ARTEX
Chapter one-accusations
"Stephanie? Did you use my makeup?" D.J. Tanner called.
"No!" Stephanie Tanner called back.
I entered the bedroom.
"Emma? Did you happen to see who used my lipstick?" D.J. asked me.
"No, sorry, Deej," I said, apologetically.
Just then, Stephanie appeared beside me and peered into the room.
"I bet you did take it you little thief!" D.J. cried angrily at Stephanie.
"I didn't! I swear!" Stephanie cried back.
"Get out of my room!" D.J. hissed at Stephanie.
"Whoa. Wait a minute," I said, holding my hand up. "D.J., there's no proof that Steph used it."
"More than likely she did! She's always touching my stuff," D.J. said angrily.
Stephanie went to open her mouth, but then, my husband, Joey Gladstone appeared.
"What's going on?" Joey asked.
"Stephanie used my makeup without asking me!" D.J. said.
Joey turned to Steph.
"Did you touch Deej's stuff?" Joey asked, gently.
"No! I didn't!" Stephanie cried.
She was near tears.
Joey put a hand on Steph's shoulder and gently squeezed it.
"Maybe this time Steph didn't touch it, D.J.," I said, reasonably.
"She's probably lying," D.J. said, angrily as she began getting her books out to start doing her college homework. "Please leave. I've got a lot of work to do."
Joey, Stephanie and I backed out of her room and closed the door.
"Aunt Emma, I really didn't touch it," Stephanie said as the tears began forming.
I crouched down in front of her.
"It's okay. Joey and I believe you. Don't worry. Maybe she used it and forgot," I said, soothingly as I put a hand on her arm.
Stephanie smiled and hugged me before hugging Joey, and then she headed into her room.
Joey and I headed downstairs.
"Deej has a tendency to…what's the word?" I said, frowning.
"Jump to conclusions?" Joey finished for me.
"Exactly. I mean Steph does have a tendency to touch her stuff, but I think this time it's different. She wouldn't burst into tears if she wasn't telling the truth," I said, folding my arms over my chest. "I have a feeling Steph is telling the truth."
"Me too," Joey replied.
We headed into the kitchen where Danny Tanner, Becky Katsopolis, my sister, and her husband Jesse were. Michelle Tanner, Haley, my daughter were sitting at the kitchen table eating Twinkies.
"Hi Mom!" Haley cried happily. "Hi Dad!"
"Hey!" I said, eagerly as Joey and I headed over to the table.
"Hey," Joey said affectionately as he sat down across from us.
"Mom? Dad? I have a question," Haley said, looking from Joey to me.
"Yes?" Joey said, leaning forward.
"Can I have my own room?" Haley asked, eagerly.
Joey and I looked at each other and grinned.
"Well it's okay with us, but you've got to talk to Uncle Danny," I grinned.
Danny looked up from cooking lunch.
"Huh? Why talk to Uncle Danny?" Danny asked, grinning.
"Haley would like her own room," Joey replied.
"Hey, getting independent, huh?" Becky said, grinning.
Becky has shoulder length medium brown hair and brown eyes. Danny has short, wavy, thick dark brown hair and green eyes. Joey has short, light brown, almost blond hair and blue eyes. I have shoulder length dark, curly brown hair and honey colored brown eyes.
Jesse has wavy, thick black hair and blue eyes.
"Well, let's see," Danny said, crouching down beside Haley on the chair. "Which one of my daughters would love to move to the basement?"
"I've got to letters," Jesse replied. "D.J."
"That's exactly who I was thinking of," Danny grinned. "It's okay with me if D.J wants to move."
Haley was beaming happily.
"Deej? Please come down here!" Danny called.
We heard D.J. bounding down the stairs, followed by Stephanie, who was looking like she'd explode with anger and tears.
"Yes Dad?" D.J. asked, stopping by the kitchen counter.
"Haley wants to know if it would be okay if you moved downstairs and then she could move into your own room," Danny replied.
Immediately, D.J. rushed over and hugged Haley.
"Oh my God! Absolutely! I finally get a bigger room!" D.J. cried happily. "Now, I can hide my stuff from sticky fingers."
I saw Stephanie's expression when D.J. said that. I looked at Joey sideways. I could tell he didn't like that either. I've never seen Stephanie this upset before.
"Um, Deej? You know maybe you used your makeup and forgot," Joey said, pointedly.
Stephanie looked at him. I saw gratefulness in her eyes. Joey gave her a private wink before returning his eyes onto D.J.
"No. This was brand new makeup, Joey. I hadn't opened it yet and when I checked, it was opened," D.J. replied.
"I didn't touch it!" Stephanie cried.
I could see her starting to shake with anger and hurt. Jessie and Becky exchanged looks too. I don't think any of us had seen her this upset.
"Then who did? The boogie man?" D.J. spat back.
"Maybe it was Comet…you know how he likes to look his best," Joey offered.
I saw Stephanie's lip twitch, but D.J. wasn't buying it.
"Just stay away from me and my stuff!" D.J. yelled. "I can't wait to move downstairs! This way, I'll be able to hear you coming downstairs!"
D.J. headed back upstairs.
Stephanie came over to the table and plopped down on a chair beside Joey. Joey put his arm around Stephanie.
"You didn't touch her stuff?" Danny asked.
"No," Stephanie said, miserably.
She crossed her arms on the table and buried her head in them.
Joey kept his arm around her.
"Michelle? Did you?" Danny asked, turning to Michelle.
"No," Michelle replied shaking her head.
"Joey?" Danny asked, grinning.
Joey snorted.
"I don't like her colors,"
I heard Stephanie let out a small giggle.
"I'm never going near her again," Stephanie muttered, as she raised her head.
Once again, we all exchanged looks.
LATER THAT NIGHT.
Joey, Jesse, Becky, Danny, Michelle and I were in the living room watching TV.
Just then, we heard D.J. yell.
"STEPHANIE!"
We all jumped and listened.
"WHAT?" Stephanie yelled back.
"YOU TOUCHED MY CD PLAYER! IT'S BROKEN NOW!"
"Uh-oh. Let's go," Danny said, as we all got up and headed upstairs.
We found Stephanie standing in the doorway to her bedroom, and D.J. was standing in the hallway, holding a broken CD player.
"No, how could I? I was in here the entire time after dinner!" Stephanie cried.
"I KNOW YOU DID IT!" D.J. cried.
"I DIDN'T DO IT!" Stephanie yelled back.
"GIRL'S!" Danny shouted.
Both of them were silenced.
"D.J…where was your CD player?" Danny asked.
"On my dresser," D.J. replied promptly.
"Stephanie? Did you at any point go into your sisters room and maybe accidentally knocked it off the dresser?" Danny asked, turning to Stephanie.
"No," Stephanie replied.
"She's lying," D.J. replied. "Just last week she asked me if she could borrow it."
"Yeah, because mine was broken as well!" Stephanie retorted. "If I wanted it I would've taken it last week! Not this week!"
D.J. folded her arms over her chest.
"Dad, please, when can I move downstairs?"
"Later this week," Danny replied.
"You just can't wait to get away from me, can you? I'm just an inconvenience to you!" Stephanie cried.
I could see she was really hurt.
"You're smart," D.J replied.
That was a little harsh. Stephanie's blue eyes filled with tears and she turned around and slammed her door shut.
"D.J…." Danny began but D.J. just shook her head and she too, closed her door.
We remained standing in the hall looking at each other.
"I'll take D.J.," Danny said.
"I'll take Stephanie," I offered.
"We'll go check on Niki and Alex," Becky said as she and Jesse headed back downstairs. Michelle followed them.
"Joey?" I asked. "Want to come help? Steph always could talk to you."
Joey nodded and we knocked on Stephanie's room.
"Go away," Steph called.
We could hear her sniffling.
"It's Aunt Emma and Joey," I replied giving Joey a hurt look.
Danny was already in D.J.'s room talking with her.
"Fine," Stephanie muttered.
The next thing we knew, the door was unlocked and I grabbed the doorknob. I turned it and we entered Stephanie's room.
Stephanie was curled up on her bed with her face buried into her pillow.
We closed the door and went over to her. Joey and I sat on the opposite edges of the bed on either side of her. I put a hand on her back.
"Steph? Want to talk to me?" I asked, gently.
Stephanie sat up, with tears streaming down her cheeks.
"She's always accusing me of taking and touching her stuff! But I was here the entire time!" Stephanie sobbed. "I know I've touched her stuff before, but this time I'm telling the truth!"
"It's okay, Steph…we believe you. We'll try and talk to D.J. later on when everything's calmed down," Joey said, softly.
"What's worse, Dad, Aunt Becky and Uncle Jesse probably believe her!" Stephanie cried. "You two are the only ones that believe me!"
"I know Aunt Becky, Stephanie. I know she would never be like that. She'd listen to both sides and then come to a conclusion," I said, gently, stroking her long blond hair.
"I wish D.J. wasn't my sister," Stephanie sobbed, burying her head into the pillow. "I wish I could leave here."
Joey and I just sat there, rubbing Stephanie's back. After a while, we didn't hear her crying anymore.
"She fell asleep," Joey said, softly.
We covered Stephanie with a blanket and quietly left the room, gently closing it behind us. We met Danny and Haley in the hallway.
"Well?" Danny asked.
"Stephanie was in her room the whole time," I replied. "She didn't touch D.J.'s CD player."
"What about the makeup?" Danny asked.
"I don't think she did," I replied.
"That's not enough. Stephanie could be lying," Danny said.
That got me angry.
"Why is everyone so quick to blame her? So she had a few run-ins before…but that doesn't mean that she's some kind of pest! I for one believe her. You know what?" I said, disgustedly as I marched over to D.J.'s door and opened it. I poked my head in.
"You want someone to blame? Blame me. I touched your makeup," I said, to D.J.
D.J.'s expression turned to shock. I closed the door leaving D.J. to ponder what I said.
"Are you happy now?" I asked, Danny. "Now you have someone to blame and leave Stephanie alone."
I stalked off down stairs holding Haley's hand. Joey followed me shortly and I angrily began pacing the living room.
"God," I growled to myself.
"Mom? Are you okay?" Haley asked, worriedly.
"Yeah," I replied. "Why don't you go play with Michelle?" I suggested.
"Okay!" Haley replied happily hurrying into the kitchen where Michelle was just about to take Comet out into the backyard to play.
Joey sat down on the couch and leaned forward, his elbows resting on his thighs. He clasped his hands together.
"I can't believe how everyone's turned on poor Steph," he said, shaking his head.
"I know!" I said, still pacing.
"I never knew Danny to take sides like that…something must be bothering him," Joey mused.
"I don't know what's going on, but they'd better stop accusing Stephanie like this," I replied as I finally sat down beside him and just rested my head against his shoulder.
Just then, the doorbell rang.
"I'll get it!" Danny called as he came trotting downstairs.
He went over to the front door and opened it. It was Kimmy Gibbler, D.J.'s best friend.
"Hi Tanerino!" Kimmy said.
"Hi Kimmy…D.J.'s up in her room," Danny replied.
"Hi Emma…Joey," Kimmy said.
"Hi," I said, softly.
Joey nodded.
Kimmy headed upstairs. I was ignoring Danny.
"Excuse me, Joey. I'm going into the kitchen for some water," I said.
I stood up and walked into the kitchen.
Michelle and Haley had come in, followed by Comet.
"We're going upstairs to play, okay?" Michelle asked.
"Sure. Have a blast," I winked at Haley.
She and Michelle headed upstairs.
About five minutes later, there was a thud sound, followed by 'Fwumps'. I looked over at the stairs. Michelle had fallen down the stairs.
"MICHELLE!" I screamed as I rushed over to her.
I heard Danny and Joey rushing into the kitchen shortly.
Stephanie came down after Michelle. She looked pale.
"She tripped on the top step," Stephanie said, weakly.
Joey and Danny rushed to Michelle's side.
"Michelle? Are you alright?" Danny demanded anxiously.
"My arm hurts," Michelle winced.
"It's broken. Let's get you to the hospital," Danny said.
Danny helped Michelle up to her feet.
Just then, D.J. and Kimmy appeared in the kitchen.
"What happened? Steph, did you push Michelle down the stairs?" D.J. asked.