Broken Ties

Chapter Three

Gloria got off the train.She couldn't believe that Ralph filed for divorce,took their car, and daughter, and left for Duckburg.Was getting pregnant by her lover,Dave Plucker,wrong?yes, but could he at the very least suck it up, and pretend that the child's his?Also yes.Instead, he acted like a baby,called her out on getting pregnant by Dave, and what he called 'entitlement', and left.
But it didn't matter, Gloria knew where Ralph was.He was at her cousin,Emilie's ,house, and if not there,a different cousin of hers.Unfortunately, she had no idea where Emilie lived.Thankfully,Uber existed.
"Where to,ma'am?"asked the driver.
"The Gander house."said Gloria.
"Know the address?"
"No."
"Well, that's what GPS is for."said the driver as he typed in 'the Gander house' into the GPS.
Gloria didn't say anything as the driver took off.She brought some clothes with her,enough for a week at least.After all, she was sure that she could convince Ralph to come back to her.Gloria had to,her parents weren't happy when they found out about the divorce.
Gloria tried to convince them that it wasn't her fault, but unfortunately Ralph told his parents about what he called "problems" in their marriage,who told her parents.They weren't problems as her in-laws said,as dramatic as their son,she just had some suggestions for Ralph, and demanded that he give her whatever she wanted.It wasn't her fault that Ralph took it wrong, and couldn't make her happy.If he could,she would probably have never ran into the arms of Dave.
But her parents didn't pay that.They told her that she should have been a loyal wife, and talked to Ralph about her needs.Like she would really do that.But what she would do is try, and convince Ralph that she's changed, and for him, and Maryanne to come back home with her.Not that she had a choice,it was either fix her marriage,or be disinherited.Something Gloria didn't want.
Gloria's thoughts were interrupted by the Uber driver honking the horn of the car.
"What's going on?"Gloria snarled.Couldn't this idiot see how important this trip was to her?
"The Gander house is in a gated community."explained the driver.
Gloria punched the back of the driver's seat.Of course Emilie would live in a gated community.No doubt to inconvenience her.
"What's with the honking?"said the man at the gate.
"This lady wants in."explained the driver,pointing towards Gloria in the back.
The man looked at Gloria,then back at the driver.
"Sorry,we can't just let anybody in here."the gatekeeper told the driver.
"Listen you!My cousin,Emilie,lives here!Emilie Gander!Call her!She'll tell you!"Gloria yelled at the gatekeeper.
"Alright,alright.But I need your name first."said the gatekeeper,fighting the urge to call her 'Karen'.
"Gloria.Gloria Duckberg."
"Okay,hold on."said the gatekeeper before picking up a phone.
Gloria didn't say anything as the gatekeeper was talking to somebody,presumably Emilie,on the phone.She hoped Emilie would let her in.If she didn't then Gloria will tell her that she's pregnant.Emilie can't refuse her.
"Mrs.Gander knows you.But she's not letting you in."said the gatekeeper finally.
"What?!You tell her that she has to! I'm pregnant!It's wrong to not take care of a pregnant woman!You tell her that!"Gloria yelled at the gatekeeper.
"Okay."
The gatekeeper repeated what Gloria said into the phone.Gloria knew that Emilie's sense of morality will make her help her out.Too bad Gloria didn't know her cousin very well.
"She said she's coming."said the gatekeeper.
"I knew it."said Gloria with a smirk on her face.Already she was imagining being in the Gander house, and demanding Ralph to come back to New York with her.She already came up with the perfect excuse.
'I've changed.' thought Gloria.
Oldest excuse in the book.And completely false.
Then Emilie arrived.Gloria,too egoistic to notice that Emilie had a smirk on her voice, and her hands behind her back,took her bags out of the back of the car.
"I knew you'd come to your senses!Now help me with my bags!You can't expect me to carry them. I'm pregnant!"said Gloria.
Emilie didn't say anything.She just continued to smirk.
"Why aren't you helping me?!"shrieked Gloria.
"You said 'It's wrong to take care of a pregnant woman.', but yet,you,Uncle Harold, and Aunt Charlotte had no problem abandoning me, and my siblings when the synagogue cut us off when we accepted Danielle, and Kelly's lifestyle,causing us to be homeless for three years."said Emilie.
"You know what it says in the Torah about homosexuality!"
"And you know what it says about taking care of orphans,which we were."
"But I've changed!"said Gloria,hoping it'll work.
It didn't.
Emilie laughed, and kept laughing.....for 15 minutes.Something that angered Gloria to no end,as opposed to the Uber driver, and the gatekeeper, who were confused to no end.
"You've changed?!You expect me to believe that?!You're impregnated by another man that's not your husband!You must want something!Tell me what you want!"Emilie said while continuing to laugh,although she needed to take a breath every now, and again by now.
"You're right.Mama, and Papa said that they'll disown me, and write me out of the will, and put you,your siblings,spouses, and kids in my place."admitted Gloria,hoping that that would gain Emilie's sympathy.
Either Gloria was underestimated Emilie's vindictiveness, or she was incredibly stupid,because this just made Emilie smile.
"And you expect me to help you after hearing that?"said Emilie.
"Yes."
"Well,okay.Here's $800 for you, and $1,000 for the driver.There's a hotel on the west side of Duckburg called Ducky Hotel.Why don't you stay there?"said Emilie as she handed the amount of money that she mentioned to the acceptable people.
"Are you serious?"yelled Gloria.
"Oh,she's serious."said the gatekeeper,noticing,like Gloria, and the driver,that Emilie had turned around, and left.
Gloria threw her bags back in the car.She couldn't believe that her cousin was so vindictive.What happened to them happened years ago,besides they're no longer homeless anymore.So,shouldn't they get over it?Gloria certainly thought so.And the fact her parents were going to change their will!She would have thought Emilie would have cared about that!After all,she was now related to Scrooge McDuck,what did she need money from her parents for?Gloria didn't know what her other cousins did,but she was sure they were well off too.
"We're here."said the driver at long last.
Gloria got out of the car while the driver got her bags out of the back.She couldn't help but stare at Ducky Hotel.It looked like the hotel in Psycho.
"Wow.Remind me never to make your cousin mad.Well,bye!"said the Uber driver leaving as fast as he could.Clearly he didn't want to be a place that looked like murders happened.
Gloria walked in nervously.If the person behind the desk looked like Norman Bates,she was leaving.Thankfully,the person behind the desk was a 30 year old looking woman who dressed like she was still in her teens, and was chewing gum.
"Um-hello?"said Gloria.
"How long are you staying?"asked the woman.
"About a week."
"That long,huh?Here's your key."said the woman throwing a key at Gloria.
Gloria flinched as the key hit her in the face. She looked at the key.
'Room 13.' Gloria read,but she had no idea where it was.
"Uh-can you tell me where my room is?"Gloria asked the woman.
"You got legs.You can figure it out."said the woman as she blew a bubble.
Gloria began to fume.She wondered if she could name drop Scrooge in an attempt to get the woman to help her find her room.Unfortunately, she never got the chance.
"Hey,you done here?We need a room for an hour."said a woman's voice behind Gloria.
Gloria turned around, and saw a scantily clad woman with a man.Gloria suddenly realized what kind of hotel Ducky Hotel.
"Ducky Hotel is a whore house?!"Gloria screamed.
"Who are you calling a whore,bitch?"the prostitutie snapped at Gloria.
Gloria decided to leave, and find her hotel room.She wasn't stupid enough to start a fight with a prostitutie.When Gloria got to her room she was shocked at how clean it was, but she didn't have time to admire the surprising cleanliness of the place.
Gloria was so sure that she was able to convince Ralph to come back to New York with her, but she didn't even get to talk to him.Gloria had to figure out a new strategy to prevent herself from getting disowned, and more importantly,disinherited.
She could call, and ask to Ralph,but she didn't know the Ganders' phone number.Gloria could return tomorrow, but it'll probably be a repeat of what happened today.Suddenly,it dawned on Gloria-Scrooge McDuck.
Scrooge McDuck was always going on, and on about how important family was to him.If Gloria told him what Emilie did,he'll probably force her to take in!And Emilie would be forced to listen, and she'll be able to convince Ralph to come back to her in New York!
Gloria got up from the bed,thinking what a genius she was for coming up with such a genius plan.