Backlog: Smile Like You Mean It
Who: Abby and Mike
Where: Finn’s Apartment
When: February 17, 2019
What: You say that you're not leaving. I want to believe it's true. But I never see you.
Mike was sitting on the couch in Finn’s living room. Abby was sitting on the opposite end. Though the distance between the two of them was only the length of a couch cushion, he knew that Abby was farther away from him than that. She was mad at him. Although she hadn’t come out and said so, the way Abby was acting, he knew. Her arms were crossed and she was doing her best to not look at him. He was being punished. “So how’s school?”
“S’okay.” Abby mumbled. While she was glad that Mike was visiting, she was mad that it had taken him so long to come. She hadn’t seen him i like forever and she missed him. Didn’t he know?
They had never used to run out of things to say. Even though Mike knew that was a questions that adults asked kids when they had no clue about them. But even when Abby was asked that, no matter who was asking, she would practically spout off all her activities and how well she was doing at them.
“That’s good.” Mike rubbed the back of his left hand with his right, “Abby I know I haven’t been around much lately, so you’re unhappy with me. I’d like to fix that.”
“Don’t say you’re gonna do something if you’re not.” Abby huffed.
Mike winced. he had broke his promises to her. He didn’t want to be one of those adults that let her down, but right now that’s exactly what he was. “You can tell me what’s wrong, why you’re so upset with me.”
“When you and Mama broked up, you told me and Daddy that you would still visit. But I never see you like how it used to be!” Abby looked up at him, voice raised.
“I’m sorry, Bruiser.” Mike knew that wasn’t all of what was bothering Abby, but it was a start. “I know you’re worried about me.”
“Yeah ‘cause you don’t smile like you used to.” Abby cried out. She then scooted closer to him on the couch. She was worried about him. When she saw Mike after Sectionals, he was just pretending. Well maybe it was ‘cause he and Daddy were scared for Rachel and the twins. And her two adults didn’t want to scare her and Lily. But still, he was laughing all wrong.
Like on New Year’s. That time, he looked really messy and Abby had never seen him like that. All the adults kept looking over at him, especially Tina. She had tried her best to cheer him up, but she musta no done a good job cause he was still sad. She hugged him now.
Mike was taken aback. Abby never shied away from saying what was on her mind. But he hadn’t thought she noticed. Of course Abby noticed. He hoped he wouldn’t let her down again. “You’re a smart kid, you know that Bruiser?”
“‘Course I know.” Abby beamed. “But don’t think I forgot.” Mike was doing that thing where an adult said something else so she’d get excited about that new thing and stop talking about that first thing. She still wanted to know why he was sad. She tried to remember and the lastest time he really, really smiled in front of her was when he saw Colin’s Auntie Row at their Thanksgiving pageant. Mama said Mike had a Rachel, but it was complicated, that he was closer to being happy like he used to be. Maybe that was Rowan and that’s why he was sad.
Abby hit him on the arm. “Stop being broken,” she teased. “My nextest baby has to met a happy you. He’s lucky ‘cause you’re his daddy, okay?”
“Well all the babies are lucky because they have you for a big sister.” Mike chuckled, hoping it was up to Abby’s rigorous standards. It must have passed because to her liking because she giggled. “And as for me being in need of “repairs”...” He thought about when he and Rowan had read Beauty and the Beast to a group of little girls during the book drive. He smiled at the memory, hoping to have more just like it. “I’m having some done.”
Abby continued to giggle. “Are you a car now? No wait. You’re a toaster.” She wondered what made him smile just then. She could believe him when he smiled like that.
“Yeah. I’m the Toaster to your Bruiser.” It was one of their inside jokes. Well to the two of them and anyone that had ever read Runaways. “Well I believe its safe to call your dad back into the room. Reassure him that I’m still alive and that I have all my limbs still on my person.”
“For now but you won’t be safe when we start playing Super Smash Brothers Brawl.” Abby gave her bad guy laugh. “Bwhahahaha.”
Mike didn’t doubt her “threat.” He didn’t even have to let Abby win. She was good on her own. “Is it too early to surrender and pledge my undying loyalty to you?”
“I don’t need your loyalty. I want your fear.” Abby’s well rehearsed evil laughter made another appearance as Mike picked her up off the couch and swung her onto his back. “To the kitchen!”
“Your dad and I should have never let you watch that movie.” Mike smirked. We’ve created a monster.
Where: Finn’s Apartment
When: February 17, 2019
What: You say that you're not leaving. I want to believe it's true. But I never see you.
Mike was sitting on the couch in Finn’s living room. Abby was sitting on the opposite end. Though the distance between the two of them was only the length of a couch cushion, he knew that Abby was farther away from him than that. She was mad at him. Although she hadn’t come out and said so, the way Abby was acting, he knew. Her arms were crossed and she was doing her best to not look at him. He was being punished. “So how’s school?”
“S’okay.” Abby mumbled. While she was glad that Mike was visiting, she was mad that it had taken him so long to come. She hadn’t seen him i like forever and she missed him. Didn’t he know?
They had never used to run out of things to say. Even though Mike knew that was a questions that adults asked kids when they had no clue about them. But even when Abby was asked that, no matter who was asking, she would practically spout off all her activities and how well she was doing at them.
“That’s good.” Mike rubbed the back of his left hand with his right, “Abby I know I haven’t been around much lately, so you’re unhappy with me. I’d like to fix that.”
“Don’t say you’re gonna do something if you’re not.” Abby huffed.
Mike winced. he had broke his promises to her. He didn’t want to be one of those adults that let her down, but right now that’s exactly what he was. “You can tell me what’s wrong, why you’re so upset with me.”
“When you and Mama broked up, you told me and Daddy that you would still visit. But I never see you like how it used to be!” Abby looked up at him, voice raised.
“I’m sorry, Bruiser.” Mike knew that wasn’t all of what was bothering Abby, but it was a start. “I know you’re worried about me.”
“Yeah ‘cause you don’t smile like you used to.” Abby cried out. She then scooted closer to him on the couch. She was worried about him. When she saw Mike after Sectionals, he was just pretending. Well maybe it was ‘cause he and Daddy were scared for Rachel and the twins. And her two adults didn’t want to scare her and Lily. But still, he was laughing all wrong.
Like on New Year’s. That time, he looked really messy and Abby had never seen him like that. All the adults kept looking over at him, especially Tina. She had tried her best to cheer him up, but she musta no done a good job cause he was still sad. She hugged him now.
Mike was taken aback. Abby never shied away from saying what was on her mind. But he hadn’t thought she noticed. Of course Abby noticed. He hoped he wouldn’t let her down again. “You’re a smart kid, you know that Bruiser?”
“‘Course I know.” Abby beamed. “But don’t think I forgot.” Mike was doing that thing where an adult said something else so she’d get excited about that new thing and stop talking about that first thing. She still wanted to know why he was sad. She tried to remember and the lastest time he really, really smiled in front of her was when he saw Colin’s Auntie Row at their Thanksgiving pageant. Mama said Mike had a Rachel, but it was complicated, that he was closer to being happy like he used to be. Maybe that was Rowan and that’s why he was sad.
Abby hit him on the arm. “Stop being broken,” she teased. “My nextest baby has to met a happy you. He’s lucky ‘cause you’re his daddy, okay?”
“Well all the babies are lucky because they have you for a big sister.” Mike chuckled, hoping it was up to Abby’s rigorous standards. It must have passed because to her liking because she giggled. “And as for me being in need of “repairs”...” He thought about when he and Rowan had read Beauty and the Beast to a group of little girls during the book drive. He smiled at the memory, hoping to have more just like it. “I’m having some done.”
Abby continued to giggle. “Are you a car now? No wait. You’re a toaster.” She wondered what made him smile just then. She could believe him when he smiled like that.
“Yeah. I’m the Toaster to your Bruiser.” It was one of their inside jokes. Well to the two of them and anyone that had ever read Runaways. “Well I believe its safe to call your dad back into the room. Reassure him that I’m still alive and that I have all my limbs still on my person.”
“For now but you won’t be safe when we start playing Super Smash Brothers Brawl.” Abby gave her bad guy laugh. “Bwhahahaha.”
Mike didn’t doubt her “threat.” He didn’t even have to let Abby win. She was good on her own. “Is it too early to surrender and pledge my undying loyalty to you?”
“I don’t need your loyalty. I want your fear.” Abby’s well rehearsed evil laughter made another appearance as Mike picked her up off the couch and swung her onto his back. “To the kitchen!”
“Your dad and I should have never let you watch that movie.” Mike smirked. We’ve created a monster.