Bebe In LaLa Land 14 free porn video

GOING HOME -or- MY REALITY IS JUST DIFFERENT THAN YOURS "And going home for the holidays makes you feel...?" Dr Shapiro prodded. John was feeling very stressed. He'd be headed back to Massachusetts for Thanksgiving in a couple of days. It was a short visit, but there was a longer one coming up in a few weeks. "I guess 'apprehensive' would be the best way to describe how I feel." "Because?" "Because, when they came out here for the premier, they acted a little weird." "Weird, How?" "Like, they acted surprised that I was strange because of how I'm living." "And don't you think that might be a logical reaction to your choice to live this way?" "No. Not for them. They knew from the start. Heck, my mother helped at first. She even encouraged me. My sister was the first to notice my condition. They knew and then they came out here and acted all superior and snotty." "I see. How did their attitude make you feel?" "Awful. Like I was doing something wrong. Like I was a freak. I hated it." "I see. Bebe, do you think that, maybe, you're giving them too much power? That maybe - just maybe - you're ALLOWING them to have power over you?" John thought for a moment. "How would you feel if you were suddenly more successful than you ever expected, but the two people who had always been most important to you acted like you were trash?" "I'd be hurt," Dr Shapiro confirmed. "Is that how you felt?" John nodded. "So, how are we going to keep this from happening this weekend?" The Doctor asked. John sighed. "By not letting them get to me." "How." "By staying confident about who I am, why I'm here and why I'm doing what I'm doing." "Excellent, Bebe," the doctor stood and walked to the window where John had been staring out at the city below. She hugged him. "Stick to our plan and you'll be fine. If you need me, call. Ok?" John nodded. "Thank you." "That's a good girl," she let go of him. "I think you've done some great work over the past couple of weeks, Bebe. Right now, though, I think I'd like to see your cousin and uncle and talk to them without you in the room. Would that be ok with you?" John shrugged. "Sure. I guess." "Thank you, Bebe. I'll ask you back in in a little while, ok?" "Ok," John said as she led him to the door. "Rose? Ed?" The doctor called out as John exited. When they were seated on the couch, the doctor sat in a comfortable chair and asked, "So, how have you been since we last spoke?" "Good," Ed replied, heartily. "Oh, Umm, fine, I guess," Rose smiled and nodded. "Problems? Concerns?" "Well," Ed cleared his throat, "from what Rose tells me, Bebe had a very good audition for a film this week. We're waiting to see if her agent can work out acceptable terms for her to do it. She came home very excited about..." The doctor interrupted. "Ed. I know about Bebe's audition. I just spoke to her. I mean, any problems or concerns for either of you, or between you two?" Ed looked from the doctor to Rose and back and shook his head. "No. I don't think so." Dr Shapiro nodded. "Rose?" Rose started to speak, then looked at Ed, smiled and said, "No. I guess not." The doctor waited a moment, then continued, "Alright, then I'd like to explore your parental obligations regarding Bebe and how she..." "Umm... well..." Rose looked at Ed, again. The doctor stopped and waited, but Rose just looked at Ed. "Rose?" She asked. "Would you like to say something?" "Umm..." she bit her lip. "I... I... I don't know, exactly, but..." she sputtered. "What is it, Rosie?" Ed asked, patiently. "You can say anything in here." "Yeah... Yeah..., but..." she looked anywhere but at Ed or the doctor for a few moments. "Ed... I do need to say something." Ed glanced at the doctor and then back to Rose. "Rosie," he took her hand, "say what you need to say." She took a deep breath, then looked into Ed's eyes. "Ed, I've been thinking. There's a condo available in our building and, well, like I said, I've been thinking that maybe I, well, maybe I might lease it." Ed looked confused. "Why?" She sighed. "Ed... I don't know if I can keep this up." "What? Keep what up?" "Ed," the doctor spoke quietly, "let her speak." "Look, Ed," she took a deep, shaky breath, "I love you, but... I live in the same condo as you and Bebe and I love you both, but... I'm lonely. Every night, I go to bed by myself and I'm just... alone, Ed. Everyone thinks we're a couple, and we are, but we're not. I just don't know if living this way is the right thing for me to do. The more I think about it, the more the future scares me. I don't want to be alone, Ed. I know this awful and selfish, but... Oh, God, I wish I hadn't even said that, I'm sorry... never mind." She grew quiet. Ed looked like he was about to vomit. "Geez, Rosie... I don't know what to say..." "Don't say anything, Ed. I had no right to say that. I'm sorry. Forget I ever said anything. I'm sorry." She wiped the tears from her cheeks. "Rose," the doctor said, "if that's how you feel, then you absolutely should have said it. Ed, do you have a response?" He was pale and hurt. "Rosie..." Ed's eyelashes flicked a tear from his eye. "... Rosie... I'm so sorry. I thought I knew... I mean... I thought that things were ok. I mean, do you have to leave?" Rose nodded. "I think I do, Ed. It's too hard to be around you as much as I am." She might just as well have stabbed Ed in the heart. "Why? What did I do to make you hate me?" "Hate you!?!?" Rose's voice sounded angry for the first time. "Ed," the doctor said, "don't read into what Rose is saying. Let her explain what..." "Ed, I don't hate you!" Rose cut the doctor off. "Ed... I love you and being near you all day and all night and knowing that you'll never, ever be interested in me... every night, Ed, every single night I lay in my big, cold bed and I cry because I love you. I need some space, now. I'm twenty two years old, Ed, and I have a make believe fifteen year old daughter and a make believe husband, but it's like we've been married for twenty years and the romance is over. My heart is absolutely broken, Ed, and not because you don't love me, but because I feel this way. Because I am so selfish and petty, but, goddamnit, Ed, I am. I'm so, so sorry, but I am." She sobbed and Dr Shapiro handed both of them a few tissues. It was cold and quiet in the office. Finally, the doctor asked, "Rose, how long have you felt this way?" She sniffed and shrugged for a few moments as she thought. "I think..., no I KNOW the exact moment that I fell in love with you, Ed," she said as she sniffed. "Then, I didn't know you were gay, I don't think that you even did, but, I was still involved with John, then and... oh God, I sound like such an idiot and a tramp." "No, Rosie," Ed spoke quietly, "tell me." "It was a Saturday night. We were going to a performance of 'Shrew' and we stopped at an A&W Root Beer Drive-In Restaurant. John was very antsy before the show and he was bouncing around outside of the car, like he always did before a show, you know? Anyway, this time, he grabbed your food and you chased him and picked him up like he was a bag of potatoes and you carried him back to the car. Do you remember?" Ed nodded. "Rosie... why didn't you tell me?" "Well, like I said, I was involved with John and I wasn't sure if you were into him, too." "I guess I kinda was, but..." Ed scoffed, but couldn't find the words to continue. There was a very uncomfortable silence. "May I ask a question?" The doctor asked. They both nodded. "When you talk about 'John,' are you talking about Bebe?" Ed sighed. "Well, yes and no. I mean, John was a guy and he was my friend. Then he became Bianca because of the play and, for a while, he was still an adult, but once he became Bebe... well, everything changed." "How?" Rose took a deep breath. "All of a sudden, John was gone - like, completely gone. He was a completely different person. Young and dependent. Within a couple of weeks, he went from being our friend to being our little girl. I know that sounds weird, but that's how it happened, and the more Bebe needed a Dad, the more of a Dad Ed became." "I see," the doctor took note of that. "Ed," she took a moment to word her next question, "how many men have you slept with?" Ed chuckled. "None. To tell you the truth, I've flirted a little, but I've never really felt connected enough to ask them out." The doctor nodded. "How about women?" This chuckle was very uncomfortable. "None. I know - a twenty one year old virgin. What a loser." "Ed, stop." Rose squeezed his hand. "And you, Rose?" The doctor asked. Rose gave an uncomfortable smile. "Well, I've fooled around a lot - you know, hand jobs and a few blow jobs, but as for going all the way... just once." "And have you ever had a lesbian relationship?" "Well... I guess that my relationship with John... or Bianca... had lesbian qualities, but it was more of a kinky thing than an actual lesbian thing." The doctor nodded. "Ed, have you ever had met a man you were truly attracted to?" Ed shrugged. "Just John, I guess. I was very attracted to John." "As John, or as Bianca?" Ed smiled. "Bianca." "I see." The doctor waited for them to say something. "So..." Ed spoke slowly, "are you suggesting that I'm not gay?" "Not at all," the doctor said, "but sexuality is not all one way or another. It's a spectrum, Ed, and we all have own preferences. It's like a cafeteria. All the food is good, but we each pick what fits our tastes." The doctor thought for a moment, then continued. "You know what's funny about cafeterias? I never considered trying sushi. I mean, I'd heard of it, but I never tried it. Then, one day while I was getting my lunch, my friend got sushi and it looked good, so I tried it and I liked it. I didn't give up my other foods, but I grew to appreciate sushi, too." Ed nodded. "I think," the doctor finally reached her point, "that, perhaps, when you found yourself attracted to John when he became Bianca, that you became more open to the prospect of another aspect of your sexuality." "So, What? I'm bisexual?" Ed asked. "Possibly," The doctor shrugged. "Maybe you are gay, but I wouldn't recommend shutting off your attraction to women just because you found your feelings for John - or Bianca - confusing. Does that make sense?" Ed nodded. "Look, I think I need to say something." "Of course." Ed turned to Rose. "Look, Rosie, I love you. You know that right?" Rose nodded. "Yeah, Ed, but not the way I need you to love me." "Well, I don't know, Rosie. I mean... Jesus, this is so damned hard for me to find the right words!? The thing is... I've thought about men lately, but... I've thought about you more. A lot more, but... I mean... What if I did ask you out. Huh? What if I did ask you out and then things went wrong? I mean, I love you, but I live with you and I work with you and... Well, then there's Bebe. What if things went wrong? I didn't even know how to talk to you about this until now, but... Rosie, I don't want to lose you. When you say you're lonely... I am, too, but despite that... and I know it sounds weird, but I have never... never... never been happier than I am now. I wake up in the morning happy to know that I have you and Bebe in my life. I come home from work happy to know that I'll see you and Bebe. I go to bed happy that we've made it through another day together, but then, like you, I'm lonely, too." Rose had looked away from Ed and was looking at the knuckles of the hand she was biting. Her face was wet with tears and she was shaking. "Rose?" The doctor asked. "Do you have anything to say to Ed?" Rose's chin quivered uncontrollably and her face screwed up into an expression of emotional confusion. "Take a breath, dear," the doctor said. Rose breathed deeply and nodded. After five deep, cleansing breaths, she said, "Ed, I feel exactly the same way, but where does that leave us?" "How about this?" Ed thought carefully. "While we're home for Thanksgiving and Bebe is with her other family, could I, maybe, take you out? You know, dinner and a movie? Then, maybe, we could see how things go from there? Maybe talk a bit? Figure things out? What do you say?" Rose smiled, took Ed's hand in hers, then pulled it to her lips and kissed it. "I'd like that. I'd like that a lot." "Have you said goodbye to Blaine, yet?" Ella asked. "I bet he's going to miss you." "His Mom is driving me to the airport, later. We'll say goodbye, then. Besides," John used a napkin to wipe a little bit of yogurt from his lips. "I'll only be gone for a few days. We're taking 'the red eye' tonight, so we'll get back to Massachusetts tomorrow morning. That's Wednesday. Then we're coming home early on Sunday. So that's only five days. We can Skype and text the whole time. I won't give him time to miss me." He smiled. "Aren't your cousin and uncle coming with you?" Ella popped a piece of pineapple into her mouth. "They're taking Uncle Ed's car. We'll follow them." "Why on earth," MK was chewing a French fry, "would anyone take two cars to the airport?" "Because Blaine wanted to come, too, and there isn't enough room in Uncle Ed's car, and he'd still needed a ride home. So, his mom is driving us. She's wicked nice." MK laughed out loud. "'Wicked nice!' I love that! 'Wicked!' Makes me laugh, every time." John laughed, too. "I thought you'd outgrown all those New England-isms," Ella teased. "Now, you're going back and you'll relapse." "Probably, not," John giggled. "I'm just seeing my mom and sister. Mom's an academic and Nancy's a doctor. They don't talk like that." "Excuse me, ladies," Mr Carlin, the Headmaster, stood by their table. "Miss Foley, may I speak to you in my office for a few moments, please." John and his two friends looked concerned. "No need to worry, girls," Mr Carlin smiled. "I just need to talk to Miss Bianca about her tutoring services. I have to fill out some forms for the state D.O.E." John stood and grabbed his books and followed the Headmaster down the hallway. "So, how did your audition go the other day?" Mr Carlin asked. "Real well," John smiled. "If they can make things work with my schedule, then I think I'll be in the movie." "No kidding!?" He seemed genuinely enthusiastic for the young girl. "Well, that's wonderful, Bianca! Congratulations! I'm very happy for you." "Thank you, Mr Carlin." They entered the office and John took a seat in front of the desk as Mr Carlin sat behind it. He went through the forms, asking about the names of tutors and what work they'd gone through with him, etc. When he'd finished, he sat back and crossed his legs with right ankle on top of his left knee. He folded his arms and took a second before saying, "Look, Bianca," his face took on a serious expression, "I know that you've had a hard time here, with Miss Gabriella and Miss Stephanie, but I hope that things are better for you, now." "They are, sir. Thank you." "You know, I am not real comfortable with my new position, here at Notre Dame. I'm the only male in the building. I've never really dealt with this many women and girls, before, and then there's you and Kylie to deal with. It's a lot." "Me and Kylie, sir? You mean the tutoring and needing to be on set?" "Well, yes, that and... well, are you aware of how many phone calls we get every week requesting information about you two? Most you, of course, but Kylie, too." "No, sir. I didn't know anything about that." John felt a shiver run down his spine. "Oh, don't worry, Bianca, we never release information, but they are persistent." John nodded and thought. He considered what the Headmaster said, then said, "Sir, maybe I should mention that I've had a bad time with the people at TMZ, lately." "Oh?" John explained the situation, the attack on Uncle Ed and the confrontation at the mall. The Headmaster nodded and took it all in. "Well, thank you for telling me about that, Bianca. I'll make the staff aware, as well. If you need us to know anything else, just come by the office and let me know. We're not just here to educate you, we're here to protect you and provide a safe place for you. Do you understand that?" "Well, yes, sir, I do, but you do know that I was a target for Miss Gabriella, Miss Stephanie and Mr Crawford. So, I'm not really sure how 'safe' Notre Dame really is for me." He smiled. "You're very bright, Bianca. I'm very impressed with you." "Thank you, sir, but could I ask you a big favor?" "Of course." "Could you please call me Bebe? I hate being called Bianca." He stood and extended his hand. "You got it, Bebe." Blaine gave a big sigh as they traveled past the big letters L.A.X. At the gate of the airport. He was not happy about saying goodbye to Bebe - even just for a few days. "I'm going to circle the airport a few times," Joanne said from the front seat. "Rose said she'd text me when she and Ed get to the terminal. It'll take a few minutes to park the car and take the shuttle." "Don't rush, mom," Blaine said. She snickered at her son's voice. He sounded a little desperate. "Don't worry, honey. She'll be back Sunday night. You'll both be busy with the holiday. You won't even have a chance to miss each other." Blaine sighed and shook his head as he leaned over and whispered to John, "She's wrong. I'm going to miss you every minute. In fact, I miss you already." He leaned back and smiled. "I'll miss you, too. I'll send a text when I land and we can talk tomorrow. Ok?" John smiled and Blaine's heart melted. John's phone chimed, indicating a text. He glanced at it and snorted. He held up the phone and showed it to Blaine. It was from MK. 'HOW'S IT GOING? AT THE AIRPORT, YET? IS ROMEO CRYING?' Blaine smirked and took out his phone. He sent a text to MK. 'ROMEO ISN'T CRYING, BUT HE'D APPRECIATE IT IF YOU'D MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS AND LET HIM SAY GOODBYE TO JULIET.' John giggled at the text and his phone chimed, again. 'UH OH. I THINK ROMEO'S GETTING SEXUALLY FRUSTRATED ALREADY.' John's hand flew to his mouth as he giggled uncontrollably. Blaine took the phone and read the text. He dropped his hands to his side and shook his head. "Argh! I'm going to need to start hanging out with guys, again. Your girlfriends suck." "Hey," John couldn't stop laughing at Blaine's expression, "they were your friends, first. And besides, I've met a few of your friends and they DO SUCK. You know that's true." He sighed and nodded. "True and they don't smell as good as you guys." "Tell you what," Joanne called over from the front seat, "I'll drop you two off so you can say goodbye without me eavesdropping. I'll keep circling and I'll pick you up after Bebe gets into the TSA line." "Thanks, mom." "Thanks, Joanne." The SUV came to a stop in front of the terminal. John leaned over the seat and kissed Joanne's cheek. "Happy Thanksgiving, Joanne. Thanks you for driving me." Joanne raised her right hand and pulled John's soft cheek against her own in a quasi-hug. "Stay safe, Bebe. Your boyfriend will count the hours until you come back." John kissed her cheek, again. "So will I!" Blaine took John's hand and helped him from the SUV. He wheeled the small carryon bag through the automatic doors while holding John's hand. "Have you heard back from Rita, yet?" "No. She said it'd be a week or more before she knew if they'd agree to everything and the holiday will probably slow things down a little, too. But, you know what's funny? I'm really happy with my audition. It's like you guys all said at the mall. I'm really ok, no matter what. I did better than I expected and they really liked it. I hope that I get the role, but if I don't, it's not because of anything I did or didn't do and I'm ok with that." Blane smiled. "I hope that's true." He stopped walking and turned to face John. He let go of the carryon and he smiled at John while he ran his hands up and down his smooth arms. "Listen, Bebe, I'm going to miss you, but I'm going to worry about you even more than I miss you." John hugged his boyfriend's chest. "I'll be fine. I promise." "Yeah? I saw how stressed you were when your mom and sister came out here for the premier. Please don't get all wound up, ok? Stay cool. Don't let them get to you. Ok?" "Ok. I'll do my best." "I love you, Beebs." John laughed at his use of the nickname. "I love you to, Blaine. I'll miss you." "Hey, you two!" Rose called as they entered the terminal. "Come on, honey," Ed said, heading to the ticket counter. "We're running a little late. Let's go." "I'll miss you so much more." He hugged John and gave him a soft, quick, passionate kiss. "See you on Sunday." "See you Sunday," and John hustled to join Rose and Ed at the counter. "Ladies and gentlemen," the voice came through the loudspeaker as the plane taxied to the terminal, "welcome to Logan Airport in Boston Massachusetts. Local time is 4:25am and the local temperature is thirty three degrees." Everyone on the plane groaned at the cold temperature. "Did you pack a winter coat?" Rose asked Ed. "I have a polar fleece jacket," he said. "You?" "Yeah, I have one." "How about you, Bebe?" Ed asked as the plane came to a stop. "I don't own a winter coat, anymore. I have a sweat shirt." "A sweat shirt? Bebe, it's cold out. Why didn't you buy one?" "We looked for a nice coat for her," Rose said as she stretched, "but we couldn't find anything nice. We figured that she'd find one at a good price here. Her mom can bring her to Burlington Coat Factory this afternoon and get her something nice. Ed stood and shrugged. "Ok, but don't go getting sick on us." He pulled their carryons down from the overhead bin and they joined the line to exit the plane. They checked their phones as they reached the terminal exit. "My limo ride is here," Rose said. "I ordered a car from a service to drive me home. How about you two?" "My sister says she's two minutes away," John typed a text to his sister to confirm he'd be looking for her. "My dad is outside. You go ahead, Rosie. I'll wait with Bebe until Nancy arrives." "Are you sure?" "Yeah, go ahead. I'll see you Friday night," he kissed her cheek. Rose smile and returned the kiss, then turned to John and kissed his cheek as he asked, "Friday night? What are we doing Friday night?" "'We' aren't doing anything, Beebs. Your uncle and I are going out on a date." John did a double take at both his cousin and his uncle. Then, with a big smile he said, "What!? A date? When did this come up?" "None of your business, young lady," Rose poked his nose. "It's a night for grownups." She blew them each another kiss and walked to the exit, her carryon trailing behind her. John turned to Ed, his eyes wide open. "A date?" "Knock it off, Bebe, we're just trying to figure things out." "I thought you were gay!?" "And I thought you were a guy. Things change." "Ooo, touch?!" As he giggled at the embarrassment he was causing Ed, a blue Dodge Journey pulled up by the crosswalk in the second driveway in front of the terminal exit. The passenger door opened and Nancy appeared. John let out a long breath. "There's Nancy. Oh, well. Here goes nothing. Happy anniversary, Uncle Ed." He hugged him and Ed bowed his head to receive and deliver kisses. "Happy Thanksgiving, sweetheart. Remember, I'm just a phone call away." Nancy entered the terminal, obviously irritated that John had not come running fast enough. "All set?" She asked. "Yep," John started for the door. Nancy looked at John's uncle, a bit of contempt in her eyes. "Ed," she nodded, coolly. "Nancy," Ed smirked and nodded. "Happy Thanksgiving." He watched them head out the door. "Did I just see you kiss Ed, goodbye?" Nancy's voice was smug and superior. "Don't start on me, Nancy." "'Don't start on me...'" Nancy smirked and mimicked him. "I'm here in the middle of the night to pick up my little brother who's now my little sister and I see him kissing his childhood friend, who's also his guardian, and the first thing I get is 'Don't start on me'? Come on, Johnny..." John came to a dead stop at the sound of his old name. "What's the matter?" Nancy asked, perturbed. "Never mind," John turned and headed back to the terminal. "I'll call for an Uber." Nancy fumed for a moment, then turned to the driver of the Journey and held up her open palms in an expression of extreme frustration. Then, she ran after her brother. When she stepped in front of him, she said, "Ok, ok, I'm sorry. I'm just tired, ok?" She sighed. "Oh, why does it always have to be like this with us, Johnny?" John leaned his head back and shook it, then headed towards the door, again. Nancy grabbed his arm. "Alright, Alright... BIANCA!" She said, pronouncing the name with great exaggeration. John stepped close and in an angry whisper said, "Nancy, we are in a public place, for crying out loud. Anyone can hear you. My name is Bebe and you know it. Why are you being like this?" Nancy shook her head in frustration. "Oh, for crying out loud. Ok, BEBE," again she over pronounced the name, "I apologize. I've been working for twenty-six hours and I'm tired, ok? I don't live in this fantasy world that you live in, BEBE, I work long, hard hours with very sick people. I'm sorry if I don't live up to your expectations, that I'm not acting like part of your entourage..." "Entourage!?" John was shocked. "... but I just want to get out of Boston, get back to Worcester and take a long shower before falling asleep for a few hours. Do you understand me?" "That's an apology?" John was livid. "Nancy, I didn't ask you to come here. I could have hired a car. Mom said you volunteered for this. Now, just go home and I'll call an Uber." He headed into the terminal again. As John looked through his phone, searching for the Uber app, a tall, man with a heavy beard walked up, next to him and extended his hand. "Hi, Bebe, I'm Walter." John looked up, knowing that the man wanted a picture. "Hi, Walter," he said with a distracted smile. "I'm sorry, but this is really not a good time. If you don't mind..." "No, Bebe, I'm not a fan," the man interrupted. "Well, I am a fan, but... I'm also dating your sister." John looked confused. "I drove her here," he said. "Oh," John began to realize that the man had witnessed the whole confrontation. "Oh, Umm, Walter, umm, I'm sorry that you had to see that. I'm just... well, I'm going to call for a ride, ok?" The man shook his head and took the handle of John's carryon. "No, you're not. I'm sorry, Bebe. Nancy was tired and wound up before we even left the hospital. To tell you the truth, I think she's pretty jealous." John noticed that the man was missing several teeth on the right side of his smile. "Jealous? Of what?" "Of what!? Bebe, you're her fifteen year old sister and you're a major star in Hollywood. She's worked her ass off - school, med school, long hours as a resident - while you rocketed to the top while you should be in high school! Can't you see how that might make her, at least a little bit, jealous?" Suddenly, John felt bad for his sister. He looked out through the plate glass and saw his sister sitting in the light blue SUV - not even a nice SUV; a five or six year old, not particularly well maintained, mid priced vehicle. Nancy's face was turned away from the window, but her head was leaning on her hand. She was, obviously, upset. "Come on, Bebe," the man said. "Let's go, ok? It'll be ok?" John sighed. "Ok." As they walked towards the door, John asked, "Do you work at the hospital with Nancy?" The man smiled and chuckled at that. "No, no, no, I don't work work with Nancy. I work for the town of Newton. I drive a truck. Street repair. Snow Plowing. Stuff like that. We met at a coffee shop. We started dating back in August." Back in August? Why hadn't Nancy or his mother mentioned it? As Walter opened the back hatch of the vehicle and put the small suitcase in, John took a good look at Walter. He was older than Nancy by a few years, anyway. Maybe even over thirty or thirty-five. He was not very well dressed and smelled a bit of cigarette smoke. Nancy had never been serious about anyone before, why would she settle for someone like this? Maybe he was a nice guy, but he wasn't Nancy's intellectual equal by a long shot and he seemed... coarser than someone that Nancy would be attracted to. This seemed very un-Nancy-like. What was going on? "Why don't you jump in behind Nancy," he said as he went to get in the driver's side. As he opened the car, it occurred to John that this was the first time that he'd opened his own car door in months. Maybe he was living in a fantasy world of a sort! But then he noticed the empty food containers on the floor of the Dodge and the smell of cigarettes, pot and beer. Now, instead of being angry with Nancy, he was worried about her. He tossed the Chinese food boxes and empty cups from McDonalds, Burger King and Wahlburgers to the other side of the car, then climbed in. Before he had a chance to buckle his seat belt, Walter was zooming out of the passenger pickup area and headed for the Mass Pike. John watched the familiar scenery flying by, but he didn't feel at all nostalgic for it. He liked Boston a lot, but this was John's past. It wasn't part of Bebe's life. That began in September in Los Angeles. The radio blared out classic rock as they passed through Watertown and Newton and headed out into the Metro-West area. John could hear Walter and Nancy talking, but the music was loud enough to keep him from understanding what was being said. Pretty soon, Nancy seemed to drift off. "Did you hear what I said?" Walter called back. He turned down the radio enough so that he could speak to John. "No. I'm sorry, I didn't," John replied. "I said, 'What's it like to live in LA?'" "Oh, I like just fine," John said. "Is it like Boston? I mean, noisy and lots of traffic?" "Kinda," John shrugged. "I mean, it's a lot bigger than Boston, and more confusing, too. The traffic is much worse, too, but the sun shines a lot more and it's a lot warmer." "Cool," Walter nodded and drove on. "Have you been to the Chateau Marmont?" "The what?" John hadn't even heard of the infamous place. "The Chateau Marmont! You know, Hunter S Thompson lived there in his heyday and John Belushi died there. I think Johnny Depp lives there, too. It's a very cool place." "No. I've never been there." "Really!? I'd love to go there." John just shrugged. "Not up your alley, huh?" "I don't know, Walter." John wasn't really enjoying the conversation. "I only just turned fifteen. I don't really travel around the city. I just go to school and work." "Oh, man. That sucks. No sight seeing?" "I went to Disneyland, once, for my birthday," he admitted, "and I went to Disney Studios for an audition, but that's about it. Mostly, I just hang out with my friends." Walter was about to ask another question when his phone rang. "Tony! What's up?" John looked out the window and watched the world fly by for a few moments before a thought hit him. Who was calling Walter at 4:15 in the morning? "Yeah, sure, man," Walter continued, "I can get it to you in a few hours. No can do, dude, I'm taking my girl to Worcester to drop her and her kid sister off." 'Kid?' Thought John. "About 10:00, I think," Walter spoke into the phone. "Sure thing, dude. Meet me at the Dunkin' Donuts on Washington. Cool. See you then." When he disconnected the call, Walter turned to John and said, "Sorry. Business, you know?" "I thought you drove a truck." "I do a lot of things, Bebe. Gotta pay the bills, you know. We're not all movie stars." John sighed. "Neither am I." When they reached his mother's street, John leaned forward and shook Nancy's shoulder. She woke up with a grunt. "We're home," John said. "Oh," she sat up and blinked her eyes. The brakes squealed as Walter stopped in front of the house. The sky was just brightening. "I gotta run, babe," Walter said. He leaned over and gave Nancy an aggressive kiss on the lips and, John noticed, a squeeze on her left breast. "Yeah, ok," Nancy said dispassionately. She opened the door and stepped out. John tried to open his door, but it wouldn't open. "Oh, Yeah," Walter said. "That handle's broken. Nancy, you have to open her door from the outside." Nancy shook her head and opened the door. "Hey," she said, quietly, as if greeting John for the first time that morning. She hugged John as he stepped out of the SUV. She led her very confused brother around to the back of the vehicle where she opened the hatch and pulled out his carryon. Then she put her arm around John as they headed into the house. Without a word, Walter pulled out. As they entered the house, Nancy said, "Welcome, home, hon. You should get yourself to bed." John stood confused. "Nancy?" She turned with a questioning look. "What's going on?" He asked. "What?" Nancy squinted. "At the airport...? You were such a bitch. Now... what's going on?" Nancy rolled her eyes. "Was I? I'm sorry, Johnny... sorry, Bebe. I was just wiped from a long shift. We do twelve hour shifts at Tufts, you know." "Tufts? Since when do you work at Tufts? You were at Mass General." "Yeah. I had to move to Tufts. Long story." "But you were so happy there before... and what about Walter? Are you serious about him?" "Walter?" She thought for a couple of seconds. "No, we're not really serious. Why?" John tried to think of a way of saying, 'Because he's a creep,' but his thoughts were interrupted when his mother came down the stairs. "Well, what a great way to wake up - with both of my kids in my living room!" She hugged and kissed each of them. "I'm going to upstairs and take a real quick shower before I go to bed. Love you, mom. Love you, Bebe." "Do you want to go bed, too, or will you join me in the kitchen and talk for a few minutes," Marilyn asked. "I'd like to talk," John followed his mother into the kitchen. "How was your flight?" She asked. "It was fine. I slept most of the way. Mom, can I ask you a question?" "Sure, honey. What is it?" "Is Nancy ok?" "Well, sure, I think so. Why?" He explained the differences between Nancy's behavior at the air port and then how she behaved after she slept. "Oh, I imagine she's just over tired. She's been going all out since she started at Tufts." "Yeah, and about that, why did she leave Mass General?" Marilyn sighed as she sat and John sat across from her. "To tell you the truth, honey, your sister has been going through a lot recently. She didn't want me to tell you, but she lost her job at Boston General and she had a hard time finding a new one. She lost her car because she couldn't make the payments. She's had it rough, honey, but her new job has been a life saver." "Mom!" John was shocked. Nancy was always the responsible one. This didn't make sense. "How could you have let her lose her car!? I would have helped! I have all that money in my trust fund. She didn't need to lose her car!" "Well, to tell you the truth, honey," Marilyn patted his hand, "I didn't know about that or her job until we were on the plane to visit you. We had a pretty tense few days. I'm sorry if we seemed out of sorts while we were out there. We had a lot to work out, but she made me promise not to tell you. It's all over now, though, but please, don't mention any of it to her." Marilyn got up and put a K-Cup into her Keurig coffee maker and pushed a button. John digested what his mother had told him. He'd kind of hated both his mother and sister since that visit. Now, he felt confused. He considered everything he'd been told and he was concerned. Still, Nancy's behavior was more confusing than this explanation could justify. "What do you think of Walter," John asked. Marilyn turned, folded her arms and leaned back against the counter. "I don't know, honey," she said. "You can't control who your kids fall in love with. He doesn't make a great first impression, that's for sure, but Nancy seems to like him. What do you think of him?" John scoffed. "What's not to like? I got to spend an hour and a half with him in his filthy, smelly car while he blasted Led Zeppelin and Def Leppard and my sister snored. It was a perfect opportunity to get to know him." Marilyn snickered. "Sorry, honey. I was going to pick you up, but Nancy really wanted to. I thought she wanted to make amends with you." John nodded. "Should I be worried about her?" "I don't know, baby," she said. "People go through phases in their lives. It's too bad that you entered a very positive phase just as Nancy entered a negative one. That may have exacerbated her depression, but I think she's getting over it. Maybe having some sister time with you will be good for her." It was nearly 1:00 that afternoon when John woke up. He came down stairs to an empty house and a note from his mother that read, 'Hi, Honey. Nancy and I went to do some shopping. I'll pick up a coat for you. If you don't love it, we can go out together on Friday or Saturday and get another. Love you.' He looked through the cupboards and the refrigerator, but he couldn't find anything inspiring to make for breakfast. He'd need to ask his mom to pick up some fruit and yogurt. So, he went upstairs to change. He put on a fresh bra and panty, then pulled out his cosmetics to get ready. Of course, since this was John's room, Bebe couldn't really do his hair and makeup there. He looked into Nancy's room and noticed that her vanity was, for the most part, vacant, so he decided to use it. He spread his makeup and applicators and began his morning regime, even though it was early afternoon. When his face was done, he began working on his hair. It just wasn't coming together for him, though. He plugged in his curling iron and waited a few moments for it to heat up. He looked around the room. Nancy had only lived here part time for the last eight-plus years, so it still resembled a high school girl's room. It was cute and neat, but then something incongruous leapt out at him. On her night stand, he spotted an open pill bottle. It was larger than he'd normally seen around the house. It made him wonder what it was for, so he reached over and picked it up. There was no label, but it was about half filled with white, oval shaped pills with the numbers '10/325' impressed on them. He wondered what they were. He picked up his phone and googled the description of the pills. He read the description and he felt a warm wash of fear cross over his body. He opened up Goggle again and this time entered the name of the drug and the word 'symptoms of abuse." He read article after article and took note of everything. Finally, he called up his 'contacts' app and pressed the proper name. It rang three times before someone picked up. "Hi, Dr. Shapiro? This is Bebe. I need some advice." It was nearly 6:30 before John returned home. "Is that you honey?" Marilyn called from the kitchen. "Yeah, it's me, mom," John entered and pulled off the sweatshirt he was wearing. "Where have you been, honey?" "Oh, I had to run a few errands. I called an Uber and took care of it. I also picked up a few groceries. I'm sorry, but I'm on a pretty strict diet. I picked up what I needed." Marilyn took the bag from John and put the fruit and yogurt into the fridge. "That's fine, baby. You were gone a long time, though. The store is just around the corner." "I had to deal with a few other things, too." "You didn't buy a coat, did you? Because I bought you the cutest coat! Come here." Marilyn lead John into her office, where she picked up a white, cloth coat, with a fluffy, faux-fur collar and big, black buttons that formed a double breasted silhouette. There was a white belt and the bottom flared out and landed just at his knees. It was warm and comfy and absolutely adorable. John pulled it on, buttoned it up and looked at his reflection in the mirror. "Oh, mom, it's beautiful! I love it! Thank you, so much!" "You're welcome, dear," she beamed at his reaction. "I enjoyed buying younger clothes for a change. Nancy's a bit more conservative than this coat, now." "How is Nancy, today?" John asked, sounding concerned. "Oh, ok, I guess, honey. She's been very moody for the last few months. I am a little concerned. Hopefully, she'll feel better when her residency is over. Becoming a doctor is very challenging. I think it's taking its toll on her." John nodded and sighed. "I hope she's ok." "I'm sure she is, baby," his mother hugged him in his pretty little coat. "Nancy's a smart girl. She'll be ok." At 2:00pm, on the dot, on Thanksgiving afternoon, as was Marilyn's tradition, dinner was served in the dining room, a room that was reserved to three or four meals a year. Everything smelled amazing! Marilyn wore a comfortable, but pretty, mid-length blue skirt with a beige, button down top and black flats. Simple and pretty. Nancy wore a pair of clean jeans, a white, button down shirt and an old pair of flip flops. Not sloppy, but not dressy. She did look pretty, but tired. They were already seated when John entered. He'd spent a good deal of time on his hair and makeup. His lips were darker than his usual, young pink, and his hair was full and shiny. He wore a mauve, fit and flare, knee length dress - the stretchy top had a V-neck and sleeves that ended just where his elbows bent. There was a hidden zipper up his back and, something John always looked for in a dress, pockets. His feet looked beautiful in two-inch heals that had just a thin strap across the 'vamp' and an even thinner strap around his ankles. The shoes were the same color as the dress, as were his finger and toenails. His earrings were pearl studs and, of course, the ubiquitous silver B.B. hung from from the dainty chain around his neck. "Holy moly!" Marilyn laughed. "Ladies and gentlemen, the movie start has arrived!" John smiled, but stopped before sitting. "I'm sorry, am I over dressed?" "Yes," said Nancy But Marilyn laughed her off with a big, "No! You look absolutely beautiful, dear. Nancy and I will have to try to rise to your level for Christmas, that's all." She beamed at the beauty that he son presented as he smoothed his skirts and sat at the table. "Before we begin," Marilyn said, "I just want to say that I am incredibly thankful to have my girls with me today and to know that they are both beautiful, confident women who are doing so well." "Thanks, mom," Nancy said, but her smile was fleeting and she didn't retain a lot of eye contact. "Thanks, mom," John smiled at his mother, then at his sister. They devoured turkey and potatoes and yams and celery and cranberry sauce. John's eyes were bigger than his stomach and he quickly ran out of space. Within a half-hour, he was sitting back with his hand on his abdomen. "Ug," he groaned, "as my friend Ella says, 'I think I'm having a food-baby.'" Marilyn laughed, but things were interrupted when Nancy's phone rang. "I have to take this. It's work." Marilyn nodded, a little disappointed that she hadn't left her phone out of the dining room, as was their Thanksgiving rule. She returned to finishing her meal. John sipped water, but strained to hear what Nancy was saying. "Hi. - No, I haven't had a chance to ask her, yet. - Wally, this is embarrassing for me, you know. - Yeah, well, you're not a doctor, Wally. I am." She let out a very frustrated sigh. "No. I only have enough for myself, right now. I can try to get some on my next shift. - I can't guarantee anything, Wally. It all depends on who my supervisor is." "That must be delicious water," Marilyn said, rousing John from his listening. "Huh? What?" "Don't eavesdrop on Nancy, honey. It's not polite." "I'm not eaves... mom, I'm really worried about Nancy. I think she might be in trouble." Marilyn looked from her youngest child to the doorway where her oldest could be heard mumbling into her phone, then back again. "I am, too, Bebe." John noticed that this was this first time since he arrived that his mother had used his new name. They both heard Nancy saying goodbye. "We'll talk when we have some privacy, ok?" John nodded. They cleared the table and laid out the dessert, apple pie with vanilla ice cream and slices of cheddar cheese. They all enjoyed the combination of flavors. Marilyn and Nancy each had two slices. John couldn't finish his first slice, but did indulge in a second helping of the ice cream, which came from a local dairy and had a flavor that you could only find in ice cream made in New England. When they were all about to enter a food coma, they sat back in their chairs and smiled at each other. At this point, John figured that now was as good a time as any to say what he wanted to say. "Mom?" "Yes, honey?" "I know that this is Thanksgiving and we don't usually exchange gifts, but I got something for you." Out of one of the pockets of his skirts, he pulled a small box wrapped in silver foil and bearing a small silver bow. "Oh, well, thank you, dear," she accepted the gift and smiled at her pretty, little son. She unwrapped the present to find what was, obviously, a jeweler's box which contained a ring. She opened it to find a beautiful, silver ring with two stones, one a small, but beautiful diamond, the other a bright blue topaz. Marilyn had always preferred silver jewelry to gold and the setting was simple, but elegant. "Oh, my, oh, my," she gasped. "Bebe... its just beautiful." She handed the box to Nancy to see. "It's a mother's ring," John explained. "The diamond is for April, Nancy's month, and the topaz is for November, my month. I hope it fits." Nancy handed it back to her mother who removed the ring and tried it on. "It fits beautifully, baby," there was a tear in her eye. "Thank you. How did they size it correctly?" "I took a ring out of your jewelry box and had them match that." He made a playfully guilty face. "I hope you don't mind." "Oh, don't be silly. It's just beautiful, dear. Thank you." John smiled, then turned to his sister. "Nancy, I got you this." He handed her an envelope. She took the envelope and gave an expectant chuckle. "You got me an envelope! Oh, you shouldn't have!" She teased. But when she opened it, she turned pale. She looked up quickly and stared at her little brother. "What is it, dear?" Marilyn asked. She looked at her mother, then back at her brother. "Johnny... I can't accept this." John didn't even blink. "Yes, you can. You need it." "What is it?" Marilyn snatched the envelope and looked at what it contained. It took her breath away as well. There was a cashier's check with a 'Post-It Note' adhered to it. The note read, "Nancy, use this to buy a new car. I love you. Bebe." The cashier's check read "Pay to: Nancy Foley. Amount: Thirty Thousand Dollars." Marilyn finally took a shaky breath and said, "Honey, this is very generous, but, I think that Nancy may be right..." John's Eyes never left his sister. They remained soft and loving. "Nancy, I love you and you need it. I won't take it back. It's yours. Please, use it for a car. I know you can't buy anything too fancy, but thirty thousand should be able to get you something nice and reliable. It's yours. End of story." Suddenly, John looked much more confident and secure than he'd looked in months. "Johnny..." Nancy sputtered, "...I don't know what to say." "Don't say anything," John smiled some more, "but before we're done, I got you something else, too." He handed her another envelope. Nancy opened it and looked at it, confused. "Mountain View? Assisted detox? John, what the hell is this?" Her voice had an edge to it. John could tell she was getting angry. Yesterday, before taking any steps, he'd talked to Dr Shapiro and she'd warned him to remain perfectly calm and not let Nancy draw him into a conflict. "I talked to my therapist, Nancy, and she says this is the best clinic in New England for drug problems." "Drug problems!?" Marilyn was confused. John continued in his soft, even tone. "They specialize in doctors and nurses who get hooked on things like Percocet." "What!?" Marilyn's Eyes shout wide open as Nancy's hand shot to her mouth and her eyes narrowed. "Nancy!?" Marilyn was pale. "Are you taking drugs!? Percocet!?" "Who the fuck do you think you are!?" Nancy glared at John. "You waltz in here with more money than brains and think you can help 'save' me!?" "I just want to help you, Nancy." "HOW!?" Nancy screamed, now. "By telling my mother I'm a drug addict!?" "Nancy!?" Marilyn was falling apart. "Nancy, are you...?" Nancy stood and threw the envelopes at John. "You cocky little faggot!" She screamed. "Coming to dinner in a dress that cost more than I make in a week and acting like your shit doesn't stink. Who the FUCK do you think you are, you little fairy!?" Now, Marilyn stood and slammed her hands down on the table. "Nancy! Sit down and..." "Oh, shut the fuck up, mom!" Marilyn was stunned into silence. "You and your little princess think you can sit in judgement over me!? Well, fuck you, both!" She turned and headed towards the stairway, but John jumped up and hurried to get in front of her. "Nancy, please, let me help you. It's twenty-eight Days. If you go by Monday, you'll be back home by Christmas. Please, give it a try. I can't stand to think of you with this kind of..." He was silenced when Nancy's right hand came in contact with his left cheek. The slap was loud, hard and painful to both of them. "LEAVE ME ALONE, GODDAMNIT!" Nancy's voice had become an unnatural shriek. She slapped him again, this time making him stumble backwards. "I'll mess up your pretty, little, faggy face so bad that the great Bebe Foley will never appear on TV again. How would you like that? Then you'd lose your handsome boyfriend, too. Oh, wouldn't that be a shame, little girl?" Her volume remained loud and her tone became mocking. "Poor little Bianca lost her boyfriend because she wasn't pretty anymore. Now, she has to find some other little boy to jam his dick up her ass. Poor little thing!" "Nancy! Stop it!" Marilyn didn't know what to do. She'd never been in a situation like this before. She'd never heard Nancy use language like this before. "Oh, just shut up and leave me alone!" She ran up the stairs. Marilyn ran to John. "Are you ok?" He nodded. "Is Nancy really...? Is she taking drugs?" John nodded as he rubbed his cheek. "I think she's taking a lot of them, mom. I found the bottle of Percocet in her room. It was big and it was two-thirds empty." Nancy came running down the stairs, her coat, purse and a small bag in her hand. "I'm out of here," she said as she pushed past them. She stopped at the door and turned to shout, "Happy Fucking Thanksgiving!" before she slammed the door. Marilyn ran to the door and struggled with it for a moment before opening it just in time to see her own car speeding out of the driveway and down the street. She came back in and ran to the phone. "Mom, don't call the police," John begged. "John," Marilyn spoke firmly, "Nancy has my car and a supply of Percocet! I'm not going to let her hurt herself! What if she has an accident!?" "Mom, if you report the car stolen, she'll be arrested and then she'll never come back. And she doesn't have any Percocet. I took them all and replaced them with Tylenol." Marilyn put the phone down. She rubbed her forehead, then looked at John. She took a few steps toward him and hugged him. "Are you ok?" He nodded. "I'm sorry, mom. I had to do it. She could die." He'd didn't mean to, but he started sobbing. Marilyn sobbed, too. "I know, baby. I know. Maybe there was a better way to handle this, but you're right - it had to be done. I just wish you'd told me about it." "I couldn't mom. You never would have let me spent the money for the rehab center." She leaned back and looked at him, concerned. "Why? How much did the rehab place cost?" "It doesn't matter, mom..." "Yes it does, John, and I'm going to see the statement, anyway. What did the rehab place cost?" John looked around, avoiding making eye contact, until he finally said, "Nineteen Thousand, five hundred dollars." Marilyn's eyes grew wide. "John Robert Foley!" She wasn't being mean, she was just revved up and that was the name she always used to scold this particular child. "You spent twenty-thousand dollars and then handed her thirty thousand dollars!? That's fifty thousand dollars in one day!? You can't spend money like that, you know that! How did you even access that much money?" "I went to the bank. The five hundred dollar limit you put on my account only applies to my debit card. I can take money out at the counter." Marilyn sagged. "Good God, Almighty, John... fifty thousand dollars!!! That's a fortune!" "Mom, I have a fortune, or at least a lot of money. Fifty thousand dollars is nothing. The show is going to be renewed and Rita is negotiating my salary for a film... I can afford to spend fifty thousand dollars - hell, I can afford to spend five hundred thousand dollars if it helps my sister! Mom, this guy she's with... he's a drug dealer. I think she's stealing Oxycodone and selling it. She needs help and I can help her!" "Oxycodone!? I thought you said she was taking Percocet." Marilyn held up her hands. "Same thing, mom. Percocet is just a brand name." There was silence. "Well, What do we do now?" Marilyn asked as she collapsed into a chair. "Wait, I guess." John sat on the couch and tucked his legs under him. "Hopefully, she'll come back." It was 10:06pm. The house had gone dark, but neither John nor Marilyn had moved since Nancy stormed out. Occasionally, one or the other sighed or said something, but for the most part, it was quiet. Marilyn's phone chimed. She looked at the screen. It was a text from Nancy. 'MOM. I REALLY MESSED UP. I NEED TO TALK TO YOU. CAN I COME HOME?' She read the text to John, then replied, 'OF COURSE. PLEASE COME HOME. I LOVE YOU.' 'I LOVE YOU, TOO.' The second that the text came through, the front door opened and Nancy entered. She came and sat on the coach, near John. "Should I leave?" John asked. "Why?" Nancy asked. "You already seem to know everything." John leaned back and waited for Nancy to speak. She put her elbows on her knees and her forehead in her hand. She sat that way for a long, long time. Finally, she said, "I've really fucked things up, mom. I need some help."