Chap 4
Saturday: Dinner
"I'm not sure Ferb, I want to stay for Linda and Lawrence. However, I don't want to be the subject of another awkward conversation while I'm sitting right there." Alison said as she helped the children change for dinner. Ferb was sitting at the desk, his head in his hands. "I give up Alison. I just give up. You know I love you and the kids. We've got family back home. If I do cut ties here, would it even be noticed?" His phone rang, but he was too upset to bother. "Let's go to dinner, just us. Sian's complaining and Devon's into the biscuits." Alison said gently into his ear as she hugged him from behind.
After three rings the call went to voice mail. Phineas called back again to get the same response. "Answer your damned phone!" He yelled at the piece in his hand. "Wait Candace, do you know what hotel he's staying at?" She turned to him. "He usually stays at the Danville Hotel, the one right down town." Phineas' eyes went wide. "I was there for an interview this morning. That's the four diamond hotel isn't it?" She nodded. He's usually there on business. "I need the number for that hotel. I'm going to ask to be put through to his room directly." Phineas said as he searched the number on his phone. "I've got it right here." Candace said handing her directory over to her brother.
The phone on the desk rang. Ferb took a shaky breath, closed his eyes then answered. "Brad, how's that patent coming along?" Ferb then got a terrified look in his eyes when he realised that he wasn't talking with Brad. Alison came over to him and using the stationary on the desk wrote, "Who is it?" Ferb took the pen from her and wrote back "Phin".
"No, I'm here. Why are you calling anyhow?" Ferb said after getting over the initial shock. "I see. Well, we just don't know." Ferb wrote on the note paper "He wants to come over tonight to apologise." Alison wrote back "Up to you. He's your brother." Ferb closed his eyes tight before speaking into the phone. "It's been a long day for us, the wee ones are in bed and…" He stopped talking, part of him wanted to tell his brother that he's decided to cut all ties with his immediate family, however another part of him wanted to have his brother apologise and hopefully they could start anew. Ferb looked to his wife and shook his head. "Phin. I can't. I have to take care of my family; right now they're more important to me." He then hung up the phone.
Phineas looked at the phone in his hand. "Dammit Ferb." He whispered. "What happened?" Isabella asked gently. Phineas shook his head. "He said he has to 'take care of his family'. That they're 'more important' to him. You couldn't be civil could you. You just had to dredge up everything." Phineas said and buried his face in his hands. "He was my brother and best friend. Now he might as well be a stranger."
Candace came over. "He's been thinking of cutting ties with the family for a while now. This might have been the last straw." She said. Phineas looked up horrified. "No. He can't do that. I won't let that happen." Phineas wiped away at a few threatened tears. "Where were we supposed to have dinner tonight?" He asked. Candace looked to her husband. "At the restaurant in the hotel." She replied quietly. "I'm going. Who's coming with me?" Phineas said with determination.
Ferb called the restaurant from the hotel room to inquire about a table for four. "We can be seated in 20 minutes. You'll have to wait. You can have two more biscuits each in the interim." Ferb mentioned to his family as he got off the phone, folded his arms on the desk and rested his head. "Daddy?" Devon had wandered over and pulled on his father's sleeve. Ferb picked him up and hugged him tight.
"Devon honey, come over here and colour for a few minutes please." Alison called to her son, then went to check on Ferb. "No! Ferb." She wrapped her arms around him and she held him as he cried. "I know. Honey, I know. If you think it's for the best, that's what we'll do. I only have one suggestion though. First, have one last discussion. Let them know your reasons behind your decision. You've tried to ease into this for years, obviously there's a part of you that doesn't want this." Ferb held onto his wife, drawing strength from her. "Ferb. I love you. I've always loved you, ever since that first tutoring session. Whatever choice you make I will back you one-hundred percent." She said as she looked into his eyes. As Ferb was moving a piece of hair out of her face, Alison leaned in and kissed him. While still lip-locked, Ferb pulled her into a standing position and sat her on the desk as he deepened the kiss. He moved a hand down to her waist and supported her with his other arm. Alison's hands made their way around his back. "Mummy?"
Two sets of eyes shot open. "Mummy are you all right? Daddy, what's wrong? Is Mummy sick?" Sian asked from beside them. Ferb helped Alison to a seated position. "Mummy's okay sweety." Alison said. "Daddy is just a little bit sad." She finished. Sian looked at her mother, then her father. Ferb was trying desperately to hide his embarrassment. 'The kids have seen us kiss before. I guess we just got a little carried away.' He thought as he straightened out his shirt and ran a hand through his hair. "We should go down for dinner now." Ferb announced to his family.
The Fletcher family were walking through the lobby of the hotel en route to the adjoined restaurant. They were shown to their table. "Daddy, Daddy, look! There's a pool in the garden." Sian said while bouncing in her seat beside a window. "That's a fountain dear. You see the water coming out of the top?" Ferb pointed out.
A group of nine walked into the lobby. "I'm going to see if I can find Ferb." Phineas said. "I'll catch up to you in the restaurant in a few minutes." He finished and proceeded to the check in counter. "I'm Mr. Fletcher." Phineas told the clerk. "I've had a busy day and I forget what room I'm staying in, can you help me?" The clerk scrutinized him for a moment. "Just have a seat over there." He said indicating some plush chairs in the lobby. Phineas smiled and took a seat.
'That was easier than I thought.' Phineas thought to himself.
"Excuse me, sir." A hotel employee said as they came up to Ferb in the restaurant. "Will you follow me please." Ferb looked to his wife and shrugged his shoulders. He then followed the employee out of the restaurant.
As the hotel employee lead Ferb back to the lobby, they passed Jeremy, Candace and their three children, as well as Isabella and her two. Ferb noticed that Phineas wasn't with them.
In the restaurant Jeremy et al were seated at a large group table. "We're expecting a few more members of our party to be joining us soon." Jeremy said. While everyone looked at their menus Cassandra, the youngest of the Flynn children who was the spitting image of her mother, loudly announced "That person has green hair!"
Isabella and Candace looked in the direction the little raven-haired girl was pointing. Candace excused herself from the table and walked over to where Alison sat with her children.
"Mr. Fletcher." A hotel employee addressed Phineas and Ferb's eyebrow shot up. "Would you care to explain something to me?" The employee continued. Phineas pulled out his wallet and produced a very old identification card that clearly stated his name to be 'Phineas Flynn-Fletcher'. Ferb's eyes grew wide. His father never changed his name, he didn't realise that Phineas' name was legally changed when he was younger. "Is there a problem sir?" Phineas asked politely. If Ferb's eyes could get any wider, they did. "I'm sorry Mr. Fletcher." The employee said then turned to Ferb. "Mr. Fletcher." He then left.
"Mr. Fletcher." Ferb said cautiously to his brother. Phineas smiled. "I had to say something Ferb. I have to talk with you." Phineas said. "When did you get your name changed?" Ferb inquired as he sat down across from Phineas. Phineas had the sense to look sheepish. "Mom changed it when I was six-years-old. She said that we had to be 'more of a family'. You and Dad didn't change your names though. I've only got the one piece of ID, all the rest are just Flynn." He said.
"Ferb should be back in a few minutes, It's not up to me Candace." Alison said. Candace continued to sit at the table. "He'll listen to you. He's got enough reason to not listen to me, or Phineas." Sian and Devon sat at the table and ate their dinners. "I've got a fancy drink, Auntie Candace." Sian said pointing to the red carbonated beverage in front of her. Candace smiled at her niece and rested her hand on the little girl's back for a moment. "That is a fancy drink. Would you like one more when you're finished?" She asked as she looked at Alison for approval. Alison nodded. "Oh, yes please. That is very kind of you." Sian said excitedly.
"Excuse me sir." A hotel security guard said as he approached Phineas and Ferb. The pair looked up. "I'm told I should escort you off the premisses." He continued as he stood beside Phineas, who in turn looked at his brother. With a sigh, Ferb stood up. "He's with me. He's my brother." The guard started to apologise. "It's quite all right, no harm was done." Ferb said to the guard. "I think I should get back to my family now." He turned to Phineas. The red-head stood up and the two walked across the lobby and to the restaurant.
Ferb nodded to the maître d', and proceeded back to his family, followed by Phineas. "Excuse me, sir. Have you a reservation." The maître d' inquired of Phineas. "I'm meeting my family, the reservation is under Johnson." Phineas replied. The maître d' smiled at him. "Of course sir. Follow me please." He showed Phineas to the table. "Is something the matter sir?" The maître d' asked Jeremy. "Were there supposed to be four more joining you?" He finished. Jeremy nodded. "It seems as though they've made other arrangements." He said and looked at the table where Ferb just took a seat.
A waiter soon appeared at the table and took everyone's orders. "I would also like to order drinks for the children at the table over there." Candace asked the waiter. "Very good." The waiter replied and left. Candace smiled to Jeremy. "Why can't I have a drink?" Amanda asked. "You are getting a drink." Candace replied. Cassandra and Fiona looked to their parents and pouted. "Why don't we get drinks?" Isabella sighed. "You are getting juice to drink." The waiter came back with a large tray laden with beverages which he passed around. Then proceeded to the table where the Fletcher family was seated. "That's not fair!" Fiona yelled. Isabella clamped her hand over her daughter's mouth. "We are in a nice restaurant, we do not raise our voices." She hissed.
Phineas saw that Ferb was speaking with the waiter. Ferb then stood up and took the hand of his daughter, Alison took Devon's hand and they were proceeding in the general direction of the rest of the family. "May we join you?" Ferb asked as he looked at Jeremy who stood up. "Of course you can. Have a seat." Everyone's' dinners and drinks were brought over. Ferb nodded thanks. "So…" Phineas started, then paused. Ferb raised an eyebrow at him. Ferb held the chair for his wife and Devon held the chair for his sister. "Thank you Devon." Sian said politely. Once the three-year-old sat down his sister handed him a napkin; he nodded thanks. "Linda would think that's just the sweetest, and Lawrence would be proud." Jeremy commented. "Well, don't we have culture." Fiona mocked. Sian took a breath and calmly replied "Culture isn't just found in yogurt you know."
"Uncle Ferb?" Fred asked. Ferb looked over at his sister's son and raised an eyebrow. "Sian said you were working on 'potato type things'. What does that mean?" Ferb closed his eyes and took a breath. "She means," He said and looked at his daughter "prototype." He said slowly as he enunciated the word out. "I've got a prototype engine I'm demonstrating this week." Almost everyone sitting at the table turned to him. "Do you mind if I look at the specs?" Phineas asked. "Not at all, but not here; not now." Ferb replied. Isabella scrutinized her hands for a moment. "Ferb, I'm really sorry for the way I've acted." Alison looked over at her husband. "Sometimes we have to do what's right for ourselves. That's why I moved away in the first place." Ferb said. "Daddy said that you are his brother. Why do you live in England?" Fiona inquired.
Ferb took a deep breath and replied. "He said I'm his brother? If I'm not mistaken, the correct term is step-brother." He took a sip of his beverage. "As for me living in England, what were you told?" He inquired of the little girl who was obviously her father's daughter. "He said you would tell me." Fiona said. Ferb glared at his brother. "I live in England because I was born there, I was educated there and my family lives there." Cassandra shook her head. "You moved here when you were a little boy. Grandma and Grandpa are your parents. You're family is here." She pointed out.
Ferb bit his lip. "I did live here when I was a young child. I moved back to England when I was a teenager." He recounted. Fiona listened to what he was saying as she ate her dinner. "If you had family here, a brother and sister here, who was your family in England?" She pointed out. Ferb's eyes went wide. "I still have cousins in England and my grandparents lived there until they passed away a few years ago."
Amanda made a motion as if she were going to say something, then stopped herself. "Ferb?" Jeremy started. "I only know what Candace told me. I understand your reasoning behind the move and your reasons for staying even more." He finished. Ferb nodded in thanks. Amanda finally decided to say something. "Uncle Ferb. I was told that you were having difficulties with a few people you went to high school with. So, you just ran from your problems instead of working them out?" Ferb ran a hand through his hair, he figured that if things were to move forward an understanding of the past needed to take place. Though there are some young children here, his own included, who don't need all details. "Here and now is not the time nor place to have a discussion such as this." He said. Phineas looked pleadingly to his sister. "Candace, can we all meet at your place tomorrow to clear the air about this?" He inquired. Candace looked to her husband who nodded. "Sure thing, well, if that's agreeable to Ferb and Alison." Jeremy pointed out. Alison placed a hand on Ferb's leg, he glanced in her direction and nodded.
Isabella coughed lightly. "How is it you two met? I've always been curious. I mean, Ferb never said much as a teen." Alison smiled and looked lovingly at Ferb. "He was at school for two weeks. I would see him in the halls with a group of guys and they were always laughing and joking around. Then one day he showed up in my Chemistry class. The professor had given the class an assignment the week prior to work on. Ferb was told that this time he was excused from the assignment. He actually wanted to know what it was, he copied down the assignment from my notebook and started working on it right then. It took me the whole week to work on that assignment." She narrowed her eyes at him. "He finished the assignment in 20 minutes, and got a better grade on it than I did." Everyone started laughing, then Alison continued. "Then to add insult to injury, he finished the in-class assignment for that day as well." Phineas was laughing. "I remember Dad saying that you had skipped a grade." Ferb shook his head then corrected his brother. "Two. I skipped grades ten and eleven." Everyone around the table looked at him in wonderment. Ferb shrugged his shoulders in reply.
Everyone was shown the desert cart and made their selections. "So, Ferb was your lab partner?" Phineas inquired. Alison shook her head. "No. He actually didn't have a lab partner, he worked on his own for the rest of the year. He was my Chemistry tutor, then we started dating. I didn't realize he was two years younger than I was until his birthday. By then it was too late, I'd fallen for him. It also took him three years to tell me that he'd been dying his hair black to hide the green." She said and poked him in the shoulder. "I thought it looked good." Ferb said defensively. Candace smiled at the memory. "It did look good, I remember not recognising you at first."
Devon had fallen asleep, as had Sian. "We should get them up to bed now." Alison mentioned and started to pick up her daughter. Ferb nodded. "Are you staying?" Phineas inquired. Ferb looked to his wife. "I don't know Phineas. I'll call Candace in the morning." Ferb picked up his son and stopped at the maître d's podium.
After another half-hour Jeremy inquired about the check from the waiter, who left to retrieve it. The maître d' came over. "Sir. Everything has been taken care of. Your bill has been charged to the room." Jeremy looked to his wife. "Shit." Candace whispered. "He's cutting ties. This is his way of saying farewell." She finished as she stood up and picked up her purse.