Farrington-Gores: The third degree

'Hey Tristan.'

'Oh, hey.'

'It's so lovely, isn't it? The house and the location!'

'Definitely. Mum picked well.'

'Must've been expensive!'

'Actually, property here isn't that much. Whatever, I can afford it. I told her to spend as much as she likes and just make sure we all have our own rooms. I'm not sharing with Zeus and his free flopping dick.'

'...Don't blame you.'

'Yeaaah.'

'Did you specify anything else?'

'Nope. I'm really pleasantly surprised. I didn't expect it to be this luxurious.'

'It sure beats our old house! That never had a pool, or a sauna! This is like a dream house.'

'We really fucking earned it, Carmella. This is our reward for this past shitty year. Total paradise.'

'I can't wait to explore. Do you fancy it?'

'I'm not too keen on the idea of going into more unfamiliar territory, especially with this fucking patch, but... I am pretty curious to see what's out there.'

'Me too. We'll have to go, once Zeus is feeling a bit better.'

'Are you okay, sweetie?'

'Yeah... sorry I'm not more cheery.'

'Don't apologise for that. It's okay. Can I help in any way?'

'Can't think of anything.'

'How about I look for takeaways and get a delivery tonight? Might be a start?'

'Sounds great, Mum. I'm in the mood for pizza.'

'Pizza it is!'

*ring ring*

'...Not again.'

'You need to block his number, Mum.'

'I did. He's obviously calling off another line. I'd better get a new number. All of you should.'

'Yeah. Funnily enough, he hasn't tried mine.'

'Good.'

'I'd be very tempted to start farting down the phone at him, or something.'

'I bet Julius would help you out there.'

'Me too. So... Carmella overheard the bit about Aunt Brie.'

'......Oh. I'm sorry.'

'I'm sorry too. I don't understand why she'd betray us all like that... I thought she was nice.'

'It's a real blow, I won't lie...'

'Our cousins are also our sisters... How weird is that? I can't quite get my head round it.'

'I really want to have it out with her, but I know it won't be worth it.'

'Ordinarily I'd say don't start a conflict, but... fuck it. She deserves the third degree. Call her out on it. Then never speak to her again.'

'You're absolutely right, Zeus. I'm gonna go do this outside, so you don't have to hear me getting angry.'

'Roxxi...'

'Hi, Brie, you cheating skank.'

'Ah, you do know then.'

'That's right. What do you have to say about it all? Are you gonna explain yourself?'

'Not much to explain, really. I just felt like it.'

'...You "just felt like" having an affair with my husband, is that it? Nothing ever entered your mind that it'd be a wrong thing to do? No thought or consideration for your sister or niece and nephews?'

'Oh, please. It's hardly romance of the century, is it? You never even liked the man. Don't act like I split up some kind of happy family.'

'You know, it doesn't surprise me at all that he'd do something like this. He's a selfish cunt. But you? Why would you?'

'Same reasons as you. He's loaded. Why are you so bothered? I didn't fuck your one true love.'

'It doesn't matter about that! We were married, he was still my sexual partner! And there you are, fucking him as well! You're telling me you don't see how fucked up that is?!'

'All I can say is you were very naive to think that a man like him would be faithful to you.'

'I expected you to be faithful to me! You're my fucking sister!'

'Yeah, well, I don't really give a damn about that.'

'Why?! I'd never do it to you! What did I ever do wrong?'

'I can't stand you, to be honest. You're a fake bitch. The fact is, honey, you married him for a big fat inheritance because sucking dick on camera didn't earn you enough money.'

'How could you-?!'

'How could I? It's the truth, sweetheart. You go around now, all moralistic, acting like you're squeaky clean and whining and crying because the dirty old man you married acts like a dirty old man. Guess what? Sleazes are sleazy! If you wanted a real husband, you should've gone on a dating site or something. Though to be honest, I don't think many people would want you after the way you've whored yourself out.'

'Y-You're a hypocrite! I might've been a gold-digger, but so are you! You've had how many sugar daddies over the years?'

'Obviously I learned from your example.'

'That's not fair, Brie. I was desperate. Mum and Dad kicked me out! They would've seen me living on the streets! A-All I wanted was security... I was scared. I never thought Tate would turn out to be that bad... He's fucking evil!'

'He can't have been that bad for you to stick around so long.'

'I was trapped. You know Mum and Dad fucking adore him. I haven't answered any of their calls yet because I know they'll just tell me to get back with him. I can't do that. I don't want to do that. He hit Zeus, Brie! I can't stay with a man who hits his kids! There's so much more to it that you don't know, all about how he calls us names, threatens us... He threatened to kill me if I left him. He admitted to killing his first wife! He's a murderer!'

'Seriously? You expect me to believe that?'

'It's true! Tristan overheard the whole thing! Ask him if you don't believe me!'

'Uh, no, I'll pass on that. You're seriously deluded, Roxxi.'

'You're really gonna carry on blaming me? I-I don't understand... why are you suddenly being so cruel?'

'Oh, get over yourself! You're just as nasty as me. I'm just upfront about it, whereas you hide away like a coward and pretend to be some kind of saint, when deep down, you're every bit as selfish as I am. I'm glad I wiped the smug smile off your face.'

'I was never smug... I put on a brave face. You're that determined to hate me...? You really wanted to hurt me that much?'

'Yeah, I did. We were both laughing at you. How you never worked it out. You're so brainless, Roxxi.'

'...Wait. You kept asking me where I went, when I asked you to cover for me... you were gonna tell him all along, weren't you?!'

'Of course I was.'

'I was so stupid to trust you! Do you know what would've happened if I'd told you? I'd be dead! You could have killed me, all because you're a backstabbing bitch! You could have taken my kids' mum away from them! And where would that have left them? With him?'