She's My Little Sister

How Have You And Mr Hunter Been?

MICHELLE SAT ON THE COUCH with Eric and Cory, as she waited for her brother to come and get her.

Shawn had a double detention, and he told Cory to head home without him, he'd just meet him at his house to get Michelle. Eric was talking to Michelle about his girl problems and she stared at him in wonder. Cory rolled his eyes, still bitter that she wouldn't say his name.

"Eric, she doesn't care about your problems." Cory snapped.

Eric rolled his eyes, turning his attention to his younger brother. "You're just jealous because Michelle won't say your name."

Cory rolled his eyes as well. "Well she won't say yours either."

Eric ran a hand through his hair. "We haven't worked on that yet." He turned to the baby. "Can you say 'Eric'?"

Cory rolled his eyes again. "It's not going to be that-"

"Eric!"

Both brothers stopped, looking at the little baby with different expressions. Eric's was overfilled with joy, and Cory looked betrayed. Eric turned to his younger brother and yelled, "In your face!"

Cory stood up just as the door opened and Shawn walked in. "Hey, Cory!"

"Your sister hates me!" He yelled, stomping upstairs.

Shawn pauses for a moment, turning to look at Eric who had a smug smile as he held Michelle.

"What was that about?"

Eric's smile became even more smug. "Tell Shawn the new word you learned."

"Eric!"

Shawn smiled as he bent down to his sisters height. "Good job munchkin!"

Michelle leaned in, and kissed her brothers nose. He smiled widely at her and he leaned back and stood up. "Now all we need to do is get you walking."

"Walking?" Eric repeated. "I didn't know she could even crawl."

Shawn glanced at Eric in confusion. "Of course she can crawl. She just doesn't really do it much. Plus I always carry her."

Eric nodded, though he still looked lost. Shawn picked Michelle up and carried her upstairs. "Cory?"

Cory looked over and saw the Hunter siblings. He threw himself dramatically onto his bed. Shawn rolled his eyes again and sat down next to his friend. "Come on, Cory. You know Michelle doesn't hate you, you know that. She loves you."

"But she loves Eric more." He grumbled.

Shawn sighed, standing up hugging his sister to him. Rolling his eyes slightly at his friend, he headed towards the door, telling Cory not to worry about it, and Michelle would say his name eventually. Though Cory just groaned again and waved goodbye. Shawn shook his head, heading downstairs and outside. Shawn turned towards his sister with a grin.

"Are you doing this on purpose?" Shawn questioned. "Do you purposefully not say Cory's name? Are you a little munchkin like that? Huh?"

Michelle clapped her hands as she said, "Shawn! Eric!" Those being the only two words she was able to say. Shawn smiled at her, deciding that he was going to try to get her to say Cory so his best friend would stop whining about it.

"Alright Michelle," Shawn said. "We're doing some work when we get home."

{}~{}~{}~{}

Michelle and Shawn had worked all night trying to get Michelle to say Cory with no avail.

He didn't think it would be difficult especially since she had said Eric so easily. But no matter how hard Shawn tried, she just wouldn't say Cory. Now, she was sat on Mr Feeny's porch as Shawn and Cory picked slugs from the flower garden.

"Hey guys," Alan said walking out of the hose. "Collecting snails?"

"Yeah, Mr Feeny says we can use then for when we all go fishing Sunday." Cory said.

Alan suppressed a sigh as he looked at the two boys and then the baby and then the teacher. "Fish don't eat snails."

Mr Feeny stopped and turned to look at the boys, an innocent smile coating his face. "Gee. I guess I was mistaken."

"Well whenever you guys are ready, the bass master here is all set to pass onto the younger generation some of the finer points of spin casting."

Cory turned his head to look at his teacher. "Manipulating young and impressionable minds. I hope your proud of yourself Mr Feeny."

Cory handed Feeny the bag of snails and he said, "Indeed I am, Mr Matthews."

Shawn and Cory climbed over the fence, not realizing he left Michelle on the other side, thinking he had left her on the Matthews porch. Mr Feeny looked down at the little baby and scooped her up bring her into his house.

"I don't believe Mr Hunter had meant to leave you over here alone." The teacher said. "But he's a bit preoccupied right now, so you can stay with me."

Michelle tilted her head with a smile and she clapped her hands. He set her on the couch, and sat across from her.

"How have you and Mr Hunter been?" Mr Feeny asked, though he knew he would't get actual words.

Michelle began to babble and use her hands as she talked as her brother did. As she talked, she would occasionally say Shawn's name, which shocked Mr Feeny. She kept talking and she kept repeating the name.

"You know your brother's name?" Mr Feeny asked. "Do you know any other names?"

"Eric." She said with a nod.

Mr Feeny nodded as well. "Well I'm Mr Feeny."

Michelle nodded at the that and she went back to talking with her brother's teacher. As they talked, they suddenly heard a loud, shrill, panicked, "Michelle!? Michelle where are you!?"

"It seems that your brother is searching for you." Mr Feeny said. "I'll take you back to him."

Mr Feeny picked the baby up and brought her back outside, and saw Shawn frantically looking everywhere he could think of for his sister. When he saw Mr Feeny walk out of his house with his sister, he hurtled the fence to get to her.

"Michelle!"

"I'm sorry, Mr Hunter." Mr Feeny said. "I should have told you that your sister was still at my house, I thought you knew she was still over at my porch."

Shawn couldn't seem to find the words. He wasn't even sure why. It was a simple statement that didn't need a well thought out answer.

"No, it's, uh, it's fine." Shawn stuttered out. "I know you-uh, I mean-It's okay."

Shawn began walking to the gate, opening it this time to get back to Cory when he heard Michelle say, "Fee."

Shawn stopped glancing down at his sister in shock. "Did you just say 'Fee'? As in Feeny? You're picking up words quick!"

"Not my name!" Cory shouted dramatically. "She won't pick up my name! She hates me! I told you Michelle hates me!"

"Cory-"

Cory walked back inside, leaving the Hunter siblings to stand in the backyard.