Pleasant

"Thanks for the dinner, Maria. It was lovely."

"My pleasure! I'm glad you liked it. It's nice that you got the chance to come over this evening."

"Probably shouldn't stay too much longer though... I'll need to put Julius to bed, at least."

"Aww yeah, definitely. Do you read to him?"

"Sometimes. Other times we just chat. He's quite interesting to talk to. More than people really give him credit for. He might be a little horror at times with his pranks but he's still my little boy, you know?"

"Of course. Hell, no matter how old he gets, Logan's always going to be my little boy too. Even though he's married!"

"Heh, that's sweet. Hey, excuse the intrusive question, but what was the transition like? I know he wasn't always your boy, as such."

"Strange! A very big adjustment for us both. But it was right for him. He's so happy nowadays."

"Good. He and Saraya make a lovely couple. You know, I don't think I'd mind if it were one of mine. I'd just want to make sure they were doing what they really wanted to."

"Yeah, that's it exactly! And with my own experiences, I can understand the feeling of trying to force yourself to be something you're not. It's kind of why he exists in the first place!"

"Aww. I suspect Zeus isn't straight, but if he does like men in any way, I don't see him admitting it while we're still with Tate."

"Is he homophobic?"

"Very. Not to lesbians though, because that's 'hot'."

"....Eurgh."

"Yeah. It might be, but we don't just exist for his pleasure. And it's no excuse to be hateful either. Ugh, speaking of which... my parents weren't happy at all with me being bi. The type who ask you why you can't just be straight. They think my marriage to Tate is the best thing I've ever done, let's put it that way."

"...Ouch."

"Oh, they love him. Think he's wonderful. He really turns on the fucking charm when we're there. You know what? He even has the nerve to criticise me, and they go along with it..."

"What? Why?!"

"I've never been good enough for them. They threw me out, after all... because they discovered my 'career'. Said I was a bad influence on my sister."

"Oh honey, I'm sorry. I never understood people who could reject their own children. Logan would have to do something horrendous for me to stop talking to him."

"I'm glad I never copied their parenting, that's for certain."

"Me too. Your kids are lucky to have a mum like you!"

"Awww, thanks Maria."

"It's okay. Really, I've seen some shit mothers around here, and you're definitely not one of them."

"I'm being nosy now, but who?"

"Hmm... Fran Everett's quite a contender."

"Is that Heath's mum?"

"Yeah. They're not talking, actually... although he's the one who cut her off. She's a nasty piece of work. Always was okay to me, but I'd see her turn up at school to pick him up, or I'd collect Logan from their house. Half the time she looked like she was on something."

"Wow..."

"The nasty part is her trying to make him choose her over Ellis and Nix. Of course, he was having none of it."

"Good for him! Oh, Ellis is lovely. My stepson... even if he is the same age as me. I should have run as soon as I found that out, but I was already pregnant."

"Didn't Tate tell you about his other children, then?"

"Not until I was moving in... God, what an idiot I was."

"You're not an idiot."

"I was being a gold-digger, though."

"It's hardly surprising, if you were... how old, exactly?"

"Nineteen."

"Wow. Okay, you were nineteen and your parents had thrown you out. No wonder you were desperate."

"I guess. Oh well."

"Everything's going to be okay, Roxxi. Don't you worry."

"Thanks... Ah, there's no point wasting time feeling sorry for myself. Gimme a kiss."

"Gladly."

Later...

"Where the hell have you been?"

"Seeing a friend. I'm entitled to a life too, you know."

"Well, don't make a habit of it. I have better things to do than watch over that little shit."

"Keep your voice down! And don't talk about our son like that! Maybe if you paid him more attention, he wouldn't try to get it by playing pranks on you."

"I'm not going to be lectured by you. Now listen to me. Tomorrow, we have important guests, so I need you to be here, and I need you to look your best. Nothing slutty, though."

"...Who?"

"The Fortescues. We need to make a good impression."

"Okay, okay."

"Make sure the kids are well-presented too. And will you at least try to get Zeus to do something about that horrible beard? Short of cutting it off myself, I'm running out of options."

"He won't be happy. You know he likes to express himself."

"I don't give a damn about his 'self expression' bullshit. It looks ridiculous, and it'll reflect badly on me."

"Can't make any promises, but I'll try. ...So am I cooking, too?"

"No. I don't trust you not to burn it, considering some of the failures you've had in the past. I can't afford to have you embarrass me. Just do what you're best at, okay?"

"What's that, then?"

"Shutting up and looking good."

"Like the trophy wife I am, right?"

"Exactly. Just remember that you're on thin ice, and if you mess this up... Well, you know what could happen."