Daria: Winter Is Coming Reckonings

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Rated "T" for language

Winter Is Coming*Winter Is Coming*Winter Is Coming

Rabbi Shapiro was leading another prayer when he was interrupted by a strange woman walking into the room who said "Jade, the car's outside. Let's go." He noticed Mrs. Morgendorffer give the woman a glare, then say "Excuse me, you are?" He was turning around as little Rikka glared at the woman and said "Hi, Breezy!"

That must be Ben Morgendorffer's ex-wife, he decided. Her behavior was incredible. He wasn't the sort of man to yell at a woman but he felt that she did need to be brought up short. He stepped between her and the Morgendorffers and said "I'm Rabbi Shapiro. Lady, do you have any idea as to what the hell is going on here?"

"That girl is my daughter," said Ben's ex. "So is that other one. I don't want them here."

"Why not?" said Rabbi Shapiro.

"I have spent years trying to shield my daughters from toxic people," said Breeze. "Ben Morgendorffer is a toxic person. That's why I divorced him. To save my children."

"Lady, in case you haven't noticed, this is a hospice. Ben Morgendorffer is dying," said Rabbi Shapiro. "It won't be long until he's not around anymore. I don't see why your daughters shouldn't be allowed to say their goodbyes while he's still alert and awake."

Lena's eyes bulged. She'd agreed to drive Breeze up here because Jade had run away and she thought that the girl had gotten into trouble. Instead, she found herself in a room in a hospice where Breeze's ex-husband was on his deathbed, both of Breeze's daughters were saying their last goodbyes, and Breeze wanted to take Jade away before she finished. What the hell game was Breeze playing? This wasn't just rude, this was wrong.

"Breeze, what's going on? Really?" said Lena. "You told me that we were picking up Jade to keep her out of trouble."

"I'm trying to get my daughter to come home," said Breeze.

"Fuck you, Breezy," said Rikka.

"Myrcia Waters Birdsong, watch your mouth," said Breeze replied.

"It's Morgendorffer," said Rikka.

"You'll be coming home with me after this and we'll be changing it to Birdsong," said Breeze.

Breeze was too involved with arguing with the foul-mouth little girl to pay attention, but Lena saw the tall auburn-haired woman sidle up to the front of the hospital bed and press the call button.

"That's not going to happen," said Helen. "My husband and I will be adopting her. The family court has already issued a court order granting me and my husband Jacob temporary custody."

"That doesn't mean anything," said Breeze, trying to brush away Helen's reply.

"You have no right," Grandma Ruth began.

"Oh, but it does mean something," said Helen, cutting in. "I'm an attorney and I already have access to lawyers specializing in family law here in Maryland."

Ben Morgendorffer was still lucid and awake on the hospital bed. He wanted to shout at Breeze for hurting his daughters but watching his sister-in-law go after Breeze was funny.

"Ms. Birdsong, I think you should leave," said Rabbi Shapiro.

There was a knock on the door and Helen recognized Warren, one of the hospice's medical aides. Warren was over six feet tall, overweight, but still retaining a football player's musculature.

"Excuse me, ma'am, we could hear you up front," said Warren. "You are upsetting Mr. Morgendorffer and our other patients. I think you should leave."

"This man is my ex-husband, those two girls are my children," said Breeze.

"And you're making noise and you're trespassing," said Warren. "I think you should go."

Lena sidled over to Rabbi Shapiro. "Rabbi, can I talk to you?" she said quietly.

"What about?" said Rabbi Shapiro.

"I didn't know Jade came here to see her stepfather," said Lena. "I want to give her as much time to talk with him as she wants."

"And you're saying this because?" said Rabbi Shapiro.

"I drove Breeze here and I have the car keys," said Lena.

Ruth had meanwhile slipped out of the room and walked to the receptionist's desk. "That woman hasn't left," she said. "I think you should call the cops."

"We've reached the same conclusion," said the receptionist. "The police dispatcher says there's one on the way."

Back in the room, Rabbi Shapiro was trying to calm things down. "We have a dying man here," he said. "Could everybody please settle down?" Despite his efforts to pour oil on troubled waters, the Rabbi was ignored.

Breeze was still arguing with Warren a couple of minutes later, Warren again trying to persuade her to leave and Breeze insisting on her right to be here. Jake was taking deep breaths watching them even as Helen tried to settle him down.

If Breeze had stepped back or perhaps noticed Rikka's sudden happy grin, she might have calmed down and avoided what happened next. A man in a dark blue uniform tapped on her shoulder and said "Lawndale Police Department, ma'am. That's a wrap for today. You're under arrest."

-(((O-O)))—

Things settled down after Breeze was taken away. Lena returned to the room just long enough to offer to drive Jade back home after she'd said her goodbyes, then retreated to the parking lot. The Rabbi then led Ben, Rikka, and the other Morgendorffers through a couple of prayers. Ben said he was tired and said that he wanted to call him a day. Helen, Jake, Melanie, Jade, Quinn, Ruth, and Rikka wished him a good night and left.

Jade asked if she should help bail her mother out of jail. Helen told her that it would be best if Melanie did and that she ought to return home. Lena said that she'd drive Jade home, and with that, they left the hospice. Daria later said that they stopped by long enough to pick up Jade's luggage, then set off for Pennsylvania. Melanie and the other Morgendorffers returned to the house on Glen Oaks. Helen told her that she'd help Melanie start through the bail-bond process to get Breeze out of jail, but not until them morning. Daria went to bed feeling grumpy that she'd missed all the excitement.

-(((O-O)))—

That night Rikka went to bed and dreamed. Her Mom was there, which made it nice, and there was also a broad, tall, dark-haired man with dark hair and blue eyes like hers.

"Rikka, this is your father," said Renna.

Rikka tried to curtsey and say "Your Grace" but discovered that it was awkward while you were sleeping.

"I'm keeping my eye on you and my other chicks over here," said her father. "Whatever your parentage, you're every bit as much a Baratheon as my father and my brothers and you're as tough as any of them."