The Unbearable Berings
Helena was back downstairs in a flash, wearing grey pants and a black blouse that hung off her shoulder exposing the strap of the teddy she still wore underneath. Myka took a moment away from the pandemonium to smile at that.
Bridget, in the meantime, decided to help by preparing the martinis herself. "I would pay to see this," she said, handing a drink to Sarah. Irene decided that, in spite of the aggravation, this would be a perfect opportunity for Gloria to learn about the Berings. "You will gain invaluable insight," she said in her text that instructed the woman to come to the Townhouse. Pete also sent out a text: "Save me," was the only message Jane got and decided she better go see what was up with her fiancé.
"Do not touch anything!" Irene instructed Myka's father and asked Pete to return the tool and nailed wood to the basement.
"Too much Bob Vila, Mr. Bering?" Bridget said, sitting down on the lounge couch in the hallway. It was like getting front row seats to a Broadway show.
"It's their first child," he answered and then decided his insight was better used on his daughter. "Myka, this is your first child. Your house isn't child proof."
"So that's how everyone keeps getting in," Irene said and Bridget, who had just taken her first sip, nearly choked.
"Drama with a side of comedy," she whispered to Sarah.
"Helena, you're a reasonably bright woman," Warren said, trying to get her to agree with him. Bridget's hand flew out to grab her wife's thigh because she was certain the Brit was about to lose it. But Helena had her spokesperson there - and Irene was firing on all cylinders.
"Which is exactly why we will trust them both to take the necessary precautions," Irene said and put her stiff body between the parents and the couple. "Shall we?" she asked and Warren found himself moving backwards as the HR Director moved her erect frame directly at him. Irene waved her finger at everyone else, and they lined up and marched behind her in formation into the dining room.
"Well, I'll be darned," Jeannie said when they reentered the dining room. "The vase has been here the whole time!" she said in amazement. Leena's quick thinking had made certain of it.
Warren attempted to sit at the head of the table, an unconscious move on his part, but he was respectfully pointed in the direction of the chair next to his wife by the woman in charge.
"She does not pay you enough," Bridget said to Irene as she took her seat across from the Berings.
"I'm sorry," Myka said, turning to Helena and kissing her before they joined the others.
"Don't be, Darling," Helena assured her. "You had no way of knowing they were here."
Myka smiled and reached out and slipped her finger underneath the strap of the teddy. "No, I mean - I'm ….really sorry….," she said, referring to the welcoming she missed out on.
Helena's face lit up and goosebumps erupted at the mere touch. "We'll just think of this as a little interruption," she smiled and bit her lower lip in anticipation. "Shall we?" Helena said and put her arm out for Myka to take. As if going into battle, Myka nodded, took Helena's arm, drew in a deep breath, and then walked into the dining room with her.
"Oh, there you are," Jeannie said. "Now, let's get off to a fresh start," the mother suggested as Leena put out a platter of sandwiches and iced tea. "Oh, thank you, Leena. You shouldn't have gone to all the trouble."
Myka smiled at her mother's attempt to start over, but the relief was short-lived. "Now, Mr. Lattimer, how did you wind up on top of my daughter-in-law?" Jeannie asked Pete directly and his throat started to close.
"Mr. Lattimer is my bodyguard. He's highly trained to sense danger and he must have detected some, or he wouldn't have tried to get me out of the way," Helena said, smiling. The statement was a shot at her in-laws and relief for Pete. It was the first normal breath he took. It went over the Berings heads, as Helena expected.
Helena now sat at the head of the table and Myka was to her right. She felt the familiar sensation of Myka rubbing her foot with hers under the table. The Berings were …habitually …relentless in their blissful ignorance.
Pete shot out of his seat when he heard the doorbell ring, but Irene beat him to the door.
"It's Jane," he whispered to the HR Director.
"I think it's Nurse Brown," Irene said back and they both went to answer the bell.
They were both right.
Irene took Gloria's coat and hung it up in the hall closet. "I didn't think they had one of those," Jane said because she was more used to stepping over Helena's coat.
Irene explained to the nurse that Myka's parents were there and that she felt first-hand experience would be beneficial. With that, she walked the woman into the dining room and introduced her.
Jane could tell immediately that something was wrong with Pete. "Are you okay?" she asked, looking at him from head to toe.
"Actually," Pete started, trying to figure out how to say this. "I fell…. on Helena." He used exaggerated hand gestures to accentuate his point.
"You fell on her? Is she okay? Did you get hurt?" Jane asked, thinking there was more to this.
The more she asked, the more uncomfortable Pete seemed to get. "I ….fell…on her," he said again, this time his hands made a circular motion in front of his torso.
"And….?" Jane asked unable to solve the puzzle.
"I stayed there," Pete added. The good detective, who could put together crime scenes, better than most, was having trouble with this.
"Helena couldn't move, could she?" she asked, snapping her fingers because otherwise, Pete would have shown bruises.
"No," he said in a squeak.
In the meantime, Officer Bell, who had taken a course on Interviewing Suspects, remembered how important it was to pay attention to what the perpetrators DON'T say. Always anxious for an opportunity to impress her superior officer, she tugged at Jane's sleeve and whispered something in her ear. "Maybe….."
Jane listened carefully and thought about what her side kicked proposed. It was certainly within the range of possibilities. She looked at Officer Bell who nodded that this was the best possible explanation. Jane turned back to look at her fiancé. "Did you…," Jane started and coughed into her hand. "Did your body …by any chance…..react to that encounter?" she carefully worded the question.
"YES!" Pete shouted and the guilt was lifted off his shoulders. Officer Bell smiled at having provided the key information to her boss.
"Hell, my body would probably react if I touched all of that," Jane scoffed.
"Wait! Really?" Pete asked relieved and confused.
"Pete, it's Helena Wells," Jane said sympathetically. "Even Bell here would have cracked a smile if it happened to her," she said, trying to include the third wheel. Pete looked at the young officer whose only affirmation was a raised eyebrow.
Pete decided that it was safe to return to the dining room after announcing that Myka's parents were there. "Good thing we're armed," Jane said. Officer Bell offered to wait out in the hallway, but Jane insisted she come in. "You're part of this group whether you like it or not," Jane said. Officer Bell liked it very much. Everyone greeted the policewomen who joined them at the table.
"So, you're the nurse who's going to be accompanying my daughter?" Warren was asking Gloria. "Are we expecting trouble?"
"Not at all," Gloria replied.
"But you're the company nurse. Are you qualified to handle pregnancies?" Jeannie asked.
"She wouldn't be here unless she was," Irene answered, putting an end to questions about the woman's credentials.
Gloria was busy watching Myka and Helena interact with the parents carefully. She was experienced enough to know that often the biggest source of stress for the expectant mother – was often the expectant grandparents.
"Now, let's hear what you have going for names," Warren jumped in and Jeannie, who thought they should wait, couldn't help but explain.
"You see, in our family, Helena….," Jeannie said, placing a large spoonful of potato salad on her husband's plate, and thereby missing Myka's dead glare.
"Mother…..," she started, but Jeannie said she just wanted to share something with Helena.
"She doesn't know everything about us, dear," her mother said.
"I bet she will by tonight," Bridget said and Sarah squeezed her leg to behave. The Georgian banker came from a family where the parents were at every athletic game for every one of their kids. The family motto was – 'If you think it, say it, and we'll argue about it'. She was fascinated by how covert the Berings thought they were in telling Myka and Helena what they really thought.
"You see, Helena," Jeannie began again. "In our family, we take naming the child very seriously," she said as if they were unique.
"I hope you're not thinking of naming my grandson after one of those princes," Warren said of the British Royals.
Helena opened her mouth to declare her dual citizenship, but Jeannie was already interrupting her. "We hope you're not keeping that HG Wells name in the family, because, to be honest, that's a tough name for a little guy," Myka's mom pointed out.
"HG Wells Bering?" Warren thought out loud, skipping over the fact that his surname came first.
Irene, who sat at the other end of the table opposite Helena, watched cautiously. These were Myka's parents and she didn't want to overstep a boundary, unless she felt it was absolutely necessary. She was more on guard due to the fact that Helena was a much calmer creature now that Myka was by her side.
However, the Brit still had her limits.
"Excuse me?" Helena said and Bridget refilled anyone's glass that needed it.
"We know how busy you both are, so we thought we'd come up with some suggestions. Now, of course, you probably want to include a name from your family. As a middle name or something," Warren blathered on. "What was your father's name?"
"Dad, this is what Helena and I were going to talk about tonight, before you surprised us with your visit," Myka said slowly – hoping guilt would slow her father down.
"Oh, this is good timing then," Jeannie said and really believed that. "We can give you some choices and then you and Helena can talk about it."
Gloria had put the sandwich up to her mouth, but abruptly stopped when the Berings let loose. Irene, as usual, was several steps ahead and was inconspicuously texting a message to Claudia – the resident photoshop expert. Why hadn't she thought of it before?
"Piece of cake," the IT Director replied and set straight away. "We'll have it in place soon."
Bridget couldn't believe how long Helena had gone without exploding at these people whom even she found annoying. She came up with her own unique way of helping. She poured a martini for Helena. And just as Warren asked a question that was on his mind - "Now, I know this is probably ridiculous, but if it's a boy, do either of you feel any obligation to include the donor's name?" Warren asked because he truly believed the donor was sitting at the table. The parents had many conversations at the dinner table at home trying to figure out the donor. The logical conclusion they came to was Pete, since they knew how much their daughter and Helena trusted him.
"Oh, Warren," Jeannie said, because she had done everything in her power to discourage him from mentioning that just yet.
Helena's hand flew up and she suddenly found it around a carefully poured drink that Bridget placed there. "I'm not saying not to respond. I'm suggesting you take a sip before you do."
"Daddy! That's enough!" Myka yelled and her father put his hands up in defense.
"Sorry, Pete," he said and now the other end of the table erupted.
Pete's nerves were already fried so he simply protested that he wasn't the donor, but had he been asked, he would have been honored. For perhaps the first time in her life, Jane was speechless. Officer Bell gently moved Jane's hand off her gun. Leena rushed and brought out more food, still hoping that if she filled the parents' mouths, they'd shut up. Gloria instinctively put her hand out on Irene's arm when she recognized the look of murder in those chestnut eyes. Myka argued with her father's lack of decorum, while her parents explained he had the best of intentions.
The only calm one – it appeared – was Helena. Until –
"THAT IS QUITE ENOUGH!" - bellowed the English woman, out of patience.
There was dead silence, except for the tiptoeing of the last two invited guests coming through the front door and slipping into the living room. All eyes fell on Helena, who now stood at the end of the table – her fingers spread out and leaning in the direction of her in-laws.
"I am going to tell you this – once. You will say it can't be true. You will think I'm telling you this just to get you to stop, but I am telling you the truth. Once. And there will be no questions. You will accept it because, as God is my witness, it is the absolute truth. Do not doubt me, or there will be unpleasant repercussions. Do you understand me?" she asked and Myka's parents nodded their heads. It was the only part of their bodies that moved.
"You know CPR, right?" Bridget whispered to Gloria, who sat next to her, certain Jeannie or Warren would go into cardiac arrest if Helena kept staring at them.
Myka was sorry that her parents had pushed everyone to this point; especially her wife. But she trusted that Helena would set them straight.
Helena took a deep breath, reached out and took Myka's hand. "There was no donor. This baby will be the true progeny of both Myka and me. Through the miracle of ….," and Helena hesitated for a moment, "…..modern science, we have found a way to have a child that is ours."
She pulled Myka's hand up to kiss it and then she sat down.
Everyone, including the two late guests on the other side of the door, eavesdropping, was silent. Pete's head twitched a little as he tried to think this through; Irene smiled since she was the only one who knew, Gloria wondered what Helena's endgame was since she knew medically, this was yet implausible. Bridget squeezed Sarah's hand at the possibility. The light bulb went off over Leena's head as all those late nights in the basement and how crazy Helena was – made sense now.
Warren and Jeannie admitted to themselves that they weren't up on all the latest technologies, so they accepted what Helena said as possibly a strand of truth. "Okay," they both said.
"As for the child's name," and Helena looked over and smiled at Myka, "We will let you know that when the time is right."
Bridget was the first, of course, to break the tension in the room. "It's like I always say, Mr. Bering; it's not what you know, it's WHO you know."
The group erupted into nervous laughter and the late attendees came into the room. "What did we miss?" Claudia asked as she and Eileen said hello to everyone.
"Helena rules," Bridget said and Sarah leaned in and kissed her because she cherished the woman who was never at a loss of words.
With the newly engaged couple now present, the Berings quickly focused their attention on them. Finally, everyone had dessert and coffee.
Thankfully, the parents were tired after their trip and so they said goodnight to everyone before leaving to go upstairs.
Myka and Helena stood by the staircase as they said goodnight to their uninvited guests. "You know, Helena," Warren said because he had a gift for annoying his daughter-in-law, "I don't see any pictures of your family around here."
Helena's head snapped back to look at him. Truth be told, there were few pictures in the Townhouse because most of them were reminders to Helena of what she once had. The ones she had were located in her study upstairs, behind a locked door.
"Oh, Mr. Bering," Irene said, coming out on cue and taking the man by the arm, pulling him toward the living room. "You are a curious man," she said as she took the recently placed frame from a table and presented it to him.
Warren looked down at the picture of two parents and their daughter at Brighten Beach, the three in bathing suits. The mother and father were sitting in the sand; their young five year old daughter, who he could easily see was Helena, sat between them. As dense as Warren was, he noted how happy they all seemed. The story of Helena's parents dying young was a topic he and Jeannie rarely touched on, even with Myka.
"Handsome family," he said, feeling what might resemble guilt for having pried.
Finally, the group assembled in the hallway to bid their hostesses goodnight as Irene returned with Warren.
"Now, off to bed with you both," Irene said, and didn't mean to sound so sternly matriarchal, but she had just about enough of them upsetting her favorite couple.
"Irene just sent Myka's parents to their room," Bridget whispered and anyone who heard her cracked up. Then she inched closer to Myka and teased: "You two better behave or there'll be no more dessert."
Myka was so frustrated with her parents that her innermost thought simply slipped of her lips. "Oh, I am getting dessert; I promise you that!"
"I don't think we're talking brownies here," Bridget said to Sarah as Myka returned to Helena's side.
"Good job, Ms. Donovan," Irene said of the doctored picture.
"Sure, but how did you know….? I mean, why now?" the techie asked and decided her new side project was going to be building Helena's history in picture form.
"Matter of time with those two," Irene answered and started to help Leena clear off the table. Officer Bell immediately shot from her seat to assist.
"Well, this took the spotlight off of last night," Claudia said to Eileen who was guiltily glad of that.
"I'll leave these for you to look at," Sarah said of the maternity clothes.
"Are you okay?" Bridget asked Myka, staring right at her because she knew Myka's first response was always that she was. She squeezed her friend's hand. "What can I do to help?" the banker asked.
"Take them home with you?" Myka said and smiled.
"I don't think Irene will let them out of their room. But, I will do the next best thing. I'll take them out to lunch tomorrow and run them around the park, to tire them out," Bridget offered.
The thought of Warren and Jeannie running free at Wells Corp flashed through Myka's mind and she agreed. "Thank you, Bridget," Myka said as she said good night.
"I'm just going to say this, Wells," Bridget said because she reverted to surnames when she drank. "I didn't think Irene had it in her, you know, to be so strict and all because, I mean, look at you, but your kids are going to be the most well behaved children in all of Manhattan!"
Helena dark eyes narrowed and she glared at the woman, but Bridget was impervious to the stare down. "Enjoy dessert," she said and bade her hostess goodnight.
"I do not want that woman near our child until she's in college," Helena whispered to Myka.
"Oh, I think college would be the worst time for Bridget to meet her," Myka laughed and leaned into Helena, a motion that always calmed her.
The rest of the gang said good night and the couple stood alone in the dimly lit hallway. "I'm sorry, Helena," Myka said, in what seemed to be life time of apologies for her parents.
"Darling, you no need to apologize for someone else's behavior," Helena said, pulling Myka into her.
"They can't seem to stop talking. They mean well, but they just don't hear themselves," she said and Helena knew she was talking from years of experience.
Helena was caught between wanting to embrace Myka and also wanting to march upstairs and slap her in-laws for putting the burden on their lack of social awareness squarely on Myka's shoulders. She chose a third option.
"Myka, those two people up there, for better or worse, brought you into this world. And for that fact alone, I will always be in their debt. Neither words nor deeds can injure us because, in spite of our love for them, we are the ones in charge. We will endure, educate, and guide them. But I will not allow you to bear the weight of their witlessness," Helena explained thoughtfully.
It wasn't just the words that Helena spoke, but the tenderness of her voice and the definite tone she used that assured Myka that finally, she didn't have to put the world first. The dim light on the wall reflected off the teary jade pools that stared lovingly at Helena. "You are the most wonderful person in the world, Helena. And you're all mine," Myka said, leaning in to lay her head on her wife's shoulders.
"Yes, and I'm wearing a teddy," Helena reminded Myka, who pulled back and grabbed Helena by the hand, swiftly making their way to the bedroom.
Making the best of the situation, Myka pushed Helena down on the bed. "Be quiet, my parents are home," she said, pulling the blouse over Helena's head.
It took Helena a minute to catch on. "Oh," she said, finally getting that this was pretend.
Warm hands moved over Helena's ribcage and cupped her breasts as Helena moaned softly. Myka pulled at the straps until Helena's bare flesh was exposed and vulnerable to her kisses. Myka stood up and with one swift pull; she released Helena of her clothes. Lying next to her, she pulled the duvet over them and began the slow buildup of tension in Helena's core.
In spite of the way the evening started and even though her parents were right next door to her, Myka never gave them another thought. She didn't care if they heard the screams of her wife being pushed over the edge into fiery pleasure.
Myka finally unburdened herself of being Warren and Jeannie's daughter and was totally satisfied in being herself.