Chapter 123: Comfort Food
"Tell me what company thou keepst, and I'll tell thee what thou art." - Miguel de Cervantes
True happiness consists not in the multitude of friends, but in their worth and choice." - Samuel Johnston
"True friends are the people that are there for you unconditionally. They are the people that never question you and support you no matter what the circumstances are. They are the people worth living for." – Unknown
"Peace is not the absence of conflict, but the ability to cope with it." – from the book Apples of Gold
Vaughn was rather surprised to see Will running into the bedroom, smiling like he'd just won the lottery.
"Mike…man, you are never gonna believe this!"
Vaughn smiled, "What?"
"I just totally scored you food – junk food!"
"You did?" Vaughn asked confused, "How did you do that?"
"Well, originally, I just was sneaking it all in the house, but then your mom caught me and then, well Sydney caught me too – but she totally agreed to let you eat junk food in moderation!"
"Wow…what did you say?"
"Um…just that you deserved to have some fun…junk food and stuff…"
Vaughn chuckled, "That's all it took?"
"Apparently so…so SCORE!" he said raising his arms like a referee indicating a touchdown was good.
"Thanks Will," Vaughn said sincerely.
"You're welcome. We can gorge later," Will said winking, "I'm gonna shower before dinner…"
"Ok Will."
Will bounded out as happy as he came in and left Vaughn smiling in wonderment at how Sydney had caved to easily.
He didn't have to wait long before she came back in to tell him that dinner was almost ready and that they'd eat when Francie got home.
"Why did you cave so easily about the junk food?" he asked curiously.
"Did he tell you what he said?"
"Just that he said I deserved to have a little fun…"
"He said you deserved to have a little fun with your food…" Sydney informed him.
They both started laughing and Sydney added, "I came this close to telling him about how much fun we had with food that one day, but your mom was standing right there…so I refrained."
They heard the door open and close as the last of their party arrived home.
Francie said, "Hi Amélie! How are you? It's so nice to see you…I've had such a long day, I almost forgot you were coming over today…"
"I'm good Francie, we decided to take care of dinner tonight…"
Francie smiled, "That's wonderful. I love to cook, but it's nice when someone else does it too…"
Amélie smiled back, "I'm glad to hear that…nothing too extravagant though…"
"Extravagant isn't always good…" Francie said with a wink.
"It's almost ready…just a few more minutes…" Amélie informed her.
"Oh, am I the last one? Sorry I made you guys wait…"
"No, no…it's fine…it'll be a few minutes before it's done…"
"Good, then, I'll jump in the shower then…"
Francie ran off with a smile, "Hey guys!" she said as she passed the bedroom on her way to the bathroom.
Both Sydney and Vaughn answered with friendly hellos and then went back to their conversation.
"What do you want to do tonight after dinner?" Sydney asked.
Vaughn gave her a wicked smile.
"Vaughn…not AFTER after dinner, after dinner with your mom and our friends – before we go to bed!"
"I don't know – watch a movie, talk…I don't know…"
Sydney smiled, "We should talk some more about you…"
"Oh God," Vaughn groaned, "Please…no…"
Sydney smiled even wider, leaning down closer to him, "But you're so cute!"
Vaughn chuckled, "No embarrassing ones, ok?"
"Well…I can't promise," Sydney teased.
Will and Francie reemerged, ready for dinner several minutes later.
"Do you need any help Amélie?" Will asked.
"Yes, you can get the spaghetti on the plates, if you don't mind."
"Not at all," Will said, grabbing the pot and distributing the noodles on the plates. Amélie came behind him and added sauce to the top.
"You can start carrying them in I guess, we just need the bread yet and drinks then."
Francie piped up, "I'll get the drinks."
"Ok," Amélie agreed while she cut the bread and placed it on a plate.
Will came back for more items and the three carried the rest into the bedroom.
Sydney smiled when they were all in the room, "I'm sorry Amélie, I sort of bailed on you there…"
"Not a problem, I could handle it," Amélie said with a wink.
Sydney looked over at Vaughn and then exclaimed, "Oh crap, I forgot your pills!" She bounded off the bed and ran to the kitchen.
When she came back in, Vaughn was giggling.
"What?" she asked.
Vaughn pointed to Will who had a rather large stain on the left side of his shirt.
"What happened?" Sydney asked as she handed Vaughn the numerous pills he had to take.
Will glared at her, "You scared the shit out of me when you yelled like that…"
Sydney started to giggle too, "Sorry Will."
They all chuckled for a few minutes, before Vaughn piped up, "Hey…where's the bread?"
Amélie smiled and got up, with the plate, letting him pick it out, "Here…"
Vaughn smiled at his mother, "I love you mom."
"I love you too Michael…"
He took a big bite of the bread as Sydney wound some noodles on the fork for him.
Francie was smirking at him, "What?" he asked. "I love mom's bread…it's like the best in the world…"
"That because I make it with love Michael."
"That's right," he said with a smile.
Sydney loved the interaction between mother and son, obviously so close in their relationship, being through so much together. She only hoped that her relationship with her father would become like that.
For Amélie's part, she loved to watch Sydney and Michael interact. The way that they both seemed to feed off of each other, off of each other's emotions, and wants, and needs. She smiled as she watched as Sydney gave Vaughn a bite of the spaghetti and then took one herself. He smiled when she did, and she realized, they really only needed one plate…and wasn't that how it should be, she mused.
Sydney caught her smiling at them and returned it; she was pleased that it seemed Amélie approved. It was one thing when she said it, but another when she witnessed her approval.
Will and Francie were eating together by the edge of the bed, sitting on the floor, while Amélie had taken the chair next to the bed.
Will looked over at Francie, "Did you have a bad day at work?" he asked softly.
She smiled, "It was nice to come home and not have to make dinner after today, I'm just saying."
"What happened?"
"It was the day from hell…we didn't get our shipments today, and they were already a few days late, something about the truck being delayed with a breakdown, yadda, yadda, same story. Meanwhile, I've got people to serve and waitstaff from the nether regions of the underworld…I'm serious Will, they are like demonic…it's too bad that you're a spy now, cause I could use a decent waiter, with an ethic…"
Sydney, Vaughn and Amélie had largely been silent during Francie's discussion. Sydney asked, "You should have said it was a bad day, we could have…I don't know…done something fun…"
"I don't want to drag you guys down in the dumps with me…" Francie said.
Will put his arm around her and hugged her to him, "Aww…honey…"
"Why not? I do it all the time…" Vaughn said.
Francie turned to him, "What do you mean?"
"I drag you guys along…every day…why should it be different the other way around?" he asked seriously.
She smiled, "You don't drag anything down Michael…but thank you…"
"What can you do about them?" Sydney asked.
"I should fire them all and start over…" Francie said with a smile.
"Well…sometimes, starting over is the best way…" Amélie remarked, "No matter how much it hurts…"
Francie smiled and then looked at Vaughn, "You're mom is awesome…"
He smiled, "I know."
Amélie beamed at her son and the other occupants of the room, "It's just because I'm old…I seem wise…"
They all shared a laugh before Will and Francie started to take the dishes out to the dishwasher.
When they came back in, Will smiled, "So…what do you guys wanna do tonight? Movie? I got snacks…" he said in an inviting manner.
Vaughn laughed, "As much as I appreciate your willingness to help me be bad, I can't eat anything more at the moment…but feel free Will…"
Will chuckled, "I might just have to do that…so…movie?"
"Sure," Francie said, "You guys?"
Sydney looked over at Amélie and she smirked, "I can hang out with the kids…although I might have to chaperone…"
Vaughn smirked, "Mmm…don't think so mom…I love you…but…"
Sydney looked at Vaughn next, "You wanna watch a movie?"
"Sure," he said.
"Should we watch it in the living room?" Francie asked.
They all looked to Vaughn. He smiled, "Why don't you guys watch it…I think I'll pass on the whole moving to the couch tonight…"
"No, we can watch it in here too," Francie said, looking to Sydney.
"Do you want to rest?" Sydney asked quietly.
"No, it's ok…I just don't really feel like moving out to the couch at the moment."
"Do you want us to bring the movie in here?" Sydney asked.
He smiled warmly, "It would be more practical for everyone to watch it out there…unless we're all gonna pile on the bed…you can watch it…I'll rest."
"That's not what I'm asking you Vaughn."
Will and Francie exchanged unsure glances, uncertain if they should go or stay.
"Sydney," Vaughn started, "I…you shouldn't have to cater to everything…if you want to watch a movie – do it in the living room where there is more room and it makes more logical sense. I can survive without it…"
Will spoke up then, "Mike, we'd be happy to watch it in here, we don't mind."
Vaughn sighed, "I just…" he stopped, they all waited for more of a sentence that didn't emerge.
"Vaughn?" Sydney prodded gently.
He looked at her, "I don't want you to do that anymore…"
"What?" she asked confused.
"Cater to me…"
"We don't cater to you Michael," Francie said.
"What would you call it then?" Vaughn asked seriously.
"We accommodate your injuries…" Francie said, "And we're all happy to do so…so stop it."
Vaughn smiled at her seal on the subject.
"Ok," he said quietly.
"Are we gonna watch a movie or not?" she said in a vaguely annoyed voice.
"If you guys wanna watch–"
"Michael," Francie warned.
He chuckled, "I guess not…no, I really don't want to watch a movie right now…"
They all became suddenly aware of someone laughing, and turned to see Amélie in tears over laughter.
"What?" Vaughn asked in a challenging tone, "What's so funny mom?"
She had to take a minute before she could respond, "Not only did you just imitate your father, but you looked about 15…"
