Post by rsafan on Jan 29, 2007 5:10:45 GMT -5
Chapter 37
“Look at them, don’t they look so adorable?”
Mimi took her attention off the threesome playing to the woman who was standing next to her. “Excuse me?”
“Those three,” the woman said, pointing out Belle, Shawn and Claire playing together on the grass “isn’t it great to see families like that? You hardly see a couple interacting like that anymore.” Mimi just nodded and hoped the woman would go away but she just kept on talking, “I mean, with the divorce rate the way it is, it’s nice to see a normal family every once in a while. And who is this cutie pie?” the woman asked Zach let out a cry.
Mimi made a mental note never to be in the park alone and to avoid too friendly people and most especially the one who was shoving her face into the stroller to get a closer look at Zach. Her “Oh he’s just adorable.” comment had Zach crying even louder.
Mimi practically had to shove the woman out of the way to get Zach out, “There, there sweetheart.” she said as she rocked him gently, “what’s the matter hey? Are you hungry?”
“Is he okay?” Shawn asked as he came running over.
She smiled at him, “He’s still got a bit of a fever. Maybe we shouldn’t have brought him out.”
“The doctor said it was fine, in moderation.” Shawn sat down next to Mimi on the park bench and reached for his son, “Hey, what did I tell you about giving your mom a hard time?” Zach glanced up at his father and started laughing, “Oh you think that’s funny do you? You think its funny we sat up all night with you?” he glanced over at a tired looking Mimi, “Are you okay?”
“Just tired.” She said, placing her head on his shoulder.
“We can go if you want, I know you’ve been up way longer than me…”
She shook her head, “No, its fine. You’re enjoying yourself and so is Claire. I’ll just sit here and watch.”
“We can go out for dinner after.” he offered hopefully.
She smiled at the fact that he was actually making an effort, in the weeks since his sister had left; everyone had been a bit down. “Tell you what, we pick up something on our way home, including ice-cream and go relax at home.”
“Deal.” he said as he kissed her on her forehead.
They were smiling at each other when Claire called him.
“Go play with her.” Mimi encouraged as she took Zach.
“A half hour, that’s all.” He promised as he took off.
“I’m so sorry.” The annoying woman was back.
“That’s okay.” Mimi said, hoping she’d take a hint and leave.
The woman didn’t, “I just thought…I didn’t mean…and it was stupid of me to say anything.”
Mimi shook her head, “It’s fine really. No harm done.” but as she turned back to her family, she couldn’t help thinking that the woman’s observations had been spot on. They did look great, they did look like a family, and if that were the case, just where did she fit into the picture? Was she destined to spend her life on the sidelines while Belle took centre stage as mother and wife?
“Is she okay?” she asked the minute he stepped through the door.
“Yeah, just a slight fever nothing to concern ourselves over.”
“So it’d be okay if we still went out to dinner tonight; you know the way we’d been planning to do for quite some time now?”
“I don’t know Meems, I think maybe we should postpone. At least till Claire’s better.”
Mimi nodded, she hadn’t really expected any other reaction, “So I’ll just call Maggie and cancel our reservations and then I’ll go fetch Zach from your grandparents.”
“You’re upset.”
“No I’m fine.”
“Mimi, you’re obviously…”
“I said I was fine okay? Can we just drop it?”
“You’re upset because I would rather stay here and ensure that Claire is okay than go out to some dinner with you?”
“No Shawn, I’m upset because this has been the pattern for so many weeks. I’m upset because last week, while I was sitting with our son; who by the way had more than just a fever; you took Claire and Belle to the zoo. I had to call your mother, who isn’t my biggest fan at the moment, because I couldn’t get a hold of you, because your cellphone had been switched off and so had Belle’s. I was so scared and once again you weren’t here. You do realise that I’m you wife don’t you?!” She yelled at him, “That I’m the mother of your child?!”
“Not my only child.” Shawn commented.
“It didn’t take long for that to make its way into the conversation.”
“What do you want from me? Do you want me to ignore the fact that Claire is my daughter, do you want me to simply turn my back on my own child?”
“Of course not! But it would be great if you could be here for your other child too.”
“The only reason I spend as much time with Claire as I do is because she only has Belle. She’s being raised by a single parent at the moment and…”
“No, Claire’s not the one being raised by a single parent that would be Zach. You’re constantly reminding me that you have two children, but it seems you’re the one who needs to be reminded of the fact. Belle has her parents, she has your parents, she has the entire community of Salem to help her raise Claire and obviously she has you too. Maybe you should just do us all a favour and move in with her, it’d make the commute so much easier.”
“Mimi, this is ridiculous. You’re being ridiculous.”
“Am I really Shawn? Because nothing about this situation seems ‘ridiculous’ to me. You know what I really cannot understand is why you’re still here when you so obviously don’t want to be.”
“How can you say that, I…”
“How can I say that? Are you serious? You’re the one who wanted for us to stay together, to work on things yet you’re the one who is never here. You say you’ve forgiven me but I can’t help but think that maybe all this is a waste of our time. You’re never going to get over the fact that I lied to you and you’re determined to never let me forget it so how about we just call it quits right here and now.”
“You don’t mean that and you don’t want that either. I’m sorry, I know I haven’t been around lately and maybe I could make more time for us. Just don’t make…” He stooped to answer the phone, he listened intently to the caller and when he hung up, he turned to her, “That was Belle, Claire’s temperature has risen and she…”
Mimi looked at him, saw the expression in his eyes, he wanted so much to go over and sort everything out for his daughter and she really couldn’t deny him that. “Well why are you still standing here? Your daughter needs you.” she told him with genuine concern, “I’ll go pick Zach up, let me know if there’s anything I can do.” She walked out of the apartment without a backward glance and for the first time since this whole mess had started she didn’t feel like she wanted to cry.
“Patrick hi and to what do I owe this pleasure?”
“I was just calling to find out how the little guy is doing. Mom said he’d been ill.”
“Yes, two weeks ago.”
“Hey unless you ask, mom never parts with the important stuff, so how is he?”
“Doing great. Apparently it was the heat that caused the convulsions though they did tests for all kinds of diseases I can’t even pronounce.”
“Scary.”
“Exactly, the minute they mentioned meningitis, I almost fainted. Turns out he’s perfectly healthy and I should just monitor his temperature, not dress him too warmly, though in this heat I don’t see how anyone could.”
“Well I’m glad he’s okay. Which brings me to the other reason I’m calling. I was thinking…”
“Always bad when you do that.”
“Ha-ha. Anyway, since I’m working over Christmas and won’t be able to fly in to Salem. I was wondering what you thought of spending it in L.A.?”
“Patrick, you do realise that Christmas is like four months away right?”
“I know but I figure if I put in an early request, Santa might get me what I want.”
“I don’t know, the Brady and Horton families are pretty traditional about Christmas, I don’t think Shawn’d want to miss Christmas with his family.”
“You’re his family now and what’s marriage if not compromise. You guys did his family last year; you can do ours this year.”
“The Lockharts aren’t as big on family traditions though and if you’re telling me you’re getting sentimental in your old age…”
“Hey! Who’re you calling old? Just say you’ll think about it.”
“I’ll think about it but I can’t promise anything.”
“And if push comes to shove, you can always leave Shawn there and bring Zach up here to L.A. with me. Maybe it’d teach him to appreciate my sister more.”
“What makes you think he doesn’t appreciate me?”
“He’s a guy and according to mom no matter how much time he spends with you, he’ll never appreciate you enough.”
“I have to say, mom’s got a point. Maybe I should skip Christmas in L.A. and you’d appreciate your only sister more.”
As she put the phone down, Shawn came strolling out of the bathroom, towel wrapped around his waist, drying his hair. “Who was that?”
“Some guy encouraging me to leave you and go to L.A, apparently you don’t appreciate me.” she said teasingly.
Shawn’s hand stopped mid-air and he looked at her with something akin to fear in his eyes, “That is not funny.”
“Oh relax, it was Patrick. He wanted to know how Zach was and to ask if we’d be open to spending Christmas in L.A. since he has to work.”
“It’s August.” Shawn pointed out; relieved to discover it was only her brother.
“He thought he’d put in an early request. I told him I’d talk it over with you.”
“But we’re spending Christmas here right?”
She shrugged, “I don’t know, we’ll see.”
“Look at them, don’t they look so adorable?”
Mimi took her attention off the threesome playing to the woman who was standing next to her. “Excuse me?”
“Those three,” the woman said, pointing out Belle, Shawn and Claire playing together on the grass “isn’t it great to see families like that? You hardly see a couple interacting like that anymore.” Mimi just nodded and hoped the woman would go away but she just kept on talking, “I mean, with the divorce rate the way it is, it’s nice to see a normal family every once in a while. And who is this cutie pie?” the woman asked Zach let out a cry.
Mimi made a mental note never to be in the park alone and to avoid too friendly people and most especially the one who was shoving her face into the stroller to get a closer look at Zach. Her “Oh he’s just adorable.” comment had Zach crying even louder.
Mimi practically had to shove the woman out of the way to get Zach out, “There, there sweetheart.” she said as she rocked him gently, “what’s the matter hey? Are you hungry?”
“Is he okay?” Shawn asked as he came running over.
She smiled at him, “He’s still got a bit of a fever. Maybe we shouldn’t have brought him out.”
“The doctor said it was fine, in moderation.” Shawn sat down next to Mimi on the park bench and reached for his son, “Hey, what did I tell you about giving your mom a hard time?” Zach glanced up at his father and started laughing, “Oh you think that’s funny do you? You think its funny we sat up all night with you?” he glanced over at a tired looking Mimi, “Are you okay?”
“Just tired.” She said, placing her head on his shoulder.
“We can go if you want, I know you’ve been up way longer than me…”
She shook her head, “No, its fine. You’re enjoying yourself and so is Claire. I’ll just sit here and watch.”
“We can go out for dinner after.” he offered hopefully.
She smiled at the fact that he was actually making an effort, in the weeks since his sister had left; everyone had been a bit down. “Tell you what, we pick up something on our way home, including ice-cream and go relax at home.”
“Deal.” he said as he kissed her on her forehead.
They were smiling at each other when Claire called him.
“Go play with her.” Mimi encouraged as she took Zach.
“A half hour, that’s all.” He promised as he took off.
“I’m so sorry.” The annoying woman was back.
“That’s okay.” Mimi said, hoping she’d take a hint and leave.
The woman didn’t, “I just thought…I didn’t mean…and it was stupid of me to say anything.”
Mimi shook her head, “It’s fine really. No harm done.” but as she turned back to her family, she couldn’t help thinking that the woman’s observations had been spot on. They did look great, they did look like a family, and if that were the case, just where did she fit into the picture? Was she destined to spend her life on the sidelines while Belle took centre stage as mother and wife?
*****
A week later Mimi had reached the end of her tether, if Tory had still been around, Mimi would’ve had someone to talk to but instead, she was dealing with this on her own. So when Shawn arrived back from Belle’s apartment, she didn’t really give him much time to sit down and relax. “Is she okay?” she asked the minute he stepped through the door.
“Yeah, just a slight fever nothing to concern ourselves over.”
“So it’d be okay if we still went out to dinner tonight; you know the way we’d been planning to do for quite some time now?”
“I don’t know Meems, I think maybe we should postpone. At least till Claire’s better.”
Mimi nodded, she hadn’t really expected any other reaction, “So I’ll just call Maggie and cancel our reservations and then I’ll go fetch Zach from your grandparents.”
“You’re upset.”
“No I’m fine.”
“Mimi, you’re obviously…”
“I said I was fine okay? Can we just drop it?”
“You’re upset because I would rather stay here and ensure that Claire is okay than go out to some dinner with you?”
“No Shawn, I’m upset because this has been the pattern for so many weeks. I’m upset because last week, while I was sitting with our son; who by the way had more than just a fever; you took Claire and Belle to the zoo. I had to call your mother, who isn’t my biggest fan at the moment, because I couldn’t get a hold of you, because your cellphone had been switched off and so had Belle’s. I was so scared and once again you weren’t here. You do realise that I’m you wife don’t you?!” She yelled at him, “That I’m the mother of your child?!”
“Not my only child.” Shawn commented.
“It didn’t take long for that to make its way into the conversation.”
“What do you want from me? Do you want me to ignore the fact that Claire is my daughter, do you want me to simply turn my back on my own child?”
“Of course not! But it would be great if you could be here for your other child too.”
“The only reason I spend as much time with Claire as I do is because she only has Belle. She’s being raised by a single parent at the moment and…”
“No, Claire’s not the one being raised by a single parent that would be Zach. You’re constantly reminding me that you have two children, but it seems you’re the one who needs to be reminded of the fact. Belle has her parents, she has your parents, she has the entire community of Salem to help her raise Claire and obviously she has you too. Maybe you should just do us all a favour and move in with her, it’d make the commute so much easier.”
“Mimi, this is ridiculous. You’re being ridiculous.”
“Am I really Shawn? Because nothing about this situation seems ‘ridiculous’ to me. You know what I really cannot understand is why you’re still here when you so obviously don’t want to be.”
“How can you say that, I…”
“How can I say that? Are you serious? You’re the one who wanted for us to stay together, to work on things yet you’re the one who is never here. You say you’ve forgiven me but I can’t help but think that maybe all this is a waste of our time. You’re never going to get over the fact that I lied to you and you’re determined to never let me forget it so how about we just call it quits right here and now.”
“You don’t mean that and you don’t want that either. I’m sorry, I know I haven’t been around lately and maybe I could make more time for us. Just don’t make…” He stooped to answer the phone, he listened intently to the caller and when he hung up, he turned to her, “That was Belle, Claire’s temperature has risen and she…”
Mimi looked at him, saw the expression in his eyes, he wanted so much to go over and sort everything out for his daughter and she really couldn’t deny him that. “Well why are you still standing here? Your daughter needs you.” she told him with genuine concern, “I’ll go pick Zach up, let me know if there’s anything I can do.” She walked out of the apartment without a backward glance and for the first time since this whole mess had started she didn’t feel like she wanted to cry.
*****
Mimi ran to the phone so as not to interrupt Zach who had only just gone down, “Hey sis, what’s up?”“Patrick hi and to what do I owe this pleasure?”
“I was just calling to find out how the little guy is doing. Mom said he’d been ill.”
“Yes, two weeks ago.”
“Hey unless you ask, mom never parts with the important stuff, so how is he?”
“Doing great. Apparently it was the heat that caused the convulsions though they did tests for all kinds of diseases I can’t even pronounce.”
“Scary.”
“Exactly, the minute they mentioned meningitis, I almost fainted. Turns out he’s perfectly healthy and I should just monitor his temperature, not dress him too warmly, though in this heat I don’t see how anyone could.”
“Well I’m glad he’s okay. Which brings me to the other reason I’m calling. I was thinking…”
“Always bad when you do that.”
“Ha-ha. Anyway, since I’m working over Christmas and won’t be able to fly in to Salem. I was wondering what you thought of spending it in L.A.?”
“Patrick, you do realise that Christmas is like four months away right?”
“I know but I figure if I put in an early request, Santa might get me what I want.”
“I don’t know, the Brady and Horton families are pretty traditional about Christmas, I don’t think Shawn’d want to miss Christmas with his family.”
“You’re his family now and what’s marriage if not compromise. You guys did his family last year; you can do ours this year.”
“The Lockharts aren’t as big on family traditions though and if you’re telling me you’re getting sentimental in your old age…”
“Hey! Who’re you calling old? Just say you’ll think about it.”
“I’ll think about it but I can’t promise anything.”
“And if push comes to shove, you can always leave Shawn there and bring Zach up here to L.A. with me. Maybe it’d teach him to appreciate my sister more.”
“What makes you think he doesn’t appreciate me?”
“He’s a guy and according to mom no matter how much time he spends with you, he’ll never appreciate you enough.”
“I have to say, mom’s got a point. Maybe I should skip Christmas in L.A. and you’d appreciate your only sister more.”
As she put the phone down, Shawn came strolling out of the bathroom, towel wrapped around his waist, drying his hair. “Who was that?”
“Some guy encouraging me to leave you and go to L.A, apparently you don’t appreciate me.” she said teasingly.
Shawn’s hand stopped mid-air and he looked at her with something akin to fear in his eyes, “That is not funny.”
“Oh relax, it was Patrick. He wanted to know how Zach was and to ask if we’d be open to spending Christmas in L.A. since he has to work.”
“It’s August.” Shawn pointed out; relieved to discover it was only her brother.
“He thought he’d put in an early request. I told him I’d talk it over with you.”
“But we’re spending Christmas here right?”
She shrugged, “I don’t know, we’ll see.”
