Abby cried for hours. She ruined everything with her brother. Years worth of their friendship now ruined because she was mad at Tom.
~ 10 years ago ~
"Char-char!"
"What Abby?" Little Charlie asked, coming into her bedroom.
She sat on her floor in front of her doll house and held out a doll to Charlie.
"Play with me." She said.
"Why?"
"Nora won't play with me and I don't wike Lorraine."
"Fine, I'll play."
~ End of flashback ~
She got up off her bed and went into the bathroom. She whipped the tears from her face as they slowly fell. She worked up the courage to go face her brother.
"Charlie?" She asked, knocking on his bedroom door.
"Go away, Abby."
"Please just let me come in."
She opened the door and he quickly whipped the tears from his eyes.
"I'm sorry." She said.
She sniffled and whipped the tears off her cheek.
"Come here, Abbs."
Abby climbed onto Charlie's bed and just laid there hugging him.
"I'm really sorry. I didn't mean any of what I said."
They sat there in silence.
"Abby?"
"Yeah?"
"I know you're sorry. This place is all making us mad at each other."
"Yeah."
We heard a crash in the hallway.
"Should we go deal with that?" Abby asked.
"Nah, it's normal for our house."
~ Saturday ~
"Hi. lt's me. Okay, l'm coming home. Now, l know this is gonna be a big strain. The publishing company arranged for the Oprah Winfrey Show to tape at our house tomorrow..."
"Holy shit. Oprah's coming to our house!"
"Abby! Watch your mouth."
"-which is,you know, great, but l'm really gonna need your help. We're talking Bakers full force. Boys, you clean up the outside, girls, the inside. l want everybody in fancy, nice, clean clothes. And, Tom, if you could please supervise this one last thing, l would really appreciate it. Okay? All right. Bye."
"Everyone! You heard mom! Clean up." Tom yelled.
They spent the whole afternoon and most of Sunday morning cleaning up the house for Oprah. Abby quickly turned around the corner in her purple dress and slammed right into Mark holding a dish with Beans in it.
"Mark!" She yelled.
He got water all over her dress.
"Sorry Abby."
"It's fine, I just need to go change now."
She changed her dress and stood outside Charlie's room overhearing Tom and Charlie fighting.
"You got kicked off the football team?!" Tom yelled at Charlie.
"Well, look who decided to parent!"
"Let's check that attitude, Charlie."
"l don't fit in this town, Dad. l'm going back to Midland."
Charlie rummaged around trying to find his shirt.
"You are not dropping out of school, and you are not walking out on this family."
"What family? Since we moved here, everybody's been looking out for number one, especially you and Mom."
Charlie was right, since the Baker's moved here they haven't been a family.
"Your mother and l are doing what we think is best for everyone."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. You did not take this coaching job for us. You took this because you were a loser in college while Shake was being a superstar. lf you want your shot at glory, if you wanna have it all, you do what you gotta do. But quit feeding us this line about being a happier and stronger family. This move was about you! And you know what? l don't have to sit here and pay the price for your life choices. l'm leaving."
Tom grabbed Charlie by the jacket.
"You're staying. Are you gonna make me?" Charlie asked, trying to push the limits.
"Charlie, l love you. l want you to have the best life you can have. And that means you're getting a diploma."
"When l graduate, l'm gone."
Charlie started to leave his room when Abby grabbed his arm.
"Charlie?"
"Are also here to tell me that I'm a disappointment." He asked her.
"No."
"Then I'm leaving."
He started to rush down the stairs. Abby yelled at him from the top of the stairs.
"What the fuck happened to you, Charlie?! You used to be so nice, now you're the exact opposite."
"Shut up, Abby."
He slammed the front door. All her tears she had been holding back fell.
"You did this!" She turned around and yelled at Tom, "you ruined my relationship with my ex. You ruined my relationship with this family. And most importantly you ruined my relationship with my brother who is my best friend."
She pushed past him in the hallway on her way to her room.
"Abby."
"No, Dad. This is your fault. So FIX it."
She slammed the door in his face. Abby changed out of her dress and into sweatpants with an AC/DC shirt on. Kate knocked on Abby's door and let herself in before sitting on Abby's bed where Abby was seated.
"You need to come down."
Abby sniffled and whipped her tears.
"Why? So we can pretend to be some big happy family?"
"Abby, we are happy."
"Bullshit, Mom! Bullshit."
"Abigail!"
"We are not some happy family. This move has made all of us hate each other!"
"Come on, Abby. Just please come downstairs and act like you like everyone."
Kate started to stand up and walk towards the door.
"I'm not happy so I'm not gonna fake it."
YOU ARE READING
Cheaper By A Baker's Dozen
FanfictionA Cheaper By The Dozen fanfic. Abigail "Abby" Baker is the 3rd oldest of the Baker family. She's got 12 siblings but now she has to navigate moving away to a whole other city.
