Flowers Among Thorns || Bob's Burgers

6- Struggles and Songs

Day Fourteen

Bob

"It's been two weeks since Tina Belcher was mysteriously drugged and kidnapped by four masked men. And with no leads, hope is dwindling for both family and friends of the Seymour's Bay teenager."

I turn off the news, not wanting to hear anything more. Two weeks. Two weeks without her and...I'm here in a safe place while Tina might as well be dead. I almost would rather her be. Being...raped every day? That's not a life. She's probably going through more than I allow myself to imagine. Torture beyond what I can comprehend. These thoughts have raced through my mind for the last fourteen days and I can't stop it. And Linda knows it. Because of my shaking hands.

I'd give anything to have Tina call again. My poor girl is suffering and I'm practically in the lap of luxury in comparison. What is there to do? I search every day just to come up with no answers. The police sketch of the man Zeke saw hasn't helped as much as we'd hoped.

Louise is still running her little detective agency thing. As long as it keeps the kids happy during this, I won't put a stop to it. As long as it doesn't interfere with the real investigation. But I can't deny Louise is probably clever and capable enough to be on the police force herself. Even at the young age of twelve.

Gene is in high school, so I imagine he knows at least some extent what has happened to Tina. It's no secret. Especially now that Linda is a shell of her former self. That breaks me up inside the most right now. Because Linda is right here. Not captured. And I still can't fix shit.

Intrusive thoughts ravage my mind, making my hands shake again as I chop vegetables for dinner. "Fucking keep it together." I mumble to myself. "Keep. It. Together."

Seeing my distress, Zeke steps in. "Lemme do it." He grins lopsidedly. He's been coming over to eat most nights since Tina went missing. He's been really helpful whenever he notices my tremor start again.

"Thank you." I say. He just nods and finishes with the dinner while I sit for a couple of minutes and close my eyes. Picturing my mother's voice. But it's long since faded from memory. So I go into my closet where we keep our coats.

I grab a soft cream-colored coat. It's covered in a plastic bag like they do at dry cleaners. Unzipping it, my trembling eventually is soothed by the feeling of the fabric and the smell of my mother. This was her coat.

"I miss you." I whisper into the air. Her perfume smell isn't sickly sweet like most. It's flowery. And perfect. It smells like home. Like hope. Like the piano music I haven't heard in over thirty years. Like safety and warmth and goodnight kisses.

I zip it back into the bag and hang it up again, gathering myself before walking out into the kitchen to take over where I left off. Zeke is nearly done cooking. "Thanks. I just...I needed a moment."

"It's okay, Mr. B. I get it. I mean...I don't get it from your perspective. You know since...She's your daughter...But...I get that...It's real hard." He replies.

I clap a hand onto his shoulder. "You're a good kid, Zeke."

"Couldn't have done it without Tina." He says.

There's a small pause before I speak again. "Do...Do you think she's g-gone?"

Zeke clears his throat, trying to cover his shock by my question. "Sorry. I just-"

"Naw, I get it." Zeke interrupts. "I uhh...I guess I just hope not. Maybe it's stupid to think she's alright and everythin' but she's...I don't know what I woulda done if she were to..." He trails off and sighs.

"I didn't mean to scare you. I want to believe the same thing but at the same time it's like..." I try to figure out how to say this delicately.

"Like she might be better off dead than in whatever state the fucker is leavin' her in?" Zeke finishes for me. I nod.

"How can you say that?" Gene is at the entrance to the kitchen, dropping his keyboard.

"Gene buddy I-" He quickly injects.

"Dad, she's fine! S-She's fine!" His voice cracks as he tries not to break down and cry.

"You can cry. It's okay, pal. I...I know." I say.

He shakes his head. "Tina wants me to be strong. I know she does. W-Wherever she is."

"Crying doesn't mean you're not strong. If anything it means you-" He interrupts again.

"I know, Dad. I just...how can you give up?! It's been two weeks! Not years! And even then, you can't just pretend she's dead!" He yells.

"Gene...I'll never give up on her. I meant...maybe it's better if she was dead because of everything she could be suffering from." I explain to him.

"She's still Tina...he can't take her from us. He can't!" Gene argues.

"Can he?" He asks, tears glistening in his eyes.

I try to think of what to say to that, but Zeke speaks first. "No. Gene, she's the same Tina in our hearts. No matter what. And if...or when we get her back...well, people don't exactly come back from shit like...I mean stuff like that. But we'll help her. And I know that with all of ya'll here, she'll be supported."

Gene nods slowly and picks up his fallen keyboard. "I wrote a song for Tina. I would like it if...I could show you after dinner?"

I smile softly despite all the pain of today. "Yeah. That'd be nice."

So after dinner, he performs with his heart on his sleeve. And it's stunningly tragic and beautiful. In a way I haven't seen from Gene before. It's his mournful dedication to his lost sister. And there isn't a dry eye in the house after he sings it.

"Tina I know you're out there.

Wherever you may have gone.

Know that my heart is weeping.

For the moment he made you his pawn.

But know...oh oh, that you are still a queen to me.

You still shimmer and gleam.

And when I see you again I will tell you

You are royalty no matter what you have been through.

Oh...Tina, you're still a queen

So wonderful and keen.

Yeah you are royalty no matter what you've been through

And when our family sees you, I know that they will say so too.

Tina...You're still...my queen. Hey sister, it's me, it's Gene.

So remember in your heart...that we'll never be far apart.

Tina, you are my queen."