Chapter 48: Coal Digger (Part 6)

The door being opened finally allowed Claire to enter Gloria's bedroom.

Claire - "Gloria, I don't know what Phil's been saying or why he's covered in your underwear..."

The moment she stepped inside, her sight made her stop mid-sentence. She saw Phil sitting on the bed covered in a pile of lingering.

Gloria - "Obviously, I'm trying to seduce Phil and Ryan for their money."

Phil lets out a dry laugh but stops when he is stared down by Claire.

Gloria - "Because that's what I do, right? What do I have to give back to get everyone to trust me in this house? These earrings?"

Phil - "No, don't."

Gloria then removed her earing and threw them on the floor.

Gloria continued, "This new dress?"

Ryan and Claire simultaneously - "No."

Claire and Ryan looked over at Phil, who kept quiet.

Phil - "I... didn't respond because this shouldn't be about me. It should be about you two. Talking."

Phil then got up and quickly exited.

Ryan - "Hey Phil, where are you going? Leaving me behind to fend for myself in front of two terrifying lion.e.ss..es..s."

Ryan tried to stop himself before speaking something inappropriate and quickly made for an escape, following right behind Phil.

Claire - "I don't know what to say except that I'm genuinely sorry."

Gloria - "Okay. Let me ask you one thing, are you happy I married your father?"

Claire - "Happy?"

Gloria - "I knew it."

Claire - "I'm still getting used to it. You don't expect to wake up one day with a brand new mom that looks like she fell off a tool calendar, but I'm happy you make him happy, which you do, in many ways... (Looking at lingerie) and in many colors."

Gloria - "He makes me happy too, not just with his money. He is good to Manny and has a wonderful heart. He is also a remarkable lover.."

Claire - "Okay..."

Gloria - "I mean, he truly knows how to explore this female body. How to..."

Claire - "Yeah, I get it."

Gloria - "No, you don't get it. He can do things. Things I have never seen..."

Claire - "Okay, now you are just doing this on purpose, aren't you."

Gloria - "Yes."

Ryan appears, pushing Jay in front of him right into the fire pit in his bedroom.

Ryan - "Bye"

Successfully delivering Jay in place, Ryan takes his leave.

Jay shouts at the leaving Ryan, "Hey, you said we would do this together."

Gloria and Claire stare at Jay.

Jay - "So, is it done? Are you guys good?"

Claire - "Yeah, Dad."

Jay breathes a sigh and says, "Good."

Claire - "I just told her..."

Jay immediately says, "Under the rug, sweep it all under the rug."

Jay then proceeds to exit the room, fearing that he will get stuck in the crossfire when this war starts back again.

In the next scene, we find Jay, Ryan, and Mitchell watching the match together.

Cameron - "Oh my god, how could he fumble that?"

Jay - "The center blew the snap! QB didn't even know it was coming."

Cameron - "I hate that. I was a center and got blamed every time the quarterback was clumsy."

Jay - "Well, I was a quarterback, and it was probably your fault."

Cameron - "What do you think, Ryan?"

Ryan - "I.."

Before Ryan could reply, Jay made a gesture with his hands, blackmailing Ryan about his kiss with Alex.

Ryan - "Of course, I agree with Jay."

Jay - "See, even Ryan's on my side."

Cameron - "Easy, handsome. Ryan is still a kid. He doesn't know anything about Football. If the quarterback has the right-hand position, it's impossible to drop the ball."

The camera then cuts to Claire and Mitchell enjoying a glass of wine in the kitchen.

Claire - "Maybe I'm just not mature enough, but it feels pretty weird to think of a woman being sexually attracted to dad."

Mitchell - "You want weird? Cam said he'd pick him up at a gay bar."

Claire - "What, how did that even come up?"

Mitchell - "I've blocked most of it out. I'm uncomfortable thinking about Dad as some kind of sexual deva."

Claire - "Same here. As far as I'm concerned, Mom and Dad only had sex twice when they had you and me."

Mitchell - "I say we just sweep this disturbing notion under the rug."

Claire - "And then burn the rug until it's just ashes left."

Mitchell - "Then take those ashes and throw them in a deep well where they will never be found."

Alex, who overheard the conversation, couldn't help but interject.

Alex - "Really, a well? People are dying of thirst, and you want to ruin a freshwater source for nothing?"

Mitchell - "We were having a moment here."

Claire - "Alex dear, why don't you go talk with Ryan."

Alex leaves from the kitchen to the living room.

Mitchell - "I really don't know what Ryan sees in her."

Claire - "Hey, she's still my daughter, you know."

Mitchell - "Sorry, well, let's forget this and enjoy our drinks."

Claire - "Agreed."

Claire and Mitchell then say cheers while clashing their glasses together.

In the next scene, Jay and Cameron are shown trying to settle their argument by reenacting the scenario in the match.

Claire and Mitchell suddenly enter the living room and find Jay standing behind, bent over Cameron, with his hands between Cameron's legs, as Cameron prepares to hike the ball.

Cameron - "Don't be shy. Get that hand right up there."

Jay - "Just hike the damn thing!"

Meanwhile, Alex and Ryan are staring at them with wide-open eyes. Claire rushes over and gets a hold of them.

Claire says, "Hey, kids, why don't we go back to the kitchen and get something to eat?"

Ryan - "Sure."

Claire, Alex, and Ryan head over to the kitchen.

Mitchell - "I don't think I can ever eat again."

Like this, an eventful plot, they finally came to a close.

Author Note: Sorry for the late update. I came back really late from college today.