The Plan| Reddie

Our Little Secret

Quinn and River hadn't had a sleepover with just the two of them for years. So, they decided to have one that weekend. It was just them and Myra at the Kaspbrak house, the two girls sitting in Rivers room. Her walls are yellow and so are her bedsheets. They're sat at the bay window, Quinn doing River's makeup, the two laughing.

"How's your mom doing since finding the papers?" River asks as they calm down. They hadn't spoken about it and it was obvious Quinn needed someone to talk to. Quinn shrugs.

"Dad now sleeps in the guest room. They don't talk and when they do they argue. She cries at night. Like I don't like her all that much but she is my mom and I do feel bad because she did love dad. It's just- conflicting. Because she treats us both like crap and now she's been hurt I feel bad. She wasn't always a bad mom. She had her good moments." Quinn explains.

"Yeah, I get that. There were moments with my mom that I loved but...it wasn't the same as when I was with my dad." River says as Quinn does her eyeliner." Like when we played pirates when I was a kid."

"GET BACK HERE, LADY RED!" Richie yells with a laugh as he holds his cardboard sword, a pirate hat on his head and a fake hook on his hand. He's drawn on a moustache and beard in eyeliner. River chuckles.

"NEVER, HOOK!" She yells and then she screams as he chases the seven year old around the living room. He grabs her around the waist and lifts her up, the two of them laughing.

"Come on, monkey, it's time for lunch." He says and she chuckles as he carries her to the kitchen table. Richie places his pirate hat on her head, which is too big and goes over her eyes. She lifts it up and grins at him as they eat their sandwiches, the fake hook lying on the table." My parents used to play pirates with me. Grandad would run around the living room chasing me and Grandma was the captain of the boat. It was great."

"Can they play with us sometime?" River asks and Richie smiles.

"Sure, bub. Grandma can be the captain again and grandad can be the enemy." Richie says with a cheeky grin. River laughs.

"Girls, dinner!" Myra calls up the stairs. Quinn and River smile at one another and then head down to the dining room, sitting down. It's awkward at first as they eat their burger and fries in silence. Until River talks.

"This is really good, Mrs Kaspbrak. Dad doesn't get much time to cook for us so we normally order in take out. I haven't had a home cooked meal in a while."

"I'm glad you like it, River." Myra says with a smile and then the awkward tension settles back in. Quinn and River glance at one another and then look back at their food." How...how is your dad? I didn't attend the parent-teacher conference this year so I was wondering how he was."

"He's doing alright. A little stressed but it's nothing he can't handle." River replied with a smile.

"Is he still gay?" Myra asks and Quinn chokes on her drink whilst River almost chokes on a fry.

"Yeah. He's...he's still gay." River coughs, a little agitated by the question.

"What a shame. He's a very attractive man and it's a waste that he won't have a normal relationship." Myra states without thinking. River frowns.

"What do you mean by normal?" She asks and Quinn can sense an argument and she was sick of arguing.

"I just mean a relationship between a man and a woman." Myra explains as the young Tozier glares at her." I didn't mean anything by it I just-

"You barely know my dad. Get to know him before you judge him. He tried that 'normal' relationship shit and it wasn't for him and so he moved his life in a way so he could be happy and comfortable within himself!" River snaps, going off of her food.