Emilie watched the closed studio door that Rose had disappeared into hours ago and wasn't surprised that the couple never reappeared. She could only guess what they were doing down there. She smiled as Charlie wrapped his arms around her and kissed her forehead.
"I don't think they'll be coming back up here anytime soon, if that robe Rose was wearing is any indication," He grinned.
"I have to agree. Not that I mind. It's not like I'll get lonely up here, just the two of us," Emilie smiled, looking into he boyfriend's eyes. "The past two weeks have been...like a dream or something."
"They have. Free to be together, without having to look behind our backs. No having to sneak you out of the house or avoid your parents. Not to mention, the weather is beautiful."
"Do you want to stay here for good? I mean...we probably don't have to live here with Jack and Rose...but have our own place?"
Charlie paused, thinking about it. He did love Wisconsin. It was where he had grown up. He had friends and family there. But life here with Emilie had been the most peaceful he had ever experienced and he didn't really want to give it up. "I think I'd like that. What about you? Would you want to live in California? Make it our permanent home?"
Emilie nodded. "My brother is here and I have a great sister in law and I'm making friends. Plus this is the happiest I've ever been. I don't want to go back to that house. I just hate leaving my other two brothers there, but they'll be fine. Frank loves them...and so does my mother. Plus after what had just come out, I think CPS will be keeping a close eye on them."
"Frank and Laura must be pissed off right about now. I doubt anyone is willing to serve them now that they know who they are and what they did to Jack," Charlie snorted, unable to help feeling pleased. What must be happening to the Collins now couldn't happen to nicer people.
Emilie was about to answer when the doorbell rang. She frowned, not sure if she should answer it or not. She looked at the front door, then at the studio door. "Should I get Jack, or should I answer it?"
"I say answer it. You live here too now, right?"
Emilie nodded. Frank was right. Plus, she might as well make herself useful. There was no use disturbing her brother and Rose over the door when she could answer it herself. She walked over to the door and opened it to her mother, who did not look at all pleased to see her. Emilie frowned, blocking the way into the house, knowing that her mother would not be welcomed.
"What are you doing here?" Emilie glared. She wanted to tell her mother to go away. This was Jack's home, his sancturary. Only the people he considered family were allowed inside, especially at this hour.
"I'm here to see Jack. We need to talk about that press conference he had today," Laura looked behind her, where Emilie was sure Frank was waiting.
"Jack's busy right now and you're not welcomed here. Go back home mother," Emilie was about to close the door, but Laura blocked it with her hands.
"Emilie, this is important. Thanks to that press conference, we were told to leave our hotel room, no one else will book us, saying our money is no good here. We need him to take it back..."
Emilie wanted to laugh. Her mother had some nerve. "Let me see, you torture my brother, stand aside as your husband beats him, made it clear that he's not wanted and loved by the woman that had brought him into this world, and now here you are, wanting him to take back the truth. Mother, you wouldn't even come with me to see Jack, no way am I letting you anywhere near him now and as for taking it back, forget it. You and Frank made your beds, now sleep in them."
Laura frowned, wondering what she had ever done to deserve to be treated this way by her and Frank's daughter. "Where is this coming from? Why are you being so hateful?"
"Where is this coming from? I witnessed you abandon and betray my brother, who I love very much. You are the reason he left and we've been apart for six years and you wonder why I won't let you in this house or anywhere near him?! You have some gall! Just go away mother. I'm twenty years old now. I'm not a minor anymore and I'm not returning to Wisconsin with you. Charlie and I are staying here in California, so go. I never want to see you again and neither does Jack. Go enjoy your Frank. He's the one you care about anyway."
"Emi, who is that at the door?"
Emilie turned around to see Jack and Rose, Jack was fully dressed, but Rose still wore her kimono and her hair was in dissarray. It was obvious what they had been up to. She blushed and shrugged.
"No one important."
"Jack! It's your mother, Laura! We need to talk!" Laura called into the house, hoping that Jack would grant her an audience, despite Emilie's determination to keep her out.
"Do you want to talk to her? You really don't have to if you don't want to. We can call the police," Emilie stared at her brother, trying to gage his reaction.
Jack stood there, stunned. He didn't know what to do. He didn't want Laura there...but there was still a part of him that craved his mother's attention and was curious about what she had to say. He looked at Rose, wondering what she would do. "What do you think?"
"Emi's right. You don't have to let her in. The question is, what do you want? Do you want to talk to her?" Rose frowned, her grip on his hand tightening, letting him know that she was in this with him. He jumped, she jumped.
"Don't leave my side..."
"Wild horses couldn't drag me away," Rose smiled, kissing his hand.
"Let her in, Emi. But just her. I will not have that asshole Frank on my property. I don't care if he's bleeding from his eyes," Jack directed, the feeling of Rose's hand tightly in his making him feel brave.
Emilie sighed and stepped aside, wishing that Jack would have told he to shut the door in their mother's face. "Come on in, mother."
Laura walked in and looked around at the place, feeling impressed despite herself. It looked like Jack had indeed done well for himself. She wondered if there was a chance that he'd share the wealth with his dear mother, then she looked at his face and realized that he had no intention of doing so. She had abandoned him and now she was going to pay for that.
"What do you want?" Jack asked.
"Can we talk alone?" Laura asked, not wanting an audience.
"No we can't. Whatever you have to say to me, you can say it in front of Rose and the others."
"Jack, you're treating me like a stranger. I am your mother."
"Now you want to act like his mother?" Rose couldn't help herself. Like Emilie, she couldn't believe the gall of this woman. "Do you know or even care what you've put him through? How much damage you did and now you want him to treat you like the mother you weren't?"
"Rose, it's okay," Jack squeezed her hand, touched by her defense. "We'll let Laura say her piece and then she can leave."
"Maybe you should hear my side before judging me so harshly," Laura frowned, feeling like she was being attacked.
"Nothing could make me understand your side. No man is worth throwing away your own son like you did. Just because his father wasn't the man you really wanted. My mother is a piece of work, but you make her look like mother of the year. And I am not going to let you hurt him again, you hear me?"
"Rose, it's okay," Jack squeezed her hand then turned to the woman he once considered his mother. "Look, you're not wanted here by either of us. I don't even know how you found where I live. Just say what you came here to say then walk away like you did in Chippewa Falls."
Laura had to admit, his words hurt. Yes, they were the truth. She had stopped being his mother the moment that Albert died and Frank moved in. It had taken a while, but the point had finally been made. It just hurt that he was now willing to walk away as well. Especially now when he had made something of himself.
"Look, we need you to take what you said back. Thanks to your press conference, we were thrown out of our hotel room. No one will accept our money or let us stay in their establishments, not even the run down places. And who knows what's waiting for us back in Chippewa Falls. Frank and I need you to take it back so we can go on with our lives."
"I can't believe this," Emilie shook her head.
Jack just laughed, unable to believe the gall of this woman. "You really are something, Laura. I am taking nothing back. I only told the truth. What you and your husband did to me! I told the truth, not only to stop hiding from the past, but to help others stuck in the same situation! I don't fucking care how it affects you and that bastard of a husband of yours! I no longer care what happens to you! I told the truth and it stands! Let the cards fall where they may for you and yours! As for me and mine, we're just fine and don't even think about taking Emi back with you! She's going nowhere unless she wants to! Now get off my property before I call the police!"
Laura looked at her son with tears in her eyes. Looking at him, she still saw the little boy he used to be...the little boy that had loved her, the teenager that had been betrayed by her, and now the adult man that hated her. There would be no talking to him, no pleading with him. He wanted nothing to do with her, not anymore.
"Please just think about what I said," was all she could say before turning around and leaving the house, shaken by her own realizations. She had messed up. She had turned a sweet loving son into a grown man that wanted nothing to do with her and there was no repairing that. Not after what she had done.
She stumbled back to where the car was waiting at the end of the driveway, where Frank was waiting inside.
"Did you talk to the boy? Where's Emilie?" Frank stared at the woman, frowning at her frazzled state.
"I talked to him. He's not taking anything back. He hates me. And Emilie refuses to come home."
"Fuck!" Frank punched the steering wheel angrily. "I can't go back home like this!"
"We have no choice. He threatened to call the police," Laura got into the car, fastening the seatbelt.
"And Emilie refuses to come home?"
"He said she doesn't have to go anywhere unless she wants to...and she doesn't want to. I don't know what we are going to do."
Frank sat behind the wheel, staring straight ahead, his mind working. His wife loved that girl and so did he and he wasn't ready to just let her walk away from their family. There had to be a way to get her back. "Don't worry. We'll think of something. And don't you fret over the boy. This is how we wanted it, remember? Just you, me, and our kids. Dawson's brat not part of the equation. Who cares that he's rich now."
"Frank...let's just go. Please. I don't want to be here any longer than I have to be."
Frank just nodded and drove away. Little did he know that Laura had regret. She regretted not being a better mother to Jack. For abandoning him. Seeing him again had woken up something up in her that she had thought was dead. Now that she knew that he hated her, she could admit it. But it was too late now. All she could do was go on with her life.