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Nov. 16th, 2007 06:49 pmIt had been a productive day. The nice man from the insurance company had finally agreed to pay for new roof lead, so Guppy could get rid of all the buckets. He'd been up there himself fixing the last of the security cameras up (in preparation for the release of the gang that beat him up two years ago), and was pleasantly surprised to find the tree huggers in his garden promising that they'd not let any rough-looking people come near.
He'd been generally surprised by the little tribe; many of them seemed to go out to work and return to their nature-loving camp in the evenings. And they were, all things considered, pretty quiet. And when they weren't, it was usually at least pleasant singing in tune and harmony.
The biggest surprise, however, is when he descends the ladder and goes around the front of the little cottage.
"Mum?"
His mother and uncle turn to look at him. Guppy looks from one to the other. His mother approaches.
"Gurpreet. You look well."
"Are you all right?" Guppy glances at his uncle, who is scowling.
"Don't be so suspicious." His mother replies, scowling. "We need to talk to you."
That's more like it. Guppy steps past and opens his front door, ushering them in.
"If he's going to hit me again he can leave." he adds, gesturing to his uncle.
"It's time to move on from that." the man replies, in a tone that suggests it is under duress. "You are aware that I am marrying your mother at the end of this month?"
"Yes." Guppy says, sitting on the bean bag so that his mother and uncle can have the sofa. "I'm not invited, remember?"
"You are now." His mother hands him a card. "It's time to end this fued."
Guppy looks at the card in surprise. He hadn't been expecting that.
"You mean I can come to this wedding and I'll be accepted back by everyone?"
"We have asked them to forgive you."
"Why?"
"Don't be so ungrateful." his uncle snaps. "Does it matter?"
"Well, yes, it does actually." Guppy says, looking at his mother, who still won't look him in the eye. "Because if the only reason is that you're scared I'll charge you with child neglect that totally changes any type of relationship I might have with any of you."
"This is not just about you." The man replies coldly. "If it were purely up to me things would remain as they are. And you are very much on probation, boy."
"Wow, this offer is so tempting." Guppy replies sarcastically.
"Give us a chance Gurpreet." His mother finally looks at him. "No, this is not about that, and I am very hurt that you ever suggested such lies in the first place. Jas and I gave you every luxury a child could ever want. Don't interrupt me. This is about ending this fued, this unpleasentness, and returning to a stable family life. Stable." she repeats. "What every child needs."
"I'm not a child any more, mother, I'm twenty-eight."
"I'm not talking about you Gurpreet." His mother sighs.
"The cousins haven't missed me so far."
"We're having a baby."
Guppy staaaares.
"... are you sure? Mum, you just turned forty-seven..."
"Don't be cheeky, and yes we are sure." She unbuttons her coat to reveal the bulge.
"You're more than six months?!"
"Shut up and listen." his uncle says firmly. "We are offering to accept you back into the family, on condition that you do not disrupt it again. We don't want our child to be disturbed by you popping up every now and again upsetting things, with your ridiculous accusations or attempts to win favour. If you keep yourself to yourself most of the time and don't start arguments, you will be tolerated at family events. We're all sick of you upsetting your mother, moping around whining.
If you do not agree to this, we will write you out of the family tree altogether. Your half-brother or sister will not be allowed to know of your existance. Your mother would rather this wasn't the case, especially given how likely it is that your Nana would give it away with her wooly-headedness."
"You're not going to get better than this Gurpreet." His mother puts in.
"You want me back so that my replacement won't be upset?"
There is a very awkward silence. Then his mother and uncle stand up to go.
"You have until the wedding to decide, boy."
His mother passes him an ultrasound picture, and without another word, the two leave.
He'd been generally surprised by the little tribe; many of them seemed to go out to work and return to their nature-loving camp in the evenings. And they were, all things considered, pretty quiet. And when they weren't, it was usually at least pleasant singing in tune and harmony.
The biggest surprise, however, is when he descends the ladder and goes around the front of the little cottage.
"Mum?"
His mother and uncle turn to look at him. Guppy looks from one to the other. His mother approaches.
"Gurpreet. You look well."
"Are you all right?" Guppy glances at his uncle, who is scowling.
"Don't be so suspicious." His mother replies, scowling. "We need to talk to you."
That's more like it. Guppy steps past and opens his front door, ushering them in.
"If he's going to hit me again he can leave." he adds, gesturing to his uncle.
"It's time to move on from that." the man replies, in a tone that suggests it is under duress. "You are aware that I am marrying your mother at the end of this month?"
"Yes." Guppy says, sitting on the bean bag so that his mother and uncle can have the sofa. "I'm not invited, remember?"
"You are now." His mother hands him a card. "It's time to end this fued."
Guppy looks at the card in surprise. He hadn't been expecting that.
"You mean I can come to this wedding and I'll be accepted back by everyone?"
"We have asked them to forgive you."
"Why?"
"Don't be so ungrateful." his uncle snaps. "Does it matter?"
"Well, yes, it does actually." Guppy says, looking at his mother, who still won't look him in the eye. "Because if the only reason is that you're scared I'll charge you with child neglect that totally changes any type of relationship I might have with any of you."
"This is not just about you." The man replies coldly. "If it were purely up to me things would remain as they are. And you are very much on probation, boy."
"Wow, this offer is so tempting." Guppy replies sarcastically.
"Give us a chance Gurpreet." His mother finally looks at him. "No, this is not about that, and I am very hurt that you ever suggested such lies in the first place. Jas and I gave you every luxury a child could ever want. Don't interrupt me. This is about ending this fued, this unpleasentness, and returning to a stable family life. Stable." she repeats. "What every child needs."
"I'm not a child any more, mother, I'm twenty-eight."
"I'm not talking about you Gurpreet." His mother sighs.
"The cousins haven't missed me so far."
"We're having a baby."
Guppy staaaares.
"... are you sure? Mum, you just turned forty-seven..."
"Don't be cheeky, and yes we are sure." She unbuttons her coat to reveal the bulge.
"You're more than six months?!"
"Shut up and listen." his uncle says firmly. "We are offering to accept you back into the family, on condition that you do not disrupt it again. We don't want our child to be disturbed by you popping up every now and again upsetting things, with your ridiculous accusations or attempts to win favour. If you keep yourself to yourself most of the time and don't start arguments, you will be tolerated at family events. We're all sick of you upsetting your mother, moping around whining.
If you do not agree to this, we will write you out of the family tree altogether. Your half-brother or sister will not be allowed to know of your existance. Your mother would rather this wasn't the case, especially given how likely it is that your Nana would give it away with her wooly-headedness."
"You're not going to get better than this Gurpreet." His mother puts in.
"You want me back so that my replacement won't be upset?"
There is a very awkward silence. Then his mother and uncle stand up to go.
"You have until the wedding to decide, boy."
His mother passes him an ultrasound picture, and without another word, the two leave.
