You're my only hope

[serpentinthegarden]

[ Anthony looked frazzled as he cast a careful glance over his shoulder before slipping back under what appeared to be a blanket fort so he could stare at his phone. ]

Ok look, bad week... shit happened. Lots of shit happened, most of it was my fault. Got engaged, broke it off the next day, had to spend most of the rest of the time at the hospital looking after a sick relative. The visit from the creepy alien hunting suit was incredibly spooky... But none of that compares to this!

[ He swallowed and hushed his tone so he wouldn't be overheard. ]

Mum is here. Actually here in my flat right now, cleaning everything and making dinner because she says I look unwell even though she has done the magic heat sensing mum hand trick three times already and I don't have a fever. What do I do!? I can't tell her about even half of this stuff without--...

[ A second voice, much sweeter and calmer broke in to ask... ]

What is this?

[ And Anthony paled as he and phone broke free of the covers to see his grey haired mom holding that conspiratorial message from the mysterious MMF. Never had a man shot so quickly from a blanket tent to snag the paper, crumbled it, and chuck it into the nearest bin. ]

Nothing! Just some chain letter, probably thinks he is being funny by sending weird notes... Nothing to worry about at all! I told you everything is fine!!

[ His mum merely gave her poor highly strung son a sympathetic look and once again set her hand to his forehead. ]

Honey, you really need to calm down. I know what will help!

[ She turned and dug through one of her many bags until she found a tattered old teddy bear wearing yellow wellingtons. This was pressed into Anthony's arms as he was ushered back to the blanket covered sofa. ]

Its Mr. Yellow Boots! Now you and he can sit here all cozy until dinner is ready.

[ Anthony was sulking but he sat back on the sofa and looked helplessly after his mom until she was well out of ear shot. ]

Send help. Anything... I need her to stop worrying.

Comments

[serpentinthegarden]

Do your Guardians have any idea all this 'Different' stuff is going on with you?

[temptationaccomplished]

[It's tempting, and he visibly considers it.]

No. [Firmly, as if telling himself no as well.]
No, we made this mess together, we will get you out of this together.

[darkforcerising]

You haven't broken things off, right?

[serpentinthegarden]

[ WWIII with terrible pet names and mentions of his now former fiancee... Yeah, this was going to go well. ]

It's... been a very busy week Uncle Alistair.

You look good. Haven't changed a bit.

[hardtoignore]

Nope. I don't think they could understand it, even if I tried to explain it to them.

[scotch_egg]

Ach, ge' on wi' ye. [he runs a hand through his hair]

But tell me about her. Yer girl. I always said you'd get a knockout

Will you put the bloody suitcase down!

[there is a loud thump and a rattle and a silence which seems somewhat disturbing]

Two of a pair, they are

[serpentinthegarden]

Which one is your son?

[ Anthony thought he had a guess but better to ask than assume really. ]

Real estate might be dicey. She would want to know if I was moving, where to, what is the neighborhood like... As I said to some one else, she is in overprotective mode.

[serpentinthegarden]

Totally have... But I'm pretty sure Grace, that's her name, thinks I'm having some kind of break with reality and that's the reason why. It was all very confused.

[serpentinthegarden]

You are absolutely devious. Just what I need right now.

[ The address is texted a while later. It's for a nice apartment building in the Bronx. ][ ]

[serpentinthegarden]

[ The phone rang unanswered for four rings before the infamous Evelyn Crowley picked up. ]

Hello? I'm sorry, but if you are looking for Anthony he is currently indisposed. May I take a message?

[serpentinthegarden]

[ Anthony said backing out wouldn't have been held against Fell and it wouldn't have, but he did feel a surge of relief that he wouldn't be wading into this quagmire all by himself. It made him love the man just a that little bit more. ]

Do you want to meet her one to one first or dive right in and meet the whole clan at once? Mum's thinking about making dinner plans at some restaurant, not sure which one yet.

[serpentinthegarden]

That's what I'm afraid of. I might be in for a trip to Bellevue.

[temptationaccomplished]

One to one might be a little easier. Warm me up, make sure I know precisely who I am talking to.

[Speaking of, how many Crowleys will he need to keep straight, he wonders.]

...How many of you are there? You, your mother... [A pause] I assume Alec has excused himself from the hospital by now? Is there more?

[chenqing_player]

[in the most adult voice he can possibly muster..]

Hello? Yes! Good evening, ma'am! I'm very sorry to disturb you but it is very important that you relay a message to Mr. Anthony if he is available. There is a great emergency at the Botanical Gardens and we are desperate for his assistance. Please tell me that you know where he is. It's very important.

[hardtoignore]

What's that? A place you used to live?

[darkforcerising]

I bet that fort is not helping her perception of things.

But... you could try saying something like "I'm sorry I scared you before. I didn't know how to tell you that my feelings have changed and I can see I made it worse. But we really do need to talk about our relationship."

[serpentinthegarden]

Well... she is a...

[ The noise was so distracting that Anthony craned his neck to try and see what was going on over there as if he could look past his Uncle. ]

White haired, pleasantly plump he with a Mona Lisa smile... Shouldn't you see what that was?

[serpentinthegarden]

Grace isn't one of the Different she would never see the whole blanket fort thing! Wait... You don't think my Mum is Grace??

[ He snorted a laugh. ]

She's good looking for her age but definitely not blonde!

Thanks that helps really. I needed the laugh. That's a really good line too, I might use it if I ever see her again. I'm not sure its possible but it would be nice if we could at least have a better conversation about it.

[scotch_egg]

She sounds great, lad. Just great.

[sweat beads his temples as he looks over his shoulder at the closed door]

I'm not going in there. Tell your Mum to let us know when the dinner is and er... maybe we should catch a drink sometime.

[before much else can be said the door opens behind him and Irene comes out, face like a storm cloud]

I wash my hands of him. If he wants to be pitiful, let him. He's a grown man [this she spits at Alistair who glowers at her. She turns her attention the phone]

It's nice to see you, Anthy dear. I hope we get to meet your lovely fiancee--

Her name's Lisa

--soon. [then to her ex] I'm going back to the hotel. Give Alec his phone back and let him rest in peace

[Alistair's face goes red again]

Don't tell me what to do, woman!

Oh I forgot how allergic you were to any advice no matter how small.

See you later on then, Anthy.

[he opens the door and sets the phone on an endtable before slamming it shut behind him. Alec is still lying on the sofa, hands pressed against his eyes and from the other side of the door, Alistair snaps]

Oh fine, just walk away! That's what yer good at!

[darkforcerising]

Hey, I don't know where you built that thing.

But I'm going to guess your mother might take it the same way.

[serpentinthegarden]

I have a older brother and sister, Oliver and Lilith. Oliver actually has a family but all of them were going to stay at home so the kids didn't miss any school. He's got three now.

Then on Alec's side he has a younger half-sister as my Aunt remarried after splitting with Uncle Alistair. So there should be about seven Crowley's there, counting Alec and myself.

But yeah, mum is the only one here right now if you feel like popping around to meet her without the others. Hang on.

[ His Bronx address is texted. ]

Otherwise it will be some group affair, hopefully not at a buffet but... it seems likely.

[serpentinthegarden]

A place I might be going. Bellevue was an infamous psychiatric hospital building in New York.

[temptationaccomplished]

Goodness. I'm not sure I'll be able to keep them all in order.
But alright. I will be around in a bit.

Unless you're busy right now, having successfully employed the young Misters Elliott and Wei Wuxian to remove you from the apartment as a diversion?

[serpentinthegarden]

[ Anthony watches the bouncing screen, trying not to grow seasick as he was bounced from one room to the other. He waited, wondering if calm and quiet might reassert themselves if everyone but his Uncle had indeed just left. ]

So I told him about Fell, that went well... He's now waiting to meet Lisa.

How're you holding up? I caught some of that, mum wants you to go home to the UK?

[hardtoignore]

That would probably indicate the rest of us were crazy, and while there are a few Different that I have Questions about, I don't think most of us are at that level.

Yet.