Title: Through the Wilderness
Prompt: #7 Deaf
Word Count: 500
Rating: PG
Summary: "You know, you're real crabby when Dad's not around." (Pre-series)


Madonna comes on the radio while Abbey is driving Liz and Ellie to school. She's not in a good mood to begin with – Jed was in Washington over the weekend and Abbey gets crankier the longer they are apart.

When Liz turns the volume to full power, Abbey snaps, "We're going to go deaf!" and turns it back down.

"Mom!" Liz reaches for the dial. "This is my favourite song."

Madonna belts out: "Like a vi-i-i-irgin!"

Abbey turns the radio off.

"Mom!" Liz half-turns in her seat, a look of outrage marring her features.

"This car is not a disco." Abbey speaks with forced calmness. Her eyes are fixed on the road and her knuckles are white as she clenches the steering wheel.

"You are so not cool." Liz turns around and flops against the seat. "This is so unfair."

Abbey takes a deep breath. "This is my car, Elizabeth. I get to make the rules."

Liz mutters something as she turns her head to look out the window.

"What was that?"

There's a pause. Then, "I said: Dad would let me listen to it."

"You can listen to whatever you want to. It's not the song I have a problem with; it's that I don't see why Ellie and I have to go deaf too."

Ellie, meanwhile, has been engrossed in a book. Abbey wouldn't be surprised if she is completely unaware of this argument.

Liz reaches for the radio again.

"No," Abbey says.

"What? You just said I could listen!"

"In your bedroom or at your friends' houses. I much prefer our lovely conversations on the way to school, don't you?"

Liz folds her arms across her chest. "You're so unfair."

"I'm your mother. That's my prerogative."

Liz is quiet for a long time. Just when Abbey thinks she's going to sulk for the rest of the drive, Liz says, "You, know, you're real crabby when Dad's not around."

There is no trace of Liz's earlier hostility in her voice. Abbey glances at her; Liz's hands are clasped in her lap and she's twisting the ring on her thumb. Abbey recognizes the nervous behaviour immediately.

"Yeah," she says. "Sorry."

"Mom, you're not – You and Dad aren't going to split up or anything, are you?"

"Oh, Lizzie, no. Why would you think that?"

Liz shrugs. "He's away all the time. You trust him, don't you, Mom?"

"Of course I do. Liz, your father drives me crazy and I hate that he's away so much, but I love him and I know he loves me."

"I guess I knew that." Liz raises her head and smiles. "I don't know why I'm being stupid."

"I know it's hard on you girls too, Dad being away. But it's not forever."

"Yeah. Okay." Liz is grinning now. "So can I turn the radio on again?"

"As long as the volume isn't going to destroy our hearing," Abbey says, trying to sound serious despite her smile.

"Deal," Liz says, and reaches for the dial.