Authors Note: I own nothing. No ownership rights to Beverly Hills 90210.
Chapter Fifty-Nine: Going to be
"Dylan they're all here."
"Yeah it's a big night. What you just did is a big deal, I wanted to make sure that they all were here to cheer you on."
With my arm around her she turns her head and looks up at me, "but I could have been terrible?"
I raise an eyebrow at her and give her an amused look, "yeah you were never going to be terrible Laverne. You were always going to be amazing, I just didn't realise that you would be so extraordinary." I lean down and kiss her forehead, "come on your grandma's are dying to praise you."
When she is just finishing the last greeting and thank you for coming to our Minnesota family Roy walks over. I quickly congratulate him, and then laugh when rather than call me by my name he refers to me as the doppelgänger.
"I'll take that, my son is pretty close to being all me-"
"Except for my eyes." I wrap my arm around my girl who has moved over to us; holding her to my side.
"Oh I was actually going to say except for his weird love of vegetables and general stubbornness." Our family and Roy laugh, I earn a gentle whack in the stomach from my girl.
"Brenda Darling there are some people who would like to meet you, would you mind?"
"Not at all."
When she walks away Brandon, Steve and I quickly go to top up everyone's drink's, when we return Jim and Cindy are there and the rest of our old gang and Jackie are hovering. "Well if your bags are in the car we can go get them and head back to our place?"
"James the family are staying with Dylan and Brenda, we are all settled in there and we have plans this weekend."
"Oh really." His tone was trying to hide his frustration.
"Yes. Suzanne has given Erica permission to miss school tomorrow due to her late night tonight. So Steve, Val, Bobby, Lottie, and Erica are headed down to Disneyland. While Dylan and Iris are taking us out for lunch in Malibu, Brandon has a task force meeting but will head over to the house and host dinner while Dylan, Iris and Nat see tomorrow night's performance. I believe Steve is then taking Bobby, Val and Brandon to a club. Saturday we are going to see the sites of LA ending the day with a famous Peach Pit megaburger, and Sunday we are having a big family lunch at the house before we head back to Minnesota."
"So you aren't planning on seeing your family while here?"
"James we are staying with family-"
"Mum I mean Cindy and I."
"Well I'm not sure that you would like to see us when you hear what we have to say, but it's neither the time or the venue for such a discussion."
"Mum I don't think you understand the full story here-"
"James since Brenda and Arthur came back to Los Angles my granddaughter and Dylan have phoned us weekly. We are abreast of everything."
"Well then you'll understand that he is to blame for her getting so sick. I'm not sure you understand the full scope of her medi-"
"Son we have been supporting Brenda in her medical needs longer than you. Both her grandmother's attended every doctor's visit and every scan, we looked after her when she was on bed rest for weeks. We sat there for hour's waiting to hear if she survived the birth. We know more about her medical needs than anyone… well Dylan now surpasses us because while you have been causing your daughter more worry, more upset; while you have continued in your strange need to control her, he has been taking care of her. He has been making sure she recovers not just physically but emotionally as well. Look at what she just did tonight, our granddaughter is flourishing, she's going well in her studies and if she continues this way with her finals she will make the dean's list. She will finish her first year of College with three more credits than required. She is raising beautiful and happy children, she has a wonderful and caring family here with her brother's, her mother-in-law, and Nat, and now she has her partner in world domination with her- though I genuinely fear for anyone that crosses them. And then there is Dylan, we couldn't of asked for a better grandson in law, and seeing them together for just those few moments well they are beautiful with each other."
Brandon knocks my shoulder and whispers, "I'm still the favourite." I look at him and subtly shake my head and find Bobby is doing the same and is pointing at me.
"James whatever your and Cindy's issue is here none of us see it, and considering you haven't spent time getting to know them as adults, partners raising a beautiful family together then I have to assume you are holding onto whatever grudges a grown man has against a teenage boy and girl. Now as I said this is not the time or the venue, this is Brenda's moment and well I'd prefer to make it a celebration of her and not an airing of unnecessary family drama."
Val's less than quiet, "God I love your grandma Brandon." Had us all fighting back smiles.
By the time Bren comes back over to us they have left. Brandon passes on the messages of congratulations both from his parents and Jackie. It just leaves the family, with Kelly, Donna and Andrea to the side of the group while David chats away to Val, Bobby and Brandon. Erica was currently leaning heavily against me… well as heavy as a ten year old can be.
"We should get her home." I smile and look at my talented future wife.
"You stay and enjoy your moment, I'll take the family back up the hill. Don't be surprised if she is still up when you get home though. Nat bought pie and she is sleeping for the weekend in the now girly sleepover party Den." Her eyes instantly twinkle in mischief, "no you are not sleeping in there."
"Party Pooper."
I lean in and kiss her cheek but before I pull back I whisper into her ear, "we can have our own party."
She thanks everyone for coming and promises not to be too long. Before she is guided away by Roy to meet more people, I remind her that if she gets too tired I can come back and pick her up. When she's given Erica one last hug and has confirmed with her that it's only one small piece of pie, no ice-cream and a only a tiny little bit of cream, and given her grandpa, grandma's, Steve, Val, Iris and finally me a hard mum stare to let us know she is serious she leaves.
David and Brandon are laughing, "yeah yeah little sis has me pegged though I'm surprised McKay got lumped in with us."
"My version of tiny little bit of cream is not Bren's version." I gently squeeze Erica's shoulders, "sorry kid I think I'm going to have to use the little spoon when I dollop it out tonight."
"Thanks okay Dylan. Nat bought chocolate pie and Brenda forgot to say that I was only allowed the fruit one." They all laughed loudly while I give my mother, Val and Steve a death stare.
"That's it you are all bad influences on our sweet girl." Steve goes to deny it but Samantha just gives her son a look that makes him stop before he even starts.
David excuses himself, with an excuse that as the driver that night he needed to get them all home. I give him a grateful look, he gives me a wink. He knew it would have been an awkward situation if someone asked if he was coming back to the house, he and not the other girls. David knew he had an open invitation and had popped past a couple of times but as the middle man we all felt for him.
When we got back to the house Nat informed me that Art had been a perfect angel not a peep, by the time I get back from checking on him the family were already making tea, the two youngest girls were magically in their pyjamas- matching ones courtesy of Val, and pie was being cut for all. Forty minutes later as I was just about to go give Art his dream feed bottle Bren walks in.
After greetings, stealing a forkful of her brother's second piece of pie, and looking at Erica's face instantly spotting the chocolate remanent she notices the milk bottle. "Can I join you I've missed my little man all evening?"
"Of course."
Once Art is changed and has a full belly, all miraculously accomplished without a full on wake up, she moves into our dressing room to take off her shoes. I watch her from the doorway.
"Do you know you move differently as Maggie?"
"I'm supposed to."
"Yes but like everything about your movements is different, even your posture. Very predator like."
She looks up at me from the bench, "is that your way of saying she's sexy?"
"Oh she's sexy."
"But she's completely different from me?"
Oh she was good. Sorry baby you aren't going to trap me in that one. "Well she's overtly sexy in her movements, lots of hips, and you are more subtle in your sexy."
"What do you prefer?"
I lift off the doorframe and give her the sexy smile she loves, "what do you think?"
She stand's and takes a step forward so she is just in front of me. She then looks up at me with those bewitching eyes trapping me in her stare. "I never did say thank you for the flowers," she then reaches and pulls out the chain from around her neck. "Or my gift. I think it worked." She slowly leans forward into me, and then as she stretches up she whispers "thank you" then kisses my cheek an inch away from my mouth. I take a breath and as she slowly goes to pull away I wrap her in my arms.
"Yeah you are sexy as hell." I'm kissing her, devouring her in less than a blink of an eye. I'm lost in my hunger of her lifting her off the ground, she instantly wraps her legs around me. When air is needed I kiss down her neck, when she tugs at my hair I pull back ready to take her lips again. She leans back and gives me a sad smile.
"We have a house full of people and we are the hosts we can't baby." I groan and pull her closer to me, "you're going to need to put me down now and I'm then going to change out of my party clothes. We are going to go out have pie, put our girl to bed, make sure our guests are comfortable for the night, and then I'm going to have a shower before bed." She leans down and kisses below my ear in the spot I like, "a shower I expect you to join me in."
We make it back a few minutes later to the main room and ignore the knowing smirks from my mother and Val, Steve's cheesy smile and head nod, and Brandon's roll of the eye's. It's another long very long hour before I finally get her under the water.
The Disneyland crew leave just after eight thirty in the morning. I had gotten them vip passes so there would be no line wait's. Bren gets Val, Steve and Erica to promise that the latter will take it easy on the sugar and junk food- she doesn't want any upset stomachs or ride vomiting to occur. When they are gone we all have a lazy morning before we drive out to Malibu for lunch. Bren decides to join us and throughout the lunch we continue to catch smirks from the Minnesota family. They clocked every loving gaze, subtle touch, and every parental action. We both felt like a much loved zoo exhibit.
Bren's Friday night performance was equal to her first and Roy was thrilled that it would be another day tomorrow of fantastic reviews. Nat loved the show and insisted on a signed playbill of both the lead actor's and director. It would be framed and permanently grace the wall of The Pit. When the three of us returned home it was to the surprise find of Jim's car in the driveway. I turned to Bren and give her an apologetic look.
"Not your fault if they weren't here he probably would have started in at the play last night. It was bound to happen this weekend. Shall we?"
As we moved into the house it was clear what they had been discussing, the air was tense. Bren and I immediately looked for Erica, she was to be no where near this rubbish. Brandon seeing us slip in and knowing what or more accurately who we were looking for interrupts whatever his father had been saying, much to Jim's annoyance before he turns and spots us. "It's okay her and Lottie fell asleep watching Sleeping Beauty about ninety minutes ago."
We give him a grateful smile before Bren nod's in the direction of our room. Iris who is standing next to us advises she'll check on the girls. I walk into my kitchen where they all seem to be congregating around the island. I turn on the kettle knowing both my mother and girl were looking forward to tea after a long day. The room stays quiet until I turn, lean against the bench with crossed arms, and look at the family. "Before you ask she was equally as brilliant tonight, Roy is thrilled. Val we also got to meet Clare, she was there with the Chancellor. She sends her best and a request for you to call her." I breathe out and look at Jim, "I'm assuming from the tension in our home we interrupted something. As long as our children's sleep is not disturbed and Brenda is not attacked I'm willing to hear you out."
"You're willing to hear me out?"
"Yes Jim, let's hear it. Just lay it all out on the table all your issues. I've got nothing to hide from our family. I may not like parts of my past but I own them, and if it got me to this place in my life then I'd willingly do it all again."
"Would my daughter say the same thing? Would she be willingly hurt over and over again by you?"
"Yes she would." I look past Jim to Bren who is now walking into the room, she walks past the island kissing her grandparents on the way before coming to stand in front of me. I instantly uncross my arms and wrap them around her. "Dad I love Dylan, I love the family we are making together and I wouldn't give it up at all. If going back and changing even one moment meant that I'd risk this life I wouldn't do it."
He breathes out, "he's going to do it to you again and then where will you be? Divorced from a cheating husband, trying to share custody that's if he doesn't attempt a move like his father's and threaten to ruin you, forcing you out of their lives like Iris was-"
"Jim, I'd ask you to kindly not use information I told you confidentially about Jack against my son. It's not your place to disclose private and upsetting family matters of ours, and it's disgusting that you would attack Dylan with it knowing what home life it resulted him being raised in."
I reach out a hand to my mother and she walks over to take it. I give Jim a hard look, "our children not disturbed, Brenda and my mother not attacked. If you can't comply with that then I'm going to have to ask you to leave."
"Brenda he is not a good man, look how he is buying everyone off around him. You with this house, Brandon with a share in The Peach Pit, and your mother heard from Abby that he's turned Valerie against them and now moved her out here permanently. Is he hoping to make a harem up here?"
Val looks at Jim and when she speaks there is so much steal and hatred in her voice that both Brandon and Steve move closer to comfort her. "Mr Walsh my mother is a liar if that is what she said, I have copies of the police report to prove it. Like Iris, I'd also like you not to refer to my own family business, business that you know nothing, nothing about."
"Valerie your mother-"
Before I can jump in my mother goes on the attack, Val having become another daughter to her. "Cindy, I'm going to have to insist that you don't make comment on things you are ignorant of in Valerie's family life. If you both can't do that then I'm going to have to insist that you leave our home."
Bren seeing this is just causing upset and worried they may continue to defend their good friends the Malone's jumps in, "Dad, Mum let me be very clear here. Dylan and I are going to get married, we are creating our life together, nothing you say will change that. There is no need to recall Dylan's past I know every hurt, I know every skeleton in his closet, like he knows all mine. There is no need to reference all Jack's mistakes, he is not his father like you are not yours dad, and like how I am not mum. I don't need to hear you warnings of a potential future, last time I checked no one in this family can predict it, not even Iris' cards."
She begins to move away from me so I drop my hand that has been holding her hip, "I don't need to hear any of it. What I do need to hear is if you would like to be a part of our life mine and Dylan's, and your grandchildren's lives, but if you do you need to get over this distrust of him. I will not have him required to defend himself over and over again, I won't have him being judged by you forever, and I refuse to have my children's father repeatedly disrespected in front of them. So what's it going to be?"