A/N: Hello. I can't believe how long this story is. I'm sorry. I hate
long stories. It looks so much shorter on the word document. I'm on page
35 and have writer's block on what will happen in the very end. Oh well.
If you have any suggestions, comments, raves, go ahead and write them.
BUT NO FLAMES! Luv y'all!
Disclaimer: I disclaim what I don't own but own what I don't disclaim.
"So, do they know?" asked Emily.
"No, they don't," replied Andrew.
"He said she's engaged."
"Yeah, we heard that," said Alison.
"Do you know who it is?" asked Brian.
Emily answered, "Yeah, his name is Martin. Martin Grisham. And nobody likes him except her."
"Really?"
"Yeah. In the words of Frannie, Mom's friend who works with him, 'His laugh is extremely loud, he chews with his mouth open, and he's just plain a pain in my ass!'"
"You're allowed to say ass?"
"According to Frannie, 'Ass is a bad word, don't say it.' But I hear it, like, all the time so it doesn't matter. My mom deals."
"Anything else about him?" asked Andy.
"He's a therapist. And he acts like I'm one of his patients. He annoys the crap out of me. I mean, if I were one of his patients, I'd be sitting on a couch or something, playing with Play-Doh while we talked as a distraction."
"He's a child psychologist?" asked Alison.
"Nope. Adult. But I mean, shouldn't adults get to play with Play-Doh too?"
"Yeah, I wish our high school one had Play-Doh. I would've had fun with that."
"Probably would've. Alison's an artist here," said Brian.
"Really? That's sooo cool," said Emily, totally interested.
"Thanks," said Alison.
"Here comes Claire. Emily, you know the plan. Go up to her, now. Brian, wait up front for Bender without Claire seeing you. Be as careful as possible. Okay, go ahead. Emily is distracting her. Oh, and be quiet," said Andy.
"Will do, sir," Brian said, saluting to him. He carefully and silently went to the front of the restaurant (Dave & Busters) to wait for John.
"Honey, ready to hear some yelling?"
"They might not. You never know."
"Do you think Penny's okay? I'm not sure about that baby-sitter."
"Andy, we've been over this. Krista was recommended. Not only that, we have the safety cam set up in the living room. Our daughter does have you wrapped around her cute, chubby finger huh?"
"Daddy's little girl. Crap, Bender's here. Ready to restrain the psycho children-like people?"
"Yeah, I think so. I get Bender. He won't be violent if he has me. Give Em the signal."
Andy whistled, which was the sign. Em nodded and had a nice hold of her mom's arms. "Oh look! Hey! It's Andy and Alison! They're waving us over! Come on!" She forced her mother over to the table where the Clarks were sitting and Andy took over Emily's grip and sat down with Claire in the inside of the big booth. Then came Alison, Brian, and Emily's part. They forced John on the other side, across from Claire, who looked at her daughter with a scowl.
"Well I love you too," Emily said to her sardonically.
"What the heck are you all up to?" asked John, holding back his anger because there was a child in the room, multiple actually.
"We're sick and tired of you guys acting so immature," said Brian, who sat by John and Emily. Andy sat by Alison.
"And I was just a distraction so I'm gonna go play some games," said Emily as she got up. Brian caught her arm and she sat back down.
"This was for you too," he said.
"See, that's not fair."
"Oh, yes it is."
"No, it's not. Helping you guys get them to come here should get me John Rzeznik, not a talk about whatever. Unless it's about where he's meeting me."
John winced at the sound of her mentioning guys. Since she was his daughter, he couldn't think about her even thinking about guys. Couldn't she just play with dolls still? "Who's John Rzeznik?" he asked.
"Lead singer for The Goo Goo Dolls. And he did the Treasure Planet theme song 'I'm Still Here'."
"Oh, we took Penny to that movie," said Alison. "I love that song. He has a great voice."
"Doesn't he?"
"But that isn't what this meeting is about," said Andy.
"You're right Sweetie," said Alison.
"Nope, this is for Emily to get to know John and for John and Claire to stop acting like children," said Brian.
"Okay, I'll talk with Bender, but my so-called mother has some explaining to do for this whole table. Apparently she's engaged," said Emily, holding back tears and crossing her arms. Joey, you better be happy. This is sooo not me, thought Emily.
"Um, well, I am Emily," mumbled Claire. Emily was about to get up but Brian took hold of her arm and wouldn't let her leave. "I thought you liked him. We've been going out for awhile and I just thought-"
"Obviously if she doesn't like him, you didn't think," said John. Emily turned her head to him.
'Wow, he's standing up for me. He's not that bad', she thought to herself. Claire was silent as she looked down at her hands. The waiter assigned to their table served them water and left them alone when everyone jumped at the action.
"Bender, give her a break. She's been a single mother for sixteen years," said Andy, giving John a warning look.
"By choice," he said.
"We are so not starting that up again," exclaimed Emily.
"No, we're not," said Andy.
"Emily, talk. Ask whatever questions you want of either of them. They'll answer," said Brian.
"Okay. Mom, why don't you listen to me when I say I don't like the guys you date? Why don't you trust me and my opinion? Why don't you ever praise me like all the other parents do? Why don't you help me get ready for dates like Callie's mom does when she goes out with Jake? Why can't you act like your age and not mine and finally grow up?" asked Emily.
"I-I-I don't know," stuttered Claire.
"And you Bender, if you loved her so much why didn't you look for her? Why couldn't you wait to conceive me? Why didn't you love her enough to use protection? Why can't you stop acting like a hard shell ass and start acting like a responsible adult? Why haven't you told me if you're going to acknowledge me as your daughter or not? Why can't you look my mom in the eyes and say something nice instead of starting a fight? Don't you still love her? How can a guy that's known her for only months want to marry her when you knew her longer and all you want to do is fight instead of face the music?"
"How am I supposed to answer that?" he asked.
Emily took her arm away from Brian and stood up. "Ya know what? Forget it. I knew neither of you could grow up and do this." She walked downstairs, taking her stuff, and hid in the photo booth. After some minutes, Brian got in the booth.
"Hi Em," he said.
"Hey," she replied quietly.
"Want me to drive you back to the hotel?"
"Might as well. Where is everybody else?"
"Talking. John and your mom are upset because they know you're questions are plausible and they don't want to face it."
"How long is this gonna take?"
"Them getting along? Well, that only took one day in detention but I figure now it will take much longer."
"You sure you don't mind driving me back?"
"No, I don't mind. You're like a niece."
Brian stepped out of the booth and extended his hand to help Emily out which she, with a sigh, accepted. They walked out of the restaurant and got in Brian's car.
Disclaimer: I disclaim what I don't own but own what I don't disclaim.
"So, do they know?" asked Emily.
"No, they don't," replied Andrew.
"He said she's engaged."
"Yeah, we heard that," said Alison.
"Do you know who it is?" asked Brian.
Emily answered, "Yeah, his name is Martin. Martin Grisham. And nobody likes him except her."
"Really?"
"Yeah. In the words of Frannie, Mom's friend who works with him, 'His laugh is extremely loud, he chews with his mouth open, and he's just plain a pain in my ass!'"
"You're allowed to say ass?"
"According to Frannie, 'Ass is a bad word, don't say it.' But I hear it, like, all the time so it doesn't matter. My mom deals."
"Anything else about him?" asked Andy.
"He's a therapist. And he acts like I'm one of his patients. He annoys the crap out of me. I mean, if I were one of his patients, I'd be sitting on a couch or something, playing with Play-Doh while we talked as a distraction."
"He's a child psychologist?" asked Alison.
"Nope. Adult. But I mean, shouldn't adults get to play with Play-Doh too?"
"Yeah, I wish our high school one had Play-Doh. I would've had fun with that."
"Probably would've. Alison's an artist here," said Brian.
"Really? That's sooo cool," said Emily, totally interested.
"Thanks," said Alison.
"Here comes Claire. Emily, you know the plan. Go up to her, now. Brian, wait up front for Bender without Claire seeing you. Be as careful as possible. Okay, go ahead. Emily is distracting her. Oh, and be quiet," said Andy.
"Will do, sir," Brian said, saluting to him. He carefully and silently went to the front of the restaurant (Dave & Busters) to wait for John.
"Honey, ready to hear some yelling?"
"They might not. You never know."
"Do you think Penny's okay? I'm not sure about that baby-sitter."
"Andy, we've been over this. Krista was recommended. Not only that, we have the safety cam set up in the living room. Our daughter does have you wrapped around her cute, chubby finger huh?"
"Daddy's little girl. Crap, Bender's here. Ready to restrain the psycho children-like people?"
"Yeah, I think so. I get Bender. He won't be violent if he has me. Give Em the signal."
Andy whistled, which was the sign. Em nodded and had a nice hold of her mom's arms. "Oh look! Hey! It's Andy and Alison! They're waving us over! Come on!" She forced her mother over to the table where the Clarks were sitting and Andy took over Emily's grip and sat down with Claire in the inside of the big booth. Then came Alison, Brian, and Emily's part. They forced John on the other side, across from Claire, who looked at her daughter with a scowl.
"Well I love you too," Emily said to her sardonically.
"What the heck are you all up to?" asked John, holding back his anger because there was a child in the room, multiple actually.
"We're sick and tired of you guys acting so immature," said Brian, who sat by John and Emily. Andy sat by Alison.
"And I was just a distraction so I'm gonna go play some games," said Emily as she got up. Brian caught her arm and she sat back down.
"This was for you too," he said.
"See, that's not fair."
"Oh, yes it is."
"No, it's not. Helping you guys get them to come here should get me John Rzeznik, not a talk about whatever. Unless it's about where he's meeting me."
John winced at the sound of her mentioning guys. Since she was his daughter, he couldn't think about her even thinking about guys. Couldn't she just play with dolls still? "Who's John Rzeznik?" he asked.
"Lead singer for The Goo Goo Dolls. And he did the Treasure Planet theme song 'I'm Still Here'."
"Oh, we took Penny to that movie," said Alison. "I love that song. He has a great voice."
"Doesn't he?"
"But that isn't what this meeting is about," said Andy.
"You're right Sweetie," said Alison.
"Nope, this is for Emily to get to know John and for John and Claire to stop acting like children," said Brian.
"Okay, I'll talk with Bender, but my so-called mother has some explaining to do for this whole table. Apparently she's engaged," said Emily, holding back tears and crossing her arms. Joey, you better be happy. This is sooo not me, thought Emily.
"Um, well, I am Emily," mumbled Claire. Emily was about to get up but Brian took hold of her arm and wouldn't let her leave. "I thought you liked him. We've been going out for awhile and I just thought-"
"Obviously if she doesn't like him, you didn't think," said John. Emily turned her head to him.
'Wow, he's standing up for me. He's not that bad', she thought to herself. Claire was silent as she looked down at her hands. The waiter assigned to their table served them water and left them alone when everyone jumped at the action.
"Bender, give her a break. She's been a single mother for sixteen years," said Andy, giving John a warning look.
"By choice," he said.
"We are so not starting that up again," exclaimed Emily.
"No, we're not," said Andy.
"Emily, talk. Ask whatever questions you want of either of them. They'll answer," said Brian.
"Okay. Mom, why don't you listen to me when I say I don't like the guys you date? Why don't you trust me and my opinion? Why don't you ever praise me like all the other parents do? Why don't you help me get ready for dates like Callie's mom does when she goes out with Jake? Why can't you act like your age and not mine and finally grow up?" asked Emily.
"I-I-I don't know," stuttered Claire.
"And you Bender, if you loved her so much why didn't you look for her? Why couldn't you wait to conceive me? Why didn't you love her enough to use protection? Why can't you stop acting like a hard shell ass and start acting like a responsible adult? Why haven't you told me if you're going to acknowledge me as your daughter or not? Why can't you look my mom in the eyes and say something nice instead of starting a fight? Don't you still love her? How can a guy that's known her for only months want to marry her when you knew her longer and all you want to do is fight instead of face the music?"
"How am I supposed to answer that?" he asked.
Emily took her arm away from Brian and stood up. "Ya know what? Forget it. I knew neither of you could grow up and do this." She walked downstairs, taking her stuff, and hid in the photo booth. After some minutes, Brian got in the booth.
"Hi Em," he said.
"Hey," she replied quietly.
"Want me to drive you back to the hotel?"
"Might as well. Where is everybody else?"
"Talking. John and your mom are upset because they know you're questions are plausible and they don't want to face it."
"How long is this gonna take?"
"Them getting along? Well, that only took one day in detention but I figure now it will take much longer."
"You sure you don't mind driving me back?"
"No, I don't mind. You're like a niece."
Brian stepped out of the booth and extended his hand to help Emily out which she, with a sigh, accepted. They walked out of the restaurant and got in Brian's car.