Ever written a love story about your favorite celebrity falling in love with you? Queen Poppy doesn't know it, but she did just that for reals. During Bridget and Gristle's wedding, she discovers Branch, her boyfriend and father of their child, Prin...
"Stop! Stop! Time out!" John Dory interrupted, causing the colors to go away. "Let's do it again from the top. Spruce, I want some smolder in those eyes. Clay, you're being too stiff. We need some sillier robot. Bitty B, maybe a smaller diaper..."
"If this diaper was any smaller, I could taste it," Branch growled.
"That's why I don't wear one of those," Tiny said, looking back at them. "It's a hard fit to pull off."
"Not to mention, that was way more Branch than I needed to see," Willow added, tossing Branch his clothes.
"Really great note, John Dory," Clay said sarcastically as Branch quickly went off to change. "Super helpful. Thanks, thanks. Now I have a creative note for you: STOP BEING BOSSY!"
"Woud, woud, woud!" Flower cried, covering her ears.
"What?! I'm not being bossy!" John Dory said defensively. "I'm helping us be better!"
"No! No, dude!" Clay argued. "You're forcing us to be perfect just like you always have! So we can hit the Perfect Family Harmony!"
"Yeah, for Floyd!" John Dory pointed out. It was, after all, the only thing that could save him.
"Is it?" Bruce asked. "Or is this all just you can tell people what to do again?"
"What?!"
"Guys? Guys? This really isn't helpful right now!" Poppy said, trying to break it up while holding Flower to her chest. "Let's all maybe take five, huh? Please? You're scaring my baby!"
Of course, none of them would listen.
"This isn't gonna work," Bruce said, "if you keep on being the same old John Dory."
"Yeah! We've all changed!" Clay added. "Bruce settled down, Branch is... slightly taller with zero glasses... and I'm a licensed CPA! Put some respect on my name, fool!"
"Well, I'm not allowed to change!" John Dory argued. "I'm the oldest! I had to be the Leader!"
Branch took a moment to notice Flower shaking and trying to hold back tears as she watched her uncles fight. If they didn't stop, she would have a meltdown. Not only that, but it was bringing back memories of the last time Branch saw his brothers fight when he was around his daughter's age.
Bruce scoffed. "You love bossing us around! Just admit it!"
"Why do you think I moved to the middle of nowhere?!" John Dory asked Bruce. "So I didn't have to be in charge of anyone! Four little brothers is a lot of responsibility!"
"Pfft! Try having eight and six sisters," Willow muttered.
"Well, why do you think I left?!" Bruce yelled. "So no one would treat me like you did!"
"You know what, Spruce?!"
"It's Bruce!" Clay shouted.
"Thank you, Clay!"
"Guys! You're upsetting Flower!" Branch interrupted, finally making them stop as she cried and lightly shook her hands. "She doesn't like yelling."
"It's okay, Flower," Poppy whispered to her sobbing baby girl. "It's okay."
Once Flower calmed down, Branch turned back to his brothers. "Come on, guys. We can't forget about Floyd."
John Dory sighed. "Look, Branch is right. We're here for Floyd. Let's just get this done and we can go our separate ways."
"Fine!" Clay huffed.
Branch was confused. "Wait, what?"
"What? The mission's the mission," John Dory pointed out, letting out a chuckle. "You didn't think we'd live together when this is all over, did you? Singing songs and roasting marshmallows..."
"Oh, I'm sorry. Is that funny to you?" Branch asked, hurt. "That I might want us to actually be a family again?!"
The group noticed Branch pull a folded piece of paper out from his vest pocket and opened it up to get a good look at it. At that moment, he made his decision.
"Tiny Diamond, pull over! Now!"
Right on cue, Tiny pulled the brakes hard, Rhonda stopped abruptly, and everyone nearly lost their balance while Willow fell and landed on her back with her legs straight up in the air.
"Maybe next time, go easier on the brakes, yo," Synth suggested, helping Willow back up on her feet while Branch began to walk away.
Bruce groaned. "Don't be a baby, Branch."
"Poor choice of words," Willow blurted out as she readjusted her hat.
"What are you talking about?" Bruce asked the teen.
"You know what I'm talking about," she said in a low, angry tone.
"And she's right!" Branch pointed out, stopping to turn back to them. "You're mad at him, but you guys do the exact same thing to me. You all still treat me like the baby of the family. Well, guess what? I stopped being a baby the day you guys walked out on me! Because I had to. Then, Grandma got eaten and there was no one else to take care of me! Now, I'm trying to make sure my daughter never has to go through that! This time, I'm walking out on you."
With that, Branch crumpled up the piece of paper, threw it at his brothers, and stormed off. Poppy put Flower down to pick up the paper ball and opened it up to find a drawing of a familiar underground structure with Branch and his brothers' names on them.
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"This is Branch's bunker," she said. "He built this... for you guys."
All three brothers' eyes widened in realization. He had been waiting for them this whole time?
"I-I didn't know," John Dory admitted in a quiet voice.
"I guess you never asked," Poppy figured, and tucked the drawing into her hair so she could pick Flower back up. "Come on, Flower. Let's go."
"Bye-bye," Flower muttered, waving goodbye to her uncles as Poppy carried her outside, leaving the three of them alone with Willow and Synth.
Clay raised an eyebrow. "Wait. Grandma got eaten?"
I was originally gonna have Flower left behind with Willow, Synth, and her uncles, but I think she's been through enough.
It might take me a day or two to figure out the next chapter. I'll see you then. 😉
