📎A/N. Boo! For those of you who are out having fun on Halloween - be safe and have a great time. My Halloween plans were scuttled, as my home has been a hospital this week... with one son plastered with chicken pox, and the other having to keep his swollen foot elevated (possible damage to his ligaments or tendons). They both take man sickness to the next level... Hence my tardiness with posting CiNY and Buried.

...And more importantly... The Kiwi's are the 2015 Rugby World Champions! The only team to win back to back in the history of the tournament! The Australians played so well I was getting a little concerned when they closed the gap. It was a great game, and both teams did their countries proud!

Don't forget to vote if you like this chapter. It's really very easy...  just click the little star.

Take care and thanks for your support.

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"And then what happened?" Stephen asked as he popped another cereal nugget into his mouth. He reached into the box he had been clutching and frowned as his hand came out empty.

Sydney shuffled in her chair and took another sip of her coffee before she answered. "Well, needless to say, he was a little curious on how I could afford it. I can't believe they told him," she complained.

Stephen snorted. "Nonsense, it's about time someone in the train wreck of a family of yours, knew what you did for them," he paused as he reached for his juice. "So what little lie did you tell him?"

"I told him that once a year I threatened to leave my job. DB can't be bothered training someone else, so he keeps upping my salary to make me stay," she shrugged, then grinned. "You are looking at the most well-paid assistant in the history of assistants."

Stephen balked, "And he believed that lame excuse?"

"To be honest, I don't think so. But he didn't push the topic."

"What about Jackson," Stephen asked, "do you think he's changed? I'd hate to see you go through all that again."

Sydney considered his question. How did she feel? One part of her, the part that longed for family, wished it were true. However, the jaded, rational adult in her was dubious. She didn't want to set herself up for emotional failure. She had had enough of that to last a lifetime.

Sydney sat for a moment nursing her coffee cup and stared at 'I Love NY' emblazoned in red on its surface. She exhaled as she looked up at her friend, "I don't know."

"Hon, I love you dearly. But your family is a lost cause," he sighed as he rocked back on his chair.

She had no comeback for his comment. It was true, she just didn't want to accept it.

"While we've hit rock bottom," Stephen remarked, "what are you going to do about Penny dearest's bombshell?"

Sydney grimaced. Her eyes reflected the turmoil her mind was in. "After we had talked the subject to death, we kept on coming up with the same answer. Nothing. We can't do anything about it and have no idea where he is; Mother will only deny he's been in contact with her. The bottom line is that we have no real proof."

Sydney had churned the options available to them till the point she was sick of thinking about her mother's tackles slip. On top of what she was already going through, she didn't need to add another layer.

From an early age, Sydney had recognised her mother was cold and aloof. Unlike her Aunt Ivy, who was quick with a hug or a kiss to make her feel better, her mother had never been one to show any physical displays of maternal love. Had Sydney not spent a large portion of her childhood with Grace she would have considered her mother's behaviour normal.

Over the years, she had glossed over her mother's shortcomings, citing that she wasn't acting in malice, merely ignorance. However, the arrival of Ethan's email had hailed the death knell to this belief.

Sydney had no doubt of the truth of his story. There was no question her mother had been callous to Walter when he was at the worst moment in his life.

It was one thing to be aware of the destruction her father had caused, courtesy of the media who had a reputation for exaggeration. But to be handed a first-hand account of how her father had shattered one man's life and her mother had completely smashed it beyond recognition was something else.

She closed her eyes and a hint of a smile twitched at the corner of her mouth. Since his arrival, her Uncle Victor had unwittingly provided Sydney with additional information on Ethan. Her Uncle was overjoyed that Mac McMasters was at the Vineyard and he would be able to corner him into making a decision.

It turned out the Ethan was extremely gifted in international finance and law. Her Uncle's business was once again expanding. This time into the Middle East. Victor was adamant that Ethan was the only one that had the track record and his past experience in shipping deals, which only further reinforced her Uncles desire to have him involved in the negotiations. He had been courting Ethan for months, and was now convinced that his appearance at Vineyard Haven was an omen - and a good one at that.

Stephen broke into her thoughts bringing her back to the subject at hand. "Well, whatever your decision, you know I'm behind you."

"Thanks," she smiled across at her friend.

After they had cleared the table, Sydney went to work on her manuscript while Stephen went work on his tan. He had sprawled himself out on the front yard and Sydney was grateful that the neighbours couldn't see his almost naked form from their property. Her friend had been serious when he declared he was after an all over tan.

"Cover yourself, I'm coming out," Sydney called as she stepped out of the house with two tall glasses of iced tea. It was just after mid-day and she was ready for a break.

Stephen quickly rose and wrapped a beach towel around his waist as he sauntered over to the deck and accepted the offered drink. He was about to sit when a car was heard coming up the driveway. They both watched as it came to a stop and a moment later Jackson emerged from the vehicle.

Stephen tensed and placed a protective arm around Sydney. "I realise it's been a while, but that's not your brother is it?" he muttered under his breath.

"Be nice," she elbowed him.

Jackson sauntered up the path, hands wedged in the pockets of his jeans. "Hey sis," his eyes crinkled in a genuine smile, "Grace gave me directions, I hope you don't mind me popping in?"

"No, not at all," Sydney said after she had recovered from the initial shock of seeing him. "We were just about to sit down for a cold drink."

Sydney pulled away from Stephen, who had yet to say a word. He was looking at her brother between hooded eyes. It was clear he was undecided on how he was about to proceed.

"Jackson, I believe you already know Stephen?"

Her brother looked quizzically at Stephen and shook his head in embarrassment. "I'm sorry," he began as he held out his hand towards her friend, "I can't remember the pleasure."

Sydney cringed, hoping that Stephen wasn't going to become overprotective, which he had a habit of doing. She breathed out in relief when he took her brother's offered hand. "It was about six years ago," Stephen replied tersely.

"Oh! Things from around that time are a little hazy," Jackson admitted.

Sydney rushed into the house, retrieved the pitcher of iced-tea from the kitchen and poured a glass for her brother.

Her brother accepted the drink, looking sheepish, "I was a bit nervous that you might not be happy to see me again so quickly."

Sydney reassured Jackson that this wasn't the case, curious as to the reason for his visit. At first, their conversation was stilted and she could see that Stephen was still undecided on the verdict with regards to her brother. They kept to neutral subjects, which allowed Sydney to relax somewhat. Her brother had even managed to have her laughing at one point as he recounted a disastrous visit to the Bahamas the previous 4th of July weekend.

"So-" Stephen broke in once there was a lull in the conversation, his voice clipped. "How long will you and your mother be visiting?"

Sydney cringed at his brusqueness, and her eyes darted across to her brother to gauge his reaction.

"I see Vic- Sydney," he corrected, "has given you a rundown on last night's proceedings."

Stephen said nothing but continued to stare at Jackson, waiting for an answer. She chose to not intervene, curious as to the answer herself.

"We're heading back in the morning actually," Jackson said softly.

Sydney raised an eyebrow, taken aback by the news. "But Aunt Ivy said mother was staying for the better part of a week."

Jackson chuckled. "It turns out, she feels she's being persecuted without cause and wants to return to the city."

"Sounds familiar," murmured Sydney.

"Well you know mother"-her brother shrugged- "everyone else is in the wrong. She is in constant denial. Your name change isn't the only thing she's not accepted."

"I'm sorry," she breathed.

Sydney was aware what he was referring to. It was another time in her life she remembered in vivid detail.

It was during Jackson's second year of college that he had returned home for Thanksgiving with a friend in tow. Even at her tender age, she had understood that her brother and his college mate were far more than friends. It was during this short trip home that Jackson had come out to his parents. Sydney hadn't been phased by the declaration that her brother and his friend Peter were in a relationship. Her parents, however, had been another matter. To be fair, her father hadn't said a word. His shock had rendered him mute. Their mother, though, more than made up for their father's lack of communication on the subject.

Penelope was adamant that this was a phase he was going through. She blamed the University for corrupting her poor child who had obviously been brainwashed. She blamed Peter for leading her golden child astray. She blamed her husband for not ensuring that Jackson had more masculine pursuits. Rather than accept that her son had been trying to make them understand his choices and who he really was, Penelope had taken up her usual stance when things didn't conform to her way of thinking - she shrouded herself in her old friend denial.

Peter, visibly upset at the treatment from his boyfriend's mother, took his leave as soon as he could. She could still remember the hurt in his eyes when Jackson had failed to defend their relationship and make his family accept his choices.

By the time her mother was through with her weekend long episode, she was convinced that she had 'cured' her son from his transgression. The subject had never come up again.

Jackson pursed his lips and shrugged at her comment. "She is who she is," he responded. His nut-brown eyes reflected the raw hurt he still felt.

Sydney was thankful when Stephen broke the awkward moment. He stood and cleared his throat. "You're here now," he addressed her brother. "So you might as well make yourself useful. You can drive me to the village to grab us some lunch." He nodded towards Sydney's old Honda Civic. "You'll save me the embarrassment of being seen in that."

Jackson glanced toward where Stephen had indicated and laughed. "I don't blame you," he said as he stood and grabbed his keys from the table.

As they headed towards Jackson's car, Sydney realized that Stephen was still wearing his towel - and nothing else. "Aren't you going to change before you head into town?" she called out.

Jackson glanced across at her friend and took in his attire. "Nah, he's fine like that," he remarked as he reached the car.

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📎A/N. Wow, more revelations... I do hope for Sydney's sake Jackson is a changed man... at least Stephen is there to provide support...

Don't forget to vote. See you next time.

Till then, take care.

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