Milkshake Hearts

Chapter 138: Would Be a Stretch

Shayne had hoped he would come downstairs to Joanne and Courtney peacefully coexisting – maybe small talking, maybe saying nothing and doing their own things – but, all in all, he isn't entirely surprised to find them in heated argument. It makes even more sense when his phone buzzes in his pocket just after Courtney steps outside to her car, and he slides across the message to read what she sent.

He'd surmised they had been arguing about the cats, from the question as soon as he got into the room, but Joanne having actually let them outside? Jesus Christ.

They finish their breakfast in silence, Shayne biting back his own anger as they do. He moves to the kitchen to wash up their dishes and stack them in the dishwasher – alongside Courtney's that she'd left in the sink – straight after breakfast.

"She's still messy and won't clean up after herself?" Joanne points, her own tone light and joking, but it pokes uncomfortably at Shayne as he closes the dishwasher and turns to face her, eyes narrowing.

"No, actually, and you need to stop all these damn jabs at Courtney. I had thought you had settled things and you were going to respect her as the independent, capable adult she is but apparently not," Shayne shoots back, but she remains unphased.

"Oh, come on, you're old enough to see she's still acting like a petulant child, always putting her own silly wants above anyone else or her future or family," she replies, and it makes Shayne's temper flare.

"She's living her own life the way she wants to and she has every damn right to do that because she is her own person, not a pawn for you to mould to what you want your children to be," he snaps, sharply, "and you need to let up on the goddamn children pressure. You have grandkids already, Courtney and I have made it clear we are not planning on having kids, leave it. You're not going to change our minds, you're just making yourself less welcome in our lives."

"You can't say you don't want kids, though, Shayne, I saw you at the engagement party with all those kids-"

"I like spending time around other people's kids. That doesn't mean I want us to have our own, those are totally different things," he affirms, but she shakes her head.

"I know your family are traditional just like ours, Shayne, you must want to carry on the family name, have your own future?" she continues.

"I couldn't give a shit about a damn name and I already have a perfect future ahead of me with my favourite person," he replies, shaking his head, "this is insane, I know you've been like this to her in the past but to come into our house and be like this? I wish I hadn't let her convince herself to let you invite yourself to stay."

"You're really not trying to be friendly with the mother-in-law, are you?" Joanne rapidly switches approach, her own tone turning harsh. It makes Shayne roll his eyes, glancing up at the clock. God, Conrad isn't due for another fifteen minutes.

"I would love to be on good terms with all of our family, Joanne, but I actually love Courtney a whole damn lot, and I don't care who you are, I'm not going to let you disrespect my wife like this," he tells her, matter-of-factly, "you can manage to be civil to most of your children, you are to me most of the time, maybe you should try extending the same courtesy to Courtney. And Kari, from what I've heard."

"Well, everyone else has a serious job and a future," she rebuts.

"And which one of your four kids in California was the one that literally owns a house that you could invite yourself to stay at? Even if you're going for the stupid traditional stability – Courtney has a serious, stable job with insurance and a 401k. She owns a house. She's married," he argues, although deep down, he knows it isn't worth it anymore.