The Very Lonely Tenenbaum
Disclaimer- I do not own any of the characters featured in my story. If I did do you really think I'd be here?
Chapter One
A broken silence followed Richie Tenenbaum's words. Would his family say nothing of his shocking revelation?
"I don't understand," Etheline said bemused. "You are in love with Margot? Our Margot?"
Richie took a breath before responding. He had gone behind her back in telling the family, and he was still praying it was not a mistake. "I am," he finally whispered hesitantly.
The silence continued without showing a sign of being fleetingly interrupted.
"Well," Royal began, creasing and un-creasing his blazer nervously. "That's new…"
"Actually it's not. Richie informed me of his infatuation via mail last year," Eli Cash put in, a regular at Tenenbaum family meetings. He received shocked and angry stares from the group and quickly glanced back over to Richie. "Or should I not have said anything…"
"Well that's typical I suppose. I mean why would I expect him to tell me before Eli, it's not like I'm his brother or anything," Chas blurted, regretting bringing his children Ari and Oozie to the conference.
"It's not like that Chas. I told him because I was not sure what your reaction would have been. I'm telling you all now because I feel like I've been cornered," Richie said quietly but curtly.
"Well I guess it's best you told him and not me because I think this is one of the most disgusting things I've ever heard. Ari, Oozie get up we're leaving."
"Chas now don't do this, hear your brother out. Besides, Margot's adopted. And she is a very attractive and smart girl. Hell, I know exactly why he's in love with her," Royal chirped trying to shine a good light on his favorite boy.
Chas put on an unnecessarily disgusted face, grabbed his boys and headed for the door.
"Royal I think that was a totally inappropriate comment under the circumstances. She is our daughter and Richie's sister so don't twist the words in his favor," Etheline said monotonically. She turned to her eldest son, "Chas don't leave," she said. "You are part of the family and this is not over." He turned the knob and opened the door. "I said this is not over! Sit down we are not through! You are part of the family you will suffer through the bad times as well as the good and you will not walk out on us again!"
He opened his mouth to speak but sat down silently. The table was quiet.
"Where's Margot I wonder," Eli mused staring off into space.
"Cash, if you're going to speak make it audible. This is a conversation, if you'd like to join us speak so we can all here," Royal snapped looking thoroughly agitated.
"I'm sorry sir. It's the drugs."
"Mescaline, is it?" Richie asked.
"Indeed it is. It does it's job, but I don't know if that's worth the side effects."
"Yeah that's how a lot of drugs are these days."
"You'd think they'd be able-"
"I'm sorry I thought this was about Richie and Margot not you and some bullshit medicine story," Chas barked at Eli. "You ask me to stay and yet we solve nothing."
"Chas what do you mean by solve?" Royal asked.
"And where the hell is Margot? If you two are in love shouldn't she be here too? Or is she-"
"Chas sit down and chill out. She's not here because I didn't tell her I was informing you all. She wants it to be a secret and I don't see how that's right in any respect," Richie explained calmly.
The family fell deep into thought and nothing was said for a notable length of time.
Henry was first to speak which surprised everyone. He hadn't uttered a word throughout the meeting. "What are we going to do?" He asked looking at Richie.
Henry was sipping tea and gazing at the hutch before him. He loved Etheline. He would do anything for her, and that included helping her family get past the latest predicament. This was a unique one how ever, rest assured.
"I wonder what they're going to do. Can they legally marry? Its true they're not blood siblings," Etheline said, furrowing the wrinkle lines permanently etched into her face.
"I don't know," Henry answered truthfully, coming out of his reverie. He was determined to find a solution for this problem.
"I suppose I should have seen it coming," she began. "I mean, if you only knew what his old room looked like. Pictures. Portraits everywhere of Margot. I never found that odd. I suspected nothing," she paused briefly and continued. "Even when they ran away together. That should have been the kicker but I didn't get it. I never got it."
"Now Etheline don't do this to yourself even if you had foreseen this what could you have done? It is no ones fault. It is what it is."
He sipped his tea and she nibbled her roll and an outsider would have not an inkling of the torture their minds were going through, were he just looking at them through the bay window. But at this point Etheline began to cry and leaned on Henry to hold her in her chair.
"So you told Mom," Margot repeated.
Richie nodded.
"And Dad."
Another nod.
"Chas too?"
"Yes."
"How did that go?"
Richie looked up at her.
"Well," he said.
"So everyone knows now. Why didn't you invite me?"
"Because I was doing this all behind your back. And inviting you would have sort of blown my cover."
Margot sighed.
"Is it really worth it Richie?" She whispered.
He said nothing but kissed her instead.
"I love you Margot Tenenbaum."
"I think it may be a little too early to jab at the incest thing," she said, a quiet smile play across her lips. "But I love you too."
Royal sat on the roof, watching New York race by him through plumes of cigarette smoke.
"What do you make of all this Pagoda?" He asked after inhaling deeply.
"I don't have the opinion," the portly man stuttered.
"Oh come on don't be such a stiff. My son wants to marry my daughter. Adopted. Well, actually he didn't say they had any marital plans. But I'd just as soon assume if ya' love someone marry 'em!"
"Ok," the Indian said playing with the loose button on his jacket.
Royal took his last drag and went in.
"Good talking to you again little man," he said gruffly.
When Royal had made his descent of the stairs complete Pagoda picked up a wet cigarette and after several vain attempts to light the match, enjoyed his smoke. He made his trek down the stairs only after swallowing the butt.
Chas was packing his bags furiously. His body moved stiffly and efficiently, like his mind. His face bore an agitated stare, his upper lip curled into a scowl. A very unapproachable state.
His track jacket was unzipped for ventilation. Figures during the heat wave the air kicks out.
"Fit damn it!" He barked at his overflowing suitcase. His face grew taught with effort as he tried to pull the latches together, but fell loose with defeat as the case sprang open again.
"Ari, Ozie! One of you come and sit on this for me," he called across the room where his children sat engrossed in books and gameboys. "Ari! Ozie! Did you not here me? I said come and help me!"
Ari put his book down and jumped on the suitcase. It stayed closed just long enough for Chas to seize the latches and fasten them.
"There. Now, go wait in the cab, I still have a few things to take care of," the frustrated father instructed jogging slowly down the hall.
Ari and Ozie were stifled by the blast of searing air that greeted them on the porch.
"I hate this," the younger boy said looking uncomfortably up to his brother.
"Well I hate it too," Ozie replied picking up his bags and hopping down the stairs. "Every fucking time," he muttered stepping into the cab.
Ok sonot really sure at this point how to spell Ozie, so if you have any suggestions be my guest.