Dispatched || Maddie Buckley

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Family Reunions

tw: abuse, foul language.

Mikey was resting on his couch bed with his feet kicked up and his video games blaring into his ears when he heard the sound of loud knocking at his door. El leaned over the top loft and Mikey moved one side of his headset, looking up at her confused.

"What have you done now, El?" He whisper yelled, throwing his hands up as he stood from the couch dropping his headset on the table in front of him.

"Don't look at me, it's probably your fault." El retorted, making her way down the stairs.

They both stood staring at their door, not used to having visitors unless they'd invited someone themselves.

El nudged Mikey on the arm, "Well.. are you going to open it?"

"Yeah, yeah.. Uh- who is it?" Mikey called out through the closed door.

"Police!" The other voices sounded back, a familiar tone in their voice.

"See I told you, what did you do?" Mikey poked El in the arm.

El smacked him back resulting in about a minute's long worth of a play fight before Mikey gave into his defeat.

He opened the door but it was not the police as he had expected, it was his cousin.

It seemed as though family reunions were everywhere around Mikey but the one he'd least expected was that of his own. He didn't have much family left but the ones he did have, he never spoke to apart from the occasional post card or comment via social media.

The silence was almost overwhelming until El had broken it, "And who are you?" She said sternly towards the older man standing at the door.

"The name's Thomas. I'm Michael's older cousin, shame he's never introduced me to you." Thomas said flirtatiously to El, taking a step closer into the home.

Mikey broke out of his silence and stood in front of El, "Hey man, that's enough. You can't just barge into our home and start hitting on her like that. It's disgusting."

The man threw his hands up in defeat, "Chill out Michie boy, is this the girl you've been seeing? Good job man!" He patted Mikey on the shoulder.

Mikey shoved Thomas's hand away and scoffed, "Thomas, what the hell are you doing here?"

"Can't a man just come and visit his family? I ain't seen you since Christmas of what... '07, no.. '08.."

Mikey walked into the living room, allowing for Thomas to walk inside and El dismissed herself, knowing this was for Mikey to handle alone.

"There was a reason for that, Tommy. I didn't want to see any of you. Ever. Do you get that?" Mikey turned to him, anger filling his eyes. "I don't want you here. I don't want you near my family."

"I'm your family! You've got no family here, sorry to break it to you pal! Your family is back in Boston!" Thomas yelled at him, gaining the attention of El who had gone back upstairs.

Mikey was clearly getting upset at this point, his face had flushed to a bright shade of red as the anger boiled his blood, "You're wrong! My family IS here. That girl in there, Maddie, Buck, Hen, Athena.. They are my family. You're just some guy that I grew up with!"

"Excuse me?" El spoke as she crossed her arms, leaning against the wall, "Do not come into my home and act like that, I'm going to have to ask you to leave" El tilted her head, speaking in a firm tone.

Thomas scoffed, "You think I'm going to listen to some know it all rich bitch?" He turned towards El, "You've got me all wrong if you think that."

El laughed, almost verging on hysteria, "You're cute" She gave him a sarcastic smile, "Now, listen...I know my law, so does Mikey here, so if you do not step off of my property, I will be forced to do something very unfeminine, and I'm sure seeing that will make you feel rather inferior, and with the complex you already clearly had, that would destroy you. So, calm down, you're not impressing anyone" El shook her head, stepping to him, despite the fact she was shorter.