FAMILY MATTERS Always

Unsettled Business

"Damn, it's been forever since I've been here. This place looks totally different," Laura points out as soon as she and the ladies enter the Sizzle Club. She looks around at the inhabitants of the bar, noticing that most of them are around her kids' ages. She secretly judges them for the way they're dressed, but then feels bad for doing so after remembering all of the times she sneaked out of the house wearing something that her dad disapproved of. She thought he was being unreasonable back then but now that she's a parent, she understands exactly where he was coming from.
"That's because it is," Maxine responds. "The Sizzle Club has changed owners nearly a dozen times since you left. The new owner is eccentric, but clever. He found a way to get people to come back to this dump after the last owner practically ruined it. Look at how packed it is in here. This place hasn't banged like this since we were teenagers."
Maxine, Laura, and K.C. head towards the only vacant table in the busy establishment. They ease down in their seats.
"K.C., I can't believe we haven't seen each other since high school! Girl, what have you been up to?" Laura asks her old cheer mate.
"Girl, the usual. Work, husband, kids. After college, I went into counseling. Now, I own my own center. It's rewarding, but draining." She giggles, "What about you?"
"Well, I-"
"She married Steve Urkel," Maxine blurts out amusingly. Laura rolls her eyes at her.
"Dammit, Maxine! Can I tell my own business for a change?" Laura spits out before looking at a shocked K.C.
"Holy shit! I remember hearing about that, but I didn't believe it! You spent all of middle school and high school running from that dork just for you to turn around and marry him?" Laura looks slightly offended.
"Hold on, you're going to have to chill on my husband. Yes, he can be dorky, clumsy, and annoying, but he's also brilliant, a great father, and an excellent husband. I love him."
"My bad, sis. I didn't mean anything by what I said. I just thought you would've married that fine ass, suave Stefan Urquelle instead. Girl, if I had that back then, I would've never let it go."
"But you didn't have him back then, even though we all remember you trying."
Laura folds her arms when she brings up the distant memory of K.C. throwing herself at Stefan when Steve transformed into him for the first time. K.C. and Maxine rack their brains trying to figure out what Laura is talking about. Maxine finds the memory first.
"Oh, snap! You're talking about that house party your parents let you throw in high school! That was the first time we got to see Stefan dance. K.C. couldn't stop fainting." Maxine laughs at K.C.'s over-the-top behavior even though no one else does.
"Exactly," Laura agrees, eyeballing K.C. like Stefan is still her man. K.C. makes a weird face.
"First of all, that was ages ago. Second of all, you and Stefan weren't even dating yet. And third of all, why are we talking about this right now like it's current? Last time I checked, Stefan ain't married to either one of us. You act like his ass is standing right here or something."
"Oh my God!" Maxine shouts, grabbing both ladies' arms, "Speaking of the motherfucking devil! Stefan Urquelle just walked in the door."
***
"Why don't you just go over there? That's still your home, too, you know," Harriet suggests from behind Steven. He jumps once he hears her unexpected voice. He steps away from the kitchen window he's been peering out of in the direction of the Urkel residence since Laura left. His parents' home may be a few feet away, but it feels like it's on another planet. He sighs before sitting down at the dining room table. He removes his glasses to pinch the bridge of his nose.
"I would love to, mom, but honestly, I'm terrified. I'm terrified of what I'll see, what I'll feel, and what all of the nostalgia will stir up within me. My entire childhood is inside of that house- everything. Everything I used to be... everything I am. I'll probably implode from the highly emotional experience. I'm almost sure I will."
Harriet walks over to Steve and places her hand on his shoulder. He grabs it with his, "I understand all of that, son, but it doesn't change the fact that it has to be done. You're simply prolonging the inevitable." Steve takes a deep breath.
"Can I ask you something, Harriet? When Herb was here last, was Roberta with him?"
"No. He said she was back in Russia, but he never said why she didn't come with him." Steve's eyes light up with hope.
"You spoke with him? You spoke with my dad?" He inquires eagerly. Harriet nods her head with a grin.
"I did. He asked about you, too. Carl and I told him all about you, Laura, and the kids. We even showed him a few pictures. He looked very happy to hear that you were doing well."
Steve's eyes get watery, but he holds back his tears. He has so many questions that he doesn't know where to begin. "Well, why hasn't he called? Why haven't my kids heard from them? Why haven't my parents reached out?" Harriet sighs at the difficult line of questioning.
"I wish I could tell you, Steve, but I can't. I have no idea why he or Roberta haven't contacted you or your family. I know it hurts you deeply, and I'm so sorry about that. I'm sorry they won't be who you want them to be."
Steve can't take it anymore. The pain in his heart is too blatant to ignore. He weeps silently in his hands once his emotions get the best of him. Harriet leans down to console her son-in-law. She holds him lovingly until he's able to pull himself together.
"Why did they have to be my parents? Why? They make me feel like I was a mistake! They never wanted me! You and Carl were the ones that raised me, not them! Why couldn't I have real parents like you? You would never abandon a child like they've done to me!"
The look on Harriets's face after Steven's spiel catches him off guard. She takes a deep breath before sitting down in the seat next to him. He watches as her eyes glaze over with sadness. He puts his hand on hers, "Is everything OK, mom?"
She looks at him with a pained expression. She tries to talk without getting choked up, "No... it isn't. I wish what you said about Carl and I were true, but it's not. In fact, we're no better than Herb and Roberta."
Steve glares at her like he has no clue what she's talking about. She looks away from him before she reveals her embarrassing truth. "Honestly, we have abandoned a child, and even though she's reached out to us, I'm still refusing to see her."
"Oh my gosh. You mean-"
"Yes. Judy has tried to contact us through Rachel, and even though she's my daughter, I'm having a hard time accepting her into our lives again. I'm having a hard time letting her back into my heart."