angel baby (heavy editing)

27.5

     (A/N: I know there will typos here, just as in other chapters. :(. Bear with me. :( Three chapters in three days in a row is a new personal record for me and I'm really proud of this chapter. Enjoy!!!)

  Oliver expected silence, the soul crushing type. He expected awkwardness. He had prepared his mind for the night. He also expected his grandmother to stare at Lia with distaste which she did and was currently doing. What he didn’t expect was the constant death glare Chris’ sister sent his way. It was frankly disheartening and he was not prepared on how to handle it. He had seen her around school and they had never had a personal encounter as far as he could remember. Conveniently or inconveniently, it all depended on perspective (inconveniently on Oliver’s part), Chris was made to sit near him and Paul sat at the other side of him. Chris hadn’t sent a single glance since the dinner from hell started and though Oliver refused to acknowledge that it bothered him, it did bother him.
He took another quick glance around the table and everyone around it. Lisa sat at the high table. For as long as Oliver could remember, his father always sat next to his mother at the table because it seemed they couldn’t bear to be separate from each other for even a second. It was nauseating, really. He had never even seen them fight. Emilia sat next to his mother. Lena and Lia sat together. They had been sending heart eyes towards each other all dinner and though they tried to hide it, they were not fooling anyone. Oliver wanted to be surprised his birth mother was gay, but they did say it was in the family genes to be gay sometimes. Kathy sat next to them. At that moment, he felt eyes on him and turned. He caught Chris’ gaze but when the said boy realised he had been caught, he looked away blushing furiously. Oliver blinked. He felt a shiver run up his spine. He blinked again.
What was that?
He felt a palm on his hand which brought him back to reality. He turned to face Paul’s beautiful face, a small frown on his face.
“You okay?”
He nodded, tangling his hand in Paul’s. He dropped his fork. His appetite was lost for good.
“None of that, boys. Not at the dinner table” Lisa spoke from her high pedestal. He had been expecting her to break the silence for a while and of course, she delivered.
She wasn’t even bothered to hide her homophobia anymore.
Chris is a full blown homosexual, he fought the urge to say. He also fought the urge to send back a reply.  Chaos was inevitably going to ensue but it wouldn’t be from him. Paul wanted to pull out his hand but he refused to let him. She could go and have a heart attack if it bothered her that much.
Sending a frown in Oliver’s direction, she looked away form him and turned to face Chris, her newest obsession. The chaos was about to begin. The smile on her face said it all.
“So Chris, talk to me, I’ve heard tales of how much of a magnificent painter you are. They say you’re almost as good as your grandmother, your other grandmother. I didn’t care much for her but I admit, she was a talented old mouse”
Oliver took one look at the mother at Lisa’s comment and she looked just about to erupt in anger. His father’s hand on her lower back was the only thing calming her down. Whatever relationship she had built with Lisa these past few weeks was down the drain. If Oliver didn’t know anything else, he knew just how much his mother valued her late mother.
“I’ve also heard you have autism, Asperger’s syndrome. Is that why you’ve not given me a reply to my statement?” Lisa continued and Oliver felt second hand embarrassment for her.
“My son can speak fine, thank you very much”, Lia said. She didn’t sound thankful. She sounded pissed off. The power of Lisa Borghese.
Lisa turned and faced Lia as if just seeing her for the first time but the dirty glares she sent her way earlier said otherwise. Or maybe the glares were meant for somebody else and Lisa was confused. She was getting older by the second.
“Lia, is it? How did your daughter over there came to be? It’s obviously a different father from my lovely considering her colouring”
If Lisa was racist on top of everything, Oliver was going to riot.
“How promiscuous of you”, she added. Somebody, soon enough, was going to break and put Lisa in her place. It should be his father but his father-Oliver didn’t want to start.
“You pick up men twenty years younger than you; you don’t get to preach about being promiscuous”
Turned out it was his mother. He was surprised she even stood up for Lia at all.
“It was a joke. Get a sense of humour, Jessica. So Lia, was she planned or was it sudden? But seeing you are a single mother, I’m guessing it was sudden”
Before Lia could speak and undoubtedly insult Lisa, Kathy beat her to it.
“Lia didn’t give birth to me. Chris found me on the streets and took me home”
The silence that followed was almost laughable. Oliver didn’t know if she was joking or not.
“Mother, I don’t know what your deal is. The point of this dinner was to get to know each other and come to a conclusion on the issue on ground and frankly, your questions are rather rude. We’re all adults here, mostly. Let’s behave like adults”. His father finally said something. Thank God.
Lisa looked like she wanted to disagree but instead, she let out a deep breath and spoke, “You’re right, son. I’ve been out of line. Who’s ready for dessert? Lena, can you be a darling and fetch it for us?”
Jessica face palmed. Oliver would have done the same but she beat him to it. Lisa would never change.
Regardless, Lena stood up and left for the kitchen. The look Lia had at that almost made Oliver smile, almost. They were in the honeymoon phase. He wouldn’t be surprised if wedding invitations came out next.
"So Chris, do you have a girlfriend?" Lisa asked.
The moment Oliver had been waiting for arrived that his excitement almost shown.
"I'm gay", Chris said and Oliver had to fight back his surprise. He hadn't said a thing all day and he expected somebody else to make the announcement for him, his sister or mother but the boy could be shocking if he wanted to.
"Really? That's great", Jessica said trying to be supportive. A for effort. But Lisa on the other hand had an ugly frown.
"And you allow that?" She looked over at Lia. The way she said it made it seem it was only rich people that could be queer.
Lia simply shrugged, "I'm gay too and it's not something that can be allowed or disallowed"
Lisa, surprisingly, doesn't say anything but the frown remained still.
Lena returned with the a bowl in hand. Jessica stood and helped serve everyone a slice of apple pie which Oliver wouldn't eat because his appetite was still shit.
"Chris, how do you like it?" Jessica asked him.
This was probably the first time in her life she had spoken to him directly. How she wasn't in tears was one for the books.
Chris smiled and Oliver wanted to punch something.
At everyone but me.
"It's very delicious, thank you"
Oliver was surprised by his voice everytime he heard it. It just took him by surprise.
Jessica smiled back looking proud.
"Chris really loves apple pie. He'd give anything in the world to have it everyday", Lia said to Jessica.
"Oh, that's good. Do you want some of mine?"
"Don't bother. He can have mine. I'm not hungry". The words were out of Oliver's mouth before he can stop himself. He pushed his plate towards Chris. Chris looked up at him and held his gaze (which he normally didn't do, Oliver had noticed and boy did he feel powerful) and then, he smiled. Oliver was ashamed to admit that he felt like he had won at life.
"A brilliant thought just came to mind", Lisa spoke. She hadn't said anything for a hot minute, of course, she'd be dying to.
"If it's something ignorant or bigoted, please keep it to yourself', Jessica said. Yep, their relationship was broken.
Lisa ignored her then continued,
"So, what if Oliver and Chris got married?"
If the silence had been bad enough before, the one that ensued could rival the quietest room in the world.
Oh Lisa, she's crazy.