Ferb didn't move, hunkered down in the backseat of his mother's car. He was actually pretty sure this wasn't her car, that somebody was looking for their car today, but then again, Mum and Dad would be looking for him soon. He shifted and the scratches that decorated his arm and back burned. He was numb to the horror of what was going on. Ferb knew the feeling from his early years. It had taken so long to even begin to process what he'd experienced with his mother, time and patience from Phineas and Mum and Dad and Candace that were probably all wasted now. Once again, he was mute, so completely mute that it scared him. It was as bad as when he'd first left England. He couldn't do anything to save himself.
His mother suddenly snorted. "Run home, dearie," she said, her voice sending needles of unpleasant sensation across Ferb's skin. "And tell Lawrence I win."
'Mum,' Ferb thought.
He closed his eyes, but he didn't dare cry. Mother didn't like tears. He already hurt enough. Still, his insides ached at the thought of what Linda would find when she got home. Closing his eyes, Ferb shivered. How had joy at seeing his family again turned into horror at seeing the one family member he'd never wanted to see again? It was all so sharp and clear, and he thought back on the recent memories.
Ferb had been sitting at the computer when he'd heard the loud bang from outside. Startled, he'd left the computer on, intending to come right back to it, and headed down the stairs. Perhaps Perry had knocked something over. He was home from wherever he went early if that was the case. Ferb noticed funny things about their pet, including an absence every day that seemed almost like a job. He liked to imagine that Perry had one, an important job, and that's why he left every day.
"Perry?" Ferb called as he walked into the kitchen.
Every muscle in his body seized up before his mind really processed he was seeing his mother outside the sliding glass door in the backyard. He stood and stared at the woman as she smiled at him and gestured for him to unlock the door. He shook his head, his vocal cords paralyzed as he stared at his mother. She gestured again for him to come to her. Ferb shook his head again, more firmly. Maybe she was just a bad vision. But the crack against the door was very, very real.
Ferb's eyes flew up to see that his mother had a weapon. It was his father's missing golf club, Ferb realized. It hadn't been misplaced by an absent Lawrence. His mother had stolen it and was using it to try to break the glass. When the second strike hit, the glass cracked and it wasn't going to be 'trying' for much longer. Ferb couldn't move as his mother struck the glass one last time, but the noise of the glass shattering and tinkling to the floor finally broke him out of his reverie.
As his mother reached for him, her nice boots crunching over the glass, she spoke. "There's my special boy. Come to Mother."
Ferb's mind had gone into overdrive the moment the glass had broken. His eyes had swept the kitchen, and he registered a lot in that moment. When his mother's hand was inches from his wrist, Ferb bolted into the kitchen. As his mother swore at him and screeched for him to come back, Ferb grabbed the heavy pot of boiling potatoes— "Take care of dinner, please, okay Ferb?" Linda had said. No doubt this wasn't what she had in mind! Ferb thought wildly—then turned and flung it behind him. He heard Emily scream, but he didn't turn to look as the pot clattered to the floor and chunks of potato and steaming water flew everywhere.
As he turned and vaulted away from his mother, he felt her snatch at him and miss. He ran into the living room but slid on the rug that Phineas had slipped on earlier. With a gasp, he hit the bookcase and it rocked hard enough to topple back and then forward as Ferb grabbed it to steady his fall. His mother snagged his wrist and Ferb yanked the bookcase as hard as he could then lunged away. Emily screamed and leaped back, hitting the floor by the television and blocking the front door.
Ferb turned and ran up the stairs. He had to get away. He needed to be safe. Only when his mother came barging into the room did Ferb recognize that he'd fled to his parents' bedroom. She grabbed Ferb by the arm and dug her nails in. Ferb cried out and tried to get away, and as he did, pain burned his arm and something warm and wet caused Emily's grip to slip. As he tried to get away, her nails gouged across his back, leaving more burning streaks in his skin as his shirt tore. He hit the side table and his hip went numb. He landed hard, knocking the breath out of himself. Wheezing, he watched through watery eyes as Emoly straightened and looked around the room. Her face twisted when she saw Linda's picture on Lawrence's side of the bed.
"He chose that over me?" she asked.
Ferb didn't answer, still struggling to breathe. Emily picked up the picture and glared at it. Then she reared back and smashed the frame. The glass spread across the bedside table and onto the floor. Then Emily took a pair of scissors and began to destroy the pillows and blankets, ripping them to pieces. Ferb didn't move, watching blankly as his mother tore apart his parents' room. She smashed and ripped and tore everything apart before she found the scotch that Lawrence and Linda kept in a drawer. She smirked then walked over to Ferb and grabbed his arm.
"Get up," she commanded.
Quivering, Ferb allowed her to pull him to his feet. In a daze, he followed her obediently to her car and was unceremoniously shoved into the backseat.
"Lay down and stay that way."
So he had. His mother had started the car and pulled away. And now she was driving him somewhere, mocking his mum under her breath and calling her horrible things. Ferb said nothing, staring out the window as his world seemed to fade away. They were probably going to the airport. His mother parked the car and pulled out her phone. Ferb noticed the LifeCircle symbol on the screen, but he didn't pay much mind to it. So she was posting an update. So what?
"Don't worry, Ferb," Emily said, slipping her phone back in her purse. "Everything is going to be just fine. I've got all the documents you'll need to come back home. Wait until you see where we'll be living."
Ferb didn't move. He needed to tell Linda that he'd seen Emily. He'd promised. He didn't want to break his promise to his mum. It was very important to keep it. She trusted him to do it, but how?
As the time ticked away, Emily got on her phone and began scrolling as she popped open the scotch. Ferb lay motionless in the backseat, staring at the sky out the window. Then, for just a moment, he saw Isabella peek into the car. She gaped at him, gave him a few signs in sign language that help was coming, then disappeared as fast as she'd appeared. Ferb was careful to not react more than a soft intake of breath when he met her eyes, and then joy exploded inside of him. Phineas! Good old Phineas was looking for him and had sent out the gang. He didn't know how or why Phineas knew where to look for him, but he didn't care.
He lay there, time ticking on and on as the afternoon turned to evening, until Isabella appeared again. She quickly signed to him what he was to do and Ferb's insides tightened but he nodded the teeniest bit. Shifting forward, Ferb gathered all of his courage and poked Emily. She turned to look at him, and Ferb made gestures that he needed to use the bathroom. He really did, come to think of it, so the false urgency turned real very suddenly. Emily pursed her lips then nodded.
"Put this on then," she said, pushing a jacket back at him.
Ferb obeyed. Emily got out and opened the door. Ferb slipped out and pulled the hood up without being asked, and Emily hooked his arm.
"Where's the loo?"
Ferb pointed, and Emily tugged him along.
"You try any funny business, Ferb, and I won't be happy," Emily said as she pushed him toward the door.
Ferb scurried inside and relieved himself then looked around for any sign of what to do next. He heard his mother's voice.
"It's occupied. Try later or go to the toilet next door."
Ferb was relieved to hear Baljeet's high voice. "Please, Miss, I'm in desperate need of the bathroom."
"I said no! Beat it."
There was no other choice but to go outside. He washed his hands and came out only for Emily to hook his arm again.
"How about a stroll around the park. Once 'round then we head to the airport?"
Ferb nodded blankly, the voice in his head warning him softly but persistently, "Agree with mother and things will be fine."
As they walked, he noticed with great joy that Isabella and Baljeet weren't the only ones around. He caught sight of Candace with her phone aimed at him, and he saw the other Fireside Girls in a group. They had a table set up, selling cookies. Emily eyed it with interest.
"Those any good?" she asked.
Ferb nodded intently and reached into his pocket. He pulled out a twenty dollar bill and offered it to Emily. Emily's whole face lit up, and Ferb's insides hurt so badly as he saw, for the briefest of moments, the woman he'd loved so completely as a child. He'd lived for moments like this with her. A part of him wanted to be happy that Mother was giving him attention, but his arm and back burned like fire, and he reminded himself that the injuries were more real than Emily's smile. Emily walked them to the stand then had him stand a bit away from them before she stepped forward. Ferb saw his chance and took a slow step back. His eyes went to Candace in the shadows of a tree, and she nodded emphatically, pointing with one hand down the other way. Ferb took another step back. And another. Then he turned and bolted as fast as he could in the direction Candace had pointed.
"Ferb Fletcher! Get back here!" Emily shouted.
Ferb didn't listen, and he heard his mother take off behind him. The Fireside Girls couldn't stop her. Ferb's feet hit a patch of gravel and he went down. Pinpricks of fire dotted his knees, but he pushed himself to his feet and tried to run again. Two steps in, his wrist was snagged and he was hauled around. Before Ferb knew what was happening, his mother slapped him harder than she ever had before. The pain was quick and nauseating, and he fell backwards and sprawled on the ground. He heard the Fireside Girls screaming for Emily to stop, but Ferb knew she wouldn't. She'd been downing the scotch she'd stolen from his parents. And when Mother drank, she made people hurt like she did.
Resigned to his fate, Ferb closed his eyes and went completely limp. Emily grabbed his arm, and yanked him up, but he was suddenly released as a wonderfully familiar voice spoke firmly and coldly to his mother.
"Get your hands off my son."
'Mum?' Ferb thought and opened his eyes to see Linda holding his mother's arm in a firm grip. He had never seen her look so terrifying, but he had also never been so happy to see her.
"Mum," Ferb rasped, tears of relief in his eyes.
The look on Emily's face after he spoke reminded Ferb that he was to be seen and not heard. He'd just messed up big time, and Linda might be the one to pay for it this time. What had he just done?