Chapter 4: Minkus Party of Five
Topanga sat down at the bar, a little distance away from the table Corey had chosen. She ignored her husband's questioning look, she needed to think at the moment. It was hard enough to pretend she wasn't bothered by Minkus, but having Corey knowing something was wrong was ten times worse. Surely she would crack if she had to endure another conversation like the one in their bedroom.
It was moments like this, Topanga wished she was old enough to drink a martini, or something alcholic. She had heard from her aunt that it calmed the nerves, made things seem a little out of focus. Topanaga wished for things to be out of focus, just until the end of dinner. Then she could face the issue with Minkus. She hated him then, more than she had ever hated anyone else. Burying her head in her hands she wished that Corey could have been nicer in the sixth grade and that the thing in her junior year had never occurred. It seemed like a nightmare then, and now, the nightmare had come home. A part of Topanga knew that she could have never kept it a secret, that someday she would have to tell Corey. Someone would call or some medical record would come out..something would have happened to bring the whole situation into light.
Topanga tried to recover her senses.She sat up a little taller, and then realized, for the first time that Minkus sat next to her. His eyes gleamed maliciously at her. He had probably been sitting there for awhile.
"Are you worried, Topanga?" Minkus asked
"Stewart, why are you doing this? Why to Corey? It's between you and me, isn't it?" she pleaded, looking for that ray of kindness in his eye, that she had always liked about him. She could not find it, and she knew she had been defeated.
"I believe I have been through this with you, Topanga. Perhaps not the beginning though. I was in Pittsburgh a couple of months ago, on a business trip. On my way to work one morning, I passed by, let's call it a home, and then the reason for me coming here found me. Trust me, I did have some debate about what to do about it, and I returned to New York for a spell. I finished one of my big cases and then had a little bit of time on my hands. I knew that my miniature vaction could not be wasted so I decided to come back here to share the news," Minkus finalized. He sat looking intently at her for a moment.
Topanga's pulse sky rocketed and she could feel her eyes brim with tears. Her voice caught in her throat.
"Perhaps you need to think this over for awhile. Let me buy you a beer," Minkus offered, and he even smiled as if nothing was wrong.
"No thank you Stewart. I am too young to drink," she protested, and began to rise from the table.
"Your husband will not be too pleased with my news. I plan to tell them all after dinner. I wouldn't want to make a scene in public," Minkus added.
"Can't you wait? I want to talk to Corey before that," Topanga requested.
"Because I used to love you, Topanga, I'll grant you one hour between the end of dinner and my annoucement." he bargined and then he walked away.
She sat there, knowing that the thing she had to tell Corey would take more than an hour. Maybe she could just let it god and deny it when Minkus announced it. Corey wouldn't believe her anyway.
"C'mon honey, we're gettin' seated," Corey called, and she dutifully followed him.He stayed back behind the group, and held on to her arm.
"You sure you're okay?" he questioned.
"Actually, I need to talk to you after dinner," she managed.
"Sure," Corey answered and sat down next to her. After they ordered their drinks, they all sat in silence again.
Then Minkus and Angela began discussing Europe while Shawn sat in moody silence. Topanga stared straight ahead, focusing on the picture on the wall. It was a happy picture, a green pasture with a little white picket fence. There was a young girl standing next to the picket fence smiling. The sun seemed to be shining, all was right with the young painted girl's world. Topanga felt a stab of jealousy. She wished to God that Minkus had never come and that all was right with her world.
Their drinks came by shortly, and they all ordered their meals. Minkus and Angela found that they had similar tastes in Italian foods and ordered a large plate of fetticuni alfredo, Shawn and Corey both got spagetti, and Topanga asked for a house salad. She needed a light meal because her hunger had evaporated.
"So, how's everyone doing?" Corey asked, looking around the table.
"I'm doing good, Corey." Angela answered him, smiling brightly.
"Yeah, I'm doing real swell. I sort of have this back ache though," Shawn snapped, glaring at Angela.
"Now what's that supposed to mean?" Angela demanded, turning on him.
"Ever since you came here you've been all over him," Shawn had a little difficulty saying 'him' since he was referring to Minkus.
"Shawn Hunter! If I had known you would have gotten jealous (after all this time) I wouldn't have come here!" Angela protested.
"I'm not jealous! And if you and Minkus had soo much in common why don't you two just leave! It would make everyone a lot happier!" shouted Shawn.
Several tables turned and stared at them. Shawn was beet red in the face, Angela was giving him a look of pure loathing, and Minkus sat there placidly, almost amused.
"I'm afraid we can't leave," the latter responded cooly. He turned his gaze over to Topanga.
Corey watched in confusion. "What in the heck in going on here? Why does he keep doing that?" Corey questioned.
"Oh you'll see, Matthews," sneered Minkus, becoming more and more amused by the second. It seemed that the more Topanga looked away, the more Minkus grew excited by his news.
"I want to know now!" Corey insisted. And Topanga shot him a pleading look. She didn't want this to happen now, not here, not in public.
"Well, if you really want to know, I suppose we can't be cruel and hold this back for you. I believe Topanga has something she would like to say," replied Minkus, his smile covering his whole face.
All eyes turned to Topanga, and a short silence ensued. "I..I..." Topanga stuttered. She felt herself begin to shake. Her lips couldn't form the words, and a buzz was ringing in her ears.
"Stewart and I...we...had a baby," she finally made out.
Topanga sat down at the bar, a little distance away from the table Corey had chosen. She ignored her husband's questioning look, she needed to think at the moment. It was hard enough to pretend she wasn't bothered by Minkus, but having Corey knowing something was wrong was ten times worse. Surely she would crack if she had to endure another conversation like the one in their bedroom.
It was moments like this, Topanga wished she was old enough to drink a martini, or something alcholic. She had heard from her aunt that it calmed the nerves, made things seem a little out of focus. Topanaga wished for things to be out of focus, just until the end of dinner. Then she could face the issue with Minkus. She hated him then, more than she had ever hated anyone else. Burying her head in her hands she wished that Corey could have been nicer in the sixth grade and that the thing in her junior year had never occurred. It seemed like a nightmare then, and now, the nightmare had come home. A part of Topanga knew that she could have never kept it a secret, that someday she would have to tell Corey. Someone would call or some medical record would come out..something would have happened to bring the whole situation into light.
Topanga tried to recover her senses.She sat up a little taller, and then realized, for the first time that Minkus sat next to her. His eyes gleamed maliciously at her. He had probably been sitting there for awhile.
"Are you worried, Topanga?" Minkus asked
"Stewart, why are you doing this? Why to Corey? It's between you and me, isn't it?" she pleaded, looking for that ray of kindness in his eye, that she had always liked about him. She could not find it, and she knew she had been defeated.
"I believe I have been through this with you, Topanga. Perhaps not the beginning though. I was in Pittsburgh a couple of months ago, on a business trip. On my way to work one morning, I passed by, let's call it a home, and then the reason for me coming here found me. Trust me, I did have some debate about what to do about it, and I returned to New York for a spell. I finished one of my big cases and then had a little bit of time on my hands. I knew that my miniature vaction could not be wasted so I decided to come back here to share the news," Minkus finalized. He sat looking intently at her for a moment.
Topanga's pulse sky rocketed and she could feel her eyes brim with tears. Her voice caught in her throat.
"Perhaps you need to think this over for awhile. Let me buy you a beer," Minkus offered, and he even smiled as if nothing was wrong.
"No thank you Stewart. I am too young to drink," she protested, and began to rise from the table.
"Your husband will not be too pleased with my news. I plan to tell them all after dinner. I wouldn't want to make a scene in public," Minkus added.
"Can't you wait? I want to talk to Corey before that," Topanga requested.
"Because I used to love you, Topanga, I'll grant you one hour between the end of dinner and my annoucement." he bargined and then he walked away.
She sat there, knowing that the thing she had to tell Corey would take more than an hour. Maybe she could just let it god and deny it when Minkus announced it. Corey wouldn't believe her anyway.
"C'mon honey, we're gettin' seated," Corey called, and she dutifully followed him.He stayed back behind the group, and held on to her arm.
"You sure you're okay?" he questioned.
"Actually, I need to talk to you after dinner," she managed.
"Sure," Corey answered and sat down next to her. After they ordered their drinks, they all sat in silence again.
Then Minkus and Angela began discussing Europe while Shawn sat in moody silence. Topanga stared straight ahead, focusing on the picture on the wall. It was a happy picture, a green pasture with a little white picket fence. There was a young girl standing next to the picket fence smiling. The sun seemed to be shining, all was right with the young painted girl's world. Topanga felt a stab of jealousy. She wished to God that Minkus had never come and that all was right with her world.
Their drinks came by shortly, and they all ordered their meals. Minkus and Angela found that they had similar tastes in Italian foods and ordered a large plate of fetticuni alfredo, Shawn and Corey both got spagetti, and Topanga asked for a house salad. She needed a light meal because her hunger had evaporated.
"So, how's everyone doing?" Corey asked, looking around the table.
"I'm doing good, Corey." Angela answered him, smiling brightly.
"Yeah, I'm doing real swell. I sort of have this back ache though," Shawn snapped, glaring at Angela.
"Now what's that supposed to mean?" Angela demanded, turning on him.
"Ever since you came here you've been all over him," Shawn had a little difficulty saying 'him' since he was referring to Minkus.
"Shawn Hunter! If I had known you would have gotten jealous (after all this time) I wouldn't have come here!" Angela protested.
"I'm not jealous! And if you and Minkus had soo much in common why don't you two just leave! It would make everyone a lot happier!" shouted Shawn.
Several tables turned and stared at them. Shawn was beet red in the face, Angela was giving him a look of pure loathing, and Minkus sat there placidly, almost amused.
"I'm afraid we can't leave," the latter responded cooly. He turned his gaze over to Topanga.
Corey watched in confusion. "What in the heck in going on here? Why does he keep doing that?" Corey questioned.
"Oh you'll see, Matthews," sneered Minkus, becoming more and more amused by the second. It seemed that the more Topanga looked away, the more Minkus grew excited by his news.
"I want to know now!" Corey insisted. And Topanga shot him a pleading look. She didn't want this to happen now, not here, not in public.
"Well, if you really want to know, I suppose we can't be cruel and hold this back for you. I believe Topanga has something she would like to say," replied Minkus, his smile covering his whole face.
All eyes turned to Topanga, and a short silence ensued. "I..I..." Topanga stuttered. She felt herself begin to shake. Her lips couldn't form the words, and a buzz was ringing in her ears.
"Stewart and I...we...had a baby," she finally made out.