In-Laws

Part 7

Divide and conquer.  Reid realized if this was all going to play out the way he wanted, with Luke ending up at the top of the pyramid, divide and conquer had to be his strategy. 

The first, and probably easiest, step was to deal with making sure his mother learned the fine art of loosening up and becoming more human from the most well-adjusted person amongst them -- Ethan.

To the waiter’s delight, the tension-filled lunch ended rather quickly as conversation tapered off to near silence from the moment the meals had been served.  Confrontational subjects were discarded for topics no more contentious than the quality of the flight and how fast Ethan was growing. 

After picking up the tab, something Reid knew would subliminally put him in the driver’s seat, he ushered the group outside and away from the entrance. 

Immediately spotting the limo, he guided the group into the elegant car. Thank goodness Luke had a wide array of modes of transport available to him through contacts around the country.

Ethan was the first to break the extremely awkward silence with something more significant than a comment about the pleasant weather and Boston breezes.  “Where are we going?  Can I see the hotel now?”

“Funny you should mention that, kid.  We’re heading to the hotel as we speak and you’ll definitely see plenty of it, as will my mother.”

“Reid, this is silly.”  Miriam Oliver grimaced.  “I need to go home and make sure everything is in order for tomorrow.  I was going to arrange for a local newspaper to photograph the ceremony.  You deserve the exposure.”

Reid stared at his mother.  “The only photograph I want will be taken on my cell phone and text messaged to Katie so I still have at least one friend when I return to Oakhell.”

Luke’s eyes widened.  “You haven’t used that term in ages.”

“Well, the shoe suddenly fits again.  The hellish part seems to have found us here.”

“Hey!”

“Noah, be quiet.”  Reid was glad to see the not-so-evil-but-clueless ex listen and shut his mouth.

“Here’s the plan, Mother, and if you want any part of tomorrow you’ll listen to it and help out.  Ethan seems intrigued with the opportunity to play getting to know you with another grandmother.  This is his chance.”

“But, Reid.  Tomorrow--”

“Tomorrow will be perfect for Luke and me.  Isn’t that all that really matters?”

Mrs. Oliver nodded, wisely responding silently and positively to Reid’s unwavering instructions.

“It’ll be so cool!”  Ethan started bouncing in his seat; the only thing holding him in place was his seatbelt.  “I’ve got one grandmother who says she has more money than God and another who makes the best food in the world.  What’s your specialty?”

Reid snorted and Luke grinned. 

“My, my, young man.  I’m not sure I have any specialty.”

Ethan shrugged.  “Is there a place to get ice cream in the hotel, Reid?”

“As a matter of fact, they have a great ice cream parlor and snack bar just off the lobby.”

“Reid, the boy just had a big lunch.  Aren’t you worried about his calorie intake?”

“He’s a growing boy, mother, who actually participates in a multitude of boy-like activities.  Considering his usual energy levels, me undertaking a complicated ten hour surgery seems downright lazy by comparison.  Ethan will find a way to work off the calories, and be normal at the same time.  Isn’t that a novel approach?”

Reid noticed Luke pretending to cough into his hand, the edges of his broad smile hidden behind his hand.

“This’ll be so friggin’ cool!  We can get mongo banana splits and you can ask me what I want for Christmas and my birthday.”

“Ethan, your birthday isn’t for months and neither is Christmas!”  While Luke was appalled by his brother’s bold behavior, Reid was more amused and proud every time the kid opened his mouth.

“Calm down, Luke, I won’t make her buy me anything... now.”

“Oh my God, Ethan, are you on some kind of sugar high?”

“No.  Natalie told me one the best things about spending time with your grandparents is that they want to give you all kinds of presents and let you do stuff your parents or guardians wouldn’t.  I may not have parents, but I’ve got you and Reid for the strict stuff.  Since Reid’s mom hasn’t had much practice in the grandma department, I figured I could give her a crash course by following Nat’s instructions.”

“Reid!”

“Yes, Mother?”

“You can’t leave me alone with him.”  Reid was more and more pleased with the concept of siccing Ethan on his mother.  The kid was coming in handy in ways he’d never imagined.

“Well then, that’s settled.”  When it looked like Miriam was going to protest once more, Reid raised his hand.  “No arguments.  I don’t have time for them.” 

He looked directly at Luke, laced their fingers together and, with the other hand, cupped his chin.  “Do you trust me?”

“Always,” Luke whispered.

“I’m not sure how wise that is, but I appreciate the loyalty, especially now.”  Reid took a deep breath.  “When we arrive at the hotel, I’ll help Noah check in.”

“I don’t need any help checking in.”

Reid glared at Noah, seated opposite him in the limo.  “Quiet.  This is our show, our rules.”

Noah took Kevin’s hand in his own and turned away from Reid, his brow furrowed.

Facing Luke once again, Reid continued.  “As I was saying, I’ll help our dear friend, Mr. Mayer, check in while you show Kevin our suite and bring up Ethan’s bag.”  It didn’t take rocket science, or brain surgery, to figure out Reid’s motives for that pairing.

“I’d love to show Kevin our suite.”  Luke made eye contact with Kevin.  “We can catch up on old times.”

“I’m kind of tired.  Maybe we can catch up later.”  To Reid’s delight, Kevin squirmed a little in his seat.  He also noticed he was practically crushing Noah’s hand, watching Kevin’s knuckles whiten as their fingers reddened.

“Your room may not be ready yet, Kevin.”  Reid’s eyes narrowed as he faced the surprise visitor.  “Catch up time will take place sooner rather than later.”

Noah leaned close to Kevin.  “Just go talk to Luke.  It’s better than putting things off, and will probably be for the best.”

“I know it will, Mr. Mayer, because I’m going to help you get settled into your room as well.  No need to tip unnecessary bell boys when between the two of us we can handle a couple of small suitcases -- especially since they’re all on wheels these days anyway.”

“You’re accompanying me to my room?”

“You catch on quickly, Noah.  I want to give you my own private welcome.”

Kevin’s eyes were wide and a grin crossed his face.

“Don’t get cute with me, Kev.  I will only ever have one person in my life who gets that kind of private welcome.”

Biting his lower lip, Kevin leaned close to Noah.  “Where did Luke find this guy?”

Reid piped in, “He found me in Dallas and kidnapped me.  Luke is still holding me hostage with no chance of release.”

Sighing, Luke rested his head against Reid’s shoulder. 

Ethan rolled his eyes.  “They’re always like that -- touching and making some kind of gross lovey-dovey looks at each other.  You’d think they’d be bored by now, but no, every day it’s the same or worse.  I hope when I start liking boys or girls I don’t get all mushy and emotional.”  He tapped Reid’s mother on the arm.  “Let me tell you, Grandma Miriam, between Faith, Luke, and Natalie, not to mention my oldest brother and sister, Aaron and Abigail -- both of them live on the West Coast, you should be feeling pretty lucky you’ve got me as your only grandkid in the bunch.  According to Grandmother, that’s what Grandma Lucinda likes us to call her; I’m the most well-adjusted kid of them all.”  He puffed out his chest and wore a smile very similar to Luke’s.  “I guess the youngest is the best in the Snyder family.  Oh yeah, and I’m also an Oliver now too.  “

“Reid.”  His mother pleaded, her eyes looking weary.

Smirking, Reid patted his mother’s knee.  “You’ll be fine, Mother.  Just think of him as a cross between Spanky and a Gremlin.”

Miriam Oliver closed her eyes and then opened them again when Ethan tugged on her arm.  “Hey, Grandma, we’re here.  This is a friggin humongous hotel!”

“Come on, young man.  It’s time to get you that ice cream sugar rush my son promised you -- not that you need it.”

Following Reid’s directions, his mother played her part.  He actually sensed she was becoming resigned to the fact that she was a grandmother and had better start behaving like one... whatever that meant.

Now the real show was about to begin, and Reid hoped it would be a smash hit.  He knew Luke had found security in his life, their life together.  He hoped that now Luke would finally be able to express his past hurt and pain to the right person, the person responsible for most of the pain he’d experienced when he was too young to know how to deal with it properly.

In the meantime, Reid was looking forward to sharing a few choice, and cautionary, words with Noah Mayer. 

[TBC]

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