Again

Chapter 18

Steve raises his fist to knock, and the last time he remembers being this nervous here was the first time his kids were on his side of the door.

He looks down at the phone clutched tightly in his hand, the screen displaying Eddie's message.

Whatever happens, we'll figure something out. ILY x

He hears a singular bark and a rush of feet toward the door. Then, finally, it swings open, and he's greeted by the beaming smile of Val, but Steve notes he looks a little tired around the eyes.

"Steven!!" He enthuses loudly, grabbing his shoulders and kissing each side of his face, just before he is almost pushed out of the way by a very excitable Beans. Steve ruffles the fur on her head, and she circles his legs until she's perfectly at his heel as Val waves him into the house.

Steve's stomach swirls with worry as he sits at the kitchen table, and Beans must be able to tell because she rests her chin on his leg as he pets her head gently. Steve laughs awkwardly, "Thanks for letting me come over. I know you're both gonna be so busy with everything now. I just wanted to speak to you both while the kids were at school" His voice drops to a whisper, "Speaking of which...Did you tell the kids yet?"

Val nods in response, "Oh yes, Jenny reminded me that you are almost as bad at keeping delicious secrets as I am. They also had The Talk again," Val adds, "Plus a little extra about it being early. Thought I'd let you know in case you get any questions fired your way about it."

"Right, got it" Steve nods as Val hands him a very uncharacteristic mug of hot chocolate. Steve's eyes move to his in question.

"For your nerves, Steven," Val says fondly, sits opposite and looks from side to side before leaning over the table and dropping his voice to a whisper. "Don't worry. Your Valentino has been putting in the groundwork for you." He makes a sure upside-down smile expression on his face, "We've got this covered. It only occurred to me the other day that, in some ways, you and I are similar, and I thought maybe Jenny and Eddie might have similarities too. Common ground, even if it is just caring fiercely about you?"

Steve's stomach swirling turns to a full-blown spin cycle, "Oh Christ, Val. I didn't even think about that. This is going to be so bad." Steve whimpers quietly.

Valentino tuts and amps up his accent. "No, Steven. Listen to Valentino. It's going to be ok. She doesn't want to ruin anything for you."

"Oh no, it's not that, Val. You don't understand. You've met a much mellower Jenny for the most part" Steve checks over his shoulder and leans in again, "Remember that time Penelope Hasselbank's mom insulted Corey's finger painting? Said it looked like a brown blob because he mixed all his paints together?"

Val's eyes widen as he leans back in his chair, twists the kitchen towel over his shoulder between his fingers, and says quietly in horror, "And then she laughed at it...."

"And then she laughed, Val. For months later, that woman had to continually replace tires because a 'Masked youth' kept slashing them, then had to change her cell number because she was getting calls from people asking for a 'good time' and to this day, she always looks like she sparkles because of how many times she got glitter bombed at least once a week, at home, at work, on holiday. Remember that?" Steve raises a finger on his hand at Val before submitting the one next to it, "Now times that by two, and put it in the same room."

"Il mio dio e lo spirito santo" Val says, crossing himself.

"Precisely! Though I trust whatever you've done will have helped," Steve says with as much of a smile as he can muster.

Footsteps approach the kitchen. "Where is he?" Val whispers quickly.

"I've hidden him in the back seat of the car," Steve says, trying not to laugh, but Val's booming laugh makes him completely lose it into a fit of giggles, probably mostly charged by nervous energy.