#spring 3

"Oh, good for you, honey!" Lilibet Clarke cheered.

"I'm so proud of you! You saw what you wanted, and you made it happen! It really is a lovely love story."

"Thanks, Mom."

"Claude Rousseau is a fine choice, too! He'll make a great son-in-law. You'll make such beautiful babies."

"Well, he's much better than Reginald Barber," Sophie snorted.

"Barber?"

"That is one disastrous date I would never do again," Sophie said with a giggle.

"You went on a date with a Barber?" Lilibet couldn't hold back her concern.

"Yeah, so?"

"What was his name?"

"Reginald the Third. Why?"

"Oh dear!" her mother sighed.

"Mom, what is it?"

"I was hoping I'd never have to tell you this, but maybe I've done worse by not telling you."

"Mom?"

"You're related to the Barbers."

"What!"

"Reginald the Third would be your half-brother."

OH OH! LOOK WHO ARE? YES, WE: THE BITCHES DESTROYERS!

@springbucks87

"Hey," Vivian mumbled. "What'd I miss?"

"Um--nothing? But we missed you at supper," Lynda replied. "How was your dad's birthday party?"

"Terrible."

"Oh, sweetie--"

"My family is completed and totally bigoted. Turns out, they're all stupid homophobic. I can't believe it."

"What? What happened?"

"My sister outted me, and my parents--they agreed with her."

"Really? I would've thought Lila would be more understanding. That's so sad."

"My sister even had the gall to say we weren't engaged, like it 'doesn't count' because we're--!" Vivian didn't want to say the L word.

"Really," Lynda winced. "Well, what do you think?"

"I don't know what to think," Vivian sighed. "I guess I had a feeling this could happen, but I didn't think it would actually happen, y'know?"

"Yeah," Lynda rubbed her arm nervously, unsure what to say next. She felt partially responsible for Vivian's situation; Lynda wondered if things would have been different if she hadn't proposed so spontaneously and gave their relationship more time to mature in the eyes of their small town.

"I guess they're dead to me now," Vivian shrugged.

"You're just upset," Lynda replied rubbing her tensed brow.

"No, I'm serious! They're dead to me."

"They're your family, you can't just decide they're not important to you."

"Sure I can! Watch me!"

Lynda sighed. "Okay, what about this--"

"--what if we go to bed, try to forget this ugliness for the time being, Mom will make us a big breakfast, and we'll strategize over pancakes. She'll know what to say for Lila to come around, and Lila will influence Will, and so on."

"Pfft, why bother?"

"Because they're your family, Vivian."

"You know what, I'm getting ahead of myself," she continued. "Let's just focus on the 'go to bed' part of this plan, it's late."

"Fine."

"Seeyah downstairs, along with all the other dirty secrets."

"Happy birthday, Dad!"

"Happy birthday, sweetheart."

"Blow out the candles, Dad!"

"Alright, alright. Here goes--"

"What are you looking at?" Lynda asked.

"Nothing, I guess--"

"--there's no one around, the campus is so quiet. Guess I'm looking at the quiet."

"I wish I understood your mind, Vivi."

"Me too." She smiled. "Well, what's up, you need me for something?"

"Yes, actually--I have a question for you."

"Shoot."

Before she asked her question, Lynda gracefully held Vivian's hand. Her fingertips were calloused but also soft, freshly moisturized. Vivian knew that her hardened skin was an insecurity of Lynda's but she didn't understand why; it was proof Lynda was a real artist after all.

Then Lynda took a very deep breath, closing her eyes and inhaling loudly through her nostrils.

"Okay, quit it, you're making me nervous."

"I'm savouring the moment. I don't want to miss what every sense is feeling when I ask you--"

"--to begin Step One."

"Wh--?"

"Don't worry, I won't open my eyes again until you have your answer ready. I know I'm springing this on you, and I know how much you hate surprises. So, don't worry--no one's watching, not even me."

"Lynda, really, what is this?"

"Well, I know it's gonna be complicated when we go back home. I know Whibley is not exactly ideal for us, we don't have options like other couples. But it's safe, and it's familiar, and my mom is great--she'll support us, and I don't know about you but I just think that if I have you by my side then we can do anything."

"Wow, you've really thought this all through." Tears welled in Vivian's eyes. "And I still haven't finished packing yet, heh."

"I know, I packed for you. Most of your stuff was in my room anyway."

"Yeah," she sighed, smiling at the ring.

"Yeah?"

"Yes."

"Yes?"

"Yes!" Vivian cried. The couple released a happy laugh in unison.

"Wow," Lynda sighed. "Step One was easier than I thought. What a view!"

"Step one?" Vivian asked.

"Yeah, remember? You said we had to take things 'one step at a time' before you'll let me adopt."

Vivian fell into a fit of laughter. "Is that what this is about? Is that why you proposed?"

"Well, yeah."

Vivian laughed some more. "You're crazy!"

"But you love me."

"Kathy! Glad I caught you."

"Hi, Allan."

"I wanted to say -- congratulations."

"Thank you!" she replied honestly. She didn't notice it at first, but a simple hand gesture suddenly put her ring finger on display; Kathy watched Allan's sight become quickly fixated on her engagement ring.

She attempted to drop her hand without drawing more attention to it, but his eyes followed the ring.

"Um, I guess more than one congratulations is in order," he said.

"Oh, well--" she tried to shrug it off.

"It's Reg, isn't it?" he asked.

"Yeah."

"He's a lucky guy."

A small flashback of their teenage relationship assaulted Kathy's mind when she realized that Allan had no intention of fighting for her like she had secretly hoped. He was sincerely happy for her, so this was their end, bitterly plain and simple.

"Thanks," she responded through a fake smile. "I better go find him, actually."

"Will I see you at the wedding?"

"What?"

"I mean, will I get an invite?"

"Sure, if you want one. You were Reg's frat mate."