Our Crazy Little Thing Called Family

"I don't know what to say" Ana said sitting back in her chair. Molly had arrived at her house shortly before 12 with Junior and had just told her what had happened the previous day. "That's very unlike you" Molly said. "There's just so much.....wow" she said. "Exactly. How do you think I feel?" Molly asked. "And do they think you are just going to forget that they have ignored you for months?" Ana asked and Molly looked at her friend.

"What?" Ana asked. "I actually thought you'd have started on at Cristiano" Molly said. "Ya let's leave that for a bit" Ana told her. "Wish it was that easy" Molly sighed. "You're angry" Ana said. "Of course I am. He lied to me" Molly snapped. "So let's focus on your parents then" Ana suggested. "He bloody lied to me for months Ana. You never miss a chance to yell at him or about him" Molly told her. "Ok fine you want to know what I think I'll tell you. What he did was unacceptable. He should have told you. And I get after everything why him lying to you hurts so much but Mols he paid for their rehab" Ana said.

"That doesn't mean I should forgive him. He lied to him. If I can't trust him, how can I...." Molly paused. "Be with him" Ana said and Molly brought her hand to her head. "In his own stupid thinking he thought he was doing the right thing" Ana said. "He wanted them out of the way so I wouldn't have them distracting me while he was trying to get me pregnant Ana. That's why he did it" Molly said.

"Have you asked him why?" Ana asked. "He didn't want me to hate him. That's the reason he gave for not telling me sooner" Molly said. "You need to talk to him Molly" Ana said. "I could barely stand to listen to what he had to say this morning. I need time. I...I told him things about my parents...about my life...and then he breaks my trust. I just can't get over that so quickly. "At least he was smart enough to go after you this morning" Ana said. "Shame he wasn't smart enough not to lie to me" Molly sighed.

"Mols" Ana said. "What else has he being lying to me about? How can I believe anything that he has told me after this? He didn't tell me about my parents because he just wanted me for my womb. Was everything he has told me the past few days been just a way to get me into bed?" Molly asked.

"Oh Mols" Ana said. "I don't want to talk about him anymore" Molly said. "Ok then we won't. So your parents" Ana said. "I......I told them that I would see them today. I got Jorge to tell them that I would meet them at their hotel in an hour. I was wondering if you would come with me" Molly asked. "Of course I will. There's a queue of people who would go with you Mols. We all care about you" Ana told her. "I should just tell them to go but.... oh what if Cristiano is right? What if they let me down?" Molly asked.

"Mols you saw them both for the first time since what you move to Madrid only yesterday. Just take each day as it comes. If they do then it’s on them not on you. They don't deserve to have you as a daughter if they can't see that they can't hurt you anymore" Ana said. "You sound like Cristiano" Molly told her. "Well its true" Ana replied. "We'll see. I haven't the best relationship with them anyway. It's not like we are a close family in the first place" Molly said.

"You don’t turn your back on family" Ana said. "Sometimes it's the best thing to do. Anyway I have to drop Junior across the road first. And Dolores is back so I have to deal with the fallout from yesterday still" Molly said. "It will be Cris who will get grief about that from her not you so don't worry" Ana told her. "I just wish things could be simple" Molly sighed.

"I can't believe you are seriously using the doorbell" Ana groaned as she stood beside Molly outside Cristiano's front door. "I don't live here" Molly reminded her and Ana rolled her eyes as the door opened. "Oh hey Mols. I was wondering who it was. Amm why didn't you use your key?" Nuno asked confused. "Cos I don't live here. Is Dolores here?" Molly asked. "Ya she's in the kitchen" he said stepping back to allow the ladies to enter the house. "So did Cris make it to training after I left this morning?" Nuno asked. "He left the apartment in once piece if that's what you are asking" Molly said as she pushed Junior's pram down the hall.

"Before you start Cris is absolutely gutted that she left" Nuno said to Ana. "She'll calm down eventually. It's just alot to take in. He should have told her sooner but...look it will all sort itself out. She needs to deal with her parents first" Ana told Nuno before she went in search of Molly. "Why doesn't he live in the apartment and you stay here?" Ana heard Dolores say as she entered the kitchen and found both ladies setting at the kitchen table. "Because this is his home not mine. Look Dolores I need some space ok. I know you mean well but I need to get my head straight" Molly told Dolores.

"It's just for a few days. She'll be back soon" Ana said. "I don't what will happen. Do you mind watching Junior for a while please?" Molly asked Dolores. "Of course I don't mind. I've missed my little grandson" Dolores smiled at the little boy in her arms. "Thank you" Molly said standing. "I hope it goes ok with your parents" Dolores said. "We'll see. We should go" Molly said to Ana. "Whenever you want to go" Ana smiled at her. "You could wait a few more minutes. I haven't seen you in a while" Dolores said. "You mean you want me to wait until your son gets back which he should be any minute" Molly said and Dolores smiled. "Maybe" she said. "You can't avoid each other. You have a son together" Nuno said. "I'm well aware of that Nuno thank you. Let's go" she told Ana and placed a kiss on Junior's cheek before she left with Ana.

"Told you she wouldn't be too bad" Ana said as they got into Molly's car. "Am I doing the right thing? Going to talk to my parents?" Molly asked Ana as she put the car into drive. "It will bother you if you don't. Just like it will bother you if you don't sort things with Cris. Seriously Molly you and him are both miserable without each other" Ana said. "Things are different now" Molly muttered as an oncoming car flashed their lights at Molly's car.

Molly slowed down and pressed the window down. "Hola Sergio" she smiled at the defender in the car next to her. "Hey Mols" he smiled at her. "You're back early" she said. "Ya quick session today. So what did Ronnie do this time?" he asked. "Sorry?" Molly asked. "He told us that you moved out. That you needed time to think. So what did he do that made you leave?" he asked. "Sergio" Molly said. "He's an idiot Molly" Sergio said. "My parents are in town ok. I need time to think. He hasn't done anything. Now just leave it be" Molly told him. "Oh right. Ahm if you want someone to talk to you know where I am" he said. "Thanks Sergio" she said.

"So he really didn't do anything? Jezz I just kind of assumed" Sergio said. "Just leave alone ok" Molly said. "Ok" he nodded. "So how long are you going to be gone for?" he asked. "I don't know. Look Sergio I have to be somewhere" she said. "Don't be a stranger Mols" he said. "I won't. Thanks" she said and he drove off. "What?" Molly said when she noticed Ana was smiling at her. "Even when you are angry with him you still defend him" Ana said. "Don't start" Molly told her. "Just stating a fact" Ana smiled.

"Conference room?" Ana asked as the walked down the hallways of the hotel. "Less chance of making a scene in front of people this way" Molly said. "Is Jorge coming?" Ana asked. "No I ask him not to. I still don't know if I can believe him when he says that he didn't know about my parents. Cristiano has people do everything for him. How was he suddenly able to sort rehabs?" Molly asked.

"I don't think Jorge knew Mols. If he did things would have been handled a lot differently" Ana said as the paused outside a door. "Here we go so" Molly sighed before knocking on the door. "Molly you came" Mark beamed when he opened the door. "I said I would. And I keep my word. Something I didn't learn from you or mom" Molly said and his smile faltered a little. "Hi I'm Ana. I'm a friend of Molly's" Ana said holding her hand out to Mark. "It's lovely to meet you" he said shaking her hand.

"Come in come in" he said ushering them inside. "Kitty its Molly" he called out and Kitty stood from the chair at the table. "Hello Molly" she smiled at her daughter. "Hi" Molly said crossing her arms.
"This is Ana. She's a friend of Molly’s" Mark said. "We don't need a chaperone" Kitty said. "She goes I go" Molly snapped. "No no. It's lovely to have Ana here. We want to know about your life Molly. That includes your friends" Mark said ushering everyone to take a seat. "Are you hungry?" Mark asked. "I'm fine" Molly replied. "So have you seen much of Madrid since you've been here?" Ana asked. "Not really. We aren't here for a holiday" Mark said.

"Then why are you both here?" Molly asked. "To see our daughter" Mark said. "And why would you think I would want to see you both? You put a loan shark into my life" Molly snapped. "We made a mistake Molly" Mark said. "We've made a lot of mistakes but we are here now" Kitty said. "And what do you want?" Molly asked. "Well for starters I want to know if you are happy?" Mark asked.

"At the moment the answer is no" Molly replied. "But she likes living here. We all like having her here. She's even Jorge's go to fix it girl. She does a brilliant job for him when she helps him with his clients. She a wonderful woman" Ana told Mark. "She was always a bright child growing up. I always said she'd succeed at anything she would do" Mark said proudly. "Well I've being lucky. These past few months I've being around good people" Molly said. "We are sorry Molly. I tried to keep in touch more but it was hard" Mark said. "I got sick. My liver....I'm ok now but we didn't want to bother you" Kitty said. "You didn't think I had the right to know my own mother was seriously ill?" she asked.

"I didn't want to see any more disappointment on your face when you looked at me" Kitty said. "How thoughtful that you thought of me for a change" Molly snapped. "Sweetheart we've messed up. We have both done things in our past that we regret. But please just gives us a chance to be your parents again" Mark begged. "And what happens when you miss the drink? What happens when you choose drink or gambling over me again?" Molly asked. "You are more important" Mark told her.

"Why now? Why am I suddenly so important now? Funny I'm important when the world knows I'm the mother of a rich footballer's son" Molly snapped. "It's because of that footballer that I know how important you are" Mark said. "Excuse me? Have you been talking to him since yesterday? He told me he hasn't spoken to you" Molly said. "Molly" Ana said. "He's still lying to me" Molly said. "No no Molly we haven't spoken to him I swear" Mark said. "Then maybe you could tell Molly what you meant about Cris" Ana suggested.

"You can just imagine our surprise when he turned up at the house one evening" Mark said. "We didn't even know you knew him" Kitty said. "I didn't. It's not important. When did go to the house?" Molly asked. "Ahm I'm not sure. I wasn't exactly in good health back then" Kitty said. "Before that summer or was it during. No it was after he had left United I think" Mark said. "And what happened?" Molly asked. "Well he said that he was a friend of yours" Mark said. "Then proceeded to tell us what bad parents we were. He was lucky I didn't smash my bottle on his head" Kitty said.

"What he said was true Kitty" Mark glared at his wife. "I asked if he gave you the money to pay Tony off. He wouldn't say. He just told us that we didn't deserve you. That we only deserve for you to turn your back on us" Mark said. "And" Molly said. "There were few words said" Mark said. "You mean your wife didn't like the truths which were coming from Cristiano's mouth" Molly snapped. "I didn't like that a stranger was telling me those things" Kitty snapped. "He was telling the truth. Which apparently he's stopped doing" Molly sighed. "He offered to pay for rehab. He told us that if we ever wanted a relationship with our daughter that we needed to take him up on his offer and conditions.

"Said if we broke them, he would make sure we wouldn't see you" Mark said. "He said that?" Molly asked. "I don't think he would have really tried stopping us well you from seeing us if that's what you wanted. He just didn't want us to hurt you anymore than we already have" Mark said. "Then what happened?" Molly asked. “He looked me straight in the eye and told me that I had an amazing daughter who if I was any kind of a decent man would do anything in my power to be the father she deserves” Mark said and Molly wiped a tear away from her eye.

“He made us go to separate rehabs. Said we needed to stand on our own to really get better. We didn’t stay in touch that much but I knew your father had being in touch a little with you. You really have done well Molly” Kitty said. “So you left rehab and then what?” Molly asked her father. “I worked really hard during my treatment. Talked a lot to the counselors that sort of stuff. When I left I really wanted to see you and your mother but while I was sober then I knew it was only cos I was locked away from booze. So I wanted to see if I could do it on my own. I found a job in a builder’s site in Newcastle. It was a struggle but I haven’t touched a drop in months” Mark said.

“That’s great” Ana said. “I stayed longer in my rehab facility than your father. But when I got out I guess it was all too much and I took a drink. Then I got sick” Kitty said. “The hospital phoned me. I had thought she was still in rehab” Mark said looking at Kitty. “They didn’t help much with lying at her facility then” Molly said. “I moved to Newcastle with your father. I struggled and my health got worse” Kitty said. “I found her collapsed at home last summer. They thought it was liver failure but thankfully it was a bad ulcers but her immune system wasn’t good” Mark said.

“It scared me Molly. I thought that my life was going to end as a stupid old drunk” Kitty said. “So you thought you were going to die and didn’t even think to tell me” Molly yelled. “It made her more determined Molly. She was hospitalized the last time in June. We both didn’t want to worry you until we knew more. When it wasn’t as serious as first thought we both decided not to tell you” Mark said. “We didn’t want to tell you until we were both better to tell you. Until I could become the mother you deserve” Kitty said. “That’s why I told Cristiano you deserved better parents and changed my number” Mark said.

“I deserved better but yet you just abandoned me instead” Molly said. “I know none of this makes sense Mols. I’m trying to explain but we knew you were ok. You had told me about your job. And we saw you in the papers. You had a good life. We didn’t want to ruin it by letting you down” Mark said. “I needed to get better. I didn’t think you would want to see us” Kitty said. “So why now?” Molly asked. “We wanted to see you. Your mother has a new job working at a nursing home. She’s trying Molly” Mark said. “You sold the house. I went there” Molly said. “We thought it was best to get away from Manchester. Start from starch. Maybe even be people who could be part of your life again. But in a good way. No more loan sharks or drink” Mark said.

“This is all a lot to take in” Molly said. “It’s just been too long. You’re our daughter and we know nothing about you. I know we’ve made mistakes but we were both hoping we could try to get past them. Make some good memories for a change” Kitty said. “You can’t just expect me to forgive and forget. Your actions……you don’t know what I have being through because of them…..I just can’t pretend you haven’t hurt me and start playing happy families” Molly said. “We don’t expect you to. But maybe we could try. We just want to be involved in your life” Mark said. “Even if it was a few letters or phone calls” Kitty said.

“How long are you in Madrid for?” Molly asked. “A little over a week. It was a bit of a rush. I booked the flights. I just decided that we couldn’t wait any longer and I found Cristiano’s number. Told him we were coming to Madrid” Mark said. “Right” Molly said. “Is there anything else you would like to ask?” Kitty asked. “It’s a lot to take in” Molly said. “But you aren’t saying you want nothing to do with us?” Mark asked. “I don’t know what I want. I’m finding out about everything with you two and that Cristiano lied to me. It’s all too much” Molly said. “We understand if you don’t want us in your life Molly. But we will always be there if the day comes that you wish to see us” Mark said.

“You probably should stay the rest of your time. Madrid is a lovely city” Molly said. “Maybe we could spend more time with you then?” Mark suggested. “Maybe” Molly replied. “Maybe even with our grandson?” Kitty said and Molly straightened in her seat. “Or maybe we could wait for another time” Mark said. “Maybe take it one day at the time” Ana said as Molly stood from her seat. “I don’t know how this is going to work……I’m glad that you both are well for now…..I can’t just forget….I feel like I’ve this a lot but I need some time” Molly said.

“Yes of course. And we understand. This is a list of ways to contact us” Mark said pushing a sheet of paper across the table. “We will stay in Madrid. Maybe see you again if you would like. If you don’t then maybe we could speak sometime in the future” Kitty said. “You let me down one more time……and no amount of pleading…..” Molly sighed. “We understand Molly” Mark said. “Just give us a chance” Kitty begged.