(no subject)
Title: Wild Turkey
Summary: In which visits are planned
Rating: R - Language
Disclaimer: Lies, the entirety of it. The title is a song by Lacy J Dalton, a song about alcohol at that.
Two weeks before Thanksgiving...
"I know he's not working."
Adam sighs and falls into the recliner by the staircase. Of course his mother keeps up with the comings and goings of her son-in-law. And to think, he's tried so hard to avoid this inevitable moment.
"You're right, Mom, he's not. He has to be in Arkansas, for his family's celebration..." Even as the words come out of his mouth, he knows she isn't going to accept the excuse.
"Just like last Christmas, and your birthday. Adam, if I didn't know you better I'd think we embarrassed you."
Of course, she played the embarrassment card. The honest truth is, they do embarrass him. Not his immediate family, Kris had met his parents, and Neil a million times. But Aunt Denise from Washington or cousin Mark from Tulsa? They were another story entirely.
"Okay, we don't even celebrate Christmas, and I was working on my birthday, but no," he protests. "Come on, we were just there. You and Dad saw the kids, all is well. Life is going on. There is absolutely no reason I see to drag everyone out there again."
"Out here? Adam, it's a forty minute drive, not a cross-country flight. Besides, the aunts and uncles haven't seen Alexandra since the wedding, and they've never met Cameron. Admittedly they all assumed Neil would be the one having kids that they'd never met, but still. You know how they are with children."
"I know that Alexi is afraid of Uncle Dave thanks to his drunken rant on the benefits of a gun loaded with buckshot propped next to the door. I swear, if I didn't know better I'd think I was adopted."
"So we do embarrass you?" He can't help but groan. She has met these people after all, and he wasn't exaggerating when he said Alexandra was afraid of his uncle. They talked about having the family over for Christmas, (Adam would never ask Kris to give up his religious days, it wouldn't be right) and her exact words had been "not that guy from the wedding, right Dad?"
"Mom, you know I love you. You know I love our crazy ass family, but they scare my kids, and frankly, I think they might scare Kris just a little bit."
"Oh come on, they aren't that bad," she sounds exasperated and Adam fights back a laugh. Where did she get her rose-tinted glasses?
"Did you miss Hannah Marie hitting on Cassidy? I swear, I'm still indebted to him for putting up with that. One of these days he's gonna call me and I'm gonna have to say yes to whatever he's asking, because I'm so embarrassed that my cousin tried to stick her tongue down his throat during my reception."
"Actually, I did miss that. I'm glad I missed that, but Hannah Marie has always been on the... easy side. Just, Adam... it's two days. I'm asking you to come visit for two days and see your family and let the relatives meet the kids."
"...Ugh. Alright, Mom. I'll talk to Kris about it, and if we can drag Alexi out of the house, we'll be there." He rolls his eyes and tries to keep the disappointment out of his voice. He's already preparing himself for the tears. There are always tears when it comes to getting Alexandra to do something. Tears and things like "if you really loved me like Daddy does..." It kills him, but it gets her her way, unless Kris steps in.
Honestly, Kris's daughter is a bitch. They love her to death, but she hits below the belt more often than not. Sometimes in a literal sense.
"Good," Leila says, pulling Adam out of his daydream. "Your father will be here, as usual. Oh, and so will Cassidy, now that I think about it. He's a good kid... why don't you have more friends with a good head on their shoulders?"
"Most of them can't handle my bullshit. I've gotta go get Alexi from school, I'll call you when I finally get an answer out of everyone on what we're doing."
"Don't let her get to you, son. I know you love the girl, but be a parent. Don't let her guilt trip you."
"Mom," he warns. "She's not my daughter, I have to watch what I say. I'd rather Katy not kick my ass."
"Then she needs to get her brat under control..." He's never heard his mother sound so harsh when it comes to children. He knows it's just a reaction to the fact Alexandra has been taught for the last seven years that she doesn't have to listen to the "homewrecker." Admittedly, Kris keeps her from buying into Katy's bullshit.
Adam doesn't blame Katy for being bitter, or holding a grudge, but he's more than a little hurt that she'd use her nine year old daughter to upset him. "Mom. I'll call one of you when I get home, but plan on us being there with Cameron. Alexandra can stay with Katy if she doesn't want to come with us."
"Alright, baby. Just be a parent, don't let Katy get to you."
"I know, Mom, I can handle it."
One week before Thanksgiving...
"But Mom said I didn't have to..." Alexandra whines, throwing herself down on the couch. "She said I don't have to listen to you."
"Kristopher, your child is being..." Adam chokes off the rest of his sentence. He'd never call his son an "obstinate little bastard" so he's not going to call Kris's daughter "an obstinate little bitch." No matter how true it may be. "Difficult," he finishes.
"She said you're a bad influence on Daddy."
"No, really. Kristopher, parenting issues here, hon," Adam calls over his shoulder. Kris is in the kitchen, attempting to cook and not cuss Katy, while helping Adam convince Alexandra to agree to the trip.
"Stephanie Alexandra Allen, would you stop. I don't care what your mother told you, I'm your father, he's my spouse, you will respect him," Kris calls, almost automatically.
"No!" Alexandra cries, forcing tears. Adam has to admire her acting abilities, even when used against him.
"Katherine, I don't appreciate you turning our daughter against him. Honestly, she lives with me almost exclusively and you have to accept that he will always be a part of my life. I don't care if you don't like him, but you're making everyone's lives difficult when you allow yourself to project your hatred onto your daughter. Think of how confused Alexi has to be. He's never been anything but nice to her, he'd let her get away with murder, but she feels like she has to hate him because you're making her feel disloyal if she lets herself love him."
Adam can't hear Katy's reply, but he can guess it's rude by the way Kris slams the phone into the counter. He almost feels bad, because Katy is bound to have a headache after the sonic disruption that caused. Then he looks at his living room, the one with the furniture Drake helped him choose, and the little girl sitting on the couch, and he can't be bothered to care if Katy's gone completely deaf.
"Alexandra, listen to me. I don't care what your mother says," Kris calls from the kitchen, leaning out over the bar to see her face. "When you're in my house, you will respect Adam, you will do as he asks. Just like you respect Marshall, and do as he asks when you're home with him and Mommy and Nadine."
Adam stalks off to the bedroom to avoid saying anything out of line about Nadine, or Marshall. Landon Marshall, the man chooses to be addressed by his last name by the general population of the world. Adam can't find it in him to respect someone that pretentious. Having an "M.D." behind your name doesn't mean you can shirk your given name. He supposes it's his theatre training, from the very beginning they teach the kids how important names are, and the psychological reasons for calling someone by their given name.
Nadine Marshall is just as bad, if not worse. She's a seventeen year old girl, who didn't want a stepsister anymore than she wanted a stepmother. Adam doesn't really dislike her, he just can't believe how she behaves sometimes. Then he realizes she was raised by Landon, and he can't find it in him to dislike her. Katy brought them to the wedding, she was being "supportive," so she said, and Kris didn't think it would be a big deal. During the reception Nadine had gotten a little drunk and hit on Brad.
Of all people to hit on, Brad had to be the most obviously uninterested aside from the parties being wed. He was nice though, which was more than he could say for Landon. He had turned up his nose, figuratively, when walking past anyone who wasn't obviously straight. As if he didn't know before hand that Katy's ex was marrying another man.
"Adam, get the phone, please?" Kris yells from the living room. Adam assumes he's in the middle of lecturing Alexandra.
"Hello?" He asks, taking a seat on the bed and twisting the phone cord around his fingers. "Oh, what is it Katy?"
"I'm coming to get Alexandra. Landon and I discussed it and we don't feel it's appropriate for her to stay there any longer."
"Oh, so Doctor Fuck-I'm-Brilliant finally convinced you that I'm going to turn your daughter into a lesbian or something?"
"I didn't say that, Adam," Katy says, her voice low. She may not have said it, but she implied it more with every word.
"I'll get her shit packed and let Kris know how his ex-wife is a heinous bitch." Adam can't believe he's saying these things, but he doesn't stop himself either. Katy's pushed his buttons for the last five years, she's let her husband push his buttons, and he's sick of it.
"And he wonders why I tell her what I do..." Katy mutters.
"Katherine, you told your nine year old that I'm a whore, I don't think that has a whole lot to do with anything," Adam reminds her before hanging up and flopping back on the bed. "Kristopher, your wife is coming to get the kid!"
"What!" Kris calls back. Adam hears footfalls on the stairs and then Kris is rushing into the bedroom. "Now, what?"
"Katy's coming to get Alexi, Landon doesn't think this is the appropriate place for a little girl," Adam paraphrases. "Kris, please don't let me call my mother right now. She was looking forward to seeing Alexi again."
"I'll talk to Katy, I'll talk to Leila. If you need to talk to anyone while I'm dealing with this, I'd suggest calling Cassidy. He's the most level headed of your group. Last time this happened... I don't think I need to remind you what happened."
It was true, the last time he'd decided to have a pity party, he'd called Drake. Drake, much like Kris, Brad, Alisan, Allison, and everyone else who had ever been close to him, disapproved wholeheartedly of someone hurting him without reason.
"Oh, and Allie called, but you can call her back later," Kris called over his shoulder on his way back downstairs. Adam forced himself off the bed and into Alexandra's room to pack her bag so she was ready when her mother arrived.
Two hours later...
Katy perches on a barstool while Kris paces the room, glaring every so often in the direction of the stairs. Landon disappeared to the second floor of the house fifteen minutes earlier, and Kris is still trying to stay calm when he hears Adam's voice loud and condescending, say "Cassidy, I'll talk to you later, Doctor Marshall is here, and he want's a word."
Kris didn't know what Cassidy said, but it was probably along the lines of "Adam, keep your cool, man."
"Adam, I do want a word. I want you to know that this isn't about you being gay." He certainly sounds like that's what it's about.
"Now why would I assume that?" Adam snaps. "Because you spent all of my wedding telling my friends they're going to hell?"
"I can't help where their decisions lead them," Landon says.
"Oh, fuck you. For one thing, last I checked your God didn't preach hate anymore than mine does. Judge not lest ye be judged? Ringing bells?"
"Certainly. Still yet, you have every type of heathen in this house at all hours and I won't allow my daughter to be subjected to that."
"I don't know what Katherine has told you, but I have as much right to parent that girl as you do. You're not her father, you're her stepfather, just as I am. I also don't know what you're talking about when you say heathen."
"There was that Brad fellow, all glitter and revealing clothing."
"That's just Brad, he's harmless and sweet. Next?"
"That ex boyfriend of yours. From Louisiana."
"Drake? Seriously? I don't think he's ever killed a bug much less influenced anyone in a negative way. Hell, he kept my ass out of trouble for a long time."
"And what about that young man with all the leather, the circus performer."
"For one thing, we're all the same age, you pretentious dickhead. For another, if you ever speak ill of Cassidy in this house again, I can promise you you're gonna land so hard on your ass outside, you're gonna wish you'd been fucked in it instead. Get the fuck out." At that moment Adam was glad Neil had come to get Cameron before Landon arrived.
"Gladly," Landon smirks, having succeeded in getting a reaction.
4:00 AM...
"Pardon?" Kris asks, pulling out what he remembers of high school French. Not much, but hopefully enough to respond to young lady on the other end of the line. "Non, Mademoiselle. Tu t'appelles comment?"
"Sabrina. Monsieur, your... Katherine asked that someone call you. The paramedics didn't have time to call but she was so upset... before she lost consciousness, she asked me to call."
"Wait, lost consciousness? Sabrina, what happened?" He wonders why he's still speaking French, now that he knows it's a friend of Katy's. A friend whom he's met many times. Still it's obvious English isn't her first language, but she is fluent enough to explain.
"There was an accident. Katherine... her husband ran off the road and flipped the vehicle. They're being taken to Saint Mary's, if you want to find out the extent of the injuries. I'm very sorry to have to tell you this."
"I... merci, Sabrina. Thank you." Kris places the phone back into the base, numb.
"What was that?" Adam asks, slightly amused and more than a little confused.
"There's been an accident. Sabrina, one of Katy's friends. They met during a trip Katy took to France, she was visiting, going somewhere in separate vehicles."
"What about my baby?"
"I don't... I don't know. I'll call Mom on the way to the hospital, come on."
The waiting room at Saint Mary's; 5:00 AM...
"I need the family of Mrs. Marshall?" Kris looks up, wondering why Katy's parents aren't there, or even Landon's family. He was in the car as well.
Adam stands and meets the doctor in the middle of the room. "Extended family," he explains. "How is she?"
"She'll be alright. Just a broken leg and a concussion," the doctor tells him. "Dr. Marshall... isn't fairing as well. He's in a coma."
Kris sees Adam choke off a slightly hysterical laugh. "What about Alexandra? The little girl."
"She'll be fine, just a few bruises from the seatbelt, she didn't even hit her head," the doctor tells him.
"Thank you, Doctor. Can we see them?"
"Everyone is cleared for visitors. Aside from Dr. Marshall," the doctor explains.
This time Adam laughs, not loudly, but enough that the doctor knows he could give a fuck less about seeing Landon. "That's perfectly fine. Was he driving? Out of curiosity."
"I believe so, Sir. Let me show you to Mrs. Marshall's room."
Katy's room; 5:45AM...
"Katy, I'm glad you're okay."
"You still have the number of that attorney, right?" Kris gives her a strange look, because, really? Who asks that after the kind of accident she's been in.
"Uhm... yea, Katy. Hone--"
"Good, because I'm going to kill that son of a bitch," she growls. Kris steps back from the bed a little. He's only ever heard her cuss once in the years he's known her and that was when she'd found out about him and Adam.
"Wha...?"
"Landon. I really can't believe I didn't see it in him before now. His whole issue... I can't believe I let him convince me that Adam... dear God." Kris knows it's not in vain. She's asking God to help her. He doesn't know how, but he knows the tone.
"Just calm down, Katy. Honey, you've got a concussion, I'm sure it affects judgment," he says lightly.
"Where's Adam?" she asks.
"He's with Alexi, I think? I really don't know, he figured you wouldn't want to see him."
"As usual he's wrong. Actually, I want to apologize. I can't believe I let Landon convince me that he was Corrupting our daughter." Kris fights a laugh, he can hear the capital letters in her voice.
"I'll go get him, I'm pretty sure he'd be glad to kill Landon for you. He loves that little girl."
"Thank you, Kris," Katy says before he leaves.
"For what, Katy?"
"For finding someone like Adam. Someone I can trust with my kids, and with your safety."
"I'm glad you see that, Katy," he says, closing the door behind him.
Two days after Thanksgiving; San Diego, California...
"Katy?" Leila asks when she answers the door. Adam told her Katy was coming, but they suppose she just couldn't believe it.
"Yes, Mrs. Lambert?" Katy asks, wondering how awkward the following conversation will be.
"I'm glad you finally accepted them, you're welcome here anytime," she says, pulling her into a hug before moving out of the doorway so the boys, and children can enter the house.
"Hey, Mom," Adam says, shifting Cameron's weight to his other hip. "Sorry the aunts and uncles and fourth cousins didn't get a chance to meet Cam."
"They understand, son, they're just glad everyone's okay."
"I'll try to be here for the next one, mmkay?"
"Alright, start planning now," she smiles. "I've gotta get back to making dinner, make yourself at home."
"Mrs. Lambert, is there anything I can help with?" Katy asks.
"Please, call me Leila, and only if you want. Don't feel obligated. You're a guest in my home. Adam and Kristopher however, are obligated to do the dishes after dinner," she smiles, leading Katy through the house to the kitchen.
PS: This is the first thing I've finished since school started. Huzzah! Hope it was enjoyed.