11
A graceful stone building with arched windows. A bar. Gas lanterns on the exterior wall and burning dimly inside. Stone gargoyles smile down on those who enter the heavy, bright red wooden door.
Drinks hour. Upscale crowd. Dim lights, clink of glasses, the hum of private conversations side-by-side. Civilized as hell. And at the deuce by the window...the man's head is down. We can't see Jack's expression, as he stares at his clenched hands. We don't need to.
"I thought a phone call was inappropriate." Gwen says softly. No one smiles at the irony. Not much to smile about. "I could have taken you to that restaurant, but it would have been a waste of money."
He looks up. She studies the pain then nods as she admits "I know. I wouldn't know what to say. If it were you."
"We're going to win this."
Gwen shoots straight back "Walk in the park. And thanks for the 'we'."
Tears fill his eyes. None in hers. He is stern "You're not alone in this. You're not alone. Jesus, you're not alone, okay?"
Gwen swallows. Tries a smile that doesn't get halfway there. Looks down.
"What happens next?" Jack croaks out.
"I live or I die." She looks straight in his eyes. We don't need the bullshit. Not us.
"Tell the kids together?" he asks.
She thinks. A barely perceptible nod.
"Want Yan someplace else?" he adds.
On that one. She has to smile.
"My compliments." She snorts "On your learning curve."
.
.
.
.
Gwen carrying two steaming mugs from her stove. These have marshmallows floating in them. She sets them down in front of her children. Owen starts plucking the marshmallows out of Toshiko's mug. Toshiko doesn't care, too busy videotaping her father. Who sits with this tender, compassionate, and therefore rather ominous smile. Doesn't take a smart kid like his daughter to guess "So what's up? Who's marrying who this time?"
Mommy's marrying Yan!" Owen squeals cheekily. He's happy. Gwen reaches and shuts OFF Toshiko's camera. And the directness in her gaze keeps the child from complaining.
Gwen simply states "Mommy's sick, guys."
"You have the WORST flu since..." Owen begins.
"I have cancer. Do you know what that is?" Gwen cuts him off.
He doesn't. Someone else does.
"It's what Grammy Lil died from." Toshiko whispers.
Owen's eyes WHIP OVER to his sister. He sees the cold fear in her face. BACK to Mom.
She seems fine, calm, smiling even. "Grammy had a different kind. There are lots of kinds. Hers was very bad."
"Is your kind bad?" Owens' eyes bug as he whimpers.
"Shut up." Toshiko snarls "She's going to die."
But the anger in her eyes isn't for Owen. She is glaring. At her mom.
"Actually, I'm getting better already." Gwen gives it straight. As if to an equal, an adult. "I had a lot of treatments, and they weren't any fun, but the tests show the cancer got smaller."
"A lot smaller." Jack adds. Toshiko cuts him an angry look. He's on her shit list, too.
"So you're okay." Owen nods, accepting.
"I'm still sick, but I'm better."
"You lied to us when you never told us!" Toshiko accuses and Owen hadn't thought of that. Nods now, yeh.
"That's right." Gwen agrees "And you're mad."
Toshiko just glares with all the hatred she can turn her fear into.
"I know how scared I get when you're sick." Gwen tries to explain "So I waited to tell you. Until it was getting smaller. I thought that was best, maybe I was wr..."
Toshiko barks "You lied. If you lied then, maybe you're lying now. I can never believe you again!"
Jack bristles "Toshiko, never say nev..."
But Gwen's raised her hand. Jump back, Jack. The eye contact with her daughter never breaks.
"We make mistakes." Gwen says gently "And we forgive each other. Because we love each other, very m..."
"Where's Yan?" Toshiko demands "It's Thursday, we get to be with Yan!"
Owen plays the diplomat "I'd rather be with Mommy."
"She's dying and Yan is your Mommy now! Or … or .. Taddy!" She jumps up from the table. HISSES at her brother "You are so STUPID!"
And she RUNS, halfway to the door...
"TOSHIKO" Jack roars.
She turns, STARTLED at the anger in that.
Jack is standing as he snarls "You do NOT run out on your moth..."
"YOU'RE WORSE THAN SHE IS! WHY DON'T YOU JUST DIE, TOO?" she screams and BOLTS from the room.
In the silence she's left behind Owen huffs "Toshiko's worse than everybody."
.
.
.
.
Ianto and Jack cuddled in bed, watching a video in the darkness. At least, Ianto is. Just now, Jack's watching him. "Well, I think you should tell him you changed your mi..."
"It's no biggie." Ianto sighs softly he's still watching. It's a French-language comedy. He can feel his eyes on him. Never turns... "It's just an assignment."
"It's Anna Sui, you should be doing it."
"Are you hungry? You could make us something?" Ianto asks. He's still never looked at Jack. Jack can see Ianto's getting irritated. He says nothing. Ianto then adds "It's two solid months, around the clock, Gwen needs some coverage, and you're in a trial, what are we talking about? There'll be other assignments."
Jack kisses his hair and flinches slightly. Tries to pretend it's because he's concentrating on the movie. "They're my kids."
"Great, wallow in guilt, you sure you're not Jewish?"
A long beat. He snuggles closer. They watch together.
"She's not gonna die." Jack pouts sullenly.
"I know that."
.
.
.
.
Gwen and Owen cuddled in bed, watching a video in the darkened room. It is not a French Comedy. They are, however, eating popcorn.
The door opens. Toshiko stands motionless, composed. Her face looks like she's been crying. She clears her throat "I'm sorry you're sick."
From across the room. Gwen stares at her. "I can't hear you."
"THEN TURN OFF THE CARTOON!"
Gwen cups her hand to her ear. Shakes her head, can't hear a thing. Waves, come on over. And slowly Toshiko does. Crawls up into the bed, on the opposite side from Owen. Into her mother's arms. Gwen kisses her head, strong. Big smile.
"I said..."
"...I'm not deaf, y'know."
They grin at each other. Like equals. Gwen picks up the remote, cuts OFF the sound. And when Owen turns to her she starts singing "In the still... still of the ni-ight ...I held you... held you so ti-ight..."
"That's Yan's song!"
"Sugar. I was slow dancing to that song before Ianto was even born." She laughs.
"Wow…Really?"
"You bet."
Toshiko chuckles.
"You think he's the King of Cool?" Gwen shakes her head. Pulls down the covers, pulls up her t-shirt "Does he have a tattoo?"
The butterfly. Just below her navel. Owen has seen this before, of course. Touches it, with his small hand.
"He wouldn't know." Toshiko sniffs "But I saw him in the shower!"
"And...?"
Owen looks to his sister. For the verdict. Toshiko shakes her head. Nope. "He is only the Prince of Cool. Mommy is the Queen!"
"He is but an arriviste." Owen drolls. A new word, apparently.
"A newcomer." Gwen nods "he's still got a thing or two to learn."
Toshiko nods. "You betcha."
Gwen resumes singing "I held you...held you so ti-ight...Toshiko you sing lead, you've got the voice...
She bumps heads gently with Owen. "The stud and I will doo-wop."
And as they doo-wop the back-up Toshio sings "For I love...lo-ove you soooo... promise I'll never...Let you go..."
"In the still of the ni-ight."
.
.
.
.
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL - NIGHT
Parents streaming slowly in for a PTA night. They are chatty, tired, preoccupied. And 95% female.
Folding chairs set in rows. Parents taking their seats with coffee and cookies. Up front, a table where a panel of speakers are beginning to gather. A faded banner says PTA - TENAFLY DAY SCHOOL. Gwen is nibbling at a single cookie, when...a figure slips into the seat beside her. Ianto is juggling a coffee and maybe nine cookies. Drops one. Gwen picks it up. Dusts it off. Ianto is repelled, but has to smile.
"Small world." Gwen smiles.
"Jack's depo ran late. I promised I'd take notes." To prove it, he balances the cookies on his thighs, and produces a notebook. Looks around, and in a conspiratorial near-whisper... "So I have to tell you something in confidence..."
"You're a cross-dresser"
"That. And. Toshiko is over her head. With Brad 'The Dreamboat' Kovitsky." Does a Groucho eyebrow move.
Gwen is unsure if this really means he cross dresses but tries to brush it off "She hasn't mentioned this."
"She was afraid you'd make a big deal out of it."
Gwen is hurt. Covers "Moi?"
"Toi. They've been 'going out' for two weeks, didn't tell me either" Ianto breathless and happy. Gwen attentive. "As you may know, 'going out' in the six grade doesn't mean shit. They don't actually go to a movie or anywhere, they don't even eat lunch together, it's just a declaration to the world that they're..."
"...going out, yeh. I had kids of my own, once."
Ianto flaps a hand "Anyway. He walks up to her in the lunch yard today. And tells her...publicly...that they're 'breaking up.'"
Gwen's mouth drops. "Oh, my God."
"Right. Which is the whole point of this 'going out' thing, so one of them can dump the other one, and they can imitate the whole passionate adult soap opera tragedy, without ever having to actually date."
"She's devastated." Gwen sighs sadly.
"Doesn't begin to describe it. I mean, you've got cancer, this is serious."
Ianto GRIPS Gwen's arm. "She spent an hour in the girls' bathroom, crying with eight of her closest friends, who are sending the message to every boy in the grade that Brad Kovitsky is yesterday's toast."
Ianto devours an entire cookie in one gulp. "So here's the point. I pick her up from soccer, she tells me the whole mess, and asks me what to do. How about that?"
"And you said...?"
"Beats me. Ask your mom."
"Oh."
"So she's gonna. Tomorrow." Ianto leans closer. Whispers... "Don't fuck this up."