memories, psych [ 1 ]

chapter seventy-six

Vanessa is at home and finishing up the dishes while Tobias and the kids playing in the backyard. There's a knock on the door making Vanessa quickly put the current dish she's washing down and turning the water off.

She just expects it to be Gus, or maybe Shawn even though he doesn't usually knock, so she doesn't bother looking through the peephole. Vanessa swings the door open, freezing at the person on the other side.

"Hey." He sheepishly grins.

"Greg?" Vanessa questions.

"Hi." Greg awkwardly waves.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Vanessa hisses, pushing him back a bit and shutting the door behind her. "Why are you here?"

"I just... I wanted to come by. I was in town." Greg says.

"Oh, you were in town." Vanessa sneers.

"Yeah. Figured I could see the kids, spend some time with them." Greg shrugs.

"Hell, no." Vanessa denies.

"Nessa, come on--"

"No. No, no, you do not get to call me that. Only people I like call me that. I don't like you."

"Can I just see our kids?"

"No. No, you can't-- you cannot just drop off the face of the earth and then suddenly come back four years later and ask to see my children."

"I'm sorry, aren't you the one who kicked me out?" Greg retorts.

"Out of the house, not their lives." Vanessa states. "You're the one who ditched them and left behind three very confused infants."

"Come on, Nessa." Greg rolls his eyes.

"No. No, you're going. I'm not letting you--" She's cut off as the door opens.

"Daddy!" Cassie cheers. Vanessa closes her eyes, clenching her jaw.

"Hey, baby!" Greg grins as Cassie runs to him. He picks her up, hugging her. "Hey. Oh, you got so big. What, you twenty now?"

"No." Cassie giggles. "I'm eight." She says.

"Oh, right, only eight." Greg hits his hand against his forehead.

"Zach, Maddie, come out here!" Cassie yells.

"Baby--" Vanessa tries to protest, but is cut off as her other kids run out.

"Dad!" Zach grins, hugging his father.

"Hey, buddy." Greg hugs him.

Maddie stays by her mom, not recognizing the man her siblings seem so amazed by. Maddie holds her arms up to Vanessa and she picks her up.

"Hey, Maddie." Greg softly greets, walking closer. "Remember me?"

"Obviously not. She was barely one." Vanessa bites.

"Cool the hostility." Greg mutters.

"Cool the--" Vanessa bites her tongue from exploding. 

"Hey, what's going on out--" Tobias stops as he notices his former brother-in-law. "Greg?"

"'Sup, T." Greg nods.

"Uh... felt a lot better five seconds ago." Tobias says. "Hey, I'm, uh... I'm gonna take the kids out to eat. And for some ice cream."

"Yes. Yes, thank you, do that." Vanessa says.

"Yeah." Tobias takes Maddie. "Come on, guys. Lunch time." He tells  the twins.