13
Jack sits with Owen, building a gigantic magic castle from a million Leggos. It's architecturally interesting. Through the window behind them, a cold winter rain.
God, sorry I'm so late" Ianto is entering, peeling off his jacket. Tired as hell. "Duncan is doing his Himmler imitation on this gig. I got yelled at for quitting at eight."
Under Jack's patient exterior, the stress is showing. As Owen watches, he replaces a key piece of the turret.
"Yeh, well, I'll be up all night on this brief." And then He shoots him a really sorry look "I've got a morning plane to Boston for the depo. Back Sunday night."
Wow. They lock eyes in the bond of 'what are we gonna do?' No problem.
"I made that paella you liked." Jack offers a peace offering "It's on the stove."
Ianto kisses Owen's head, Jack's mouth, that one lingering a little. Then, down the hall to the kitchen. Toshiko sits with her homework stacked, untouched. Staring out the dark window. Clearly, this is worse than death.
"Lemme guess. A bad hair day."
Toshiko turns like a hunted animal "She told me to keep ignoring him! So I did it!"
"Not a good result, huh?"
"You know what that creep and his frogfaced footmen are calling me now? In front of the whole world?" Toshiko wails "Frosty, the Snow Bitch!"
"That's so weak." Ianto snorts.
"Here's weak...Mom said she was gonna talk to the teacher and Brad's parents! Can you believe the humiliation?" Toshiko dramatically flops onto the counter.
"Honey, she won't d..."
"I told her if she pulled that, I'd kill myself, and she could go to my funeral for a change!" For a change. That's where this is coming from. Ianto reaches his arms around her and murmurs "Hey. Hey. I've personally never gone to a funeral. And I'm not starting anytime soon."
The phone begins to ring and Ianto whispers "Specially not in this family."
Keep ringing. Ianto checks his watch. Shit. "Nine o'clock. That could be your mom from Montreal. Now you need t..."
But Toshiko BREAKS LOOSE from Ianto's arms and BOLTS out of the room. Ianto watching in despair. Lifts the phone on the sixth ring, bright and soft "Hi. How's the vitamins up there? Having big fun?"
Gwen in a hospital gown. At the window of her room, rain pouring down on Montreal. "Eat your heart out. Is Toshiko there?"
"Yeh, she's...I'll get you Owen first, it's past his bedti..."
"How's she doing with Brad?"
A beat.
Ianto takes a deep breath before answering "Can I say one thing? I mean, the last thing I want to do is interere on the Brad thing, b..."
"Thanks, but it's under control."
A shorter beat. "Yah? Well, even the best mom in the world, the smartest, the wisest, whatever. Needs to know when to find a Plan B. Cos Plan A is not and will n..."
Gwen is tired, gives a short snap "It's covered, okay? I appreciate your concern. Can I talk to her?"
And real quiet reply from Ianto "I'll get Owen."
.
.
..
Toshiko lies on her bed in darkness. Clutching her pillow. Lights streams in as Ianto enters. Sits on the bed, next to this furious child. Puts the cordless phone by the pillow.
"Toshiko, I know you miss your mother. So why don't you say hello."
"Why don't you say hello?" Toshiko parrots.
"Toshiko pick up the phone."
"Toshiko pick up the phone."
"That doesn't bother me." Ianto huffs.
"That doesn't bother me."
"You think this is funny?" he asks.
"You think this is funny?"
"No. I think it's ugly."
"You're just a stepTad. So stop bossing, cos nobody's listening!"
Ianto's voice is even, in control "June 3rd, God willing, I'll marry your
Dad. And then I will be your stepTad. And right now, I'm not looking forward to th..."
"Suits me fine!"
"StepTad. You think that means you can step on me? Over me? That you're one step ahead of me? Well, you're not." Ianto cocks his head to one side, like he's seen Gwen do. Uses a strong voice. No smile at all. "You know when girls grow into women? When they have to. And this is your moment, kid. Ready or not."
Picks up the phone. Hisses low "Your mama is in a hospital, far away. She needs you, right now. She needs you to be big. To put the kid aside, and help her get well. Now. Fucking. Do it!"
CLICKS the phone ON. Hands it to her. Toshiko sniffles with tears on her face "Hi, Mom. How are you feeling?"
As Ianto leaves, silently, Gwen is at her clinic window. Cellular at her ear. "Darling, I've been thinking about our little Brad problem? And I think it's time we move to Plan B..."
Toshiko starts to cry "You cannot believe what he said, it was the worst instant of my total life on Earth!"
"I know." Gwen croons "I know how rough life can be. And how unfair. So here's what we do. Tomorrow, on the lunch yard, you walk straight up to that little jerk..."
"And bring my knees up, real hard, yeh?"
"No, that never solves anything. You talk like the big girl you are. About what you feel. And how he's hurt you. You know? You tell the truth." Gwen is nodding to herself. Knows this is right. "You use your words."
.
.
.
.
An actual subway car filled with pairs of animals, cats, rabbits, dogs, two horses peeking out a window, peacocks. Noah's Subway, so to speak.
Duncan and his client watch as Andy assists Ianto, who shoots the menagerie from low angles. At last, he lowers his camera. Check his watch. Shoots Andy a knowing look. And hands him the camera. Waves to his subjects "I love you guys. You're animals!"
And starts Walking off down the tunnel. Duncan looks at his watch, then JUMPS up, TEARS after Ianto, GRABBING his arm, SPINNING him around, he faces ...someone ready for this. "Its 1:45, I told you there's no one to pick up Toshi..."
"But you're not done!"
He licks his lips. Stands his ground. "I've got it. It's in the can, Andy can wrap th..."
"We don't KNOW if you've got it, we haven't SEEN it yet! Now go back and FINISH!"
Ianto's glare says do NOT fuck with me. The lion look we've seen on Gwen. "Which part of no don't you understand?"
"Look, I will send a P.A. to pick up the children. There are agencies that supply sitters, nannies..."
"They're losing one parental. They can't lose two." Ianto snaps.
The bottom line. Duncan looks as freaked as he is determined. "You're making a career decision here, I would strongly sugg..."
"Duncan. I've got an even better idea..." Ianto leans forward. In his face. So he barely has to murmur. "I. Quit."
A beat.
"You can't do that, I won't let you!"
"No, no, no, this is a job that's hard to keep, not a job that's hard to lose, can't be both." Ianto shrugs.
"Ianto, don't do this, you will never forgive yourself!"
He thinks that over. For half a second. "Actually. I just did."
And without further fond farewell...
He is gone.
.
.
.
.
The last cars are pulling away. Some kids are still playing sports. And sitting on the ledge by the flag pole...two children. The little boy is reading his Garfield book for the three hundredth time. His big sister is simply crying, openly, for a disinterested world to see. A car SCREECHES up. The driver BLASTS out the door, RUNS to then then crouches slowly. At Toshiko's feet. "Oh, baby, I'm so sor..."
"IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT!" she cries.
Ianto is dying inside. Reaches to brush at Toshiko's tears, but the child SMACKS his head away.
"Owen, go sit in my car right now, and I will bribe you big time."
Excited, he runs off.
"I did what she said. I used my words, I told him what I felt, and they..." she gives a shuddering sob.
"...laughed, yeh. They laughed real hard." Ianto guesses.
Toshiko nodding BIG, gulping back tears.
"That's because men can be scum, your precious father excepted, may you live to find one like him, it is damn hard." And wraps his arms around the girl looking around "Now is that little prick still here, because if he is, I'm gonna rip his fucking heart out!"
"No, his mother's always on time."
"Great."
"And Mom says anger never, never thing worse."
"That's because your mother is a fine person, finer than I will ever be. Now, just this once...Just this once. If I tell you what to do. Can we cut a deal?"
Toshiko stops crying. This is what she has prayed for.
"Tomorrow is Friday, your mom comes home. You tell her you did what she said. It didn't work yet. But you're gonna talk to Brad again on Monday.
Ianto leans close "And you don't tell her. What you're going to say."
"Not use my words, please!"
Ianto gives a sarcastic smile "No, baby. You're gonna use my words."
The sun dawns. On a child's face. Ianto brushes the tears away. They won't need them anymore. "Okay, let's start with looks. I know he's handsome, but the best-looking people are so vain, there's always something they're insecure about."
Toshiko shakes her head. "Nothing."
"Does he have zits? We can call him Pizza Face."
"Nope. None."
"Help me here..." Into implores.
"Uh. He thinks his nose is too big. But it's not." She says after considering.
"Great. Big ears, too?"
"No. But they stand out, a little. Like this." Shows how.
"Done. He's a dead man." Ianto stands up. Walks in circle, thinking. Comes back. Strikes a pose. "Monday lunch, you walk up with attitude, you hear me?"
Ianto's Finger stabs out and Ianto gives a silly voice as Toshiko "Hey, Ear Boy! (does the ears) Listen up, Rhino Face, because I'm saying this one time! So your pathetic, no-life, ass-kissing little groupies here, better take notes!"
Toshiko is swooning with joy.
Ianto continues to speak as Toshiko "I dumped you, limp dick, when I got a peek at your deformed unit, which is sadly microscopic!"
Toshiko laughing, applauding.
Ianto then says as Toshiko "As for your pitiful knowledge of sex? I'm not wasting my time with some loser who doesn't even know what snowballing is!"
Toshiko raises her hand. "Uh. What is it?"
"Oh. It's an incredibly disgusting, and not remotely sexy thing, that they described in a movie I'd never let you go to. But it's real. Does he have an older brother?" Ianto waves a hand of dismissal.
"In high school."
"He'll be impressed. The clincher is, you walk away, then whip around... Like this." Ianto struts "The guy I see is in the eighth grade at Prep School, and he laughs his ass off every time we talk about you."
"But Yan..."
"A suitable boy, will be at this flagpole, on Monday, with a very expensive bike, and he will be a stone FOX if I have to call an escort service!" he promises.
The kid. Is breathless.
"Now let's go stuff you full of junk food." Wraps an arm around her.
"I've had the worst day. Till now."