Chapter 102
"If I got to tell you two again to go to sleep, not only are you not going tomorrow, I drop you off with Izzy at six AM!" Roger yelled down the basement steps. He waited a moment, listening to the silence before going over and sitting back down at the dining room table.
"What the hell kind of threat is that?" Patrick asked confused.
Cass and Roger looked at each other and laughed. "A good one." She told him. "You've never met a more miserable person to be around then when Izzy has to be up early."
"God that's the truth." Roger added, drinking back his beer.
"Mom is there any ice cream?" Mickey called to Joanie as he head was inside the freezer.
"No, Collin and Mattie finished it all." She told him.
"Well what about the brownies? Or did the little urchins finish those too?" He pouted.
"First of all don't call them that. Secondly the brownies and chocolate chip cookies are for tomorrow."
"But I'm hungry now." He whined.
"Oh for God sake Mickey." She got up and got a brand new package of Oreo's out of the cupboard, dropping them onto the table.
"Anyway," Patrick started, shooting a look at Mickey. "We need to meet Uncle Frank and the twins at seven. Can everybody handle that? Mickey?"
"Don't worry about it." Mickey told him.
"I know you, so I do worry about it."
"That's why I'm sleeping here. So I'll be up by six thirty." He turned and looked towards Joanie. "Okay?"
"Yes." Joanie shook her head.
"Oh you need your mommy to wake you up?" Roger teased him, pinching his cheek.
"Get off me loser." Mickey smacked his hand away. "Like you're any better."
"I'll be up. Knowing those two, they'll be awake before six thirty."
"You better get up earlier than that." Cass told Roger. "You'll never get those two up, dressed, fed and ready by seven."
"Oh yeah, food."
"Hey Mom?" Mickey asked. "Any chance tomorrow you could…"
"Forget it Mickey." Joanie laughed at him. "You know where the cereal is."
"You're pathetic Mickey." Shelly laughed.
"I don't care what you guys do. Just be ready cause at seven, Larry and I are leaving to go meet Uncle Frank. With you or without you."
"God chill out Patrick. Who made you ruler supreme?" Mickey told him.
"You guys just be careful tomorrow. And all of you watch those boys!" Joanie told them.
"Don't worry. They'll be fine." Larry told her, getting up from his seat and walking towards the kitchen. "It's too bad Mark couldn't come."
"Oh please!" Roger gave a toothy Oreo laugh. "You're lucky you got me going! Mark sitting on a boat fishing? Never happen."
"It's not so bad Roger." Shelly told him. "I've gone before. The bait is gross and stinks, but it's okay."
"Yeah well, spending the day on a boat, in the sun, playing with dead fish parts isn't Mark's idea of fun. I'm still not completely sure it's my idea of fun."
"You'll have fun." Shelly laughed
"You realize the only boat I've ever been on is the Staten Island Ferry."
"No Baby, you and Mark took Collin to the Statue of Liberty." Cass teased him.
"Right. Another reason to be glad Mark didn't come. He wasn't happy even on that little trip!" Roger laughed with everyone else.
"Well you guys just remember to put plenty of sunscreen on those boys. And yourselves. And drink a lot of water. It's supposed to be near ninety tomorrow. And make sure everybody wears a hat."
"God Mom we have gone fishing before you know." Mickey told Joanie.
"I know Mickey. And every time you go you always come home sunburned." She told him.
"Alright, alright. Sun tan lotion. We got it." Mickey told Joanie before turning back to Roger. "You just make sure those two remember the most important thing tomorrow."
"And what's that Mickey?"
Mickey looked up at Larry and Patrick who where laughing. "That if they're gonna puke, make sure they do it over the side and not on the deck of the boat!"
Cass and Shelly started laughing too. More so at the look on Roger's face. "Lovely. But yet another reason I never see Mark doing this."
"It's not that bad." Shelly laughed. "But you're right, I guess I don't see Mark fishing."
"Yeah, maybe not." Patrick laughed.
"How is Mark doing? And Maureen?" Shelly asked, reaching for an Oreo.
"I'm gonna go clean out the car." Roger told them getting up and walking out.
Larry watched him. "I'll help him." He grabbed two beers out of the fridge and followed him out the backdoor as Patrick and Mickey walked into the living room.
Shelly watched them go before turning to Cass. "Did I say something wrong?"
She let out a sigh as she watched them out the window. "No. He just doesn't like talking about it. But to answer your question, they're doing okay. They've got tickets to a show tomorrow night."
"Another one? They just saw one." Joanie said.
"Yes. Mark said he'd take her to every Broadway show there was if she wants. And in the last four months they have seen a lot of shows. But it's what she likes."
"How does she feel?" Shelly asked.
Cass shrugged. "Some days are better than others. She's tired a lot."
"How's Mark doing?" Joanie asked.
Cass shrugged again. "He's trying hard. You know, brave front. He's trying to understand why she wouldn't do the chemo, but that's really hard for him. Especially because he knows she doesn't regret deciding not to do it."
"How's Roger doing?" Joanie asked her quietly, almost afraid to know.
Cass shook her head. "He feels kinda stuck in the middle. I mean he totally understands what Mark's going through." Her eyes went down to the table. "And I know he would have done anything to make Mimi better, even for a little while, but at the same time, he understands why Maureen won't do the chemo. It's just hard for him to talk about it."
Joanie reached over and patted Cass on the arm as Cass continued. "Collin seems to be doing the best out of everyone. He and Maureen talk a lot. I don't know about what, but I've got my suspicions. You know we never realized till after Collins died that he and Collin had been talking about all of this stuff. I think it was easier for him to talk to Collin. No preconceived ideas. No baggage. Just sweet and naïve. And full of questions. Questions that make you think about stuff. And question your own beliefs.
"But he's probably doing the best out of everyone." She shook her head again, still looking at the tablecloth. "I mean I guess part of it is because he's not old enough to know better. And part of it is because he's been around it before and can just except it as how life is.
"Is that horrible? That a poor little kid has to know all this. Live through this again. He only just turned ten years old. And look what he's had to deal with." And what he'll still have to deal with someday she tried to stop her brain from thinking but couldn't.
"It'll be okay Sweetie." Joanie said, putting an arm around her. "He's a strong little boy."
"I know." Cass said softly, wiping at her eyes. "I know."
"Shelly?" Patrick called from the living room.
Shelly looked at Cass as she stood up. "She's right Cass. He's going to be okay." She gave her a quick hug before walking out of the room.
Joanie looked at her for a moment after Shelly left. "How are you doing?"
Cass wiped her eyes as the back door opened and Roger and Larry walked in. "I'm fine." She told her, smiling at Roger as they headed into the living room.
"Okay Sweetie." Joanie told her, standing up. "Maybe we can talk tomorrow. While they are all gone."
"Maybe." Cass said softly.
Joanie gave her another quick hug and whispered in her ear. "I'll bring more ice cream and tissues. We'll have a good cry. We'll both feel better."
"Thanks Joanie." Cass hugged her back.