DISCLAIMER: Nope still not mine.
SUMMARY: Tara and Kim are missing and Jason and Tommy are worried.
Tara and Kim walked into the Old Navy store. Tara was trembling as Kim led her over to the juniors department. "We need to get you something fantastic to wear out with Tommy."
"Kim, what makes you think Tommy wants to go out with me?"
"Tara, trust me. I have it on good authority that Tommy wants to go out with you. Now we need to find you something to knock his socks off.
"Poor Tara. I can't believe that Kim would drag her out like that." Tommy was sitting on the couch, hoping that Tara would call.
He picked up a picture from the end table. Jason, Kim, and Tara stood in front of a Christmas tree. Jase and Kim were smiling but Tara didn't seem so happy. Tommy couldn't help but wonder why.
"Kim, what are you doing? Why are you pushing us like this?"
The midnight blue peasant shirt was the first thing to catch Tara's eye. It had short sleeves and was meant to be worn off the shoulder. There was silver piping around the neck and the sleeves. "Oh, Kimberly, look at this!" she breathed, picking it up and holding it to her.
Kim smiled as she watched Tara almost run to the mirror to see how it looked. Then, glancing around, she saw a skirt to match with a silver waistband and silver sparkles sprinkled throughout the skirt. "Perfect!"
She grabbed it and handed it to her friend who almost squealed with delight. Signaling to the nearest salesperson, Kimberly led Tara to the fitting room to try them on.
In the fitting room, Tara looked at herself in the mirror. 'I love it! It's absolutely perfect!'
Then, she remembered her mother's cruel words last Christmas.
FLASHBACK
Abigail Scott had been drinking and it was three days before Christmas. Tara had felt a need to spend Christmas with her parents.
"You are an embarrassment."
"What?"
"You heard me. You're an embarrassment to this family. It's no wonder you have no friends. You hide away in your room, not talking to anyone. You're so tiny and delicate that you can't do sports of any kind. Besides which, no one ever wants you on their team."
Tara felt her eyes well up with tears. She looked to her father for some kind of sign that he felt differently. He said nothing.
"Don't look to him. He feels the same way. Why do you think we sent you away to that school? The only person in this family who gives a shit about you is Jason and that's only because he feels sorry for you." She laughed as she watched tears roll down her daughter's face. "I don't know why you're crying. I'm just telling you the truth."
"Mommy!" Tara was horrified. All the things she had thought for so long were true. Her parents didn't really want her.
"I never should have given birth to you. I just had to have my daughter though. Of course, it doesn't matter anymore. You're an adult and able to take care of yourself. I don't expect any grandchildren from you because it doesn't matter what you do or how you dress, no man is ever going to look twice at you."
That was when Tara made her decision, never again would she cross her parents' threshold. She called Jason from her room, asking him to come and get her from the park. She couldn't wait at the house for her brother.
FLASHBACK ENDS
Tara had never told anyone at all what her mother had said that night. But she had kept to her vow. She hadn't been back to Angel Grove since the day she left her parents' house for the last time.
"Tara? You okay in there?"
Tara sniffled, hoping that Kim wouldn't hear her. "I'm fine, Kim. Just admiring this fantastic outfit."
"Well, let me see." Kim sounded impatient. Tara laughed, knowing that it sounded more than a little forced.
Tara stepped out of the fitting room so her friend could see how well the clothes fit.
Kim noticed the glisten of unshed tears in the young woman's eyes but didn't say a word.
"I thought I'd find you two here. Kim, didn't you learn anything from that little incident three years ago? And dragging Tara out here? You know she doesn't do crowds."
Tara's eyes flashed to her brother's face where he stood just two feet behind Kimberly.
Jason felt a pang of guilt cut through him when he saw the expression on Tara's face. He was doing it again and he knew it. "Tara, I –"
She didn't even let him finish. She slipped into the fitting room and changed back into her other clothes, leaving the outfit on hangers in the room.
"Where are your new clothes?" Kim asked as Tara emerged from the little room.
"I changed my mind. Would you give me a ride home?" She didn't even look at her brother. Kim just nodded and threw her arm around her friend's shoulders as they walked away.
Jason had seen the way Tara looked in that outfit. He also knew a little bit about what had happened last Christmas and some of the cruel things his mother had said to Tara. "Would it be alright if I grabbed that outfit my sister just had on? Her birthday's coming up and I think that will just be the perfect gift for her."
The salesgirl smiled sadly and nodded. She knew what Jason was doing. She'd seen the guilt in his eyes. She grabbed the outfit and packed it into a box, gift-wrapping it. He paid for the clothes and left the store, feeling even more of a heel than when she had run from the school.