Tad wanted to crawl away into a corner. The news should have been good, Marissa was out of the coma and Bianca was on the mend, but something had happened today that had overshadowed it all and he had no clue what it was. The looks that were passing between Dixie and Krystal on the way home in the car had been mortifying. He could feel it, like a pain in the knee when the weather changes, a storm was brewing and he was worried he might not be able to get out of the way in time.
The argument broke the second the two women walked into the house. Tad was about to offer to get take-out for dinner so no one need cook, as well as giving him an excuse to leave them alone to row. Krystal never gave him a chance.
"How could you do that!" she demanded, glaring at Dixie.
"Look Marissa was in no fit state to take care of a child. I'm sorry but she is still in no fit state to look after a child…"
"I'm not talking about Marissa." snapped Krystal, interrupting her. "I mean, how could you do that to AJ? Didn't you see his face, he was terrified!"
It took Tad a moment to notice AJ wasn't with them. He knew Miranda and Gabby were now staying with Kendall but AJ didn't really have anywhere else to go. Well nowhere but… Tad stopped as he caught up with his own thoughts and turned to Dixie, hoping he was wrong.
"Where is AJ?"
"He's with his dad." said Dixie, "JR was able to overturn the court ruling and gain temporary custody while Marissa is incapacitated."
"Yeah," said Krystal keen to fill him in on the whole story. "He marched in to take him right from his mother bedside. I guess you planned that, hoping there would be no one there to stop you? JR practically dragged him from the hospital!"
"That was more to do with AJ wanting to see his mom and not understanding why he couldn't!" replied Dixie
"No that had everything to do with him not wanting to go anywhere with his dad."
"That's nonsense." countered Dixie, "Before you showed up AJ was fine with it."
"Are you sure because I saw his face…"
"Are you saying JR shouldn't have custody of his own son?"
"That's exactly what I'm saying! He is a homophobic, misogynistic…"
"Ladies, Ladies!" cried Tad stepping between them before they came to blows. "So what you are telling me is AJ went with JR."
"Was abducted more like." muttered Krystal.
"JR loves his son." protested Dixie, "Surly he has proved himself at the mansion. He saved us all!"
"The only person your son loves is himself." said Krystal, "Sadly you seem incapable of seeing that. He is a master manipulator I've seen it with Babe and I saw it with Marissa. "
Dixie opened her mouth to respond but Krystal held up her hand to stop her.
"I'm not denying JR cares about AJ because he does. But only when it suits him and he's not beyond using AJ if it helps him get what he wants. He certainly used him to get to you!"
"That's a lie." protested Dixie.
"We both know it's not." said Tad, a little sad he could no longer come to the defence of someone who had been his son for so long. "JR went way too far with this feud with Marissa, the blackmail… the video! I can't believe any of what happened at the mansion has changed the way he feels about her and Bianca. It was that poisonous environment that we were trying to keep AJ away from."
"But JR has sworn he is a change man."
"That's the trouble." said Tad "He always swears he will change and yet never does."
"How can you not defend him." asked Dixie amazed, "He's been a like a son to you."
"Yes and though I'm loath to admit it I'm just as much responsible for the man he's become, as Adam ever was." admitted Tad, "But I can see him now and I don't like what he is doing; to Marissa and to his own son."
Dixie looked from Krystal to Tad.
"Well there is nothing either of you can do. The courts made a decision. JR has custody. He's going to do right by his son. That's all he wants; to do right by AJ."
Krystal stepped forward to protest but Tad put up a restraining hand.
Dixie just stared at Tad long and hard, uncomprehending.
"I don't understand how you can refuse to stand up for him, you loved him..?"
...