“Foolish! That’s what you think of me! That I’m a fool and weak! GO TO BLOODY HELL ALICE!”

　

There is nothing but silence, dead silence in the Planet. My outburst has quieted everyone, including Alice. I know all eye’s are on me, waiting to hear what I will say next.  I don’t care.  All I can do is keep glaring at Alice.

She’s staring back at me stunned, with her mouth agape.  Finally, for once, she has nothing to say.  I steal my eyes away from her to glance over at Dylan.  She too, is staring back at me with her mouth open, having nothing to say.  I can’t deal with this.

I feel more tears coming and this time it’s not just Dylan, but both Dylan and Alice I’m going to cry over.  I can’t deal with any of this.

Closing my eyes to somehow try and shut both of them out, I realize, I have no choice.  If I’m ever going to have the chance of being happy, I need to deal with this.  I need to take what’s in front of me, grab the situation by the horns and regain control of my life. Taking a deep breath to relax my emotions “Alice, Dylan, both of you, in my office, NOW.”

　

　

“Sit down, both of you.”  I decide to stay standing as the two of them sit down.  They look like school children in the principles office after a playground brawl.  Each one sitting as far as the couch will possibly let them be from each other.  Their heads are down, neither of them daring to look up at me, but I can see their eyes shooting hateful glances at one another.  I suppose they are both going to blame on another for what happened.  So, before either of them can start the blame game I’m going to speak my mind.

“I want both of you to sit here and listen to me.  If either one of you even thinks of speaking before I’m finished with what I have to say, I swear I will bring the wrath of Peabody down on the both of you.  And, I can assure you that neither of you would want the wrath I learned from my mother coming down on you.  I may not have shown it to either of you before, but I’m bloody well pissed right now and Peggy is a damn good teacher.”