Moving Forward

Family Meeting

Victor's POV

"There seems to be some concern about the Blackbourne Team spending Thanksgiving with us." Sven had gathered us all together. "I want to clarify the reason behind it." He hugged Raschel, who was cuddled into his side and seeking comfort. "They aren't the only guest that will be here. My father and grandfather will be present, as will Shan and Foxy. I have invited the Toma Team in hope they can ease the burden on you. The invitation wasn't extended to Blackbourne and Green for the simple reason that your families asked us not to invite them. While I understand that you have spent many holidays with your team, several family members were not included. I am sure Mrs. Lee is a wonderful woman but she is not your parent or guardian. The proper thing to do would have been to include all of your family or not attend the dinner. Relationships take work and that includes families. I don't expect you to live in their pocket or put up with them invading your private space. The three of you will still be working on the mission for Colt, the charity work you signed up for and your homework. Victor and Chel have a performance to prepare for and Luke has a big test coming up and needs to put some time in the kitchen." He tweaked Chel's nose. "This little monster is not going to react well with so many strangers in the house. It will be up to you two to watch over her and get her out of here when it becomes too much. Anyone have questions?"

"Do I have to let them enter my wing?" Princess sounded worried. I understood her concern. Her first meeting with North and Silas hadn't been pleasant for her. It was the same with Doc and she was furious at Owen's actions during the sparring match. I was certain if she had met them under normal circumstances, she would like them. Well she would as long North wasn't yelling and Doc wasn't wearing his white coat and carrying a needle.

No Baby Girl," Sven assured her. "Shan and Foxy will be using one of your guest rooms and these two will be bunking in with you. I don't want to take the chance of you entering their wing in the middle of the night and our guests getting the wrong idea. Colt and Uncle will use their rooms so they can keep an eye on them. Knowing Tilly, she will also be keeping them in line."

"We have the design ready for the maze," I informed Sven. "The Haunted House is almost complete. We only have to a couple more rooms."

"I get to be Chef la'Cannibale," Luke was excited at being part of the Halloween fun. "My school is going to be selling bake goods and hot drinks outside the attraction. We hope to earn enough money to get the ingredients to make pies for the Soup Kitchens."

"What will you two be doing?" My grandfather asked me.

"We will be running the control room. Only our ghosts will be in the Haunted House."

Chel giggled. "Victor will be playing the piano, his head sitting next to the candelabra. He will creep out everyone with his eyes following them."

"Raschel will be popping into view all over the house to ask people to save her." Luke snickered. "She will be a bloody mess."

"The crazed chef vowed he loved her and she refused him, choosing to remain with her husband. The chef was distraught and chopped her husband's head off and she still denied him. He killed her and they both haunt the chef, driving him further into madness." I tell them the story we are portraying.

"I will have to make sure I bring my movie camera with me when I go through the tour." Sven chuckled. "I'm sure Uncle with want to see Luke's starring role."

Colt snorted rudely. "I will make sure to bring my camera so I can get pictures of Sven freaking out."

"Ha, ha, very funny," Sven glared at him.

"You won't be able to help yourself." Colt taunted him. "One look at Kitten's bloody ghost and you will be ready to tear the place apart."

"I would pay to see that," my grandfather snickered with the rest of us.

One of my main concerns about the others being here was Black Friday. Princess, Luke and I had made plans to go shopping at the mall. I knew Gabriel would insist on coming with us. I didn't mind his presence, I wasn't sure how Princess would handle it. Gabe was very opinionated and Princess didn't like other people telling her what clothes to buy and wear. She had some fittings for the gown she would be wearing during our concert and I would be doing a final fitting for my tuxedo. Everything was being carefully planned to Nth degree due to the special finale we would be performing. Our clothing would be matching the concert theme, old-fashioned and Christmassy. We couldn't afford to have Gabe trying to change things to his own satisfaction.

The fact that Owen and Doc weren't being included didn't bother me. If I was being truthful, I was happy that I didn't have to spend another holiday with them. Sven was right when he said that we shut out our blood family in favor of a make believe one that we had chosen. Instead of learning how to deal with them, we choose to avoid them. Yes, my father was an asshole. Yet, I never once took the time to find out why. Before they left for Japan my grandfather sat us down and made us talk. He wouldn't let us leave, even when we ended up yelling at each other. Many things came out that I hadn't known. While I knew my father had taken my mother's last name when they married, I hadn't known that his father had been the town drunk in a small town in Georgia. That his father used to beat the shit out of him every night when he came home from the bar, hounded him the rest of the time. He worked hard in school, knowing it was his ticket out of his father's reach. There had been no Academy to help him. My mother made me understand that he didn't yell and scream at me because he didn't like me, he didn't know how else to reach me. I thought he wanted the money I earned and the fame it brought him for being the father of a Prodigy. I was wrong. The money that he earned as my manager was in a separate trust fund for me that he managed. She pointed out that never once had he raised a hand to me nor would he. After much discussion and yelling, we have reached a tentative truce. We would never be close. It didn't matter, we now understood each other. I wasn't blame free. I turned my back on them when I should have discussed the matter with my mother or grandfather. Instead, I took the matter to strangers. I allowed myself to be used and used their money to finance things for others. Owen didn't need the fancy house, expensive car and suits. It wasn't my place to buy North cars to work on, gym equipment for Nathan, Gabriel his art supplies and so on. I was doing them no favors. I had the lesson driven home shortly before we came to Boston. Two twelve-year-old boys killed a ten-year-old boy in Gabe's trailer park. They did it because they wanted the expensive tennis shoes he was wearing. Thanks to me, Gabe was always wearing designer clothes and expensive shoes. It made me sick that I could be responsible for someone killing Gabe because of something I bought him. I couldn't do it, the guilt would destroy me.