IDINA
I climb through Riley's window to see her and Maya sitting there excitedly.
"Happy day off from school!" Riley shouts, "You excited? Looking forward to anything?"
"Just hanging out with y'all," I reply adjusting myself into a sitting position and sighing, "And, if you're like me, you can look forward to your mother forgetting your off school."
"Oh, no she did not!" they shout before starting to crawl out the window. I grab Riley's belt and Maya's jacket to stop them.
"Where are you goin', honey's?"
"Must talk to your mom," Riley impatiently whines.
"Must not get involved," I say pulling them back in
"Why do you tell us these things if you don't expect us to try and fix them?" Maya asks annoyed.
"When you're 15, you'll understand."
"How could your mother forget your off school Idina? How could she not be waiting at the table for you with a fresh plate of waffles?" Riley asks.
"I've stopped trying to figure it out. She was already gone when I woke up this morning. Wasn't even there to give me breakfast or say good morning. She probably took an early shift at the clinic."
"Rather than be there for you?"
"I mean I sorta get it, heck, my mom even forgot my own birthday, but your mom seems so nice Idina, I just assumed she was better than that."
"Okay, I'm done with this," I shout, going towards the door. As we walk into the kitchen we see Eric talking to Cory.
"Are you really here?" Riley asks.
"Yep," Eric replies, "I'm here." he makes my heart skip a beat and a smile creep.
"Uncle Eric!" Riley shouts hugging him.
"Niche!" he shouts back then once their finished hugging comes to hug me, "Hey Idina."
"Hey, Eric," I feel stupid for trying to act cool around him.
"We have no school today. Squeeze her good!" Riley adds.
"Oh, well have some fun kiddo. You doing something special?" he asks.
"This is it,"
"Well that's no fun,"
"Hey, with this one, you never know what kinda trouble you might get into," I say pointing to Maya.
"She means me, right here."
"Yes, the troublemaker, the goody-two-shoes, and the geeky old soul. The three Musketeers of eighth grade!" Riley announces with Maya and I standing behind her in heroic poses.
"Eric why you here? Not that I don't love a visit from my brother!" Cory asks.
"Just thought I'd say hi to my family. In politics, they say your family always keeps you grounded."
"Who said that?" Maya asks.
"No idea," he says turning to her, making us laugh a little.
"Wait a minute. Who let you in?" Topanga asks having just walked through the door a few minutes ago.
"I have a key," he waves it around proudly.
"You gave him a key?"
"Fine, I'll give you a key."
"You love me!"
"I do love you. You have the key to my heart," and with that Cory grabs one of the grocery bags from his wife, and helps her to the kitchen to put them away.
"So who has the key to your heart?" Maya asks as she and Riley plop down on either side of him on the couch while I mold into the chair next to it.
"Yeah, you ever been in love or what?" I ask. He looks as Cory and Topanga.
"Rachel time?"
"Seems unavoidable."
"Rachel?" Riley asks.
"Spill it," Maya demands.
"Yeah, was she all funny-clumsy-female-you type?" I ask.
"You guys want to know how they fell in love?" Cory asks.
"His best friend fell for her."
"What?" Riley shouts.
"I can explain that."
"Girls, trust us, it was very romantic in college."
"So basically he fell in love with an image before getting to know the work behind it?" I deduce.
"It was doomed from the start," Maya hypotheses.
"Never let me do that," Riley notes to us.
"We would kill it immediately," Maya assures
"That's what best friends are supposed to do," I add.
"Ring power!" Maya shouts.
"Ring power!" Riley and I reply putting our hands that hold our rings in the air as does Maya.
"Thunder!"
"Lightning!"
"Tornado!"
"So where's Rachel now?" Maya asks.
"She moved back to where she's from, that's about all I know. We talk ever now and then, but when I was younger I stepped out of the way so my friend could have her."
"So who couldn't commit? Who didn't stay?"
"It wasn't me, I know that much, but then again, I wasn't with her at the time. People should know this about me; I would do anything to protect the ones I love."
"Yeah, I'm normally the one who stays a lot of that too. I'm not the one who leaves. So, who's on your list?" I say sitting down next to him.
"Best friend and girl of my dreams. So who'd you stay loyal to when they didn't to you?"
"Definitely father, and a whole bunch of other people."
"Why? What did your father do?" Cory asks from the kitchen.
"Yeah, I've never actually heard," Eric adds. Riley and Maya look at me with sadness in their eyes. I look down.
"He... he's dead. And, let's just say he wasn't a good man. He... did some very, very bad things. He hurt some good people who didn't deserve such horrid things." He looks angry, he places his hand on my shoulder making me flinch; he sees my reaction as I slowly relax, "I-I'm sorry." He looks at me pleadingly.
"Idina, you shouldn't have to be sorry for anything. No person should make another human being feel that way or go through that. How could your own father..." he stops, "No one should have to go through that."
"Now it's looking like my mom might be on the list too."
"Why?"
"Well lately, the clinic's taken first priority to me. It just seems like it's been me and Ollie."
"Ollie?" he asks, just then Auggie runs in chasing a small running figure, my beagle, Ollie. I lift the dog up to my chest and smile, making his paw wave at Eric.
"So, What is it with us?"He laughs at me, beginning to pet Ollie snuggled in my hands.
"Yeah, What is it with us?" Riley stands to pull Maya up with her.
"Window! Window right now!" I start to stand, "Not you."
"But it's our day off. Our adventure day. We don't know what could happen."
"Yeah, but I know," she points to her mother and father, "You. And You." she pulls Maya towards her room.
"Really? Oh, boy!" They shout running after the two girls, leaving me and Eric just sitting on the couch, petting my pet.
"So..."
"So..."
RILEY
"Okay, I have heard all of the stories. But tell me the truth, mom. When you guys a were my age, was dad really that good at schemes?" I ask with my plan taking motion before my eyes.
"Schemes?" Maya asks, I intensely look at her before she reads my mind and realizes, "Oh! Schemes! Rackets, scams, pulling stuff on people, changing their lives. You know, what Matthews do. Fix things."
"Cory Matthews was the best there ever was," Topanga replies rubbing her husband's back.
"Why?" I ask.
"Yeah, what makes scrawny Matthews better at schemes than me? The troublemaker? Pfft, please."
"Well, because when he believes in something, his will is stronger than anybody's. That's what makes him the best."
"I'm retired," my father replies in a mafia voice.
"But what if we believed in something?" I ask on behalf of Maya and I.
"Your move," Maya replies sitting back.
"Girls, you want to pull me back in the game, then this has to be monumental. A scheme of schemes. Schemata de schemata."
"What's that mean?"
"He's making it up."
"A scheme that makes the angels sing. Otherwise, I'm out forever. You hear me?! Now you've got one minute. Wow me." I look at Maya, then back at my parents.
"You gonna do it again?" Maya asks. I nod. My parents stare confused. Silence ends with a single phrase.
"I want Eric to be Idina's dad."
IDINA
"My mom wouldn't tell me what was going on between the two of them until it started happening to me," I say, "Nowadays, she just tells me not to be at peace with myself, and try not to think about him and never wants to go into details. Ever."
"Why not?" Eric asks.
"Because it hurts too much I guess," they come back from Riley's window, "Where have you been? It's our day off and you just left me here!"I look at Lucas and Farkle, "And when did you guys show up?" Farkle comes next to me and pets Ollie, who now sits on Eric's lap, before kissing me softly but quickly on the cheek.
"Hi," he says.
"Hi,"
"Fun day off?"
"Interesting so far, let's see by the end whether fun plays a part in it." Eric stands, letting the dog roam free through the living room, and walking up to Farkle, examining him.
"No one told me Robot had a girlfriend." I raise my hand slightly.
"Yup, that's me. The robot's girlfriend," Farkle looks at me, "don't worry, it's not like I believe that."
"Looks like you two have been talking for the past hour," Lucas points out.
"Yeah, well, you wouldn't let us in your room," I direct to Riley, "so it's like you trapped us out here."
"Uh-huh. So, of course we've been talking for the past hour," Maya says.
"Riley, Maya, I thought we were doing something for our day off,"
"Yeah, I'm pretty sure something's going to happen," Riley replies.
"Window, Now. You four," I reply, before pulling Farkle by the arm as the other's follow me with fake surprised looks on their faces.
Once in Riley's room I gently push Farkle into the bay window. The girls come in and plop down near Farkle, with me across from them.
"Where's Treetop?" I notice. Lucas walks in with a rope in his belt. He starts swinging it.
"You want to see a rope trick?" Lucas asks slowly starting to rotate the rope in the air.
"No thanks, Cowboy. Did you forget I'm from Texas? I've seen enough for a lifetime."
"Idina, it's important that you know that what we're about to do to you is for your own good."
"Okay, I get it. Now, what is so important?" I ask, "Why are y'all keeping me in the dark about everything?"
"What? It's not like we're up to something..." Maya says turning my head towards Lucas, "but look at the cowboy."
"You wanna to see a rope trick?"
"Okay, now I'm starting to get peeved. Lucas, I know you, now will you stop trying to distracting me with that?", then I huff to the side, "Might as well rope someone with that, maybe then I'd actually be impressed."
"Well, if you insist," he runs at me, then lets the lasso leave the air to land on me. It tightens, harder, stronger. He slides to me like a baseball player to a diamond then seals his masterpiece with a few tight knots.
"Haha, very funny. Okay, let's pretend like I'm impressed. Now come on, untie this thing," they stare at me, unfazed, unmoving, "Why did you tie me up?" I ask more precariously. Maya looks at her nails as Riley simply explains.
"Oh, Eric's going to meet your mother."
ERIC
I look across at my tired brother and his caring wife as I sit with them in the living room bay window.
"You know, I get why Riley likes this thing, feels like a place problems can be solved," I look at the lovebugs, "So, Cor, you do know Idina's here and her mother isn't right?
"I do. I do know. That's why she's welcome here, always." he just shrugs his shoulders. I'm dumbfounded by his willingness to surrender and take the easy way out.
"What, that's it? That's all you did?"
"Well, you know me, Eric. I don't like to meddle."
"What?! I'm your brother and this isn't you!"
"B-but, I'm retired. I'm outta the game man,"
"What? The brother I know, the Cory Matthews I know, or I guess knew would have immediately taken this little girl under his wing and become kind of a father figure to her," he sighs, leaning on his wife, "You're pathetic."
"I'm tired," and then Topanga adds, "He's old!"
"Come on, man! We were kings! Mano e mano! Brother and Brother! This could be the return of Cory and Eric. A perfect team!" he puts his hand on his face, contemplating my words, "Come on! Let's you and me fix things between Idina and her mother."
"Hmm. Don't you think we're too old for such high jinks and shenanigans?" I'm infuriated at this point; what is he doing?
"Is Idina not worth it to you?"
"Is she worth it to you?" I smile at them thinking of the girl in the room a few doors down, with the bright purple glasses and curly brown hair.
"Yeah. I like her very much. Doesn't she remind you of someone?" They look at me, knowing who she reminds me and them of, "Yeah, what can I say? I like people that remind me of... who again?"
"Yourself,"
"You know, if this were the old days, I probably might consider visiting Nicole..." Cory says as Topanga strokes his head.
"Her mother's name is Nicole," she explains.
"In the vet clinic where she works."
"The East Abingdon Square Veterinary Clinic over on West 10th street."
"But again, I'm too old."
"He needs his sleep," I stand heading to the door, but turning before leaving them with a final thought.
"Well, I don't. And I'm disgusted with you two," I slam the door dramatically behind them before dialing a few key tones.
"Hello Mr. Matthews, what can I do for you?"
"Yeah, can you have the car ready in a few minutes at my brother's apartment?"
"Of course, Mr. Matthews. I'm leaving now. And, where shall we be headed to?"
"The East Abingdon Square Veterinary Clinic."
About twenty minutes later the car halts and I get out. I push through the door, which rings a little, making a cute animal noise, when I enter. I see a woman bent over a desk, looking rushed and worried as she sorts through documents. Her dark hazel hair that has waves laced through it blocks a part of her face as she leans over, her eyebrow furrowing, hard as work. An off-white official looking coat covers a black and white polka dot dress with leggings that hide her legs and black flats protecting her feet. She moves onto the heels of them, tapping her foot frustrated with her work. She lightly bites her upper lip with discontentment, much like a certain young girl I know.
"Nicole?" I come behind her. She turns to reveal chocolate eyes. She peeks at a blue label she wears attached to her coat.
"That's what it seems to say right here," she smiles brightly at me.
"Hi,"
"Hello. So, how may I help you, sir?"
"Oh, me? Well, you see my niche-"
"-Do you mean niece, sir?" she interrupts.
"Yeah sure, whatever, anyways, she has this friend, and this friend has a dog. Now this dog is this friend's company when her mother isn't there. And her mother works here."
"What?"
"What kind of mom are you, Nicole?" She stares at me, eyebrows forming a frown.
"Excuse me, sir! I happen to be trying my best here. Who are you to judge, buddy?" she snaps at me, tensing up.
"My name's Eric Matthews." her eyes slightly widen, before she starts to relax.
"Whoa."
"What do you mean, whoa?"
"You're the guy Idina doesn't stop talking about, the Matthews' brother and uncle. The kids helped run your campaign for senator. She had a really good time as your campaign manager and I appreciate what you did for her. You made her smile, so thank you very much."
"You're welcome," she smiles.
"And if you ever question my motherhood again, I will smash this water bowl over your head," she says grabbing a bowl that rests on the table, then two people happen to stroll in, a hat and magazine covering their faces, "Be right with you in a minute!" she politely addresses them. I sit down in the nearest chair and look at the woman standing in front of me, heel tapping.
"You know what, lady? You already don't like me, so I'm just going to keep talking, okay? Today is a day off from school, and you're never there for her at sunrise. What are you doing here since first thing this morning?" She stops tapping her foot, before looking up at me.
"You're right. I don't like you at all."
"Show's over," I barely hear the figures whisper, "Let's move." They run out without another word.
"Do you think I would walk in here and talk to you like this if I wasn't so fond of your daughter?"
"Oh, you're fond of my daughter. Why don't you tell me about your vast experience raising a child?"
"I don't have any! But I know you don't work an extra shift at a clinic and miss your daughter's life, because it goes by faster than you realize."
"Mm-hmm. And you know this because you know so much about relationships?"
"I'm terrible at relationships!"
"I'm worse!"
"I don't want to be!"
"And you think I do?"she rhetorically asks.
"Well, then we've got something in common!" She starts trying to sort through her papers again, before sighing and looking back at me, knowing she can't avoid me forever.
"Look, my daughter likes having you around. But how can you stick around when you're running for senator?"
"I'm a politician. I'm good with the issues, people ones, not political, that's why I was elected. That's my job."
"Yeah, well I'm sorry, but I can't let Idina get close to somebody else who will just hurt her in the end. She doesn't need any more false hope in her life."
"Okay, hold on, first of all, I'm not disloyal and I don't leave people. All right? I'm a stayer and I'm loyal. I'm the one who gets left. I'm the one who get's used."
"Well, we got that in common too."
"What do you mean? I thought Idina's father was dead."
"He is, but he's still her father, and he wasn't a good man."
"Yeah, she already told me that."
"Well did she show you?"
"Show me what?" She sits down, rubbing her black pants under her dress.
"The reason why I don't wear a dress without something covering a part of my legs." I look at her with caring eyes that try to understand what's happening. I come closer to her and accidentally brush against her shoulder. She flinches barely, in a similar fashion to her daughter. I slowly realize what he did to the woman next to me, to the kind wonderful girl currently at my brother's apartment, to both of them.
"The reason why Idina flinches when someone brushes against her shoulder, just like you," I say. I take her arm, which she allows, slowly pulling off half the jacket revealing her shoulder's flesh. Faint brown spots and pink tinted skin cover the shoulder blade going down towards her covered back.
"I was young, and stupid, and couldn't see the man before me. He wanted me to get an abortion, but I thought he loved his daughter from the second she was born. I didn't think he regretted it. All I saw was that I was a girl who thought she was in love," she looks at me, putting her coat back on, "You know Eric, there's such a thing as being too loyal."
"I-I'm sorry," is all I can think of saying.
"I just didn't want her to have to experience what I was going through. I thought 'a girl should think well of her father'. But that couldn't happen once she saw through his facade. Once his hands turned on her as well..." her head rests on my shoulder now.
"Well, you must know, she is very bright and intuitive. I can see where she gets that from," she's about to say something, then looks at the door as someone walks in. Her head perks up as a woman with an afro and red dress walks in. She stands, adjusting her jacket.
"Hi, Nicole. So I talked to the instructors, and they said there's no way they can give you more than they already have. But you still have the partial."
"Yeah, at least it's something. Thanks for trying, Camille."
"She'll love it. She'll be counting down the day's until spring break when you tell her."
"Yeah, she's my little author," she looks down at a brochure in her hands from the woman, "But I'm still $100 short and it'll take three extra shifts to pay for it." I come up next to her.
"Workshop?" I ask glancing the booklet.
"For young writers in New York City," Camille replies to me.
"She'll love it you know. She'll love anything you give her."
"Yeah. Her and me, we share creativity. She uses words, and I use a canvas. But, those days are over for me. I just wish I could give her more." I pull out my wallet and hand the woman a bill.
"Here you go," Nicole sees the large bill and stares at me with wide eyes.
"Really? Why?"
"Today is her day off and spring break is in just a couple weeks. But you knew that," she smiles at me. The other woman places the bill in her baby pink purse before whisper something in Nicole's ear just barely loud enough for me to hear.
"He's cute." then she walks off, leaving a dumbfounded mother holding a brochure.
"I'll pay you back, I promise."
"You will. You'll paint me something, anything, and I know you'll make it beautiful," I reply. Nicole smiles at me, her eyes whispering the words her mouth can't, a thank you.
IDINA
"Riley Eleanor Matthews and Maya Penelope Hart, if you don't untie me right now I will bite your heads off," I mutter still trying to pry at the knots. They've moved me to the living room. Riley came back a short time ago, and she and her father didn't seem happy.
"Nope!"
"Farkle? Lucas? Really?"
"Sorry Idina, I'm scared of what you might do, but I'm more scared of Maya," Lucas replies.
"Well, I'm gonna scream my head off in 5, 4, 3, 2..." Riley and Maya look fearfully, then run over to me. They undo the unbreakable knots.
"Thanks," I say as the rope falls aimlessly to the ground. I look at them peeved.
"We're sorry Idina, we just wanted to change your life, and what better day than today?"
"I appreciate it, I do, but some things are just impossible."
"I used to not believe that," Cory glumly admits.
"I still don't," Riley says smiling at me. Just then the door swings wide open to reveal her uncle.
"Everything you think is wrong, Idina," he says looking at me. I look behind him to see my mother walking through the door, still in her work coat.
"Mom what-"
"I asked you not to tell her. Why would you do this?" She addresses Eric.
"Because she deserves to love the parent who actually cared to love her and want her."
"What?" I stare at him and her, "Mom, I know dad did some things but what is he talking about?" she looks down at her shoes.
"Your mother wanted to have you, Idina, all right? All this time she's just been protecting him for you."
"How could she trying to protect him when I already know what he's done."
"Your father wanted her to give you up. She refused," he walks closer to me, "she wanted you," he directs me towards the woman standing behind him.
"Mom? You wanted me?" I look down, "I thought I was a mistake, no one wanted me."
"Idina, you are not a mistake," Eric replies from behind me.
"I'm sorry." is all my mother can reply with.
"She's one of us. She's one of the loyal ones," Eric replies.
"Yeah, I guess she is." she take my hands and kisses my cheek.
"I couldn't afford to get you what you wanted without working a couple extra shifts, but I got it, honey,"
"That writer's camp I got a scholarship to? I thought we couldn't afford it."
"he helped me,"she looks at Eric, "So yeah you're going."
"When is it?"
"Spring Break. And the brochure is in my purse if you wanna look at it again."
"I'll get it," Eric pipes in heading that direction.
"You can't go through my purse," Mom demands. Riley and Maya share and excited look as if this has happened before while I just shrug off a look of confusion because of their scheming.
"Let him!" they demand. My mother puts her hands up in the air, as Eric rummages through the brown purse, finding a small booklet, and handing it to me and my mom. We sit down on the bench and start looking at it. As I look at the booklet in wonder I overhear Eric and his brother's banter. My mother and Topanga begin to talk in the kitchen in hushed tones.
"Did you see what I did there, Cor? I got Idina and her mother together."
"Yeah. You did great, Eric."
"Well, I'd be happy to include you in my next scheme."
"Sorry, buddy," Cory walks over to his daughter, "I got me a new partner now," then he points to Maya, "And Shawn's got that one."
"So you're with her now, huh?"
"Me and her," he shrugs, "I guess you're on your own."
"Come on! What fun is pulling off schemes by yourself?" as Eric talks he moves closer to me, eventually sitting next to me on the bench attached to the dinner table. I look up from my booklet at him and roll my eyes full of playful sarcasm.
"Oh, it's you and me now?"
"Well, hey, I'm in the market for a new partner in crime," I look him up and down pretending to examine him.
"Yeah, all right, I'll try you out and see how you do," I smile at him as we shake hands, solidifying our agreement. I see my mother smile at us, a different type of smiling creeping on her lips, one I haven't seen in a long time.
Partners In Crime
Who's gonna be the one to save you when you need someone the most? Who's gonna be the one to catch you when you fall? Sure, friends are great for that, but sometimes you need something more... or someone more. Sometimes, you need someone to lean on in a different way. A way, even I at this point don't know. A way I've never had, though people might've tried barely, they ended with misery. I think it's important to keep trying, but sometimes, certain people just fit together better than others.