I know I've apologized like every chapter but in my defense this chapter is much longerrrr and needed more valuable time. Also random questions for my fellow authors; are you also getting a crapload of DMs of artists wanting to collaborate? Same reviewing on your stories? I've kinda been assuming their bots/scammers but wanted to know if it's the same for others.
. . .
. .
.
"-And Remi is really cool. At first I thought she was just being nice and doing her job, but she's super funny. Oh, but Liam Donovan is hilarious. I'm meeting is little brother. And Adam's sister-"
"Uh-huh, did my pink pumps die in the fire?"
Lilah's feet stopped kicking as she laid flat on the couch. She knew her mother hadn't been listening but if they were gonna keep at these mandatory phone calls, her daughter at least wanted to make it worth-while. "Which ones?"
"The designers with the diamond detailing, duh. Did you grab them on your way out?"
Considering she was trying to save her own life and her unconscious mother's, that was a hard no. And Lilah knew most of those pairs lost were part of Sasha's thirty-day-return master plan to these fashion brands so she could use them carefully and get her money back. But now with most of the designer brands lost in the fire, her mother's crushing debt was peaking its little head over the horizon again.
"Not any more than the others.." Lilah said, bracing herself for the gasp at the other end.
"Good god, babe. It's the same as grabbing an heirloom for fuck's sake. That's coming out of your lunch money."
The price for those shoes alone was like a whole year worth of lunches, speaking of as Lilah watched her distant father make his first attempt at packing Lilah a brown bag lunch in the kitchen. The distraught panic on his face made it as though he was deactivating a bomb.
"That's fine, I'd rather bring lunch from home.." Lilah conceded. It did mean she would be taking from her mother's grocery budget, but Lilah couldn't bear to go back to her old school's horrid lunches. Not when her current school was a refreshing difference with their cafeteria.
"Good. It just leaves a few extra hundred."
"I told you shouldn't have bought them-"
"Don't be a brat." Her mother warned. "We'll dip into the Nestea commercial fund."
"What fund? We don't know if we're gonna get it." Lilah reminded. And she sure as hell didn't think they were gonna be an Oscar-worthy mother-daughter duo. Not with Lilah's complete stage fright and Sasha's overdone performing.
"We will when you follow mummy's lead and don't stray," Sasha reminded. "Have to run, getting breakfast mimosas with the girls! Ta-ta, little girl!"
Lilah let Sasha hang up on her, tossing her father's phone on the couch and coming to meet him as he was finally satisfied with the packed lunch as he drank his coffee. "What's the 411, now?"
"My lunch money is making up for her designer losses." Lilah said with a slight laugh, gaining a snort from her father too. It was a little awkward, but slowly finding how they could joke over Sasha's antics was becoming more common.
"Want some breakfast?"
"I-" Lilah was expecting the usual toast and butter before he pulled out two mini cans of Eagle Brand from the snack cabinet. "Is that condensed milk?"
He returned her stare in offense. "A little brown sugar and you have a breakfast pudding."
Well, she could see where the heart disease started in him at a young age. "I'll just pack another snack for school.."
"Do you, uh...need change for a milk or something?"
For weeks he was unbothered if she didn't finish her whole dinner, and now he wanted to buy her milk? Maybe she'd see it as normal if this at all started from her young age. "No."
"Suit yourself," Cartman shrugged. "Let's get going. I'm not gonna be late cuz of your mom's nagging."
He hastily looked for his keys as Lilah turned on her counter stool to watch him. Maybe it was comparing her life in Denver to life here, but a random thought came up from that first mandatory phone call with her mother when Lilah initially arrived.
"Who's your ex?"
Cartman didn't know what that meant, continuing to lift couch cushions in searching. "I dunno, your mom?"
"No, the other one. She said she grew up here with you."
He slowed down, looking more annoyed than usual as he didn't bother to answer.
"Is she still here?"
"Go get your bag.."
Lilah jumped off the stool, going for her bag and coat slumped in a pile near the front door. "Why d'you hate Mr. Broflovski?"
"Where the hell did you here that?"
The kid stood motionless like it was a normal question. Even with their history, Cartman was true to his word of what he said to Kyle. He never mentioned a goddamn thing to Lilah. Maybe he was giving off icier vibes around his old friends than he realized.
She continued to push his buttons unknowingly. "Why'd you come back here after leaving mom..?"
"You're asking way too many questions for seven in the morning," Cartman opened the door, letting the cold Fall air tickle them both as he threw daggered eyes at his daughter to march. "Get, smartass."
Lilah obliged, but she rolled her eyes as a first.
Kyle was just as ecstatic as his kids for that Friday at school to pass into the early evening. Helping his wife set their table with their nicer plates and silver. They knew they never had to be fancy for a friends' dinner, as those specific friends insisted, but if there was anything Kyle and Heidi thrived on as a married couple; It was being gracious hosts.
Her husband placed the cutlery as Heidi looked through the china hutch for her nice candles. Finding the skinny red-waxed taper candles as she put them in their bells on the table. The sound of her kids' pitter-patter upstairs from running around made her heart smile. Everyone was ready to be with their lovely chosen family.
"I told Stan and Wendy to come a little early," Kyle mentioned. "Wanna catch up with the two of them as soon as we can."
"Don't have to tell me twice, I've missed my girl," Heidi agreed.
"Glad we can get all the kids together outside of school. Think they need the break."
And on that, Heidi realized she needed to inform him of the extra invite. She did intend to get around to it, after all it wasn't a big deal, but that small kernel of doubt in her thought maybe Kyle might just not like the idea. Honestly, if it made her a bad mother even, she was hoping Adam would beat her to breaking the news.
"Also, um," His wife came around to meet him, pausing his cutlery placement with her hand on his. "The kids are bringing over another friend."
Kyle stopped fussing over the table details, taking Heidi's hand that tickled his. "Oh, okay. The parents, too?"
"Um," Heidi tugged on her ponytail. "No, not tonight."
Kyle laughed, thinking he knew. "Don't wanna deal with those nosy moms. I get it. They come complaining in my office every week."
His wife laughed despite the fact that he had no idea. "No, none of them.."
Kyle tilted his head playfully, but still had a read on her. "What's with the tip-toeing, Hides?"
"Well..Eric can't join but Tweek and Craig are bringing Lilah."
The glowing smile he had all afternoon faltered just the slightest, and he tried to cover it even as the terrible actor he was to his wife. Kyle couldn't hide a damn thing whether it worried him or bothered him. The pinch of his ginger brows, the slight twitch of his open lip. All typical to Heidi.
"Is that a good idea?"
"Why wouldn't it be?"
"Cuz her dad-" Kyle stopped, particularly from the waiting look Heidi offered. Wondering if he was one to go back on his own philosophy that you can't burden the child with their parents' issues. Something he always concerned with his students. "Yes. Yeah, it's a great idea!"
Maybe Heidi shouldn't have told him at all. He was already a little on edge enough. Adam was overly excited to see his Uncle Stan and Kyle was elated for his son. But, it's not like he hadn't noticed Adam seemed to look up to Stan in a way lately that cast his dad into the shadows. Kids were gonna like who they wanna like, Kyle knew that, it could sting a bit still.
"I should've talked with you first-"
"Oh, so what, c'mon," Kyle tried to assure. Heidi sometimes had the habit of consulting her decisions too much with Kyle as if he had the final say. A habit she picked up from a domineering father she was still trying to outgrow. "The kids like her, it's no biggie."
One thing Heidi would appreciate eternally is Kyle's faith in her. She smiled, scratching his beard with her fingertips like she always did. "Okay."
The doorbell rang.
Heidi parted from Kyle's arms. "And it looks like the guests of honor are already here."
Her husband happily went to get the door. Anticipating seeing his long term best friend after months away on another Mars recruitment. Stan had only been back to see Wendy a week so the couple could get in some alone time before reuniting with their childhood friends. Upon opening, it was a revelation to see two familiar faces. Stan was dressed down as predicted after spending so much time in uniform. Being in his normal clothes for once of his usual jeans and typical brown shirt with the red sleeves and collar. Wendy had always been a little more dressy compared to Stan but decided to rid of her Ivy League clothes as well for the night and pair some tighter jeans with a lilac knitted sweater and her usual o-ring belt and black calf boots with gold accessories.
Kyle didn't get a word out of his mouth before his wife came speeding past him like race horse at the excitement of seeing Wendy. Both women's shrieks of high pitch matched as they hugged and in an instant they were teenagers again.
"And we won't get to a higher frequency than that," Stan plugged one ear as he held a bottle of wine.
"Hey, dude," Kyle laughed in relief, hugging his best friend before receiving Wendy's as well. "Good to see you guys."
"Good to be here," Wendy sighed, her upcoming move back to South Park to be closer to her fiancé could not come sooner. And Harvard was certainly not letting her leave without more lab time to drive her up the wall.
"You're telling me," Kyle agreed as Stan handed Heidi the bottle of wine after a hug hello. "Adam's almost halfway through the fourth grade and I swear he was eating glue paste yesterday."
"How's the school holding up?" Stan asked, wanting to know of their old stomping grounds. "Still standing?"
"I don't know, Stan. Barely." Kyle explained as Wendy and Heidi already started on their own chatter.
"What does that mean?"
"With PC up my ass and all these new moms up Heidi's, I think everything is starting to effect the kids. Adam barely wants to talk during dinner anymore."
It may have been a lot to unload in the first thirty seconds, but that tended to be how Stan and Kyle's conversations went as adults. Trying to catch up on their own issues by just diving head first when they had the chance.
"He's just moody. I know I was." Stan shrugged, having many similarities to Adam at his age.
"If I raise a kid as cynical as you, kill me."
"Ouch."
"So, Clyde, Craig, Tweek, and the kids?" Wendy interjected, expecting their other friends to come by soon with the little ones.
"There may be another addition tonight," Kyle added, not expecting Wendy to nail it on the nose.
"Eric's kid, right? We're meeting her?"
Kyle blinked, looking once at his wife. "You knew-?"
"Uncle Stan!"
"Aunt Wendy!"
The children of the house practically skated down the stairs upon their favourites' arriving. Decking for their aunt and uncle as Stan caught Adam and Wendy caught Ella the same.
"Hey, lil' ragamuffins!" Stan enthused, giving a usual noogie to Adam before switching kids for hugs. "You two been driving your parents crazy?"
"Ella has, not me." Adam quickly blamed.
"No!" His sister defended.
Funny considering who they were just talking about. Stan ruffled Adam's curls "How's school?"
"Boring."
His uncle snorted as his dad rolled his eyes. "Heard you're doing well, though."
"Class isn't that hard."
"Okay, Mr. Cocky," Stan lightly pushed Adam, knowing the kid did it to get antics out of Stan. Sergeant Marsh followed the others into the kitchen as Ella stayed attached to Wendy's hip. Her auntie lifted her to squeeze her in a much-needed hug after so much time spent away. Ella's fingers played with the gold pearl necklace around Wendy.
"Pretty pearls." The little girl awed.
"They are, aren't they?" Wendy giggled, fiddling with the necklace Ella always ogled over. It felt nice to be praised.
She'd gone with Remi after school and drove over with the Tucker-Tweak clan. Lilah had met Remi's dads a few times but couldn't get a read on them. They were nice people but she had a third eye when it came to adults who knew her parents before her. Because those same adults then judged her based on mommy and daddy's craziness.
Mr. Tweak was the more chatty one. Almost nervous like the way he darted around subjects, but a good dad in all. Mr. Tucker seemed to say a lot with his eyes alone, exchanigng a few nice words but otherwise silent. Lilah could only assume the worst, worried the adult just didn't like her.
As Craig drove and his husband took passenger, he looked into the rearview at his daughter talking Lilah's ear off. The Cartman girl listening as much as she could but he knew Remi could have a tendency to go on longer than intended.
Craig was the first to be straight up about how he never liked Cartman, and never shed a tear of sympathy when he went through a rough time on the streets. Even more than Kyle and his tough history with Cartman. But, Craig would never blame a child. Especially as a father. And his Remi seemed to take such a liking to Lilah. He just maybe didn't want his family to get too attached when the girl's future was unknown. Someone had to be the skeptical one.
"You guys excited?" Tweek asked both girls.
"Uh-huh!" Remi held the tupperware of pecan pie in her lap she was proudly put in charge of. "And to see Aunt Wendy!"
"Lilah, you too?"
She nodded, always nervous walking into a room with new people but saving face nonetheless. At least her new friends would be there. At least Adam would. He always seemed to make things easier for Lilah.
"We'll make sure to send you home with some pie for you and your dad."
Lilah could see Craig's eyes flick to his husband briefly, and she took the chance.
"Did people here know my dad for long?"
Before Tweek could answer, Craig did. "Here as in South Park?"
"Yes.."
Tweek looked up through the rearview. "Um-We've all known him for very long. From when we were much younger than you guys."
Her dad did have a history with these people. Lilah could always guess that, she also figured whatever split them apart was her dad's blatent fault.
"In fact," Tweek tried to continue happily while the awkward subject of her father was brought up. "Adam and Ella's dad was good friends with him."
"Good friends? Like the way two snakes are?" Craig questioned, blatantly elbowed by his husband right after.
As they turned onto the avenue, Lilah looked at the quaint neighborhood. Knowing her nana's old house wasn't that far from here and picturing her dad growing up in such a quiet area. If he enjoyed living amongst these houses. If he was thankful for it.
The family car pulled into the Broflovski-Turner driveway. They got there to see another car, knowing Clyde beat them there with Liam and Noah.
"You know I hate being the last to arrive," Tweek anxiously unbuckled his seat belt, turning to get Remi to jump out quickly so they didn't seem late.
"You hate being first too," Craig added, though there was an adoration for his husband in his gaze.
"Exactly."
The girls followed Craig and Tweek as Remi proudly walked with the pie. Turning to see Lilah biting down a grin at her not realizing how high in the air her chin was. Lilah mimicked her by walking regally and both girls giggled as Craig rang the bell.
A moment later Kyle answered with a small smile. "Hey, guys. C'mon."
The family of three plus one entered, getting the attention of all in the living room as Clyde raised his beer. "Well, it's about time!"
"Watch it, this one thinks we're late," Craig pointed to his husband as he took the pie from Remi.
Heidi opened the basement door to call down as she reentered from the kitchen. "Guys! Come say hi to Lilah and Remi!"
"How've you guys been?" Stan asked as he and Wendy greeted the couple.
Craig usually answered for both, following suite. "We're good."
"Yup," Clyde came and threw an arm around Craig, much to his annoyance. "Not like these goobers to stray from schedule."
His old friend flicked his arm off. "And where are the boys? Forget them?"
"One time, thanks!"
Stan swallowed a hard laugh, knowing it might bug Clyde more. The guy wasn't a bad father at all, but he definitely wasn't a traditionalist one. His divorce from his ex-wife when his second was only a newborn definitely made him wanna have a good presence in his kids' lives with their shared custody agreement. Mainly by spoiling them rotten while his ex balanced the boys out as the stricter parent.
Four other kids scrambled upstairs, coming to meet the girls as Liam got there first with Noah following. "Hey, dudes."
Lilah looked down, surprised to see a four-eyed boy by Liam's side not that much older than Ella. From Liam's tough demeanor it made his brother look even smaller, drowning in the round black-framed glasses over his big eyes. Noah had the same hair and skin as his brother and wore a presumably hand-me-down blue and green striped shirt and jeans.
"Is your dad the hobo?" The small boy asked. Lilah's face heated up and adult ears turned at the small kid's ask.
"Noah, dude, a little class maybe?" Clyde carefully pushed his youngest aside.
Rolling his eyes, Stan took over before they scared this poor girl off.
"Hey Lilah," Stan kneeled to her level. He'd always been good with kids despite not having his own. "I used you hang out with your dad when we were kids, too."
"Hello.." In the peak of her curiosity and love for science, Lilah couldn't help but ask. "Is it true he knew Dr. Kenny McCormick..?"
"Knew?" Stan humored. "Him and your dad were South Park Elementary's biggest goofs."
"That's a way of putting it." Craig added as Tweek nudged him. Heidi too shot him a look.
Wendy could sense the tension and tried to defuse it before these idiots scared her. "You look just like your grandmother, Lilah. She was a very lovely woman."
"Thank you.."
She realized the room was quieting at those listening to Lilah. While she understood subtle messaging that it was due to her father, she felt like an animal being this intensely watched. Maybe she wasn't supposed to be here.
"Kyle did too," Stan said, pulling the most unwilling man into the conversation. Even seeing the back of Stan's head, Lilah could tell his eyes were narrowing at the stiff man who tried avoiding all the casualties.
Lilah was not an idiot and Kyle knew that, so he just let a stiff smile loose. "Yep."
With only as much info as all opposing adults gave her, Lilah spoke bluntly. "Mr. Tucker said my dad and Mr. Brofvloski were friends the way snakes are."
Now, all adults glared at Craig. Including his husband.
"What? Like we were gonna gloss over that?"
"No one was snakes," Wendy snapped, not liking how easily they were letting history leak. "They're kidding."
Kyle scratched his beard.
"Right, Kyle?" Heidi encouraged
He thought he already answered this question. "You guys wanna show Lilah and Remi downstairs?"
Heidi frowned in bubbling anger, turning to the kids.
"There's chips if you guys wanna go." She encouraged her own kids too as Adam and Ella led them to the basement door. The Donovan boys followed as Kyle stayed still from the kids passing his legs. Avoiding the small glance from the Cartman girl's eyes.
Lilah leaned Adam's way to voice her concern. "What's wrong with your dad?"
Adam shrugged. "What's not?"
The kids scurried back down to the basement. Once out of earshot, Heidi turned to the rest of the room and slow-clapped in a big, frustrated mockery of them. "Way to go, guys. Way to unleash our entire experience with Eric onto his daughter in the first thirty seconds."
"Hey, thank your husband for being a statue." Wendy blamed. Kyle rolled his eyes.
Stan nudged Heidi. "Besides. They still have yet to hear your side of the story."
Heidi picked up the emptied cheese plate from the coffee table and retreated to the kitchen with a huff. As if she'd unleash her own nightmare of a tale onto those kids. The last thing Lilah needed to know out of all of this was Heidi's role in her father's history.
Kyle and Heidi had the basement completely re-done as an extra hangout room for the kids. Especially with winter fast approaching and how often they had friends over. They put a bigger couch down there with the TV and game console both Remi and Liam currently played on as Ella and Noah watch with fascination, stuffing their mouths with chips as their eyes glued to the bigger kids' on-screen rankings.
The back of the room had some more play space with games and toys in storage, as well as an occasionally used mini-bar Kyle stupidly bought in college. They came to realize it made for good booze storage though, and maybe an unforseen future where the kids would sneak their own for teenage parties. There was also a pool table, a bachelor gift courtesy of Kenny to Kyle that wasn't used that much but a fun distraction for guests.
Lilah trailed the synthetic carpeting, petting her hand on the shiny table. She'd only ever seen fancy things like this in movies, but her mother always talked about wanting one for the apartment. It was one of the little things they used to bond over.
"I've never seen one of these in real life." Lilah whispered, taken by the perfectly polished wood and the bright green woven bedding.
"They're not as fun as you think."
She gave a look to the kid who grew up completely sheltered. "Easy to say when you have one in your freakin' house."
Adam looked up from the box from the storage closet he looked through. "That's barely a swear, but that's the most I've ever heard you swear."
"That's not a swear!" Liam called from the couch, not even turning his head from the screen. "This is a swear! FUCKING GOAT PUSSY-"
"Shut up!" Remi hissed, batting Liam. "Do you want them to hear us?!"
Adam took out what looked like an old skeleton decoration bent out of shape from the box. "Like they care what we're doing when they're drowning in wine and beer."
Lilah stopped admiring the pool table, despite her heavy hinting that she wanted Adam to teach her. Instead she sat on her knees in front of him as he rustled through the box he was so enamoured with. "What're you doing?"
"I was looking for a board game, but I found our Halloween decorations. Everyone on the street has there's up but us."
"An' we don't have a pumpkin yet!" Ella agreed, standing on her feet to peer over the couch's head. Adam pulled out a synthetic black cat model they always put on their front porch as Ella gasped. "Ms. Tooper!"
Lilah took the cat Adam handed her, laughing. "Ms. Tooper?"
"I don't know.." the boy couldn't explain his sister's reasoning.
"Nearly Ms. Pooper."
Adam nodded vacantly at her joke as he overheard adult laughs from upstairs. "I guess it makes sense."
Lilah gave the fake cat to Ella over the couch. "What does?"
"Your dad being friends with ours when they were kids." Adam meant. "My dad always said he did stupid things at my age but I never really believed him."
Lilah watched as Liam poned Ella very easily in the game. "My dad wasn't stupid, he was dangerous."
"Says who?"
"Everyone?"
Adam figured this was bothering her enough after meeting everyone upstairs. He pointed at the box. "Help me look through here?"
Lilah came to join him again, unloading supplies to decorate the front with later. Despite the box clearly labeld 'Halloween,' something was out of the ordinary as Lilah dug her hand to the bottom for a heavier object wrapped in paper towels for cushioning. She unveiled the first layer to see the gold and crystal-embellished polished looped candle holders attached to the bigger standing rod.
Adam braced two hands. "Careful! That's really old, it's from my grandma's family."
Lilah blinked, unwrapping the antique entirely.
"It's a menorah."
She twirled the candle stick in the light.
"For Hanukkah?"
"Oh." The girl set it down carefully. It looked well-taken care of and brand new to be old. "It's pretty."
"It's a big deal to my dad. We use it every year."
Lilah nodded, rounding back to what Adam brought up. "Did you know our parents knew each other?"
Adam shrugged. "Everyone knows everyone in this town."
"Did you know they were friends?"
"I guess." Adam said. "Look, my dad has no problem going on and on about his stories. If there was something about your dad, why wouldn't he mention it to me?"
Maybe cuz her dad sucked and these well-off adults didn't need him degrading their dignity.
"My dad isn't like your parents."
Adam stopped rummaging.
"He never talks about his childhood." Lilah said, not knowing a single story from him except what her grandmother told. "And maybe his big ex is why."
Adam didn't know what she referred to, but he was used to sappy heartthrob stories being told on repeat. On that note, he went to retrieve a different storage box labled 'High School' to show Lilah. "All parents have stupid exes and love stories."
"Apparently not like his."
"You should hear my parents," Adam dug out one of his parents' old high school yearbooks they treasured. From an era long before they started dating in college. "You'll get tired of it fast."
Lilah sat with him watching as he flipped through the glossy memorabilia of their parents' teenage years. "I don't mind love stories."
"Why?"
"'Cuz they're hopeful."
Adam made a face, attempting to annoy her. "Ew."
She smiled but accepted that he didn't get it. He grew with parents who seemed way more than just content in their marriage, whereas Lilah barely remembers a time when her parents were together. Not to mention her mother's ex-boyfriends weren't exactly lovely enough to keep around.
The boy had flipped to a page of student photos, searching through the index of names before the E. Cartman was found dead center and he turned the book towards Lilah to show the slightly smaller and younger version of her dad. He'd grown some muscle in high school for a while, which was a little weird to see at a clearly peaked time for him.
"This your suspect?" Adam pointed at the photo.
With teenage Cartman in view, Lilah sighed. "That's the old man."
Adam took the book back to flip through. "I'm sure if we asked my parents they'd tell."
"I don't think anyone up there wants to talk about my dad. Or his ex, or my nana." Lilah brought her knees to her chest. "Maybe it's better that way."
Adam knew it was hardly fair to Lilah that the adults walked on eggshells around her. And frankly, it pissed him off that they thought the kids were too naive to catch on when they complained that their parents treated them the same at that age all the time. If his parents couldn't tell Cartman's story, and neither could Cartman himself, Adam would find it for Lilah as he flipped through the pages. Everyone deserves to know their history, ugly or not.
"Love stories can be nice." Lilah insisted.
When he got to the pages of signatures, it was clearly Heidi's yearbook by all of them addressed to her.
The girl shrugged. "I guess when you have parents like mine you don't mind those stories."
Adam's eyes fell on a blatant note amongst all those signed by his mother's friends. This one incased in a circled heart by a teenage Heidi at the time because if its intimate message to her.
Loving you always, Hides. My totally hot dynamite gal. Can't wait to show you some summer passion.
Your Eric 'Heart'-man
His realization made him ignore the nauseating sign-off. This forgotten friendship with Eric Cartman his dad never mentioned was stupidly avoided enough already. The weird tension amongst all the adults upstairs, too. And now this, Adam put in the final piece as the lightbulb in his head burst.
"I'm gonna puke!" Adam put together with a gag. "It was mom!"
"What?"
"Your dad's ex!"
Caught off guard, she was having trouble envisioning her father at all with a sweet woman like Heidi Turner. "I don't think so."
"Tell me I'm wrong?" He turned the open page to her. As she read it and couldn't deny the blatant evidence, she also couldn't ignore that by his stupidly worded love note her father was a douche then too.
"My sperm donor used to date your perfect mom?"
Both Liam and Remi looked over from the couch before exchanging eyes. They didn't think a shy girl had a term like 'sperm donor' ready in her back pocket.
Lilah thought for a moment. She experienced enough of her mother's crappy relationships and downfalls to understand. "They..ripped him off?"
"What?" Adam asked. "No!"
"They totally ripped him off, Adam! As if my dad didn't hate Mr. Brofvloski enough already!"
"Hey! They did not!"
"So what if they did?
"Huh?"
"My dad was a dummy back then, that's what my mom always said."
She laughed, as Adam simply stared unable to ever get a read on her. "Oh.."
"From everything he did, he probably deserved it."
Adam looked at the bottom of the box. "My dad isn't perfect either.."
"Come on-"
"No, really," Adam insisted. "He acts like he is, but he's so-"
"Irascible." Ella piped up, surprising the older kids that she knew a big word like that at all.
"Yeah.." Adam slowly agreed. "I guess...your dad was part of that reason."
"Adds up."
It was almost haunting to Adam how quickly this was coming to light. And how much of it his mom and dad never told him. What else could've been stored away? "I never thought he'd marry one of his friends' exes like some douche."
Lilah could tell this new light being shed was a little more sensitive to Adam than predicted. She hesitated before touching his hand. "I don't think your dad was the douche."
The old friends doubled over in laughter from another escapade Wendy shared of her days as an Ivy League student turn professor. One from her days before she became a biologist. Recounting one of the terrifying yet hilarious scenarios she had to take care of as a dorm rep. Particularily when she had to dispute a feud between dorm members to the point where she became the new target and ended up running for life across Harvard campus from flying water balloons and screaming fire.
"Did you write them up?"
"Like I had a choice, but I never tried to intervene again."
They continued laughing as Stan began to share a similar story when he was in SERE training for the Space Force. Only with some much more intense pranks from his co-trainees due to being in the literal military. Heidi leaned against her husband's shoulder, a little tipsy off a glass of wine but not as much as the red wine pot roast she and Kyle had been working on all afternoon. Happily wrapping an arm around her in response, his head turned only to realize she'd already been staring as their noses bumped. His wife giggled as his smiling lips leaned in to touch hers.
"Moooooom!"
Stan stopped his story and Heidi parted from her husband upon Adam's eager call. Sounding a little rushed as he was the first to come running up the stairs to the main floor to meet with all the adults.
"All okay, Ad?"
"We have one thing to decipher, if you please."
She humored him with a small laugh, entertained by his eagerness as Lilah also seemed a part of the joke when she came rushing to Adam's side.
"Alright, I'm all ears."
"You were Mr. Cartman's girlfriend."
Stan's beer shot out his nostrils in a choke as Wendy gasped from the way it sprayed all over her lap. As Kyle and Heidi paled and their eyes rounded to coins while their friends froze, Heidi tried reaching for the book her son kept out of reach.
"Adam, let's talk about this later-"
He clutched the pages, never mentioning something that he'd ever seen bring his parents to such quick panic. "Is this why he's not here?"
"Ad." Kyle snapped.
The boy opened the page his finger bookmarked. "My totally hot dynamite gal-"
"We don't need the receipts!" Kyle exclaimed more hasty than intended. He took the yearbook away. Stan snorted from laughter behind his napkin in an incredibly poor attempt to hide his reddening face as Kyle stared him down.
"Is it true..?" Lilah asked even with the proof in hand.
Heidi thought fast, knowing these kids would see through her lies. "Yes..for many years."
Kyle put the book aside, ignoring a fast look from his son despite how transparent his father was being. Embarrassed not only to do this now but Kyle always thought if this came to light it would be a more private discussion.
Heidi was more flushed being the main star of the question. The mysterious girl who got away now uncovered by her nosy son. She opened her mouth but was almost offended the way her little redhead exchanged eyes with the girl with freckles as they snickered.
They held in snorts by their palms as they thought this was the funniest thing in the world as it was gross. The kids reacted the way they would, as kids who laughed their asses off that made it even harder for Clyde and Stan to cover theirs behind their drinks as Wendy hit her fiancé on the knee.
"Let's tell Liam!"
"C'mon!"
"Guys-" Heidi tried, but they were well on their mission as they escaped to the basement once more. She turned back on her seat as she held flustered cheeks in her palms and bent over her knees. Kyle's hand came to rub her back. "I'm never gonna make peace with this.."
Stan had calmed as the others tried not to tense from how uncomfortable Heidi and Kyle seemed. "The little smartasses were gonna find out eventually."
Heidi reached for her wine, deciding she needed more. "This doesn't give permission for jokes at my expense, again."
"No, it doesn't." Kyle agreed, casting a warning gaze to their guests. Despite it coming from a good place, their friends' jokes about Heidi's past with Cartman could sometimes hit a limit with her.
"We won't, Hides. I'm sorry this was brought to light too quickly." Wendy tried to be reasonable.
"I need to check dinner.." she got up, needing to leave the room.
"Hides." Kyle called though he went unanswered.
Wendy sipped her wine, mumbling unwarrantedly; "Maybe it's time you two start talking to those kids."
Their guests could only agree silently without continuing the subject, leaving a dumbfounded hosting couple in the remnants of a crazy evening.
Cartman picked up Lilah promptly at nine as agreed, and a quick exchange at the door with Heidi was all that was needed. He really didn't want to make small talk with anyone there, and luckily his daughter knew by being ready with her backpack before his arrival.
Before they headed home however, they made one last stop. With Cartman working late nights in the shop, he promised Lilah he'd bring her to Lolly's Candy Factory on the Friday while it was open until ten. It was in fact a place Liane used to bring Lilah all the time during her summers spent here, and Cartman too spent lots of his childhood at the still-standing business. Maybe it was just the thing he could bond over with his daughter, as the distant idea came to Cartman's mind.
They had a relatively good time ending a long day with filling goody bags with special treats as a late night escapade. Until they got to the topic of what Adam and Lilah found out for themselves that evening.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
Cartman hardly saw why she'd be interested, putting their baggies on the cash scale. "It's just history, kid. It doesn't change anything."
"Why d'you act like I don't want to know where you come from? 'Cuz I do."
He paused as he handed the cashier a few bills, looking down at the girl who was so insistent. He swore the way she was trying to persuade him was a little bit of his younger self in her. Except he was much more talented at it.
"You don't need to know that stuff. It's no good for you."
Lilah arched a brow, digging her hand into her bag once her dad handed it back to her. "Like this is good for me?"
"Better than digging into bullshit you don't need to know."
Lilah didn't have the energy to pester more after tonight, burying her hand into her bag to search for a dolphin gummy. She seemed to enjoy sugar candies more than chocolate and Cartman tried to keep that in mind.
"What did you wanna be when you grew up?"
Cartman huffed, sealing his own bag of candy. "Tom Brady."
"Who..?"
Cartman nodded to the cashier, taking his change as he led his daughter out. "If you're gonna be my kid, you're gonna have to learn who that is."
Lilah munched on her candy as they found a lone bench, listening to her father as she dug a hand deep for another dolphin gummy.
"I got a scholarship for football in college. Recruiter said I was the most aggressive on the team, they liked that."
Lilah eyed her father through a mouhtfull of candy. He certainly wasn't an all-star now. "What happened..?"
And this was exactly why he never recapped his life to anyone. "I met your mom. Went a little off the rails with our money...and the booze."
That of course led to the bigger question. "Did you..want to have me?"
He owed the kid the truth, and luckily, it might just be the only good impression she'd ever have of him. "Yeah. I wanted to be your dad, kid."
"What about mom..?"
Cartman chewed slowly on a peanut butter cup. "She..liked the idea at the time."
And yet, Lilah somehow wounded up in custody of the parent who hardly wanted to be a parent. Who just needed a kid when it was most convenient for her.
"I don't get it.."
Cartman ate more candy, not responding.
"Why didn't you try harder..?"
Cartman thought the kid wasn't dumb. With him losing everything to his ex, drinking away all his money and getting kicked from his home by his landlord to the streets for years of scouring for scraps, it wasn't like he had a penny to offer his only kid. And even if he knew it made him an asshole, staying away from Lilah might do her better. Even with a mom that never wanted her in the first place.
"You're smarter than that, kid.."
Another kernel of thought came through. "Did nana ever try to help you..?"
Cartman's chewing slowed at the thought of his late mother. "We didn't talk as much when I started dating your mom."
Lilah fell back against the bench. That figures. She always got the impression Liane never truly liked Sasha and talked to her for Lilah's sake only.
"When you came along she tried reaching out more. She liked you."
"I know that."
Oh, so now the kid was cocky. He supposed he couldn't question that she knew her relationship with Liane was always superior to either with her parents. Lilah had a mother who hardly wanted her but had her, and a father drunkenly traveling the streets like the Walking Dead.
Cartman truly wondered what he saw in Sasha at all. She was fun. Gave a fuck the right way and got what she wanted unlike the other women Cartman had dated like Heidi. A woman like Sasha at the time when he was young seemed like a golden ticket.
"We were a true Bonnie and Clyde duo." Her father explained.
"Who?"
He rolled his eyes. "Your mom was the type of person I wanted to know my whole life."
And thus, when he saw the Medusa behind the beautiful and intoxicating woman, putting all his eggs into that basket started his downward spiral. Especially when he lost custody of his three-year-old who was his only chance at the time.
"We used to bring you on corner store escapades. Use you as the cute little fucker you were while your mother shoved beer into her shirt."
"So that's why I don't like the sound of cans opening.."
He didn't believe that part of him regretted it. "Sorry, kid..I always preferred to be the distraction anyway. You and I were good actors."
"Did you like spending time with me?"
Cartman tried to think of something a little less regrettable. "You and I watched Top Gun while your mom used to go work...wherever she found money."
"Top Gun?"
"Your eyes used to get so big at the 'Great balls of fire' scene."
Lilah swallowed the last gummy, sealing her bag to prevent a stomach ache. For a man who didn't want to rip open into his childhood, he was fine recalling the good and bad of his marriage. One mess was enough for Lilah to know.
"Why won't you talk about nana? Or your friends?" Lilah asked one more time.
The dad that was barely there for her turned a concerned gaze, giving a penny of truth.
"Let me do you this one favour and not let you become the same as me, kid."
To be continued...