"This is stupid, I can't believe you're actually going through with this. We'll get caught!" a muscle above Phanos eyebrow twitches the cold coffee in his hands irritating him as much as listening to Mina's bitching. It was only a matter of time before Buckingham left Denny alone, he'd strike then. The other night at the window had been a fluke of nature, Lindsey had gotten lucky or years of coke use had made him a paranoid mess. Either way he'd blocked Denny's window and hadn't removed the dresser. After cursing all the way down the drive way Phanos had come to the conclusion that he'd have to isolate Denny while the three were in public.
A more difficult task to be sure, Stevie from all outward appearances seems to be sticking close to home. Only occasionally venturing into LA for the odd ballet lesson or a recording session with her band. Lindsey, the notorious industry hermit, stays home. The door to his bunker cracked so that he can listen for Stevie's car to return from downtown and the two of them can drive off to pick up Denny from school. They spend hours at Hunter's bedside in the meantime. And a splashy abduction in an expensive TBI clinic is tantamount to suicide.
Shuffling around the corner Phanos watches the threesome at the small burger shack Lindsey's brought them to for dinner. They spent about six hours at the hospital today after picking up Denny, only calling it quits when the little boy began to grow restless and hungry. He watches with no small amount of jealous anger at how close and loving the two are with their grandson. His own family had shunned him most of his life, his mother having been a prostitute from a conservative orthodox family. She was an outcast an embarrassment, and he spent many cold and lonely nights in hotels with her and her johns with headphones on his ears while his mother took care of her "dates".
Shaking away the ghosts of his past Phanos observes the three as they share a large chocolate milkshake. Denny and Stevie pull back, from a brain freeze no doubt, but Lindsey keeps going slurping up the last of the creamy drink and pinching the bridge of his nose from pain. Stevie giggles and Denny does too high fiving his grandpa and signing animatedly at how cool he is. Phanos shakes his head, Buckingham is an old stoner, and a current drunk. He probably has very few brain cells left to freeze, not really a cool trick as much as it's a sad one.
Tossing the remainder of his coffee to the trash Phanos looks over at Mina, she's shuffling from foot to foot with her hands in the pockets of her coat. It's chilly out, cold for Los Angeles but not unseasonably. The fall drifted into winter about a week ago the holidays approaching rapidly as the hustle and bustle of the streets meanders around the jolly atmosphere. Looking back in the restaurant Phanos watches as Lindsey stands from the table, digging for his wallet so he can pay the check at the counter. Stevie grabs his wrist briefly saying something to him, he smiles bends at the waist and kisses her cheek softly rubbing the back of her hand as he departs the table. It's a sickeningly domestic picture.
Stevie stands up then grabbing Denny's hand and walking to the back of the restaurant. The two disappear into the family restroom and Phanos understands. Itching his cheek he contemplates his options, he could ambush Stevie inside the bathroom. She's not big or strong enough to give him any trouble, but she'd make a fuss likely a loud one and there are far too many curious people in the restaurant to make a clean getaway with a screaming child and a frantic celebrity couple chasing him. Wrong place wrong time.
"Phanos...lets go...please this is stupid" the coffee cup is empty so he throws it to the ground snatching Mina by the throat and dragging her around the corner of the restaurant well out of the line of sight of prying onlookers "I've told you a million times about talking back to me! You don't make the fucking rules I do! You don't tell me what to do, I tell you!" balling up his fist Phanos strikes Mina just below her nose splitting her lip and chipping her tooth. She falls to the ground but doesn't cry out, she knows it'll just make him mad if she does. Running a hand through his coal black hair Phanos pulls a pack of cigs from his pocket and lights one taking a long drag and watching the smoke dissipate into the cool air.
