now if anyone was jealous at the table, Edwin knew it was him. Lizzie and he had talked about having kids. They both wanted them but had decided that bringing a child into the mix before his divorce was finalized or they had revealed their relationship to their family wouldn't be a good idea. And here was Derek and Casey, after twenty plus years of denying their love for each other, had gone and got pregnant and then tell their family they were dating; even if it was already obvious. It was stupid. It was blunt. It was pure Derek and Casey.

That last part struck him and he laughed at the absurdity of it all. His father must have had a similar thought because he quickly joined in. Derek's annoyed assertion that he wasn't joking almost caused them to roar even harder with laughter.

Finally catching his breath, George said to Edwin, "Well this is makes your news not so bad." This made it almost impossible for the younger Venturi to get control of himself as he realized that his father had also taken Edwin's on recent revelations less than thirty minutes prior. He was just barely able to nod to his father to tell Derek the punchline.

George shook his head, trying not to start laughing again himself. "Edwin is getting divorced. His wife found out he was having an affair with his best friend and served him papers the next day. Not to mention, her father was one of his biggest clients and threatened to drop his firm if Ed wasn't fired."

Derek just raised an eyebrow, "You're gay and lost your job?"

Well that answers if he knows about Marti, Edwin thought as he and his dad once again bursting into laughter for a little longer before eventually quieting down. Inhaling much needed air, he explained, "I'm not gay, Derek. I just finally got the nerve up to admit who was the real love of my life. She's a lovely woman and we're getting married once I get this divorce over with. Until then, I've staying at her place and helping her organization with the lawsuits they're leveling against my former clients."

Edwin saw a confused look play across Derek's eyes as he leaned back and began taking a drink from his bottle which then widened as Edwin's words finally sank in. Nearly spraying them with beer, Derek shouted, "You and the Lizzard?! No wonder Marti thought you guys would understand."

Marti knows? It's not that surprising, she is a skilled journalist. I wonder if she knew when she asked about Winnipeg. Edwin thought. He was going to reflect on this when he heard Derek ask a question he hadn't thought of, "You seem pretty calm, what's yours and Nora's take on this?" And once again without trying Derek's showing how he's perfect without trying.

Edwin turned his gaze and watched his father, like his brother, wanting to know the answer. George lowered his bottle to the table, shaking his head. "We talked about this a few times when you were younger. Don't think we didn't notice the tension between both pairs of you. There were a few times that we expected you to tell us that you had eloped or gotten one or both of them pregnant, but there was nothing. So you finally acting on it when we're about to retire and sending a sixth kid through college is surprising but not something we hadn't see coming. We'll have to convince Robbie that we're not going to appear in some reality show about crazy families, but otherwise everything is fine."

Turning back to Derek, Edwin caught his older brother nodding his head in stunned agreement. Their dad was right, the evidence of what was going on between the McDonald girls and Venturi boys had always been as clear as day to anyone looking. That Nora and him had been open-minded enough to allow their children to come to terms with their feelings for each other showed the love that all of them grown up in.

A look of mischief inspiration appeared in Derek's eye as he leaned towards him brother and asked, "So with that out of the way, I have a question for you Edweirdo." Intrigued, the other Venturis leaned forward to hear his proposal, "Given your resent loss of fortune, wouldn't it best to go half with someone on the expanses and do a double wedding?"

This caused all three men to crack up as the idea sank in. Able to catch his breath at last, Derek raised his bottle and offered a toast, "To the McDonald women, for waiting a lifetime for us to catch up."

Edwin and George clanked their beers in agreement. "Here, here." Edwin looked at Derek from across the table and mentally cursed, Dammit, I'm trying to not look up to you and what do you do? Not only be understanding, but offer to share your and Casey's joy. A thin quick smirk flashed as he thought, and have a way to split the check. Betty and I could probably cover the whole thing, but you don't need to know that.

Putting down his beer, Derek reached for his wallet. Edwin and his dad just waved him off. George saying, "You need to save your money for the ring and diapers."

Edwin adding in, "Knowing Casey, you're going to be buying a lot of tofu."Hiding his smile from the others and holding back the urge to smirk as he didn't want to let them know that he knew about the ring and the storage unit. Let Derek keep his secrets, Edwin was exposing enough truths as it was.

Standing up, Derek just grabbed his coat and let out another laugh, "Now if you excuse me, I have to see her royal highness." Edwin could tell there was a joke there, but again let it go.

Watching his oldest leave, George turned to Edwin and asked, "Should we tell the ladies or let Casey do it?"

As if on cue, Edwin's phone vibrated. Checking he saw a text from Lizzie: Fnd out wht he wntd?

Flashing a smirk to his father as he pulled out a few bills from his wallet, Edwin answered him, "Definitively tell them." After placing the money on the table, he texted back: His bun in Casey's oven. Offered a double wedding.

Moment later his phone rang, before he could speak, Lizzie said, "You told him?!" The surprise of Edwin telling after all this time mixed with the annoyance of him doing so without her.

Edwin waved goodbye to his dad as he walked back to the car, "No, I told Dad. Derek figured it out. Nearly covered Dad and me with beer and spit when he did," explaining the events that had happened barely five minutes ago.

"Does Casey know? And what do you mean you told George?" His better half asked, needing to know what had been said.

"Not yet, but he is on his way to talk to her now. I did show up in your car, Betty, Dad's not stupid, he asked questions. Turns out Nora and him have always known about the four of us. But you're kind of missing the bigger picture here. Our parents know about us and are okay with it. And after twenty years, Derek and Casey finally stopped the foreplay and are getting serious." Edwin summing up the main points.

"Except you haven't told your dad you lost your job... Wait. Did you tell George you lost your job?" Lizzie's voice starting with strict criticism only to turn to confused wonder at the end.

"Yes. I told him everything. Like I said to him, I'm not Derek; I don't lie to myself anymore. Remember who had to get us back together." Edwin answered, ending his response with a tease.

"I remember a foolish bastard that broke my heart then came up with the most convoluted way to come crawling back." Lizzie teased right back, barely hints of the pain she had felt at his act of cowardice all those years ago.

Laughing, Edwin conceded, "Yeah that was dumb of me, but admit it: You enjoyed making Pantec sweat."

"True. Now get back here so you can make me sweat." Lizzie answered, her voice sliding into her bedroom voice.

"Yes boss." Edwin answered as he started the car.