Resolved!
Marianna Trench was truly happy. The divorce was coming through nicely; Polly would be entering second grade, not first, come fall; and the baby-to-be was a perfectly healthy boy. Besides that, Oskar was awake more than three hours a day, and spent most of it pampering Marianna. Yes, life was good.
Everything was the best it had been since that hurricane blew through last November. Lately, the only hurricane around had been the one named Daniela. But even she was relatively calm- and oddly, happy with Neil.
The only thing that worried Mari was the speed at which Ellie and Zachariah's relationship was moving. Or, rather, wasn't. "Those two are so shy!" commented Mari.
"And what's wrong with being shy?" asked Oskar, on whose lap Marianna's head rested.
"Nothin', luv, when it's just one person being shy. But two- well, that could ruin the whole relationship!" Oskar looked down into Marianna's eyes. They'd been together since "the Crossover incident," about two months, and he still couldn't figure out her self-contradictory ways. He felt himself getting lost in those beautiful, deep brown eyes... he bent to kiss her just as she decided to sit up, catching her forehead on his chin.
"Ow!"
"I'm sorry, Marianna..."
"No, it's not your fault, I shouldn't have-" They were cut off by insane laughter around them. Marianna had recently torn out all the booths at the Club save one (Daniela's), and replaced them with huge round tables, cosy tables for two, and two overstuffed couches.
It was on one of the couches that Mari lay, Oskar under her head and Polly on top of her feet. Marina was perched on an armrest. Random friends of Marianna were lounging on pillows on the floor.
"'Scuse me. Just what, pray tell, is youse guys laughing at?" Marianna sat up, more carefully this time, and glared at the assembled company.
"You two are so cute together!" said Dream. She played with the hydroponic orchid behind her ear, a gift from UPChuck right before he left for Brazil. "A flower that can't die, to represent the love that won't," he'd said. Marianna had gagged.
"Hey, Dream, what happens if that flower gets killed?" Marianna hid her face in Oskar's neck as pillows came flying at her. "I was kidding!" came her muffled protest.
"Leave her alone. She had a long morning," said Oskar. Between court and the doctor... he thought. Poor lass...
"Mari, how did everything go this morning?" Dream asked, momentarily distracting herself from UPChuck's absence.
"Umm... girl-talk, okay, guys?" Marianna glanced around, her face more commanding than her words. Oskar, Cueball, Ernie, and Inda picked themselves up and took off to the bar, where Neil was trying very hard to get Daniela drunk. ("Fat chance," she slurred, "I can drink more in one night than most people can in a lifetime- and I won't be affected!")
Marianna pulled Polly onto her lap. "Well, I found out... it's a boy!" she stage-whispered. "Don't tell Oskar yet- I want at least one of us to be surprised!" She grinned, as Dream, Lynette, Ivory, and Suki piled onto the couch to congratulate her.
"Mum... whoever said I wanted a brother?"
"Ha! Polly, you sound just like I did when Daniela was born- and like Daniela did when Pandora was adopted- except we said 'sister'!"
"Why do people keep saying that? 'You sound/ look/ act/ eat/ swear/ fill-in-verb-here, just like your mother!'" She pouted cutely.
"You pout just like your mother!" cried Lynette. She ducked as a pillow came flying at her, but fell off the couch, hitting a table and knocking over Marianna's tea. "Eeeyow! Hot!"
"That was iced tea, Lynette."
"Oh. Um... brr?"
"This is just like high school all over again! Except, I'm going through a divorce, and having babies... mmm, that reminds me. Everything will be done within a week! Mac will take over the Frog-watch in Brazil, and UPChuck will be home!" Dream thrilled, which is a pretty interesting thing to watch. A shiver of anticipation crept up from her toes, along her spine, and exploded in a smile of rapturous joy across her face. She squeaked, sighed happily, and leaned back against the couch.
"Dad's leaving?" asked Polly, almost sadly. Then she added, "Coolness!"
"Nice, Polly," said Suki.
"Well, I don't see you being all broken up over Jax's death."
"I'm not. Actually, right before he... umm... got beaned by that whatever it was, I was trying to figure out how to break up with him."
"Now that I think about it," said Mari, "no one is really distraught over any of our losses. Cueball's been having a grand old time since Tianne got electrocuted. I've hardly noticed Karina and Shoebox's absences, since they left for Nashville- Inda's enjoying the hiatus from Herself, too. I know I'm not going to miss Mac..."
"Doreen is relieved that Frogman is gone. She said that since he went to Brazil, she can start thinking for herself like Lorin recommended." Dream smiled dreamily. "I'm not even upset about Uly going to Brazil, because I know he'll be back soon."
"Actually, Aunt Dream," Marina said quietly, "Mother told me she'd like to visit the little ones... once she's sure she's totally free of Frogman's grip."
"That won't be for a few years," said Dream. "I try to have faith in everyone..."
"But Doreen is a special case," finished Marianna. "Oh, look at Daniela and Neil!" The ladies' eyes skimmed over the barside antics of their male counterparts, and came to rest on the two lovebirds talking quietly.
"What's the big deal?" asked Lynette. "You and Oskar were like that less than half-an-hour ago!"
"But it's so weird for Daniela to be this quiet!"
"I'd forgotten," said Lynette. "Remember, I haven't spent much time around here- I got here just as the war was starting, and for the past two months, I've been overseeing construction at my treehouse... I think it would have been easier to build a new house, with the time it's taking to renovate this old one!"
"Don't tell me about renovations, Lyn, dear," said Marianna. "I'm trying to get this place fixed up, and I keep meeting with major opposition. I mean, sure the Queen's Booth is historical, and should stay, but do I really care if the crack in the ladies' room toilet came from Daniela and Teff's only fight?"
"Hey, whatever happened to Teff? Or, for that matter, Myskalogy?" asked Suki.
"Or Arnold?" asked Ivory.
"Or the Trenchcoats?" asked Dream. "We haven't sung in ages!"
"Woo-hoo-hoo! It's time for a revival!" Marianna jumped up, knocking Polly onto the floor. "We can get new instruments, and new outfits, and get our hair and nails done- and I'll write some new songs- and we'll release that album we've always wanted to do!"
"I don't think we need new instruments-" said Dream.
"-but 'spa night' might be a good idea," added Ivory.
"-and I'd love to use that studio you built last year," concluded Suki.
"Wait a sec," said Mari, "When did Ivory join the Trenchcoats?"
"I'll play drums," she offered.
"You're in."
"What about me?" asked Lynette.
"Eh, play the bass. I'll just be a vocalist, and... Doreen can still be the keyboardist. You wanna focus on brass, Dream?"
"I'd love to. Oh, dear! Inda!" she called. "Whatever happened to the Newshregsburg Symphony Orchestra? Or Torturo?"
"We lost enough people in both to the Frogs that Torturo will premiere in September. Orchestra rehearsals will resume as soon as the wait-listers are contacted- and we'll wait for Mr. Chuck to come back, too." Inda turned back to the drunken revelry at the bar.
"We'd better break those boys up, eh?" asked Marianna. "I know I want my boyfriend- fiance- in one piece... hey!" Despite being bolted to the floor, a barstool was teetering as the guys playfully pushed one another around. "Do not destroy my floor!" shouted Mari.
"I think things are back to normal," said Dream. "A calmer version, but normal nonetheless."
"Okay, you drunks! Offa my barstool. C'mon, luv, let's go home. The rest of you oughta get a move on, too. We're closing soon."
"Closing!?" came the resounding protest. The entire legion of patrons, from the upper-level dance floor (aka the stage), to the bar, to the couches, swung its gaze over to Marianna.
"Oh, come on! Yes, I realize it's only midnight. But, in case you hadn't noticed, we close at midnight on Mondays now. Now, shoo!"
"Marianna," Lynette asked, "why midnight?"
"Doreen gets Mondays off. She's taking night classes at Layla:) U. I can't let Priscilla handle the crowd by herself- and, anyway, there aren't that many people here. Monday, after all, and why should I stay open if I'm hardly making anything?" Marianna swept the room with her arm to illustrate.
"Why don't you hire someone new?" asked Priscilla, slowly cleaning up the various small tables. "I've got two interested friends- Lisa and Marie."
"Are they as Elvis-obsessed as you? Because if they are..."
"No- they tell me to be quiet more often than you do."
"They're hired. Bring 'em in tomorrow afternoon to chat, fill out paperwork- I'm really starting to hate paperwork- and I'll get them aprons." Marianna looked around, like she was trying to remember something, but couldn't quite... aha. Now she remembered.
Oskar was slumped at the bar, probably asleep. Marianna crept up to him (silly, actually, since the music was still blaring from the DJ's booth), climbed onto the next barstool over, and sat on the bar. She pushed her fingers through his hair, lightly rubbed his shoulder. "C'mon, luv," she whispered. "Ye canna sleep on th' bar all night... I got a bed waitin' for ye."
He managed to get his head onto her lap, not quite waking up, but conscious enough to understand her. "Mmm, bed..."
"I sort of prefer you awake, at least for the drive home," she smiled. "You drove tonight."
"Yup." Oskar breathed deeply as he sat up. "Is that new perfume? Smells like..."
"Vanilla? It's called Mello... I wanted to get the one called Pretty, but the store was all out except for the tester, and who wants a half-used bottle of perfume?" Mari had leaned in close to Oskar and was actually half-draped across his torso.
"I'll get it for you sometime. Suits you more than Mello does... you smell good enough to eat, though."
"Yeah? Gotta catch me before you can eat me." Mari hopped off of the bar, but couldn't run off teasingly as she'd intended, her skirt catching on the edge of the bar.
"Heheheh... don't move, I'll get it. Don't want to rip that pretty dress..."
"Not while we're still here, right? Rip it off at home..."
"Feisty tonight, Mari, luv?"
Marianna laughed evilly. "Let's get home. I'm... rather eager to get to bed tonight..." She reached on tiptoe to sling her arms around Oskar's neck. "You're too tall."
"You're too short." He leaned down and kissed the top of her head. "Hmm..." He leaned down further, his lips traveling down her face to her neck.
"Oooh!" she squealed. "I like that."
"I know..."
"Let's go home..."
Across the room, Cera Queen made gagging noises. "Aw, you're just jealous!" said Oskar.
She laughed. "Me, jealous? You two are just being disgusting!" She walked out of the bar with Jay Nicholas. He was a local politician who had been hanging out with Cera since Natan and the rest of Shoebox went to Nashville to sing backup for Karina Brono.
"I think she misses Natan," said Marianna. "They had an odd relationship, but it worked for them, I guess. It's hard to adjust to changes in something that's been intact for so many years..."
"I'm taking that at face value..."
"As well you should, luv. That's me, completely direct. Let's go home."
"Tired?"
"Hardly." Marianna giggled evilly. She was going to have a fun night...