Inspired by - 15. Prompt 49 - Taxi Ride

For the life of him, Mike couldn’t figure out how he got stuck picking up his mother-in-law from the train station. He’d told Bill that this wasn’t a good idea, after all he and Tracey barely tolerated each other on a good visit. He spotted Tracey McGivens in her pale blue dress suit and bright blue jacket. He headed toward forcing a smile to his face and waving as he head over to greet her.

“Oh, it’s you. Where is Bill? Is he okay?”

“Bill had to work. I figured I could get you home, Mrs. McGivens.”

Mike reached for the luggage she had at her feet. She deftly lifted it and her eyes narrowed.

“I got it. I didn’t ask for you to come get me.”

“I know you didn’t. Bill thought it would help if we spent time alone together.”

She stood looking at him before nodding and making her way across Grand Central toward the direction he came from. Mike hurried in her wake till she stopped at the top of concourse on her way to street.

“So just where did you park Bill’s car anyway?” Tracey was in a snit, Mike could tell. He would much rather have his teeth drilled then spend the next fifteen minutes alone with her but he knew he couldn’t get away from her. It was going to be a long drive home.

“I didn’t take Bill’s car. He is going to pick up Joan after school so he needed it. I came to get you by taxi.”

She turned on a dime and stared at him. Her mouth was opening and closing but no sounds were coming out. Oh god the bitch is having a heart attack. No. I can’t be that lucky.

“You came by cab? You spent his money on a cab ride?”

“No Mrs. McGivens, I spent my money on a cab ride to get down here to help you.” Mike’s smile was harder to keep this time. Great we aren’t even going to get home before she starts in this time. Why does he keep doing this to us? I wonder if I could ship her home and tell Bill she never arrived.

“I’ll never understand why my son, who could have had his pick of anyone, decided,” she paused as she stared Mike up and down in disgust, “to …. Be with someone like you!”

“Look, let’s just admit we don’t get along. We have to take the cab ride anyway,” Mike commented between clenched teeth. He walked over and the guy from the train station flagged down a cab for them. The luggage was quickly stowed in the trunk and the two passengers sat as far apart as the back seat of the cab would allow them. Tracey kept digging through her pocketbook looking for something while Mike sat twisting his wedding ring around his finger.

The silence lasted all of half a block before Tracey eyed Mike again and shook her head. She carefully opened her compact and checked her makeup. “The least you could have done was wear a tie. You look like a slob.”

“Considering I work from home most of the time I don’t need to wear one.”

“Oh right. You work from home,” Tracey began. Each word was dripping with sarcasm. “You write your little column. I suppose you add your tiny check to what Billy makes to pay for … toilet paper at least I’m sure.”

The god damn bitch just never likes to give me a break. Doesn’t matter how much I make or what I do. I married her son and took him away from her. You would think the fact that we gave her a grandchild would make her the slightest bit happy but no. She is just out for my blood.

“Driver, is there a faster way you can go?” Tracey asked the driver for the second time. The first had been telling him to find every short cut while her luggage was loaded into the trunk.

“Sorry, lady, this is the best I can do. We are lucky we are just catching the end of the lunchtime traffic from here.”

“I wish Bill had been able to come get me.”

“So do I,” whispered Mike. It had slipped out unbidden but he realized a second later she had heard him.

“Yes, then you wouldn’t have had anything to do.”

“Look, I am doing my best with you. I work all day on my column. I’m the one who has a published novel that is now into its fourth printing. I’m the one who can stay home to take care of Joan, if our daughter gets sick. I am the one Bill comes to for comfort from a bad day, to tell he loves me, and who cooks most of his meals. I do all that for my family. If you don’t like it you don’t have to come.”

“Don’t you dare tell me what I can and can’t do! My son was normal till he met you!”

“Tracey, your son is normal. The only one having a problem is you!”

“Bull. I talk to my little granddaughter and hear how she has to put up with you. You don’t understand how important it is for a girl to have her training bra, the conversation about her changing body. You can’t tell her what her cramps might be like. That is a job for her mother!”

“Well our daughter has two fathers. We might not be perfect but we get the job done. Why do you think we have her talk to you? Trust me it isn’t so she can get your bright and sunny disposition.”

“Yes well she can’t talk to your mother can she, Mike? I mean your mother disowned you, for being a pervert wasn’t it.”

The silence following that comment was pronounced. The distance between Mike and Tracey became a yawning chasm.

“I’m going to say this exactly once. This will be the last time you are invited to our home. You will be civil in front of my daughter. After this visit, to be honest, I don’t care if you see the three of us again.”

Tracey turned and looked Mike. In the seven years that her son had been involved with him, not once had he dared to tell her what to do. There was no way she planned to let this pig ruin her son or granddaughter.

“Do you expect,” Tracey began but was cut off by Mike.

“I am not repeating myself. You will be persona non-gratis at our home. You have abused me for the last time,” Mike said slowly and very calmly.

Tracey’s face began to develop a tick as she tried to think of exactly what she wanted to say. She could see the apartment building ahead that her son and his family lived in. She was just grateful that soon she could tell her son what a beast this man was and hopefully he would finally dump the bum.

“We’ll see.” Tracey sat back confidently.

“Yes we will. In case you haven’t realized it yet, it is my salary that actually pays for this place. Bill makes a damn good salary as professor but it doesn’t come anywhere close to the royalties I receive for my first book. My second is about to come out and has some major buzz about it. Besides with Joan starting school I’ve also penned my first children’s novel. That is all in addition to my little column as you put it.”

“You’re a filthy liar. My son is the only bread winner in that house. You just use him. You have no idea what I know about you!”

“Try me. And one final thing just so you know, that will be the last time I pay for your damn train trip up from Washington, DC. It would have been much cheaper to make you fly but Bill wanted to make you happy and since air flight makes you sick he wanted you to come by train. From now on you want to see my family; you can pay for it and your hotel room because you won’t be staying again with us.”

“You realize I am telling all this to my son.”

“Good, cause I intend to tell,” and here Mike stopped and forced Tracey to really look at him. Once she did Mike smiled brightly. “My husband everything as well. Remember, I am the one wearing the wedding band, honey.”

Mike watched as the cab pulled up to the apartment building. The driver shook his head and popped the trunk. Mike climbed out and moved to get the bag.

“Man, she is one tough old broad,” the taxi driver said shaking his head.

“Yeah well she just played her last trump card cause she is going to find out what it is like to be on the outside from now on.”

“We will see who is on the outside once I’ve talked to my son,” argued Tracey as she ripped her bag out of Mike’s hand and stormed to the front door.

“Good luck, Mac. Thanks for the tip,” smiled the taxi driver as he slipped the wad of cash Mike handed him into his pocket.

“Thanks,” waved Mike as he followed his mother-in-law to the front door. The battle lines were drawn and this was going to be a long visit.