Milkshake Hearts

Chapter 139: Until the Morning

The restaurant they gather at for dinner is one Conrad and Holly frequent often, a casual Mexican-style option with open spaces and long wooden-plank tables. Courtney is almost disappointed they're there as family, not with their friends from work, given the full tequila and margaritas menu they have. She makes a mental note of the name of the place for Ian's benefit, trying to fill her mind with memories of fun nights out with their colleagues as Shayne holds her hand tightly when they walk in and find Clarke and Hannah already at the table, the others still to come.

"Hey Courtney, Shayne! How's your day been?" Clarke greets them, enthusiastically. Courtney can't help but grimace as they sit down across from the two, all up one end of the 8-seater table.

"Could've done without Mum picking fights with me and Shayne, but I guess the weekend's almost over," she deadpans, rolling her eyes.

"Wait, what? Picking fights?" Clarke raises an eyebrow, Hannah's own head tilting to the side in confusion.

"She let the cats outside, and she's constantly insulting and picking on Courtney, and our job, bugging us about having kids..." Shayne trails off, visibly frustrated, "this morning before Conrad picked her up ended with me threatening to kick her out. But, seriously, if she can't find a single thing to do other than insult Courtney, then she isn't welcome in our house."

"That's valid," Hannah answers, immediately, brow furrowed, "has she gone crazy on the kids stuff since the wedding or something?"

"Oh, no, she started it at the engagement party last year. But she's been on me about it generally, about needing to get married and have kids and whatever since I was a teenager. But like, we aren't having kids. End of. So," Courtney answers, flippant.

"So... where's she going after dinner?" Clarke pushes, Courtney sighing and glancing over to Shayne to request he answers.

"Our place, but she better be planning on apologising or she'll be out tomorrow morning. I guess I'll take her to a hotel or something but..." Shayne trails off, glancing up to see Conrad, Holly and Joanne entering the restaurant and moving to them, Kari not long behind them.

The dinner is a tinge awkward, to no one's surprise. Kari sits beside, and mostly talks to, Shayne and Courtney, while Joanne sits up the other end of the table with Clarke across from her and Holly beside her, mostly talking to them – and, occasionally, Conrad and Hannah. The food is nice, but given approximately none of them actually want to be there, they simply eat and small-talk and, very quickly after their meals, bring their evening to a close.

"Text me or something if you need backup," Kari whispers, into Courtney's ear, when she gives both her and Shayne tight hugs as they're all leaving. Everyone else simply waves goodbye, and Joanne follows silently behind Shayne and Courtney to their car.

"You get one more chance. And you know what you need to do," Shayne tells her, firmly, looking at her in the rear-view mirror when they all get into the car, Courtney in the driver's seat and Joanne immediately behind her.

She doesn't say a word in response, nor does she say another word when they get home, immediately stepping into the guest bedroom and closing the door.

It makes Shayne and Courtney pause in the entrance, just outside the guest room, silently glancing at each other in indecision.

It's Courtney that shrugs, eventually, continuing to walk on into the living room.

"I guess we just enjoy our night and pretend she's not there until the morning," she mutters, voice barely lowered, Shayne nodding in agreement as he moves down to the living room floor to join Nutmeg, who is rolling around with his favourite toy.