"Power of Love"(Chapter Three)
by Ennon
Disclaimer:"Degrassi:The Next Generation" and its characters are all properties of Epitome Pictures and I'm making no monies off this fanfic.
Toronto,Summer 1996
"Do you think Dad will be happy?" 8-year-old Craig asked as Julia was pulling their blue Mercedes up to their driveway in the late afternoon.
"I'm not sure, Hijito, but this is something we all could benefit from!" 28-year-old Julia sighed.
"Craigger! Go upstairs while Mom and I discuss something!" 33-year-old Albert ordered as he ran barefoot out the house to the garage holding his golf club.
" I wasn't expecting you home so soon! Did the patient cancel their operation?" Julia asked.
"That's none of your business! What are you two plotting?" Albert asked accusingly.
"Nothing. I just got a wonderful job offer from ROM!" Julia insisted.
"A job? You don't need to work! What will our neighbors and my colleagues think if you're out working?" Albert sneered.
"It would be during the mornings when Craig's at daycamp and you're at the hospital. I'd have plenty of time to . .."Julia explained.
"Why would they want to pay what they can get for free?" Albert scoffed.
"Albert, people from all over come to that museum- and I speak four languages! It's an honour and a privilege to be offered. .."Julia insisted.
"Who did you have to f--- to. ..?" Albert sneered.
"How DARE you! " Julia boiled after slapping Albert in the face.
"Don't you EVER. .!" Albert boiled as he hit her in the ribs with the golf club.
"You accused me of dishonouring our vows and used vile language! If Papa were alive. . .." Julia seethed while holding back tears.
"You think he could help you now? Try to get to any job in this!" Albert boiled as he smashed every window and all the headlights in Julia's car with his golf club before making a few dents in the doors, hood and trunk.
"Please, no!" Julia pleaded before Albert kicked the headlight with his bare right foot.
"Ow! I cut my foot! Look what you made me do!" Albert boiled as he clutched his bleeding right foot.
"Craig, run to the medicine cabinet then get bandages and iodine!" Julia grabbed his right foot to stop the bleeding then shouted to Craig (who she thought incorrectly hadn't heard or seen anything).
"But that stings!" Craig shouted back.
"We don't want your father's cuts to get infected!" Julia insisted- as she helped Albert lean on her while he hopped back into the house on his intact left foot.
"Here's some money to get the car fixed! You know I love you too much to hurt you!" Albert insisted later that evening while the two were in bed.
"I know what I know," Julia sighed as she took the large amount of cash.
"No hard feelings?" Albert asked.
"Now why would I have hard feelings?" Julia asked.
"That's my Spanish Lover Girl!" Albert beamed as he hugged her while Julia rolled her eyes not sorry that Albert went straight to sleep after that.
The next afternoon at Prescott's Used Motors, Julia pulled up her battered Mercedes onto the lot.
"Mom, why didn't we take it to the body shop?" Craig asked.
"They wanted far more than what your father had given me, our insurance wouldn't have covered the difference and I'm in no mood to humiliate myself further to ask for more money," Julia sighed.
"Whoa! That's some model you got there!" a brown haired,bearded young salesman insisted.
" I was hoping Fred Sanford would take it but your lot was closer!"Julia insisted.
"You're funny, Lady!" the saleman laughed.
"And you are. ..?" Julia asked.
"Joey Jeremiah at your service! You must be this big kid's sister!" 24-year-old Joey insisted as he shook first Julia's then Craig's hands.
" Would you believe his grandmother?" Julia replied.
"Oh, that's a good one!" Joey laughed.
"Mom," Craig groaned.
"Hey, why aren't you laughing? You've got a beautiful,razor-sharp, funny Mom there!" Joey beamed- as he looked directly in Julia's eyes with great affection.
"Flatterer! I'm here to trade this car for a less expensive but drivable model," Julia insisted as she tried to avert her glance towards him.
"Let me see what we have in stock- and could I ask you to meet me tomorrow morning alone so we could discuss the sale?" Joey insisted.
"Depends on what you're selling," Julia blushed.
"Oh, that's a great one!" Joey guffawed.
"Don't you ever quit laughing?" Julia asked.
"Not as long as you're smiling. You look like you could use the practice!"Joey insisted.
"I'll be back mañana at 10 sharp- with my husband!"Julia beamed while holding up and tapping her wedding ring.
"I got what you're saying but I think we can negotiate," Joey beamed as he clutched her left hand and squeezed it which prompted a squeeze back and a blush from Julia.
" I must be going but I'll keep the appointment," Julia said trying to sound professionally crisp but nonetheless purring.
"So Mr. Jeremiah wants Mom to come back tomorrow and we'll get a new car!" Craig insisted that evening at dinner while Julia scooped the saffron rice next to the roast beef on Albert's plate at the Manning Residence.
"A new car? Didn't I give you money to fix the old one?" Albert asked.
"The bodyshops are quite expensive and I could get something reliable for my errands and volunteering. The insurance alone would pay for itself! You're welcome to join me in negotiating," Julia insisted while carving a slice of roast beef.
"Nah, I've got too much a caseload tomorrow! Besides, there's no chance anyone else would want you for more than a . .." Albert sneered.
"Albert! Language!" Julia pleaded while jerking her head in Craig's direction.
"I was going to say quick sale!" Albert scoffed.
"Everything looks in order and I think even with the bodywork, we can make a tidy profit off this car and give you another one, Mrs. Manning," Joey insisted at Prescott's Used Cars the next morning.
"Your wife must get tired of your flirting," Julia shrugged.
"Oh, I'm not married,"Joey sighed.
"And, despite your long hair, I don't think you're gay!" Julia insisted.
"Good one!" Joey laughed.
"What's it like not being married?" Julia asked.
"What did you say?" Joey asked.
"I can't believe I asked that," Julia groaned.
"I once was going to in high school. A girl named Caitlin Ryan who I adored but I stupidly cheated on her and blew the whole thing," Joey groaned.
"And you've been trying to fool yourself into thinking being a playboy's a worthy substitute for having a good,loving marriage and family ever since," Julia sighed.
"Gee, you sound like my Ma!" Joey laughed.
"I guess we mothers of boys know our sons never quite grow up!" Julia purred.
"So, I take it you got married real young, eh?" Joey asked.
" I was eighteen when Albert and I met and nineteen when we married," Julia explained.
"Why so young?" Joey asked.
"Papa was a Spanish diplomat and we lived in Ottawa but he was very old. Eighty,"Julia sighed.
"Whoa! That's something!" Joey gulped.
"He'd lost his first wife and their family in the Spanish Civil War and Mama died when I was a baby. We were all we had and he doted on me like fine china! But he took ill and needed a bypass and Albert was a med student then. He took such good care of Papa and promised him on his deathbed that he'd always take care of me," Julia sighed.
" And has he?" Joey asked.
"Oh, the first year was wonderful then he resented Craig being born and taking up my time. I shouldn't have burdened you,"Julia groaned as she got up to leave then squirmed as she clutched her sore ribs.
"Julia! You're hurt! Did Albert do that to you?" Joey asked as he tenderly touched her right side.
Julia started to cry.
"Oh, I should have separated from him ages ago but he's never done anything more than shout at Craig and there's never been a divorce in my family in 700 years!"Julia sniffed as she sat back down.
"You need to start taking care of you! " Joey insisted.
"I shouldn't have. .." Julia sobbed.
"I can accept if you walk out of here and never see me again but whatever you decide about you and me, I want you to be safe. .and I want you to be happy instead of just trying to make others happy!" Joey insisted.
"But I don't want Craig to have to. .." Julia groaned.
"He won't be happy unless you are- and I don't think your Papa would want you or Craig to keep living like that- 700 years of no divorces or not!" Joey pleaded.
"You're right. May I call you Joe? You're too wise to be a Joey and you're no kangaroo baby!" Julia asked.
"You can call me anything you like!" Joey beamed while laughing.
A few months later. .. .
"I'm going to move into a small apartment with Craig. Then when I'm free, we'll marry then move in together! I have enough from the car's value to have us last until then," Julia insisted as she and Joey hugged in his classic red car outside the Manning House.
"But how can you be sure Albert will agree?" Joey asked.
"Papa taught me that the first rule of negotiation is to give the other side as much as possible what they want but make their non-acceptance less pleasant than their acceptance would be!" Julia insisted.
"And what do you have in mind?" Joey asked.
"To give Albert what he loves and cherishes more than anything else in this world! Something he'd never willingly relinquish!"Julia beamed.
"You mean. . .? Are you sure you can live without. … ?" Joey asked as he gasped.
"There's nothing worth more to me than the happiness of those I love! Any other questions?" Julia beamed as she massaged Joey's scalp.
"You think if I shaved my head I could feel your fingers better?" Joey laughed.
"Oh, Joe!" Julia scoffed.
Julia walked into the house and took a deep breath.
"I'm going to pack some of my belongings and be gone! I've written down the name of a good maid service for you! Joey's outside and is waiting for me!" Julia said with a gulp as she started to climb the stairs.
"Julia, hold on! Let's talk this out!" Albert pleaded.
"No, there's nothing to talk out. You can have Adéle and everyone else you want from now on," Julia groaned.
"Julia, she means nothing to me! You can't leave me! I love you!" Albert pleaded.
"Albert, I stayed much longer than I should have because I did love you but you destroyed that! Love to you is as valueless as it is to a courtesan. Bait for others to get what you want but not to actually give," Julia seethed.
"Julia! Listen to me!" Albert pleaded.
"No, I'm through listening to you! You listen to me! I have drawn out the terms for a No Fault Divorce. In exchange,you will receive all the remaining monies of my Papa's inheritance and Craig's visitation two weeks every summer and alternating Thanksgivings and Christmases," Julia insisted.
"And if I don't agree. ..?" Albert asked.
"Then, I will sue you for every dime Papa left me and drag our family's laundry through the mud for all your colleagues and neighbors to see. I've put dated pictures, documents and other evidence of your adultery and abuse in a place you will never find- and I won't hesitate a moment to use them if you ever raise a hand or otherwise harm Craig! That includes having him exposed to that horrible Adéle," Julia warned.
"Jealous, eh! That's why you did all this!" Albert sneered.
"No, actually ,you two almost deserve each other,"Julia pondered.
"You think you've won but he'll grow up and understand what kind of a s--- mother he has!" Albert boiled.
" He knows there's no amount of money I'd have ever taken to have given him up for! EVER! For his sake and the sake of the love we once shared, I'll spare him knowing that you had no hesitation in giving Craig up for what my Papa would have wanted him to have," Julia seethed.
"Are you going to bring up my tuition and. … "Albert boiled as he picked up a golf club.
"It's good Papa's money helped you hone your gift to save so many lives. He'd have wanted that but money doesn't make the ignoble noble! " Julia insisted.
Craig returned from school a minute later.
"Are you ready, Hijito?"Julia asked as she kissed Craig.
"Yeah, I'm all packed! Goodbye, Dad! I look forward to seeing you again!" Craig gulped as he went upstairs with Julia after he and Albert hugged.
"Don't think this is over!" Albert seethed.
"Well?" Joey asked as he helped the two of them load up a suitcase each into his car.
"He signed the papers. Now we just have to file," Julia beamed as she and Craig got in the car before the three drove off.
"So she's divorcing you? Now we can. .. .!" Adéle squealed with delight as she hugged Albert later that evening at her apartment.
"Not just yet! There are a few things I have to take care of," Albert exclaimed as he hugged Adéle back.
"Albert? Let me in!"Adéle boiled as she banged on the Manning Residence door for the first time ever with suitcases at her side the next day.
"ALBERT MANNING!! I KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE WITH SOME S--T!"Adéle screamed before stomping back to her car and driving off in an angry fury.
Meantime, at the Registrar's Office. .. .
" What do you mean you haven't been able to serve the Final Papers to Albert Manning?" Julia asked.
"Our process server tried to find him at his residence and contacted the hospital but he's gone to do medical missionary work in the Sudan and can't be contacted!" the official said.
"It's okay, honey! We can wait," Joey insisted as he clutched Julia's hand.
"But our poor baby. I hope he or she forgives me for us not being married now!" Julia sighed as she and Joey held hands.
"I want this baby so much! She's going to be beautiful like her mother!" Joey gushed.
"How can you be so sure?" Julia sighed.
" I can sense she's a girl and how could she not be beautiful and smart?" Joey insisted.
"And Craig won't have to be an only child anymore!How I love you, Amor!" Julia beamed as she and Joey kissed.
"So what happened with Albert and the squash ball again?" Joey asked.
" He slammed it too hard when Craig was six months old and it bounced off the court wall and struck him so he couldn't ever have any more children!"Julia sighed.
"Served him right!" Joey laughed.
"Joe, it's not funny. I mean you should have seen how mean he was to poor Stephen for so long afterwards. I felt sorry for him- as naïve as he's been about Albert," Julia groaned.
"Oh, I can't imagine how I lived without your making me laugh!" Joey gushed.
"And I almost can't remember how I lived without your laughter brightening my life!" Julia beamed while she and Joey kissed.