Chapter 22
"Well, doesn't this look delicious?" Lois said out loud.
"It sure does," Ned agreed.
"So…," Dillon whispered to Brook. "What did you and my mom talk about?"
"You're not going to believe this Dillon, but your mom and I…I don't know. It's weird."
"You're scaring me, Brook."
Brook laughed. "I'd like to get to know her better. Maybe you can fill me in."
"My mother may have raised me to a certain extent, but that doesn't mean I ever spent much time with her."
"You still have to know something about her."
"Yeah," Dillon laughed. "She loves her money. And younger men. My dad was young. Jax is young."
"Oh my God, Dillon!"
The family stared.
Brook whispered, "If you're insinuating that Granny and I talk about guys, the answer is no."
"Hey, you asked me what I knew."
"Any other ideas? You know, GOOD ideas."
"ELQ."
"The family's company…that I don't know anything about?"
"My mom will fill you in. Hopefully, you won't fall asleep in the meantime. You know, I worked there once."
"You did?"
"Yeah, definitely not a fun experience. You know, Brook, you should just keep doing what you're doing. I doubt my mom would ever admit it, but I think she would enjoy a relationship with you."
"You know what, Dillon? I think you're right. It just feels so weird to finally be connecting with her after all this time."
"It ALWAYS feels weird when my mom and I connect. You don't expect it to happen, but it does."
"Yeah, you're right. I definitely didn't expect it."
Dillon whispered, "And don't tell anybody, but I kind of like it when we do connect. Makes me feel I like have a normal family…or something." Dillon sighed. "I can't believe I just said that."
Brook laughed. "There's nothing wrong with a boy appreciating the bond between him and his mother."
The two laughed.
"What's going on over there?" Lois asked.
"We're, um, talking," Brook said.
"Why don't you join the family's conversation?"
"Which would be…," Brook trailed off.
"Well, nothing at the moment."
"Truthfully speaking, we could use some ideas," Skye told her. "No one knows what to say."
"I have plenty to say," Tracy said.
"Yeah, and we don't want to hear it, Mother," Ned responded.
"Here we go again," Tracy sighed.
Chapter 23
The family was silent.
"So…," said Emily.
"What is it, Em?" Monica asked.
"I think we should be very thankful that Lois set this up today. It was very nice of you, Lois."
"Why thank you!"
"And, mmmmm…This food is delicious," Luke said with a mouthful.
Tracy cringed. She handed Luke a napkin.
"Chew with your mouth closed," she reminded him.
Luke obeyed.
"If you don't mind me asking—," Tracy began.
"We mind," Edward said.
"Let her speak, Grandfather," Emily told him. She looked towards Tracy.
"I hope you're not expecting a 'thank you.'"
"Oh, please…like Emily expects anything from Tracy," Skye said.
"All right. You know what everybody? This has to stop," Dillon announced.
"This?" Tracy asked.
"Our behavior. ALL of our behavior. Even mine. Lois made these reservations so we could all be together on the anniversary of my grandmother Lila's death."
"Yes," Tracy spoke rudely. "And we could have all been together in the family's living room."
"But would we have this delicious food? Cook is good, but this oh…wow, this is really good," Luke said.
"Oh, Luke Spencer! Keep. Your. Mouth. Shut." She handed him another napkin.
Lois chimed in, "I had hoped that being in a public place instead of the living room would have enforced better behavior."
"You hoped wrong," Tracy replied.
"Mother, are you not listening to what Dillon has to say?" Ned asked. "We all need to stop this."
"I agree," Alan said.
"As do I," Monica responded.
"Well, then, I hope you don't plan on having a conversation any time soon," Tracy told them.
"Granny, what do you mean?" Brook asked.
Dillon responded, "She means we are incapable of having a civil conversation. One without insulting each other every 5 minutes."
Brook sighed. "Wow. I never thought of it that way. So, what do we do then?"
"We try to make it work," Lois told her.
"It's not going to," Tracy sang.
Dillon imitated, "You need to try."
"Are you mocking me?"
"All right everybody. That's enough," Emily said.
Chapter 24
The family remained at the table.
Lois announced, "I have an idea, and I am positive that Lila would approve."
Tracy was about to speak, but Dillon glanced toward his mother, and so Tracy refrained.
Brook Lynn asked, "What's the idea, Ma?"
Lois placed her hands together. "Well, since it so difficult for this family to have a conversation without throwing insults at one another, perhaps we can all say something nice about each other."
"I hadn't realized we were in kindergarten," laughed Tracy.
Edward interjected, "Tracy, stop it. As much as I dreaded this afternoon, I have to agree with Lois."
"Come on, Daddy. You can't be serious."
"I don't know, Spunky. The old man looks pretty serious to me."
Edward replied, "I am serious, Tracy. Your mother would not approve of your behavior right now, so I suggest you stop."
Tracy looked downward and bit her lip…just like a little girl.
"So," Emily spoke. "I'll go first.
"Oh, Em," Monica said. "I'm sure you can excuse yourself from this."
"Definitely," remarked Lois. "This activity, as I'll call it, if for those of us who continue to hurl insults at each other. I know you don't do that."
Emily swallowed, "Aww, come on. I've had my moments."
"I'll say!" Tracy spoke up.
"Mother," Ned said.
Dillon whispered to Ned, "I told you she would start all the arguments."
Tracy pretended not to hear.
"As part of the family," Emily began. "I would still like to participate. Tracy," she said.
"You're going to say something nice about me?" Tracy laughed.
Emily nodded.
Tracy laughed, "This is gonna be good."
"Don't make this difficult," Skye responded.
Emily innocently said, "Tracy, I love how protective you are of the family."
"What?" Alan and Monica questioned simultaneously.
Emily finished, "Oh come on, Dad. Mom. It's the truth. You wouldn't know it from her everyday behavior—"
"Nice," Lois reminded.
Brook giggled.
Emily continued, "But she is. Remember the Heather Webber fiasco?"
"I know all about that!" Luke piped in.
"Shh," Skye said.
"How could we forget?" asked Alan.
"Well, Tracy had the family's best interests at heart, especially yours Grandfather…And I find that admirable."
The family was silent.
"Well," smiled Lois. "Thank you Emily for starting us off. Now, Tracy, what about you?"
"I'm not playing." Tracy folded her arms against her chest and sighed.
"I hear you, Spanky Buns. I came along today for a good meal—"
Tracy glared at Luke.
"And to support my wife," he added.
Skye rolled her eyes. Tracy smiled slightly.
"What I did not come here is for some wacky therapy session."
"This is not therapy," Lois said.
"It is to me," Luke announced. "Tracy and I are leaving. Come on my little corn-muffin." He held his arm out.
Tracy remained sitting.
"What are you waiting for, pumpkin?"
She swallowed. "I can't go. My mother would want me here with the rest of the family."
The rest of the family looked at her surprisingly.
PREVIEWS FOR CHAPTERS 25 AND 26:
Dillon apologizes to his mother.
It's Monica's house. Alan gave it to her. Tracy is not amused.