A Push Part II
Original composition by Tatienne Richard exclusively for My Fiction. If you’re reading this elsewhere it has been stolen from the platform.
Bette nodded, “I’ll talk with Avner tonight.”
The words surprised January. “You will?”
“I will. I like you January. I like my son with you. I like my daughter with you. When she lived with us in London she was miserable. She came to America and became a new person, and I knew back then it was because of you. When you disappeared, she changed again but tonight, seeing her being feisty and inappropriate, as much as I loathe the idea she’s talking with such a filthy tongue in front of my father because,” she gave an exaggerated shudder, “ew, I love this version of her.”
“She’s great. I missed her. I was angry with her for a long time for not telling me the truth but,” she took a breath, “meeting him,” she nodded at Avner, “I saw his influence in her when we first reconnected. She was a complete bitch to me, and I know he’s where she gets that.”
“No doubt. When he’s uncomfortable he says stupid shit. He loves his kids, January. He really does.”
“He needs to fix it before Gulliver decides there isn’t anything worth saving. More importantly, if you want a relationship with
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Glenn, Bette, your husband needs to get his homophobic bigoted head out of his backside before Glenn lumps you in with him. and simply walks away. The man he’s connected with is a damn good friend of mine and he’s worthy of Glenn in ways you will never get to see for yourself if you don’t figure this shit out.”
“What’s he like?”
“Ernst? He’s a single dad with a mom who would murder for him without a second thought.” She thought of Enid. “She is a force and I can tell you this,” she gave Avner a look, “she’ll beat him into the ground verbally before she hires someone to take him out. She came to Gulliver today trading information in exchange for protection and it was badass and very cool. I feel that Ernst is shy and introverted partly because he’s a genius and partly because his mother was loud enough for the both of them.”
“He has a child?”
“Kaylee’s best friend, Darwin. They are inseparable. Funny story.” She smiled as she looked at Glenn through the patio doors, “my friend Ernst thought he was a straight man until Glenn walked right up to him and declared him his.”
“He did not.”
“Oh yeah he did.” She gave a laugh sipping her wine. “Asked me who he was and made it clear he was off limits to me, because I’d gone on a couple of dates with him, and then told Ernst he
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better get used to the idea of being with a man because it was happening. Ernst messaged me when I was on my way back here tonight to say Glenn showed up at his workplace to bring him coffee and cornered him in his office and kissed him. Ernst said he’s realized he is definitely not only into girls now. Glenn told him to figure out where he wants to get married.”
“Oh, my goodness,” Bette covered her mouth with her hand in awe. “He did that?”
“Yup.”
“He really cares for him.”
“He does.”
“You two seem thick as thieves,” Avner approached cautiously.
“We’re talking about how Glenn met January’s friend and declared him his.” Bette was looking at her sons out on the
balcony.
“If he’s with a man he won’t have any more children,” Avner said quietly.
“Did you ask him if he wants more children?” January commented dryly. “Some people are happy with one.”
“Not me.” Avner shook his head as he moved to sit next to his wife. “I loved the loudness of them when they were little. It was
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why when they were older, I convinced Bette to have one more and we ended up with Thisbe. I missed the noise.”
“You actually like children, Avner?”
“Love them.”
“Then why are you such a cock to them?”
The question from January made him choke on his drink while Bette snickered.
“I’m not.”
“You are.”
“I mishandled the situation with Mitsos,” Avner admitted quietly. “I was scared.”
“Of what? An infant?”
“Of falling in love with an infant that got taken away from us.”
“Cowardice.”
“I agree.”
“So, what are you going to do about it?”
“What can I do? I said so many stupid things and I did apologize
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once and Glenn threw it back in my face and told me to go fuck myself. It caused hard feelings and we’re both stubborn cocks,” he used her word with a dry laugh.
“You’re avoiding the question, Avner. What are you going to do to fix your relationship with your sons and your grandchildren? Right now, Mitsos is terrified of you and Kaylee thinks you’re an asshole. Is this what you want? Alienation from your family?”
“No. It’s not what I want.”
“Then?” January waved to the patio where the men were outside.
“They’re talking business.”
“Piss off. You’re hiding behind excuses. Put your pride aside and be the bigger man. Bring the bottle of scotch with you. Go and talk to your sons, man–to–man, Avner and fix this before it’s too late.”
Avner swallowed and shook his head, “you don’t mince words, do you January?”
“What’s the point in that? The last time I didn’t speak my mind, I left my husband and lost eight years with him. I won’t do that again. If it is something which needs to be said, I’m saying it.”
“Bette?” Avner looked at his wife.
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She shook her head, “this is yours to fix, Avner. January is right. I stayed out of it all along because I felt it was a father–son relationship which was yours to navigate. If you can’t fix this, I’m not letting you ruin my chances to be the grandmother I want to be. I’ve lost too much time already.”
Avner pushed off the couch, “you sure they’re not simply going to toss me off the balcony?”
“I can’t make promises,” January laughed. She watched as he seemed to be mentally preparing himself and then he did as she told him, grabbed a bunch of glasses in his hands with the decanter of scotch and headed for the patio doors.
Bette leaned her head sideways, “you have him sorted. Now how do we do him next?”
“Him? What about him?” January looked to Grandfather.
“He’s slipping January. He has been for at least ten years but it’s worse over the last five or six. How do we make him think it’s his decision to hand over the reins?”
“That,” she shrugged, “I don’t know. I will say, Gulliver has noted the same thing you have.”
“The prince is about to be king,” Bette said as she lifted her glass in Gulliver’s direction. “Long live the king.”
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