Authors Note: I own nothing. No ownership rights to Beverly Hills 90210.

Chapter Thirty-Eight

My wife was giving me that look but I was refusing to buy into into it. "I'm going to go work on the boat for a couple of hour's."

I was up and out the kitchen door thinking I had made a clear exit when I heard her follow, "Jack don't walk away. You know what I want."

Damn. Play dumb. I turn around and smile, "my love you haven't asked for anything so I don't know what you are talking about."

"Jack Michael McKay do not pretend to not understand this. You saw her this morning she is crushed, our daughter is upset and you want to go work on your boat."

"Iris they are making a stand as adults, as their parents we can support them like we did last night going with them to tell her parents but we can't fix this. It's not a kids play date that needs to be arranged by the parents, they got married if they are grown up to make that decision they are grown up to deal with the consequences."

"That's true except the biggest mark against Dylan is that he's your son, that we let him grow up too fast. He's not judged on who he is as a person but where he is from." My wife was always right, it was hard to argue with her logic.

"Jim hates me, no amount of dinner's and lunches with the Carson's have changed his mind. I imagine it's even worse after last night."

"Well we can still try and reason with them, soften them up for hopefully a reconciliation with the kids. It's not like Jim and Cindy can put the same blinder's they have been wearing for the last few month's back on, there is no amount of willing them apart that will end the marriage." She walks up to me and looks at me with those big brown eyes, gently touching my cheek- god she was good. "Maybe now they will be a little more open to working this out."

"You've read too many positive affirmations this morning." I sigh and place my hands on her hips, "what do you have in mind?"

"Let's call and invite them to lunch, neutral turf like the kids wanted to do."

"Nothing too flash as we will be accused of showing off, and nothing too unusual the conversation will be hot enough without additional chilli to burn are mouths."

"I was thinking The Peach Pit, it's neutral for all involved and with the kid's at school will be quiet enough for all of us to have a reasonable conversation." She smiles and kisses my lips gently before moving out of my arms to make her phone call.

"Reasonable, our kids, and Jim do not belong together, he is completely irrational when it comes to them."

She sasses me back, "well use your McKay charm. You do know you used to be a Titan of business-"

"Through intimidation and knowing how to read people, I've read Jim he's only going to change his mind when he chooses to."

"Well then we work on Cindy." I lift my eyebrow she reconsiders, "I'll work on Cindy, you keep your McKay charisma in check."

"Yes dear."

Hours later my wife and I are sitting across from our son's new in-laws, it had been a tense exchange so far; everything from the greeting, to the ordering, to Jim's diatribe of how foolish they are. It was only when the food arrived and Jim's mouth was full of a club sandwich did Cindy get a look in to ask her questions. Iris then explained how we found out and what we knew of the ceremony.

Once again Jim's anger flared up. "So you let him go to Paris, knowing that I was sending my daughter away to put distance between them?"

"He wanted help to decide on which house to purchase, Iris and I respect that our son's life has not been easy because of us. It's important that he has security around him a sense of stability. Dylan insisted that he own whatever house he live in but such a big decision he naturally wanted Brenda's help to make it, he always believed that they'd live together through College-"

"But they aren't in college."

Iris places her hand over mine telling me that she had this one, "no they aren't. This summer they had an epiphany they realised that they had two options, lose something very special for a time till they and everyone else could handle it or learn how to handle it better. They decided to learn. They worked hard to be open and address any concerns they had, they spoke on the phone almost daily, they wrote letter's; the nature of which I'm unsure of. I do know that one had Dylan very emotional, it was the only one he spoke to me about though I know he read and reread all of them all the time."

"What had him so upset?" Cindy's motherly concern was coming through, my wife was very very good.

"From what I understand the letters were chronological from the moment they met they unpacked everything they felt, every confusing thought- we can see how intense their love is and we are much older, it must have been scary, overwhelming to deal with it at sixteen. This one was about Brenda's health scare back in sophomore year. I'm not sure if you two are aware that while Brenda now has annual checks, she self-examines at least monthly. Dylan keeps track of them, it's something they discuss. They are both aware that she's in a high risk category and they take that very seriously."

You could tell Cindy was getting emotional from this conversation and even Jim put aside his anger to reach out and hold his wife's hand. Her voice was almost quivering when she asked the question, I guess fearful that there maybe more going on with her daughter than she realised, "if they speak about it regularly why was he so upset by the letter?"

Iris picked up on the unasked question immediately, "Cindy Brenda is fine, Dylan would have not let her out if his sight if she wasn't. The letter, well it goes back to them learning how to deal with how they feel. He was worried how good a partner he'd be if it ever wasn't a false alarm. His biggest fear is to lose her, and I think it's no coincidence that you both began to fear their intensity right after she was held up at gun point. He was struggling to figure out how he could get past his own fear's to be the partner she would need." My wife takes a sip of her ice tea, I know where that conversation went, how she explained my own failures as her husband in not seeing her silent illness. Not that she saw it as my failure, though it was. "I'm telling you this not to play on your emotions of a very personal illness for your family but to demonstrate that while they may be young they spent time and continue now to spend time ensuring they are able to be the partner the other one need's, now and in the future. They've discussed college, adventures they want to have, the careers they are planning for themselves; knowing Brenda's may involve them having to relocate at times. They even have discussed kids, though that won't be happening for a while. Neither of them want to share the other for the next few year's, and both want to establish career's for themselves first."

"Iris it may be well and good that they are planning this fantasy life together so well but it's not reality. They are young, they-"

"Will come up with the exact same hurdles as we all have. They will face hardships, they will struggle like we all have at times both together and individually. None of that can be avoided Jim but they have put in the work more than most people double their age to try and figure out how they will deal with these challenges. Jack and I don't love the fact that they went off and did this. That we weren't there. That they did this so young but honestly from the moment I saw how protective Brenda is of him and how he guards her and their relationship, from that moment I knew that it was a when not an if. I knew it would be a close when at that."

Nearly an hour later, Jim was in no way supportive of the marriage but he wanted to try and begin a conversation with his daughter. I think he thought that if he agreed to let them start to date again that he could gain back some control, make a reasonable compromise. He was delusional but it was getting them back in the same room somewhat calmly. Cindy seemed quieter after Iris's details of the letters and hearing their plans for the future, she seemed less worked up.

Dylan's car was in the garage when we arrived. They should have got home fifteen minutes ago unless they rushed back, though when we walked in the house was quiet. My wife and I share a look, shit!

"They may have gone upstairs to their study or to take a nap. Dylan is still on medication and hasn't regained his energy from his bout of pneumonia, the doctors say it could take months till his lungs are completely repaired. I'll just go get them."

She's back minutes later with a smile that I know all too well, it's her damage control smile. "They'll be right down they were resting, I think like the rest of us after the emotions of last night they are exhausted. I'll go make us some tea and coffee. Jack?"

"Right, I went to the Irish store on Saturday and picked up some new packets of Bourbon Creams. I'll get them from my hiding place to have with the coffee."

Iris smiles as we begin to leave the room, "wow you are going all out to share your Irish biscuits and chocolates-"

"Now wait a second I never said anything about bringing out the chocolate."

We have made a pot of tea and coffee and they still weren't down, you'd think they'd understand that the longer they are up there the less we can pretend they are just napping. I feel another McKay tutorial is needed.

I've just tried to offer another biscuit when I hear the padding of their feet on the stairs and whispering, at least it's too low for us to make out what they are saying. Jim who is sitting on the armchair closest to the entryway see's them first and his face gradually becomes angrier and angrier, it's clear why when they enter the room.

Brenda looks put together, a little nervous and flushed, and her hair looks freshly brushed with more volume than it did this morning but she we could pretend was napping. My son on the other hand give's it all away, his usually slicked hair is no longer styled to it's usual perfection it's fluffed out as if he has no hair gel left, his t-shirt he has not even attempted to tuck in.

Yep my son was making a stand and it was going to derail all the good we had accomplished over the last few hours.

My Dad flashed me a less than impressed look, I ignored it and instead lead my wife to the empty lounge. We sit close, I had given up too much time with her allowed more distance than I was okay with just to appease this man I was not going to continue now that it was all on the table.

"Mum, Dad we weren't expecting you-"

"Clearly." Oh here we go! "I thought we could discuss this, Iris has spent hours trying to convince me that you are maturing and then I see this!" He gestures to the two of us.

"You see what Jim. My wife and I in our home not expecting visitors this afternoon. I'm not sure what the problem is-"

"You know what the problem is Dylan."

"No I really don't. Even before we were married we were committed to one another, we waited till it was the right time, we were safe, we discussed it, it was consensual. We were discreet. Besides abstinence I'm not sure what else you could have wanted, and now that we have made a lifetime commitment to each other I'm not sure why it's even a concern of yours if it ever should have been."

My words spark him and he is instantly on his feet. "She's my daughter!"

I stay seated, "and we are married. I've discussed this more than I'm willing to it's not open for discussion and definitely not something that anyone besides Bren and I have a right to have a say on." My wife doesn't look at me but instead begins to play with my ring, while I'm not yelling like my father-in-law she knows I'm quietly seething. I don't kiss and tell, in this area Bren and I are completely off limits I've shared more than I'm comfortable with.

"Cindy this is-"

"Jim sit down and let's just try and discuss this reasonably." When he begrudgingly is back in his chair Cindy looks at the two of us, "Iris and Jack have spent the afternoon advocating for the two of you, it's a position that I'm familiar with. While we appreciate their word's Brenda your father and I remain unconvinced that either of you are emotionally mature enough and ready for this commitment." My wife's back stiffens. "We though realise that it's past the point where we can stop you from seeing each other. Brenda on the way over here your father and I discussed this and after what we heard at lunch today we are willing to allow you and Dylan to start dating again, though you must come home, there will be a curfew as usual and we will have our lawyer arrange an annulment. If you both still want to get married in a couple of year's time your father and I will support your decision, even if we still think that you'll be too young."

I take a second to lean my head back and stare at the ceiling, we left our room for this rubbish. When I straighten up I look at my wife this I know is her's to respond to. "I said to Dad this summer that his offer was not good enough. I won't use the same language now as there is no negotiation, maybe this summer there was an opportunity for that. Dylan came to the wedding took responsibility and apologised to dad for a lie I told. He listened through an unfair attack, a personal and unjustified critique, it still wasn't good enough. It wasn't enough. Dylan and I are no longer asking permission we are no longer up for debate, you both stopped having a right to have a say when you started wanting to control us. Dad's disgusting threat completely made it apparent that he has lost all objectivity, and Mum while I know you were angry at him for it and don't condone what he did it still didn't make you consider that Dad had lost perspective and maybe yours was clouded as well. We are married. This is our home. I won't be going anywhere."

She looks at me and I kiss her forehead before she turns back to her parents, "it's on you both now to accept that. To understand that you can be apart of our family-"

He's back on his feet, "Cindy we should go they are not mature enough to have a reasonable conversation with."

When Cindy doesn't look to try and change Jim's mind and instead gets up I stand, "no problem let me walk you out." In my peripheral vision I see my mother put her head in her hands at my complete indifference.

They say nothing to me when I walk them out. When the door is closed I walk back to the doorway of the lounge room, my mother is giving me a look screaming with her eyes if that was necessary.

It's my father who speaks, "son I haven't seen you this frustrated in a number of year's should we be-"

"Relax, I'm not inclined to drink I'm just over their attempts of control. I'm sick of Bren and I being a burden they have to endure have to suffer through." I look at my wife then and run my hand through my hair, she looks at me with analysing eye's. She knows that I'm at my whits end, that I'm done trying to be apart of the Walsh's, I'll never be good enough.

She sadly nods and then looks at my parents, "thank you for trying but it's time to stop now. Brandon says they want to keep this quiet, Dad is afraid of what the partners will say if they hear he is at odds with… well you Iris." She looked so uncomfortable saying that, knowing that it was my mother's name and money they were prioritising rather than their daughters happiness. "I love my parents but it's now hurting Dylan and I'm not ever going to be okay about that, I don't think either of you will accept that for him." She becomes unsure I hate seeing my wife like that, "they may not want him or us together to be apart of the Walsh family but-"

"Sweetheart, you don't even need to ask you are a McKay through and through, and the both of you have my wife and my support."

I clear my throat, "technically Bren and I are the only ones married here Dad."

"Dylan!"

"What it's true. I'm just saying we are the only ones who can use those moniker's."

My mother stands up and walks over to me, she knows I'm trying to get a rise. It's been over two and a half months of them living together, they were more together than all married couples I know, like Bren and I they had their own language. She stops when she gets in front of me, "would it have killed you to at least pretend you were napping up there? I swear you stir the pot on purpose, you remind me of your great grandmother that way."

I smile my mother loved her grandma, "all I know about her is that she used to throw some amazing parties."

"She did. They were legendary, everyone would be there, even my New York family would fly in to attend." My mother gets a look and turns to Jack, "her Christmas parties were the highlight of the social calendar. It's a shame we stopped carrying on that tradition once I got sick though maybe it's time to bring it back."

My Dad gets a look and walks over to her, it's a look that makes me want to wash my eyes out. "God you are good, and people think I'm the schemer." I fake clear my throat my Dad looks at me, "your mother is suggesting that if it's social status Jim is responding to then lets show him the true status, New York billionaires and all."

"Jack I am not, I'm just saying we have a new McKay and we are altogether as a family it would be nice to bring back the tradition."

My mother is so full of shit, "what happened to my wind chime listening, crystal wearing, hippie mother?"

Under my father and my stare's she caves, "fine. Dylan don't be so shocked. Twin flames, your father and I are literally made to complement each other I'm his equal in every way."

"Your mother just does it with more style and sexines-"

"I'm drawing the line there."

"Say's the person who just walked into the room with sex hair."

"Mum!" I look over, Bren is literally in tears watching this exchange. "Wife you are supposed to be on my side." She just laughs harder. I look at my mother, "I don't even want to know how you know what sex hair is."

Now my parents are joining my wife in her giggle attack, "oh please you should have seen your father's in the seventies when the shaggy haircut was in- it would go every which-"

"Nope you have scared me enough for one lifetime, I'm leaving before you ruin this for me as well." I hear all three of them laughing as I climb back up the stairs.