Chapter Fifty Four - Moving in different directions

'`Ooh the McCords are home' Elizabeth beamed excitedly as she walked into her kitchen, all three of her children in the room cooking and teasing one another just like they used to. It was the first time in a long time that she hadn't dreaded coming home.

'Hey Mom!' They greeted her, Alison and Jason walking to her giving her a hug.

'Hey babies' she whispered into them, her lips pressing against both their heads as she inhaled every moment of them within her arms. She slowly unwrapped herself from them and grinned happily as she looked at their faces.

'Stevie that smells so good' Elizabeth sniffed as she let go of Jason and Alison, her legs carrying her around the kitchen island towards her eldest, a one arm hug exchanged as she stepped past her looking down at the food she was cooking.

'It's that dish you told me never to tell you how to make' she chuckled and Elizabeth smiled a little too excitedly

'Mom it's just pasta, calm down' Jason laughed

'Oh but it's not, it's so much more' she whispered. Elizabeth walked over to the dining table and joined them.

'How have you been?' She asked, a slight seriousness to her tone as her eyes glanced over them both, watching as they nodded in sync.

'Ok, it's been hard sometimes with Grandpa's passing but it's ok' Alison smiled

'Yeah dad has been a real jerk sometimes-' Jason moaned

'Hey come on, we're not getting into a slagging match about your father, cut him some slack he is going through a lot right now.' She warned, her instincts rushing to protect him. 'Plus from what I've heard, things at school have gotten a little heated again? Sounds to me like your dad had every right to do or say whatever he did' She raised an eyebrow sarcastically

'Busted, told you dad would tell mom' Alison mocked

'Alight, let's just move on. Stevie was telling us about the wedding before you came home, what were you saying about Mom's dress?' He flashed a false try to his sister, something which made Elizabeth roll her eyes, a small smile etching on her face as she swallowed her giggle.

'Nice save' Stevie mocked 'I was saying that I wanted to take you shopping one day Mom, pick out a dress for you' she smiled

'That would be lovely' Elizabeth tried to sound enthusiastic but in reality she hated shopping.

'Ok Mom, try and be a little more excited' Stevie suggested as she served up their food.

'I can go, I could pick something out for you mom?' Alison almost pleaded. Elizabeth looked to Stevie and back to Alison.

'That is up to your sister Noodle'

'Mom I'd really like you to at least join us' Stevie explained as she sat at the table, handing out their bowls.

'Yes! Girly day shopping in NYC!' Alison shrieked

'I do not blame you for wanting to miss it if you're dealing with that' Jason pointed at an excited Alison. Elizabeth giggled and playfully pushed her son.

'Don't you think you need to discuss a venue and things first before the mother of the bride's dress?' Elizabeth questioned as she picked up her fork and began to tuck into her food. 'Oh my, please serve this at the wedding,' she moaned as the food marinated in her mouth.

'Well actually we have a venue in mind' Stevie bit her lip nervously

'Oh?' Elizabeth asked swallowing her food

``We're thinking of heading to London for the wedding,'' she announced excitedly. Elizabeth sat In shock, Jason and Alison both expressing their excitement over a trip to the UK, both cheering for the 'Holiday' or 'British boys', but Elizabeth just sat in silence.

'Mom?' Stevie asked anxiously

'Sorry, that's great' she smiled

'You're not happy are you?' She sighed

'No sweetheart that isn't it, I am. I am just shocked, I guess I didn't see London as an option, but it makes sense as Jareth is from there-'

'Actually there is a reason…' Stevie trailed off, the seriousness of her tone calming the room.

'You're moving there aren't you?' Elizabeth asked, her body tensing as her mind tried to process her thoughts.

'Yeah. It's just such a good opportunity for Jareth's career and the micro loans initiative is thinking of branching out. I can take it to the UK with me, it's exciting and it's what we want' She tried to sway her mother.

'What!?' Jason snapped capturing all of their attention

'Jase' Elizabeth reached out

'No Mom this is stupid, Stevie do you even think? You're the only family Mom has left in DC and you're just being so selfish and leaving her!' He bit, his anger rising to the surface as he glared at his sister

'What so just because Mom will be alone? I have to put my entire life on hold?' She argued back and Jason stood up.

'You're so self centred Stevie, it's not about the fact you're moving it's the fact you make this about you yet again-'

'It is about me, It's my wedding'

'Yes, but this evening wasn't, it was about mom having us all back together and you cannot keep your trap shut, you drop a bombshell like that on her. You're not getting married for months, couldn't have found a different evening to break the news? No of course not' His anger snapped inside him, his fists balling as he ranted, ignoring his mothers plea's to calm down. He scraped his chair against the floor and stormed off upstairs towards his old bedroom.

'Wow! Can you believe him' Stevie scoffed

'He's kinda right, the timing wasn't great Stevie' Alison chipped in

'Oh god why have you both turned into Dad! Is he going to walk through that door and lecture me as well now?' She moaned.

'Your father isn't going to be walking through that door for a very long time Stevie' Elizabeth mumbled, the attention averting to her, the woman who was at the epicentre of all this. 'I am happy for you, your brother is just adjusting still' She tried to mop up his mess as she attempted to convince her daughter of her happiness, which in fact was breaking her inside. Jason's words ringing true, Stevie was all she had left in DC, then what?

'He needs to adjust his attitude' She rolled her eyes

'So did you at his age' Elizabeth warned, which was met with a silent glare from Stevie.

'Soooo, Mom, have you been working out? I noticed you've lost weight?' Alison smiled trying to break the tension around the dining room table but unknowingly adding to it.

'Is that a dig? Are you trying to say that I need to stay and feed mom?' Stevie snapped at her sister.

'What? No, I wasn't saying that at all, you're just projecting what you feel you should be doing onto me!' Alison snapped,

'Alight girls enough, this house is far too quiet at times but it doesn't mean I want it replaced with fighting' Elizabeth demanded, both their eyes falling on her.

'No Alison I've not been working out-'

'But you've dropped like at least twenty pounds-'

'I haven't been working out' Elizabeth repeated, her words willing her daughter to back down whilst she turned to address her other.

'Stevie I don't want you to stay and look after me, I am ok, I want you to go and enjoy your life, in London, or where-ever it takes you' She reached across the table and rubbed her daughters hand, offering a tactile reassurance.

'Thanks' she smiled weakly. Elizabeth boded filmy and pushed her chair back as she stood up.

'I am going to check on your brother, I'll be back soon' she announced, exiting the room and heading upstairs to find her only son. She closed her eyes as she walked towards his room, a space she had not been In since he left the family home with Henry all those weeks ago. With a gentle knock and push of the door her eyes scanned the room, her heart sinking when he noticed he was tucked up into bed.

'Hey slugger' she whispered

'Trying to sleep' he mumbled. Elizabeth moved into the room, pushing the door shut slightly behind her, allowing only a fraction of light to enter as she went and sat onthe bed behind him.

'You wanna talk?' She offered but he remained silent, the only sounds coming from the softness of the duvet moving as he tried to pull it closer to him. 'Thank you for defending me downstairs, you reminded me of your father' she smiled simply.

'I don't know if that's a compliment, seeing as you hate him right now' He moaned. Elizabeth moved up the bed, her legs swinging onto the mattress as she laid down beside him. Her hand gently ran through his mouse brown hair as she inhaled deeply.

'I don't hate your father Jason, and if you continue to turn out like him, gosh, that's the biggest compliment of them all, because I happen to think he's pretty perfect' she whispered into the security of his bedroom. Jason rolled over to face her, his eyes twitching at the light creeping through the door.

'How can you say that? You're divorcing him, we've all heard the arguments'

'True, but that doesn't mean that I don't think he is a wonderful man' she sighed, a confused look covered Jason's face 'You'll understand one day' she giggled softly. Jason edged closer into her, her arm wrapping around him and holding him tight.

'I miss Grandpa mom' he whispered

'I know baby, I know' she squeezed him, letting him shed a few tears into her as he let his walls come down.

'Everything has changed' he cried, his body shaking beneath her as he collapsed into a ball of sorrow. Elizabeth pressed her lips tougher and closed her eyes as she forced her own emotions down, desperate to comfort her son.

'I know' she whispered, no words of comfort came to mind, instead she held him close and stayed with him, gently rocking him and whispering nothing into his ear as he cried into her, eventually sending himself to sleep. Elizabeth continued to hold him, sinking into his side and watching him peacefully as her own eyes began to softly close, she too falling asleep