Chapter 5: Family Reunion
A loud pop song rang out into the small hotel room as a large hand tried to grab the cell phone playing it, shutting off the song and letting out a disgusted groan as the owner looked at the time. 4:30… Who the hell decides canceled flights need to get rescheduled as early as humanly possible…? The man pulled himself from under the covers and towards a bathroom mirror, pulling a shaving kit from his overnight bag.
Gene Belcher did not like going home. He liked being home. Being home meant seeing his parents, his sisters, catching up with people like Jimmy Junior, Zeke, and Regular-Sized Rudy. And getting a few free meals from Mom never hurts either… Gene felt his stomach growl at the thought. Have I even eaten anything that didn't come from a package in the last 24 hours? He pushed the thought to the side, grabbing out a razor and shaving cream. He was certainly looking more and more like his father, broad shouldered and with a pesky habit for growing facial hair far too quickly. He shaved his face clean, pulling on a few items of clothing and packing his bag quickly to make his way back to the airport.
Since graduating high school, Gene has been moderately successful. He worked as a jack-of-all-trades producer, helping independent creators find success in music, online video, and podcasts. His own creative endeavors were not going quite as well. He had a small, niche following for his experimental music, but that didn't bother him as much as it would have as a kid. He enjoyed helping others find success from the background. As he finally got through security and boarded his flight home, he thought about home. It had been too long since he had been home, missing his usual Thanksgiving and Christmas visits due to work.
I'm just glad I could get off for this one… As Gene settled into his seat, he tried laying back, getting a few more blissful hours of rest as his plane took off into the night… before finding himself back awake, pushing himself forward as he connected his headphones to the laptop he brought with him. Eh, I need to watch that cut anyway… As the plane started up, he started reviewing the video for one of his clients.
Tina's normal alarm started blaring through her car's speakers as she was driving, shutting it off with one hand while focusing intently on the road ahead. She had been on the road for hours already, her headlights the only source of light on the empty interstate. Tina liked driving at night. The quiet stillness in the inky blackness was calming for her. In fact, she liked most things at night. While she could be outgoing and excited, she preferred to keep to herself. Not like Gene and Louise. She missed having the two around, the little devils on her shoulder that brought her out of her shell the most.
Tina had been in a drought from visiting home. Not for lack of trying. Her work as a therapist kept her busy, bouncing around from place to place, never staying in one spot for too long. She always tried to make an exception for Christmas, but the last few years had kept her stuck in place. Freak hurricanes, work emergencies, even boyfriend emergencies. It always seemed to crop up at the worst possible times for her.
I'm sure Gene and Louise hate me for missing so much… Tina's self critical thoughts filled her mind. Trying to push them out of her head, she started to run through her plans for the day. It was a training method she had learned from Bob years earlier, and it helped to center her on what needed to be done. Drive to the airport, pick up Gene, drive to the restaurant, surprise Louise, be the best big sister ever. She kept repeating the plan, serving as a mantra as she kept driving.
Hours passed as Gene finally landed in the airport, his legs feeling like jelly and eyelids heavy from the early morning and long flight. As he walked through the gate, he caught a glimpse of a tall woman, clad in a pastel blue shirt and dark black pants, rushing over to give his sister a long, deep hug. "Tina!" Gene yelled, squeezing his sister tighter, "How've you been girl?!" Tina smiled, excitedly hugging back, unable to escape her little brother's grasp. "Gene! I missed you so much! Are you ready to get to the restaurant?" As Gene let Tina go, he looked up at her, giving her a smile, "Does she know about any of this?" Tina shook her head, as Gene grew a mischievous grin. "Let's go!" He grabbed her arm, nearly pulling her and his suitcase towards the exit.
Back at the restaurant, the dinner rush was finally beginning to wind down. Louise wiped her face with the bottom of her apron, brow and back wet with sweat, flipping a couple of burgers for the stragglers moving in and out of the restaurant. Bob sat down on a stool, worn out from the long hours even away from the kitchen, while Linda stood at the register, counting cash for the day and making change.
A sudden ring ran through the room, as Linda and Bob looked up to see two figures standing in the doorway. Bob moved his hand quickly to hold Linda's, keeping her silent for a moment. Louise started speaking, still focused on the burger she was cooking, before turning to look out into the dining room through the window "I'll be with you in…" she finally noticed who was standing there, "with you… GUYS!" She screamed excitedly, rushing from the grill, leaping over the counter to hug Gene and Tina.
As the three of them hugged, Louise could feel her eyes watering up, Bob slowly making his way to the kitchen. A chorus of "I can't believe it-s" "I missed you so much-s" "I love you-s" echoed between the three, Linda taking photo after photo of her babies finally together again.
"I-... I'm still… Hang on. You guys hungry? I can make a couple burgers of the day!" Louise pointed to her chalkboard, where drawings of knives and hockey masks adorned the Burger of the Day name. "The Cereal Killer? Sounds deadly! And delicious!" Gene happily yelled, sitting at the counter as Bob flipped another burger, a loud hiss coming from the kitchen.
Louise glared through the window, rushing back over to the kitchen. "Excuse me, I need to go stop dad from running my restaurant!" "Huh, that feels weird to hear, especially when it's still called 'Bob's Burgers'" Tina laughs softly, Linda silently shushing her, before saying
"So, I wanna hear all about what you two are up to!"
Author's Note: Yep, all the burger babies are back together! I wanted to introduce Tina and Gene into this timeline after we got a feel for Louise, and her life in the restaurant. I want to do a little bit of fleshing out next chapter, with the five finally eating dinner together, but I'm also thinking of doing another flashback chapter to finally explain why Bob has had to retire. Dunno how long the whole story is going to be, every time I think I know where it should end, I come up with new ideas for this timeline. Hope you all enjoy it and I'd absolutely adore feedback and comments! -J