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[img]https://i.imgur.com/f1ExgHY.gif[/img] [img]https://i.imgur.com/njGBrR3.gif[/img]

[sup][color=dimgray]Collab with [@Lovely Complex] as [color=dc143c][b]Kylie Lyon[/b][/color]
A flashback... the previous night.[/color][/sup]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/YWM7Nah.png?1[/img][/center]
[indent]You know those self pity parties where you’re home alone because your husband decided to go out with the boys and your daughter is probably having sex with a stranger and your son has ignored you for god who knows how long? Yeah, that was the life of Kylie Lyon at 8 PM. Not even a homemade margarita could make her feel better. On top of that, all her family and friends were actually having lives and her dad could suck it. The solution for her lonesome feelings and seething bitterness over the fact that she made dinner for four but only one person ate it  — her — was to watch tv and pamper herself. She was sprawled on the couch with a bunch of curling pins in her gorgeous red hair, her toes had a recently applied green nail polish on and were separated by those foam separators, and her fluffy, white bathrobe covered her pale but fresh, smooth, delectable skin. Her posture was in a slouch, with a large porcelain bowl on her stomach filled to the rim with popcorn as she watched the show that made her famous: Living it up with the Lyons. 

Munching passionately on her popcorn, her phone only inches away, her eyes went from the show to her phone constantly. Waiting. Waiting for anyone. Someone. To call or text her. She was soooooo bored. Oh! this was a good part. This was when all the women in her father’s life cornered him. He never thought he’d be in the same room of all the women he slept with in the past, but it sure happened, and the products from such affairs, all his children, bore witness to the scene. Her dad was a [i]fool[/i]. 

Her mind was ripped away from the scene when she heard a ringtone she hadn’t heard in the longest time. HER SON WAS CALLING HER!!! HE NEEDED HER! She quickly turned her body, causing the bowl of popcorn to tumble over, spilling everywhere, and she grabbed her phone with utmost urgency. With the excitement of a child getting a lollipop from the doctor, she grabbed and answered the phone, all the while turning her body so she was staring at the ceiling. Happily, she cried, [b][color=dc143c]“Hi Pumpky!”[/color][/b] Pumpkin was calling her and she was so happy he chose tonight of all nights. Her night would turn around, for sure!  

Oh man, Owen was about to ruin her fucking life, wasn’t he? He had a streak lately. Trixie, Jamie, now Mama. Might as well keep adding to it. At least he’d swept up most of the glass… [color=a52521][b]“Mom? I fucked up.”[/b][/color] Owen said simply, sighing as he looked around at the carnage of the gym. Maybe he should clean up more before he called her? There wasn’t much left, he and Madi had done a pretty good job… but it was embarrassing. He’d destroyed his own sanctuary, for fuck’s sake.

[b][color=dc143c]“W-what do you mean?”[/color][/b] Kylie sat up and ate a popcorn off her chest. After she munched on some popcorn, she washed it down with her alcoholic beverage. 

Owen was quiet for a while, before he spoke aloud, making an offer to his mother. [color=a52521][b]“You wanna FaceTime?”[/b][/color]

From saying he fucked up to making an offer she absolutely couldn’t refuse. Was that even a question? Did she WANT to FaceTime? Did SHE his MOTHER want to see HIS face?! [b][color=dc143c]“Yes, yes! I’ll call you righttttt now.”[/color][/b] With the speed of a cheetah, a phone call turned into a video call. [b][color=dc143c]“Hi Pumpky!”[/color][/b] She repeated, her face beaming.  

Owen gave her a weak smile, [color=a52521][b]“hi, mama.”[/b][/color] He said, before clicking away from the face cam and to the rear camera. With a heavy sigh, Owen slowly moved in a circled, showing Kylie what was left of the gym. [color=a52521][b]“I had a moment.”[/b][/color]

This felt like deja vu. For a moment, Kylie took in the sight and she couldn’t help but think of the time her husband did the same, when they were young. That poor gym. She thought for a second on how to approach this. It wasn’t hard to know the route she should take. Keeping her voice calm and showing no sign of fear or anger, she serenely asked, [b][color=dc143c]“Do you feel better?”[/color][/b] 

Well, that was certainly better than he’d expected. Owen had expected redhot fury and yelling and anger to come exploding from the other side… he flicked the camera back to his face and looked at his mother silently, considering what she’d said. Did he feel better? [color=a52521][b]“Yes, absolutely. Someone from school that I don’t really like… came and said some mean things. I only hit him once. Well… twice,”[/b][/color] Owen paused, before holding up his bandaged, bloody hand. [color=a52521][b]“I hit the wall, too.”[/b][/color]

If there was one thing a Lyon had, it was fire. Fire could manifest in many forms. One being anger. When someone in her family got angry, you feared your life. It was only natural for her son to do this, but like his father, there was always a reason.  [b][color=dc143c]“Did you give him a chance to walk away?”[/color][/b] She could imagine he did, but she wanted a better idea of what was bothering him. She had a [i]theory[/i]. 

[color=a52521][b]“Yes, I tried to get him to leave. I even let him hit me first. I thought that was, uh, the right thing to do.”[/b][/color] Owen explained, before he went on to address something that was slightly bothering him by this point. [color=a52521][b]“...hey are you gonna yell at me? ...Is… is dad going to kill me? I broke everything. The office, too. And the desk. I think I lost my mind…”[/b][/color] Owen said glumly, shrugging his shoulders. He really needed to… not do that.

[b][color=dc143c]“It wouldn’t be the first time that gym gets a repair job.”[/color][/b] Kylie nonchalantly shrugged back and watched her boy’s expressions. She missed him. [b][color=dc143c]“I’ll come by and help clean up if you’re worried about your father’s reaction. But, we’re rich, Owen. This is an easy fix.[/color][/b] Grabbing another popcorn off her couch, she ate it and shook her head at the thought, [b][color=dc143c]“You’re so much like him. It’s unbelievable at times.”[/color][/b] She brought her attention back to the cam and made a silly face at her gloomy son, [b][color=dc143c]“We’ll take care of this, together. Okay?”[/color][/b] 

Owen nodded a couple of times, seemingly more reassuring himself than his mother. They could take care of this. She was right, they were rich, that was the whole point of being rich, right? To take care of problems fast. Yeah, something like that… [color=a52521][b]“Okay. You should bring me food. I’m hungry, and there’s nothing to eat here except for vending machine crap. When you get here, we’ll, uh, talk. About it. I guess I should tell you now, before you have to get me from the police station.”[/b][/color] Owen muttered, sighing before he blew her a kiss. [color=a52521][b]“See you soon.”[/b][/color]

Her heart. He blew her a kiss. Kylie was crying on the inside. She had been waiting for this moment since he started distancing himself. She didn’t even know what she did but after the break up, her baby changed and he stopped confiding in her. Breaks up weren’t easy but something in her gut told her it was most definitely heart wrenching. A tragic ending for someone who only deserved happiness. Joy didn’t tell her details either, but she also chose not to pry. She didn’t want to push him away more than he already was pushing himself away from her. She wanted to know answers but she wanted to know them from him. What happened to her son? What could she do to make him better? With watery eyes, she nodded with all the assurance in the world, [b][color=dc143c]“Yeah. See you soon, Pumpkin. I love you.”[/color][/b] With that, the call ended. [/indent]
[hr]
[indent]Still with curling pins in her hair, but now with yoga pants on and a sweatshirt  — nothing necessarily on underneath it  — Mama Kylie made it to the gym in ten minutes tops. Her mother instincts were at maximum speed and she was ready to save the day! For once, she wasn’t the damsel. She had packed most of the leftovers that were left over from dinner in one of Troy’s cooler bag lunch boxes and then she went to the guest house and demanded her maid to drive her. 

Because she had drank alcohol. 

Not a lot, but if Troy found out she drove while being inhibited even in the slightest, she would get in trouble, more so than Owen. Entering through the front entrance, which no longer had a door, since all the glass was completely gone, she made her presence known, [b][color=dc143c]“I have dinner!”[/color][/b] Stopping in her tracks, she was stunned with how much the gym was destroyed but not because of the destruction. No, because of how much was done in such a short time! She wouldn’t be able to do this amount of damage even if she tried. 

[color=a52521][b]“Hi, mom.”[/b][/color] Owen said, and when Kylie put her eyes on her son, she would click even more similarities between father and son. Just like Troy had done when he was younger, Owen was laying on the ropes of the ring, in the corner, and staring at the ceiling. It didn’t last much longer after she’d arrived, though, because he rolled off and jumped out of the ring, heading over to her.

[color=a52521][b]“What’s for dinner?”[/b][/color] He asked, eyeing the cooler in her hands. Food was good, food was fuel. And honestly? Owen was tired. He’d had a long day, and a longer weekend and it was only going to get worse from here… 

[b][color=dc143c]“Not because I cook this two to three times a week… but it’s your favorite.”[/color][/b] Troy was honestly getting sick of homemade mac and cheese with bacon in it, and nice, crispy cheese on layered over it, but Kylie was hoping for a night like this! And her boy called her on one of the nights she made his favorite. She was on her boss game. Tonight couldn’t be any more perfect. Directing him to follow her, she went to the office and made his placement on the table by the futon, across from the desk. She even brought cherry sprite! Also, his favorite. After everything was set for him to have a delicious, mama approved dinner, as if he were eating at the dinner table with his sister, her, and his father, she sat down and rested her hands on her lap. Waiting patiently.  

Owen followed her back into the office, where he spent most of his time nowadays. Owen sat down at the spot that was made up for him, and picked up the silverware she’d brought… and then, it was almost comical how fast and ravenously Owen ate the food laid out in front of him. After a few minutes of scarfing down food, he paused to explain himself. [color=a52521][b]“Haven’t been eatin’ very good really. Can’t cook here, and I hate fast food. And I have nowhere to go anymore. Mostly been eating TV dinners.”[/b][/color] He explained, pointing at the minifridge in the office. Another similarity to his father.

[color=a52521][b]“Thank you, ma’am.”[/b][/color] He added, before slurping down some of the cherry sprite and going back to demolishing the platter of mac n cheese he’d been delivered.

Kylie’s heart was on cloud nine. Just watching her baby eating good food, her food, made her ecstatic. But, she had to focus. This could lead to him opening up to her. Going back to the time when he told her everything!  [b][color=dc143c]“I’m just a phone call away.”[/color][/b] Kylie’s expression was nothing but hopeful.  [b][color=dc143c]“You’re welcome, by the way.”[/color][/b] She grabbed the napkin off the table and gestured for him to grab it. He had a little mess on the side of his face.

Owen grabbed it and wiped off his face, and pushed the plate away, satisfied with his work as far as ‘eating everything’ went. Then he looked up at his mom, very seriously. [color=a52521][b]“I’m gonna tell you things now, but you can’t get too involved. I have to fix this [i]myself[/i].”[/b][/color] Owen insisted, before opening the sprite and drinking what was left in the bottle.

Making an ‘x’ on her heart, Kylie smiled, [b][color=dc143c]“We got to do the thing.”[/color][/b] By thing she meant them linking their pinkies together and then kissing their hands. That was their pinky promise that assured both parties nothing would leave this gym. Owen nodded, and held out his pinky, ready to do the thing. Good, this would seal the deal so he could talk about everything without worrying that she’d get herself and her friends involved.

Emergawd. He did it. Kylie’s face was flushing. This was the best day of her life. Gaining her composure, though her outer self was pretty calm, everything that she was feeling was sealed tight in her nicely formed body, she gave him a look that said ‘I’m ready’. She didn’t need to say anything more. He had the floor.  

Alright, here we go. Now or never. Do or die. [color=a52521][b]“Okay. So, you know that Trixie and I broke up, but you don’t know [i]how[/i] or [i]why[/i]. So, let’s go, I guess.”[/b][/color] Owen let out a loud, almost reluctant noise through his mouth, before he tapped around on his phone, navigating to the website of the school newspaper, and pulled up the Cowardly Lyon article, before handing it over to his mother. 

Le gasp from Kylie.

[color=a52521][b]“Someone convinced Trixie that I cheated on her. I dunno how, or why, but I have an idea of [i]who[/i]. I think it was Ophelia. OBVIOUSLY, I didn’t cheat on Trixie. But, she got those pictures of me and Rose, yes, that’s Rose, and then she lost her mind and went ballistic and published that article. Ophelia is the only person I know who could have been there to take the pictures.”[/b][/color] Owen shrugged, but he wasn’t done talking yet.

Another gasp. 

[color=a52521][b]“So, anyway. That happened. Everybody read that, and now they think I have a small dick, I’m a woman beater, I have mommy attachment issues, anger issues, and that I’m a serial cheater. Oh, and as of Friday night, you can add ‘homophobe’ to that list, since I kinda sorta almost killed Marshall.”[/b][/color] Owen frowned and leaned forward, furrowing his brow. [color=a52521][b]“So nobody really talked to me. To get my side of things? So everyone just took it at face value. Trixie hasn’t talked to me alone since the publish date. Marshall hates me. They all hate me. It hurts. It sucks. I’m alone. I’m fighting against impossible odds, honestly. Damian, Trevor, Henry… They gave me a chance to talk. Becca too, but of course Becca did — she’s a Helmsley, and I’m family. But it doesn’t matter. I just want Trixie to know that I didn’t do that to her. I think that’s basically all of it? So today, Jamie, you know Jamie right? One of Trixie’s news slaves. He came here to try and get me to talk about the breakup, so that I could tell him this. So he could use it for a story.”[/b][/color]

Owen paused briefly again. [color=a52521][b]“I’m sorry, Mom, but I’m [i]not[/i] you and I will [i]not[/i] let my personal drama be something that other people look at for amusement.”[/b][/color]

 [b][color=dc143c]“Ouch, baby.”[/color][/b] Kylie crossed her arms and looked at her son with a contemplative stare. She was taking it all in. It was a lot to take in.  [b][color=dc143c]“I’m curious. As messy as this all is, and yes everyone is reacting… vibrantly, I’m proud you are level headed throughout this all. Shows how well I did on raising you. I’m curious, though. Why do you think Jamie approached you? He could’ve done that two months ago. He could’ve done that a month ago. Why now? Why does he care now about the truth?”[/color][/b] There was something Kylie caught in her son’s words that his son didn’t necessarily catch. 

[color=a52521][b]“Because he's desperate? I don't know. I busted him in the fucking head, and told him if he came back I'd snap his neck. So I'm happy to report that there will be no more Callaghans intermingling with the Lyons.”[/b][/color] Owen explained, running a hand through his hair. This entire situation was exhausting for him, and he wasn't sure about bringing his mother in yet. Hopefully, she'd respect his wishes, and not involve his ex’s parents. 

Rolling her eyes at her son’s response, Kylie retorted, repeating his words,  [b][color=dc143c]“[i]One of Trixie’s news slaves[/i].”[/color][/b] She let that settle in before continuing, [b][color=dc143c]“If she is anything like her mother, she needs a cool down period. You’re lucky you haven’t made Trixie resort to a bat, but an article is still pretty shitty. It’s hard, finding a moment of peace, when you’re that popular. I would know, I was always with my girls. But her girls are not just friends, they’re family. Two months is a pretty short time for her… heart to demand air. I don’t think Jamie actually cares about the story. As a celebrity, you learn that those type of individuals, reporters, are always after the reward. Someone wants to know the truth, I just don’t think it’s him. He’s just the one getting his hands dirty.”[/color][/b] She’ll thank her dad later for his teachings. If it wasn’t for his stories, she wouldn’t be this observant. Everyone had a motive, even if the motive was seemingly nothing. Nothing was still something. Keeping their life as is. From her baby’s story, it seems like everyone was tired of being stagnant. 

Owen had to consider what she'd said. Some if it made sense, sure. What was that about a bat, though? Not really relevant, but hey, that was how his mother was sometimes.. a littttllleee bit squirrel brained. [color=a52521][b]“Maybe you have a point… But if Trixie wants to know the truth, why doesn't she ask me? Why doesn't anyone ask me?”[/b][/color] 

 [b][color=dc143c]“You can’t say no one asked you, when Jamie did. Today.”[/color][/b] She paused and shifted her body toward him. [b][color=dc143c]“It’s different, when you’re a girl. Girls think of the bigger picture and we think of every single detail. Guys are a bit more simple even if girls still want to expect more out of them. They either like it or don’t. When you say yes, you mean yes, and when you say no, you mean no. Girls are either at war with each other or protecting each other. Why doesn’t Trixie approach you? Imagine Scott approaching you and saying Trixie has been fucking Henry and had pictures to show for it. How would that make you feel? I know it hurts that she didn’t take your side. But in a girl’s mind, she naturally thinks her girls have her back. And you want to know why no one else asks you? You scare them. When people want to talk to you, you push them away. You don’t want to answer them. You believe they should’ve trusted you from the beginning and it fucking hurts. That no one took your side. I understand baby. I just think, Trixie doesn’t know who to believe. Do you think she doesn’t care about you anymore?”[/color][/b] Because if that were the case, she’d be a lot colder to him. She has Izzy in her. Izzy wasn’t afraid to cut people out of her life. Not until she cared.

[color=a52521][b]“That is exactly what I think. I'd argue that I know it, not think it.”[/b][/color] Owen said in a simple reply. She was laying a lot on him, wasn't she? He was tired, way too tired for this. And he didn't want to sleep in the fucking office again. He wanted his bed (which would feel empty without Trix), and his house. He hadn't been there in almost two months, and he missed it. He hadn't really realized how much, exactly. [color=a52521][b]“... I want to go home and sleep on this, Mama. Can you just call grandpa or one of the grandmas and make this fix this?”[/b][/color] He asked, gesturing at the gym’s destruction. 

There was only one person who could fix this properly, along with his brothers. Her father.  [b][color=dc143c]“I guess it’s time to bury the hatchet…”[/color][/b] Her words shifted into a grumble.  [b][color=dc143c]“Let’s go home and you get some sleep. I’ll get this fix.”[/color][/b]
[/indent]