Chapter 44: Family Reunion
Everyone had gathered at Michael's house for a get together. Mae, Mark, and Missy had just pulled into Michael's driveway, they spotted Frankie's motorcycle, and Franklin's Bravado Buffalo, parked outside the house. The three got out of the car and walked into Michael's backyard, Jimmy was standing at the grill cooking burgers. Mae walked up and greeted her uncle, "Hey uncle J." she told Jimmy as she hugged him, "Hey kid." Jimmy replied. Jimmy's kids were swimming in the pool, and Michael and Amanda were sitting at the deck table talking. Mark walked up to Michael and shook his hand "How you holding up pops, Mrs. D? Michael smiled "We're good Mark, can't get it up. But that's another story" Missy walked over to Mark and greeted the De Santas.
Franklin and Tracy walked out in the backyard, Tracy had just gotten out of rehab, her face looked better and she looked like she had been eating more. "Hi Mae!" she said happily hugging her daughter. Everyone sat at the table and talked, Amanda brought everyone out a beer except Michael and Franklin, who quit drinking. "So Mae, how's life been going? You getting out of the robbery game?" Franklin asked Mae. "Maybe, things are going good since I come into money, I own the strip club, and three restaurants. Things are looking up." She said with a smile, Mark took Mae's hand and they sat together.
Jimmy had the burgers done, he sat the plate down on the table and everyone made a sandwhich. As they ate, they told stories Michael and Franklin told the group about their adventures with Trevor, everything from the heists in North Yankton to the craziness in LS. When the group finished their meals, everyone except Michael, Amanda, and Jimmy lit a smoke. "So Mark, when are you gonna tie the knot with my little girl?" Franklin asked "Dad" Mae said embarrassed "It's too early to think about that." Mark replied. "Yeah, besides me and Mark share her." Michael and Franklin nearly spit out their drinks. "Ok, let's change the subject" Michael said.
Tracy and Franklin were hugging and cuddling each other like two teenagers, they jad a broken marriage starting from the time Frankie hit puberty, Franklin started drinking a lot and cheating on Tracy, and Tracy turned to drugs to cope with it. Now everything was being fixed, and they were glad. Mae was glad to seen her parents but she still resented them for kicking her out. "So Mae, you really oughta come to the house more, you never wanted to spend time with me" Tracy said. This kinda annoyed Mae. "Since you were a teen, you shunned us, ran away and acted like we were nothing to you. We were worried sick about your survival." Tracy laid this guilt trip on Mae, she gritted her teeth at her mother's comment. "That's enough Tracy." Michael said. "Well I'm just saying, it's like she never cared about us, now she come here probably expecting a hand out. I never could understand her selfish ways." Tracy replied
Mae stood up and leaned over the table "Me, selfish!" she shouted "I was kicked out, I didn't run away. You and dad give me the boot, and when I called for help after I was fired from my acting career, you guys didn't give a shit. I wanted to come back but you guys shunned ME! And now you lay sone guilt trip on me, no fuck this I'm out of here!" Mae walked out of the backyard and to the driveway, Mark and Missy followed her. They got into the truck and left the De Santa house. Mae was sitting in the backseat with tears rolling down her eyes, Mark was back there with her, he held her tight. Mae buried her head in his chest, and cried until they got home.
