Barrett Family Squabbles

Tim held up his left hand showing his ring. "Mia is my wife and has been for a while now. You will show her respect even if you need to choke on it. This is the last time you will ever disrespect her, or you will be disowned. You should look to your future as Mia oversees it." Tim looked at Chuck and smiled predatorily. "Not too late to back out." Chuck finished his drink, and his jaw went rigid, but he said nothing.

"How can you be married if Mia's been engaged?" Sharon asked grasping at straws.

"If you had read the paper recently, you would know that the engagement was always a cover story. Dr. Merches is a good friend of mine. My child's doctor and was willing to help." Mia explained quickly.

"Why hide it at all?" Chuck asked acidly.

"Honestly, I get tired of people always being in my business." Mia said in a bland tone. Then Mia heard her name spoken behind her and groaned. Tim looked up at her with a quick look of alarm.

Mia pushed back her chair and stood before she walked about ten feet back from the table. Tim watched her closely, uncomfortable with the distance between them.

"Dominic." Mia said, her voice tight. She didn't need this tonight. One family drama at a time was enough. Her brother was with a group of men. He waved them toward a table and stood near his sister.

"I saw that Nicholas ended your engagement. He called it a cover, but he didn't say for what. Do tell, sister." Dominic oozed disapproval.

"I told you the engagement wasn't real it is not my fault you refused to believe me." Mia sighed; she was tired of this.

"The company you are keeping these days has become quite unsavory. You still won't come home?" Dominic asked.

"I have a home." Mia declared quietly.

Dominic scoffed. "Living as Barrett's mistress and subjecting your children to that? Are you crazy? When did you lose your mind, Mia?" Dominic hissed the words at her.

Timothy stood up and was walking toward them with an unfriendly look on his face having seen the malice Dominic portrayed. Even without hearing Dominic's words he didn't like the look of the conversation. Mia looked at Tim's face and realized if she didn't stop this now there would be a fight.

"You don't know what the hell you're talking about brother. Nothing you just said is true. If you talked to any of your family, you would know that. Stop talking out your ass." Mia finished speaking just as Tim reached them. Dominic turned to square up on him, but Mia would not allow it.

"No, Timothy. We are not here for this." Mia had to push for a minute, but Tim finally relented, walking back to the table with his arm around his wife. He flipped Dominic the bird and smirked when the man growled behind him.

Mia looked at Tim as they sat down. "Really, Tim? Dominic isn't known for impeccable control like you. Use your head. Starting something with my brother is even less smart than Shelly."

Shelly huffed in outrage across the table.

"Trouble with the Lane's Mr. Barrett?" Chuck asked snidely.

"Just that one. Families disagree all the time. Right mother?" Tim asked.

Sharon sputtered, but then replied. "Yes, son that is correct. Families squabble, it is human nature. May I meet my granddaughter, Mia?"

"Absolutely not, Mrs. Barrett. I wouldn't trust you near my child if you were tied up." Mia smirked remembering her being tied up. The older woman scowled at her but held her tongue.

Timothy reached over and took Mia's hand causing her to look at him. He nodded toward Dominic who was walking by not far away. Tim was covering her ring. She nodded back to tell him she understood, and she moved her left hand under the table. Chuck was watching them closely trying to figure out their game. Mia picked up her wine and took a big drink causing Tim to bump into her knee. Mia sighed and switched to the water. Glaring at him frostily.

"Is Veronica on drugs?" Mia asked suddenly.

"What? How dare you?" Shelly seethed.

"The woman has been staring at a wall for forty minutes. I'm concerned." Mia said emphatically.

"Veronica has always been in her own world." Timothy admitted. Mia raised an eyebrow at him and shook her head.

"What is taking our food so long?" Mia asked.

"Ready to leave already Ms. Lane?" Chuck asked her with a sneer.

"Why are you addressing me incorrectly? It is Mrs. Barrett, if you plan to be part of the Barrett family you should get well acquainted with who I am in relation to you." Mia snapped. Timothy looked at her with a wide grin.

"Tell the truth are the two of you really married?" Shelly inquired, crossing her arms over her chest.

"We have been married longer than you two have been engaged." Timothy said indicating the couple across from him and Mia. Shelly huffed.

"Really? How could you Timothy? You didn't want Mia. You divorced her remember?" Sharon whined.

Mia's smile fell and Tim saw the change. He cursed his mother internally. "That you would speak of that situation now, mother shows your lack of class. There was nothing about that situation that was as it seemed. You know nothing about what I wanted because you have always been too selfish to care. In the future, keep your mouth shut unless you can improve upon the conversation." Timothy told Sharon with a biting tone.

Sharon's mouth flopped open wide with shock that her son would speak to her that way. Mia was a bad influence on her son. She could not believe that Tim had married Mia again. There must be some mistake. Perhaps Tim was testing her ability to behave in society and got Mia to go along with it.

Chuck could not keep his eyes from straying to Mia Lane or Barrett now apparently. She was a beautiful woman which only made him hate her more. She had decided that he wasn't good enough for her and degraded him by her refusal at that party. Chuck would love to give it to that uppity bitch. Now that would be a good time.

Trying to appear docile around Timothy Barrett was nearly impossible with that woman near. If Chuck didn't need Barrett's money so badly, he would walk away from Shelly. This development changed nothing though. Chuck would still make Mia pay for her crimes against him.

This was supposed to be Shelly's moment to shine. The moment where she was every bit as good as Mia Lane. Better even, she and her fiancé were in love. They would have a perfect life together and Shelly would have enough money to buy anything she ever wanted. If Mia really was Tim's wife that was terrible news. Shelly would never be the center of attention if Mia was Mrs. Barrett.

Mia and Jasmine had been speaking quietly about what was good about this Country Club and what was bad about this establishment. Both ladies agreed that the building and grounds were impeccable. However, both had heard rumors that the male upper management and male patrons had gotten into hot water several times for actions involving the female staff. The food arrived and they had to halt their conversation.

When the servers moved away Tim leveled Mia with a stare. "What you were just talking about, where did you hear that story?"

Mia looked at Tim curiously. "From Dominic and Jason. Dominic heard about it from a staff member here and Jason took the case pro bono. There has been a long history of injustice for female staff here apparently. Why?"

"I don't want to give our money to establishments that behave like that." Tim said seriously. Mia smiled.

"There is another reason." Mia said very quietly.

Tim gave her a sideways glance. "Another reason for what?" Tim asked.

Mia pulled Timothy close to her so she could whisper in his ear. "Another reason for me to love you," she said very quietly. Tim's instant smile was dazzling.

While they ate Shelly began talking about the wedding and detail after detail was brought up in an excruciating litany of useless information. Mia now felt like she had been there when the decisions were made. There was one detail she had known already. The wedding would take place at Aide Castle. Mrs. Nolan, Chuck's mother, had reserved a date for his wedding eight months prior and simply demanded that he have a bride before that date. Mia had to give Mrs. Nolan credit for her ingenuity and foresight.

Mia looked at Chuck directly. "Why is Mrs. Nolan not here tonight?" she inquired, truly curious.

"My mother prefers to not meet the bride's family before the wedding so that the nuptials should not be hindered by misconceptions based on improper behavior that might occur before the wedding." Mia laughed out loud at this.

"That's clever and a sound decision considering Shelly and Sharon's drama mongering." Mia stated honestly.

Chuck took a sip of his drink. "You might be surprised how clever the Nolan's can be." he said darkly. Mia chose to ignore the comment, but Timothy stored it away to discuss it with Caleb later.