Chapter Ten

Marley POV

"Ryder, you've really screwed up big time... you know that right?" Charles asks slash yells at Ryder in the other room as I try and finish dinner while keeping Rachel, Michael and Austin(who was still staying with us) distracted and entertained.

"Dad! I didn't know! Marissa didn't tell me!" Ryder yells back before a loud noise sounded, presumably Ryder hitting the coffee table in the living room. I take that violent action as my cue to intervene by walking in.

Ryder, can you get the kids ready for dinner? Mary Kate and Stephen will be here soon with the rest of Mary Kate's family... as will you Mother..." I ask him, rubbing his shoulders in support. He nods and gets up, retreating to the kitchen. "You really shouldn't be so hard on him, he's hard enough on himself for all of us." I advise Charles softly once Ry leaves the room.

"I just never pictures his future so messed up... you know? twelve years ago when you were dating, he was supposed to graduate and go to college, you two were supposed to get married, have kids, and live happily ever after... not have a broken future like myself and the rest of your parents." Charles says, running his hands through his hair the way Ryder does.

"well, as a mother, can I advise more so demand that you two do not argue about a child that is right in the other room? Please?" I ask a bit bitterly, every fight in our house had been about Austin recently and I was sick of it, the kid didn't need to hear all of that.

Well damn, I'm sorry dear, I didn't mean... I didn't even think about that... used to do the same thing to Ryder and the twins and always felt so bad about it when I did."

"Well you know, Ryder has always been the endlessly optimistic one out of the two of us... from my eating disorder, to the divorce and the custody battle, he's always been the one telling me that we'd get our happy ending... and you know, I've just really started believing him, I really think you should too..." I say before the doorbell rings. "Oh, gosh they're early! RYDER! They're here!"

"So, Marley, Ryder, how's the planning going? I know planning a wedding can be hard, but it's got to be pretty rough with two- three kids around to look after." Eleanor asks and as I open my mouth to answer, I'm interrupted.

"Well, Eleanor, I've been helping out tremendously. I mean it's my first child's wedding goodness sake! Now if only I could convince them to rid themselves of this insane lake wedding idea..." Carrie says, acting innocent. I scowl and Stephen, James, and Richard(Mary Kate's Father) all silently laugh to themselves, knowing about my ongoing fight with my future mother in law very well.

"Mom... we've told you once, and I'll tell you again... we are not having the wedding in the church. End of discussion." Ryder says bitterly. I put my hand on his knee under the table and squeeze to calm him down.

"Why don't we talk about something else?" I suggest with a huge-though fake - smile on my face. "James, how's the season going?" I ask turning to the youngest of the teens and giggle at the welcomed distraction of the men discussing sports. I beam as I hear Ryder and Austin discover they support the same NFL team and most other sports teams as well. I turn my head as someone's hand rests on my shoulder, and find Mary Kate looking at me smiling

"I just wanted you to know that I think that the idea of a lake wedding is amazing... especially since it means something to your relationship." she tells me.

"Look at you being such a softy..." Stephen laughs and kisses her quickly.

"I do not recall receiving any formal written requests concerning having your lips that close in proximity." Richard says from across the table.

"Neither do I!" James agreed.

"Dad! James!" Mary Kate groaned, as Stephen laughed softly.

"Boys, behave yourselves..." Eleanor warns. Things in their household had been very tense lately, Eleanor had told me over the phone last night, when I'd called to invite them to dinner. James and Richard hadn't been seeing eye to eye on their views of Mary Kate's cancer, James believed they needed to treat her same as they always had while Richard acted as though she'd break any moment. Eleanor and MK had been walking on egg shells recently.

"Sorry dear..." Richard mumbled and Ryder lugged next to me muttering something about Richard being 'whipped' before I elbow him in the side, causing Austin to laugh to himself.

"So Austin, do you know if you'll be here for the wedding? Because I just think since Rachel and Mike are going to walk Marley down the aisle, maybe you could be a junior groomsman or something of the sort." Carrie says changing from the playful fighting back to the wedding.

"Mom... We -" Ryder starts but I stop him.

"We haven't discussed anything with Marissa, his mother on whether he's staying here long term or not." I say, trying to remain civil, thinking of our guests.

"Can I say something?" Austin asks in a small voice. I nod and smile softly. "I just wanted you to know that if you would have me, I'd love to be a part of your wedding... It is my dad who's getting married after all..."

"Of course you can be a part of it if you want, kiddo, we just want to make sure your mom is alright with it first." Ryder assures him and for the first time showing a fatherly side towards Austin.

"That makes sense… I guess. When is she coming here?" Austin asks, the slight smile that was once on his face, fading.

"Her flight gets in Tuesday morning… do you want to come with me to pick her up?" Ryder asks his hesitantly.

"Ummmm... Do I have to?"

"No, of course not… I think she'd go easier on me…" Ryder stops as Stephen kicks him in the shin.

Stephen puts his arm around Mary Kate before leaning over her to face Austin. "Hey, Austin… James and I and some of the guys from the team and Glee Club were gonna play a scrimmage game during our free period before Glee Club that morning… Want in?"

"Definitely, if it's okay with everyone… " Austin replies, looking to James who smiles and nods enthusiastically.

"If you have any of your Ryder's skills, you'll kick ass." James encourages him, before Richard smacks him on the back of the head for his language.

"Okay, Thanks." Austin tells them, his face lighting up.

As we were cleaning up, I catch Stephen and James's eye and mouth a thank you and both of them nod in acknowledgement.

"Well, that was almost a disaster…" I say as I flop down on the couch after putting all the kids to bed.

"You handled it very well though… I'm proud of you." Ryder tells me, pulling my legs over his before massaging my feet. I close my eyes and begin to doze before we are interrupted.

"We need to talk. All of us." Charles and Carrie are standing in front of me when my eyes fly open from surprise.

"Okay…"

"Things are here are getting way out of hand." Charles starts. "From the wedding, Austin and now this girl's sickness… you guys are taking on way too much."

"I've told you again and again Charles… I try and help out but they just-" Carrie inputs.

"And you," Charles says, turning to Carrie. "You know that if they really wanted your help, they'd ask for it. Let them cope in their own ways and let them plan the wedding they want… it's their day, not yours."

"Charles! You are stepping way out of line!"

"No Carrie, you are. They have not asked for you to jump in and take a place in their lives that is not yours to take… You are Ryder's Mother. Not Marley's."

"Dad…" Ryder starts but I stop him.

"No Ry, he's right." I begin, and Charles gives Carrie an 'I told you so' look "But you are also wrong" I stand and turn to Carrie. "I have been trying since Ryder and I got back together to make you like me…you refuse to though. Honestly though, at this point, I couldn't care less if you think I'm ruining his life , that I'm weak because of my romantic past, or if you think I'm just using him. Because all that matters to me is that I love your son and that he loves me and my – our children adore him and he them. The real reason I've been so patient with all your crazy antics and ideas is because Ryder asked me to try and get along with you, even though ever since this planning started you have been down my throat about every little piece… even the fact that I was letting one of my best friends, who just lost her husband, plan my wedding because she needed something to take her mind off of everything. But I dealt with it because Ryder asked me to… I tried, Carrie! I really tried, but you didn't… even if you say you did, you didn't." I stop take a deep breath, no one speaks for fear of me snapping. "But at the same time, I must commend you. You took on a role, whether it was wanted or not, that I really needed. Losing my mother was the scariest thing to ever happen to me, beside the car accident with Finn and Ry, and you were willing, even though I wasn't able to agree, to take on the role of a mother figure to me, which you always were in high school… you just didn't take the right approach. But, thank you." I breathe deeply once more, before Carrie engulfs me in one of her hugs she was famous for when we were teens.

"I'm so, so, so sorry, Marley… I really never meant to make you feel that way… I honestly don't truthfully know why I acted that way towards you…"

"It's okay, I promise to keep trying… only if you start. Can we get back the friendship we had when I was in high school?" I ask, she smiles and nods, hugging me once more.

"Can I just say how amazing you were tonight?" Ryder asks once we've settled into bed after his parents have left. "You didn't have to forgive her that way, but I hope you know how thankful I am that you did."

"I just couldn't go on the way we were any longer. We should be happily planning our wedding, not fighting with your mother at every turn" I say.

"Well, you were super awesome tonight."

"Well gee! Thanks a bunch!" I say.

"Your sarcasm wasn't necessary…" Ryder says. "It's just hurtful."

"Sarcasm is always necessary…"