FIC: Heartburn (1/3) HIMYM
Heartburn
Part 1
"Mom, why have we never met our Uncle Barney?"
Luke asked the million dollar question on one wet, windy afternoon in March 2031. He was home for spring break and relieved to be back where he didn't have to worry about doing his own laundry or cooking his own food. Also, it had been surprisingly great to see his sister again.
Speaking of whom, Leia looked up with interest when he asked his question.
"Humph?" His Mom replied. She was busy straining potatoes and so he repeated the question.
"Uncle Barney. Ted's friend from back when you guys were young and actually cool."
His mom laughed.
"I mean," Luke continued, "if Uncle Barney moved away, couldn't we contact him? There are about a million ways to find people on the internet you know."
She grinned. "I know, Luke. We did have Facebook back in my day."
"Face-what?"
Leia started putting away her book. "Mom, you are such a dork."
"So, Uncle Barney?" Luke insisted. "Let's get Dad to look him up?"
His Mom smiled indulgently. "Sweetie…"
"Come on, mom!" Leia whined, which Luke didn't think would help. He was reminded of why he had been so keen to get away from home to go to college. "Barney is definitely my favourite one!"
"Favourite one?" Their Mom repeated with a smirk.
"Of all the lame friends Dad had." Leia snorted. "I still can't believe that Uncle Marshall did all that weed."
"Oh my god! What has your father been telling you?" Their Mom said, outraged. "Ted honey! Get in here!"
Their Dad appeared through the kitchen door. "Yep?"
"What have you been telling the kids?"
Luke saw the slight look of panic in his Dad's eyes. "Nothing. Some things. Why?"
"Dad?" Luke asked. "Can you look up our Uncle Barney? Leia and me really want to meet him."
Then a weird thing happened. Luke saw his Dad freeze over, saw his back stiffen, his eyebrows pull into a tight frown. Dad didn't correct his grammar and he didn't smile indulgently. He looked angry.
"Pops?" Leia said. "Did you de-bro him again?"
Their Dad mumbled something unintelligible and shook his head.
"Ted?" Their mom asked, clearly concerned.
"No… no… just leave it kids." He walked out of the kitchen without saying another word.
"Honey! Dinner's nearly ready…" Their mom protested.
But their Dad was already gone.
*--*--*
"Dad, are you going to tell us a story?"
"Not tonight, Leia, I'm busy."
"But Luke's only here for one more night and I don't have to work tomorrow."
"Leia, you've always said how you hate my stories. You said they were boring."
"Dad, I'm a kid."
"Leia, you're nineteen years old."
"Dad, I'm twenty. Shape up."
"Leave it, sweetie."
"Okay… love you pops."
"Goodnight honey."
.
Part 1
"Mom, why have we never met our Uncle Barney?"
Luke asked the million dollar question on one wet, windy afternoon in March 2031. He was home for spring break and relieved to be back where he didn't have to worry about doing his own laundry or cooking his own food. Also, it had been surprisingly great to see his sister again.
Speaking of whom, Leia looked up with interest when he asked his question.
"Humph?" His Mom replied. She was busy straining potatoes and so he repeated the question.
"Uncle Barney. Ted's friend from back when you guys were young and actually cool."
His mom laughed.
"I mean," Luke continued, "if Uncle Barney moved away, couldn't we contact him? There are about a million ways to find people on the internet you know."
She grinned. "I know, Luke. We did have Facebook back in my day."
"Face-what?"
Leia started putting away her book. "Mom, you are such a dork."
"So, Uncle Barney?" Luke insisted. "Let's get Dad to look him up?"
His Mom smiled indulgently. "Sweetie…"
"Come on, mom!" Leia whined, which Luke didn't think would help. He was reminded of why he had been so keen to get away from home to go to college. "Barney is definitely my favourite one!"
"Favourite one?" Their Mom repeated with a smirk.
"Of all the lame friends Dad had." Leia snorted. "I still can't believe that Uncle Marshall did all that weed."
"Oh my god! What has your father been telling you?" Their Mom said, outraged. "Ted honey! Get in here!"
Their Dad appeared through the kitchen door. "Yep?"
"What have you been telling the kids?"
Luke saw the slight look of panic in his Dad's eyes. "Nothing. Some things. Why?"
"Dad?" Luke asked. "Can you look up our Uncle Barney? Leia and me really want to meet him."
Then a weird thing happened. Luke saw his Dad freeze over, saw his back stiffen, his eyebrows pull into a tight frown. Dad didn't correct his grammar and he didn't smile indulgently. He looked angry.
"Pops?" Leia said. "Did you de-bro him again?"
Their Dad mumbled something unintelligible and shook his head.
"Ted?" Their mom asked, clearly concerned.
"No… no… just leave it kids." He walked out of the kitchen without saying another word.
"Honey! Dinner's nearly ready…" Their mom protested.
But their Dad was already gone.
*--*--*
"Dad, are you going to tell us a story?"
"Not tonight, Leia, I'm busy."
"But Luke's only here for one more night and I don't have to work tomorrow."
"Leia, you've always said how you hate my stories. You said they were boring."
"Dad, I'm a kid."
"Leia, you're nineteen years old."
"Dad, I'm twenty. Shape up."
"Leave it, sweetie."
"Okay… love you pops."
"Goodnight honey."
.