8 - Behind the Eight Ball
"Mom?" Myka said again and worried she was going to be between two of the greatest forces on earth – a parent's disapproval and a lover's protectiveness. Myka was worried for her parents.
In an instant, Helena was on her feet and leaning over as if she were trying to get up in their faces. She took a deep breath with which to deliver her sharp remarks - when Warren finally spoke.
"Well, your mother is crying so I guess I'll be the first one to say 'congratulations' to you both," the man said and Myka put her head in hands out of relief. Then tears sprung forward.
"Myka, we're just so happy for you both. Helena is a wonderful girl," Jeannie finally said through tears of joy.
"Thanks Mom, she really is," Myka said and leaned over and kissed Helena who had taken her seat again.
"She's a lucky one if you ask me," Warren rounded off the compliments.
"Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Bering," Helena said, putting out the fires that had just erupted inside her when she thought they were going to upset Myka. Helena was really thanking them for not upsetting their daughter.
"We're going to work on that, Helena. That's a bit too formal, don't you think?" Warren said.
"We'll work on that, Dad," Myka said, laughing nervously, but thrilled that her parents could share in this moment in a good way.
"Now Myka, I don't know how all this works, but we would like to pay for the wedding just like we did for your sister," Warren offered.
"Oh Warren, we can't afford a New York wedding," Jeannie said, getting ahead of herself.
"Your mother's right. You'll have to get married in Colorado," her father added.
Myka was about to answer those statements when her mother whispered, "Warren, I don't know if they can get married here."
"They can legalize pot here, but they won't let two women get married?" Warren answered annoyed.
"Mom, Dad? Please, Helena and I just got engaged. We haven't talked about anything yet. Thank you for the offer, Dad. We'll let you know when we decide," Myka said calmly, but firmly.
She knew it might only be a taste of things to come. She was concerned how her parents would handle the onslaught of questions, some of them from untrustworthy people.
Helena felt her phone vibrate and saw that it was a message from Eileen – "Help!"
Helena kissed Myka, said her goodbyes to her future in-laws, and left Myka to discuss the details of when, where and how the wedding might take place.
Helena emerged from the upstairs office and found Eileen pacing the front hallway. "There is an emergency?" Helena asked from the balcony. Her tone informed her assistant that there better be.
"Oh I am so sorry to disturb you, but they are on their way here. I mean down the block! They don't know about the announcement, but they insisted on coming over and they are on their way now," Eileen said all in one breath.
"Details, Miss Sullivan," Helena insisted as she walked down the stairs.
"Yes of course," Eileen said and took a deep breath. "Ms. Murray called and she and Ms. Kelly are in New York at a comic con and they are livid because they are shooting the sixth episode and the script calls for Ms. Kelly's character to kiss the male lead."
"That's ridiculous! Who would write such a preposterous storyline? I want their names," Helena said, storming down the stairs.
Then the doorbell rang.
"So are you going to do two different bachelorette parties?" Jane asked Bridget after they finished discussing the response plan. Even the detective knew that the NYPD had to be ready for the announcement.
"Oh, I never thought about that," Bridget said.
"I don't see them going to separate parties," Sarah pointed out.
"Well, please don't leave it up to them to choose the venue. We'll be at the NY Public Library if we let Helena choose and we'll be building homes for Habitat for Humanity if we let Myka choose," Jane pointed out.
"I think they both know how to enjoy themselves. Remember, Helena had a very active social life before Myka," Bridget reminded the detective. Everyone knew that.
"I think that was a different Helena," Jane pointed out.
Bridget was on her way out to ask Helena and Myka when they could schedule the White House dinner when she ran into the actresses who were both talking at the same time – to a speechless Eileen and a very annoyed Helena.
"Jaime?" Bridget said, surprised and utterly…. delighted.
"Bridget? Oh my God, what are you doing here?" the actress asked and kissed Bridget on both cheeks.
The British woman had been a joyous albeit brief fling for Bridget, and she had the fondest memories of the woman who turned out to be a most uninhibited lover. That was all before Sarah – who was sitting in the next room, one level of self-confidence away from a breakdown.
"Uhm…..brunch," Bridget said, and then stared at the flawless complexion of the actress whose white teeth gleamed brightly behind her smile. Bridget could hear her own speech stammering and knew she was gawking, but she couldn't seem to help herself.
"Joanne is furious over a script and so – voilà – here we are," the actress said in her perfectly English accent.
"Wow, well (cough) oh, here…. you… are," Bridget said – ungluing her eyes and landing right in the expression on Helena's face – glaring at her. "I have….someone….I want you …..yes, to meet," Bridget segued and pulled Jaime into the dining room to introduce her to Sarah.
"Smooth," Helena said sarcastically.
Joanne watched the entire event and when she saw the looks on Eileen and Helena's faces – she offered the most reasonable explanation she had.
"I mean, come on, it's Jaime Murray," the young actress pointed out.
"Oh," Eileen said because it all made sense now. To Helena, it was just more interruptions.
Then the Canadian actress looked up at Helena and the memory of their kiss came to mind. "And how are you, Helena?" she asked in a sing-song kind of tone that made Eileen stare at her – hard.
Helena hadn't enjoyed the kiss, but she did enjoy how take charge Myka was about it – warning the actress never to do that again. Helena enjoyed a possessive Myka, but today wasn't the day for that.
"I am well," Helena said and in the few seconds it took her to say that, Eileen had enough time to decide she didn't care for the look on the actress' face.
"And…. engaged….she's engaged ….to Myka," Eileen said without thinking, crossing her arms.
"Sarah, I want you to meet Jaime Murray," Bridget said.
"Oh my God, you look – Jo, come here!" the actress called out upon seeing Sarah. "She looks like ….the resemblance is uncanny."
"Oh yeah, I remember this," Jane said. "The lineup from hell."
"I look...?" Sarah said, shaking the hand of the actress who just made her feel insecure.
"Like Joanne who looks like Myka!" Jaime said and restored Sarah's insecurity.
"I do?" Sarah said, liking the comparison.
The actress laughed. "Yes, you do. Jo?" she called out and this time, her friend walked into the room. "This is my friend Joanne."
"This is like genetic dominos," Jane said sarcastically.
Helena was very happy that the actress went into the dining room before Myka saw her.
"I'm sorry that I told her, but she was going to see your ring," Eileen said, bubbling up with an explained annoyance.
"I think it's time we share the news," Helena said.
The sooner the world knew she was Myka's, the better.
If Bridget had paid the actress, she couldn't have done a better job. "Oh my God, you're gorgeous," Joanne said to Sarah – whose face lit up and then blushed. Not before taking a good long dip in the compliment first though. Introductions were made again as the chatter started up.
Helena was about to speak to Eileen when Myka came out of the office and down the stairs. Helena immediately assessed her demeanor. Had Myka looked unhappy, Helena would have taken the stairs – two at a time. Myka was smiling though, maybe because her expectations were low and her parents hadn't disappointed her. She was happy that Helena was there longer because she might have been overwhelmed with the questions. "Mom, we really haven't discussed anything. I promise we'll update you ...you know, soon, " Myka replied.
Myka decided all conversations with them in the future should be timed with a five-minute timer.
"Darling, everything ok?" Helena asked to be certain.
"Yes, just fine," Myka said and smiled. She moved into Helena's space when she got downstairs and kissed her.
"I'm sorry I told her, Ms. Bering," Eileen said, still thinking she had let the cat out of the bag. "I didn't like the way she was …..," the youth said, and caught herself. Helena's glare also helped her to stop talking.
"We've a small fire to put out it seems," Helena said to Myka.
With that, the two actresses' voices could be heard coming from the dining room. Myka stopped to listen.
"Is that…?" Myka asked trying to place the voice.
"Yes darling, the two actresses who are involved in the television production stopped by about an issue they are having," Helena said.
Myka recognized the nervous motion Helena demonstrated by pushing her hand over the forehead and through her silky locks. Helena wasn't anxious often, but when she was, this is what she did.
"Where is she?" Myka asked and Eileen's finger immediately shot out toward the dining room.
"She's quite happy for us…being engaged and all…," Helena said in a weak attempt to detract Myka's attention.
"Let's make sure," Myka said as she took Helena's hand and walked back to the room where everyone was.
"There's the happy couple," Bridget said, grabbing Sarah's shoulders in a feeble attempt to appear calm.
"Jo says you two are engaged! Congratulations," Jaime said and looked at their rings. "Just beautiful."
"We're sorry we barged in on your special occasion," Joanne said and tugged at her friend's sleeve for them to leave.
"Nonsense," Myka said, staring directly at the Canadian actress. The woman was a studied thespian and she knew how to read people. It was what helped her be as good as she was.
"Myka, I couldn't be happier for you and Helena. Really," Joanne said and took Myka's hand. Myka decided in that touch, that the woman was being sincere.
"Thank you," Myka smiled and Joanne moved in to hug her. It wasn't the first time the seasoned actress had a jealous partner upset with her. It was the nature of her business.
"Good," Helena said, relieved that Myka was calm.
Irene watched with a careful eye. It seemed Helena wasn't the only one she was going to have to watch out for in all of this. Myka had her own streak of protectiveness as well. Still, Irene was certain Myka's would never result in jail time.
"We can come back," Jaime said, feeling bad about the intrusion.
"Don't be silly," Helena assured her, figuring out the solution as only brilliant people can in so short a span of time. With an exaggerated movement, Helena waved her hand. "This project is under the auspices of Miss Sullivan. Your concerns should be lodged with her," Helena said, smiling at Eileen. "I am certain she will find the best resolution for all concerned."
Eileen beamed to hear Helena say she was in charge and declare her faith in her.
"Perhaps you could take our guests into the library," Helena suggested and the women started to walk out.
Then Helena spoke directly to her protegé. "Remember what I told you, Miss Sullivan. Never give up control of your work. And if the people responsible for this egregious mistake do not agree with you….," Helena said - and then paused to lean closer to Eileen's ear and said- in a rare usage of foul language, -
"Fire the bloody bastards."
Helena wanted to make sure Eileen understood what zero tolerance was. Eileen didn't need much convincing. She understood everything her boss had told her.
"Look at my little baddie, marching off to take care of business the Wells way," Claudia said in awe.
"You are so whipped, it isn't funny," Steve said and assumed the defense position to catch Claudia's hand as she swung it at him.
"Well when my girlfriend is running things, I'm going to make her take away your parking space," Claudia threatened.
"I don't have a parking space," Steve said.
"Well, I'm going to ask her to give you one, and then take it away," the techie said unfazed.
Lots of back and forth dialogue due to the issues at hand.
Thank you to those who are so gracious with their insights about this story-
I am eternally grateful and hope I have done this particular storyline of Myka's parents - justice.