Moral of the Story

Chapter Eighteen

"Y/N, let's get you to bed," Sherri stepped in gently, taking the other side of her to lead up the stairs they were standing in front of.

Bucky began to help redirect her from the fight about to happen.

"No. We clearly need to talk," Y/N fought back. "I'll try to be civil," she added apprehensively.

"You need rest. Not an argument," Bucky whispered down to her.

"She won't leave until I talk to her," Y/N mumbled back, realizing she was practically chest-to-chest with him.

"I can make her leave," he offered.

"I wouldn't wish that on you," Y/N laughed, patting his chest and slowly stepping away from him. "Ok, Marlene. Let's catch up, why don't we?" she motioned to the living room.

"I'd prefer we talk without a shouting match," Marlene said, popping her hip with her arms crossed.

"I'm capable of it if you are," Y/N countered, stopping right in front of her.

You'd have to really be paying attention to it, but on her face, a sense of intimidation crossed Marlene's face before she quickly covered it again.

"Great," she replied, in false courage.

Y/N nodded and began to slowly limp into the living room. Marlene followed close behind.

Left in the entryway, Bucky, Sherri, Chloe, and Thomas all shared a look and silently shared their thoughts.

"Ok, so we're all on the same page that we need to have a fire extinguisher in close proximity?" Thomas asked, looking at the three.

"Figuratively or literally?" Chloe asked.

"Both," Bucky sighed, walking to the kitchen to watch the train wreck from a distance.

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The group stayed close by as the two talked on the couch. Bucky, Sherri, and Thomas stayed by the kitchen island drinking coffee and holding their own conversation, but only to cover their eavesdropping.

Chloe had been camping out in her parent's room which was just down a little hallway from the living room giving her access to the conversation, but staying in the shadows as she spied.

So far, it seemed civil, but Bucky could tell on her face there were moments she was biting her tongue in an attempt to keep the peace she promised. He wasn't sure how she wasn't falling over in her seat from the drugs, but I guess that burst of adrenaline from seeing her mom kept her up.

"How's Jerry?" Y/N asked, picking at the blanket in her lap as she watched her mom's expression.

"He's good. Gone away on business trips a majority of the time, but we're still going strong."

"Still making bank I'm guessing," Y/n said with one raised eyebrow.

Marlene let out a huff of air and rolled her eyes.

"I'll have you know, I do love him. As much as you think I'm a gold digger, we do have a strong relationship and we have many anniversaries to prove it," she defended herself, but Y/N saw past it.

"I never said you were a gold digger," she responded even though she thought it.

"Didn't have to, I can hear the judgment in your voice," Marlene sassed.

Y/N bypassed the argument and let out a long breath, finally falling more into the couch.

"What do you want, Mom? You haven't reached out to me in all these years except to ask for something from me and now you're here acting the part of a worried mother," she sighed. "And to top it all off, the last time we really saw each other was when I needed your help with my divorce and you refused to lend even a cent of advice."