Whirlwind || Bob's Burgers

9- Bygones

Tina's POV:

Dad cools off the next day, apologizing briefly for his reaction. I forgive him, knowing it was only him being protective. Being a dad.

It pours today, so we don't have many customers. Gene and Louise mess around and play a new game they made up.

It involves mixing different ingredients to see who can make the best potion. They give the potions names and pretend to have powers when they drink them.

Louise picks up the ketchup, squirting it into a cup, sprinkling in sugar and salt. She adds water and mixes it.

"This potion will make me really fast!" She announces, grimacing as she drinks the concoction.

She zooms around the restaurant, bumping into everything.

"Ahh, but sister, no one can beat MY magic potion!" Gene challenges, mixing up his own ingredients.

He uses mustard, ketchup, soda, and mushed up fries to create a gross and goopy substance.

"Who would like to test it?" He raises his cup, offering it everyone. But alas, no takers.

"I'd be glad to drink it, Gene!" Zeke laughs and downs the entire thing in one gulp.

He doesn't even flinch.

"What power did it give you?" Asks Gene excitedly.

"The power to become...invisible!" He muses, running behind the counter and ducking down so he isn't seen.

"You just ran away!" Louise argues.

"No I didn't, I'm invisible." Zeke replies quickly.

"If you're invisible, make this cup float in the air. If you're invisible, all you'll see is the cup." Louise smirks, thinking she has him beat.

Zeke walks over and grabs the cup.

"See?" Louise says triumphantly.

"Well of course YOU can see me. You're magic. And so is Gene. Nobody else can see me!" Zeke comes up with this on the spot, and I can't help but giggle.

"Where did that come from? Where's Zeke?" I play along.

"Spoookyyy!" Gene is loving this.

"Fiiine I'll give you that one." Louise groans.

I love how good Zeke is with them. It makes me really happy to see them get along so well. They always have. Especially Zeke and Gene.

Time feels like it has stopped when Zeke's dad's girlfriend steps in through the door with his little sister, Ellie.

"Hannah?" Zeke looks up in surprise.

"I know you must not want me here, but I wanted to just come in and apologize to the Belchers myself." She explains.

Mom looks at her suspiciously. "Okay..."

"I'm so sorry for the way Rocky acted. He's got some serious problems. It's never been that bad though. I never thought he'd hurt anyone else. I just wanted to protect my daughter." She gestures to Ellie.

"He has no excuse for his actions." Mom narrows her eyes.

"I know. But I'd like to say sorry either way and announce that I'm not staying with him. It may take time to get out of the situation, considering we're married, but I can't let it happen any longer and have my baby get hurt." Hannah explains.

"And Zeke...I'm sorry I didn't protect you for the three years I've been your step mom. I really did try to calm him, but he threatened me so many times. I was scared. I know you don't have a reason to believe me, but I'm truly sorry. And I see you as my son." She continues.

Zeke is stone faced, not saying a word.

Dad enters from the kitchen, just as skeptical as mom.

"Your husband broke my daughter's arm and tried to sexually assault her." He says matter of factly.

"And I'm truly sorry for that. He has...a history of this kind of behavior. We met when I was sixteen and he knew my parents. My mom was anaddict, and my dad had cancer before he passed away when I was seventeen. He tried to stop me from marrying Rocky, but it was too late. I hope to honor his wishes now. Thankfully, my mother has since recovered. Rocky took advantage of my age and my home situation, and we dated secretly until he convinced me to marry him when I turned eighteen. I'm only twenty two now and I'm trying to finish college. I got pregnant with Ellie not long after we married. I felt trapped, and I didn't know how bad it was until it was too late. I have no doubt he was trying to target your daughter. But she's lucky to have two parents who care very much for her." Hannah tells us.

"I'm...sorry to hear that. And yes, Tina has two parents who'd do anything to protect her. Don't you forget it." Mom replies.

"Well...I forgive you. It's not your fault you married an asshole." I shrug. Zeke looks at me in concern.

"You sure babe? It's a lot to take in." He stands beside me.

"Yes. Your step mom here is innocent. At least in my eyes." I answer.

"Well...then I guess I can't stay angry with you, Hannah." Zeke sighs. "If Tina forgives you, I forgive you."

Hannah smiles uneasily. "Thank you both. I'll do what I can to divorce him. I know this must be very hard for you, Zeke."

He nods. "I got this job so I could look into getting emancipated."

"Emancipated?" I question.

"Yeah. If I can get emancipated, I'll be able to get my own apartment instead of waiting until I'm eighteen. And then I can be considered an adult. I think it would help me get away from my father." He explains.

"Well then I'll help you however you need me to. I...I love you." I say this for the first time in front of everyone.

"Awww!" Mom claps her hands and cheers.

Louise and Gene don't have much of a reaction, having basically already known.

Dad looks down for a minute, taking a deep breath.

"If you make my daughter happy...truly happy..." he starts.

"Then I'm happy."

I kiss Zeke passionately, happy to see my dad approves. I knew he would with time.

Louise mixes a potion with haste.

"Here's a potion to make you stop being so mushy." She groans, handing it to me.

"Sorry sis. No potion is going to take away my love for Zeke." I reply mushily, kissing him again.

Louise gags.

"You'll fall in love someday too, buster!" I tease.

"NO!" She screams defiantly. "Never ever!"

I roll my eyes and smile. I'm glad she's still being a kid. Plus, she doesn't need a boyfriend or a girlfriend to make her happy. Neither do I. I just got lucky.

Really lucky.

A/N: quick thing I just realized is that I write a lot more about Bob being a good, protective dad more than I write about Linda being the same because I'm writing about what I want to have, rather than what I do have. I have a great mom, who has always been the protective one, but I never had that in a dad, so I just think maybe I write about Bob a lot more because I wish I had him as a kid? Just an observation.