Chapter 14: Never Won Any Awards for Bein’ Smart
What the fuck?!?! Was that a door slam? Ugh, I got the worst taste in my mouth. Fuckin' never drinkin' like that again.
Shit!! I didn't mean to fall asleep like that last night. I was gonna just chill out for a bit, but I fuckin' fell asleep!!
Oh shit, B's gonna be so pissed at me it's not even funny!! I can't believe I actually fell asleep!!
I guess it was the case of beer I downed last night that did it. That and the half a bottle of Jack that I drank to get through the "memorial" D & D, game. I didn't get involved with the actual game because I don't know how to play, and I was too drunk for them to teach me, so I sat next to Xander and cheered him on. I was callin' out shit like "Mama needs a new pair of shoes!!" on important roles. He was lovin' it.
The guys ended up bein' pretty cool, well, not ‘cool' in the sense that you'd want to hang with them everyday, but they were nice, and sometimes they said really funny shit. Especially to crack on each other. Shit like, "You're so stupid you can't even use a binary clock." or "You're mother is so dumb she thinks ‘Queen Amidala' is that rap chick who was in Dreamgirls."
Fuckin' funny stuff.
But you know what's not funny? A pissed off Buffy. Shit, I'm so dead. She didn't get off last night, which means she's gonna be mega horny, and then she's not gonna put out for me out of revenge, since I was such a bitch with the comeuppance, and in the mean time she's gonna get her period and not wanna do anything when she stops bein' mad.
So, yeah, you guessed it, that's gonna mean she's gonna be cranky like you wouldn't believe.
Shit, why do I gotta do shit like that?
After makin' coffee and takin' a shower, I have myself convinced that B's not mad. I mean it would be logical right? I was a bit drunk, she was in heat, we fucked each other silly the night before. When you add that up it spells fallin' asleep in the middle of sex.
I'm so fuckin' dead.
I go about my day with tryin' to keep positive.
After I pack my shit and load our stuff into the car, I head off to Giles'.
I snag a spot right in front of the building. Awesome!! Today's my lucky day!
I sneak into the class B's teachin' and I watch her go through her routine. She's tryin' to achieve inner peace, but I can tell by the look on her face that's not happenin'. Her horny has been thrown back into her face and she's hella pissed!!
Fuck, I don't want another scene in here, especially not so soon after I tried to kill Steph, so I go out and wait in the car.
Within about 30 minutes she's done and headed outside. She spots the car. God damn, if looks could kill I would have been annihilated just then, car and all.
She gets in, throws her bag in the back and slams the car door. Fuck, I hate it when people do that, but I don't dare say shit about it.
With my heart in my throat I say, "Hey, baby. How was class?"
She lets out a dangerous laugh and I shut the fuck up. She doesn't even look at me, she's starin' straight ahead. I pull out of the space and head out towards the Triborough Bridge. If she doesn't want to go to see my family with me I'll be crushed, so I just pray that she doesn't want me to turn around and head back down town.
After about 15 minutes of inchin' our way towards the bridge she tells me to pull over. Fuck, she's so pissed at me she's gonna take the subway back home.
I do as she says, tears are fighting their way to my eyes, but I don't wanna cry like a pussy in front of her. I've done that enough lately. I'd tell her I'm sorry though, I don't wanna lose her, I just wanna wait for the right time.
When the car stops she jumps out, slams the door, and waits next to it, she's so annoyed I can see it in the way she's standin' there, fuck, her bag's in the back seat. I unlock the rest of the doors. She almost rips the door off, gets in, pushes her bag to the front seat and then slams the back door shut.
Phew, she might be wantin' to kill me but at least she's still comin' with me.
I decide to try to joke around, so I put on my cab driver voice, "Where to, beautiful?"
"Faith, I'm this close to breaking rule number one and kicking you in the back of the head, just drive! I'm going to try to get some of the sleep I didn't get last night." God damn, I'm glad she doesn't get mad at me too often anymore, her tone is killer.
"Ok" I don't know why I stopped myself from sayin' sorry. I guess I feel like I might cry if I do, and like I said, for some reason I don't wanna cry around her right now. She'll probably kick me in the head if I say sorry anyway.
I turn up the radio a bit, I had been listening to the radio while waitin' for her.
"Isn't there anything besides classical you can put on?"
What? Don't make fun, I like to listen to classical sometimes, it's soothin'.
"Ya know what? Fuck it!" She says with such venom my heart jumps, "Leave it, it'll help me sleep."
Lookin' in the rearview mirror I can see she's tryin' to get comfortable. I haven't pulled out of the space yet, so I get out and pop the trunk, I've got her pillow in here, I know how she likes to take her own pillow when we stay places, I also brought her favorite sweatshirt so she doesn't have to be all uncomfortable in her jacket in the car. I grab those and the comfy blanket I thought she might like also, ‘cause it's still pretty cold out and I don't like to have the heat on that high, especially on long trips, it puts me to sleep.
And God forbid I fall asleep while drivin', after we were killed, Buffy would bitch at me all durin' the afterlife.
I open the opposite side door in the back and put the sweatshirt, pillow and blanket on the seat next to her. She doesn't say anything and I try not to make eye contact. Then I get back in the driver's seat and pull out into traffic. Buffy's finally comfortable in the back seat and I can hear her light snores. That's pretty cute.
At least she hasn't killed me yet.
About two hours later I see a sign for a rest area, I need to stop to take a pee, Buffy probably does, too. I also want some coffee or somethin'. I've been pretty upset the whole trip so I haven't even been hungry at all.
Yeah, a first, I know. Fightin' with Buffy does that to me though, come to think of it so does fuckin', we get so into it we forget to eat. Until we wake up, then we better have something quick to eat at hand ‘cause we're starved.
I hear B stirrin' and she finally says, "I need to use the bathroom."
"'Kay, there's a rest stop about a minute or so up the road, I was about to pull in."
No answer.
My stomach feels tight, her attitude is killin' me, but I guess I deserve it.
I pull into the rest stop and she doesn't even wait for me to get out, she grabs her purse and runs into the buildin'. I feel like I've been slapped.
Why do I feel like this? I knew I was in for it, I shouldn't let it bother me. But my heart has that fucked up feelin', like if she doesn't talk to me soon, like really talk to me, it's gonna implode.
It takes me a few minutes to gather my strength and get out of the car. B's comin' out of the women's toilets as I'm goin' in, she speeds up so she doesn't have to pass me and she heads towards the Cinnabon. Guess she's hungry.
After I take care of business I go towards the Cinnabon, B hasn't really moved up that far in line, someone orderin' is takin' a really long time to decide what they want, plus it looks like there's only one person workin' there.
I stand behind the guy who's standin' behind, B.
She sneaks a peak to see where I am, she spots me behind the dude. The barest hint of a smile graces her face and then she goes all ‘Fuck you' again and her scowl is back. She turns towards the counter. Finally, she gets to order. She orders four regular cinnamon rolls with extra cream cheese icin' a small coffee and a large orange juice. Any other time I would say two of those cinnamon rolls were for me. But, for one, she probably didn't eat breakfast and for two, she hates me. Simple as that. She gets her order and passes by me without a look. The guy in front turns his head to check out her ass.
"Eyes front, buddy. You're up next." I growl as my fist clenches. But shit, don't need to get all violent on him just because B's got a sweet ass. Just as long as they don't hit on her, or actually, keep hittin' on her once they know we're together, then I'm cool with it. Not like I don't check out hot asses or tits when I'm out and about.
The dude doesn't say shit, ‘cause he's embarrassed at bein' busted, and gives the clerk his order. My turn next and I order a coffee and a bun I also get a couple of bottles of water, not really that hungry but I gotta have somethin' to go with the coffee and B's gonna want some water, she's so pissed off she forgot to buy some.
B's done puttin' the cream and sugar in her coffee, I know she was takin' her time because she knows I have the keys to the car and she'd be too stubborn to ask me for ‘em. I decide not to put any cream or sugar in my coffee ‘cause she's already headin' towards the exit and I don't want to have her hafta wait in the cold for me. Fuck, I can't do it, I grab some packets of sugar and creamer to go.
Buffy was walkin' really fast so when I get out of the place she's almost at the car. I click the door opener and she opens the door and plops herself in the back seat.
Again, I get that fucked up feelin', I should just go apologize.
But I'm a pussy, so I don't.
She's busy wolfin' down her food when I get back in the car. I fix my coffee with the cream and sugar and inhale half of the bun, and I hear B sigh irritatedly. She starts to get out of the car.
"Where ya goin'?"
"Not that it's any of your business but I forgot to get some water."
"Wait!" I stop her before she's all the way out of the car.
"What?!"
I hold one of the bottles out to her. She gets back in and shuts the door. I think we're makin' progress, the shuttin' door didn't make my hair fly up or my ears pop. She takes the bottle from me and mutters a thanks.
"Welcome," I'm kinda chipper ‘cause she seems to be warmin' up to me, but I don't fuckin' push my luck. She needs space and time. Fuck, I hope it doesn't take the fuckin' infinite frontier. "We're about half way; I'll wake ya when we're there?"
"Yeah"
I nod at her in the rearview and wait until she's done drinkin' her water, I reach back for the bottle and she hands me that and her other trash.
Once she's settled back into position I pull out. That reminds me of what I did last night, and I wanna fuckin' drop down on my knees and beg her for forgiveness, but she's already snorin', so I just concentrate on gettin' us there safely.
We'll work out me bein' a major fuckup later.
Fuck, we're here. I pull up to the house next door and just shut the car off.
Damn, it hasn't really changed, but it looks a hell of a lot smaller than when I was here last. I always used to think the house was huge. Now it looks tiny. The street even looks narrower. Weird.
I spend a few minutes musterin' the courage to wake Buffy, I really don't wanna go in there fightin' but I don't feel like I have a right to ask B to not hate me. Even just for a few hours. I don't wanna ‘cause a scene in front of my family and not just for my sake, but I know Buffy doesn't wanna look like a total bitch in front of ‘em. Not like it wouldn't be justified.
Fuck, I'm so stupid, I ruin every fuckin' thing I touch.
I turn around to wake her, she looks like a sleepin' angel. I touch her knee gently and feel a jolt of electricity, followed by a deep regret and this time I can't control my tears. Thankfully, I don't blub. They're just silently fallin'.
"Hey," I shake her knee gently. "Hey B, we're here." My voice somehow manages to remain steady, I don't deserve whoever is blessin' me with that.
She opens her eyes and looks around the car, tryin' to get her bearin's. Her eyes blink the sleep out of ‘em and she yawns and stretches. She looks out the window.
My heart is poundin' and feels like it breaks off and lodges in my throat, I'm anxious to hear what she's gonna say.
If she says somethin' like, ‘Let's get this over with.' or ‘Don't expect me to be nice to you just ‘cause we're meetin' your family.' I don't know what I'd do. Probably pussy out and go back home.
"Is it the blue one?"
"Yeah, with the black car in the driveway."
"Pretty," She sighs. Here it comes. "Look, Faith. I'm mad at you but I don't hate you, do you understand?"
I feel relieved a bit, but I don't know where she's goin' with that so I still hold my breath.
I shrug my reply.
"Yeah, real good, try to piss me off even more."
Shit, I gotta fix this now. "I'm sorry, B. I didn't mean to fall asleep last night! Honest. I was just kinda kiddin' around ‘cause you left me hangin' with the geeks. But then I guess I was exhausted ‘cause I fell asleep for real."
"Yeah, well you smelled like beer and Jack so I should have known you were in danger of passing out, I just never thought it was possible for you to do that during sex. I would have bet my life on the opposite."
No fuckin' way her life is worth bettin' on my worthless ass.
I sigh, "Buffy, I know ‘I'm sorry's' not gonna cut it. What do you want me to do?"
"Well, first I want you to not look like someone stepped on your puppy and killed it. And next I want you to get out and open the door for me. You're gonna be my slave for the day. Tonight we'll work out what your punishment will be. And don't get that look on your face, it's not gonna be sexual. Even if I wanted that, I got my period this morning so there won't be any of that for at least three days."
FUCK!! I guess I saw that one comin' already, but I didn't wanna admit it. Fuck.
"And don't worry, I'm not gonna give you a hard time around your family. But I'm not gonna be overly kissy-kissy, ok?"
"Ok," She's already doin' more than I deserve her to do. Plus, I wouldn't be all kissy-kissy with anyone I brought home to meet my family. I think that people that suck face right in front of their family, especially at the dinner table, is really fuckin' disrespectful. Don't get me wrong, a couple of kisses is ok, but when your date's tryin' to get their tongue down your throat and their family's all starin' makes me wanna rip their tongue out with my teeth. Yeah, it happened to me once, never again, though.
I get out and open the door for her. I offer her my arm and she hooks hers through it, it's a bit chilly so I pull her closer. Gotta get some closeness after that ride we just had, I felt so fuckin' alone.
*DING DONG*
Shit, my heart is goin' a mile a minute.
"Relax, baby. Everything'll be ok."
She called me baby, I wanna cry. Again.
I already wiped my tears and fixed my makeup so I will myself to keep it together.
The door opens.
"Oh, my god!! They're here!!"
Aunt Dee holds her arms out to me. Fuck, she hasn't changed a bit.
She tries her best to squeeze the life outta me and then lets me go. She fixes her gaze on Buffy.
"So, this is Buffy, huh?"
B looks a little nervous, she wants Aunt Dee to love her. Buffy nods her head
"Come give Aunt Dee some sugar, girly!" B smiles hugely and allows herself to be groped by my Aunt. I'm kiddin' about the groped, but my Aunt is one of those touchy feely people.
"Hey, Dee, you out here cheatin' on me with some hot broads?" Uncle Jimmy comes up behind her and gives me a smile and a wink.
"Shut up, Jim." Aunt Dee looks a little embarrassed and lets Buffy go but holds her at arms length. "You're such a pretty girl, couldn't do better than my loser niece, huh?" She's bein' funny but it really hits home and I have to look away. I pretend I'm lookin' at the house.
For some reason B's answer here means so much to me, but I know she's either not gonna answer and laugh it off, or say somethin' to break my heart.
"Faith's the only one for me. Even though she makes me so mad I wanna throttle her sometimes." She punches me lightly in the arm. It's the best punch anyone's ever given me. I'm so happy!
"Don't I know the feelin'! Sometimes I wanna bash Jim in the head with a baseball bat, dig a hole in the back yard and dump him. But then the dog would keep diggin' up my yard to get at his sorry bones."
Damn, Aunt Dee's hardcore!!
Uncle Jimmy laughs. "She's been promisin' to put me out of my misery for almost twenty years."
Aunt Dee turns to him to give him the mal' occhio, he swallows and comes out a bit to give us a proper greetin'. When we're all done, Aunt Dee ushers us inside and then blows out our ear drums.
"Ashleigh!! Julia!!! Leah!!! Wait is Leah here? No she's with her friend until later, right?" I think she's askin' herself those questions, at least I hope so, if she's expectin' an answer outta me she's outta luck.
Ashleigh calls out from upstairs, "What's all the commotion down there?!
"Your cousin Faith and her fiancée are here!!!"
I hear Ashleigh knock on a door and run down the hall while yellin', "Jules!! Come on!! Faith's here!!!!" She runs down the steps and jumps into my arms. Shit, it feels good to be wanted like this.
Jules comes runnin' down the steps, too and jumps onto Ashleigh and tries to muscle her way in, they're yellin' at me and squealin' happily, almost simultaneously, I shift ‘em so I can hold ‘em both. Fuck, they're so grown up but still exactly like the little kids I remember.
"Faith's always been so strong," Aunt Dee feels like she's gotta explain to B how I can carry them like this. "Shoulda entered her into the Olympics."
The girls get down finally, they shake B's hand politely and start bendin' her ear off about us livin' in NYC and her bein' from California, she looks like she's handlin' it well. Guess they remind her of Dawn.
Aunt Dee pulls me aside and whispers, "She's a real looker, and I'm not just sayin' that, Faith. You did a good job, not only is she a honey, but I can tell she's a really sweet girl."
I watch Buffy entertainin' my cousins and my Uncle with her stories of Sunnydale and I smile. I did do a good job. ‘Cept I tried to fuck it up last night.
"What's with the face? You two havin' problems?"
I shrug.
"Don't gimme that fuckin' shrug," She whispers angrily. "you always did that and now my kids do it and it makes me wanna smack ‘em. What happened?"
"I kinda played a stupid prank on her last night, she's mad at me but she's bein' good for you guys."
"Well, that's ‘cause she loves ya. I can tell. Look, even now when she glances over here she sees the girl she fell in love with," She chuckles. "right before she remembers you're the asshole that pulled a stupid prank."
I laugh.
"Deborah, is that Faith?" I hear a soft voice at the top of the steps. Oh shit, my Gee Gee.
"Yeah, Ma. Don't do the steps by yourself, we don't need ya pitchin' down, ‘em!"
"Send her up here, I want to talk to her a moment. I'll be in my room."
My grandmother has a slight Italian accent, she came over here when she was sixteen so she's lost most of it, she kinda sounds royal or somethin' it's the only way I can describe it.
Shit, I'm nervous.
I ask B if it's ok to leave her down here by herself with a quirk of my eyebrow, and she nods her head.
I might as well get it over with. I take the steps two at a time and make my way into my Grandma's room. Aunt Dee told me it was the first one on the left.
The doors open and I knock slightly before steppin' in the room. My grandmother's face lights up.
"Oh, Bella!" She holds her arms out. "Come here and give your Gee Gee a hug and a kiss, cara mia." I practically fly to her and she wraps me up in a hug. I start with the silent tears again. "Oh, Faith, I'm so glad you came back."
I feel like such a shit that I start cryin' a little harder.
"No, no tears," She says as her voice breaks. "You came back and that's all that matters." After comfortin' me for a while, she makes me sit on the bed and takes a seat next to me. She holds my hand and pats my leg.
"I'm so sorry for not keepin' in touch, Gee."
"No sorries, Faith. I mean it." I chuckle ‘cause that sounds familiar. "You're here now and that's good enough for me." She was always such a good woman, very gentle and understandin'.
Unless you did somethin' to hurt her on purpose, then she'd fuckin' gut ya. Mostly with the stink eye, but I don't wanna think about what else she's capable of.
"You brought a friend?" She smiles at me knowingly.
Damn, I'm fuckin' nervous to tell her I'm engaged to a woman.
"Yeah," I trail off.
"Your Aunt Deborah tells me she's from California."
"Yes, she's from L.A. and then moved to a town called Sunnydale, that's where we met."
"The one that was lost in the earthquake a couple of years ago?" She's a smart broad. Come to think of it she's a lot younger lookin' and less frail than I thought she would be.
"Yeah, she lost everything. I was there with her when it all happened." Side by side, makin' sure she didn't die.
"I'm glad you got out unhurt," Gee Gee squeezes my hand. "She's got family?"
"A sister, her mom died about a year or two before the earthquake."
"Oh! Such a shame." She clicks her tongue "And her father?" Gee Gee likes to get to know people before she meets ‘em. That's mainly why she called me up here.
"He's a dead beat. Never even got in touch with her after her mom died."
Gee Gee shakes her head. "Poor, poor girl. Her story sounds like someone else I know."
Heh. Yeah, me an B got a lot in common.
"True."
"Are you two happy together?"
I stiffen.
"No one told me, Faith. I'm not stupid. You didn't go to college so she can't be your college roommate, and I have an eye for these things. I can tell you're in love, and if you were so in love with a man, it would be him here with you now, not her."
She should be a watcher, she knows a lot just by observance.
"We're really happy together." I don't tell her about almost fuckin' things up. Of course.
"Good, that's all I want to know." She gets up and goes to her dresser. I see her pick up a bottle of perfume, probably wants to get gussied up for company. Not that she looks like she just got out of the hospital or nothin'. She kinda reminds me of Sophia Loren, beautiful, elegant and classy. Can't believe she's almost 80.
All of a sudden she fuckin' whips the bottle of perfume at me. I catch it just in time.
WHAT THE FUCK?! Gee Gee's gone crazy!!!! I get up to go call Aunt Dee up here.
"Sit down, Bella. I wanted to know something, and now I do." She's got a knowin' look on her face. "Or at least I think I might."
Huh?
"You wanna explain that?"
"The strength, the agility...the beauty." She smiles.
Fuck, no, she can't know! Can she?
"What're you gettin' at Gee, all I did was catch a stupid bottle."
"Sure, a bottle, yes. But what about the time you ripped the back door off its hinges and threw it half way across the back yard when your mother didn't come pick you up for your birthday? She had said she would, but she lied."
I mutter a sorry for the door.
"It's ok, mi dolce, I should have questioned you about it then, but I was too stunned to know you had the gift."
"What gift?"
"The gift of the Chosen."
Oh shit, for some reason my heart clenches and tears are tryin' to fight their way to my eyes. I gotta have my fuckin' tear ducts ripped out, they've been workin' against me too much lately.
I sigh out to try to keep from bawlin' again and go to Gee Gee's window to look out at the street. This is Aunt Dee and Uncle Jimmy's house now, but it used to be Gee Gee and Pops', I spent a lot of time in this very bedroom. It used to be my mom's and then would be my room when I would either run here, or when ma would ship me off here ‘cause she was too busy gettin' high.
"Not sayin' I'm one of those, but uhhh, how do you know about all that?"
"Smart girl, The Slayer shouldn't trust anyone, not even her family when it comes to keeping the world safe."
"I trust ya, Gee. But what's with all this ‘slayer' business?"
"In Palermo, when I was a young girl, I had a friend, we were practically raised together. One day, we were out gossiping and it was like a lightning bolt came down from the sky, she was hit with some sort of energy. She almost passed out and I had to help her back to her house. Within a few hours she realized she was exceptionally gifted with strength, speed, resilience, she had always had the beauty." Gee Gee chuckles.
"So how did you know about the Slayer thing, not that I'm sayin' anything."
"Yes, not that you're saying anything." She winks at me. "A man came, the next day. He said he'd been searching for her for almost a year."
"How old was she at the time?"
"When she became the slayer she was 15, same age as I was."
Adds up.
"I never heard of no Sicilian slayer." Shit, fuckin' can't even play dumb. I suck.
Gee Gee smirks, but doesn't call me on it.
"She went to great lengths to keep her identity hidden. She burned all of her watcher's diaries when she found out he kept them."
I want to tell her that I don't keep a journal and my first watcher's stuff is probably toast, but I still don't feel like tellin' her much.
"So, she shared all this stuff with you?"
"Yes, we had shared so much already, she tried to keep it hidden but one day she came in with such a gash in her side, Madonna Mia! I thought I would die from the sight! I helped her dress the wound, she wouldn't let me call the doctor. Within hours she was almost completely healed, just some superficial cuts and muscle pain that lasted about a week."
Sounds about right.
"What happened to her?"
"I don't really know. I wanted to believe that she came over here with her watcher. But I never heard from her again when she left, and of course I assumed she was dead when I heard of other slayers being called."
"You came to the U.S. about a year after she left your village?"
"Yes."
"Were you lookin' for her?"
"I did."
"Gee Gee, if you tell me you were gay I'm gonna pass out." Not that I would mind if my Gee Gee got girl love, but it would shock the shit out of me, for sure.
"Not gay, Faith. But is anyone really straight?" I hold onto the bedpost so my knees don't buckle. "I never had a sister and like I said, we were very close." Oh, ok.
"Did you follow many other slayer's lives?"
"I tried, but it was hard to keep up. Then I met your grandfather and he became my life."
"Gee Gee, I'm dyin' to know. How did you miraculously have kids after about a dozen years of tryin' without any luck?"
She leans in conspiratorially. "It's a really old ancient secret, can I trust you?"
"Of course." I hold my hand over my heart just for the drama.
"I stopped using birth control."
I'm confused, how the fuck did that help her have.....Oh, holy shit! That sly dog, she didn't have any problems havin' kids!
"Why didn't you tell anyone?"
"Your grandfather's family would have had us run out of South Boston. You couldn't use anything to stop having children in those days, not for a Catholic. I had a Jewish doctor and he was really progressive and discreet."
"You and Pops wanted to live it up a little before havin' kids, huh?" I wink.
"We wanted to be settled, yes. So many of his family, and mine in Palermo had kids too young. Not that we didn't have our problems with our children, but I think we were able to deal with it better by being settled."
Mystery solved then.
"When were you called, Bella?"
"1998."
"The foster mother, Emily, she was a watcher, no?"
"Yeah," I hope she doesn't ask too much about her.
"Who was the slayer before you?"
"Kendra, she was from Jamaica."
"Did you know her?"
"No. Why all the questions, Gee?"
"No reason, I just haven't talked to a slayer in a long time, I'm fascinated by the stories and the lives that are given so that others can go on about their daily routines unaware of the dangers that they escape."
Cool, my Gee Gee is the bomb!
"Tell your Buffy to come up here, I'd like to meet her without all the prying eyes around."
"Kay"
I go out to the staircase and call down for B. I can hear her talkin' and laughin' with the rest of the family.
"Yes?"
"Can you come up here please, Gee Gee'd like to meet you."
"She likes to meet people in private, without all the girls watchin', that means you too, Jim." Aunt Dee says with a laugh. Uncle Jim laughs, too. They're nuts together.
Buffy walks up the steps kinda nervously. "It'll be ok, B. Gee Gee's cool." I say quietly when she gets to the top of the steps. She nods and hooks her arm through mine again.
"Here she is Gee, my fiancée. Buffy Summers. B, this is my Grandmother Giulia "
"Come here, dear girl, do you mind if I give you a hug and a kiss?"
Buffy smiles, charmed already by my grandmother. "Not at all, it feels like I know you already. Faith's told me so much." Shit, she lied, but I hope she's not sayin' that sarcastically to let my Gee Gee know how much of an asshole I am. Although, she should, she totally should.
They hug and my grandmother gives B the traditional kiss on each cheek. "I'm sorry to hear of your mother, Faith tells me she passed a few years ago?"
Buffy gives Gee Gee a sad look and nods. "She had an aneurysm."
"Poor, dear." Gee Gee gives B another hug for comfort. "How's your sister?"
"She's doing well, she lives in England right now. Uhhh teaching and doing research."
"How wonderful."
"Yes, we're all really proud of her."
B looks at me and smiles, she knows I was up here spillin'; I didn't tell Gee Gee that B was the Slayer, too. It's my need to protect her that stopped me.
"They should be proud of you, too; the longest living slayer is not a feat that should go un-praised."
My eyes widen. Buffy looks at me puzzled.
"Faith didn't tell me, dear. I heard things through the grapevine. I was just telling my granddaughter about a friend I had back in Sicily."
Gee Gee tells Buffy the story. B's listenin' fascinated as she tells us some of the stuff she saw her friend do as the slayer.
"I wonder if Giles has anything on her." Buffy says to me.
"Is he your watcher?"
"Well, he's kind of all of our watchers now. We have a friend, who acts as our actual watcher."
"Faith," My grandmother turns to me. "I have a favor to ask of you."
"Anything, Gee Gee."
"Your Uncle John's girl, Francine, I think she has the gift."
"Little Francie?"
"She's not so little anymore."
"When did it happen?"
"About 3 months ago. I haven't been well enough to get her help. She's trying to fight against the fact that she's a slayer."
Damn, I wonder whose death caused her to be called.
Even though the slayer line is supposed to pass through me, the line is getting blurred as time goes on. Might be one day when any slayer dies, even the ones Will called, another slayer gets called in their place.
Guess that's how it should work, although I wonder if it'll fuck with the balance. We'll see. I'll have Dawnie look into it.
"She use her powers to hurt anyone?"
"No, she's upset at being called names, though." I bet, Boston school kids can be fuckin' brutal. "She can't even play soccer because they're afraid she'll hurt someone. She doesn't know her own strength."
"Is Uncle John willin' to let her study in NY?"
"He wants what's best for her."
"Have you told him about the slayer thing?"
"No, I keep it as quiet as possible, there are some in the family that would use it as a witchhunt."
Yeah, like my fuckin' father. Asshole.
"Francie and Uncle John comin' here later?"
"No, tomorrow. She's with that bitch, excuse my language, of a mother of hers."
My Uncle John has no luck with women, his first wife, Francie's mother left him for the plumber. I mean how fuckin' cliché can you get? But if it's bound to happen to someone, that someone is my Uncle John. I feel really bad for him though. He's such a cool guy. But he's kinda too nice.
"Ok, I'll talk to her if you want."
"That would be wonderful! Thank you, Bella, thank you." She takes my hands and kisses them. I give her cheek a kiss.
"No, Gee Gee, thank you."
"So, now, about this engagement. Where is the ring?" Gee Gee looks at Buffy and quirks an eyebrow.
Buffy holds her hand out to my grandmother, I'm glad she's still got it on, after my stunt last night I thought she might have taken it off. ‘Cause I'm stupid like that.
"Oh, so beautiful! You're Aunt Deborah will ask where the huge diamond is. She's such a how do you call it now? Gold digger?"
Me and B crack up laughin'.
"Yeah, that's how it's called. She's always been that way. I used to ‘borrow' her rings, and she'd charge me a rental fee."
"Did she tell you she has your mother's engagement ring?"
"What engagement?"
"The one that you weren't here for."
I hang my head in shame.
"Don't look like that, cara mia." She pulls my head up with her hand under my chin. "It was to someone she met in rehab."
"That the fucker who bought her the junk that killed her?"
"Yes, that's the one. And watch your mouth." She smiles at me to let me know she's not really mad that I cursed.
"Sorry"
"Buffy," Gee Gee turns her attention on B. "Tell me, have you planned a date for the wedding?"
"We haven't yet, we only just got engaged last week."
"On Valentine's Day?"
"Yes,"
"That's wonderful. I'm so happy for you both!" Gee Gee smiles a warm and loving smile. "You let me know, and I'll help you plan."
"You don't have to do that, Gee."
"I don't but I want to, you'll need money, no?"
"Not really," B looks at me curiously. "Got some saved up especially." I wink at her.
"Well then, save that towards having children." Gee Gee gives us both a ‘you are having children aren't you?' look. She's such a cool woman!
"Ok," It's pointless to fight with her about it, I'll only end up losin'.
"Good, we'll work out the details another time. And don't think I'm going to take over your planning, I'm merely here for help if you need it, and money."
Buffy and I each hug her in thanks.
"Now, Faith, do you mind going downstairs and seeing what your cousins are up to? They're probably plotting some prank to play on you as revenge for not keeping in touch."
I know her game, she wants me to leave her alone with Buffy for a bit. For some girl talk.
"Sure," I look at B to make sure she's ok with me leavin'.
"Don't worry about Buffy, we're going to talk some shop. She's in good hands."
I laugh. B holds out her hand to me and pulls me in for a hug. I gratefully accept it, although I don't deserve it.
"Relax, Faith," She whispers in my ear. "I won't tell her that I'm mad at you."
I give her a kiss on the side of her head. "Thanks, but you don't have to protect me, B. They already know what a fuck up I am."
She gives me a sad look.
"Whispering sweet nothings? How cute." Gee Gee smiles.
I go downstairs and wonder what they could be talkin' about.
As I hit the bottom of the stairs the door opens and in walks Leah with her boy in her arms.
"Holy shit!! She actually showed up!!"
"Leah, language!! The baby." Aunt Dee yells.
"Besides bein' deaf, the baby's gonna have a vocabulary full of nothin' but curses." Uncle Jimmy says. Leah hands Joey to him and then wraps me up in a huge hug.
"I can't believe it!! I can't believe it!!!"
"I told you I'd come."
"Yeah, I know. But I think this is the first time on record a Lehane kept their promise!"
I laugh. "Yeah well I'm a Lehane because my mother wanted me to be, you can't fault me for that."
I spy someone in the doorway, lookin' kinda nervous. She's pretty hot. What? I'm just lookin'!
"I'm sorry, my cousin has no manners." I pry Leah's arms off me. "My name is Faith. Nice to meet you." I hold my hand out to the pretty blonde.
"I'm Kara. I've heard a lot about you. And by a lot I mean A LOT." She says with a laugh.
"Yeah, I wondered why my ears were burnin' constantly."
"That's ‘cause you're such a loser."
"Leah, I'm not opposed to kickin' your ass in front of your family and your friend."
"She's not my friend." I narrow my eyes at her in confusion. "She's my girl. What you think you're the only lesbo in the family?"
Holy shit! Seriously, what the fuck's in the water?
"But..." The kid, what's with that? I don't wanna ask out loud in case it's somethin' that will cause a fight.
"But how come I had a kid?"
I nod. I mean I know we live in different times and all, but she's only 18, that kinda shit just doesn't happen in the young lesbian community, does it?
"Well, like I told you on the phone, I made a mistake, but Joe's a peach and things worked out." Leah takes Kara's hand and they both give each other lovin' smiles. Phew, good to know. Now I'll have to find out the scoop, but I don't wanna do it without B here, otherwise she'll be left outta the loop. She's probably not gonna let me talk to her later so I'd rather wait to find out the real deal.
Damn, I wonder what we're gonna do about the sleepin' arrangements now that B's pissed off at me.
I guess we'll deal with that later.
