That evening as Holly sat on her couch watching Terms of Endearment the phone rang. As Debra Winger was in the throes of yet another telephone argument with her on screen mother Holly sighed. She pushed pause on the remote control and picked up the phone before it rolled to voice mail.
"Hello" She answered throatily.
"Happy Mother's Day, Holly"
Holly furrowed her brow. "It was until I picked up the phone, Roger."
"I guess that answers my first question."
"Which was?" Holly asked
"If you're still mad at me."
"Roger, you fired me as station manager at WSPR, what am I supposed to be? Happy?"
"You still own half of it. It's not like you are collecting unemployment."
"That is of little consolation. Now what do you want? Did Blake put you up to this? Feeling a bit contrite was she, but couldn't call me herself? Typical. They say the apple doesn't fall from the tree, and Roger Thorpe fancies himself a mighty oak."
"I've never had a complaint in that department" Roger answered smugly.
"You're disgusting, Roger." Holly spat. "I'm hanging up now."
"No! Please don't!"
"Then tell me what you want, you're interrupting me."
"I doubt it. If you're not spending Mother's Day with Chrissy, I know exactly what you're doing." He paused "You're sitting on your couch with a pint of ice cream, or maybe pretzels and peanut butter. Both were your comfort foods" He remembered. "You've put All About Eve on, and are studying Bette Davis wondering why it's all about her and not poor Margo."
Holly shook her head. "You're wrong Roger, it's Terms of Endearment, and cake. Now if you'll excuse me, Emma is about to succumb to cancer."
"Alright, Holly, try to have a good rest of your day, and if you talk to Chrissy could you ask her to call me. She isn't really talking to me either."
Holly didn't dignify the request with an answer. Instead, she hung up the phone and pushed play on the remote control but didn't really become reabsorbed in the film. "How dare he" She thought. "Thinks he knows me so well." Her mouth and eyes tightened. "Well, I will show him." She turned off the television and went to her room where she changed into a casual pair of pants and a blouse. Grabbing her car keys, she decided she was going to check on Michelle.
When she arrived at the Bauer house, she heard voices on the patio. It was a warm, early spring night, so it stood to reason that they'd be outside.
"Michelle, you know you could have asked me for a ride." Holly heard Eve Guthrie's voice. "Don't you know how dangerous it was to take a taxi?"
"Dad, I thought you said you weren't going to tell her." Michelle whined.
"I'm sorry honey" Ed said and then turned towards the oncoming footsteps. "Holly, this is a surprise" he said waving his spatula at her.
"It is. I should have called first. Hello Dr. Guthrie, Michelle" Holly smiled.
Michelle ran to her and grabbed her hand. "Come have dinner with us. Dad's making burgers"
"Oh honey, that's awfully nice of you, but I wasn't invited. I just came over to see how you were doing after this morning."
Ed closed the lid on the smoking grill and went to her, taking her hand in his. "None sense, you're always welcome here. There's plenty."
"I suppose I should get going myself" Eve offered.
"You're not going to join us?" Ed asked, but didn't ask her to stay.
Eve looked from Holly to Michelle. "No, I'm going to go see Nick. Maybe some other time"
"Thanks again for your help today Eve" Ed said, waving his spatula again.
As Eve retreated to the safety of the garage apartment Michelle pulled Holly to the picnic table. "Holly, I have an art project that's due tomorrow. Do you think you could help me with it after dinner?"
Holly looked at Ed who shrugged. "Well, what kind of project is it? I used to paint, but I'm not very good" She wrinkled her nose.
Ed laughed. "She's really not Michelle. You should have seen the mess she made of Blake's nursery room walls. I'm still trying to figure out how you managed to paint the ceiling."
"I over shot the wall?" Holly noted
"Ok, maybe, but Holly, it was in the middle of the room!" Ed laughed at the memory.
"Don't listen to him, Michelle. I'd be happy to help you."
The trio ate dinner and then Holly went to the kitchen with Michelle to help her with her project. "It's paper Mache"
"And what are we making out of paper, flour and water today?"
"I have no idea." Michelle admitted. "It has to be something we love. Bill made a baseball and Ben made a stupid fish."
"Ok, we can handle that, I think. What is something you love?" Holly asked.
"My mom" She whispered and then shoved the pile of papers off the table before she stormed off.
Ed who was coming through the door witnessed the tail end of her outburst. "What now?" He demanded.
"Oh Ed, she needs her mother and I unfortunately am an incredibly poor substitute." Holly sighed.
Ed laid the dishes on the island and leaned against it. "So am I, I'm afraid. Every time I think I'm making progress something like this happens. Please tell me she will eventually love me again."
Holly stood, and picked up the papers from the floor. "I wish I could Ed, but this uncharted territory for me, and that's saying something since my daughter can't stand to be in the same town as me much less the same planet." Ed pushed himself off of the island and wrapped Holly in his arms. He laid his chin on top of her head.
"Having Rick did not prepare us for daughters, did it?" Ed asked, Holly shook her head no under his chin.
From the darkened hallway Michelle watched the scene as a smile crept over her face.
A week later Holly was looking through the classified ads in the Journal when her phone rang. "Hello" she said absently around a pencil she was chewing.
"Holly?"
"Ed? Is everything alright?" She asked removing the offending piece of wood from between her lips.
"I suppose so. Michelle isn't talking to me, again." He sighed. "I don't know what to do, Holly. One day we're getting along great and then the next she treats me like I'm the village monster. Today is one of those days. The only time she seems to be happy is when I mention your name, or you happen to be in close proximity"
"Well, that's high praise. I remember Blake at twelve. She couldn't stand me. In fact, she hated me so much that she asked to go to boarding school. Michelle hasn't suggested that yet has she?"
Ed chuckled. "No, and let's not give her any idea, alright? So does that mean I can count on you for dinner?"
Holly looked at the watch on her wrist. "I suppose so. I have nothing pressing."
"Well, gee Holly, try to contain your enthusiasm." Holly rolled her eyes. "See you around 6?"
"Sure, I'll bring a cake" She sarcastically said.
At 6 p.m. Holly knocked on the door to the Bauer kitchen and let herself in. Before she ever crossed the threshold, she turned on her heel to leave.
"Holly wait!" Ed called out. "Damn it" She heard behind her. Ed caught up with her and grabbed her shoulder. She quickly shook his hand off of her.
"I had no idea they were coming." He said out of breath from chasing her.
Holly turned and glared at him. "Really? You had no idea that Blake and Ross were just going to show up? What? Uninvited? Unannounced? Conveniently at exactly the same time I was to arrive for dinner."
Ed put his hands up in contrition. "I had no idea, cross my heart" He did so with his finger. "I couldn't exactly turn them away. She is my step daughter you know"
"And he is my ex-fiance that she took to bed to get even with me!" Holly yelled.
"Shh, Michelle will hear"
"Good, let her. I don't want her to think that Blake is some paragon of virtue to look up to!"
With that Blake stormed out of the house. "Mother, I'd like to talk to you"
"If you'll excuse me, I'm going to go and finish dinner." He took the cake box that Holly held from her hand.
When he shut the door Holly crossed her arms over her chest and stared at Blake.
"Look Mom, I'm sorry. I should have called you on Mother's Day, but I didn't know what to say. So I understand why you're angry with me"
Holly threw her head back. "You think I'm angry because you didn't call me on Mother's Day? Blake, honestly, if I got angry every time you missed a holiday or birthday, I wouldn't have spoken to you since you turned 16. Honestly."
"Then what is it, Mom? Is it because I'm marrying Ross?"
Holly could feel the blood drain from her face. "Marrying Ross? What? How? When?" Holly's hands started to flutter uncontrollably.
Blake held out her left hand and showed Holly the ring. "Unbelievable" Holly muttered when she realized it was the same stone from the ring, he had given her, only in a new setting. "Typical Ross."
"What does that mean, mother?"
"Nothing Blake, nothing at all. Look, if you want to marry a man whom your mother had in her bed, then by all means do it. I mean it's one thing to share a bath towel but a man, that's disgusting, but you do you"
Blake moved beyond the patio to the pool. "We're not sharing him mother, he dumped you, remember?" She was yelling. Holly only went to her to make her calm down.
"Alright Blake, the whole neighborhood doesn't need to hear our laundry being hung out to dry"
"You know what mother, you're right. They don't, so I guess it's a good thing Ed has a dryer."
With that Blake shoved her mother into the deep end of the pool. Hearing the splash Ed and Ross came running out to the patio.
"What on Earth are you doing?" Ross asked as he grabbed Blake and held her against him as she thrashed in an attempt to get away.
Ed meanwhile got on his knees and helped fish a soaking wet Holly out of the water. "Are you alright?" He asked her. Holly shook her head yes, and tried to cover herself given the sheerness of the blouse she wore.
"What's wrong with you Blake? Your mother could have been hurt!" Ed admonished, wrapping his arms around Holly.
"She needed to cool off and that was the most expedient way of doing it."
"Alright Blake, I think you've had enough. Ed, I'm sorry about dinner but I think we should go" Ross said.
"I think you're right. Blake, you're welcome here any time. Regardless of what happens between you and your mother I love you."
"Thank you, Ed, you and Maureen were always who I could count on"
"Oh please" Holly muttered.
"But" Ed added 'I will not allow you to humiliate your mother, do you understand me?"
Blake pouted as only she could, refusing to answer him.
"Come on honey, let's go home" Ross said as he guided her away from Ed and Holly. "Ed, again, my apologies. Holly" he said before they disappeared into the dark.
