Original: Brothers & Sisters (Emily) PG
Title: Brothers & Sisters
Author: Erin (erinm_4600)
Characters, Pairing: Emily and some in-laws (mention of Tony)
Rating: PG
Summary: Emily's sisters-in-law have their own theories on why her marriage didn't work out.
Warning: *Written for Round Three of love_bingo. Prompt: brothers & sisters Original titles are wholly unoriginal.
Disclaimer: For the first time, I can say that EVERYTHING about this one is bizarra's. Mwahaha!! Inspiration comes from a minivan at Downtown Disney, and bizarra's entry for the Make Your Own Fandom challenge at womenverse, with thanks.
Emily had been upstairs, playing with her nieces and nephews, while their parents were all down in the kitchen, preparing dinner. It wasn't that she didn't want to spend time with the adults, but she just found it easier to connect with the kids.
Maybe that was why she was so suited to working at the park, and why the others on the team always left her to care for the children. She'd always loved kids, because kids never seemed to be out for anyone or anything. They spoke the truth and were relatively fearless. And, even on a bad day - which is when she saw them most often - they could find a smile.
Emily hadn't planned to go home for Christmas, this year, because going home always seemed awkward. She did love her family - both parents and all four brothers - but as the baby, and the only girl, she just never quite fit in. Her mother always said that her father just wasn't sure how to deal with a girl, as he had only had brothers, as well. Emily didn't mind being raised as 'one of the guys', though.
Not really.
Emily never wanted for anything. She had the same opportunities growing up as her brothers had; they played football and basketball, while she was carted off to ballet or helping her mother in the kitchen or garden. That said, she could drive an ATV almost before she could walk; she knew how to fish and hunt; she could drink her brothers under the table; and she held the record for flag football touchdowns in the back yard, five years in a row.
She had excused herself to visit the bathroom and, because of a question asked by her youngest niece, Emily decided to go down and ask if the group could go to the park in the morning, just in case there were other plans for the holiday weekend.
She was just a few steps up when she realized that not only were her sisters-in-law talking, but they were talking about her. Emily slowed her pace and leaned against the wall, listening as they broke down just how she had managed to ruin her own marriage.
"...why spend so much time with other people's kids?"
"Maybe that's what did it. Should've focused a little more on having her own kids."
"Maybe he didn't want kids... or can't..."
Emily closed her eyes and dropped her chin. It had been children that had pulled them apart, but nothing Tony had done, or said. She simply couldn't have children and, while Tony never had complained, she had convinced herself that it would always be the white elephant in the room. The more time she spent around the children at the parks, the more she hated herself for something that wasn't even her fault.
Emily had been in an accident in high school; she and three friends were heading home from a movie and stopped at a red light. All she could remember from that night was looking out the passenger window and seeing the policeman in the patrol car smile at her. They would later tell her that a drunk driver had swerved out of the parking lot of the shopping center around the corner, mistakenly put his foot on the gas, and ended up clipping the curb, launching himself through a shrub and effectively dissecting the corner.
How the four girls survived was a miracle. The impact had compacted the cars so violently that Emily seatbelt snapped and she ended up in the backseat of the cruiser.
"Maybe you two should keep you noses out her business."
The sound of her oldest brother's annoyed voice made Emily look up. He had been on the EMT squad that responded to the accident, so he - and later Emily's parents - knew what the extent of her injuries were. They had never told her other brothers, though; the boys only knew that she had massive injuries to her lower torso, and had put a lot of effort into helping her recover.
The damage done to her internal organs had been severe, but she would survive. Being in high school, not having children didn't really bother her. But, once she got a bit older and fell in love, reality started to set in. She had told Tony, up front, that she couldn't have children. He never once treated her like she was broken or damaged goods, though she did.
She had pushed Tony away, convinced that he really did want children. As she pushed harder, Tony gave her the space she wanted, though he fought her every step of the way. But, she was stubborn as Hell. And, even after she had pushed enough for the divorce, Tony never stayed too far away. She cut him off for a while, trying to get him to move on. And, for a time, it worked. She was convinced that they were both better off, and she focused on work.
And then Tony got transferred in to her department.
The front door opening made Emily jump, and seeing her father caused a slight panic. She hoped he wouldn't say anything, but before she could even shake her head and motion for him to keep quiet, he said her name. Half a second later, her brother appeared in the doorway and he looked between them both. He could tell by the look on her face that Emily had heard most of the conversation and his own face fell.
"Emmy," he started, but Emily took the chance, as the front door was still open, and she darted past both him and her father, desperate for some air.
Author: Erin (erinm_4600)
Characters, Pairing: Emily and some in-laws (mention of Tony)
Rating: PG
Summary: Emily's sisters-in-law have their own theories on why her marriage didn't work out.
Warning: *Written for Round Three of love_bingo. Prompt: brothers & sisters Original titles are wholly unoriginal.
Disclaimer: For the first time, I can say that EVERYTHING about this one is bizarra's. Mwahaha!! Inspiration comes from a minivan at Downtown Disney, and bizarra's entry for the Make Your Own Fandom challenge at womenverse, with thanks.
Emily had been upstairs, playing with her nieces and nephews, while their parents were all down in the kitchen, preparing dinner. It wasn't that she didn't want to spend time with the adults, but she just found it easier to connect with the kids.
Maybe that was why she was so suited to working at the park, and why the others on the team always left her to care for the children. She'd always loved kids, because kids never seemed to be out for anyone or anything. They spoke the truth and were relatively fearless. And, even on a bad day - which is when she saw them most often - they could find a smile.
Emily hadn't planned to go home for Christmas, this year, because going home always seemed awkward. She did love her family - both parents and all four brothers - but as the baby, and the only girl, she just never quite fit in. Her mother always said that her father just wasn't sure how to deal with a girl, as he had only had brothers, as well. Emily didn't mind being raised as 'one of the guys', though.
Not really.
Emily never wanted for anything. She had the same opportunities growing up as her brothers had; they played football and basketball, while she was carted off to ballet or helping her mother in the kitchen or garden. That said, she could drive an ATV almost before she could walk; she knew how to fish and hunt; she could drink her brothers under the table; and she held the record for flag football touchdowns in the back yard, five years in a row.
She had excused herself to visit the bathroom and, because of a question asked by her youngest niece, Emily decided to go down and ask if the group could go to the park in the morning, just in case there were other plans for the holiday weekend.
She was just a few steps up when she realized that not only were her sisters-in-law talking, but they were talking about her. Emily slowed her pace and leaned against the wall, listening as they broke down just how she had managed to ruin her own marriage.
"...why spend so much time with other people's kids?"
"Maybe that's what did it. Should've focused a little more on having her own kids."
"Maybe he didn't want kids... or can't..."
Emily closed her eyes and dropped her chin. It had been children that had pulled them apart, but nothing Tony had done, or said. She simply couldn't have children and, while Tony never had complained, she had convinced herself that it would always be the white elephant in the room. The more time she spent around the children at the parks, the more she hated herself for something that wasn't even her fault.
Emily had been in an accident in high school; she and three friends were heading home from a movie and stopped at a red light. All she could remember from that night was looking out the passenger window and seeing the policeman in the patrol car smile at her. They would later tell her that a drunk driver had swerved out of the parking lot of the shopping center around the corner, mistakenly put his foot on the gas, and ended up clipping the curb, launching himself through a shrub and effectively dissecting the corner.
How the four girls survived was a miracle. The impact had compacted the cars so violently that Emily seatbelt snapped and she ended up in the backseat of the cruiser.
"Maybe you two should keep you noses out her business."
The sound of her oldest brother's annoyed voice made Emily look up. He had been on the EMT squad that responded to the accident, so he - and later Emily's parents - knew what the extent of her injuries were. They had never told her other brothers, though; the boys only knew that she had massive injuries to her lower torso, and had put a lot of effort into helping her recover.
The damage done to her internal organs had been severe, but she would survive. Being in high school, not having children didn't really bother her. But, once she got a bit older and fell in love, reality started to set in. She had told Tony, up front, that she couldn't have children. He never once treated her like she was broken or damaged goods, though she did.
She had pushed Tony away, convinced that he really did want children. As she pushed harder, Tony gave her the space she wanted, though he fought her every step of the way. But, she was stubborn as Hell. And, even after she had pushed enough for the divorce, Tony never stayed too far away. She cut him off for a while, trying to get him to move on. And, for a time, it worked. She was convinced that they were both better off, and she focused on work.
And then Tony got transferred in to her department.
The front door opening made Emily jump, and seeing her father caused a slight panic. She hoped he wouldn't say anything, but before she could even shake her head and motion for him to keep quiet, he said her name. Half a second later, her brother appeared in the doorway and he looked between them both. He could tell by the look on her face that Emily had heard most of the conversation and his own face fell.
"Emmy," he started, but Emily took the chance, as the front door was still open, and she darted past both him and her father, desperate for some air.