My Lovely Family
Chapter 21 - Until father-in-law do us part
It was a beautiful sunny day, but it was very windy. No one knows why, but Ben was in an open field whose only thing on the horizon was a bench in front of a tree. A girl was sitting on him. As Ben approached, he saw that it was his daughter Gabriella.
She was the sync of her parents. She had her mother's face and emerald eyes and her father's brown hair. From the six children, she, Gwendolyn, and Talitha were the closest to their mother. Gabriella was quiet, smiling as if expecting someone. A young man approached her and put his hand on her shoulder. It was Devlin. He and Gabriella kissed, to Ben's astonishment. When he turned back, he saw Gwen in Kevin's arms, who was kissing her. The hero wanted to react but found himself lost in that scene.
"Thanks for giving Devlin a home, Dad-in-law!" said Kevin.
Ben woke up scared.
"Love! What happened?" Gwen was worried.
"Gwen!" he considered telling but gave up. "No, it was nothing, I just had a nightmare."
"I'm here with you," she patted his hand and kissed his cheek.
(Opening theme)
The kids, including Devlin, came down for breakfast. In the living room, Ben was talking to Gwen about the boy's fate. They wanted to help him, but adoption didn't seem like a good idea, as they already had six children. They decided to talk to him to think of something.
Gwen's call last night made Julie reflect on her decision to let Devlin live alone. Hervé was not an insensitive stepfather as Harvey was to Kevin, but the boy was very afraid that his mother would choose to abandon him, so he decided to live and train his powers on his own.
"Do you think I made the right choice?" asked Julie.
"Well, I can't give you an opinion on that, but I see you still take care of Devlin," Hervé replied.
"It's just that Gwen looked worried yesterday. You know? It looked like Devlin was in trouble and needed help."
"If you think he's in danger, talk to him."
"Thank you, Hervé! That is what I am going to do."
The teachers arrived and the six Bunnies went to their classrooms. The couple took Devlin to the same place where Julie revealed Kevin's hiding place years ago. He told about his situation after his father's last arrest.
"My mother raised me with my grandfather's help. She got several temporary jobs to get money. Then she reunited with Hervé and married him. I lived with both of them until last year when I discovered my powers. Then I asked to live alone since my mother could not train an Osmosian."
"And she left you alone at 11?" Gwen asked.
"Yeah, but she talks to me all the time. My mother knows where I am."
"And she knows about the plan to help your father?" asked Ben.
"No," Devlin bowed his head. "He told me not to say anything."
"We want to help you, Devlin," said Gwen. "But for that, we need to know your situation. I know Julie and I know how much she loves you, but I am worried about the decisions she has made."
"Please don't call the Guardianship Council! They've already filed me twice for truancy and the third time they can arrest my mom and send me to a shelter."
"What do you mean, 'truancy'?"
"Its because my mother couldn't emancipate me because of my age. So when I got caught, they sent me back to her. Cannot explain our deal."
"Where I come from, this is called child abandonment," said Ben.
"Ben! Okay, Devlin, let's do this: we'll call your mom to talk and you will come right back to her house. No that of living alone before age stuff. And you will be trained by the Plumbers."
"And besides, you're going to be way out of your father's trouble, okay?"
"Thank you very much!" Devlin was thrilled.
"You're welcome," Gwen said. "We don't want you to have the same fate as your father."
That evening after dinner, Devlin returned to his mother's house. She was living in Keystone for two years. Julie promised she would take good care of her son and let Devlin visit Kenny.
"Thanks for everything, friend!"
"You're welcome, man! Whenever you need it, we'll be here."
When the Levins were gone, Kenny returned to the bedroom. He turned on a stereo, which started playing an Indian song. The boy danced with his stone pet (birthday gift from his mother). Ben entered his son's room without him noticing. Kenny bumped into him and was startled. He turned off the music at once.
"Dad! I already asked not to enter my room without knocking."
"I knocked, but you didn't hear."
"So don't come in."
"I wanted to know what you thought about the Devlin case."
"Well, I think you both made the right decision. Good thing Devlin can still be my friend!"
"Since when do you like Indian music?"
Kenny's cheeks turned red.
"It was a gift... Shanti gave it to me, remember?"
"I remember... and I remember you were very happy that Shanti came."
That's when Kenny got the most embarrassed.
"Dad... was that all you had to say to me?"
"Any problem, Kenny?"
"Well... ah, fine. I think I can tell you…"
"Of course. I am your father, you can trust me."
"It's just... Shanti... well…"
"Do you like her?"
"WHAT? How... how…"
"Kenny, I saw the way you looked at her."
"Ah! I shouldn't be like this" he lamented. "I'm only 10 years old... I'm still a child."
"That does not mean anything. I felt the same at your age for two girls."
"Really? Who?"
"First for Kai, then for your mother."
"Good thing you chose Mommy. Otherwise, you were going to be cuckold like that Kai's ex-husband was." Kenny paused, then spoke again. "No, I can't like her yet. Children must only like playing."
"Hahahaha..."
"What's so funny?"
"You're just like your mother: want an explanation for everything."
"What should I do? Spoil my childhood and grow faster?"
"No, Kenny. Think of her as your friend. And if you keep liking her, wait until you get to the right age."
The next day Devlin and Kenny were talking at the statue. But the Tennysons' son was distracted, with Indian music in his head.
"Dude, can you hear me?"
"Uh, what? Yes, man…"
"You're not! You're looking at the air with a dying bat face."
"My bad! I was thinking of something else."
"In something else or someone else?" teased Devlin.
"Don't annoy me, Devlin!"
"I'm sure this 'something' is called Shanti…"
"What? Where do you know her from?"
"Does not matter."
"Shanti is my friend"
"And you wish she was more than a friend…"
"I told you not annoy me!"
"Well, I have bad news: Jews don't date non-Jews."
"I CAN CONVERT!" Kenny realized later that he had just surrendered.
"There is! Didn't I say? You're in love with her!"
"Well, I have bad news: Gabriella is not a Gypsy."
"What?" Devlin marveled. "Who says I'm into her?"
"Do you think I didn't see how you look at her?"
"Well, we can date non-Gypsy women. Just the opposite is not allowed."
"Of course... my father will super approve this union…"
Everything seemed peaceful, but there was a commotion not far away. Arising from behind a smokescreen, SixSix spotted Kenny and fired at him. The boy jumped onto his hoverboard with the stone pet on his back. Triggered the Omnitrix and became the Wildvine. Devlin soon assumed his mutant form.
The alien threw his seeds at the villain while Kevin's son launched projectiles. SixSix responded by firing his bombs at the boys. That's when something unexpected happened: with just one arm movement, Wildvine created a mana shield and protected both. Devlin was surprised, and his friend even more so. With another move, the alien launched the barrier against SixSix and trapped him in a sphere. By the time Ben and Gwen arrived, the villain was already defeated. Kenny returned to human form. His mouth was open and his hands were on his knees.
"Dude, are you fine?"
"I... I can't believe what I just did. My magic... I could do magic as an alien."
None of Kenny's sisters who had ever won the Omnitrix could cast spells on alien forms. Since his magic was the weakest of all Tennyson Bunnies, he didn't expect that he would involuntarily do something like that.
With SixSix arrested, the Tennysons returned to headquarters. Devlin went with them.
The children had dinner in the kitchen.
"Did you beat SixSix alone?"
"You had to be there to see, Cassie! He attacked us and I tuned into Wildvine. And you won't believe... I could do magic!"
"What? You, Kenny?"
"Yeeeah! I'll show you" he turned into the Wildvine and repeated the deed, impressing the sisters.
"Uh oh! Daddy's coming," Karina warned.
"Kenny! Stop turning for no reason!" he touched his son's Omnitrix, returning him to human form.
"I was just showing the girls what I did…"
"Show them in the next fight."
"Cassandra is right," Kenny thought as Ben returned to the room. "Daddy is so niggling!"
"Oh!" - Gwendolyn had a memory - "Have you decided where we are going tomorrow?"
"There's going to be a performance at the circus," Talitha commented. "But Cassie is afraid of clowns…"
"There is nothing funny about them," Cassandra said the same thing as her father when he was 10 years old.
"You're just like Daddy" - Gwendolyn noted - "the only difference is that you don't burp after eating."
"Does your father do that?" Devlin asked in disgust.
"He used to do was when he was 10," Kenny said. "Also nowadays, but only when he drinks."
"Ten? Daddy did that until the day he got married," Cassandra said.
"Really?" asked Gabriella.
"That's what Grandma Natalie says. She says Mommy married the most disgusting man she's ever seen in her life."
Natalie exaggerated. The truth is, Ben dropped those disgusting habits when Gwen called him to be her partner at college graduation. He spent a month training etiquette to please his cousin.
"Well, the important thing now is deciding where we are going tomorrow," Gwendolyn said. "What do you think about going to the movies?"
"Looks good!" - Kenny said - "What movie they are playing?"
"They are playing one that I wanted to watch soooo much! It's about Schumacher's life" - Cassandra loved movies about cars and drivers.
"I'm in!" answered the brother.
"Want to come too, Devlin?" Gabriella invited him. He got pink cheeks.
"Of course... it will be a pleasure!"
From the living room, Ben watched everything.
"Good movie, kids!"
"Thanks, Mommy!"
The Bunnies left with Devlin. Unbeknownst to Gwen, Ben put an ID mask, assumed the shape of a totally different man, and followed the children.
Kenny found a known person.
"SHANTI!"
"KENNY!"
"My God! What a pleasure to meet you here."
"Pleasure is all mine. Which movie will you see?"
"That one about Schumacher."
"Wonderful! Me and my brothers too."
"Why don't you join us?"
"Great idea!"
The children straightened up. Cassandra sat next to Niraj, Gwendolyn next to Karan, Kenny next to Shanti, Talitha between Karina and her brother's friend. Gabriella had gone to the bathroom. Devlin waited for her to arrive, but one person sat next to her. The only vacant seat was next to Anuj, who was near Karan. Gabriella sat there.
"Great! Close to Shanti's brother, okay!" thought the person next to Devlin.
For the rest of the week, every ride the Bunnies took with Devlin, Ben would somehow take on a different form and prevent the boy from getting close to Gabriella. The next week, looking for a way to bring Kenny and Shanti together, Ben had the idea of holding a meeting at headquarters through the claim of compensating for Kenny's birthday, where there were few people. He went to the Indians' house to warn the girl.
"It will be my pleasure, Mr. Tennyson!"
"Oh, what is it? Call me Ben."
"Fine…" her cheeks flushed.
"You became a good friend of Kenny and he would very much like you to come" - when Ben said that, Shanti blushed even more - "You and your brothers. Oh, and we would like to meet your parents."
"We'll be there, sahib*!"
(Translation: "sir" in Hindi)
The great day has come. The room was crowded. In one corner, Max was talking to his grandson.
"Don't you think it's too ironic, Ben?"
"What, Grandpa?"
"I know you arranged this party to bring Kenny closer to Shanti. You are acting like a matchmaker."
"Oh, what is it, Grandpa? Kenny likes her and she seems to like him. Why not help?"
"Because I realize that while you want to help your son, you want to mess up with your daughter."
"Gabriella can't approach Devlin. His father will take advantage of this to try to steal Gwen from me."
"Ben, Kevin is well stuck. That's a figment of your imagination…"
But nothing convinces him otherwise.
Meanwhile, Devlin approached Gabriella and handed her a glass of soda.
"Well, today no one will disturb us."
"Haha, it is! Thank you, Devlin."
"You know, Gabriella…"
"You may call me Gaby, that's what my siblings call me."
"Okay, Gaby... has anyone ever told you that you are the spitting image of your mother?"
"Yes, all the time. 'Gwen with Ben's hair.'"
"Haha, that's good! This means that you will remain beautiful in the future."
Gabriella smiled. But looking at the horizon, she began to suspect.
"Devlin, do you remember that every time we were next to each other, there was someone between us?"
"I remember. Why?"
"Because I feel the same energy. Coming from there…" she pointed to Ben.
"You mean that…"
"That maybe it was Daddy all the time. Using an ID mask. I'm not stupid, I know what I'm capturing."
"I'll talk to him" Devlin stood up. Gabriella tried to stop him, but he was determined.
Shanti introduced her parents, Harshad and Hema Songavkar. Ben indicated where each Bunny was for the four Indians: Cassandra for Niraj, Gwendolyn for Karan, Gabriella for Anuj, and Kenny for Shanti. Devlin waited for Gwen's husband to be alone.
"Ben... may I talk to you?"
"Of course, Devlin…" he led him into a corner.
"I... I wanted to know what you think of me."
"A great guy."
"Then why were you on mine and Gaby's case?"
"Oh, you started calling her by the nickname…" he thought before saying. "I don't know what you're talking about" but Ben's face indicated that he knew everything.
"Gabriella found out about the ID mask. Why don't you accept our friendship?"
"Friendship? Haha, you look interested at her. I don't mind you being friends with Kenny, but you're a Levin and you'll never be good enough for her."
"It didn't stop you from marrying my daughter!" said a female voice in the background. Ben turned around and grimaced as if to say "Oh damn it!"
"Look at you!" continued the woman, now very close to him. People watched everything, but none of the three noticed.
"Oh, Aunt Natalie!" he said wryly. "I wasn't expecting to see you today."
"Why is it, no? Did it have to do with the fact that GWEN had to invite me because you didn't warn me yourself?"
"I thought you were busy producing an antidote with your poison."
"I didn't come here to see you! I came to meet my grandchildren's friends." She looked at Devlin. "Oh my God! You are a stun! My granddaughter is a lucky fellow! She found an exotic Gypsy! Wouldn't my daughter had been that lucky…"
"Here she goes..." Ben lamented.
"It's the truth! You were the disgusting boy from the subsidized housing who was lucky, to be Frank's nephew. You burped after eating and drank cheap beer from the bottleneck."
"How fine…" Cassandra mocked, making her siblings, besides the four young Indians, laugh.
"And you must be the beautiful Shanti." Natalie turned to her. "But look how lucky Kenny is! He got an Indian girl!"
"Nice to meet you, madam!"
"Nice to meet you too! May I ask, what caste are you from?"
"Oh, we have no caste," she smiled. "We are Jews."
"Jews! But look: Kenny was doubly blessed!"
Shanti and Kenny blushed and smiled.
"You know," - Natalie continued - "I appreciate Indian culture very much" - she looked at her son-in-law - "There they treat mothers-in-law very well!"
"It's because the snake is sacred there," Ben said.
"Also your cow mother!" - as soon as Natalie said that, Gwen used a spell to Ben forget - "Glad you had a better destiny, Kenny! Your mother was not so lucky at your age."
After a while, everyone was scattered. Devlin pondered what he had just seen. "It will be both of us in 14 years," he thought. Ben wondered if he was doing his children a favor or disfavor, trying to hurry things up.
"My intention with Gaby is just friendship. Really... I don't want to get your age and be a burden to you."
"Devlin…" - he put his hand on the boy's shoulder - "I was very hasty. Kevin spent so many years trying to steal Gwen from me that I was afraid that your proximity to Gabriella would help him attack us again. I ended up blaming you for Kevin's badness even though you're not guilty for his badness."
"We're only 11 years old, Ben…"
"And how could I think you were already into each other?" Ben was embarrassed. "Forgive me, Devlin. I don't wanna be like Aunt Natalie."
"Sure!" they shook hands and then hugged. "But you do not have to worry about me... I think Shanti's brother is more in love with her."
They looked back and saw Anuj and Gabriella laughing together.
"I am not worried…" Ben realized that Shanti and Kenny were dancing an Indian song together "But about that…"
"You asked for it, Ben!" Gwen noticed while passing near her husband.
Author's Notes
2) The song to which Kenny dances in his bedroom is "Salaam-e-Ishq".
3) The dialogue scene between Ben and Natalie is based on the movie "Monster-in-Law" (2005), by Robert Luketic.
3) Shanti's family surname was based on Indian-Jewish cricketer Bensiyon Songavkar.