You're okay

•20•

We had landed back home in Atlanta. Mom, Dad and I walked back into the manor.

"We really need to discuss our grand entrance for this interview. I was thinking that maybe we..." Mom trailed off as we walked in to see Jeff sat at a desk in the middle of the foyer.

"Oh, welcome back, newlyweds and Dani. It's good to have you home," Jeff said.

"I have so many questions," Mom said.

"I only have one," Dad said.

"Why is there an office set up in the foyer of my house?" Mom asked.

"Yeah, that was mine," Dad said.

"Well, because I live here now. Your mother double-crossed me, so I amended our divorce settlement, - and I won't be moving out until she signs it," Jeff said.

"Well, even if that made sense, there are dozens of rooms in this house that you could set up in. I mean, I literally have an office and a sewing room upstairs that I've never even seen," Mom said.

"Well, I need to pressure your mother. That way she'll agree to our divorce faster, and I can go home," Jeff said.

"Okay, putting the fact that we are now living in a sitcom aside, Liam and I have an important TV interview that we are doing from this very room tomorrow, so if you could just move everything out of..." Mom was cut off by Jeff's phone ringing.

"Sorry, hang on one sec. Oh, I need to take this. Something big is about to go down in this office," Jeff said stepping away. 

"Not an office," Mom called after him.

"This is all insane, especially when jet-lagged, so I'll be asleep, dreaming of the Maldives," Dad said. Mom kissed his cheek. Dad walked away.

"I lost my connection. What happened to the Wi-Fi?" Jeff asked.

"I was just playing with my new toy. It's called a Wi-Fi jammer. Could that have ended your call? I'm so sorry for your loss... of signal. Welcome home, sweetheart. I want to hear everything about your trip," Alexis asked from the balcony at the top of the stairs.

"I mean, clearly, I've stepped into an alternate reality," Mom said.

"Alexis, you turn that thing off," Jeff said.

"Happily. Simply agree to my new divorce terms, including more cash and restarting excavation on the diamond mine. Then you can move back into your own mansion with your own private office and close all the deals that you want," Alexis said.

"I'm gonna go hide somewhere," I said. Mom kissed my head. 

Timeskip

I walked back into the manor after spending the day with TJ.

"You look nice. Going somewhere?" Mom asked.

"I've been out all day. With TJ," I said.

"Right you did tell me," Mom said. "How was it? Did you have fun?"

"Yeah. We went to go look at colleges" I said as we started walking upstairs.

"Are you thinking about going to college?" Mom asked.

"I'm not sure," I said. "Unless you and Dad want me to go to college," 

"We just want you to be happy. It's your future you get to make the choices that affect that," Mom said.

"Can I drop out of high school?" I asked. Mom laughed.

"No. You have to graduate high school," Mom said as we walked into Mom and Dad's bedroom. Dad was fixing his suit.

"Well, you're finally getting your wish," Mom said to Dad.

"Mm, private Jefferson Starship concert?" Dad asked.

"No. We're moving out," Mom said. Dad and I turned to face her. "And getting far away from my mother. I am going to tell the million people watching our interview, plus a certain investment group, that the Fallon Unlimited brand is thriving, and that I officially have nothing to do with the Carrington dynasty madness anymore. Done," Mom said.

"Okay," Dad said.

"Well, your mouth is saying "okay," but your face is saying "no-kay," Mom said.

"I know you, Fallon. We can move 10,000 miles away, but you'll still be connected to this family. Your mother behaving like a child... that's on her. But you being the mature one... that's on you. Moving away won't solve anything," Dad said.

"Why couldn't I have married beautiful but dumb?" Mom asked.

"Because that's my job," I said.

"You're not dumb," Mom said.

"You're right. I just don't like school," I smirked.

"I'm going to deal with my mother," Mom said before walking out.