Inheritance (18/30)
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“Scotty? There’s someone here to see you.”
“Who?” Scotty asked Vicky, not looking up from the dish he was currently preparing.
“Older woman. Blonde.”
Scotty stared at the counter for a moment, and he sighed. Then he straightened, pulling on his jacket to undo the top few buttons. “Fine,” he said tersely.
He walked out of the kitchen, and he spotted Holly sitting at the bar. She looked nervous, Scotty thought, as he watched her run a hand through her hair.
“Holly?”
She turned to him, forcing a small smile to her face. “Hi Scotty. How are you?”
“Fine. What do you want?”
Her face twitched slightly, and Scotty suppressed a twinge of guilt. “I was just worried about you. I haven’t heard from you in a while. Where are you staying?”
“With Nora.”
Holly looked even more hurt, and Scotty looked down, exhaling.
“Oh,” Holly said. “Well, good, I guess. Are you free tonight? I thought we could have dinner. Maybe try again.”
Scotty lifted his head, looking at Holly again. “It’s Justin’s engagement party,” he said softly.
“Sometime this week then?”
Scotty swallowed. His initial anger and hurt at Holly had diminished over the last few weeks. He was still upset, but he was willing to believe that she had told him what she thought to be the truth. And honestly…he missed her.
“Yeah, maybe.”
Holly smiled at him then, and Scotty couldn’t help but smile back.
***
The engagement party was in full swing, and Scotty was trying to pretend he was having a good time. It had been several days since his disastrous movie date…night out…excursion with Kevin, and Kevin was doggedly avoiding his calls. Scotty kept half his attention on the conversation he was currently having with Tommy and Tyler’s cousins, but the other half was looking out for Kevin.
He finally saw him walking across the yard, greeting a few people as he made his way towards the house. Scotty excused himself and followed Kevin into the kitchen. He didn’t see him when he first entered, but then he heard sounds coming from the pantry. Scotty thought back to the last time he found Kevin in the pantry during an engagement party; he shook his head to himself as he finally admitted that what he had felt when he saw Kevin and Jason was plain and simple jealousy.
Scotty walked through the kitchen and knocked on the door of the pantry. “Can I talk to you?” he asked.
Kevin half-turned, not quite looking at Scotty. “What’s up?” he asked with clearly-faked casualness.
“I have to tell you something,” Scotty said, finally allowing himself to feel worried about how Kevin would react when he heard the truth. He hoped he would understand.
Kevin didn’t answer. He simply looked at Scotty questioningly.
Scotty took a deep breath, blinking quickly. He cleared his throat. “The DNA test came back negative.”
Kevin’s brow quickly furrowed. He shifted his weight back and forth, resting his hand on the ledge behind him. “I’m sorry?”
“We don’t have the same father,” Scotty blurted. “We’re not related.”
Kevin shook his head, lifting a hand to scratch at his cheek. “What are you saying? The lab made a mistake?”
“No,” Scotty said, breathing shallowly. “I…I was afraid to tell you. I didn’t want - ”
“Wow, you really are her kid, huh?”
Scotty paused. “Excuse me?”
“Holly. You two, I can’t believe you. The deceit and the - the - you let me think…After I told you everything, you just let me feel like - God, Scotty.”
“It wasn’t like that,” Scotty said, shaking his head and trying to fight the emotions coursing through him.
“Get out.”
“What?”
“Get out of my house. I can’t even look at you right now.”
Kevin edged past him, storming out of the pantry. Scotty turned around, taking one step after him. “Kevin, please let me explain.”
But Kevin never turned around. Scotty tilted his head back, inhaling a shaky breath.
***
The others disappeared over the course of the party, until it was just Nora and Kevin left. They ended up in the kitchen, finishing off a bottle of wine in peace and quiet.
“Where’s Scotty?” Nora asked as she worked on putting leftover appetizers in the fridge.
Kevin sighed. He leaned heavily on the counter as he took another drink. “I don’t know. I don’t care.”
Nora glanced over her shoulder, staring at him curiously. “What’s with you?”
Kevin shook his head. He took a deep breath and finally told Nora what was happening. “It turns out he’s not a Walker.”
Nora stopped moving, then turned around slowly. “What?”
“Holly lied. Surprise, surprise. Scotty isn’t our brother; Dad wasn’t his dad.”
Nora stared at him incredulously, and Kevin shrugged. “DNA. Gotta love it,” he added sarcastically as he took another sip of wine.
“I…I…How long have you known?”
Kevin shook his head again. “I just found out today. Scotty’s known for weeks.”
“Why didn’t he say anything?”
Kevin barely shrugged. “I don’t know. There’s still that uncashed check for two million,” he said coldly.
“Kevin Walker!” Nora exclaimed, shocked.
Kevin exhaled roughly, putting an elbow on the table and bending down. “Please, I can’t - I can’t deal with this right now.”
Nora closed the fridge, walking over to him quickly and pulling him into a hug. Kevin wrapped his arms around her and squeezed tightly.
***
Nora didn’t see Scotty until the next day. She was putting away laundry in her bedroom when she heard someone enter the house and, a few minutes later, walk into Kevin’s old bedroom. She put the laundry basket down quickly and hurried down the hall. The first thing she saw was an old duffel bag and some clothes on the bed, and then Scotty emerged from the closet with several shirts.
“Going somewhere?” Nora asked, and Scotty glanced up in surprise.
He looked away again just as quickly. “Yeah. Thanks for letting me stay here, but I really should go.”
“Why?”
Scotty snorted skeptically. “I’m sure Kevin told you everything.”
“He said William wasn’t your father.”
“Uh-huh. So, you see, I don’t belong here. I’m really sorry for lying to you. I didn’t know what else to do.” Scotty said, refusing to look at Nora as he went back into the closet for more clothes.
Nora moved further into the room, intercepting him and taking the clothes out of his arms. She then passed him and hung the shirts back up on their respective hangers. Scotty stared at her, mouth hanging open.
“Of course you belong here. I told you that you could stay as long as you needed.”
Scotty paused. He swallowed thickly, trying not to allow himself to hope. “I don’t think Kevin - ”
Nora scoffed, grabbing more clothes off his bed and walking back into the closet. “Kevin’s just hurt and confused. He needs some time to calm down - and get over himself.”
Scotty looked down. “You don’t understand. It’s more complicated than that.”
Nora walked back into the room, grabbing Scotty’s hands and pulling him until they were sitting next to each other on the bed. “No, you don’t understand. I don’t care about DNA. I don’t care what any stupid tests say. Family is more than that. And you are a part of this family. Sorry.”
Scotty laughed once, blinking back relieved tears. Nora pulled him into a quick hug and moved away almost as quickly. She grabbed the last few shirts out of his bag and stood.
“My God, Scotty,” she exclaimed. “Look at the wrinkles in this shirt. I’m going to iron this for you.”
And Scotty started to laugh for real.
***
Even as he came to an understanding with Nora, Scotty knew he still had to resolve things with his other parents as well. The first thing he did was call Wally, a conversation he had been avoiding since he found out the truth. He told him that William wasn’t his father, that in fact his father wasn’t dead but once again dating Holly. Although he could hear the concern for Scotty’s well-being in Wally’s voice, he could also hear the underlying insecurity. Scotty tried to reassure Wally that it didn’t change anything with them, that David certainly wasn’t about to replace Wally. And in perhaps the best consequence of the whole ordeal, they made tentative plans for Wally to visit California for the first time in years.
And two days later, he had dinner with Holly. It had been a start, with honest apologies and healthy conversation on both sides. Scotty wasn’t ready to return to her house yet, or to deal with David at all. But he was willing to accept that this was a blow to her as well, and that she was just as uncertain how to proceed as he was. He had hopes that they could reestablish their relationship, maybe a little strained and not quite as hopefully trusting and happily close as it had been before, but solid nonetheless.
As the others found out, they also sought out Scotty. They promised him that nothing had changed, that they still considered Scotty a brother and a friend. Justin even asked him again to stand up in his wedding. The only one who remained conspicuously silent was Kevin.
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“Scotty? There’s someone here to see you.”
“Who?” Scotty asked Vicky, not looking up from the dish he was currently preparing.
“Older woman. Blonde.”
Scotty stared at the counter for a moment, and he sighed. Then he straightened, pulling on his jacket to undo the top few buttons. “Fine,” he said tersely.
He walked out of the kitchen, and he spotted Holly sitting at the bar. She looked nervous, Scotty thought, as he watched her run a hand through her hair.
“Holly?”
She turned to him, forcing a small smile to her face. “Hi Scotty. How are you?”
“Fine. What do you want?”
Her face twitched slightly, and Scotty suppressed a twinge of guilt. “I was just worried about you. I haven’t heard from you in a while. Where are you staying?”
“With Nora.”
Holly looked even more hurt, and Scotty looked down, exhaling.
“Oh,” Holly said. “Well, good, I guess. Are you free tonight? I thought we could have dinner. Maybe try again.”
Scotty lifted his head, looking at Holly again. “It’s Justin’s engagement party,” he said softly.
“Sometime this week then?”
Scotty swallowed. His initial anger and hurt at Holly had diminished over the last few weeks. He was still upset, but he was willing to believe that she had told him what she thought to be the truth. And honestly…he missed her.
“Yeah, maybe.”
Holly smiled at him then, and Scotty couldn’t help but smile back.
***
The engagement party was in full swing, and Scotty was trying to pretend he was having a good time. It had been several days since his disastrous movie date…night out…excursion with Kevin, and Kevin was doggedly avoiding his calls. Scotty kept half his attention on the conversation he was currently having with Tommy and Tyler’s cousins, but the other half was looking out for Kevin.
He finally saw him walking across the yard, greeting a few people as he made his way towards the house. Scotty excused himself and followed Kevin into the kitchen. He didn’t see him when he first entered, but then he heard sounds coming from the pantry. Scotty thought back to the last time he found Kevin in the pantry during an engagement party; he shook his head to himself as he finally admitted that what he had felt when he saw Kevin and Jason was plain and simple jealousy.
Scotty walked through the kitchen and knocked on the door of the pantry. “Can I talk to you?” he asked.
Kevin half-turned, not quite looking at Scotty. “What’s up?” he asked with clearly-faked casualness.
“I have to tell you something,” Scotty said, finally allowing himself to feel worried about how Kevin would react when he heard the truth. He hoped he would understand.
Kevin didn’t answer. He simply looked at Scotty questioningly.
Scotty took a deep breath, blinking quickly. He cleared his throat. “The DNA test came back negative.”
Kevin’s brow quickly furrowed. He shifted his weight back and forth, resting his hand on the ledge behind him. “I’m sorry?”
“We don’t have the same father,” Scotty blurted. “We’re not related.”
Kevin shook his head, lifting a hand to scratch at his cheek. “What are you saying? The lab made a mistake?”
“No,” Scotty said, breathing shallowly. “I…I was afraid to tell you. I didn’t want - ”
“Wow, you really are her kid, huh?”
Scotty paused. “Excuse me?”
“Holly. You two, I can’t believe you. The deceit and the - the - you let me think…After I told you everything, you just let me feel like - God, Scotty.”
“It wasn’t like that,” Scotty said, shaking his head and trying to fight the emotions coursing through him.
“Get out.”
“What?”
“Get out of my house. I can’t even look at you right now.”
Kevin edged past him, storming out of the pantry. Scotty turned around, taking one step after him. “Kevin, please let me explain.”
But Kevin never turned around. Scotty tilted his head back, inhaling a shaky breath.
***
The others disappeared over the course of the party, until it was just Nora and Kevin left. They ended up in the kitchen, finishing off a bottle of wine in peace and quiet.
“Where’s Scotty?” Nora asked as she worked on putting leftover appetizers in the fridge.
Kevin sighed. He leaned heavily on the counter as he took another drink. “I don’t know. I don’t care.”
Nora glanced over her shoulder, staring at him curiously. “What’s with you?”
Kevin shook his head. He took a deep breath and finally told Nora what was happening. “It turns out he’s not a Walker.”
Nora stopped moving, then turned around slowly. “What?”
“Holly lied. Surprise, surprise. Scotty isn’t our brother; Dad wasn’t his dad.”
Nora stared at him incredulously, and Kevin shrugged. “DNA. Gotta love it,” he added sarcastically as he took another sip of wine.
“I…I…How long have you known?”
Kevin shook his head again. “I just found out today. Scotty’s known for weeks.”
“Why didn’t he say anything?”
Kevin barely shrugged. “I don’t know. There’s still that uncashed check for two million,” he said coldly.
“Kevin Walker!” Nora exclaimed, shocked.
Kevin exhaled roughly, putting an elbow on the table and bending down. “Please, I can’t - I can’t deal with this right now.”
Nora closed the fridge, walking over to him quickly and pulling him into a hug. Kevin wrapped his arms around her and squeezed tightly.
***
Nora didn’t see Scotty until the next day. She was putting away laundry in her bedroom when she heard someone enter the house and, a few minutes later, walk into Kevin’s old bedroom. She put the laundry basket down quickly and hurried down the hall. The first thing she saw was an old duffel bag and some clothes on the bed, and then Scotty emerged from the closet with several shirts.
“Going somewhere?” Nora asked, and Scotty glanced up in surprise.
He looked away again just as quickly. “Yeah. Thanks for letting me stay here, but I really should go.”
“Why?”
Scotty snorted skeptically. “I’m sure Kevin told you everything.”
“He said William wasn’t your father.”
“Uh-huh. So, you see, I don’t belong here. I’m really sorry for lying to you. I didn’t know what else to do.” Scotty said, refusing to look at Nora as he went back into the closet for more clothes.
Nora moved further into the room, intercepting him and taking the clothes out of his arms. She then passed him and hung the shirts back up on their respective hangers. Scotty stared at her, mouth hanging open.
“Of course you belong here. I told you that you could stay as long as you needed.”
Scotty paused. He swallowed thickly, trying not to allow himself to hope. “I don’t think Kevin - ”
Nora scoffed, grabbing more clothes off his bed and walking back into the closet. “Kevin’s just hurt and confused. He needs some time to calm down - and get over himself.”
Scotty looked down. “You don’t understand. It’s more complicated than that.”
Nora walked back into the room, grabbing Scotty’s hands and pulling him until they were sitting next to each other on the bed. “No, you don’t understand. I don’t care about DNA. I don’t care what any stupid tests say. Family is more than that. And you are a part of this family. Sorry.”
Scotty laughed once, blinking back relieved tears. Nora pulled him into a quick hug and moved away almost as quickly. She grabbed the last few shirts out of his bag and stood.
“My God, Scotty,” she exclaimed. “Look at the wrinkles in this shirt. I’m going to iron this for you.”
And Scotty started to laugh for real.
***
Even as he came to an understanding with Nora, Scotty knew he still had to resolve things with his other parents as well. The first thing he did was call Wally, a conversation he had been avoiding since he found out the truth. He told him that William wasn’t his father, that in fact his father wasn’t dead but once again dating Holly. Although he could hear the concern for Scotty’s well-being in Wally’s voice, he could also hear the underlying insecurity. Scotty tried to reassure Wally that it didn’t change anything with them, that David certainly wasn’t about to replace Wally. And in perhaps the best consequence of the whole ordeal, they made tentative plans for Wally to visit California for the first time in years.
And two days later, he had dinner with Holly. It had been a start, with honest apologies and healthy conversation on both sides. Scotty wasn’t ready to return to her house yet, or to deal with David at all. But he was willing to accept that this was a blow to her as well, and that she was just as uncertain how to proceed as he was. He had hopes that they could reestablish their relationship, maybe a little strained and not quite as hopefully trusting and happily close as it had been before, but solid nonetheless.
As the others found out, they also sought out Scotty. They promised him that nothing had changed, that they still considered Scotty a brother and a friend. Justin even asked him again to stand up in his wedding. The only one who remained conspicuously silent was Kevin.
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