I like Mama Tana. And poor Rory, getting pestered by crazy cousin Sugar. XD This chapter is ridiculously short but I didn't know what else to do.
"Rory, sweetheart, do you want to go to Mama Tana's today?" Daddy asked, putting a plate of fresh pancakes on the dining table. Rory's stomach squirmed at the scent of food and he made a face of disgust, pushing the plate away. Daddy sighed, cursing when he realised he'd made breakfast for four people. He gripped his forehead, leaning on the counter as tears pooled in his eyes. Rory, who'd been picking at his pancakes, looked up with surprise in his eyes when he heard Daddy sob.
"D'you want me to stay you?" Rory asked, hugging Daddy. Daddy clung to him, sobbing and shaking his head.
"I th-think it's better if you spend time with your cousin," Daddy whimpered. Rory pouted, eyes glistening with tears. "It's for the best, my heart." So twenty minutes later, Rory was knocking on Mama's door. He heard the clunking footsteps approaching. Don't be Sugar, don't be Sugar, Rory prayed, groaning when the door opened to reveal a very perky cousin Sugar.
"Hey cuz! Wow, you look like you just got run over by a truck. Sorry, Asperger's," Sugar practically screeched, enveloping him in a bone crushing hug.
"Sugar, honey, go help Mami Britt out," Mama Tana ordered, walking towards them. Sugar opened her mouth to protest, but a harsh glare stopped her. She rolled her eyes, disappearing into the house. Mama turned to Rory, opening her arms, and Rory fell into her embrace, sobbing twice as hard as the night before. "Let's go upstairs, sweetheart." Mama led him to her and Auntie Britt's room, lying down and pulling him down, too. Normally he'd protest, saying he was much too old to sleep with his Mama, but as he nestled into her warm side he knew it was what he needed most.
"I can't believe Papa's gone," Rory sobbed as Mama stroked his hair, humming Songbird, which was the song she'd always sung to make him sleep. She started singing halfway through the song.
And the songbirds are singing
Like they know the score
And I love you, I love you, I love you
Like never before
And I wish you all the love in the world
But most of all, I wish it from myself
And the songbirds are singing
Like they know the score
And I love you, I love you, I love you
Like never before, like never before
Papa, How I Need You
When Rory woke up, it was late afternoon and Mama was nowhere in sight. The bed was still warm as Rory rubbed his eyes, yawning and stretching. Laughter echoed as Rory walked downstairs, still groggy from sleep. Mama and Auntie Britt were snuggled up on the couch while Sugar was bouncing next to Uncle Puck.
"Hey, Uncle Puck," Rory muttered, giving him a sad half-smile. Uncle Puck stood up, giving him a tight hug.
"Hey, little dude. I brought something to cheer you guys up," he waved Rory and Sugar downstairs. In the basement was a round platform with a tall railing that wound around three fourths of it. A panel with lit up numbers glowed in the dim light of the basement.
"What is it?" Sugar asked, peering at the numbers.
"Time machine," said Uncle Puck with a grin. Rory, whose mind was still foggy with sleep, snorted. If only Tory were here. His smile slipped when Uncle Puck glared at him. "It's real." Rory raised an eyebrow in what Mama called his "Kurt-bitch-please" face. "Have fun." Uncle Puck winked, going back upstairs. This is exactly why Daddy doesn't trust him.
"Omigosh, we could go to 2012, that's when Mami and Mama graduated," Sugar exclaimed, punching in numbers. Rory rolled his eyes.
"S'just a toy," he scoffed. Sugar glared at him.
"Spoilsport," she stuck her tongue out at him, stepping onto the platform. With a wink of light and a whir she was gone. Rory spluttered, stumbling onto the platform. He blinked, starting when he realised where he was. It was Mama Tana's Abuelita's house. He'd never met her, since Mama and Abuelita hadn't spoken since Mama had come out to her senior year. Sugar was nowhere in sight, so Rory snuck into the kitchen. Abuelita was washing dishes, her back to to Rory. Loud salsa was blasting from the radio and Caso Cerrado blared from the tv. Mama- no, Santana, that was the young her- laughed at something her Abuela said before turning, freeezing when she saw Rory.
"Abuela, vengo ahora," Santana said, shoving Rory down the hall. He tripped, cursing under his breath when his side collided with the wall.
"Santana? Que paso?" Abuela's shuffling steps neared the hall. Santana cursed, shoving Rory in a nearby closet (which would've been funny if not for the danger of being found and the pain in his side) before smoothing her Cheerio's skirt.
"Just tripped over my own feet," Santana laughed breathlessly, shrugging. Abuela's eyebrows rose but she said nothing, shuffling back to the kitchen. Santana wrenched open the door, pulling Rory up by the collar of his shirt before dragging him to her room.
"Ma- Santana! S'this your Abuela's house?" Rory spluttered, swallowing hard. Santana gaped.
"How did you know this was my Abuela's house? And why aren't you at Britt's place?" she snarled.
"Um, I don't know?" he asked, shifting his weight nervously.
"For a foreign exchange student, you sure are dumb. I guess it's all the famine affecting your brain cells or something," Santana folded her arms across her chest. Rory frowned. Foreign exchange student? "At least, that's what Sugar, or whatever her name is, said." Rory brightened at this. Thank Cheesus for Sugar!
"Uh, yeah. I haven't really found my way 'round town yet," Rory laughed nervously, smile falling when Santana gave him a harsh glare. He felt the traitorous tears prickling his eyes, his lower lip trembling just the slightest. Daddy wasn't kidding when he said Mama was mean. Oh I miss them already.
"Get your leprechaun ass in my car without my Abuela seeing you so I can dump you at Britt's house," Santana snapped. Rory nodded quickly, waiting until Santana left and started a conversation with Abuela before sneaking out and sitting next to Santana's car. The cold November air made him shiver, curling up on himself until Santana skipped out, Cheerio's skirt lifting in the wind. Rory blushed climbing into the car and rubbing his arms.
The ride to Brittany's house was uncomfortably quiet. When they arrived, Rory sighed with relief, rushing into the house. Brittany's mother greeted them (I have to thank Sugar for that cover story). The teenagers walked upstairs to Brittany's room, but Brittany wasn't there. Instead, a morbidly obese cat stared at them with half lidded eyes. Santana gave it a disgusted look.
"Lord Tubbington! I know you were sneaking off to smoke again," a young Brittany reprimanded, walking into the room.
"Holy shite," Rory stared at her, dumbfounded.
"Are you Lucky the Leprechaun?" she asked. Santana coughed to hide her laugh.
"No!" Rory exclaimed. Brittany hung her head, crestfallen. "He's my cousin." She lit up again.
"Omigosh! I don't even know what to wish for! Ok, lemme think," Brittany jumped on the bed, earning an angry mewl from a disturbed Lord Tubbington. Rory sighed. This is gonna be a loooong night