Authors Note: I own nothing. No ownership rights to Beverly Hills 90210.
Chapter Eight
The money arrived in the accounts exactly ten working day's after my mother had served Jim the papers. A courier also dropped two letters off the same morning at ten am to our lawyers office, one for my mother and one for me. Both formally advised that the trust had been dissolved. Our lawyer rang to tell us of their arrival and contents, he made comment that they were professional but very brief. To me this meant that Jim obviously wasn't happy.
My mother having sent her letter to Jack three day's before had woken agitated that day, realising that my father would most likely receive the letter anytime now. This along with the cold and impersonal finalisation of our business relationship with Jim made her even more irritated. Deciding she needed a break from the house and a distraction from her thoughts I took her to the beach club.
On the way there she protested about the memories that place stirred up for her, so I told her of mine there. I told her how I disappeared there a year ago with my injured ribs, that to her it may be full of bad times but some of my most happiest as a kid were there with both of them, including the doorframe. After that she warmed to the idea of going. As she accompanied me into the club she decided to take us on a detour past the old cabana, where she embarrassed the shit out of me by asking the current inhabitants if she could see the doorframe with me.
Once she had measured me against the old numbers she sneakily made a new mark with a seventeen label before leaving the cabana. She was delighted with her act of rebellion but disappointed that she hadn't brought a camera to capture the moment. As I walked her to the bar I promised to buy her a camera as she commented that she'd like moments like that captured and maybe some more pictures of us together, especially ones that I actually smiled in; seemingly my Hawaii photos last year had me wearing a permanent scowl on my face or my smile never reached my eyes. I didn't realise that but it was understandable I missed Bren and I didn't like leaving her when we were so uncertain.
After lunch Steve dropped by our table and introduced himself to my mother. She asked him to join us for a drink, and he was thrilled when she began to recall so many stories of him as a kid in kindergarten- he was like a pig in muck with all the reminiscing and attention.
"McKay don't be jealous I keep telling you I'm memorable."
"Yeah Steve like a nightmare, our brains keep sending warning signs to avoid you." I laugh and turn to the blonde who just walked up and give her a smile.
"Kelly I'd like to introduce you to Iris." I then turn to my mother, "Mum this is Kelly Taylor Bren's best friend and another kindergarten classmate."
My Mum stands and holds out her hand, "it's lovely to meet you Kelly. Please join us for a drink."
"Thank you."
As they sit my mother gives her an analysing look, "I'm getting a fire sign from you, Aries right?"
Kelly becomes excited, "yeah how did you know?"
"Your energy, you jump into things spontaneously, like the conversation just then it leads to a life full of excitement. For you and Brenda to be best friends you must have found your teammate connection, a common goal to hold your friendship to, without it Scorpio and Aries can be highly competitive with each." Steve and I crack up. My Mum looks at me waiting to be let in on the joke.
Kelly does it for me with a hint of embarrassment in her tone, "we wore the exact same dress to Spring Dance and both of us refused to change."
"Ahh… well you can have a very solid friendship if that jealousy is kept in check. As you are both strong willed you actually can be powerful friends when working together with the same focus."
"Iris what about Kelly and I, I'm a Taurus?"
"Well there is some communication issues between the star signs. Aries tends to grab hold of an idea and stay with it, Taurus tends to dig their feet in and refuse to be swayed by any argument. It can be a challenge when that happens to move forward together."
I look at my iced tea and make no comment, I think my mum just hit the nail on the head. Kelly doesn't see a future and Steve refuses to budge in his belief. From the silence it's clear it resonates with them too. After a minute Kelly breaks the quiet, "what about Dylan and I are we capable of being good friends?" It's a weird question but I imagine Kelly is just wanting to move forward from the awkward silence.
"You and Dylan are direct opposites on the zodiac, it means you need to continually find a balance or you will be at each other's throat's. For example, Aries' tend to love going out and hate being bored. Libra's, and Dylan is a typical one, love quiet and being at home."
"What about Brenda and Dylan?"
My mother looks at Kelly, and I get a vibe from that look of the Mrs McKay- the woman who could run a household and hold her own in a room full of Dad's business associates. "They are an intense couple. When they give into it they are possessive and obsessive over the other. Scorpio's though are honest creatures and Libra's can lie, lying to a Scorpio can corrupt the relationship they don't forgive or forget easily. Scorpio's also like decisions made quickly while Libra's tend to drag their feet so they can frustrate the other. They work best when they give into the intensity and accept the unique and unbreakable emotional connection that no one else can understand, as fighting it can have negative consequences for both. They also work best when they keep their own separateness."
At that I lift my eyebrow at my mother, a silent request for clarity. "They need different creative focuses as it gives them that distinction from each other, it helps to ease the obsessive and possessive keeping it out of the dark side of those two characteristics. If say both Brenda and Dylan wanted to be actors I'd be concerned but they both have already found their separate outlet's, and they both have… well Darling you know how I feel about how incredible you two are together and how much I love my daughter."
I smile at my Mum, after months of parental concern it was nice to have someone who championed us. Just then the waitress comes to get us another round. Once she leaves to my pleasure my mother changes the subject. I know she wasn't speaking specifically about Bren and I but our zodiac had things I connected with about us, things I didn't want to be common knowledge or open to discussion. Our intensity and our desperate need for each other two of them, the separateness was also interesting.
By the end of last year we were together all the time, her family were my family and I was even encouraging her to share my hobby of surfing with me. It was the obsessive talking over, the possessive when I hated that her parents could dictate when we could be together- we belonged to each other we were no one else's. I try and find our separateness back then and I can't, I can see it forming now how our separateness will be going forward but back then we lost ourselves in each other. It was what Bren had feared the summer before. Obsessive and possessive of the other but an aspect of separateness, I can do that I can make sure we stay healthy.
My mother draws me back into the conversation she has been having with Kelly and Steve, "so Dylan who is left for me to meet of your and Brenda's gang?"
"Donna Martin, her boyfriend and Kelly's step brother David Silver, and then Andrea Zuckerman."
"Speaking of the French ladies, McKay have you heard from them?"
I feel my cheeks rise in an unstoppable smile, "yeah of course they are having a ball. Well, a ball with only one bathroom to a floor full of females, and a closest that only holds ten item's. Donna is making do by hanging her clothes in the doorframe's and off the curtain racks. Bren tells me it's like living in Donna's walk in wardrobe but they are embracing the fun of it."
"D she's not complaining to you too about her lack of bathtub access?" Brandon having spoken while walking up to us leans down and kisses my mother's cheek in greeting. He's spent a lot of time at our place in the last two weeks, he's still not talking to his Dad as Jim refuses to admit that he went too far.
"Don't you know it." I don't tell him that I have promised her we can have one a day when she gets home to make up for the her weeks of being denied.
"Brandon dear can you join us?"
He looks at his watch and then at my mum, "yeah let me just go and ask Henry if I can take my break."
He's back in a few minutes with a sandwich and a zip up jacket to hide the beach club logo on his shirt. The conversation flows steadily with Brandon, Kelly and I telling funny stories from Paris. Steve nearly cries at hearing the brains one, and how they were both kicked out of their cab first day. We are laughing until Steve starts waving at people behind our back, "hey Brando your parents are here." He immediately turns around in his seat next to me.
"Crap."
"Brandon dear it's fine." My mother stands, "Cindy, Jim, my son finally convinced me to come back to the beach club. Are you both here for the afternoon?"
They are forced to come over after my loud and friendly mother tries to engage them in conversation, "yes Jim and I are meeting clients of his for a game of tennis. Hello everyone. Steve and Kelly it's good to see you it's very quiet without you both at the house."
My mother is not deterred by Cindy's briefness, whether it's embarrassment for Jim or the cold shoulder because of the career threat Iris was pushed to make at him I don't know. "Hey Mrs Walsh do you and Mr Walsh have time to join us? These three have been telling me stories of Bren and Donna's Paris adventures. I'm sure you have some funny ones to add to the mix, though I'm not sure anything can compete with Dylan's telling of the brain eating story."
"You've been speaking to my daughter?" Jim is instantly glaring at me, "the whole point was to get distance between you two but even in Paris you can't leave her alone."
The table instantly loses it's relaxed feeling and goes deadly quiet, I can feel the awkward eyes of Kelly and Steve on me. "I thought it was to give the four of us space, deescalate the situation, and give her an opportunity to see Paris?"
"Dylan we don't need space from our daughter, you need space from her. Which you obviously can't do-"
At the same time Brandon and my mother jump in seeing Jim about to launch into another attack, "Dad." "Jim they have been together for over eighteen months did you really think they wouldn't contact each other?"
"Iris you know how I feel on this. If you had been here you would agree they need a break and obviously a permanent one." I can feel my blood boil that dig at my mother's absence is uncalled for, especially as I know she did it for me as I couldn't cope. I cover her hand with mine and as I go to call him out for it Cindy jumps in.
"Jim." It's said in the harsh tone that she uses when he has crossed the line. "We should go, your clients are waiting." She gives my mother a subtle apologising look before she leads her husband away.
The table is quiet I eventually break it trying to make light of the last few minutes, "well I guess that answers that question on if he has calmed down."
"Dylan Darling today is well today," she gives me a meaningful look. "Brenda is not home for another two and a half weeks I'm sure by then he will have calmed down."
"D, man I'm sor-"
"Hey not your fault. This is between Bren and I, and your parents."
"Darling I think I've declared myself apart of this and you and Brenda have my complete support."
"I don't think I've ever seen your Dad like that Brandon, he's…"
He tries to fill in the word that has clearly got Kelly stuck, "stubborn?"
"B my girl is stubborn your dad has gone way past that."
"Yeah he has." He looks at his watch, "I need to get back to work. Iris do you mind if I skip out on our planned dinner tonight I think it's best that I make an appearance at home?"
"Not at all."
He stands up I do as well, "you'll tell her?"
"Of course. I was going to call her today anyway catch her up on it being finalised." He picks up on the subtly of that comment. The Trust being dissolved is no one's business and I didn't want my access to even some of my money common knowledge.
"Let her know well…" I get what he isn't saying.
"Yeah I'll pass on all your twin vagueness." It's hilarious but she'll understand that message better than I will. "I swear you two would make great spies together."
He laughs, "yeah like you both don't have your own language too. Later D." He gives me our finger snap. "Steve. Kelly." He squeezes my mum's shoulders on the way past.
Bren is not surprised by her Dad. She thinks that today would have bruised his ego professionally and while it's not fair his treatment of me, she hopes given a few more weeks he'll have calmed down. I hope she is right. We chat about Donna's new career in modelling and about Andrea coming back to me about my proposal, she is buzzing about my idea for the new pages for the blaze. She agreed that I can edit the pages but she as chief she will have final say. I also tell her of how I stopped past Mrs T's office during summer school hours and she not only agreed to approve AP English but it resulted in a long conversation on College and the best college writing programs. She gave me both the list of the best writing schools and the best for drama. I tell her we can compare and narrow the list down when she gets home.
Mrs T also looked at my records. My co-curricula's are non existent, my academics are good but each of my teachers have been telling her for years I'm not working to my potential. She said for me to be considered for any of these programs I need to be more focused this year in both academics and broadening my co-curricula's. The Blaze is a good start but I need to do more. She said it's disappointing that I didn't keep my assistant Baseball coaching up from sophomore year. I tell Bren that after the meeting yesterday that I reached out to Nat to see if he'll need a hand this year with the team, and have also started to look at some bay cleaning volunteer programs to help out in.
Throughout the conversation I can hear how pleased she is that I'm finding my own path, that I'm doing things I'm passionate about but with a focus to help set up our future. She doesn't push me in any direction in the conversation or encourage me to do more, she has always been pretty good at knowing when I need a shove and when I need to find my own way. In my mind I repeat the word separateness, it's needed for us to counter the intensity and I can see by me following my passions we can be stronger together.
On day five of the letter being sent Iris was pretty quiet, she meditated more. I try to tell her he doesn't call often like only once every six months and that correspondence can be pretty slow but by day seven I'm starting to feel angry at both him and myself for putting her in this situation. I reach out to Ben and attend a meeting as I dislike the negative emotions that are stirring in me. Bren's new letter is the only bright spot in the day.
Having covered the Spring Dance in our last letter and having gone over the pregnancy scare in our phone call. This letter was about her summer, what it felt to have me living there. How she tossed and turned that night feeling me so close and wanting me, how she paused in that bathroom door and contemplated reaching for me. How she closed the door and leaned against that door fighting a desire to go back to me.
The letter was covered in a heat that I was familiar with, a need that I had been feeling for weeks, a need that I now knew in Paris she was feeling. This letter was open about her thinking, about her emotions but what it mainly highlighting was that her physical need for me was just as strong. Bren had always been more reserved, worried that our relationship would just become about us being physical. I had secretly worried that it meant that in this area we weren't evenly matched that I liked and needed it more than she. This letter blew that out of the water.
It was written in black ink in every word and between every line a reference that had not been evident to me before, that she being the more pragmatic one worried that it could become that. If she fell over the edge at the same time as me and got lost in that part of us we could just eventually have only a physical connection and nothing more.
My return letter swore to debunk that for her, that if we give in to that need it wouldn't burn away the rest it would heighten it. I like her voice too much no to want to hear it. I learn and am challenged by her input and ideas too much to not want to consider them. I like her laugh, her sass and her stubbornness too much to not have them apart of my everyday. I told her to trust that our foundation, our love, our friendship was strong enough that we could get completely swept away in the heat of each other and that we would survive it and grow stronger from it. That we weren't shallow enough to just be about lust, that I could never have just a physical relationship with her. I loved and genuinely liked every part of her the physical, mental and emotional parts too much to ever treat her like she was a bed warmer, someone who was just pretty on my arm.
I hoped my letter conveyed that when I said we were so good together after hearing about her going back to Minnesota, I meant that I'd never had a physical connection that felt like this. That it was so powerful because I'd never made love to someone before, I treasured the whole of us as much as she did. That she could lose herself in her desires she didn't need to guard us alone that I'd do it too.
On day eight I received a phone call from my Dad's lawyer, the Parole Board that morning had approved his application he was being released the next morning into either a half way home or into a family home. His conditions meant he was required to get a job. He was not authorised to take out a loan, sit on a company board, or invest money, essentially he was to stay away from high finance. He was also not to associate with old colleagues, leave California or engage in any illegal activity. Failure to not comply would see him return to prison to serve the remainder of his five year sentence. His parole conditions would last for the next thirty six months.
The parole board needed to know by three pm if he's to spend that three years in a halfway home or in a family home. His lawyer advised me that my Father didn't contact me himself or his ex wife as he wanted this decision to be our own. Jack understood that a three year commitment to maintain a family home in California was asking a lot of either of us.
"What does that mean exactly, maintaining a family home?"
"Essentially, the parole board wants supports around him to make sure he keeps on the right path. Usually once a parolee is proven to be stable and sticking to the conditions, about twelve months in in this case we could apply for that specific condition to be lifted."
"But it may not. Would someone have to be home with him every night monitoring him?"
"No just a family member, so you or your mum would need to make it your primary residence. Holidays, weekend's away from the home is fine but it's about him having support and not appearing to be living alone. Dylan your father and I are surprised they granted him parole this early. The prisons are crowded though, he's not violent, and well when they heard his story how it all began and what it means for him to be released, they felt he had something to fight for to keep him on the path."
"His story?"
"I think Jack should discuss that with you. Look I've given you and Mrs McKay a lot to discuss, I'll call you at 2pm and see if either of you have any further questions."
I put the phone down and look to my mum's room, I need to talk to her and Brenda, this decision could impact all our lives.