Chapter Sixteen

"ello, Marnie."

Marnie sneered.

"Oh, so you remembered we exist, now?"

Edward flinched, seeing Danielle looking back at him, Marnie her image.

"Like I could forget you two." He reasoned. "Look, I messed up, severely, an' I know I can't jus' show up, say 'Hi,' an everythin's magically fixed. I only wanted to let you know tha' I 'ave neva stopped thinkin' abou' Piers or you, an' I made the wrong decision when I left. I won't ask for kindness, lay all ya 'ate on me. I fully deserve it."

"Good luck, DAD, 'cause there's almost three decades of it..."

Piers entered his home, considering exiting, when he saw situation.

"I deserve every year, every second, every minute."

"Considering Piers has forgiven you, in two seconds flat?"

Victor, in the background cringed, looking at the garden, wondering whether or not to flee to it. Her brother sighed.

"Dad, I've never slandered you to Marn. It wasn't me who did tha'."

"You didn't, but I was five, FIVE when you decided to swan off with Mum, like you didn't have children relying on you."

"I wasn't a child, Marn."

"Are you taking HIS side, Piers?"

Marnie seethed, her Weavile hissing.

"No, I am not. Jus' give Dad more than five minutes before reachin' through the phone to rip out his throat, okay? For Arceus' sake..."

Piers smacked himself in the face, leaving to the bedroom, slamming the door shut behind him.

"Wha' a fuckin' shit show..."

Celia, upon hearing that walked past husband, grabbed four balls, leaving to the back garden.

If she left the house, people would notice something was wrong.

Woman had to grit teeth, throw blanket over the problem.

If no one could see it, it didn't exist, right?

"Hello, everyone."

Celia sent out Pokemon, Carnelian, Angelite, Jupiter and Calypso, who surprised her.

"Oh?" Blond sighed. "I'm sorry, Calypso. I bet you don't like me very much, right now."

To her surprise, Zoroark shook her head. She knew Celia hadn't done anything wrong. Her trainer was steaming mad, puffing hot air, but that wasn't woman's fault.

"I don't know what to do, guys."

Jupiter walked over, sitting beside woman. She patted his head, Noivern landing on tree in front of her.

Former's trill was utilised, sound similar to ultrasonic waves, just enough for Celia to hear, yet low enough to simulate contentment. It worked, human smiling.

Latter pulled faces, responding in kind, chirps filling space. Celia gave Calypso an apple, looking at Angelite.

"Can I trust the two of you to share that? No need to be cruel, nature aside."

Zoroark squinted, but held out fruit.

"You'd think after knowing someone for twenty-five years, you'd know their ins and outs. Piers is highly strung, artists usually are. They are emotional, driven, can be careless. He doesn't mean it, but its coming off as infantile. I want to talk, but if I do, it riles him. He needs silence, when I would like chat, nonsensical, even..."

Crunching took her attention. Angelite had taken huge bite out of apple, fangs looming over Calypso. She looked at her rival, quite perturbed, lowering head, knowing Noivern's trait of nibbling on living things, drawing blood, Zoroark sorely trying to avoid that. Celia sat up, eyeing large bat.

"Now, now, Angelite. This is going well. Let it stay that way. Cerberus may lead you, Calypso, and I may lead you, Angelite, but that does not mean that makes us any better than the rest of you. We are one, rather large, hectic family."

Marnie, still shouting at Edward made woman flinch.

"Breathe. Breathe through it..."

Apple basket delved into, Celia handed one to each Pokemon, tuning out anguish.

Losing steam, Marnie looked at the floor.

"Why?"

"Because I am an idiot, I convinced meself I could get Dannie to come back wit' me. I failed, an' she wouldn't let me return. She does, things, when I am not there. I couldn't jus' scarper, tail between me legs. The 'hole of Spikemuth would'a 'ad me 'ead."

"Mum did that?"

"Yeh. I didn't fight her on it. I did wha' I could to provide, told people not to say anythin'."

"Seriously?"

"Yes, Marnie." Edward lent forward. "When I left, Dannie would lose it, I needed space from her, but she clung on, wit' all her might, an' I didn't wan' to be tha' fella who legs it, when the goin' gets tough."

"Where is she?"

"She's gone back to Galar, she let me know, an' fully expects me to follow her. I won't, not unless its on me own terms. I 'ave fought for forty years for her, but stopped carin', long ago. When I saw the two of ya on TV, 'ow amazin' you were doin', I panicked. Walkin' into tha', your space, disturbin' the peace felt wrong. I am a coward, Marn, I will take brunt, everythin' you want to get out."

"Solaceon Town."

"Eh?"

"That's where my boyfriend, Victor, our kids and I live. Its only fair you get to see them, too, since you've come all this way. I can't say I will forgive, forget what happened, like that..."

Woman clicked fingers, blues closing.

"O'course, Marn. Thank you, didn't 'ave to consida it, but the fact ya did is humblin'. Name the date, time, an' I'm there."

Edward smiled.

"It means the world. Third bes' thing to 'appen to me."

Marnie tilted head.

"What's the first and second?"

Dad rushed through man.

"Piers an' you bein' born. I know it didn't look like tha', at the time. Its obvious you adore one anotha, you moved wit' him."

"I barely remember you..."

"I wan' to rectify tha', as best I know 'ow."

"That's fine with me. Victor?"

Victor came back into living room.

"Is it okay with you, if Edward comes here?"

Victor nodded.

"The kids will be fine with it. They look a bit like you, Edward. Blue eyes run in the family."

Man nodded, aware Marnie wouldn't call him 'Father' and actually mean it for some time, if at all.

"We'd better go, Alexander and Diane need picking up from school, and I need to pick up some groceries."

Edward nodded.

"Maybe this weekend? Would that be okay?"

His girlfriend nodded.

"Yeh, that'd be alrigh'."

"Give our love to Piers, Celia and Sylvain."

"Will do."

Edward deliberately neglected to mention that his son and daughter-in-law, (currently) refused to speak to each other. He decided to keep up appearances, ending the call, wondering who to approach first.

Piers was beyond frustrated in his room.

Celia was (quietly) sobbing in the garden, face smushed against a tall, fox-like creature's neck.

Sylvain (fortunately) was at school for another two hours.

Edward had two hours to make the situation less frosty, having zero idea on how to go about it.

He decided he would pick up his Grandson, and pick up some food.

Food usually smoothed over issues, rumbling stomachs exacerbated grumpiness.

Was grumpiness the correct word?

Its level exceeded that, entire house freezing, uninviting.

Making cup of tea, Edward approached situation cautiously, on tiptoes.

He never was any good at balancing acts...