MAJOR/minor: Generation Gap Chapter 9: Coincidental Convergence

It was early when Hilda awoke to the loud, iconic beeping of a truck backing up, followed shortly by the pressure of hydraulic fluid releasing, signaling a stop. Garbage pick up was on a different day and it was too early for the mail. This made Hilda curious. 

She rose from her bed and draped a robe loosely over herself before heading to her balcony. A U-haul truck was parked outside the old Wilcox manor right across from her. Hilda lived in a more exclusive neighborhood and the old Wilcox’s owned the most in demand property in that neighborhood even over hers. Words like “manor” or “mansion” were too tame to describe the acres of property that was just across the street from her. Five swimming pools at least two of which were olympic size, one being indoors. It made her own two pull and grotto look modest. An orchard, running track, tennis court, and field, not to mention actual stables for real life horses on what used to be a ranch and farmland. That was before even mentioning the home itself, holding dozens of rooms, twice over what Hilda had in her own property. It was more a palace, and it cost a king’s ransom just to rent, which is why it had went abandoned for nearly all of the time Hilda had lived near it. 

The Wilcoxes were old and came from old money. The MAJOR couple were before even first generations like herself and the husband Gerald had died two years ago. Milly the widow had given her the tour more than once to try and encourage a sale, but at the time it was too rich for Maldera blood. She could probably afford it now, but after her kids had moved out, she held no desire, and now it was apparently too late. A big red “SOLD” was stamped on the fresh face of some auburn haired realtor who stood next to a MAJOR sized male contemporary. She’d figured that sign a permanent installation with Milly’s insane asking price, but it appeared someone had the money. 

“Hmm.” Hilda mused to herself. It had been decades since she’d had neighbors. She’d forgotten the social etiquette, not that she’d even cared. Were introductions in order? Should she bring over a baked good? Did  people still even do that? She pondered the idea for a moment when her phone rang. 

For a brief instant she felt excitement at the thought it could be her little Ellie. Perhaps calling to hash out the details of their next rendezvous. She grimaced. 

It was Basil. 

She hung up before the phone had finished ringing. There was no time for any of his nonsense today. 

The phone rang again, and again, and again. She let it ring this time. He would get the message eventually. It went silent. Then rang again….and again. 

“WHAT, BASIL!” she snapped into her phone.

“Your son, is what!” he barked. 

“My son!?” Hilda huffed. “Any son I have is a son of yours too!” 

“You kicked him out yesterday.” Basil stated. 

“I took in his family without any early notice, from the kindness of my heart, yes!” Hilda stated back. 

“And just who do you think he called after?” he continued. “Where do you think he went?” 

“To his father I’m guessing.” Hilda mused, just wishing he could see her self satisfying grin. “How sweet the bond between father and son truly is.” 

“Don’t toy with me, Hilda.” he said with that characteristic base in his voice, the kind that used to send chills down her spine. “I don’t own any property south of Seattle on the west coast. I had to put the boy up in a hotel! The same hotel I’m staying at which was fully booked and the boy can’t keep his hands out the mini bar!” 

“So?” Hilda grinned into her phone. News of Basil’s frustration was almost orgasmic. 

“I’m not made of money, woman!” 

“You could’ve fooled me the way you were flashing cash on Moonie’s birthday!” 

Silence.

…..

“You know what I mean.” he sighed. 

“Yes I do.” She stated. “I’ve lived it for over ten years, you can put up with it for a few more days.” She hung up again. 

This time the phone didn’t ring again. 

“It’s too big.” Elliot said.

Riley stood next to him, with Minnie unfortunately leaning on her shoulder. Elliot needed more friends. 

“Too big for you, yes.” Minnie agreed but they both knew it was at his expense. 

All three of them gaped in awe at the empty expansiveness of his new room at the home his mother had just purchased. 

“You don’t have to stay here.” a voice boomed causing Minnie to jump. “It’s just an alternative.” Rose loomed in the doorframe, dressed far more casually than Elliot was accustomed to seeing her. A plain white, sleeveless tank that was maybe one size too small and accentuated her ample chest and taught cyclopean abdominals. It was paired with simple blue jeans that hugged her hips and barely contained her calves, glutes, and every other pronounced muscle on her lower body. She seemed dress for lifting and movement which made sense since she was probably the only one within miles strong enough to move in her custom built furniture. 

“But you should stay for a day or two so-”

“FUCKING CHRIST!” a deep male voice shouted and then a loud *THUD* followed by the sound of shattered glass. 

Rose’s face immediately went red even though her expression didn’t change. She sighed. 

“I swear if you just broke my crystal stemware  none of you are getting a dime from me!” she roared. Then she caught herself noticing the object terror that ran across the face of the two MAJOR women in the room and shamefully the restrained shiver of her own son. She regained her composure and bent down to regard him while being careful to respect his space. “If you would stay for just a few days so we can pick out some nice things for your room I would…” She paused before finishing worried this was coming across like a command. “I would.” 

“Of course mom,” Elliot smiled sheepishly. 

“Yes. Right.” Rose said back evenly. “Excuse me, for a moment.” She turned and stomped out the room. 

“Fuck, your mom’s scary!” Riley cursed. 

“Why does it sound like she wants to crush me under her foot every time she talks.” Minnie blurted. 

“Because she does!” Riley affirmed. “That woman thinks we’re all trash. I once saw her reduce a man to tears by shaking his hand.”

“That’s not-.” Elliot went to try and object before memories of moments Riley described surfaced. “Actually, uh yeah.” 

“I can’t believe someone like you came out of a woman like that.” Minnie shot.

“Minnie, what the fuck?” Riley seethed. Riley shot her girlfriend a dark look but Elliot was mute, already desensitized to Minnie’s cruel tauntings. 

“What?!” Minnie snapped. “It’s true! That woman’s twice the size of a normal elephant! Believe me I’ve seen some tall MAJORS, but she’s not even human and he’s,...he’s.” She put her thumb and index fingers together to emphasize Elliot’s size. “He’s short for a minor. It makes no sense!” 

Elliot was starting to get insulted now. “She can probably still hear you, y’know.” He uttered.

“No she can’t.” A male voice said. Elliot’s father walked in dressed almost as casually as his wife, but choosing to pair a tasteful cotton vest over his white t-shirt. “She’s outside reading those poor movers, the riot act.” He was carrying a bed casually over his shoulder. “But it’s probably still pretty stupid to talk shit about a family when the husband and father’s in earshot too.” He grinned toothily at Minnie and Riley giving them a playful wink. “Where you want this kid?” 

Minnie’s face blanched, which was becoming a norm for her as her already pale skin found a few more shades of whiteness.

Charles just roared with laughter as he set down his son’s MAJOR sized bed in a corner where Elliot pointed. “We can get all this sorted out later.” He groaned giving an exaggerated yawn. He bent down and ruffled his son’s hair before heading out the room. “Cute girlfriend, Riles. A real winner!” he shouted from just out the hallway.

Riley scowled at a terrified Minnie. “Maybe think before you speak once in a while! You realize if Rose decides she doesn’t like you, there’s nothing I can do to protect you right?” 

“I-” Minnie stuttered but Riley cut her off.

“I know you have something against Elliot, but you need to figure this out or I’m fucking done here Min. I’ve only known you for a few weeks! I’m not taking this heat for you!” Riley stormed out the room leaving her and Elliot alone. 

“I-” Minnie looked down at Elliot, he met her eyes with a hard glare, before shrugging and walking out himself leaving her alone. 

Minnie bit her tongue hard, on the verge of drawing blood to fight off the tear that threatened to leak. She brushed a few strands of bright platinum hair from the front of her face. She took a deep breath. She couldn’t blow this with Riley. Time to reset. 

They hadn’t broken his mother’s crystal stemware, thankfully. It was probably the only reason the movers were still allowed on the property. What they had broken was the made to order stained glass front panel of Magnolia Rose’s bed frame, the cost of which was in the thousands if not tens of thousands. Elliot could only sit and watch as him mother spoke down to one of the movers as the other gingerly went about her work. It was a man and woman duo doing most of the moving with his father and mother helping. Elliot couldn’t really help with much, everything besides his own stuff was too large, too heavy, and Riley had taken it upon herself to move in his old furniture and clothing, a task that was trivial for her and done within minutes, leaving him feeling very out of place. 

“Look Ms. Reynolds, you signed the waver, we’re not responsible for any damages that may occur.” The man tried to sound authoritative despite arguing from a clear place of weakness with an intimidating woman more than twice his size. 

“I know exactly what I signed.” Magnolia Rose, spoke very evenly. “Because I had Mr. Monroe, your supervisor write up one specifically at an extra cost.” She produced her own copy of the legal paperwork. “And it states right here in paragraph 3 that I do hold liability for any damaged property during the move.” 

The man sighed in relief.

“But only if the damage occurs while under my direct supervision!” Rose presented the document with the relevant paragraph already highlighted. “And were you?”
“.....No.” the man admitted. 

“Of course not.” Rose continued. “Because if you were, I would’ve told you not to even attempt moving that panel. It was clearly too heavy for even the two of you.” 

“But.”

“And if you had chosen to pay even the slightest bit of attention when loading this truck you would’ve known I had loaded it up myself.”

“It was blocking the rest of the stuff and your husband asked-”

“What my husband asked is not relevant here Mr…”

“P-percy.” He stammered. 

“Percy.” Rose smiled “Cute name.” She bent down now, still not eye level with the man. She could now see he was younger, maybe only in his early thirties, with red hair and a bit of scruff starting show. “Do you have any idea how much that panel cost, Percy?” 

He shook his head. 

“Over 55 thousand dollars.” Rose stated. 

He gulped. 

“Now I’m choosing to ignore what just happened here Percy.” She gently caressed his cheek like someone would a small child. “But you need to prove to me you can follow orders instead of recklessly taking things into your own hands.Understand?” 

“Of course, ma’am.” He said nodding in agreement. 

“Tell me, you understand.” Rose said with more authority. 

Percy winced as the gentle caress increased ever so slightly in pressure on his face. 

“I-I understand!” He chirped. 

“Good!” Rose smiled brightly before “gently” patting the side of Percy’s face. Her oversized hand left a bright red handprint on his face. He rubbed it gingerly. He wouldn’t forget it’s sting anytime soon. “Now I need you to sit over there.” She pointed over towards Elliot who was sitting on the edge of a stone fence casually watching the MAJOR woman hefting a sofa into the house. She stopped to smile and wave at him, which Elliot returned. 

“That cute boy over there is my son. My minor son. A bright boy, but unfortunately too weak to be of any assistance in this endeavor…much like yourself.” Rose stated never dropping her smile. “Please watch him for me.” 

“Yes, m-ma’am.” Percy said in shame. 

“Thank you, Percy!” Rose chirped before letting the man go. 

Magnolia Rose finally rose to her full height. She let out a deep sigh as she regarded the titanic moving truck she had rented. U-haul had only five available and it cost a premium, apparently used for moving heavy machinery as well as genetically modified produce. It was still filled to the brim with easily over a million in furniture and other assorted items shipped nearly cross country from her estate in Hamptons. This would be a full days work even for her. 

“Riley, Charles, Minnesota, front and center please!” She shouted. Within moments all three had made their way to the driveway and in front of her. “And you too, miss.” Rose spoke up, stopping the moving woman.  She was slightly taller and slightly leaner built than Percy, her male contemporary. She had yellow tan skin and a long jet black braid hanging down her back with her sides shaved. She was making herself busy smiling and giggling in conversation with Elliot between moving smaller pieces of furniture. “If you could stop flirting with my son, and maybe do your job, yes?”

The woman jumped before quickly jogging over to the rest. 

“Winona, ma’am.” She bowed to Rose obediently which amused the cyclopean matriarch.

“Good!” She smirked. “We have a lot of work to do today!” She spoke with authority. “Follow my lead precisely and we may just get this done before sundown!” 

Munalune was on a walk. Yes, a walk around her neighborhood, one she took often. Minors, unlike MAJORS, had to engage in regular exercise to stay trim and fit, which was a value she was grateful to her mother for instilling in her. A walk in her “neighborhood” was more than one might expect. The Maldera estate was located in a highly exclusive, and highly secluded community known as Sanguine Paradise. The Maldera’s and their one neighbor were located at the top of a smaller hill paired with its sister hill to the east. It was nearly a mile downhill to the next group of residences making her walks a two and a half mile jaunt total and uphill coming back. This alone was great tone for her legs and glutes! 

“This is so boring.” Sunnie whined. Walking at what was an excruciatingly slow pace for a young MAJOR.

“Deal with it.” Moonie said through haggard breaths. They were halfway home which was uphill and she was losing stamina. “You didn’t have to come.” 

“Then why did mom make us?!” Sunnie spat and crossed her arms. 

“Probably because she thinks you’re just as annoying as…..I do.” Moonie shot. “Getting you two out….the house is probably…..a blessing for her.” Moonie paused and bent over gasping. 

“I think it was to watch you.” Azalea noted. “Do you need help?”

‘No!” Moonie huffed. She rose and took a huge swig of cold water from her thermos. She regarded her twin cousins that had seemingly become her burden overnight. Both dressed matching pink and purple track jackets and kid shorts. Azalea’s wild, puffy hair tied back in a bun, while Sunnie left it completely free and wild only kept out of her face with a yellow hair band.  Not even tired, not even sweating. 

“Bah!” She spit out some cold water at the feet of both of them and took another swig. “I’m ready! Let’s do this!” She continued walking uphill. 

“This is so stupid!” Sunnie whined. 

Eventually the trio made their way back to their home street. Upon cresting the hill Sunflower had bolted forward leaving Munalune and Azalea in her dust, but she hadn’t headed home. She was running at MAJOR speed straight toward one of the largest trucks Moonie had ever seen. How had she not caught such an intimidating machine on her path down the hill. Had it passed her by when they were making their way through the lower homes?

“New neighbors?” Azalea half asked her. 

Moonie found a brief second wind to jog up towards the truck and investigate. The massive machine had wheels bigger than her body. Sunnie was jumping up and down excitedly like the child she truly was.
“Look at this thing!” she beamed.  I bet it could crush a house!” 

The truck cast a wide shadow over the rest of the street. It commanded a lot of attention with its size, but Munalune was more curious as to who would need the use of such a machine. Were the Wilcoxes renovating? 

Suddenly the machine came to life. The engine roared and a loud beeping sound echoed through the wide cul de sac. Flashing lights blinked signaling everyone to give the machine a wide berth. The truck slowly lurched backward pulling itself back and down the road turning out the driveway at a 90 degree angle. Munie and the twins watched in quiet awe as it executed a 3 point turn in the circular street to reposition itself to the back was pointing towards the driveway. In just 30 seconds it had completed it’s motion and came to a stop once more, the engine settling. Sunnie was more than impressed by the maneuver and quickly ran around the back of the machine before Moonie could stop her.

“Sunnie!” Moonie shouted chasing after the over eager, MAJOR child. Sunnie stopped at the back causing her older cousin to exhaustedly collide into her back. Azalea nervously brought up the rear to join them. The hatch opened, and before them appeared…..a MAJOR woman. She was dressed in blue jeans and a black top with short sleeves. She wore brown gloves and workers boots. She was yellow-tanned with a dark back mohawk that went down into a long braid. She seemed very surprised to see three diminutive humans appear before her. 

“Um…hello?” She said meekly. “Are..you uh…with the Reynolds? I…”

“Do you get to drive this everyday!?” Sunnie asked excitedly while jumping with the unkempt energy of youth. 

“The who?” Moonie asked, confused. 

“New neighbors.” Azalea repeated. 

Then they heard the booms. Rhythmic and repeated, steady and loud booms and Moonie could swear the earth shook. She felt a presence behind her and was almost afraid to look, an unconscious fear that turning would lead to her demise, as if a massive predator was just about to pounce. She choked down the ridiculous thought and turned to face a sight that almost made her faint.  She was massive, stern, an intimidating woman with a head of long navy hair tied into a high pony tail that went down past her waist. Her arms as wide as tree trunks, and her legs even wider. She cast a shadow over all of them. A CYCLOPEAN. A true giantess. 

Rose Magnolia stood idly as she regarded the sight in front of her. MAJOR children, very young ones by the looks of them. Twins with matching outfits, dark hair and dark skin in different styles, and a slightly shorter tan girl in a somewhat age inappropriate, midriff exposing sports top and joggers. Her hair, done up in long twin braids.  Sisters, most likely.  

“Hello, children.” She smiled warmly bending down to be as close to eyelevel with them as possible. It was still a comically large disparity and none of this young trio could reach the top of her knees when she couched. “You like trucks?” 

“Yes!” Sunnie beamed. 

Munalune was speechless at the sight of this woman. A cyclopean woman, she’d only ever seen the MAJOR of the MAJOR species online. Azalea was so terrified she sought refuge by cowering behind her shorter cousin. 

“Can we ride in it please!?” Sunflower asked. 

“Certainly!” Rose smiled down. “Just ask your parents first. Are they around?” 

That’s when Munalune finally found her voice. “I’m w-watching them right now.” She stated. “These two are my responsibility for the moment.” 

Rose squinted her eyes at Moonie for a moment before the spark of epiphany came across her face. “Oh! Of course.” She chuckled. “My apologies, I didn’t realize you were a minor.” 

Moonie felt like she’d just been stabbed by that comment. There was a certain dismissiveness in the way the giantess had said “minor” like she’d somehow now had even less authority and Munalune couldn’t exactly argue with her. 

Rose instinctively took a step backward upon her realization. “This has become a fortuitous day!” She beamed. “It would be delightful if you could meet my son! We can set up a playdate and I would be more than welcome to let you all ride in the truck when we finish moving in!” Rose gave the MAJOR woman in the truck a look and she just nodded in agreement. 

“Yes!” Sunnie jumped for joy! “C’mon Zaza! Let’s go ask mom!” She took her twin by the hand and in a blur both were rushing across the street at breakneck speed.

Munalune was shell shocked by this treatment not capable of fully processing the situation. Had she been confused for a MAJOR child? Was that an insult, and then somehow she was now booked for a “play date” with this cyclopean woman’s..”son”? What had just happened. 

“Look I-” that’s when the exhaustion caught up with her. She’d just been walking for over and hour half of the time uphill, that was a lot of a minor. She fell backward on her ass collapsing and losing consciousness. 

“Munalune…Ms. Maldera!...Moonie! Moonie!” Moonie’s eyes snapped open. It had only been for a moment she had felt herself pass out, her body lifted gently, carried, and set down on something soft. When light and vision returned she saw the boyish, young face of Elliot staring back at her. “You alright?” he asked. 

Moonie rose up catching herself and her new surroundings. She was on a bed in a empty room except for the bed she was on and an assortment of boxes. She turned her head to see a mouse faced young MAJOR sneer at her. She was carrying a series of boxes she dropped abruptly on the floor before turning and leaving in a huff. One her way out she passed a more familiar MAJOR woman silently, neither exchanging anything, but the smaller mouse-faced girl seemed crestfallen by her presence. 

“Sup.” Riley nodded down to her before depositing another series of small boxes. She then took a seat on the bed next to Elliot. 

“That’s your mom out there isn’t it?” Moonie asked. 

“Yeah.” Elliot said. “I guess I’m kind of your neighbor now?” He rubbed his hair not able to hold her gaze, both of them knowing full well what that implied. 

Munalune couldn’t hold back her smile. Things were starting to get interesting. 

Hilda came down from her room, tempted by the smell of breakfast. As she neared the bottom of her stairwell the front door burst open and in flew her granddaughters, Sunflower and Azalea. 

“Maaammaaa!” Sunflower shouted. “MAMA can we go ride in the big truck across the street!?” She dashed past Hilda dragging her twin sister in tow. “Mama!” 

Hilda rubbed her forehead. Her house had gotten more lively, and noisy. It was an annoyance but the kind that she had missed. At least this time she wasn’t the only one responsible for raising these brats. She sauntered her way into the kitchen to find Mia being clung to by one of her daughters, busy pleading with her over the request. It was an amusing site to see Mia struggle to reign in her daughter who was almost face to face with her now. 

“Easy, Sunbun.” Mia urged as she negotiated around her excited MAJOR daughter. She was holding a steaming platter of fresh rolls just out the oven. The woman had busied herself this morning preparing a breakfast spread. “We can talk about this…truck?...while you both eat breakfast!” 

“Yes mama!” Sunnie said stealing some booster seats from the corner of the kitchen for her and her sister. 

Hilda took the platter from her daughter in law and placed it on the elevated middle isle next to the rest of the food. 

“Thank you.” Mia said. She got her own boosted chair and took a seat with a daughter flanking either side of her. That was when Richie junior decided to stroll in from the sliding glass door that lead to his separate poolhouse by the grotto. He was half naked only wearing a pair of loose boxers and socks. 

“Boy, put some clothes on!” Mia shouted to him. 

“Can’t I eat first?!” He yawned. “I’m hungry as a motherfu-”
“Watch your mouth!” Hilda snapped. “I won’t have that language in my house when children are present!”

Richie scowled at her, but she held her gaze. It was a test of wills and she wouldn’t flinch. He blinked and took a step back as Hilda started to rise from her seat. 

“Fine!” he growled through gritted teeth. Realizing it was a power struggle he couldn’t win, maybe for the first time in his upstart teenage life. 

“Woah.” Azalea whimpered. “He never listens to mom, or anyone.” 

“Well he should start.” Hilda noted. “And let that be a warning to you too as well, I will not tolerate any of you disrespecting this woman or anyone while under my roof. Understand?” 

“Yes, grandma.” Azalea said, but Sunnie stayed quiet. 

“Sunflower?” Hilda raised and expectant eyebrow. “Do you understand?”

“....But what if she’s wrong about something?!” Sunnie blurted. “I shouldn’t have to listen to someone who is wrong right? Like daddy was! She always does stuff for him even when it’s bad and or it’s really stupid!”

Mia blushed. “Oh, honey!” She brought her daughter in close to her and kissed her on the forehead. “Sunbun!” 

Hilda took her granddaughter's hand in hers and met her eyes. “You’re a MAJOR, Sunnie, your mother isn’t, even your brother isn’t. Soon. Very soon. You are going to have more power than them, maybe more power than anyone in this house. You need to know how to use it responsibly and that starts by learning to respect those wiser than yourself, even if you don’t always agree with it.” 

“But?” 

“But nothing, Sunnie.” Hilda continued. “You’re still a child. I know everyday your mother seems a little smaller, a little weaker, and that probably scares you, but what she does is in your best interest and she still has years of experience you can’t even imagine.” 

Sunnie nodded. 

“In a few years it will be very easy for the both of you to take advantage of your mother and brother. I hope by then you’ll both learn enough to know how to practice restraint.” 

“But, Richie’s a jerk and a bully.” Azalea spoke up. 

“Maybe.” Hilda said. “But trust me in a few years when you’re looking down on him you’ll realize what a scared little boy he really is.” 

That’s when Richard Jr. returned wearing a loose fitting dark red shirt with a bright pink bleach stain on one sleeve. He grumbled and sat at the table and started rudely snatching large portions of sausage and bacon and dumping it on to his plate before taking a large swallow of orange juice straight form the picture.

“Richie please, at least act like I taught you some manners!” Mia chastised. 

“Grandma says you’re a scared little boy!” Sunnie said. 

Richie growled at her. 

“She also said one day me and Zaza will be bigger and stronger than you and that we shouldn’t be mean to you because that’s disrespectful!...But I’m gonna be mean to you anyway!” 

“Well that just means I need to take advantage of the time I have now right?” he grinned evilly before stealing a roll of his younger sister’s plate.

“Hello family!” Munalune shouted from the main hallway. “Grandmother! I have a surprise for you!” Munalune skipped into the kitchen wearing her trademark, tooth revealing grin, that meant she was up to something. “We have guests!” 

Following shortly after Moonie were two young MAJOR woman, one of which was very familiar to Hilda. She’d once been on the receiving end of the young woman’s wrath. Yes, the tall, athletic, blue-haired girl was a friend of Elliots. Which could only mean..she rose from her seat and sure enough right behind them was her tiny, silver haired love. 

He blushed cutely as she came into his view. “Hey neighbor.” He smiled

“It’s you!” Hilda beamed bending down to take him. “You moved in next door?” She kissed him greedily on the lip and act that made both Riley and the other girl near her groan but Hilda didn’t care. “Is this what you wanted to talk about? Why you, wanted to meet up?” 

“N-not exactly,'' he said catching his breath as the kiss broke. “It’s more complicated than that.”

“I cannot wait for you to find out!” Munalune chirped. 

“Moonie?” Hilda turned toward her granddaughter taking in her wide, shit eating grin. “What is this about? What have you done?”

“Would you believe me if I said nothing at all!” She smiled. “Life as just chosen to entertain me!” 

That’s when the front door flew open, nearly knocked off its hinges by the force. Loud stomping was heard by not one but two pairs of feet. Hilda rose and turned the corner out of the kitchen to see who was bold enough to barge in and disturb the peace of her home! 

“Woman!” Basil barked out. “Come and take your son!” He pushed forward Richard Sr. Their oldest son. He was a mess, clothes disheveled, some of them even torn, his scruff starting to show and the faint scent of alcohol on his breath. 

“What the fuck, Basil!” Hilda screeched at her oaf of an ex-husband’s sudden appearance. 

“Oh, this is getting so much better!” Moonie beamed.