Dandelions

Hen Wilson

Edited 28/10/2025

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"Hen! Can you believe this?!" Chimney whined, again, prompting Hen to force down a sigh. This was the sixth time she'd had to hear the same rant in less than an hour.

"Chim, not all couples tell each other everything," she reminded him, tone patient but firm. "Maddie's allowed to have her own privacy."

"I know!" Chimney said quickly, nodding like he'd already agreed — even though he clearly hadn't. "But don't you find it weird that the Buckley parents just showed up out of nowhere? The wedding's still months away."

Hen had to admit, it was strange. Margaret and Phillip Buckley had been working hard to make amends with their kids, especially after the lightning incident. But for them to suddenly come to LA and plan to stay a few weeks? She could see why Chim was spiraling.

"I mean, they've been babysitting Jee, which is great! I've taken Maddie out three times this week!" Chimney went on without pausing for breath. "But now Jee keeps talking about a 'pretty house.' You don't think they're moving here, do you?!"

The look of panic on his face would've been hilarious if Hen hadn't been starting to feel the same creeping dread herself.

"God, please no," Hen muttered. "Athena would kill them."

"You're right! The only thing keeping Maddie's parents alive are the many states between them!" Chimney's voice was rising again, his hands flying around for emphasis.

"They're Buck's parents too," Hen pointed out, making Chim stop mid-spiral. He blinked at her like she'd spoken another language.

And sure, Hen got it. In the 118, there were some truths everyone accepted without question: Maddie and Buck were siblings. Margaret and Phillip were Maddie's horrible parents. But Bobby and Athena? They were Buck's parents. And May and Harry? Buck's younger siblings. Everyone knew it — even if nobody ever said it outright.

Hen sighed. "Let's calm down and just ask Buckaroo if he knows what's going on."

"Good idea!" Chim said brightly, immediately perking up as he bounded toward the stairs, taking them two at a time.

Hen shook her head, amused, and followed after him. But when they reached the loft, Chim wasn't pestering Buck at all. Instead, he was frozen mid-step, staring at something across the room.

Eddie and Bobby were locked in a tense stare-down, and Buck was caught awkwardly between them, looking like he'd rather be anywhere else.

Hen turned to Ravi, who was shifting nervously near the railing. "Ravi, what happened?"

Ravi winced. "Eddie was venting to Buck about his aunt trying to set him up on blind dates after the breakup with Marisol. Cap overheard and said Eddie should move on and put himself out there."

Hen groaned softly while Chim hissed under his breath. They both knew Bobby's timing could be... less than ideal.

"It's only been a month since the breakup," Hen muttered. "Both Pepa and Cap need to give the man a minute."

Chim glanced at Ravi. "So what happened next?"

Ravi grimaced. "Eddie looked at Cap — totally calm — and asked him to remind him how long it took him to move on from his first wife."

Hen and Chim both froze, then turned toward the silent standoff in disbelief.

"Damn," Chim breathed. "That's savage."

Hen nodded slowly, fighting back a wince. And though she'd never say it out loud, she couldn't exactly disagree with Eddie. Bobby meant well, but sometimes he pushed his own idea of healing onto others — first with Ana, now again. He seemed to forget how long it had taken him to move on.