Chapter 37
"Here is mommy and grandma." Brandon talked to Thea who was smiling in his arms.
"Is she finally awake?" Kelly asked looking away from the bell pepper she was dicing.
"Up, dressed and full of smiles. Ready to help daddy set the table." Brandon walked to Kelly peeking over her shoulder in the bowl with salad. Seeing she was tense he placed a few chaste kisses on her neck a sly smile on his lips.
"Just keep your eyes on her, before she drags all the dinnerware from the table." Cindy warned him turning away from the stove.
"Don't worry mom, me and Thea had a talk about it. She agreed to stay away from the tablecloth if I lower the dating age to 28." Brandon grinned.
" Your daddy is crazy." Kelly spoke to Thea kissing her cheek.
"Yes, I am when it comes to the two of you." Brandon winked at Kelly before he and Thea finally disappeared in the dining room.
"Where did the dating thing come from?" Cindy asked once they were alone.
"He's his father's son." Kelly smiled knowingly at Cindy.
"Oh, my. It's been years, I already forgot about that." Cindy laughed.
"We have this running joke that Thea won't be allowed to date until she's thirty." Kelly noted.
"It didn't work for Jim in the end, he underestimated his daughter. Brandon is still a milder version of his father, it won't be that bad." Cindy smiled returning back to the stove.
"For the sake of all of us, let's hope it's true." Kelly added the bell peppers into the bowl mixing the salad. "All ready." She pushed the bowl away from her. "I'm going to check on the two."
Reaching the dining room she saw Thea in her baby blue dress playing on the floor with her blocks set while Brandon was setting the table. Looking up he saw her standing in the doorway.
"Dismissed from service?" He grinned.
"Yes." Kelly smiled softly leaning against the doorway. Both of them knew there was no use in arguing with Cindy Walsh. When she was around she was the boss in the kitchen, plus she hasn't seen Valerie in years and was excited about the upcoming meeting everything should be picture perfect.
Brandon placed the last plate on the table. "Are you still mad at me?"
"No, I'm not mad at you." Kelly answered her eyes on Thea.
"Than what is it? You've been all relaxed when we were leaving the hotel." He noted.
"I don't know." She shrugged.
"Kel?" Brandon walked towards her, taking her hands into his.
"It's nothing Brandon, really." She assured him looking into his eyes.
"Alright." He kissed her cheek dropping the subject and returning back to the table.
An hour later everything was prepared for the arrival of their guests. Kelly was sitting on the floor in living room with Thea the two of them playing while Brandon chatted to his mother. When the doorbell rang he was the first one on his feet heading to welcome Valerie and Axton. Cindy soon following him. Getting up from the floor Kelly picked up Thea and followed the two of them seconds later.
Watching the scene in front of her she felt torn. She and Valerie called it a truce years ago when she was leaving Beverly Hills, all of that changed for her the moment Donna came to Casa Walsh in tears. Despite promising to Brandon that she'd play it nice, she was not sure if she'll be able to do so. Pushing the thoughts aside she concentrated on Thea in her arms who got all excited once she spotted the baby. Seeing him Kelly had to share her daughters excitement, he was a copy of David a lot more chubby, but nevertheless David's mini-me.
As the evening progressed Kelly was thankful for Thea's excitement, making sure that she was not hurting Axton she and Valerie did not exchange more than a polite greeting. It wasn't until the dinner was eaten when Kelly and Valerie faced each other alone after all those years, with two kids in tow they were left alone in the living room after Brandon and Cindy insisted on taking care of the dishes.
Thea's chatter and Axton's cooing were the only sounds disturbing the awkward silence that filled the room after the two Walsh's left.
"He's beautiful, Val." Kelly finally said when the silence was slowly becoming unbearable.
"Thanks. Takes after his father." She commented.
"He is David's mine-me." Kelly noted.
"Brandon didn't get much look in Thea." Valerie smiled.
"When she was a newborn she looked just like him, Cindy showed me some old photos and you wouldn't spot a difference. It's funny how much they can change. " Kelly agreed looking at her blond haired and blue eyed daughter silence filling the room again.
"Look, I know I'm not your favorite person right now, never was and never will be. But maybe we should pick up where we left of when I was leaving LA years ago." Valerie offered.
"What do you mean? Pretend that the last year and half never happened? There is a living proof that it did." Kelly motioned towards Axton.
"Yes, and I'll have that thrown into my face for the rest of my life." Valerie sighed.
"I'm not sure what you expected, Val."
"Maybe a bit of understanding."
"When Thea was born, Brandon was not there. I was lucky enough to have his parents and our friends around but I still had to go through most of it alone. I can somehow relate and understand what you are going through. At the same time, Donna is my friend, my best friend, I was there picking up the pieces that you and David left, I can't just forget." Kelly tried to explain.
"Some things will never change." Valerie said wearily.
"Maybe they will, but everything takes its time."
Valerie raised her brows.
"I have no idea why my husband still considers you one of his best friends, but he does and I'm already past that stage where I'd fight that...no matter how angry I was when he told me about this visit. Plus Axton is Thea's cousin, they should know each other the same way she knows Ruby and Ryan. I'm not ready to call it a truce, but I think we're both grown enough to be civil when we're around each other." Kelly looked at Val.
"I'll take that for starters." Valerie smiled slightly.
"Good." Kelly smiled watching as Thea caressed Axton's cheek.
"You should get her a sibling." Valerie smiled watching the two kids.
"We're working on that." Kelly replied sadness washing over her, if the faith did not strike against them, she'd be having a little brother in about a month's time. Pushing her memories of Felix away she looked in the doorway as she heard Brandon and Cindy returning. The evening rolled forward.