"Where did you get that, Fox News?" Erica muttered.
"As a matter of fact, I did. A real news-station. You might benefit from watching it from time to time."
Grandma Maggie held up her hands. "I think we have had enough talk about politics."
"No. I don't think we have," Ramani shot back. "Someone needs to set you people straight. You're living in a fantasy. Fox News isn't news, it's propaganda. A pandering crew of bigots and misinformed individuals kissing up to that psychopath we have as a president. He barely knows where any of the countries are, or world history. Hell, he doesn't even know US history."
"Okay, you two, that's enough," Steve interrupted.
But Grandpa Ron's temper exploded. "You talk about living in a fantasy. What the hell kind of family is this? Your daughter marries my son and then has an affair with this woman!" He points at Erica. "She completely destroys their marriage, takes over their home, and now my grandson thinks he's a girl. Look at him for god's sake."
Jesse's lip trembled.
Barbara felt like she was going to be sick. "Grandpa." She tried to get his attention, but he continued.
"He. Is. A. Boy. Boys don't dress up like princesses. But it seems all of you have something against being male. Jesse's got to be a goddamn girl to live in this house. And what is John, your third or fourth husband? I've lost count."
"Dad, please," Carrie said, her eyes watering.
"Everywhere you go, everything you touch turns to chaos, Ramani."
"Shut up," Ramani hissed.
Grandpa Ron's eyes grew hard and small. "Oh, you want to dish it out, but you can't take your own medicine. You PC liberal snowflakes are ruining our country. You know that? It's people like you who get involved with crazy cults and cult leaders who take advantage of little children."
"Ron. This isn't appropriate," Grandma Maggie said.
"You married that whack job, Darpan, who took a young girl's life, and now we're here because Dora has memory problems. I think I'd want to forget, too, if I had a mother like you. Your mother Barbara was a decent woman. I'm sure she's turning over in her grave right now at the kind of dysfunction you've made of your family.
Ramani gripped her fork hard in her hand, which had begun to shake, her facial muscles jumping with rage.
John spoke up for the first time. "Ron, this is really not the place…"
"You weren't invited," Grandpa Ron said quietly to Ramani, whose eyes bulged. "It's obvious. There weren't enough chairs. There weren't enough flowers." He waved his hand at the wreaths on everyone's heads.
It happened so fast that for a moment Barbara wasn't sure what had played out before her. Ramani sprang forward, a guttural sound bubbling out of her throat, her fork plunging into Grandpa Ron's hand. He screamed just as Jesse shot to his feet, yelling, "Stop it! Stop it!"
Sara flew from her chair and ran out of the room and Cuppa sprang to action, bustling Jesse away. Grandpa Ron's face turned white, blood bubbling out of his thick, pulsating vein, and Grandma Maggie's hands flew to her face, her shoulders shaking. It was only when she pulled her hands away that Barbara saw she was laughing. Moments later, the laughter turned to tears.
"Someone call 911," John said as he went to the kitchen and returned with a dishcloth to press onto Grandpa Ron's hand. Everyone was up and doing something. Only Serene remained sitting, mute and staring as the blood seeped into the cloth.
"Mom, come on." Barbara took hold of her mother's arm, giving a gentle tug, but she couldn't get her to move.
53
Serene - March 2020
It was all a blur, the drive to the ER. Erica and Cuppa stayed behind with the children, Ramani and John went home and Serene jumped into Steve's SUV with Carrie to follow Maggie and Ron to the hospital. John had removed the fork from Ron's hand and staunched the blood flow himself as the 911 dispatcher deemed the injury not an emergency, walking John through the process.
At the ER, after Ron's vitals were taken and his wound was briefly looked at, he'd returned to the waiting room for another hour before his name was called. Serene had sat off to the side while the Bates family huddled together, talking in low voices. But after Ron was called in and Maggie went with him, Steve stepped out to take a call and Carrie came to sit next to her, face drawn and pinched.
"That was a fucking nightmare," Carrie said in a low voice.
Serene nodded, feeling numb.
Carrie sat back and, after a minute, pulled out her phone, scrolling Facebook. "I can't believe he brought up Taylor. Well, actually, I can't believe he said a lot of things." She shook her head.
Serene glanced at the picture on Carrie's phone. It was of Enzo with his wife Mara. The caption read, It was our anniversary yesterday. I can't believe she's gone. There was a stream of responses. Hang in there. We're praying for Mara.
"It's really tragic how she's gone missing like that,” Carrie said softly.
"I was told that Mara and I were close," Serene said.
"Yeah," she glanced up at Serene. "You two were close. You don't remember?"
Serene shook her head no.
Carrie chewed her lip, thinking. "The police found her phone up at the house in Topanga. She'd caught a Lyft there. They scoured the place, but nothing." Carrie fell silent, then said, "It's fucking creepy."
Serene gnawed at the inside of her cheek. She hadn't seen Detective Anders in a couple of weeks. Maybe he'd given up on her knowing anything.
"Barbara told me that you remember everyone from when you were a kid,"
