Legal Prejuduce 3 - Lessons In Life

Chapter 20

The journey home was just about the most uncomfortable trip Chris had even taken in a car. Anger was rolling off Rachel in waves as she sat next to him in the back seat. When they arrived at the house Chris said, "I'm going to pack." Brandon's rage was threatening to boil over as he said, "Yes, take a good look around because you'll never step foot in this house again unless you get on your knees and apologise for the embarrassment you caused us, not just today, but throughout your whole goddamn pathetic life." Chris just left the room. He packed his small amount of clothes and possessions and grabbed the office phone which he'd hidden under the mattress and took it under the covers. He messaged Daniel and Allie, "I've let Max know I've booked flights back to LA tomorrow. It's pretty rough here as you can imagine. Can't wait to see you all." He turned it off and cried, hot tears of relief falling on his pillow.

He ventured into the kitchen the next morning and found his mom making breakfast. She muttered good morning but didn't smile and he said, "Mom, I don't want to part on bad terms. I love you okay." She sighed, "Yeah, well if you meant that Chris you wouldn't make my life difficult." He muttered bitterly, "Well I do mean it, but you know what, if you loved me Mom you'd have stood up for me." At ten thirty he waited anxiously for the cab to arrive, checking and double checking his phone. His mom was the only person there to see him off and he embraced her whispering, "I love you Mom." Sitting in the cab with the house receding into the distance he felt some of the stress melting away.

Max called for Allie near the end of the working day and found her with Daniel working on some materials for the Cannon deal. He grinned, "Ready?" She smiled, "Yeah, just let me grab my stuff." Daniel stretched, "Tell Chris I'll see him tomorrow." Max nodded and Allie said, "I won't relax until I actually see him come through arrivals." Her boss winked at Daniel, "Stop worrying, he texted to say he was at the gate. Grace Poole didn't lock him up at the last minute." Daniel laughed loudly and stood up to kiss his wife, "I'll see you later sweetheart." Chris came through the airport swiftly since he only had carry on. He'd felt more relaxed as he'd got closer to the end of the flight, but also more emotional. Allie and Max spotted him and Allie reached him first. He bent down and wrapped his arms around her, unashamedly letting some tears fall as he felt her holding him tightly. She kissed him and drew back allowing Max to grab him. He whispered, "You're home now. It's all over. Let's get you back to Margie."

They chatted about the flight, the weather and how Mike Lawrence had scheduled a video call with him the following Monday to check how he was doing before he handed off to his LA doctor. Max said, "That guy seemed really nice. Allie and I both liked him." Chris nodded, "He was great. I was so lucky to have him. He really helped." As they arrived at Max's Allie squeezed Chris' hand. "Dan went and brought some of your stuff from the apartment because we guessed you wouldn't have taken much to New Haven. If you need anything else one of us can run you over there tomorrow. Your car is still at the office, Eddie said he'll jump it for you 'cause the battery was flat when Dan tried it yesterday." Chris nodded and put an arm around her to give her a side hug, "Thanks, I'll have to thank Dan when I see him." Allie leaned in as the front door opened, "He's coming over tomorrow, he said to tell you he's looking forward to seeing you." Max kissed Margie and carried Chris' bag in. She took Chris into her arms warmly and said, "I'm so glad to see you Chris. Let's get you inside, the coffee's on and we can chat. We've all been so worried about you."

When they were settled on the couch Chris told them about his time in New Haven, how scared he'd been that his family would find a way to keep him there indefinitely. When he told them about the scene in the doctor's office the previous night Margie held him close and said, "I'm so sorry you sweet thing. That must have been so damn painful for you. I know we're not your blood family, but you've always got a home with any of us. We're going to take care of you while you get over all this. You can stay here with us as long as you need." Max leaned forward, "Son, I meant what I said last night. I'm so proud of you. I would have gladly come to Connecticut to get you out of there, but I think it was better for you to stand up to your folks and know you did it for yourself." Chris put his head in his hands and sobbed, "I don't know how I can ever repay what you've all done for me. I know I've basically just been staggering from one mess to another, but this is literally the lowest point I've sunk to. Without you guys..." His voice trailed off and Allie pulled him into her arms, "Don't cry Chris. You were ill and needed treatment, it wasn't something you could help. We don't want repaying because we love you and we all take care of one another. Right now you need taking care of, but we've all needed that at some point, me, Dan, Robyn." She released him and he wiped his face with the Kleenex Margie passed him. Max pushed the cup into his hand, "Allie's right son."

Margie said, "Allie honey, dinner's nearly ready, are you staying to eat with us?" Allie smiled and stood up to kiss her, "It smells amazing but I'm going to head home to help Dan with bedtime." She turned to Chris, "The girls are so excited to see you. We'll come here after gymnastics, but brace yourself, Rose will be like a limpet, she's missed you massively." Chris smiled thinking of the feisty pre-schooler and said, "I can't wait."

The next day Allie and Dan dropped the girls at their gym class and drove the short distance to Max and Margie's house. Chris was clearing breakfast with Margie when they came in and Daniel came over and hugged him enthusiastically. Allie smiled thinking for the millionth time how compassionate her husband was, and how much she loved him for it. Max appeared following her eye line and threw an arm around her as he read her mind. Margie was making drinks and they took them out to the sit on the patio in the warm sunshine. Chris filled Daniel in on his last day in New Haven and said sadly, "I really never thought my Mom would completely abandon me like that. She used to at least try and stand up for me. It really hurts." Dan was sitting next to him and he rubbed his back, "I get it Chris. You obviously know what my Mom said about me and about Allie on that programme. I haven't been able to speak to her since, and she's never once tried to contact me, so I understand better than most how that feels. If she were to reach out I'd speak to her, but actually having that negative energy out of our lives is better. Margie's more of a Mom to me than she ever will be, and Max is my role model as a Dad." He looked up and grinned at Max, "Well apart from the cussing." They all laughed and as Daniel kissed Margie, Max got up and playfully clipped him around the ear before he pulled Allie close on the patio couch and said, "My advice Chris would be to look forward not back. Focus on what you do have rather than what you've lost."

Allie took the car and left to collect Rose and Emmie leaving Daniel to chat some more with Chris. When they returned Rose appeared like a whirlwind through the kitchen and made a beeline for Chris, swiftly followed by Emmie. He caught Rose and she flung herself at him squealing, "You're back!" Emmie put her arms around his waist and swinging Rose to one side he bent to hug her as she said, "We missed you, Uncle John's games are good but not like yours."

The next morning everyone was meeting for breakfast including Tom and Nathan. Chris reflected on Max's advice to look forward and focus on what he did have, but the shadow of what his family had said still weighed heavy on him. He took the girls on the play area and Tom sat by Dan and Allie and said, "How do you think he is?" Allie looked thoughtful, "I think he's okay. He just needs to know we're all there for him, make him feel secure you know. I think coming back to work will help too."

Tom nodded and Nathan came to sit with them. Tom smiled and rubbed his boyfriend's arm. "My family are coming to visit next weekend. Nathan gets to meet them all." Daniel whistled, "Oh Nath, you know it's serious when you get to meet the family." Nathan groaned, "Don't, I'm nervous as hell as it is." Jeremy smiled, "You've got nothing to worry about. I've met Tom's clan many times and trust me, they are so nice it almost made me want to marry Tom so they could be my in-laws." Robyn pulled a face making her husband laugh and Tom bent over chuckling, "The gay thing might have been an issue for you." Jeremy grinned, "I did say almost." Max smirked and said, "Why don't you bring them to breakfast next week? Think we could all do with seeing some positive family relationships after all the negative ones we've had to deal with lately." Tom nodded, "Yeah, that's a good idea, they'd love it. He nudged Allie's foot with his, "And they'd get their wish since they asked if they'd get to meet the scary British girl." Allie laughed as Daniel held her around the waist, "I'll be sure to bring my full scary British with me."

Rose plonked herself on the grass by the play area and pulled on Chris' hand to join her. "Are you sad?" Chris looked at her face, "Yeah, I guess I am a little bit." The four year old looked quizzically, "Why?" Chris sighed, "It's hard to explain, but my Mom and Dad didn't want me to come back to you guys. They got angry and said some mean stuff about me not being allowed to talk to them anymore because I wouldn't do what they wanted." Rose chewed her cheek and put her small hand on Chris' arm, "You know what Mommy says?" Chris shook his head, "She says sometimes the people who made you can't be the ones who look after you. That's why she's my Mommy and Emmie's Mommy." Chris turned to look at this child he had so much love for and she continued, "Aunty Margie and Maxy didn't make Mommy or my Daddy, but they are their parents. They're taking care of you now, so they can be yours too." She climbed onto his knee to throw her arms around his neck before wriggling down and saying, "Come on, let's play."