time has a funny way of f*cking things up.
especially for louise belcher.
september had just rolled in. her parents had returned from their summer-long cruise, tina had made just enough time in her busy schedule at the publishing office to stop by, and gene had flown in after his band's show in oregon too.
sunday family dinner. a ritual; not cultic, just tradition.
though she wished she still had the apartment to herself. and logan.
"louise, watch the stove!" mother belcher, queen of them all, linda, yelled. the pot of potatoes on the stove was beginning to boil over. louise shook her head and stirred them around, wincing slightly as the overflowing water sizzled loudly on the stovetop.
"sorry," she murmured. her mind was drifting around, cyclically finding logan again in the boxes of her memories she tried, and always failed, to lock away.
there was a particular memory. months ago, with the scratched wine bottle and a boiling pot of pasta. oh, and how their breaths intermingled and their bodies pressed against each other and such.
and then, further back, there was the underground party. dancing together in strobe lighting, logan carrying her back home, her drunk ramblings in his ear.
every kiss, every laugh, every cigarette...
no, it didn't matter now. he was gone and she was here.
still here.
~
the five belchers were sat around the old round dinner table. bob sniffed slightly as he grabbed the bowl of green beans from gene.
"so louise," mother belcher, queen of them all, linda, began, "tell us all about the hip-happenings of the summer!" louise rolled her eyes in response, twirling her fork through the pile of mashed potatoes forced onto her plate. bob stepped in to (try to) lighten the tension,
"yeah louise, please tell me the restaurant's still in one piece." she looked over at her father, snagging a bread roll from a small basket in the center of the table.
"you say that like you doubt my abilities to run the restaurant."
"that's not what he meant, louise," tina stated boldly, swiping some hair behind her ear.
"oh shut it, tipsy-tina," louise barked at her older sister, watching as she put the glass of wine down from her mouth with an awkward frown.
"hey! watch your mouth, missy!" linda defended, waving her fork angrily in her younger daughter's direction.
"that's physically impossible, mom," gene interjected with a mouth full of mash, making quite the disturbing face as he tried to look downward for his mouth, "i can't even see the tip of my nose."
"i did not miss this," louise mumbled, laying her head in her hand, closing her eyes in exasperation as the belchers continued to argue. bob looked over at his youngest child and smiled softly at her annoyed expression. however, he could tell something wasn't right, that something had happened over the summer.
but he knew his daughter, louise belcher, was locked up tighter than a safe. her feelings were padlocked and bolted several times over, and sometimes, bob thought even louise didn't have the keys.
"anyway, i noticed the overwhelming smell of that lavendah' bathroom spray all ovah' the place. coverin' somethin' up, louise? huh?" linda suddenly jested, then stuffing a spoonful of mashed potatoes into her mouth. she chewed almost angrily, glaring over at her youngest daughter. louise slammed her fork down.
"are you kidding me!?" she began, "ever since you got back you have been nonstop yelling at me over everything! you were all gone for several months, leaving me to handle all the bills, the apartment, the restaurant! my life was put on hold for your preoccupations, and now i'm getting this sh*t?" louise shook her head, especially at her mother's loud gasp at her words. she stood from the table and made to storm off, but returned and grabbed her plate. her footsteps stomped down the hall.
the remaining four belchers collectively winced as the door slammed.
~
louise had changed into a set of pajamas, reading another stephen king novel under her covers when a hard knock on the door rang out. she didn't bother stating the person could enter as she knew from the knock it was her father, and that in a few moments he would enter.
"hey, louise, it's dad," he poked his head in, smiling softly at louise under the covers, especially at the pink ears on her head. he slipped into the room and closed the door, pulling at the edge of his white t-shirt.
"i know," louise stated, grabbing a stray pen from her nightstand and book-marking the page, "your knock is very distinct."
"is it?" he asked. she nodded swiftly, placing her book down and meeting his light gaze.
"oh yeah; a single hard knock to the upper-center of the door. tina's is just a small whimpy knock--if you could even call it that, gene knocks like ten thousand times to annoy me, and linda doesn't even knock, just barges in like the mom-ster she is." bob smirked lightly at the pun because d*mn louise knew those were his favorite. she scooted across her bed and patted the area next to her. bob removed his shoes and sat on her bed, leaning back against the wall. he glanced at louise,
"why haven't you resolved things with mom?" bob asked. "it's been how long?"
"two years, nine months. if you hand me my calendar," she pointed to the wall, "i can give you the number of days, too. and by the clock, quite possibly the minutes." through his scoff, bob still chuckled at her antics.
"geez, louise."
"don't act surprised, dad. you know how i hold grudges."
"uh, yeah. i still remember the three-month silent treatment you gave tina and i for going to see that spy movie without you."
"yeah, the one that i suggested we go watch, not you and tina."
"you've gotta point," bob surrendered. louise simply rolled her eyes.
"of course i do, dad. i always do." he chuckled and her annoyed scowl morphed to a small smile.
"of course, lou," he smiled, pulling lightly at her ears, though his smile disappeared when he saw the look on her face. the jovial gleam in her eye had faded, replaced by something much more mature yet raw. she began to twist her hair around her fingers, which had been recently washed, bringing her knees to rest under her chin. "louise?"
"dad?" she glanced up at him, eyes glassy. he sighed, eyes slightly wide, and pulled her into his arms as the first tear slipped down her cheek.
"what's up, louise? what's wrong?" he asked, smoothing a hand over her bicep as she dug her head into his shoulder. after a few moments of thought, he asked, "it was a boy, wasn't it?"
"dad, not every girl's problems are about boys, especially mine. i'm not tina," she sniffled, rubbing her eyes. she moved away from her dad, resuming a tough look on her face.
"oh. okay," he nodded, "so what is it?" louise frowned deeply.
"it's logan."
"logan? logan bush?" louise nodded, eyes downcast, peachy blush rising over her cheeks; bob rolled his eyes, "he's a boy, louise."
"no, he's a jerk, a jack*ss, a safety hazard."
"to who?"
"to me, dad," louise deadpanned, running a hand over her face, "he makes me feel gross, but like a kind of 'gross' that i like. it's all a mess and i haven't seen him in months and i--" she groaned loudly, "i don't know what's happening to me." bob looked at his daughter and began to laugh. louise stared, eyes widening, as he continued to chuckle at her words.
"hey dad? not funny!" the laughs quickly ended with a hard open-hand hit to his shoulder, though he still continued to smile at his daughter. after a few moments, he stood from the bed.
"i believe the word you're looking for is love," bob smirked, "louise is in looooove."
louise chased her dad out of the room, one laughing, one screaming.