Many thanks to my Beta VladdieChica for correcting this chapter and still reviewing.

Thanks to beastlyrocks for your review.

The Audition Lorraine

"You sure they liked me?" Will asked for the hundredth time.

I sighed, turned around and gave him an intense, meaningful look. I turned back and my eyes met the mirror.

"They love you" I said, more to myself than him.

"What makes you so sure? Your father-"

"I love you. That´s enough reason for them to see what a wonderful man you are."

He smiled and hugged me from behind. Then he gave me a long kiss. "I love you, too" he said.

He released me and waited until I had finished my mascara and turned to face him.

"Maybe you should've introduced me to them a bit earlier. My parents had time to learn more about you before you became my fiancé." He raised his hand to my head and stroked my hair out of my face.

"Normally the guy asks the father of the girl for her hand before the girl."

"My family is not normal" I told him and turned to the mirror again.

Dad had made his celebrated pasta. Everyone, okay everyone except for Charlie and Jake, was there. Nora and Bud came, leaving behind their hectic schedules. Even Kim, who went to parties almost every weekend and what was more, Mark, who hung out who knows where these days.

And they all watched me.

"So, what do you think of him?" I asked, but I was almost too afraid to hear their answer.

"You know what I think of him" Nora smiled back to me. She´s a great big sister.

I watched the others, who didn't say a word. "No reason to answer me." Then I talked to Mom.

"I found a wonderful dress."

"What´s wrong with my old dress?" she asked. But Nora had her old dress, and to be honest, it looked horrible.

There was a tense pause, in which I hoped an earthquake would start, only to end this evening.

"Lorraine", Dad started and he looked more uncomfortable then I´d ever seen him before. "William-"

"His name is Will, Dad. It´s not short for William. It´s just Will."

"So...Will...seems to be a nice man who will be able to treat my daughter like the princess she is. But...Lorraine I can tell that hundred percent. Because I don´t know him. I was asked to give the hand of my daughter to a complete stranger. And that makes me think of what will happen after. What if we never see you again?"

Suddenly, I started to smile. That was his problem? I could ease his fears.

"That´not going to happen, Dad."

"He´s a dick." Every head at the table turned to Mike, who had said this.

"No he isn´t Mike."

"Yes, he is. He is not even good in sports, I asked him. And he knows nothing about skating."

There was some noise that came from Sarah, but she did not say anything.

"He´s a dick", Nigel repeated for Mike and Kyle started to nod.

"You can´t know, you only met him once."

"That´s the point, Lorraine!" Big Tom was standing now. "We only met him once. We don´t know him. What should we know about him?"

"That I really love him" I stood up, too. "And that you can trust me. I mean, what do you care anyway? What do you care about your children? You know, a lot has happened in my life since it happened, but you can´t know. Ask your other children, I´m sure they feel the same- as if you care."

Everything went still in the room; not even the plants were moving

"I think it'll be great", Kim suddenly said. "At least one person in this family is still normal. You should be happy that Lorraine will experience the most important day-the most important event- in her life. I'm happy for her. And I am happy I can call Will family soon, because then I won´t have to be ashamed of my family anymore."

I sat alone in the living room, Mum and Dad were in their room and my siblings where god- knows-where. Nora and Bud were already gone.

"I´m not gonna pass middle school."

My head jerked around and I saw Mark standing in the door frame.

"What...what does that mean Mark?"

"I missed most of this quarter. I am not gonna move on; not a chance. Mum and Dad have to go to see the director on Monday, but I burned the letter. They don´t need to worry about me. They worry enough."

"Mark..." I did not know if I should hit him or give him a hug.

"I won't tell them for as long as possible. I know I can't lie forever, and one day they'll know. But for now, they don´t have to worry about me. I'm not that important."

"Mark..." I wanted him to tell him that it wasn't true, but it was. No one was important anymore, only Charlie, but he couldn't say a word. But they still loved us all.

"They love you, they don´t want you to miss your classes or...you have to tell them, Mark."

"Not yet..." He was so resigned. And he was only fourteen. It almost made me cry.

"It wouldn't change anything. It would only make it worse, if that´s even possible."

There was a pregnant pause where neither of us said a word. Then he spoke again.

"Next Monday, I go to school again. I´m not going to like it, but I know I have to. And, maybe- maybe they won't care. I think it would be the best. If they don´t care about you. You know they don´t care. You said it during dinner. I heard it, and it´s true. And I'm telling you, it´s fine the way it is."

He turned and walked away.

So, that was the next chapter.

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