So here we go ladies and gents! I own Lizzy. Hasbro owns Transformers. You own the right to read this. you do not have the right to steal this. Nuff said? Good.
Shell Shock:
Liz sighed, twiddling her thumbs, and running her fingers through her curly hair, despite the fact that for once, it wasn't a messy rat's nest. She paced up and down the concrete of her grandmother's home. She was waiting to be picked up. Part of her wouldn't have minded just going back inside, and wait for an eternity for a computer turn. The other part of her berated herself, telling her of how wonderful it would be to go out, and buy a new drawing pad.
'It's not forever...' She thought, trying to relax a little. 'It's just for an hour or two.'
Just as soon as she finished her thought, her hazel eyes caught sight of a familiar red car. Her ride. Her father.
"Oh Crap..." She whispered, feeling her knees lock.
The car pulled in smoothly, with a man who could almost be her double at the wheel. He shared the same dark complexion, although to a greater extent. His thinning dark brown hair was covered by a blue hat exclaiming 'Bubba Gump Shrimp'. His own hazel eyes caught sight of his soon to be passenger, although his were clouded with years of alcohol abuse, and general upper age. He was in his mid fifties now, with his mustache having gray hairs just appearing.
Liz winced at that. It still hit her hard, to see how bad her father had become. Managing a small, somewhat fake smile, Liz shouldered her messenger bag, and walked to the car.
Her father gave her one of his own small smiles. It was always this way. His expressions always carried an air of discomfort. Liz often wondered if her own awkwardness showed.
"Hey little girl." He greeted her, as she slipped into the passenger seat. It was his usual greeting, on the phone, and in person.
"Hey dad." She returned his familiar tone. Her smile threatened to slip away at any moment, yet she kept it plastered somehow. Years of drama practice had helped to ease the moments of silence, by teaching her how to keep up a brave smile.
"How's it going?" He asked, as they drove off. It took Liz a great deal of effort not to react. She had long learned how much she hated this often repeated question. Or coming from this man at least. It had an insulting air to it. This was the man who was supposed to be her father. He was supposed to be in her life, not just on a few special occasions, or whenever he was sober. He should have known most of what she had been up to in the last month or so, at the very least!
'But it's not like that...' Liz thought with disdain.
"Oh, it's been going pretty good," She replied, wondering just what "It" was. "I finally got my driver's permit."
Her father turned his eyes to the road, squinting in what Liz guessed as confusion, and slight surprise.
"Oh?" Was all he said.
"Yeah..." She mumbled.
There was a pause, before he managed to spit out his next question.
"Did you're Grandpa teach you?" Liz almost laughed at the thought. Her Grandfather was a retired man now, who didn't do much of anything. He had taught her oldest brother some of the basics, before sending him to Driver's Ed. When she had asked him, he had only laughed.
"No..." She admitted. "Dave did..."
An uncomfortable silence settled. Liz knew it probably hit him hard. The guilt always showed on his face, at least, that was an emotion her keen eyes were set on. Her step-dad had stepped up to the plate and taught her second older brother, and herself the rules of the road, and sent them on their way. However, she was still Robert's daughter, and he had not the time, energy, nor the bold nature to assert that he wished to teach the girl.
Liz shifted slightly in her seat, and decided to try and make light of it. "So, umm... I was wondering if you would mind me driving us back? I could use all the practice I can get."
The request eased the sting of knowing that another man who was an actual Father figure had been the one to teach her.
"Sure." He replied, a little of the tension lifting. "Just don't get us killed."
Liz chuckled softly. "Nope, not me."
Silence once again filled the space between them, as Liz sent her mind into overdrive, searching for a topic on which the two of them could converse.
"So what do you think of all the rain we've been getting?" She tried. The subject of the weather wasn't much, and it quickly ended, just as abruptly as it had started. So Liz moved on to Cartoons such as InuYasha. That brought up plenty of idle conversation, and before she knew it, Liz was sitting across from her father, sipping on a Mocha Frappe.
Liz recounted her eldest brother's boot Camp graduation, and her second brother's school, and his plans for after graduation. He told her about his latest odd-job, which Liz only half-believed was going so well.
After their cups were empty, and they had spent an hour or so of talking, Liz excused herself to look through the books.
'Better than I thought...' She mused. She chose a few how-to-draw books, a comic book she had had her eye on for a while, and a drawing pad. She browsed through the other books, especially those on sale, but none peeked her interest, nor, she thought, any of her family members who might get the book for Christmas.
Liz sighed, and made her purchase. Her father was outside, waiting for her.
"You're grandpa?" The woman behind the counter asked.
Liz shook her head. "Father." She answered.
"Oh, I'm sorry!" The worker exclaimed, turning red.
Liz smiled kindly at the embarrassed lady. "Don't worry about it. It's not a big deal."
The woman's look of horror passed, although her cheeks remained red. "Do you have a discount card?" She managed to ask.
"Yeah, under David Webber." Liz replied, grateful her father was outside. To hear that she used her step-dad's discount card probably would have made him sullen with guilt, and slight annoyance.
Both men had a fair respect for the other to be sure. Dave didn't insist upon Liz calling him anything beyond his name. And Robert didn't grow irate at the mention of her step-dad. A little depressed, but not angry. Still, Liz would rather not incur his sunny disposition to sway in a less favorable direction.
Paying for her books, she soon joined her father in the parking lot. He smiled fondly at the teen, and handed her his keys.
"You can drive a stick, right?"
Liz smiled. "Of course. Seth taught me that. Took me a lot of bribing to convince him, but I managed."
Robert chuckled at that, and sat in the passenger's seat. Liz twirled the keys momentarily, as she slid into the driver's side. Her father simply shook his head.
She placed the car key into the ignition, and started it with a little trouble. And then they were off, Liz driving calmly.
"You're doing very well." Robert commented.
"Thanks." She said, taking the compliment with a broad grin. "So think I could start driving Grandpa's motor home?"
Her father laughed, and shook his head. "No, no. Your mom could never figure out how to drive the goofy thing.
"She couldn't get the hang of the stick either." Liz pointed out, changed gears on the car. "But I mastered that so to speak. I think I could handle it. With a good amount of practice."
They chattered softly about cars, and Liz admitted she was going to need a car if she was to find a job.
As they came up to a red light, Liz tapped the breaks, pulling them into a smooth stop. The engine made a loud hissing, and sputtering noise. Liz shot her father a bewildered look.
"Uh, dad..." She said, blinking. They turned the key in the ignition, getting no results. Her father jumped out to pop the hood, as Liz turned on her hazard lights.
"She's overheating."
With a quick gesture, Liz snapped the heater on to max, and rolled down the windows. Next, she pulled a bottle of coolant from the back, and passed it to her father. She stepped out, handing him the bottle of fluid, and looked over the steaming engine.
She remained silent as her father poured the fluid in bit by bit. Finally he stepped back. Liz knew by the way he shook his head that the car was in desperate need of a mechanic.
"Let's push it over to the bank parking lot. There's plenty of space, and it's deserted." Liz suggested. Robert nodded, shoving the hood back in place.
"I'll push, you steer." He ordered, rushing to the back. Liz apprehensively did as she had been instructed. Soon both father and daughter were walking towards her Grandmother's house.
Liz hoisted her newly bought treasures up onto her shoulder, as her father talked about all sorts of scientific theories.
Then, he grew silent, and heaved a heavy sigh. "Lizzy," He began.
'Uh-oh...' Liz thought, squeezing her messenger bag in worry. 'This does not bode well...'
"I want to have you over to spend the summer with me."
Liz blinked twice. "Pardon?"
"Just for the summer. Your mom thinks it's a good idea... So long as you're up to it." He smiled at her, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.
Liz blinked, as she forced a very fake smile. "Well... I'll have to think about it..." She spat out, trying to coat it with a pleasant air. It failed miserably.
"We could have some Father-Daughter time. Ya'know?"
"Uh yeah..." She tried to appear interested.
A permanent silence sat between them, as Liz led them back to her Grandmother's. Her younger sister and younger cousin both greeted her warmly, as her father asked to borrow a phone.
"You okay?" Morgan, her sister whispered, as Liz's father tapped his jeans irritably.
"Yeah." Liz replied, closing her eyes. She took a deep breath of the familiar atmosphere. "Just tired." She added at last.
Liz glanced at the clock, wondering what was to become of her. What would her mother think of her spending the summer with her father? She set her stuff down on the couch, excusing herself to take a long hot bath
Yeah I know. This starts out kinda slow, but it's just to give you a feel for the character. Funny thing is, I'll be seeing my dad this Friday. Right. I'll post these up sparingly about now. (That ought to give me time enough to type up the next chapter in advance. Got ancy waiting on verifcation, and some Parental control thing.) So let me know how you like it!