It was Bug's birthday.
Tia and him had been dating for the last three weeks. It all began with them being lab partners. Bug never took the class seriously, and would constantly whisper jokes to Tia, causing her to bite the insides of her cheeks from laughing. They ended working on several projects together, usually Tia taking the wheel with the cooking and baking, while Bug would be fishing egg shells out of the bowls he cracked them in. They had a bunch of laughs, and soon Bug started following her to the study hall, and sitting with her at lunch. He introduced her to his friends, and started carrying her books at her locker. They exchanged numbers, and Bug started taking her on a few dates. They went to the mall one day, then to hang out with a bunch of his friends at the park. They were constantly together, spending hours on the phone talking about basically nothing. They usually went to the record store together, and soon Bug's arm was around her, they were holding hands, and he began kissing her cheek goodbye. It then slowly went to more kisses, more touching, and more of Tia feeling uncomfortable. He met her parents, charming them as always, and she briefly met his parents, and saw right away what kind of home life he had. One day he invited her over to listen to music in his bedroom after school. She went, after she told him they had to work on some homework together as well. He drove her, constantly glancing over at her, his hand slowly creeping on her knee, making her glance over back at him. When he brought her to his house, sbe was beyond impressed. It was in one of the nicest neighborhoods in town. His house was huge, and when he brought her in, she met his mother. She was dressed nicely, smoking a cigarette, and holding a gin and tonic. Bug seemed uncomfortable, and introduced her. His mother limply shook her hand, saying that Burton had said a lot about her, and was pleased to finally meet her. With that she walked into the living room as if they weren't even there. Bug sighed and took her hand, bringing her up the stairs, when his father appeared at the end of the stairs and screamed up at him.
Bug and Tia froze, slowly turning around before his father, dressed sharply in a suit, holding a drink himself glared up at him.
"Burton! I just received a call from the school. It's a warning, they said you better get your grades up this quarter before report cards come out." Bug dropped his eyes.
"Yeah I'm having a little trouble with history and biology. That's why Tia is over, she's going to help me..."
His father glared up at him.
"Let's be real Burton. You invited your little whore here not to study."
Tia's eyes widened, unable to believe what he just said. She felt Bug's hand tighten in hers.
"Dad please..."
His dad smiled, before shaking his head.
"Shame Beverly died, she probably would have been the smart twin...not the fuck up..."
He then walked away, as Tia slowly looked at Bug, who's eyes looked angry, but glistened with tears. Bug didn't say a word, before he turned, still tightly holding Tia's hand, before they went up to his room. It was an average looking teenage boy's room. Sorta messy, with posters of The Cure, and The Smiths hanging up. She did notice the small wallet sized class photo she gave him a week ago was actually on his desk, propped up by some books. It made her smile. He closed the door, before marching ahead, letting go of her hand. He turned still looking angry. Tia just stood there, before Bug took a deep breath and looked at her.
"I'm sorry he called you that. He's such an asshole."
"Who's Beverly?"
Bug sighed, before nervously running his hand through his hair.
"My twin sister. When I was born, I guess there were complications and they lost her. It really screwed up my mother, she always wanted a daughter I guess...and my dad, well he's just a prick."
"I'm so sorry..."
Bug shrugged, before he sat down on his bed.
"Just an excuse for them being awful people, I'm sorry."
Tia walked over and sat at the chair at his desk, she slowly spun it to face him.
"Have they always been like this?"
Bug looked uncomfortable talking about it, but sat back, hands on his knees.
"Yeah, basically. My dad is a hot shot lawyer in the city, and my mom helps out at the country club...which really means she just goes to drink, and bitch to her friends. They spend money like it's going out of style, and treat me like trash. I mean I'm not complaining, they give me an allowance which is pretty good, and really don't care what I do...but they drink a lot and my dad gets off embarrassing me, and reminding me what a disappointment I am."
This broke Tia's heart. Sighing, she looked down at her bookbag, before she smiled.
"I'll help you out with your homework."
Bug smirked looking at her, before he got up, crossed the room, and locked the door. Sighing, he stared at her, before leaning against the wall and crossing his arms.
"Can we makeout for a few minutes?"
Tia's eyes widened.
"Bug!"
He laughed, before she glanced at the bed, before she sighed and rolled her eyes.
"Okay, but just making out and when I plug the plug I pull the plug got it? Then homework."
Bug grinned.
"Abslouetly."
A few weeks passed, and finally Bug's birthday came. It was on a Sunday, and Tia invited him over. Her parents had taken Miles and Maizy to the city for the day, and she wanted to make it special. Bug told her on the phone that the night before his parents had given him a card with a check in it, then went out to the country club, leaving him alone. He ended up going to a friend's house for a few drinks, and catching a show in the city. Tia hadn't been able to make it, but she invited him over, having baked a cake for him. He came over, and actually seemed pretty touched by the fact that she had made such a big deal about his birthday. He originally shrugged it off, saying he never really celebrated it, but Tia wanted to make it special. She had baked a cake for him, showing it to him when he entered the kitchen. She lit candles, and sang happy birthday to him, as he blushed and rolled his eyes before blowing out the candles and laughing. Afterwards, she brought him to the living room and gave him the gift she had bought at the mall the week before. She handed him the wrapped gift, nervous if he would like it, when she handed it over on the sofa. He grinned, unwrapping it, and there he found the black hat. Instantly he smiled ear to ear, before Tia nervously played with her hair.
"I know it's stupid but these hats are really popular now and it's getting colder out..."
Bug grinned, before he took the hat off, and put it on. He smiled.
"How do I look?"
Tia smiled.
"Handsome."
Bug then placed the gift box down, before leaning in and gently kissing Tia.
"This is the best birthday I've ever had."
He began to kiss harder, before gently pushing her back on the sofa. The whole time he kissed her, his hand kept trying to creep underneath Tia's sweater, while she slowly pushed it back down.
Present - Several months later...
"Look at the camera Lady! Good girl!"
Bug and Tia were both sitting on the grass on the side yard of Tia's house. It was a beautiful day, and Bug had brought Lady over for the day, and Tia's mother had made lunch for all of them, while she fussed over Lady. Miles and Maizy, who had grown to love her, kept laughing as the baby sat in the highchair gurgling, and wiggling her chubby arms. Afterwards, Miles and Maizy went to play in the backyard on the new jungle gym set their father had ordered for them as a surprise this past summer. Tia and Bug were "officially" back together. It happened a few months ago, and somehow after the message went through the PA system, people at work had actually treated Bug better. Sure there were a few people who still gave him dirty looks, and stayed away, and of course the ones who asked questions, not knowing when to stop. Still, Bug didn't mind. Sure, people were treating him better, but he mostly stayed to himself. Him and Tia became inseparable. They usually met at the front steps for school, and she helped him keep his grades up despite how exhausted he was. Usually after school the two would go to the guest house together, where they would relieve Isabella, and take care of Lady. Tia never saw herself as a baby person, but she grew to love Lady, watching her grow.
They would watch the baby, while doing homework. It was hard, but they made it work. Every Friday they had dinner at Tia's, where her family became his. Her mother loved Lady as if she was her own. She constantly was buying clothes and things for Lady, and even offered to watch her every Saturday for a few hours, since she saw the change in Bug, and saw how happy Tia was, and wanted them to have some time for themselves. Usually Bug felt weird about this, he loved his daughter, and didn't want it to look like he was making other people watch her. Tia insisted that it was fine, and that he did need a break. Sometimes they would go on dates in the city, but usually they would go to the guest house and fool around. dy Tia only saw Bug's father once, when they had Lady in the stroller that summer, wanting to take a walk together. They were headed towards the sidewalk, when they happened to walk by the triple garage from the main house. Bug's father was getting out of his car, and watched them. Tia glanced over, and all Bug's father did was roll his eyes, before heading inside. Bug said that his father hadn't said anything about the day with the PA system, and left him alone, which was just as good with him. Tia honestly felt like this wasn't the same guy who screamed he was sorry while tied up in Buck's trunk. It was the sweet Bug she had fallen in love with. In fact, she was the one that usually pushed him to fool around. They had a pretty regular good sex life. Most Saturday nights, it was Tia urging him to go into the shower with her, or pin him down on the fold out couch. One night Bug went down on her, and Tia's eyes rolled back in her head as she grasped onto the sheets, and held back from screaming. She was slowly learning, and discovering about sex, and thankfully Bug wasn't the same guy who constantly pushed her to do something she didn't want to.
Instead she learned to really love sex, and felt it was wonderful with him. They would usually fall asleep in each other's arms. Most nights Tia would gently play with his hair as he slept, listening to his breathing, as she glanced at the key he showed her, wondering really what he was hiding? Today was wonderful. After lunch they dressed Lady in a red velvet jumpsuit. She only had a little bit of hair. but was wearing a matching headband, and looked absolutely adorable. She had been walking for some time now, and was pretty sturdy on her legs. When she took her first steps, thankfully Bug and Tia were there to witness. They were doing homework, sitting on the fold out couch, while Lady laid on her playmat, gurgling, and chewing on the large plastic blocks she had. Bug had put up safety gates everywhere, and she usually crawled around the livingroom gurgling, and saying the few words she knew. Months before she had gurgled to Isabella "Dada" and when Tia and Bug came home from school, both were stunned to have heard it. Bug's eyes widened in disbelief, before he took Lady from Isabella.
"She talked?!" Isabella smiled, as Tia walked over. Lady looked at Bug, pulling gently on his hair, before she gurgled...
"Dada..."
Bug's entire face lit up, before Tia, Isabella, and him cheered. The day she walked, Tia was looking over the notes for the upcoming English, before she dropped her pen in disbelief. There she watched Lady slowly take hold of the edge of the fold out bed, before she wobbled a little, and started to slowly walk across the room. Tia nudged Bug, who looked up and gasped. Both watched in disbelief as Lady walked across the room as if it was nothing. She reached the chairs to the counter of the kitchen, held onto one of the legs of the stools, before wobbling, and sitting hard down on her bottom. Tia and Bug looked at each other, before Bug started laughing and leaped off the bed, before scooping Lady up.
"You walked honey! Oh my God you walked!"
Tia jumped up, and the three of them danced around and celebrated. Soon afterwards Bug told Tia he had to get more safety gates and Lady had discovered a new game. It was called run away from daddy, no matter how much he called her name. He said she scared the Hell out of him twice, so he made sure she was always watched closely. She was getting older, and was becoming more curious. Tia got into school, and she promised Bug who would be attending a local community college that they could make this work. They called every night, and most weekends Tia would visit. She loved her new school, and was really enjoying her new photography classes. She missed Bug and Lady, and kept a photo she took of them in her dorm room. Whenever she came home, Bug was thrilled to see her. Most nights after Lady was put down for the night, the two would quietly have sex, all the while Tia would stare into his dark brown eyes, and somehow...feel safe now. Time was flying, and it was amazing to watch Lady grow. Today Tia had her camera, and was snapping photos of Lady on the lawn.
Both Bug and Tia sat together, coaxing her to sit still as they snapped photos. Lady had discovered some ants in the grass and seemed more interested in them than the photoshoot. Sitting back smiling, holding her camera, she smiled, before glancing over at Bug and smiling. Taking the camera, she held it up, before leaning against Bug.
"Smile!"
Bug smiled as she snapped a photo of them, before lowering the camera and looking at him. Smiling, she leaned in and kissed him. The kiss lasted, and felt good as Tia smiled through it. As the kiss broke, she stared at Bug who gazed into her eyes, actually looking serious. Smiling, she pushed some of her hair behind her ear.
"What?"
Bug smiled at her.
"Marry me."
Tia's eyes widened as she blinked.
"What?"
The two looked at each other, before Bug smiled, and gently touched her face with the back of his knuckles, brushing gently.
"I mean it. Marry me."
Tia couldn't believe it. Her color drained, as she sat back stunned before laughing.
"Are you serious?"
"Yeah. Sorry I don't have a ring. I've been wanting to ask you for a while...but I can't wait any longer. Marry me Tia."
Tia smiled, unable to believe it, when suddenly Bug's gaze broke from her, as he looked ahead, suddenly his brow wrinkled as his eyebrow raised.
"Where's Lady?!"
Tia blinked, breaking out of the shock that just happened, as she turned her head and looked, not seeing Lady anywhere.
"Umm..."
She looked, feeling as if she was moving slowly in a dream.
Suddenly Bug jumped up, panic in his voice.
"LADY!"
That's when they saw her, her tiny little legs pumping as she was running across the front road, and straight towards the road. Bug started running after her, screaming her name to stop. Tia could hear her giggling, playing the same game she loved to play, which meant run away from daddy, no matter how loud he yelled. Tia got up and started after them. That's when she saw the truck coming. In fact...it was speeding. Her eyes widened as Bug's voice raised to a scream.
"LADY! STOP!"
But Lady wasn't listening. She was running and reached the sidewalk.
That's when Tia watched everything happen. Lady reached the street and stopped, giggling and looking back at her father who was running as fast as he could towards her in jeans and a T-shirt. He then got onto the road, before pushing the baby right out of the road before the truck hit him. There was the screaming sound of breaks, glass breaking, tires screaming, and the sound of metal crunching. It was absolutely terrible. Never in a million years did she think something could happen on her street. Flashbacks came to the Stephen King movie Bug took her too, where a parent ran after a young child, just a little older than Lady before getting hit and killed in the road. Both Tia and Bug were bothered by this, and when they came home to Tia's to pick Lady up, Tia noticed Bug kissing the top of her head more than usual. Tia's legs stopped, as her shoes dug into the grass, as she watched Bug's body crash into the truck, before flipping over the hood, smashing against the glass, and dropping. The tuck nearly crashed, breaking to a halt. before Tia started running.
She ignored her mother who had heard the crash, opening the door, and screaming at her, asking what happened? The smell of the burning tires filled the air, and suddenly Tia heard the sound of Lady crying. Neighbors were all rushing out of their houses, and running over to see what had happened. her dad and siblings were running from the back yard as well. Tia ran into the street, unable to believe that all of this had happened as fast as it did. The truck driver had jumped from the cab, screaming that they just ran out of nowhere. Tia saw the windshield was shattered, and the front of the grill of the truck was dented and splattered with blood. Tia circled around the truck, before she froze. Bug laid in the street, his back facing her, laying on his side, a large puddle of blood beneath him, with pieces of shattered glass everywhere, including hanging in his hair.
Lady had been thrown to the sidewalk, but was okay. A neighbor, Mrs. Fairbanks had scooped her up, clutching her to her chest, trying to sooth her, as she screamed.
Tia didn't see any scrapes for bruises on her, and it suddenly hit her what had happened. Bug saw the truck coming, and had used the last of his strength before the truck came to shove her out of the way before it hit him. Lady's face was bright red, tears streaming down her face from shock and surprise, as she screamed in Mrs. Fairbanks' arms. The truck driver was still yelling that he didn't see them, and how they had run out in the road as more neighbors hurried over.
Tia slowly went to Bug, and knelt down on his other side. She saw how bad it was. Bug's T-shirt was soaked with blood. Part of the grill, along with a large shard of glass sticking out of his side. Blood had soaked through, staining the entire side of his T-shirt, along with his stomach. His face was badly cut up, and from the blood soaking onto the pavement, she knew his head had been hurt the most. Tia came closer, as Bug's eyes stared ahead, she saw he was breathing slowly, as she heard neighbors circle around, crying out in shock, as she heard her own father yell for someone to call 911. Coming in closer, Tia gently came as close as she could to him, and gently touched his face. He looked up at her.
"L...L..Lady...she's okay?"
Tia looked over at Lady screaming in Mrs. Fairbank's arms before nodding.
"She's fine, just a little stunned, she's okay."
Bug stared at her, before Tia took hold of his hand and squeezed it.
"You're gonna be okay...we're getting help. You're gonna be fine."
Tears rolled down Tia's face as she watched more blood spread from beneath Bug's head. He weakly squeezed her hand back, his breathing looking more labored. Staring at her, he softly said...
"I'm sorry..."
With that, his eyes stared ahead, and Tia saw his side not rise, showing that he had died right there and then. Tia continued to kneel down beside him, looking down at his eyes, as they blankly stared ahead with no life in them. Unable to believe it, Tia shook her head, leaning down.
"Bug? Bug...wake up...Lady is fine, she wants her daddy. Wake up..."
Bug just laid there. Gently, Tia shook his shoulder.
"Bug? Wake up! Please..."
Suddenly her mother's arms were around her, as Tia's face crumpled.
"BUG! PLEASE!"
She completely broke down, as her mother held her as faint sounds of sirens were heard in the distance. To Tia this was cruel faith. Bug and her had finally gotten a second chance. She had watched Bug transform into a completely different person, and made up for all of his past mistakes. He was no longer the little jerk that had cheated on her, and screamed, and acted like a stuck up jerk. She watched him raise a daughter alone, despite having horrible abusive parents. He dealt with the awful aftermath of the rumor that had spread about him raping Lucy. She watched him as he became a sweet, kind, and well meaning boyfriend. These past few months had been the best she had ever had, and just minutes ago he had proposed to her. How could this have happened? He was alive one second ago...now dead in the street after throwing his toddler out of the way, sacrificing himself. She broke down completely, as Bug laid lifeless in the street, and his daughter continued to scream, not understanding that her father was gone.
Three days later...
Tia used the spare key Bug had given her to get into the guest house while the funeral was happening across town. She had asked her family if she could come by later, since she needed time to collect herself. Her parents had been absolutely wonderful through all of this. She was missing a week or so of classes and staying home. Everything seemed to have happened in a complete blur. Isabella was watching Lady for the past few days at her apartment, and the last time Tia spoke with her, she said she wasn't exactly sure what was going to happen, that she planned on bringing her back to Bug's parents tomorrow. The truck driver had been arrested for speeding, and of course it had made all of the papers. Bug's parents were contacted, and from what Isabella said they didn't seem the slightest bit shook up that Bug had been killed. That she had overheard Bug's father mutter under his breath that Bug was a "Fucking idiot for running into the road like that..." while he was on the phone arranging care for Lady while they made plans for the funeral. This made Tia's blood boil. and she knew what she had to do. She entered the guest house, and instantly a heavy wave of grief hit her. Standing there, she cupped her elbows, and felt last three days had been awful, she barely slept, and had been breaking down in her mother's arms crying. Every time she looked outside across the street, she felt her insides ache, knowing that's where it happened.
Feeling so alone, she had struggled, before deciding she needed to do what she had to do. The night Bug had finally taken her virginity, he had made it a point to tell her about the airport locker. Maybe in some strange way he knew his time was short? All she knew was it seemed as if she needed to do this sooner than later. It almost felt like time was running out, since the question of where Lady would go? Entering the guest house, she looked around and thought of all the times she had spent with Bug in here. This was where Lady had taken her first steps, the pull out couch was where they had made love so many times, the kitchen where they cooked, laughed, danced, and fed Lady. Standing there, she saw the key on the nightstand and picked it up. Holding it in her hands, she knew she needed to go. She turned, looking around the place, before she walked over to the counter. It was cluttered with Bug's books from school, baby bottles, and sippy cups drying, folded Lady from Lady, and finally... His hat. It had been warm out, and Bug usually only wore it during the fall and winter, but it was sticking out underneath some laundry. Feeling tears fill her eyes, she reached and pulled it out. Holding it, she sighed before turning, and carrying the hat and key as she walked out of the place she had called her second home.
Later...
Tia stood in front of the locker, and knew she needed to figure out the 4 letter code even though she had the key. She stood there, nervously biting her lip before it dawned on her. She stuck the key in, turned it, before spinning the dials to... L...A..D..Y. It clicked open, before she raised an eyebrow.
All that sat there was a VHS tape. She picked it up, looking at it. It didn't have a label, and she turned it over in her hands. She then saw a small note in the back of the locker. Reaching in, she picked it up and saw it was written in Bug's handwriting.
This had been going on for years. Ever since I was a kid. Stole this from my dad's safe. There's at least twenty tapes. Don't let this happen to my daughter please. - B
Staring at it, she got a funny feeling before she tucked the tape into her purse, before nervously looking around and leaving. The funeral was still going on, and even though Tia knew she should be there, she knew she needed to be there, but somehow this seemed more important.
Later...
The house was empty since everyone was at the funeral. She was in the living room, and popped the VHS into the VCR. She sat back, and waited, before the tracking came on, and suddenly she saw the date from a few years ago. It was the same exact bedroom where Bug had screamed at her, and kicked her out a few years back when she wouldn't sleep with him. She saw the date showed that this was recorded a year before any of that had happened.
She then saw Bug walk on camera, just in his boxers, his bowed, looking ashamed. He sat on the edge of the bed, before nervously glancing up at the camera, before suddenly Bug's father appeared on camera completely naked. Tia's eyes widened in surprise, before he stared at the camera, winked, before sitting down next to Bug. He slowly rubbed Bug's shoulders, as Bug looked down, slightly shaking, before his father stroked back his hair, smiled, then took his hand, and led it down to his crotch. Bug shut his eyes, looking humiliated, as his father forced him to give him a handjob. Tia gasped, horrified as she watched, and suddenly all of all made sense.
Later...
Tia sat in the police station, her makeup running as she handed the tape over to the detective.
"What is this?"
"Just watch. I have a feeling you'll need to make an arrest today."
A few days later...
It had been the scandal of the entire town, but Mr. Carson had been arrested. Tia came forward with the tape while Bug was being buried, and by the next day a warrant had been issued. They raided the house, found the safe, and found the tapes, along with the child pornography. It made the news as Mr. Carson was taken out in handcuffs. It made the headlines of every paper, and rumor was that he actually faced life in prison despite the whispers of him saying he would get powerful lawyers to back him up. But the evidence was on the tapes. Mr. Carson had been molesting and raping his on for years. Tia guessed maybe the reason why his father had tried to punish him by raising Lady was something over this.
She would never know, but the very least she could do was get his story told, and let the truth come out. Somehow this all now made sense over Bug's behavior over the years, and how he originally treated sex. Today her mother had approached her with her father and asked her something that made her do a double take. She didn't think she had heard right.
They wanted to adopt Lady.
They were currently getting a lawyer, and wanted to meet with Mrs. Carson, they weren't sure if they would agree since Tia was the one who came forward with the tapes. It was tricky, but they wanted to at least speak with her. They figured it would be better if tia stayed home just in case. Tia knew since this all circus had started Lady had been staying with Isabella. She had wanted to visit, but she knew it was smarter to stay away.
When her parents left, she decided to head to the cemetery. She found the plot that was Bug's grave. The headstone hadn't been put in yet, but it was right next to a small headstone that Tia saw was Bug's twin sister.
Beverly Lynn Carson - Our angel. - 1972 - 1972
Sighing, she sat down on the grass next to the piles of slowly dying flowers from the funeral laid on the freshly dug grave. Tia gently swept her fingers through the dirt feeling her heart ache. Bowing her head, she felt tears rolling down her face, before she sniffled, and looked up.
"Why didn't you tell me Bug? Why?"
She sighed, staring down. Taking a second, she roughly wiped her eyes.
"I told them though. I let them all know. I just hope...I hear good news when I get home."
Staring at the grave, she shook her head.
"I think we really could have been happy. I would have married you and raised Lady, and made lots of more siblings for her. If Lady gets to be with my family I promise you I'll make sure she has a happy life and never forgets you or what you did. If she doesn't get to be with us, I'll make damn sure she's not left alone with your mother, and she gets raised by somebody who will never do what that monster did to you. I promise."
With that she took a deep breath, sniffled, before standing up, brushing off her pants, before she stared down at the ground.
"I love you."
With that she turned away, feeling heartbroken.
Later...
Tia got home feeling knots in her stomach. Walking in, she saw Miles and Maizy were playing video games in the living room, unaware of her entering. Putting her purse down, she slowly entered the kitchen, ready to hear the news. She wasn't hopeful since she was the one after all that came forward with the tapes.
Pushing open the kitchen door, she froze.
Her parents were both sitting at the kitchen table smiling. Tia stared at them, before her father nodded.
"She agreed. She said she had no idea what was going on with her husband and Bug. She was a wreck, saying she's been addicted to pills for quite some time, and her husband used to get her prescriptions. That she felt guilty over this happening under her nose. That her husband was abusive to her whenever she would question him, or try to say anything about Bug's life. She's planning on moving out of town depending on what happens with her husband's trial...but she knows Lady would have a better life. It's going to take awhile, and there's going to be lots of paperwork, but God willing...we'll get her in a few months."
Tia stood there, before her eyes filled with tears of happiness. She laughed and cried, before running towards her parents to hug them.
Several years later...
It was Thanksgiving, and they were having family over. Tia was home for the holidays, having gotten a job at a small photography studio in the city. She was living in a pretty cozy apartment with a roommate she thankfully got along with.
She loved her work, and usually on cold photoshoots she would wear Bug's hat.
She still missed him like crazy, and had developed the photos from the day of the accident. It had been hard, but the second she saw the last photo of the three of them sitting on the lawn, she stood in the darkroom, cried, and placed that photo in a special album she was making for Lady. She had a few guys ask her out, and she knew someday she would have to move on...but she still wasn't ready.
She came home just yesterday, and today was sitting in the living room, sitting on the couch next to Buck. Chanice was in the kitchen with her parents, and Miles and Maizy were currently laying in front of the TV watching the parade. Buck and Chanice were now married, and Chanice was five months pregnant with their first child. The tire shop had really taken off, and both seemed really happy. Tia loved when Buck visited. He had been a great shoulder to cry on once she lived in the city. He knew about what had happened to Bug, and told Tia one evening over coffee, and sure he felt bad about kidnapping, and scaring the Hell out of him, and hitting him with golf balls, but he wasn't the same person she fell for again, and saw had changed. Maybe he needed that scare put into him, but he did feel sorry for what had happened to him, and agreed it explained a lot. He told her she did the right thing, exposing Mr. Carson, who had in fact gone away to prison.
He told her that she did the right thing, and was proud of her. Today Tia was sitting and laughing with him, when suddenly a seven year old Lady came running into the living room wearing a green velvet dress, and white tights. Her dark brown hair was tied up into pigtails. She was holding her stuffed dog, and was giggling. Tia tried to visit as much as she could, watching this beautiful little girl grow up. She had breathed new life into her parent's life. They adored her, and Miles and Maizy were crazy about her, loving their new playmate. Tia knew this was what Bug would have wanted, a warm, safe, loving home. Something he never had. She stopped in front of Buck and Tia smiling. Buck lit up.
"Well if it isn't Miss. Ladybug!"
Lady giggled. Her parents had explained to her about two years ago that she was adopted. That her real mother had died when she was born, and was up in Heaven, and that her daddy who loved her very much had died when she was little, and had wanted her to come live with them. They had given her a photo of Bug and her when she was a baby, and sure she had questions, but they were all innocent, and her parents were prepared for whatever came down the line as she got older. She talked about her daddy a lot, and had mentioned that she wished she could remember him. Standing in front of Tia and Buck, Tia opened her arms as Lady climbed up onto her lap, and looked at Buck who she loved whenever he visited.
Sitting, she looked at Buck and smiled.
"Did you know my daddy? Mamma Cindy said you met him. I have a photo of him upstairs. Mamma Cindy says he's up in Heaven."
Buck sadly smiled at Tia, before he looked at Lady and smiled, pretending to tickle her stuffed dog.
"As a matter of fact I did. A few years before you were born."
"Was he fun?"
Buck grinned as he glanced at Tia.
"Oh he was a hoot. We went...golfing once."
Tia cracked up, before snuggling in close to Lady, kissing the top of her head.
The End - Thank you for all of the kind reviews! Wanted to redeem this character from the movie! Hope you enjoyed!
