Thanks for feedback as always (and obviously for reading!). This is possibly the last chapter this "episode".
By the way - pre-warning...the next "episode" takes quite a dramatic turn with heavier themes as we start to see Michelle driven to some more drastic actions - not to mention some aggressive Carl (but nothing above T and no deaths or serious violence...). If you want to avoid several angsty chapters (but basically the bigger action and fallout chapters) then I would reluctantly suggest you make this "episode" your last. I would love to have you with me for the full journey though (still probably 3, maybe even 4 episodes to come depending on how detailed people want the exchanges!). It will all be OK in the end and it allows me to really push the character relationships. Just be warned - the fluff will be less and the interactions a lot more serious. Don't be too scared though - no permanent damage to any of our beloveds.
I hope you do continue - I just don't want anyone to have false expectations!
Right - on with the fluff - oh and before I forget - the Stef/Lena Club reference was suggested by MeryGFos. I love it when you guys suggest interactions so thank all of you who have done so! I hope I can do them justice (and never forget to give credit!).
"There you are! We've been waiting!" Jude said excitedly as Callie entered the room. He rocked on his feet as Lena and Jesus followed closely behind her.
"OK, OK! I need to give you all parts so we'll start with the main ones!"
"Jude, calm down!" Mariana laughed as he passed around the scripts.
"I'm sorry, this is just so much fun. I've memorised it all now I'm sure of it!" He said proudly looking at Lena who ruffled his hair.
They assigned parts for the various acts and began reading through, all apart from Jude who stayed on his feet filling in his lines word for word unprompted.
After a couple of acts Stef finally emerged, slowly creeping her way further into the room.
"I told you she'd be back." Kasey smiled.
"I never said I wouldn't be...I had things to do first..." Stef mumbled defensively before taking a place next to Kasey and Evan on the bed. It was true, she could never stay away from the prospect of family fun.
"Things to do like what?" Kasey laughed turning her face to her accusingly, determined to be proven right in her predictions.
"I don't know, figuring out if I need you to clean out the garage this weekend..." Stef raised an eyebrow back at Kasey to put her back in her place.
"I don't think she wants you to gloat any more." Evan whispered to Kasey informatively.
"Thank you for clarifying that my love..." Kasey whispered back with a smile at his innocence in feeling the need to translate.
Stef winked at Evan as he looked down bashfully.
"OK Jude - you gonna get Mom a part or what?" Callie remarked.
"I can probably find one of the small ones..." Jude wavered slightly hesitant. "You won't have to say as much..."
Stef gawped pretending she was offended as Kasey tried to hide a laugh.
"I can read Shakespeare thank you, young man. I happen to have dabbled once or twice in acting back in my day thank you."
"He had only just written them back then..." Kasey before a quiet yelp as Stef pulled her into a headlock giving her a noogie.
"Well there you have it Jude, we are dealing with a pro." Jesus chipped in.
"I mean I just thought, it was just because you don't really like Shakespeare." Jude added, worried he had hurt her feelings.
"I think you're just worried I'll steal your limelight, my friend. I know your game..." she teased, giving a recovered Kasey an idea.
"Hey, I know the perfect part for Mom - that is if Evan doesn't mind..." Kasey looked up at him with a hint in her eyes. He looked back at her blankly.
"With all of her superior acting experience that is..." she hinted further as Evan caught her drift.
"Oh no, not at all - I could do with a break." He smiled. "You can take over my part for Act 3, Mrs F. I'm playing Bottom."
The others in the room quickly exchanged a smile grasping Kasey's mild dig of setting Stef up to be playing the part of the arrogant actor whose head gets turned into a donkey's.
"Bottom? That sounds attractive..." Stef snarked. "Is this some kind of a joke?"
"Nope - one of the main parts." Callie jumped in on the fun shoving a script in her hand. "We've just turned the page to here. It's just his last name. Bottom didn't mean the same thing back then."
Lena shook her head but decided not to ruin their fun.
"And besides - Lena's character is about to fall in love with you."
"Well I can't complain about that..." Stef winked at Lena before putting her reading glasses on.
"Your line Mrs F. I left off right here..." Evan pointed over Kasey onto Stef's page, deliberately after the point where it explained that she had returned with the head of an ass.
"Here? OK -" she cleared her throat. "If I were fair, Thisby, I were only thine. Is this even English?"
"Shh! Don't add in your own bits! You'll ruin the flow" Kasey scolded swatting Stef on the leg who quickly swatted her back with a small growl as Kasey and Evan chuckled back.
"O monstrous! O strange! we are haunted. Pray, masters! fly, masters! Help!" Mariana chimed in before Jude sprung up enthusiastically into his next piece.
"I'll follow you, I'll lead you about a round,
Through bog, through bush, through brake, through brier..."
He continued as the others watched with smiled, all seeing him so engrossed. They continued rotating round until it was Stef and Mariana reading their parts again.
"Bless thee, Bottom! bless thee! thou art translated. " Mariana read enthusiastically to part.
"Really - I don't see any of this as translated..." Stef quipped as Kasey sshed her again.
"It's your line! Stop breaking character or you'll get into trouble."
"Ugh. I see their knavery: this is to make an ass of me; Wait a minute, Lena you don't let me say "crap" but you're letting the kids do a play that keeps talking about ass?"
"It's art!" Lena laughed back defensively. "Besides, it means ass as in donkey. Now are you going to do this properly or keep interrupting?" Lena now doing her own scolding.
"Told you." Kasey whispered as Stef nudged her lightly and continued her piece. They made it through a few more scenes before Brandon interrupted.
"Very nice." He clapped after the scene they were in the middle of ended. His mood had improved dramatically since his talk with Callie. She smiled at him as he looked at her.
"Come to join?"
"Sure - if you have any parts left that is."
"We can shuffle around." Mariana responded.
"Can read Oberon if you want, I've got a couple other parts already." Jesus offered as Brandon nodded taking a script.
"OK - Moms, you're starting this scene" Jude commanded.
"Who are you guys playing?" Brandon asked sitting up against the wall.
"I'm playing Titania and your Mom is playing Bottom." Lena replied with a smile as Brandon laughed.
"Let me guess, Kasey didn't tell her she's has the head of a donkey?" He jibed as Kasey threw a cushion at him before looking at a gawping Stef.
"No she didn't! Sneaky little..." Stef raised her script above Kasey's head to hit her with it as the others laughed before Callie silenced her placing the donkey's head she had made onto Stef's.
"OK, OK - very funny." She slapped Kasey's leg after re-adjusting the mask to sit properly on her.
"Hey - Callie put it on you, not me!" Kasey protested through a laugh as Evan pulled her in to protect her.
"yes, I am aware of that." Stef turned her head to Callie to swat her too but Callie just laughed.
"Yeah - I can't take you seriously wearing that thing..." she snorted through the laughter as Stef pulled her down under her arm and wrestles Callie's hair furiously.
"You testing your club membership?" Evan winked at Callie as she finally had her head freed and Stef freed her own from the costume.
"Club membership?" Lena questioned with a raised eyebrow.
"Shhh!" Callie scolded Evan as he shrunk his head down and the others all looked at him.
"Ugh." he responded, realising he now had to explain. "The Stef and Lena Club, unconditional love, condoms..." both Stef and Lena threw him a glare as he quickly back-tracked. "OK Callie describes it a lot better..." he said guiltily as all eyes turned back to Callie, even more confused.
"It's just a stupid little thing...it really isn't worth explaining."
"Oh we'll be the judge of that - go on." Stef ordered through an expectant smile.
"Just that when you're here for long enough you feel like part of the club - whole Brady Bunch thing. Get all the good stuff but when you come from crappy places like Evan and I did it comes with a whole lot more guilt and responsibility when you screw up. In a good way - obviously." She quickly tried to explain throwing a look at Evan for spilling the beans on their private talk. There was a moment of silence and a proud exchange of looks between Stef and Lena. It was incredibly heartwarming to hear that the difference they had made to both Callie and Evan had been a topic of conversation between them. They didn't seek reward - the love of their children was reward enough - but it didn't mean they didn't enjoy hearing it unexpectedly every now and again.
"Well that's very sweet." Lena responded.
"Yep!" Stef chimed in trying to prevent things coming to sentimental. "Plus I like this guilt thing...I hope you all feel so guilty about this little private joke that you're all going to be at my beck and call for the rest of the week. Especially you!" She threw one of the remaining cushions on the bed at Lena who raised her palms apologetically with a smile.
Just then the doorbell rang.
"I'll get it." Brandon said. "I'm barely settled - carry on."
He headed off out the room.
"Right are we ready?" Jude asked getting slightly impatient, out of continuing excitement rather than frustration.
"Go on..." Stef said bounding up towards him. "But let's see if you can still blow us away with this on!" She teased forcing the costume onto him as he laughed.
Brandon got to the door and was shocked to see Michelle standing there. She didn't say anything, just stood with a small smile and holding the bear they had won together at the fair.
"Peace offering?" She said quietly as Brandon's shoulders dropped down with slight relief.
He pulled her into a hug, the bear between them.
A few weeks later the week of the play had approached.
"Yep we have the list Mom. Yes. Yes." Jesus rolled his eyes as Stef continued to tattle off specifics. Evan smirked next to him as he stopped the car. The final dress rehearsals and last of the logistics were being planned and finalised. Evan and Jesus had agreed to help out with a couple of errands that had been forgotten in everyone's busy schedules.
"OK Mom - we're at the school now so I'm gonna have to go. Yes we brought both boxes. We didn't forget them...unlike some people. No I'm not being a smartass."
"I see your Mom is thanking us for helping out with the shopping and errands in the usual way." he whispered as Jesus batted his hand at him trying to hide a laugh continuing to get Stef's earful.
"Yes we'll remember milk. It's on the list you gave us. Yes I know which one Mom I drink it every morning..."
"Square, about this big..." Evan motioned. "White, used to be in a cow..." Jesus tried to not laugh.
"OK. OK hang on." Jesus said covering the mouthpiece with his hand as Evan looked to him.
"Mom says she can hear you and says that just for that, if you miss one thing off that list - or get one thing wrong, she's gonna march you back to the store dragging you by your ear."
Evan's face dropped and he quickly skimmed the list down to make sure he had a back up memory of all of it.
"Alright. Yes. Mom, we really have to go or you won't be getting any of this stuff. OK. See you soon." he hung up.
"God she gets naggy when Lena's not home yet "
"OK, after we run these costume boxes in I need to have a quick talk with Lesley but she's taking detention..."
"Yeah...I'll wait for you in the parking lot. Think I've seen enough of that place recently." Jesus quipped as they unloaded the boxes from the trunk and took them into the school.
Afterwards Jesus leaned against the wall of the school waiting for Evan as the kids filtered out from detention.
"Hey Jesus. How's it going?" Jesus turned and his expression dropped slightly identifying the source of the greeting.
"Hey Ryan." He said quickly before looking around hoping Evan would return fast.
Sorry about the mild cliff at the end of an otherwise fluffy chapter...I mainly did it to even out the word counts.
Chapter 35 Preview: Evan's noble actions cause Carl to give Michelle a drastic ultimatum. Evan gets suspicious.
"Look, that's the kid who gave me the weed. I dunno, he was trying to rile me or something. I would just rather ignore him."
A look of anger flashed across Evan's face. Jesus had come too far to risk some teenage lowlife dragging him back down.
"Give me a minute." Evan said before swinging back round.