Chapter 63: Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?

"The finest steel has to go through the hottest fire." – Richard Nixon

"We ought to do good to others simply as a horse runs, or a bee makes honey, or a vine bears grapes season after season without thinking of the grapes it has borne." – Marcus Aurelius

"Love takes off masks that we fear we cannot live without and know we cannot live within." – James Baldwin


The two went back into the house and Sydney retrieved Vaughn's pills from their place on the counter. She opened the door quietly and Amélie followed her into the room.

Sydney sat down on the bed and placed her hand on Vaughn's chest.
"Vaughn? Honey, you have to wake up and take your pills."

He woke rather quickly to Sydney's surprise and smiled at her.

"Hey," he said. He looked to his mother, "Hello Maman…"

"Hello Michel," she said smiling.

He let Sydney help him with the pills and then looked to the two most important women in his life.

"So, I assume that my mother has been filling you full of every embarrassing thing she can come up with from my childhood…haven't you mother?"

Amélie smiled, "Not even close – there are so many to choose from!"

Vaughn smiled. Sydney looked at him and he thought he detected something different about the way she was looking at him. He decided it could wait until later though.

Sydney seemed to notice Vaughn's scrutiny; "Are you hungry?" she asked trying to change the subject.

"Yeah, sure," he said.

She kissed him, "I'll try to round up the cooking detail…"

Sydney went off in search of Will and Francie.

That left Amélie alone with her son.

"What did you tell her?" he asked his mother.

"About your childhood…"

"What about my childhood?"

"Are you concerned that I told her about your wild, lady-killer days?"

Vaughn smiled, "No, she's acting different mom, what did you tell her?"

"I told her about your father…what happened after he died…"

"Why? That probably only made her feel bad. She blames herself enough as it is!"

Amélie smiled, "We talked about that as well…she wanted to know Michel."

"What did you tell her?"

"Maybe you should ask her yourself…"

Sydney came in then with Will and Francie ending Vaughn's chances of finding out what was said between Sydney and his mother.

"I found them," she said, "and they've agreed to make another wonderful meal!"

The phone rang a minute after they all started talking about what to make.

Will excused himself and went to answer it.

"Hello?" he said.

"Hello…is this Will?"

"Yeah…hi Jack…"

"Is Sydney available?"

"Uh, sure, just a sec." Will put down the phone and went into the bedroom. "Syd – it's for you."

Sydney looked at him trying to read his face. He mouthed 'your dad' and she nodded.

"Excuse me…" She picked up the phone, "Dad?"

"Sydney! How are you? How is Vaughn? I've been waiting to hear from you!"

Sydney smiled – this was so bizarre, "I'm sorry dad, things got even worse after you left, we've had quite a day. I'm sorry I didn't call…"

"That's ok sweetheart. Do you need anything? Dinner?"

"No, I think we have that covered tonight." She wavered, trying to decide if she should say anything, "Can you hold on for a second?"

"Sure…"

"Ok…" She ran off to the bedroom. "Amélie? Could I talk to you for a minute?"

"Of course."

Will, Francie and Vaughn all exchanged glances as Amélie followed Sydney out.

"What is it Sydney?"

"I need to ask you something. My dad is on the phone and I was going to invite him over for dinner…would that make you uncomfortable to have him here?"

She smiled, "Why should it?"

"I don't think I need to answer that."

"It's fine Sydney – you're father had nothing to do with William's death either."

Sydney smiled, "Only if you're sure…"

"I am dear; invite him."

"Ok." Sydney went back to the phone and Amélie went back to the bedroom.

"Dad? Would you like to join us for dinner?"

"Sure Sydney."

"There's just one thing…"

"What?"

"Vaughn's mother is here too…"

There was silence on the other end.

"Dad?" Sydney said after a long pause of dead air.

"Yes?"

"Do you still want to come?"

"Does Amélie mind?"

"No, I already asked her."

"If you're certain it won't make her uncomfortable…"

"She said it was fine."

"Ok," Jack said somewhat unsurely.

"I'll see you in a bit then."

"Ok, goodbye sweetheart."

"Bye dad.

Sydney hung up and prayed everything would go well.

She retreated back to the bedroom, saying, "My dad is coming over for dinner too…"

Vaughn looked at her and Will and Francie exchanged glances as well. No one said anything until finally Amélie said, "Oh for heaven sakes! It'll be fine! Stop worrying!"

It seemed a collective sigh was echoed throughout the room and tension seemed to ease.
Francie then asked, "Well…what should we make?"

The group chattered on for a few minutes before deciding that Will and Francie could decide what to make – a surprise of sorts.

Will and Francie left to start and Sydney, Vaughn and Amélie were left to themselves.

Sydney looked to Vaughn, "You know, before Will gets too involved with dinner, we should have him help us move you…do you feel well enough to go out into the living room?"

Vaughn smiled, "Can we eat outside again?" His face was filled with hope and innocence.

Sydney hesitated, "Well…I guess we could, but let's move you to the couch for now, ok?"

"Ok."

Sydney smiled and went off to get Will.

Vaughn looked at his mother who was smiling widely at him, "What?"

"I like her Michel."

Vaughn smiled back, "Good."

Sydney came back in with Will in tow, "Hey buddy, ready?" he asked Vaughn.

"Yup."

Sydney and Will each took a side as usual after Sydney helped Vaughn sit up. She asked Amélie to carry the oxygen and they moved Vaughn out onto the couch. Sydney sat down, re-hooking up the oxygen and Amélie sat down across from them. Will went back to help Francie.

Sydney looked to Vaughn saying, "We should really do the deep breathing Vaughn, we haven't done it all day."

Vaughn nodded and Sydney sat him up and took off his shirt and then the rib wrap. Amélie watched with interest as Sydney lay Vaughn back down and placed her hand on his chest.

"Ok…deep breath," Sydney said taking one with him, "And let it out…"

She repeated that several times and then moved on, "Ok…deep breath and hold it…one…two…three…let it out."

Amélie watched as they did that a few more times and also noted that winces that her son made several times too. She couldn't see everything from her vantage point across from the couple, but she could see the assortment of gauze bandages on her son's chest. She shook her head trying to erase the thoughts of torment that were going through her mind.

Sydney sat Vaughn up again to reapply the rib wrap.

Before she could start, Amélie said, "Stop. Wait."

Vaughn and Sydney looked over to her as she stood and then approached them. She stopped about a foot away and knelt down by the couch. She reached out her hand and gently traced over the soft white pads that littered her son's back.

"Oh Michael," she whispered.

She moved to the front and looked over the surgical bandages and the spectrum of dark and murky shades on Vaughn's chest and abdomen.

Silent tears began to run down her cheeks as she brought her hand up to her son's face. She cupped his cheek and kissed his head before backing away slowly, shaking her head.

Sydney was teary too, realizing that this was the first time that Vaughn's mother had really witnessed any of the wounds up close.

She scolded herself for not preparing Amélie before taking Vaughn's shirt off. She thanked herself for not checking or changing any bandages – at least she'd had enough sense not to subject her to that without warning.

She looked to Vaughn, whose face was cloudy and troubled. He looked up at Sydney and she could see that he was thinking the same thing she was. She rewrapped his ribs in silence, kissing him gently and then moved to hug Vaughn's mother.

"I'm sorry Amélie, I didn't think…I should have better prepared you for that…"

Amélie shook her head, "No…you told me what happened to him, told me of the extent of his injuries. I just wasn't clear I guess…now I know…"

"I had the same reaction – it's rather daunting…hearing and seeing are two very different things."

Amélie hugged Sydney for another moment and they both moved back to Vaughn. He looked up at his mother with remorse and guilt, be he didn't know what to say.

He finally settled on, "It's not as bad as it looks…" but by the end of the sentence, it turned into more of a question than a statement.

Sydney smiled knowingly – he was trying to make his mother feel better, to protect her…be the man…like always.

His mother was just as perceptive however, "Michel, you don't have to protect me…it's not ok that they are intimidating injuries, but tell me the truth – what did they do to you? What caused those?" she asked pointing to his chest and back.

Michael looked to Sydney, unsure if he should really divulge everything to her…wondering if he actually could. It wasn't that he didn't trust his mother. It wasn't that he didn't want to tell her. It wasn't that he thought she couldn't handle it. It wasn't that he didn't feel safe with his mother…it was just that she simply wasn't Sydney.

Sydney nodded, encouraging him, but he hesitated. "Mom…I'm not sure you really want to know…"

"What…you don't think I can handle it?"

"No…it's not that…I just…" he faltered unsure of where he really wanted to go with this thought, and unsure of how to tell her without hurting her feelings.

Sydney seemed to understand, "I think maybe Michael's unsure if he really wants you to know…it's not pretty…"

Vaughn smiled slightly, God she knew him well.

"He's told you, hasn't he?" Amélie asked Sydney.

"Well, yes, but not all at of it and it's taken a long time – he didn't just spill it all at once…"

"It's kind of hard to talk about too…" he admitted.

Amélie clicked her tongue, "I understand…and I can also understand why you'd talk to Sydney. I don't need to hear it all Michael, but I'm your mother, and my imagination may be worse than the truth…"

"Probably not…" Michael said quietly, looking away.

"Why do you say that?" Amélie said somewhat alarmed.

"They got imaginative…"

Sydney looked uncertainly at Vaughn. She could already see the familiar signs of torture…they were flashing in his eyes…she knew he was reliving something already. She was also considering if the public couch, with Will and Francie mere feet away, was the best place to air out Amélie's fears and questions.

"Uh, maybe we should talk about this later…" Sydney said adding in a hushed tone, "remember, Francie doesn't know what really happened. She doesn't know we work for the CIA."

Amélie nodded somewhat annoyed, but kept her comments to herself.

Vaughn looked relieved and smiled at Sydney. The doorbell saved them any further discussion on the matter – it would have to wait until later.