-Chaoter 24-
-Fran pov-
"So uh mom?" I wait till her attention is away from her phone and on me "Could..well maybe you could finally let me get my license? I mean Lucy has hers and I would really like mine"
"Uh well that is a good argument" Her phone goes off and she holds up her hand "Hang off on that ok? I will discuss it later"
"Oh yeah sure" I watch her walk away and sigh "Just another thing to add to the list"
I walk up to my bedroom and pull out my book. I grab my pen and find the page. I have a lengthy list of things Quinn has that I asked for first. By lengthy I truly mean it.
•Car
•License
•Nose job
•Good shampoo and Conditioner
•Scarlet the hairdresser
•Grandma Carmichaels necklace
•Grandma Fabray Ring
•Moms music player
•the Ringo Starr signed cymbals
•Orginal Xbox
•Xbox 360
•Mothers love
•Moms attention for one day
•Drivers license
I sigh and close my book quickly. I have to go get ready for school. I put the book away and quickly exit the room. I can go back through it later.
Maybe mom will actually let me finally get my license today.
-Quinn pov-
I sneak into the room as Fran walks out. I have seen her write in that book before. I pull it out and flip through it. I stop when I see a list that breaks my heart.
The first one that sticks out is the jewelry. I remember it just like it was yesterday.
-12 years ago-
"Hey girls come here!" We run over to where mom is at "You grandmas have some jewelry they want you to have!"
"The ring!" Fran grabs it and smiles "I always loved this! Can I ha~"
"Quinn is the more girly one" Russel walks past holding a whiskey glass "Fran can take their shoes and dresses"
"Yay!" I grab the necklace from mom and ring from Fran "Thank you! I will cherish these forever!"
-Current time-
I forgot she even wanted those items. I have never even pulled them back out. I walk over to my jewelry box and pull the two items out. They look just like how I got them.
I walk over to the book with them. The bottom two confuse me. I mean I can think of so many times mom has shown her love! Like our birthday when we turned 5!
-5th birthday-
"Girls check out the decorations!" I look around and see all of my TMNT decorations up "You like it?"
"Yes!" I squeal and hug mom happily "It is exactly how I wanted it to be!"
"B-but my princess party" I turn and see Fran frowning "Wha-what about my party?"
"Well you are going to granny Fabrays house" Mom steps away and crouches to Frans height "Quinn has friends who do not know you are twins coming over..we would not want to confused them ok sweetie?"
"But I invited them too" Tears start to form in her eyes "Why can I not stay?"
"Stop crying" Mom stands up and walks away "Go pack an overnight bag"
"Ok" Fran turns her back to me and walks away "Happy birthday sis"
-Current time-
She did not come home for a whole month. It was not even granny Fabray who kept her. It was always the Carmichaels. None of the Fabrays really liked her.
But what about the dance recital! I mean we went to that! I rem...oh god.
-Frans dance recital night-
I hear yelling and make my way downstairs. It is Grandpa Joe Carmichael and Mom. Russel is working late and not home. Why is grandpa and mom arguing?
"YOUR LITTLE GIRL WANTED HER FAMILY TO BE THERE!" I peak into the room to see my Grandpa with tears in his eyes "What did we do?! Why do you not let us come to things?! Why is she never able to have parties here?! Her friends think we are her parents!"
"Dad I was watching Quinn!" Mom holds her hand out toward him "Do you have the tape or not? I can pretend that I was in the back ok?"
"She knows you did not come" Mom looks at him confused "We checked everywhere for you three"
"That is your fault!" She pushes past him and goes for a beer bottle "Just go home dad"
"I am sorry I failed you somehow Judy" Grandpa sits down a VHS tape "I hope to see you on thanksgiving"
-Current time-
"There you are!" I turn toward mom with tears falling down "What are you crying about?"
"This list" I show it to her and her face falls "She thinks you truly do not love her mom..there are no memories I can think of where you showed you did"
"That was not meant for either of you to see" We both turn to see Fran dressed for school "Neither of you should have gone through my things!"
"Fran wait!" It is too late and she has taken off "I-I have a business meeting I have to go to"
"Are you serious mom?!" She looks at me confused "SHE NEEDS YOU! She only ever had Grandpa Joe and Grandma Peggy!"
"Had?" I nod and my mom looks even more confused "Quinn do you think my parents are dead?"
"Yeah they died a few years ago" Mom shakes her head and I feel the room move "The-they are alive?"
"Knowing your sister it is where she went" Mom helps stabilize me with a sigh "I have not seen them since the dance recital"
"Mom we have to go" Mom looks hesitant and I scoff "If you were a real mom this would not be a discussion"
I walk out and to the door with my keys "Wait!" I turn and see mom running after me "We are grabbing Rachel and Emma too! Your grandparents deserve to meet them"
"Really?" Mom nods and I smile "Big steps"
"Steps I should have done years ago" I nod and we run to my car "This is going to be a fun trip"
-Time skip-Fran pov-
This has always been my safe place. My grandpa Joe and grandma Peggy have been so loving to me. We have never hidden anything from each other. Which is how I know that they know something right now.
I am about to ask when there is a knock on the door. I raise a eyebrow and they shrug. Maybe they just are afraid to ask me what is wrong. That is typically what happens.
"So I guess non of us are going to speak so I am getting the door" So it is them not wanting to broach the subject "Oh my god..oh my god is that? And is that? And who are those two? Oh my god!"
"What is it Joe?" My grandma gets up and looks to the door "Judy? Quinn?"
"What?!" I stand up and walk over angry "No! You do not get to take my happy place! You do not get to take this from me Quinn! You have taken everything else!"
"Alright so that is what this is about" Grandpa Joe points to the living room "Sit now! Except you fine ladies can go with Peggy! Make yourselves at home!"
"I have a daughter in law and granddaughter in law!" Grandma Peggy is so happy right now "Follow me! I can not wait to learn about you two! We can make latkes!"
"I forgot you two are Jewish" Grandpa huffs and I see mom frown "I Uh remembered the way here"
"That would mean something if you visited often" Mom looks to the ground in shame "You never even have called!"
"I know" Mom sits in my chair "At least you still have my chair"
"Your chair?" Mom nods but does not look up "That is the chair I go to every time"
"I have never been here" I scoff and Quinn frowns "I just found out they are still alive Fran!"
"Who told you we died?" Grandpa glares at mom "Did you?!"
"It was Russel" Mom has tears in her eyes "I was so afraid of what he would do to me! He always made me keep everyone away! He never wanted Fran ok! I needed to know she was loved!"
"Russel did not want me?" Mom shakes her head "Why?"
"He thought you were a curse" Mom nods toward Quinn with a sniffle "She was always the tomboy and since you were the girly girl but not his favorite he wanted her...he never wanted to even try to know you"
"So that is why he burned my comics?" I look at mom surprised "What is with that look?"
"Mom gave those to me saying you did not want them" Quinn's jaw drops "I have them in the green box behind my dresser! They have been there for years!"
"So why are you here today?" I look away from them "Fran?"
I sigh and look at mom "It still feels like I am a mistake to you" Mom shakes her head furiously "I know you say I am not but when you blow me off but not Quinn it hurts"
"Fran I had a business meeting with some people about a car" My jaw drops some "I was going to let you take the test in your new car!"
"Really?" she nods and I feel so stupid "I thought that you just did not trust me to drive"
"Fran she trusts me" Quinn pops a cookie into her mouth "Oh god I am going to break 115"
"WHO WEIGHS 115?!" Grandma Peggy charges into the room "YOU TWO ARE EATING NOW! Rachel make more latkes! Emma keep cleaning! You are a blessing in disguise!"
"I guess we have a lot to talk about" Mom and Grandpa Joe share a smile "Let's go save the other two from your mom"
Mom laughs and my safe place still feels safe. It is good to see them smiling together. Maybe everything can be good. I guess only the future will show that.