Chapter Text
April 7th, 1992
Karen and Ted Wheeler stood opposite one another in the center of Mike's small New York apartment, anger coming off of them like steam.
"Our son just overdosed on *cocaine* and you're still mad that Nancy is a *lesbian!?*" Karen yelled, "What is wrong with you, Ted!?"
"It's just unnatural, Karen, and those two spend so much time around Holly," he responded, giving the illusion of control with his unraised voice, "Also, the boy's fine. We Wheeler men are prone to heart attacks."
"You think Michael had an unprovoked heart attack at 21!?"
"My cousin had one young."
"Charlie!? He was a Wall Street stockbroker, *Ted.* He was doing *cocaine.* Even setting aside that it's insanity to act like a heart attack isn't a big deal, you're just wrong. Especially since I found some in his bathroom."
"It's probably just Gold Bond."
"I know what Gold Bond smells like and that's *not* it."
She grabbed her wineglass off the table and swallowed the entirety of what was left.
"And you know what, *Ted?* I thank fucking god for Robin Buckley. I've known that girl for nearly a decade and she seems like she'd be a much better husband than you. And our brilliant, wonderful daughter *deserves* that."
Ted looked as though he was going through a Rolodex of responses in his head, but none came.
"That's what I thought. Nothing. Always nothing. Always just whatever is easiest for you. I'm done. I'm absolutely done. We are going to go see Michael and then you are going home to pack your things. I want you out by Friday."
"Now you're being ridiculous."
"No, Ted, it was ridiculous of me not to do this years ago."
March 25, 2005
Ted knocked on the door to Karen's house, the childhood home of all three of their kids. His hair was grayer and thinning, which he compensated for with a ball cap that read 'It's Tee Time Somewhere,' and his physique was thinner, save for the beer gut he'd had since Mike was a toddler.
He received no answer, so he tried again.
No answer. He then tried the doorbell. This prompted the cries of infants inside, but it also brought someone to the door.
"Alright, you dweeb," said a clearly exhausted Nancy, "I thought I made sure to remind you in the text chain that-"
The disheveled woman, wearing her wife's Led Zeppelin shirt and a smattering of baby barf, locked eyes with her father and took his presence in.
"-doorbell was off limits."
"Hello, Nancy. You're exactly who I was looking for."
She gave a heavy sigh.
"Is that Mike?" called out Robin from further in the house.
"No, although I wish it was," Nancy responded, looking at her father with utter disdain.
Taking a moment to collect herself, she closed her eyes and took a deep breathe.
"Robbie, I need to take a walk. Will you be okay alone with the twins?"
"Yeah, no prob, Nance! Make sure to throw on a jacket. Oh! Also, your hearing aid!"
"Already had my aid in, but thanks for the reminder, babe."
"So you're still dating that Buckley girl?"
"'That Buckley girl?' Dad, she's almost 40. Also, she's my wife. We have actual children together. You remember what those are, right?"
Ted gave an indecipherable grunt.
"Well, since you don't seem particularly interested in my love life, Dad, what are you actually doing here? Trying to guilt Mike into sending you a free copy of his newest book? Trying to beg Mom to take you back after all these years because you're scared of dying alone?"
"I wouldn't mind a copy of Mike's book, but, no, I'm not here for that," he said, letting a short silence fall between them, "I'm getting remarried."
Nancy was dumbstruck.
"Look, I know, I know... but we really hit it off. I was hoping that if I could get you to hear me out, the others would too."
He handed her a photo from his wallet and it only made her angrier. In it, he was with his new fiancée and a young girl she could only assume was his future stepdaughter at a theme park. He had a smile bigger than she'd ever seen him have.
"So, let me get this straight... You decide to talk to me after more than 10 years... to try and get me to help you manipulate my siblings into coming to your wedding to a woman who looks younger than Mike... and let a step sister into their lives that they've never met?"
She paused.
"Fuck you, Dad."
"Now, Nancy-"
"Don't 'now, Nancy' me! All of this is on *you.* Your bad decisions. Your self absorbed bullshit."
She shoved the photo back at him, pinning it to his chest. Tears began flowing down her face.
"Do you know what I would've given to have you be a loving father to me!? To have you... have you involved in my fucking life in *any* meaningful way? To watch me get engaged? To walk me down the aisle? To be a grandpa to my kids?"
Nancy delicately wiped her under eyes with her thumb.
"Instead, all of that love and affection somehow gets to go to a girl 3 decades younger than me who I don't even know the name of."
"I loved you kids, I just wasn't... It was difficult, being married so young."
"Fine, I get it," Nancy said, holding back a scoff as she thought about what her mother went through, "Expectations. They can be a bitch. But there was so much you could've done since you and mom separated. Cards, letters, emails, whatever. Hell, not to be some sort of materialist, but presents or checks would've been nice too. Anything to seem like you cared and were actually trying to fix things. Instead, you cut off Holly's dental insurance at 16 because she wouldn't talk to you."
"There were... extenuating circumstances... that caused that. It was never on her."
Nancy sighed.
"You still can't just own up to anything. It'd be funny, if it weren't so goddamn pathetic."
The corners of her mouth turned upward, seeming to carry a sneering laugh, but nothing came out.
"I won't say no right now, but it's not out of the goodness of my heart. I just think that Mike and Holly deserve a choice for themselves in all of this. And if they say yes and want me there, I'm there, but don't expect to see me again otherwise."
"Thank you, Nancy."
"Don't."
Nancy looked down at her feet.
"For all your 'concern' about our relationship, she's a better husband and father than you ever were."
Ted laughed. It seemed more genuine than she'd ever really heard from him before.
"Your mother said something similar to me the night we separated."
"She's a smart lady. You should've treated her better."
"I know."
Another sigh from Nancy.
"I love you, Dad, in spite of everything. It won't bring back our relationship, but I really, truly do."
"Hey, baby," said Robin, now relaxed on the couch, "what was that all about?"
"Ted Wheeler."
Robin scowled.
"Does he need an ass-kicking?" she asked, balling her hands into fists, "Cuz ol' Hate and Love here can help with that."
Nancy laughed.
"No, he's just a sad old man. I'll be fine, but thank you, though. Did PB and J go down for their nap?"
"Yeah, finally. Thank fucking god."
"I'm glad," Nancy said, gently setting herself next to her wife, close enough that their hips pressed.
"Y'know, Nance, the kids are down, your mom's out, your sibs won't be bothering us til Sunday... What's say you and me... ?"
Trailing off, Robin wiggled her eyebrows.
"Flip to TV Land and fall asleep about halfway through a Bewitched rerun?"
"You read my mind, Mrs. Buckley. You read my mind."