Carl Moore had a lot of opinions.
And he felt as though that was justified. After all, he was fifty-two years old, held down a senior position at a successful consultancy firm, and was overall pretty content with the state of his affairs. He had two children who were both pursuing their studies and making him proud, and he was married to a woman who made life easy for him. He felt that he had made some smart choices in life that had led him to this point, and others would do well to stop complaining and follow suit.
"It really is quite odd that she doesn't work." He mused, eyes staring straight forward, perfectly in between his hands at 10-and-2 on the wheel. "I just don't understand people who think they can live off other people for the rest of their lives."
Beside him, his son Zac shrugged. Carl was immensely proud of Zac. He was tall and strapping, an accomplished American football player, and almost unanimously in agreement with his father on every subject. An heir to the Moore dynasty indeed.
"I think her problem is that she just doesn't understand the way the real world works." Zac suggested. "That's why it's so stupid to have a kid that young. Most people have no idea about life before they go to college."
Carl hummed in agreement. "She probably did it on purpose, of course. She's never quite been a stickler for the rules, after all."
Zac sniggered and shook his head.
In the back of the car, Amber rolled her eyes without taking them off her phone screen.
Carl took his eyes off the road for a second to momentarily glance at his daughter in the back seat. She may not have been his mirror image as Zac was, but she was another reason that he felt particularly accomplished with his life. She was pretty and popular, had gotten into college, and, most importantly, had not gotten pregnant in high school like Katherine's other daughter. For as long as he lived, Carl would take relief in the fact that he had fathered the normal two of Katherine's expansive brood.
"I hope being around her doesn't give you any ideas, Amber. Trust me, the last thing you want is to have to drop out of college to raise a baby."
Amber huffed. She'd heard this before, many, many times. "Trust me, dad, living in the room next door to a screaming baby has put me off kids for life."
Carl chortled, although he hoped this was in jest. The Moore dynasty had to live on, after all, and whilst he didn't feel like being a grandfather just yet, he wouldn't mind that title in ten years or so. And for that, he couldn't risk Amber not contributing - what if Zac had only girls?
"That, and seeing how much Mom hates Jade for it." Zac added with a grin, and Amber nodded.
Well, for that, Carl couldn't blame her. He would've gone ballistic had either of his children given him the news that Jade had unloaded on Katherine a year ago. In fact, he was surprised by how amiably Katherine had seemed to take it. Jade hadn't been sent away, or told to give the baby up for adoption. He might've been impressed by this show of strength, had he not already been so aware of the poor parenting that had led to the situation in the first place.
For this, he was about to get a front row seat.
Zac, to his parents' pride but sorrow, was due to leave for France in the coming weeks to study abroad for a year. With this approaching, Katherine had suggested a little get-together for the whole family, which Carl had accepted, if surreptitiously largely only to showcase his own superiority.
He was glad that it had all stayed civil despite the fallout of his and Katherine's marriage, and the way that things had fallen apart for his ex-wife since.
Meanwhile, he had married Amy Roberts, a fresh-faced consultant-turned-homemaker, and now spent his weekends golfing at the country club.
He wasn't sure whether he dodged a bullet, or if the whole mess with Jade never would have happened if she was his child. From what his children said, Jade's dad was not involved in her life (unsurprisingly, given her generally repulsive demeanour), and this was of course why she was such a nutcase. Children needed a stern father figure in their lives, and Jade had never had this, so it was no shock that she had trouble listening to figures of authority.
Doubtless, too, this would continue with her own child. Apparently, the father was still around, but the pair had broken up, and not for the first time. Realistically, once the poor boy realised how easy it could be to leave, he would. It took a strong and admirable man like himself to stick around even after the breakdown of a relationship between parents, something Carl still prided himself on. Especially, he mused, when he considered how commendable his children had turned out in comparison to Katherine's other child.
The woman herself, upon opening her front door, revealed herself to look much older than her real age of forty-three. Despite their nine year age gap, Carl thought that he looked younger than his ex-wife. He was free from the emotional baggage that had presumably brought on the physical bags under her eyes, and the wrinkles on her forehead, making believable the fact that she was a grandmother. Well, it was all brought upon by her own design. Nevertheless, Carl still mildly pitied her.
Katherine's house was a decent size - she knew how to spend her alimony, that was for sure - but it was made to look rougher by the evidence of child-rearing visible throughout the house. The corridors contained scuff marks at every corner, and artwork from what looked like at least three of her children. His own house modern and devoid of such sentiments, Carl shuddered to think of the state of the upstairs, unseen by guests.
Carl was never quite sure why Katherine had had so many children. Jade, of course, was a mistake - she had even told him so much - but then she had gone and had that other sprog - Lucas, or whatever his name was. When he and Katherine had gotten married, they had mutually agreed on a sensible two children, and fate would have it that they had had one of each. That was perfectly enough for Carl, who had only married Amy once he was sure that she was certain she would not like to get pregnant herself, and it had also seemed to be the firm opinion of Katherine at the time. Four children later, Carl was sure that she probably regretted her decisions, but could only find superiority in the fact that he had known what he had wanted from the beginning, and had stuck to it.
As if on cue, the youngest - "Luke", according to Katherine's exasperated shout - flung himself into the corridor, looking up at Carl with the kind of wonder only present in children among guests.
Carl was glad that he no longer had to deal with children, especially this one. Even being in the room when Katherine or their nanny had changed a diaper was more than enough for him, and his children had been fairly easy to raise.
He had come across Katherine's youngest child numerous times over the years and had always felt that the child seemed awfully pathetic, always needing help to cut up his meat, or having one or more parents dress him or tie his laces before they departed.
Carl supposed that Luke took after his father. David was also someone Carl disliked for being utterly pathetic, which in a way was always nice to see. It was yet another aspect in which he had outdone Katherine since their divorce.
After a number of loud shouts from her mother, the family's black sheep finally made her appearance, compounding that point. Jade, clearly forced to stay in the house for the rendezvous, had a face like thunder as she trudged down the stairs, no baby in tow. Carl was glad. He had never seen the child, and had no wish to change that.
Jade, however, he had to silently admit, he didn't mind seeing. The girl was undeniably attractive, although perhaps on the thin side, unexpectedly given she had given birth after all. Although, come to think of it, he wasn't sure that the pictures Amber had shown him whilst they were ridiculing the situation had ever shown Jade ballooned up like Katherine had been. Perhaps it was an age thing.
Carl motioned through the pleasantries, telling Katherine that it was nice to see her, and giving David a straight-lipped smile. He nodded to the two children, before moving into the dining space eagerly. What Katherine lacked in sense, she made up for in cooking ability. It was the one thing he missed about her; twelve hours at home each day was never enough for Amy to learn how to make a half-decent chicken pot pie.
On the table lay a mighty spread. Sliced bread and butter and bowls of chips, dips and breadsticks intermittently separated plates of Caesar salad, corn on the cob, onion rings, French fries, and the pièce de résistance - a mighty pot pie steaming out of a casserole dish. Carl licked his lips.
It seemed an age before Katherine finally stopped blubbing over Zac's departure and how proud she was of him, and they could finally sit down and eat. Jade had already made herself comfortable at the corner of the table, paying more attention to her nails than her family.
Carl piled his plate high with meat and sides - food for a man - neglecting the greens that David was predictably harassing Luke to eat. He barely even involved himself in the conversations, so engrossed in the delicacies before him. Even Jade moping in the corner and pushing a small mound of vegetables around an otherwise barren-looking plate could not put him off, although he had to admit her oddness did irk him.
He wasn't the only one seemingly, as Luke, sat next to his older sister, found an opportune moment to bring it up. That was another thing Carl hated about children - they had absolutely zero understanding of the art of noticing but not mentioning. Jade obviously had issues, but it was quite frankly tedious to bring them up. She was sixteen - her problems were her own, and certainly they had nothing to do with Carl, whose only connection to the girl was that she had sped up his divorce proceedings with Katherine.
"Why do I have to eat my vegetables if Jade isn't eating hers either?"
Katherine's head shot up, and her beady eyes flicked between her two youngest children.
"Jade is eating them. Look, her plate is full of vegetables."
Luke shook his head. "But she's not eating them."
There was an awkward pause. Jade didn't even register the interruption, halting her interest in her plate only by sinking her head down onto her hand.
"Yes she is. She's just eating slowly." David butted in. "Jade, come on, don't let your food get cold."
Jade made no sign of having heard him.
"You need to eat your greens so you get big and strong." Katherine said with a forced smile, leaning down to Luke's level as if telling him a secret.
Luke pondered this for a moment, looking between his sister and her plate, before turning to Carl, brightly.
"Jade needs to be big and strong because she has a baby. Did you know that?"
Carl raised his eyebrows. He was sure that Katherine wouldn't appreciate that. And he was right.
"Luke! What did I tell you about going around telling everyone that?" She snapped, and Luke ducked his head.
Carl smiled with false warmth. "I did know that, young man. That makes you an uncle, yes?" He felt as though that was the kind of thing that one said to children. It didn't hurt if it also reminded Katherine that she was a grandmother.
Luke nodded eagerly. "Yep. Most people are like 20 or 30 when they get nephews and nieces but I'm only nine. That means I get to be Toby's uncle for a loooooong time. His name's Toby, by the way, in case you didn't know. He's upstairs right now because he sleeps a lot but he might start screaming because he does that a lot too."
"Carl knows how babies work." Katherine said, tight-lipped.
"More than Jade does, anyway." David added, with a chuckle, not noticing the scowl Katherine shot his way.
"Aw, David, that's not fair - she knows how to make them." Zac smirked.
"Boys!" Katherine gasped.
"And you don't?" Jade snapped at her brother.
Zac only laughed. "Don't try and turn this on me, Jade. You're the one with the baby upstairs."
"Toby." Luke added, wanting to remain included.
"That's right." Zac smiled at his brother. "Toby West, actually. Making it two in a row named after their mom cause their dad didn't want them."
"That's not true." Jade hissed as David and Carl laughed.
"Good thing I wanted you two Moore than Jade's dad did." Carl guffawed and Zac grinned widely. David joined in, and even Katherine and Amber couldn't help but snigger.
"Toby has a dad." Jade said defiantly, and Zac rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, and for how much longer? He didn't want you, so why would he want the kid?"
"I think you're being a little harsh on the boy." Carl laughed. "How old is he? Under 20 and I wouldn't blame him for running a mile."
Zac shrugged. "Jade would have to know who it is to answer that."
Jade's cutlery was finally abandoned, dropping onto her plate with a loud clatter.
"You know Beck's his dad." She seethed.
"Beck? What kind of name is that? Doesn't seem like he's trying very hard to get Beck together with you!" Carl announced, tears leaving his eyes at his own joke.
Zac was beside himself with glee. Taunting Jade was his bread and butter, and everyone at the table was just making it oh so easy for him.
"Beck's taken responsibility anyway." David said more officially, with a wave of his hand. "Which essentially makes him the father."
"He is his father!" Jade yelled.
"Jade, for god's sake, calm down!" Katherine complained.
"Mom!" Jade retorted, but there was an odd absence of anger in her words, noticed only by Amber, who found her younger sister's tone oddly unsettling. "Are you not going to stop them?"
Time seemed to trickle away as Katherine left Jade's plea unanswered. Zac's smirk froze smugly on his face, mirroring his father's content visage, and David sat coolly, entirely comfortable with the situation before him.
Jade let out a shaky breath to break the silence. "I can't-" She stuttered, standing up unsteadily. "-I can't do this any more. If I stay in this house any longer, it'll kill me." She said with complete honesty.
Katherine scoffed. "You are ridiculous. You wouldn't think we've been as generous as we have with you, with how you act."
Jade shook her head. "With money, maybe, but I would much rather have felt supported. To feel like I have a home, rather than the reality that you would've kicked me out a year ago were it legal."
Katherine just shook her head, her disbelieving smile taunting Jade.
"Do you know how hard it is to be part of a family that makes it no secret that they don't love you?" Jade continued, addressing more than just her mother. "I know no one wanted me but I am here. Why didn't you just give me up for adoption if you were always going to raise me like I wasn't yours."
A whine erupted from the corner of the room and Jade risked a glance. Luke was crying, his pudgy little hands trying to stifle the tears. The cynic in her wanted to say it was because his perfect little world was crumbling before him, but in fact Luke was one of the few people that still actually cared about her. She knew he was crying because Jade was upset.
Katherine slammed her palms down on the table, seemingly incensed by the noise of Luke's tears. "You are so ungrateful! We've been more than generous with you and you just constantly throw it back in our faces! How can you be so rude to people who have suffered because of this mess? You brought all this upon yourself by getting pregnant."
"I had sex, mom!" Jade yelled in exasperation. "Everybody in this room bar Luke has done that!" She continued, as Amber and Zac squirmed uncomfortably in their seats, and David, strangely anonymous in the argument, dragged Luke out of the room.
"I made a mistake, okay? But I have done my best to take responsibility for it. I will not let my son grow up feeling like no one wants him because I know how unlivable that experience is."
No one said a thing.
Carl, quietly pleased that he had front row seats to such delectable drama that had no bearing on his own life, stifled a laugh. The girl sure had some pipes.
"You have never taken responsibility." Katherine said sternly, almost shaking. Like her shadow, David shook his head in agreement.
"What do you want me to say?" Jade almost laughed. "'I'm sorry I had sex'? I'm not. I slept with my boyfriend whilst I was on birth control. I took precautions and they didn't work, and here I am, just like you were sixteen years ago, the only difference being that I actually love my child."
"How dare you speak to me like that!" Katherine spat, lunging across the table to grab her daughter.
Jade laughed drily. "Well that's the last time, dont you worry." She moved away from the table, from her family and the life they represented.
"And where do you think you're going?" Katherine seethed.
Jade felt the drip of tears she hadn't known were falling. "I don't know." She shrugged, honestly. She had no energy for false confidence now. "But if it's not better than this, it's probably Hell."
"If you step one foot out of that door, you can forget about your allowance and your lunch money and daycare!" Katherine called, almost believing herself that two of those items existed. But she may as well have been talking to a brick wall.
Jade's parting speech would be the last words she spoke. Ten minutes later, the front door closed, somehow more poignant than being slammed, and Jade and Toby were both gone. If anyone had taken a look in Jade's room they would see a wasteland. She'd gutted anything of importance, which largely meant Toby's belongings. There was no coming back. Jade knew she had to leave forever, one way or another.
The whole house was still. Luke had been taken to his room, placated by video games and the promise of a trip to the frozen yoghurt parlour the following morning.
Carl had gotten over his earlier excitement and was now eyeing up the dessert Katherine had left on the counter, and hoping that she didn't deem the atmosphere as now too somber to break this out.
Amber didn't want to look up. Jade leaving seemed inexplicably both inevitable and also impossible. Her mother and David had been pushing for it as an unspoken agreement since before Jade had even fallen pregnant, but it was always something that was never going to happen. Jade's last words made a tingling of nausea settle in her stomach. She knew that Jade had broken up with Beck, so why did no one else seem to be wondering where the hell she'd go?
"Well," Zac broke the silence, raising his glass. "At least someone's leaving with a bang." He smirked.
Zac had always been the joker in the house. His mother especially had always fawned over his comments, even when he pushed a little too far.
But this one didn't quite seem to find an audience.