Chapter 32
Be Thankful Pt. II
At the Trémaux Château, Victor was pacing around as his mother, Honorine, bore her gaze on him. Victor wore a red leisure suit, a white ruffled shirt, and black loafers. Honorine wore a dark green form-fitting long-sleeved gown and her hair was in a French knot.
Honorine: “Victor, why isn’t Tristan here? Winston is almost finished with preparing dinner!”
She said flippantly. Victor cupped his mouth.
Victor: “Tristan doesn’t want to come.”
She raised an eyebrow.
Honorine: “Why wouldn’t he? Because you’ve taken up a relationship with a flighty girl half your age and a girl who had her eye on your son?”
She challenged. Victor scowled at her.
Victor: “She’s NOT flighty! She’s kind and gentle! We connect so well! She validates me! No one else has! Not you, not Dad, not Charlotte, and not my son or cat grandson!”
He bawled.
Honorine: “Smarten up, Victor! This is the same behavior that landed you with that brazen woman you married.”
She planted her hands on her hips.
Victor: “She is NOT like Charlotte!”
He flared and shot his forefinger at her. She rolled her eyes and threw her arms up.
Honorine: “I can’t reason with you. You have no logic in you, Victor!”
She snapped. Victor embraced himself.
Victor: “I wear my heart on my sleeve. Guilty as charged.”
He sniffled.
Honorine: “You have to invite your son. He has every right to be angry with you and that flighty gold-digging flapper.”
She hissed.
Victor: “She’s NOT a gold digger either!”
He snapped. Honorine raised her eyebrows.
Honorine: “Forgive me, Victor, but all her previous lovers came from money. I can’t overlook this pattern.”
Victor: “It’s a coincidence!”
He cried.
Victor went to the door and turned around.
Victor: “I will ask her hand in marriage and you can’t stop me, Mother!”
He snapped through hot tears. Honorine gaped at him and sighed.
Honorine: “...It’s not like you would listen anyway. You didn’t before. Nevertheless, please get Tristan here. He should be here as much as you do.”
She said exasperatedly and waved her hand.
Gustave entered. He was a white corpulent man who stood at five feet and nine inches and wore his white hair swept to the side. He had thick eyeglasses hanging over his large nose and a wide smile. On the right lower side of his mouth was a beauty mark. He wore a pink and white striped short-sleeved button-up shirt, rainbow suspenders, white shorts hitched up to his waist, diamond-patterned socks, sandals, and a propeller beanie. Honorine waved her hand at him.
Honorine: “I will not bother giving you the same speech.”
She rolled her eyes.
~
Victor went downstairs and saw Ivy by the grand piano waiting for him. His blue eyes sparkled as he saw her in a green long-sleeved velvet dress that came to her knees. On the trim of the neckline and the hem of the skirt were black laces and a black lace choker with a rose. She had a black hairband adorned with a rose in her hair. On her feet, she wore black sandals with three green jewels in the center. Victor approached her with his hands extended to her.
Victor: “You look… ravishing.”
He whispered as he cupped her face.
Ivy: “Why, thank you, speak for yourself.”
She beamed at him and kissed his cheek. He blushed.
Victor: “Thank you! This is our first Thanksgiving together… We’re going to have a lot of firsts.”
He spread his smile as he held her in his arms. Ivy held him back.
Ivy: “Oh yes, we are.”
She chuckled.
Victor: “And I made something special… just for you.”
He pecked her on the lips. Ivy’s eyes lit up and sparkled.
Ivy: “Oh?! You made something for me?”She gasped. Victor nodded.
Victor: “I love baking as well as cooking, and you’re going to LOVE it!”
He exclaimed and spread his arms out. Ivy beamed excitedly.
Deimos, Tristan, and Celeste showed up. Victor turned around and thought his mother must have told them to come. He didn’t want them to come because they would ruin his and Ivy’s Thanksgiving. Ivy read his mind and nodded in agreement with him.
Victor: “So your grandmother told you to come?”
He forced a smile. Tristan glared at him.
Deimos: “It was my idea. You weren’t calling us or telling us to come. Tristan and I were thinking you didn’t want us to come.”
He folded his arms across his chest. Victor forced a grin.
Tristan: “...That tells me he’s being truthful. I don’t know why I came when you don’t want me here.”
He threw his hands up.
Honorine harrumphed.
Honorine: “Victor, Tristan, and his friends have as much of a right to be here as that… gold-digging flapper of yours.”
She fielded scathingly. Ivy gaped at her, taken aback.
Ivy: “Excuse me?!”
Celeste: “Flapper?”
Tristan: “It’s an outdated term.”
Victor: “Mother, she is NOT like that! She and I have something special! It’s nothing like Jaclyn and that disabled boy!”
He cried. Tristan rolled his eyes.
Ivy: “I’m not like Jaclyn and what we have is special.”
She declared, draping her arm around Victor.
Tristan: “Whatever. Should we go back home and just order Chinese or pizza?”
He asked flippantly.
Victor: “If you wouldn’t mind, Tristan. Ivy doesn’t want you or Deimos or her here, and I don’t think I do either! You and my cat grandson hurt me!”
He cried. Ivy turned to him. Ivy: “Not really, I didn’t ask for that though.”
Deimos rolled his eyes and tugged on Tristan’s arm.
Deimos: “You heard them. Let’s go.”
Honorine: “Victor, this is Tristan’s house and you don’t have a say.”
She added.
Tristan: “Grandmère, I don’t want to be here now.”
He said with hurt in his tone.
Tristan: “It’s not about traditions; it’s the principle of it and my father is putting Ivy and her lofty demands over me!”
He said as his voice cracked.
Ivy: “Me? I didn’t ask for this! Victor wanted this!”
She fired back.
Deimos knit his eyebrows at Tristan.
Deimos: “Victor, this isn’t about how Tristan ‘hurt’ you. What about how you hurt him?”
He challenged.
Victor: “I didn’t do anything wrong but fall in love! Is that a crime now?! It was for his mother!”
He snapped. Honorine raised an eyebrow. Tristan drew back. His bottom lip trembled and his eyes filled with tears.
Tristan: “...I don’t want to be around you. I want to be as far away from you as possible!”
He cried and turned around storming out of the place. Ivy bowed her head, feeling shitty and guilty.
Deimos: “It’s not about falling for a gold digger, Victor. It’s about getting your head out of your ass and being a parent. Grow up for fuck’s sake!”
He snapped. Victor bared his teeth and snarled at Deimos.
Ivy: “I’m not a gold digger and you know it!”She glared at him.
Deimos: “Sure, and I’m the Queen of Sheba.”
He said dryly.
Ivy: “I don’t know what your problem with me is, Deimos. You didn’t want to be with me anymore ‘cause you wanted to be with Tristan and you got him, so you got what you wanted.”
Deimos: “Yeah, thanks for making me aware.”
He said wryly.
Victor: “You and my mother both resort to referring to her as that! You don’t know what that term means! It’s that Russian bottle redhead who’s using that disabled boy!”
He fired. Ivy nodded in agreement with him.
Ivy: “Thank you, Victor.”
Deimos: “This isn’t about Jaclyn, Victor. I don’t give a shit what that fool does! I care about how your shitty behavior affects Tristan!”
He shot his forefinger at him.
Victor: “He hurt me! My cat grandson hurt me!”
He cried. Ivy knit her eyebrows and comforted him.
Deimos: “How did they hurt you?”
He asked.
Victor: “He wouldn’t let me make that room into a studio for Ivy and he’s mad at me for moving her in and so is Oliver!”Ivy bowed her head, feeling like this was all her fault.
Deimos: “So you’re angry with them because you overstepped their boundaries and how dare they get angry with you for being selfish?”
He asked sharply.
Victor: “I AM NOT BEING SELFISH!”
He barked.
Honorine: “Victor, you are being selfish. Why wouldn’t you ask Tristan before you did this?”
She asked sharply. Ivy paused. That is a good question, she thought.
Victor: “Everyone hates me!”
He bawled. Ivy comforted him.
Ivy: “Everyone doesn’t hate you, Victor…”
She assured him gingerly but firmly. Victor sobbed and looked at her.
Victor: “I know you don’t…”
He said in a tiny voice.
Deimos: “Right, an effective defense. When you’re losing, use the ‘everyone hates me’ card to play the victim. It won’t work on me.”
He said sharply.
Celeste: “Are we going to eat or listen to this crybaby? Are you sure he’s Tristan’s father and not Blair’s because both are whiny crybabies who go ‘Boo hoo hoo why is everyone so mean to me?’ when you point out they’re being a childish drama queen?”
She interjected.
Deimos: “You do whatever you want. I’m on Tristan’s side, always and forever.”
He said evenly.
Deimos: “Happy fucking Thanksgiving.”
He spat and left. Celeste followed after him.
Celeste: “Wait, I want Chinese AND pizza!”
Ivy knit her eyebrows and turned to Victor.
Ivy: “I-I’m so sorry for all this mess I caused!”
She cried and started to leave. Victor put his hand on her arm.
Victor: “NO, Ivy! You didn’t cause any of this! This is Tristan but DEIMOS is poisoning his mind!”
He cried. Ivy looked dubious.
Ivy: “...I dated Deimos for years and never knew him to be like that.”
Victor: “I wanted this to be special and they ruined it!”
He sobbed.
Honorine rolled her eyes.
Honorine: “Don’t be overemotional and irrational, Victor. You ruined it. It’s time to take responsibility for your actions and apologize to your son!”
She hissed. Ivy bowed her head.
Ivy: “I think if you want there to be peace for us, we need to make peace with Tristan…”
She sighed. Honorine raised an eyebrow. Either she is different from who she thought she was or is saying what she thinks will appease her. Victor bowed his head. Ivy wrapped her arms around him and comforted him.
Ivy: “Is this how you wanted to spend your Thanksgiving?”
She asked him. He sighed and shook his head.
Victor: “No, I wanted our first Thanksgiving together to be special.”
He said tenderly as he took her hands.
Ivy: “Well, let’s make it special then.”
She said, taking his hands. He smiled at her and kissed her hands.
Ivy: “What do you want to do? I’ll support whatever you want to do.”
She assured him and kissed his hand.
Victor: “I want to have a nice Thanksgiving dinner with you. Tristan and his friends don’t want to be here now and I don’t want to argue with him. I will speak to him tomorrow. Promise.”
He said softly and traced his fingertips over his face. Ivy smiled a bit.
Ivy: “I’d like that… okay, we will try to make peace with that tomorrow. I’ll be there.”
She kissed his cheek. Victor smiled down at her.
~
At Deimos’ backyard patio, Deimos sat with Tristan and Celeste in the backyard as Deimos thumbs through the phonebook.
Celeste: “I want pizza and Chinese.”
She groaned. Lazaros came in dressed in a gold sequin suit, black shirt, white tie, and gold loafers.
Lazaros: “Well, since you guys are not having dinner at Tristan’s place because Ivy is a spoiled brat, perhaps you could have dinner at the Donatis with food cooked by yours truly.”
He snapped his fingers.
Celeste: “I don’t wanna be around that big crybaby, Blair.”
She groaned.
Lazaros: “That makes the two of us, but I cooked the food so that should more than make up for it! Come on, guys!”
He extended his hands. Deimos and Tristan glared at Lazaros.
~
They arrived at the Donatis for dinner.
Lazaros: “Happy Thanksgiving! I brought guests! Ivy kicked them out because they’re not up to her standards!”
He announced.
Tristan: “Lazaros? Could you not announce that for all to hear?”
He asked sharply. Blair came downstairs and Vanessa followed. He wore a dark blue suit, a light blue pressed shirt, a royal blue cravat tucked into his jacket, and black loafers. Vanessa wore a mid-length pink dress with puffy sleeves, a pink diamond choker, and cork wedge sandals with pink ribbon.
Ashley looked up from their tray of freshly baked pumpkin cat bites. They greeted them all with a warm smile and waved at them. They wore a blood orange paisley blazer, blood orange paisley pants, a black scoop neck shirt, and brown sandals. Ashley: “Hello, everyone! What a nice surprise! Happy Thanksgiving!”
They beamed. Demetrio came out of the dining room in a dark blue suit, white shirt, blue tie, and black wingtip shoes. He was smoking a cigar.
Demetrio: “Ah, Lazaros, you brought Deimos, Tristan, and Celeste came back!”
Celeste: “I’m here for Deimos and Tristan, and that’s it!”
She hissed. Sylva came out and wore a light blue pressed shirt, a blue tie, khakis dress pants, and brown loafers.
Sylvia: “Celeste, I am paying you—”
Celeste: “Then stop paying me! I am DONE working for that ungrateful crybaby! He’s like Tristan’s whiny dad!”
She fired back. Sylvia raised her eyebrows.
Blair: “FINE! I never asked for this anyway!”
He countered.
Celeste: “Have Ashley use their sun powers to protect you. All you do is whine and complain anyway. It’s no wonder you have no friends.”
She spat. Blair glared at her and bared his teeth. Ashley gaped at her.
Blair: “Why is SHE here, Syliva?! Because Tristan and Deimos want this?! I never did! I am so tired of you thinking YOU know what I need!”
He cried. Ashley knit their eyebrows when they started arguing. Sylvia flailed her arms around.
Sylvia: “Blair, please! This is a time for family and friends, not fighting!”
Blair: “STOP SOUNDING LIKE A STUPID KERMIT THE FROG! Deimos and Tristan were mean to me in school!”
He cried. Ashley gaped at Blair, taken aback by him.
Ashley: “D-Don’t be mean to Sylvia! She’s right, this isn’t the time! It’s Thanksgiving!”
They cried and patted Sylvia’s shoulder.
Deimos: “How were we mean to you, Blair? We didn’t bother with you. How is that mean? You were the weird kid no one wanted to be around.
Tristan: “Deimos, let it go. I don’t care anymore. I’m so used to others playing the victim and this isn’t any different. Blair creates his own problems.”
He sighed. Ashley presented them all with their array of desserts.
Ashley: “Let’s just have a nice Thanksgiving with some yummy food!”
They smiled. Tristan flicked his gaze to them.
Tristan: “I do appreciate your effort but food is not going to erase the issues we have, whether it’s with Blair or elsewhere.”
He said firmly but gently, thinking of his father.
Celeste: “It should be UNThanksgiving because Blair is ungrateful for everything!”
She huffed.
Blair: “I have morals so that makes me ungrateful?!”
He snapped.
Tristan: “Blair, if you wish to know why neither Deimos nor I wanted to be your friend back in high school—which most people have forgotten about or don’t think about—it’s because you’re terrible to be around and utterly depressing. No one wants to be around someone who mopes around all day and feels sorry for themself.”
He said firmly. Does Blair do that? Ashley pondered.
Blair: “Whatever, Tristan! You and Deimos and LAZAROS think you’re all above everyone!”
He snapped.
Lazaros: “Well, you’re not wrong about Deimos and me being above everyone else.”
He smiled. Ashley knit their eyebrows, taken aback. He’s right, I’m not good enough for him, he’s so much better than me, they thought with a sigh.
Sylvia: “I will not tell a lie but this feels like we’re a zoo!”
She nodded.
Demetrio: “Kids these days.”
He muttered.
~
They all sat at the long table with throne chairs in the dining room for Thanksgiving. Deimos sat by Tristan, Celeste sat by Tristan, and Blair sat away from them. Demetrio sat at one end of the table and Sylvia at the other end. Vanessa sat with Blair and Ashley and Lazaros sat together. Shauna dished up their dinners, which were turkey, baby bella stuffed mushrooms, cranberry bacon roasted green beans, caramelized brussel sprouts, and peas.
Lazaros: “All of this was made by yours truly.”
He said proudly. Ashley smiled at him.
Ashley: “And you did an amazing job!”
They beamed at him.
Lazaros: “Thanks, Ashley! I know!”
He smiled and nodded.
Deimos: “No shit, Sherlock.”
He said dryly. Lazaros looked hurt.
Lazaros: “Unless Saint Tristan makes it, it won’t be good enough for Deimos.”
He cried.
Deimos: “Damn straight.”
He huffed. Ashley looked over at Tristan.
Ashley: “Oh? Are you a Saint?”
They asked. Tristan rolled his eyes.
Tristan: “No, Ashley, he’s being sarcastic and trying to incur my wrath.”
He growled.
Ashley: “Oh? Why is that?!”
They asked Lazaros.
Lazaros: “Tristan is manipulating you!”
He cried. Deimos growled at Lazaros.
Ashley: “Why would he do that? Tristan? Is this true?!”
They gasped, asking Tristan.
Tristan: “I am not manipulating anyone! He’s trying to incite my wrath because I have Deimos’ respect and he doesn’t!”
He snapped at them and turned to Lazaros with cold fury. Lazaros felt as if a knife went through his heart when he said that. Ashley knit their eyebrows, patting Lazaros’ back.
Ashley: “I hope you guys can make peace one day!”
They sighed.
Tristan: “That is not going to happen. I hate to be the one to burst your bubble but not everyone gets along and that is life for you.”
He said icily and glared at Lazaros. Ashley bowed their head and said nothing more. They picked up their fork and continued eating.
Deimos: “He’s right.”
Tristan: “Lazaros, can you try to incite an argument from me another time?”
He asked exasperatedly.
Tristan: “It doesn’t prove to be effective one way or another. It’s not as if I can change your mind on me and I don’t care enough to.”
He said firmly. Ashley turned to Lazaros and placed their hand on him. Lazaros raised his eyebrows pleasantly surprised at Ashley’s gesture.
Ashley: “Hey, Laz, how about we focus on something paw-sitive instead? Lettuce you and me discuss your tasty food!”
They said to Lazaros with a warm smile. Tristan flicked his gaze on Ashley. I am curious why they do this or if they are aware of it? He wondered.
Deimos: “Good angle, Ashley. Kiss Lazaros’ butt to get him off Tristan’s ass for a few minutes. It always seems to work.”
He growled. Ashley blushed and dropped their fork.
Ashley: “...Kissing his WHAT? O-Oh, my! We’re at the dinner table, Deimos!”
They gasped and shifted their eyes at Lazaros. Lazaros chuckled a bit. Deimos and Tristan gaped at them.
Deimos: “...Are you serious?”
He raised his eyebrow. How could they not know Deimos was making a figure of speech? He wondered.
Blair: “He meant praising Lazaros, Ashley. Deimos was being mean as he always is and so is Tristan!”
He pouted. Celeste flicked her peas at him.
Blair: “Stop that!”
He cried.
Celeste: “I don’t like peas and am making good use of them.”
She laughed. She used her spoon to flick more peas at him. Ashley knit their eyebrows.
Ashley: “Oh no, you’re hurting his feelings!”
Celeste: “I don’t want them! I didn’t want to be here with HIM! He’s a spoiled brat!”
She snapped and flicked more peas at him.
Blair: “I don’t want you here either! Lazaros did this to hurt me!”
He cried and threw his napkin at her. She threw her wine in his face. Ashley gasped and cupped their mouth. As the wine dripped down his face he started crying. Sylvia and Demetrio were too stunned to speak. Vanessa’s mouth was ajar. Deimos smirked and Tristan just silently observed everything.
Ashley: “NO! Please stop fighting!”
They cried and pleaded, jumping between them.
Blair: “I don’t WANT your stupid dinner, Lazaros! It belongs in the trash! WITH YOU!”
He took the plate and dumped it into the trash. Deimos snorted. Lazaros looked devastated. Ashley gasped and cupped their mouth, triggered to think of when Maxx screeched those same words to them and did the same thing to them.
Ashley: “NOOOOOOOO!!! How could you throw away a perfectly good meal?!”
They cried and trembled.
Blair: “BECAUSE LAZAROS BROUGHT HER HERE! I HATE HER! I NEVER WANTED HER HERE! I AM SICK OF SYLVIA AND GRANDPA TRYING TO RUN MY LIFE!”
He bawled through hot tears. Ashley tensed up and knit their eyebrows.
Deimos: “Yeah, Lazaros, why did you bring us here? You knew this would happen and you wanted to look like the victim in front of Ashley and somehow blame this on Tristan? You may have Ashley fooled but not me. I am onto your bullshit.”
He said scathingly. Lazaros drew back as Deimos’ words sliced through him like sharp razors.
Tristan: “We already had plans. You could have had a nice Thanksgiving with Ashley but your hatred of me matters more. Ho-hum. I should be flattered you think more of me than you do them.”
He smirked. Gotcha, he thought. Ashley bowed their head and embraced themselves. Lazaros glared at Tristan with fury.
Blair: “He’s right, Ashley! You crush on him but he only cares about himself, Deimos, and his hateboner for Tristan! Nothing else matters! Can’t you see?! Or is this another Maxx?!”
He cried. Ashley froze and trembled with hurt.
Tristan: “Not everything is bursts of sunshine and rainbows, Ashley. Look at the big picture and what Lazaros did to you.”
He smirked and gave Lazaros the side-eye. Ashley turned to Lazaros with tears in their eyes.
Ashley: “...I-I thought you wanted to spend Thanksgiving with me… ‘cause I actually thought you liked me and wanted to spend time with me… I’m so stupid… why would you want to do that with me when you have all these one-night stands with anyone you want? Maxx was right, I’ll never be good enough for anyone! This was never about spending time with me!”
They bawled at Lazaros and stormed outside. Lazaros knit his eyebrows as he watched Ashley go and his heart sank.
Tristan rose from his seat and Deimos followed suit.
Tristan: “I apologize but we should take our leave. Thanks for the invitation, even if you weren’t the ones extending it.”
He nodded. Tristan turned to Lazaros and grinned. He mouthed, “I win,” and left. Deimos and Celeste followed.
Blair watched them go.
Blair: “As bad as those three are, you’re worse!”
He snapped at Lazaros and ran outside to Ashley.
~
Ashley was outside in Blair’s garden sobbing. Tristan, Deimos, and Celeste walked past them.
Tristan: “I apologize for tonight, Ashley, but you have to learn this is who Lazaros is, and nothing is going to change that.”
He said firmly but gently. Ashley embraced themself.
Ashley: “Of course, he crushes on you and not me! I should have seen it…”
They sighed. Tristan chuckled.
Tristan: “He doesn’t crush on me… but if he does, the feeling is not mutual.”
He smiled.
Ashley: “Then why is he so obsessed with you and made Thanksgiving about you?! He wanted to spend time with you… not me…”
They sighed.
Tristan: “It’s as simple as I have Deimos’ respect and he does not. You will become familiar with Lazaros’ hierarchy mindset as you get to know him. Deimos’ needs come first, but his father’s needs are above all.”
He explained. Deimos looked away. Ashley embraced themself and sighed. Where do I fit in, then? They asked themself.
When they saw Blair coming, Tristan looked at Celeste and Deimos.
Tristan: “We should go. Sorry, Ashley. Take care.”
Celeste: “Yeah, my beef ain’t with you but your new friend.”
She said and they left.
Ashley: “See ya, guys…”
They nodded and sat by the fountain, dragging their hand through the water.
Blair sat by them.
Blair: “Hey, sorry about that… She just… makes me angry. How do you feel?”
He asked them. Ashley sighed.
Ashley: “...I just want to be loved, but I’ll never be good enough for anyone.”
They embraced themself. Blair put his hand on their shoulder.
Blair: “You’re good enough for me, Ashley. I know how you feel, though.”
He bowed his head. Ashley smiled a bit.
Blair: “He knows how I feel about them but it’s Celeste… You don’t know how Sylvia tries to micromanage my life. I want to live my life how I want and am tired of people telling me how to live it.”
He huffed. Ashley knit their eyebrows.
Ashley: “What happened between you and Celeste? I thought you liked her?”
Blair: “I tried to but she killed that worker for that fat guy in cold blood! There could have been a more diplomatic approach!”
He replied. Ashley knit their eyebrows.
Ashley: “I know… but she was trying to kill us, but Celeste saved our lives!”
Blair looked away.
Blair: “Why would you go for Lazaros, though?”
He asked them. Ashley sighed.
Ashley: “I know… He’s too good for me…”
Blair: “I never said that and I don’t think that. I don’t like any of them but crushing on Tristan or Deimos would be better because at least you know where you stand with them. I don’t like them but they never did one-night stands.”
He stated.
Ashley: “Really? Well… Tristan and Deimos are in love with each other and I don’t think I have anything in common with them anyway. Neither of them cooks! Me and Lazaros share the same passion for food… and he’s handsome and he was kind to me… I was stupid to think he actually wanted to spend time with me.”
They sighed.
Blair: “What if none of that is true and he’s not the one? You have to connect in more ways than cooking. He brought those three here to one-up Tristan and Tristan exposed him. He was right. This is a HIM problem, not a you problem.”
He stated. Ashley felt hurt that Lazaros cared more about that than spending time with them.
Ashley: “...I guess I didn’t matter much to him then… like how I didn’t matter to Maxx… chasing after girls who hate him and trying to one-up Lord Kradula was always more important than me… when I was sick, he got angry with me because he wanted to go to the strip club.”
They said bitterly with hurt in their tone. Blair hugged him.
Blair: “I’m sorry… Again, it’s not your fault…”
He whispered.
Ashley: “Thank you…”
They sobbed and hugged him back.
Lazaros came out and folded his arms across his chest.
Lazaros: “Nice to see you believe Tristan over me. I went through all that trouble and you treat Tristan’s words as gospel.”
He spat.
Blair: “YOU invited them there!”
He rasped.
Lazaros: “Yes, because Tristan’s father kicked him out and he had no one! I thought you were better than this, Ashley. But I was right. Tristan is your ideal man, not me. I was doing Tristan a favor after his father kicked him out and you believe him. So have him. Go chase him. He’s smitten with my brother anyway and I let him win because I have compassion for what he’s going through with his father.”
He cried.
Blair: “Yeah, whatever! I know you really don’t care and just want to win!”
He snapped. Ashley glanced up at Lazaros with tears in their eyes.
Ashley: “YOU GO BE WITH TRISTAN THEN! Clearly, you care more about HIM than ME! You wanted to spend time with him and not me!”
They bawled and staggered to their feet.
Lazaros: “How dare you? I never said that. I was sympathetic to his plight. I never said what happened to save him from embarrassment. You’re all about helping others, but are you? Or is it to look good? If you truly were, you would believe me. Tristan is reacting because his father put him out and can you blame the poor thing?”
He clicked his tongue and rolled his eyes. Ashley’s head spun with confusion.
Ashley: “...That doesn’t make any sense?”
They cried.
Ashley: “No… I’m not doing anything to look good… believe you about what?!”
Lazaros: “...It doesn’t matter. If you believe him over me, you’re not the one for me. I thought you were different, but I guess not.”
He said coldly. Ashley froze and swallowed hard.
Ashley: “...What do you mean the one for you?”
Ashley embraced themself.
Lazaros: “What part of his father kicked him out is not registering with you? Go ask Wonder Boy if you don’t believe me!”
He hissed.
Ashley: “I’m so confused! I don’t understand. Why are you so obsessed with him? Do you hate him or crush on him?! Why would you invite him over if you didn’t crush on him? And why would you want to help him if you hate him?!”
They rubbed their temples, spinning with confusion.
Lazaros: “Because I did it for my brother! He had no one else either! Our parents don’t want us either!”
He hissed. Ashley’s heart sank and they knit their eyebrows, feeling sympathetic.
Ashley: “I-I’m so sorry! I had no idea you were doing this for your brother!”
They reached out to him. Lazaros clicked his tongue and backed away.
Lazaros: “Don’t touch me!”
He hissed. Ashley drew back and embraced themself.
Lazaros: “You’ve already pissed me off enough. Have a good night.”
He snapped and stormed off down the street. Ashley stepped back and trembled, overcome with hurt. Blair said nothing. He just hugged Ashley and was there for them.
~
At Deimos’ backyard patio, Deimos looked through the phonebook. Tristan was lying on Deimos and rested his head on his chest. Celeste sat on the chair next to them.
Celeste: “What a waste of fuckin’ time.”
She huffed. Tristan smiled.
Tristan: “I disagree. Lazaros lost. Don’t try to beat the one who invented the game, Lazaros.”
He laughed a bit.
Deimos: “I don’t like turkey anyway.”
He muttered.
Tristan: “That makes the two of us.”
He ran his forefinger through the Yellow Pages until it landed on The Golden Nugget, which was a Chinese restaurant in Little Tokyo.
Deimos: “What do you two want?”
Celeste reached out.
Celeste: “Honey garlic spare ribs, pepper steak, won ton soup, egg rolls, and woo dip harr!”
She said excitedly. Tristan looked up at Deimos.
Tristan: “Spring rolls, sweet and sour chicken, mushroom fried rice, and Cantonese chow mein.”
He said softly.
Deimos: “I’ll get some egg rolls, General Tso’s chicken, spicy Cantonese chow mein, and hot and sour soup.”
Tristan: “You’re not getting as much.”
He knit his eyebrows.
Deimos: “Not hungry.”
Tristan: “Are you upset with me?”
Deimos: “Not with you, Tristan.”
He smiled and traced his fingers over his cheek. Tristan smiled and leaned into his hand. Deimos looked away and drew a long breath.
Deimos: “I didn’t want to go to the Donatis. Lazaros needs to let go of his hatred for you and focus on something else. He had the opportunity. If he wanted to ‘help’ me, I don’t want his ‘help.’ If he wants to help me, he can focus on himself.”
He said gruffly. Tristan nodded in agreement.
~
At the Trémaux Château, Ivy and Victor finished their meals. Winston came out with the cake. It was a tall, four-layer cake. It had peacock green and black icing with flecks of gold on it. Dark teal macarons, sea blue roses, dark teal roses, and dark teal candies adorned the bottom of the cake. There was an opening on the cake filled with green, dark teal, and blue candies with gold surrounding them. The top of the cake had sea blue roses with three dark teal macarons and peacock feathers sticking up. They placed the cake in front of her. Ivy’s chocolate eyes sparkled and she cupped her mouth with awe and joy.
Ivy: “Oh, WOW! Victor! This is BEAUTIFUL!”
She exclaimed, wrapping her arms around him and kissing him.
Ivy: “You really know me well.”
She said softly. Victor kissed her back and held her tight.
Victor: “Happy Thanksgiving, ma belle.”
He whispered to her. Ivy shivered to his whispers and chuckled. She then cut the cake and served slices for them both to eat together. Victor smiled and took a piece. The two sat down to eat the cake.
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