The atmosphere is awkward at the de Poitiers home. The kids do not sense it, Adrien playing with his cousins happily as the older kids watch TV, attending to the younger ones and the adults settle themselves in the dining room.
"What brings you here?" Diane asks, confidence in her words as she sits elegantly at the head of the table. "It's been a while."
"Diane, I know we are not friends although, I hope you can help me and my children."
Diane's eyes fill up in concern. "Why? What happened?"
Mary clears her throat. "Henry... Henry kicked us all out. Francis is trying to sort out the situation and we didn't want to call Bash since he literally returned home to you."
"It's true?" Diane whispers. "He's truly sick."
"On the verge of being sanctioned," Catherine admits. "He hurt little Henri, I fear for my children's lives. Even leaving Francis with him, I'm terrified."
Kenna can't believe what she's hearing. The fearless Catherine Medici is terrified and now, she sees the usually brave matriarch tired and distressed.
"I know things," Catherine begins. "That can bring Henry down and send him away for life, but I can't do that. Not to our children and not to you both."
She points at Kenna and Diane who both frown at her in confusion.
"Bash is caught up in this whole mess and so is Francis. What I say can put them both in hot water. Henry almost tried to kill me," the woman confesses. "If I say my piece to the authorities, the business is destroyed and Francis and Bash are arrested and condemned beside their father."
"What is my husband tied up in exactly?" Kenna demands, surprising Diane and Mary. "Has he killed someone?" She pointedly asks.
Catherine swallows. "You know about Marcus-"
"Not from his lips - Henry's. Henry visited me in England, wanted to take me whilst my son, his grandson, was in the other room. He's destroyed my life from the minute he met me, if he has anything on Bash, I need to know. He's Adrien's father, I can't let my son grow up without him."
"Henry doesn't fail to surprise me," Catherine replies. "I knew he went to England to see you. What did you give him that was so good when you were sixteen, hmm?"
Kenna falters. "I was a child who had issues. I've grown up, I've paid for my mistakes - my marriage failing is one of them. I hold my hands up, but Henry can still hurt me and my son for things Bash has done."
"Kenna, we're all tired so why don't we continue this later after we've eaten and rested, hmm? We left on a whim," Catherine says with a soft sigh. "I need a long bath and a bottle of Merlot."
"I'll get someone to help you," Diane replies softly, standing up to wake their housekeepers.
"They're not on standby twenty-four seven?" Catherine asks baffled.
Diane shakes her head. "I do most things myself. Having them around is more or less for my company."
She leaves them and Kenna turns away when Mary looks at her. Her friend can feel the tense air between them and she gets upset quickly.
"What have I done now, Kenna?"
"Nothing," Kenna replies shrilly. "I'm just frustrated about the situation we're in."
She doesn't let Mary know about what she heard on the day she and Bash married, she's never confessed to that. Why was she going to do so now?
"We all are," Catherine cuts in, standing up. "I'll check on the children."
As she leaves, Mary shifts closer to Kenna and takes the woman's hands, squeezing them.
"Tell me the truth, you're angry with me. And you always will be, even if you're with Bash or not," Mary says gently. "I can't lose you, please, Kenna."
"I heard you both on my wedding day," Kenna finally confesses. "I know you told Bash to take me far away, to France or Sweden, that's why he's resented me for asking that we live here." She gestures around the house. "Because of you, I'm not you. You're quick to defend me and I appreciate that because you're loyal to me at least, but once, you were only loyal to yourself. Not even to Francis, Mary."
"Kenna, I'm sorry," Mary whispers, tears slipping down her cheeks.
"Bash calls me selfish all the time, but he is the one who is selfish! And you were too! Every flaw I have, he picks apart because I wasn't you. He didn't accept my flaws, he highlighted them and judged me for them."
Mary sighs. "He loves you, Kenna."
"And how do you know that?" Kenna asks her, clearly disbelieving.
"He called Francis this morning, but as he was dealing with Henry, I answered the call. Before I could even speak to let him know it was me, he quickly told who he thought was Francis that you guys might get back together. He was so happy, saying that you had sex last night and how much he missed you. I think he was crying tears of joy," Mary reveals. "I gave the phone to Francis and told him what Bash said before he could realise he confessed his sex life to me. God, Kenna, he's crazy about you."
Kenna is taken back, she doesn't know what to say or feel. She says, "I told him last night was goodbye and nothing more."
"Apparently not," Mary teases softly. "It seemed you took him to Heaven and back again many times. I'm glad he didn't go in detail otherwise I'd have images of you in my head!"
They giggle and Kenna hugs Mary tightly, apologising for being off with her. Mary understands, of course, she does. Little, sweet Mary Stuart always understood everything.
"At this point, I know your body better than I know my own," Mary continues to jest, receiving a smack to her arm. "You're the mother of his child and his second love, be happy Kenna."
"I was going to take the morning after pill," Kenna admits quietly so only Mary could hear. "But after hearing that, I may have God take the lead. If I'm pregnant, that could help us right?"
Mary shrugs. "Children aren't always the answer, look at Adrien. But, it's a step."
"Baby steps."
"Yeah," Mary says with a smile. "Who knows? Maybe you and Greer can have a joint baby shower-"
"You know?!"
Mary giggles, nodding. "She apologised for telling you first, but she called me up and told me before telling Lola. I promise, Kenna, from now on, things are only going to get better."
...
"Let's do this," Kenna tells Bash as they overlook the gardens from their balcony. "I've had some insight, I've prayed, I've cried... Let's make this work."
Bash turns to her, his green eyes lighting up as he kisses her softly. "We've got a full house. Catherine has never stepped into this house."
Kenna laughs. "She didn't seem to mind. It's like the ghosts of your father's past ganging up on him."
"What about Antoine?"
"He texted me earlier... Says he didn't want to be second best. That and he's spoken to Jeanne... I think there's something still there."
"Well, I don't mean this, but good luck to him," Bash replies. "Because I've got you back."
Kenna shakes her head. "Nuh uh. I'm not property to be owned, Sebastian," she teases. "I'm my own woman. This time, we do better."
"I know there's a lot of people downstairs, most of them are my siblings, but I really want you in that bed." He nudges his head over to their bed.
She laughs. "Lock the door, then."
At dinner, although they don't sit together, Kenna sends Bash longing looks which don't go unnoticed around the table.
"Someone's getting some," Claude calls out, making the matriarchs glare at her in disappointment. "What? They can't stop eye-"
"Finish that sentence, I dare you," Catherine tells her. "You may be in your twenties, but I can still give you a spanking."
Claude laughs, sipping her wine. "So, am I right? Are you both back together? Can the longing looks and drama revolving Kennash stop?"
Kenna laughs as Bash rolls his eyes, sipping his own wine. "Kennash?" She questions.
"Your ship name," Henrietta explains as if it's the most obvious thing in the world.
"Yeah," Emone adds. "Don't you know what a ship name is?"
"Hey," Mary calls out. "We're not that old! I'll have you know, our childhood had better things than yours."
"Like what?" Emone asks.
"Hannah Montana!" Kenna says. "Lizzie Maguire, High School Musical..."
"Ew," Henrietta says. "Old stuff."
The women gasp, sharing a look with a just as surprised Claude.
"I'll have you know, little sisters," Claude says. "I share a childhood with them! Hannah Montana was the greatest thing ever!"
"If you say so," Henrietta sings, shaking her head with Emone.
"All of you are wrong," Bash pipes up. "Pokémon was the greatest thing ever. And it's still relevant."
"But as a terrible version, though," Kenna replies, cringing. "Sun & Moon what? What about Black & White? The original movies? No, those are the only reason this new one is relevant."
"True," Mary agrees. "Wait, how did we get from your love life to Pokémon?"
Everyone laughs, the children baffled at what was happening. Kenna never understood why they couldn't have moments like these. Just chilling with the whole family, other than Diane, speaking about anything and everything.
Having a madman in the family united it, it seemed.
