Louise
I should have known our happy family day wasn't going to last. While everyone is finding their own way to cope, I also see it continuing to break us all.
It's been a month now. I've not revealed anything else about Tina, which seems to frustrate everyone except Dr. Cartwright. She's patient with me.
"Louise?" Gene knocks on his own bedroom door where I've been sleeping. He's relocated himself to New Geneland. He doesn't even mind.
"I'm in here..." I groan.
"What's wrong?" He asks.
"I don't even know anymore, Gene. I'm just tired. I wish I could talk about it. Everything." I say.
Gene sits next to me on his bed. "Then go ahead. Tell me everything. Isn't that what large brothers are for?"
I sigh and look at him, wondering if he could keep it a secret. Probably not. He's not good at keeping secrets.
"If I told you, you couldn't tell anyone. Not even Mom. And I don't think you could keep a secret like this one." I say.
"Well I kept Jimmy Jr's secret about being bi!" Gene declares.
"Damn it, you're right!" He realizes he's contradicted himself. "But if it's really important to you then I won't! I keep Zekecrets all the time!"
"Zekecrets?" I question.
"Zeke's secrets. We became friends after you guys both...left." He explains. I can see the pain that the memory brings him. "I don't know what I'd do without him. He's my best pal now. And I think we helped each other. He's...really smitten with Tina. I don't think he'll ever get over it."
Zeke and Gene helping each other through me and Tina being gone? That's...sweet.
"That's sweet, Gene. I'm...really glad you had someone. During all of that." I reply.
"Me too. He keeps me on my feet. And helps me with girls." Gene blushes. "He helped me get a date with this girl in my class, Stacie."
Stacie.
My breath catches in my throat and I try not to let myself flash back to those horrible memories.
"Louise? Louise, what's wrong?" Gene gasps, wrapping an arm around me. He's a lot like Dad now. Tall, hairy, and fluffy like a marshmallow.
"Stacie." I say. "Stacie. Stacie. Stacie."
I can't stop saying her name, my eyes wide and afraid. "Stacie..."
"I...I don't understand. What about her?" Gene asks.
I gulp. "Tina. Stacie. She...Tina is...Stacie."
"What do you mean?" Gene isn't understanding what the hell I'm trying to say.
"Stacie. That's what he calls Tina. Stacie...like the doll. And Chelsea...I was Chelsea. I am Chelsea." I explain.
"You're not...Chelsea anymore. It's okay. You're Louise. And Tina is Tina. Wherever she is." Gene reassures me. "You can tell me anything. I won't tell Mom. Or anyone. I swear."
I don't think he can keep that promise, but I can't hold these emotions inside any longer. "Stacie...she had two kids."
"Tina...she...wait...the guy who took you...he..." Gene gasps.
"He raped her. He hit me a lot, but never touched me like that. And Tina...Stacie...she had two kids." I reveal.
"Okay...you're gonna have to give me a minute to process this." Gene chuckles nervously.
"Ellie and Barbie." I say. Saying their names is bizarre. I never did get to give Barbie a real nickname though. Not before I had to leave.
"Barbie like the doll? And why Ellie?" He questions.
"Ellie was Kelly but I didn't like that. Neither did Stacie. Tina. Whatever." I correct myself. "She's been Stacie for six years, so...it's hard to remember sometimes. She's Tina. But she's more Stacie than Tina now."
Gene frowns and tries not to cry. "I have two nieces...that's...wow. I can't believe it. Are they still with that guy?"
I nod. "I had to leave. I tried to protect them. To take them with me. But I couldn't. Everything happened so fast I couldn't even get Tina to listen to me. She used to just fly off the handle sometimes and have a freak out. I don't know exactly why but...she did. So when I tried to make a plan to leave...she just screamed at me. And I left without my sister. And my nieces. And I'm still protecting them now. I have to."
Gene's jaw drops. "You should tell Mom and Dad."
"I can't. They won't understand. And Tina...she's not Tina anymore." I reply.
"But she's still our sister." Gene urges me. "We can't leave her with that guy. What's his name."
"Kyle." I say.
"Fucking Kyle, man." Gene growls. "Taking my sisters...hurting you guys...I hate him."
"So do I." I say. "I'm not keeping this a secret to protect him. I just have to protect them."
Gene nods in understanding. "While Mom and Dad deserve to know this...I won't tell them until you're ready to tell them yourself. I'm...I'm sorry."
We hug, a knock on the door a moment later. "What did she tell you, Gene?" Dad asks.
"How much did you hear?" I question him.
"Not enough." He snaps.
"I...Dad...I can't." I reply.
"How long are you going to keep Tina from me? I deserve to see her! I know she's alive! I feel it!" Dad yells.
"Dad, you need to calm down. This is way more complicated than you think. And I don't even know the half of it. Okay? So calm down." Gene tries to ease the tension.
"I just want her home." Dad sighs. "My Tina."
"I know." I reply. "And she'll come home. Someday. Soon. I swear I just...I have to figure out how to...do this."
Dad wipes his tears and nods. "Okay."
I know I'm putting him through too much. I'm putting all of them through hell by being so vague, but I can't take the risk of explaining everything. Not yet. Not until I save them.
I just hope those girls are doing okay without me. I miss them so much.
YOU ARE READING
Dollhouse || Bob's Burgers
FanfictionBased on Amy Chelsea Stacie Dee by Mary G. Thompson. When fifteen year old Louise Belcher returns home after a mysterious six year disappearance, her entire family has questions only she can answer. The biggest question of all being the hardest to...