Growing Up

“Why is our granddaughter locking herself up in her room!? Explain yourself!” Mrs. O’Brien shouts at you upon opening the door to your apartment.

You try to remain calm, as you know that getting just as emotional as Mrs. O’Brien will just complicate things and not have either of you listen to each other. You motion for them to enter your apartment so that you can talk more formally.

“I hope you have a good explanation. Maddy didn’t want to talk to us and just slammed her door shut.” Mr. O’Brien tells you.

“I’ll be glad to explain. Would you guys want to have lunch with us?” You ask them.

“We already ate. We’re only here to hear if you have a sufficient explanation as to why our granddaughter won’t speak with us.” Mrs. O’Brien tells you firmly.

“Mary’s just being polite. We haven’t eaten yet.” Mr. O’Brien refutes Mrs. O’Brien’s statement. “What’re you having?” Mr. O’Brien asks, getting a scolding from Mrs. O’Brien for agreeing. “He’s going to tell us what happened anyway. I’d rather be sitting down and eating when I hear it.” Mr. O’Brien tells her, making Mrs. O’Brien just sigh in defeat, before they both walk towards your dining table.

“Wait, is no one with Maddy?” Viv asks, after realizing that Mr. and Mrs. O’Brien would be sitting down for lunch with all of you.

“She locked herself in her room. We tried talking to her but she just told us to go away.” Mr. O’Brien answers Viv, obvious concern for his granddaughter in his tone.

“I’ll stay with her. Just to make sure she doesn’t try to leave your apartment without telling you.” Viv tells them, to the confusion of the O’Briens. “I’m just trying to prevent a scenario where we have to do a search party later.” Viv explains.

“Maddy wouldn’t dare!” Mrs. O’Brien reacts in shock, but immediately stands up in an attempt to go back to their apartment.

“Her first reaction was to leave the apartment building into the city alone. If she finds out you’re not in your apartment, she might try and make a break for it.” Brooke points out.

Mr. O’Brien immediately grabs his keys from his pocket and throws it at Viv.

“309.” Mr. O’Brien tells her. “Let them handle it, Mary. They know what’s going on. We don’t.” Mr. O’Brien adds.

“Do you guys have an external fire escape?” Viv asks.

“Not in Maddy’s room, no. There is one near the dining area. Same as here.” Mr. O’Brien answers her.

“Wait, let me go. I saw what happened, so I don’t need to hear that part of the story from Jay. Plus, I don’t know what made her leave the apartment building, so maybe I’d be less threatening to talk to if she wants to open up.” Brooke tells Viv, and Viv just nods and gives her the keys to the O’Briens’ apartment.

“Shouldn’t Dad go?” Stella asks.

“I think it’s best if Maddy does get some alone time for now, and not have Jay possibly escalate the situation.” Brooke answers Stella. “I’ll just be there to guard her possible escape routes anyway. Which one’s her room?” Brooke asks.

“First door on the left.” Mr. O’Brien answers her.

“Same side as Stella’s room. Got it.” Brooke says before standing up, bringing the ice cream with her, to walk towards your apartment door to leave. She pauses for a moment to address you. “Oh, and Jay, don’t change whatever you said to Maddy from earlier so they understand what happened.” Brooke advises you.

“If anything goes missing in that apartment, young lady; I—” Mrs. O’Brien starts to warn Brooke, but stops upon seeing Brooke was already walking out of the apartment to go to Maddy. Instead, she turns to you. “It’s time you tell us what happened, young man.” Mrs. O’Brien tells you.

You recount the relevant parts of what happened to the O’Briens, telling them that Maddy was made aware that everyone already knew of her crush for you, including you; and that it was this that caused her to get embarrassed and leave the apartment building to try and go into the city alone. Mrs. O’Brien couldn’t help but hide her face in her palm as she tells Mr. O’Brien that she knew this would happen.

“What happened downstairs?” Stella asks.

You tell them what happened, not editing what you told Maddy to get her to calm down but apparently making things worse. As you finish your story, everyone facepalms as their reaction. Mr. O’Brien even laughs out loud, making the other girls laugh too, including Mrs. O’Brien.

“Am I missing something?” You ask them.

“Good job, Romeo.” Mr. O’Brien teases you.

“Richard’s sarcasm aside, you did the right thing, young man.” Mrs. O’Brien tells you, seemingly approving of your approach. Now you’re even more confused about what you did if Mrs. O’Brien agrees with it.

“We spoiled him.” Stella tells Cassie.

“We did, didn’t we?” Cassie confirms.

“What’s going on? What’d I do wrong?” You ask them.

“You basically rejected her, dingus.” Viv points out.

“No~! I explicitly said that I just can’t date her right now. Not yet. Not if her family disapproves.” You correct Viv.

“Exactly.” Viv immediately responds.

“You kinda did reject her, Jay. If I was Maddy, that’s how I would have interpreted it too.” Cassie tells you.

“Kinda? He basically told her he isn’t dating her until she’s as old as her grandparents!” Stella shouts out in her annoyance of you.

“What did you want me to tell her then? Lie?” You ask your daughter defensively.

“No! Of course not! You could have said you’ll just face the consequences of dating her, or maybe you’re willing to hide your relationship from her grandparents and her parents until you find a way to get them on your side. You know? Passion? Romance? Something!” Stella answers you, and you begin to realize why exactly Maddy may have been turned off by your calm response. Your look of realization isn’t lost on anyone.

“Now he gets it.” Viv says with a chuckle.

“I was just trying to be rational about it.” You defend yourself. Although, you now realize that Maddy being a teenager, maybe a logical or rational approach wasn’t exactly what she’d consider as romantic.

“You did the right thing, young man. Our son would be furious if he found out that you did any of the things your daughter suggested.” Mrs. O’Brien tells you in approval as she eats a satay skewer. Mrs. O’Brien’s approval of your actions pretty much removes all doubt in your mind that you fucked that one up with Maddy, just as Brooke predicted they’d make you realize.

“Here I thought you’d be the one to make a move on Maddy.” Mr. O’Brien says, still laughing. “It’s good to know Maddy has the balls to be honest about what she wants though.” Mr. O’Brien adds, sounding like he was taking a dig at you, before slurping up some Pad Thai.

“Mr. O’Brien, you were the one who told me to quote, ‘not fookin dare’, end quote.” You remind him defensively.

“I’m her grandfather. Of course that’s what I’d say. That’s what I’m supposed to say.” Mr. O’Brien explains, and you can’t deny that you understand where he’s coming from. “If I didn’t fookin’ dare when I liked someone though, I wouldn’t have been able to marry this beauty.” Mr. O’Brien adds, seemingly flirting with his wife.

“Oh, stop it, Richard!” Mrs. O’Brien tells him, although it’s obvious she’s enjoying it.

“Wait, so you’re fine if I date, Maddy?” You ask your two elderly neighbors.

“Obviously not!” Mrs. O’Brien answers you.

“Like I said before, don’t you fookin’ dare.” Mr. O’Brien tells you, but the way he says it is completely different in tone. He even gives you a wink this time that signifies he didn’t really mean his more menacing delivery a couple of days ago.

“I saw that!” Mrs. O’Brien reacts.

“That’s because I wanted you to see.” Mr. O’Brien playfully antagonizes his wife, making her roll her eyes.

“Come on, Mare. Maddy’s an adult now. She should be able to make her own decisions and her own life choices. By the time we were eighteen, we already eloped and traveled around the country. She deserves to at least choose what she wants to do with her life.” Mr. O’Brien argues.

“Don’t you think I know that!?” Mrs. O’Brien replies in irritation, her voice raised. You and the girls just look awkwardly as Mrs. O’Brien doesn’t seem to treat this argument as playful anymore. Mrs. O’Brien looks around the table, seeing your paused looks. Viv even has noodles sticking out of her mouth since she paused mid-slurp. It seemed Mrs. O’Brien realized her outburst and was about to calm herself down, but Mr. O’Brien didn’t give her a chance to.

“If you know that then why be against it? Don’t get me wrong, I was against him going after Maddy too; but if it’s Maddy that wants to try it and pursue a polyamorous relationship like we did back in the day, why not let her?” Mr. O’Brien asks his wife.

“You think it’s that easy!? You think our son’s going to just let his daughter date a man twice her age?” Mrs. O’Brien asks her husband in frustration.

“He could be my age for all I care! At least it’s something! He doesn’t let any of them date! He doesn’t let any of them do anything! That’s not how you raise your children!” Mr. O’Brien finally raises his voice as well, and you wish to intervene and calm things down, but it seems the old couple have been holding on to this conversation for a while… and the dam just burst in your dining area.

“How the fuck should he raise his children then!? The way we raised him? Dropping him off to whoever’s turn it was to take him while we did **** and hosted key parties?” Mrs. O’Brien asked Mr. O’Brien with venom. You tried to calm her down, but there was no stopping her now.

“For the billionth fucking time, Ricky! Connor hated us for that! I know you know it wasn’t easy for me to turn into this bitch so that when our son asks our neighbors how I am they’d say I’m a stickler for rules or I’m a judgmental cunt. I don’t need to remind you the fucking reason I **** you to run and become a Board member of this goddamn apartment building. Our son needed to think we finally fucking grew up into the responsible normal parents he wished he had.” Mrs. O’Brien lets out in a raised voice, and Mr. O’Brien was about to respond but Mrs. O’Brien wasn’t done yet. Mrs. O’Brien abruptly stands up from the table and towers over her husband who remained seated.

“Don’t you fucking dare tell me I’m wrong!” Mrs. O’Brien shouts, preventing Mr. O’Brien from arguing his side. “I’m the one who fixed shit with Connor! I’m the one who swallowed their pride! I’m the one who reached out to him and apologized! I’m the one who promised him we would change! I’m the fucking reason he even considered to let Maddy stay here! I’m the fucking reason you even have grandchildren that knows who the fuck you are!” Mrs. O’Brien continues in seething anger.

“I am not losing the opportunity to continue seeing my grandchildren just so that you can continue fighting OUR son! Just so that you can relive our youth vicariously through this young man! I’m not fucking having it, Ricky!” Mrs. O’Brien shouts at Mr. O’Brien, before walking away from the table.

Mrs. O’Brien pauses and stops mid-stride. She doesn’t look back at the dining table where all of you still are, but she addresses Mr. O’Brien one last time after taking a deep breath to calm herself down. Her next words were somber in tone, filled with pain.

“I grew up Ricky. I had to. It’s time you fucking did too.”