The Sound Of Silence

"War was easier than daughters"-Ned Stark Mothers and daughters talk about... things. And Clair Spencer adopts a puppy.

In all her life, Mia never met a family quite like the Spencers. She and Jennifer had been best friends since they were children. Clair was... tolerable. Like an annoying little sister she never wanted but who she would kill to protect. And Beth was the sweetest woman she knew. Beth's mother Ethyl was... a character. All of these women had strong personalities. And they weren't afraid to speak their minds. Which was always fascinating to Mia. When she and Jen were in fifth grade and Tommy Wilkins picked on Mia for being half Italian and half black Jennifer punched him in the nose and called him the spawn of a drunken hillbilly who breeds with pigs. Both girls got sent to the principal's office, Beth came to pick them up, offering to take them to get ice cream. Beth dropped Mia in front of her parent's house and noticed Mia nervously staring. "Daddy's home" she said in a small voice. Beth offered to talk to her dad. Mia shook her head. The 9 year old thanked Beth for her kindness and silently left their car. The next day at school, Jennifer saw Mia sported a bruise. She got Mia to talk to Jennifer's father and his friends on the police force and Mia's father was arrested, sent to prison for beating his wife and daughter. Mia's mother, it was revealed had been put in the hospital, So Mia met the wrath of her father. Her mother was inable to take care of her, so she moved in with the Spencers for awhile. But eventually her father got out, and when Mia turned 15 she formally moved out of her parents' home. Joe and Beth had just divorced, Beth offered her the spare room in the attic, and she took it. Without hesitation.

And here in front of Mia, on Joe's funeral, stood her mother Ana. Mia carried her heels and went to meet Ana in the driveway. "Can I help you?" she asked in a quick tone. "Mia... love could we talk?" she asked in a quiet voice. "We're talking now. What. Do you want?" she asked coldly. "Well... your dad and I were talking... and with Officer Spencer dying we thought-", Mia started to laugh. "You've got to be joking. You thought with Joe getting shot and possibly killing himself I'd want to come live with you two? pretend like nothing happened? Like he didn't used to beat me around? Or put you in the hospital? Why? why would you two ever think that?" she asked. "We're family... we're your parents". "No you're not. You lost that right. Jennifer and Clair have been better sisters to me... Joe was... he had problems sure but Joe was my father. He never once belittled me cuz I got a B+ instead of an A on assignments" Mia was trying very hard to maintain her composure. She knew Jennifer and Clair were watching from their place at the swing. Some of the old gossips in town were too. "Mia... those people... they're not your family. You can dress all pretty, go to the nice state schools, be a goodie little priss... but at the end of the day, you're still the daughter of a mechanic and a waitress" Ana sneered. Mia almost looked taken aback. Only when one of the grey haired old gossips stopped her "Mrs. Rivera... that's enough. This girl has moved on a long time ago. It's time you and Wayne do the same". Mia's mother left. Stomped away, "Are you alright honey?" the old woman asked. 'Yeah... I'm fine. Thanks Mrs. Evenrude" she smiled. Thinking of the little bug from the Disney cartoon The Rescuers. She walked back to Jennifer and Clair. "Hey... should someone go do something about dad's dog? I talked to Pollack, they're keeping her for now but she must be lonely" Clair stated. "Let me go talk to mom and see if she's OK with sparing us" Jennifer stood up and went inside. 

To find her mother angrilly yelling at her grandmother. "CAN'T BELIEVE YOU!", "Honey those moochers just want attention". "JOE WAS THE FATHER OF MY CHILDREN!", "I'm Aware! and I love those girls just like you do bu-" Jennifer cleared her throat. Both women stopped. "Uh... we were gonna go check on Sue... Dad's dog? Is it OK if she... comes to live with us? I think Clair wants her...and". "Go ahead... bring the dog in... what's one more mouth to feed?!" Beth snapped. Ethyl waddled over to her granddaughter.  "She's grievin' honey. Go with the girls. Bring Sue here. let Clair keep an eye on her OK?" Ethyl said in a soft voice. Jennifer nodded shyly. "Ok grandma... we'll be back soon mom". Beth just waved her hands around "Fine! Fine" she sighed. Jennifer left silently. 

Ethyl turned to her only daughter. "Bethie... do you wanna talk to me about this?" she asked. Beth placed both her hands in front of her face. Sobbing. "I hated him you know? I really... hated him...Those last years of marriage" Beth moaned. Ethyl waddled over to her, holding Beth close, just like she used to when Beth was a little girl. Her sarcasm and acidic wit was replaced with a soft tender voice that she saved, for Beth or her granddaughters. "Honey... Joe was your husband... he gave you those beautiful girls... he gave you a beautiful life... You didn't hate him... you hated the job he was so attached to. I know you... you couldn't deal with the possibility of losing him". "But I did... I lost him... When he stuck a gun in his mouth" she whimpered. "Honey... You didn't drive Joe to kill himself... Those men he worked with said he'd been acting weird for years" Ethyl gently stroked her hair. "They said Joe would never kill himself... they don't think he did. And they all know you didn't cause it. They girls are going to Joe's place to get the dog and probably clean up some things. Mia's mother was here earlier today. Adele Evenrude chased her off. You go lay down in bed for awhile... I'm gonna pick up in here" Ethyl kissed her daughter's temple. "Oh mom I can't ask you to do that" Beth blushed, wiping her tears. "Bethie... let me take care of you for awhile. You'll need to be strong for the girls when they come back. Clair is still pretty heartbroken". Beth sighed, she was always Joe's little girl. Jennifer shared her mother's personality. Wild and firey, brave and passionate, fearless. That was her little girl. Clair was shy, innocent, sweet. Beth made her way to her giant bed, she kicked off her heels, and crawled into bed. 

Jennifer drove her father's old pick up that Joe gave to her as a 16th birthday gift. Clair sat in the middle, staring straight forward, Mia sat on the end. The windows were down, the music of choice was a tape of their dad's. When Mia popped it in "Ain't to proud to Beg" by the Temptations was playing. Causing all three girls to laugh. "Alright dad... you had soul". 

They pulled up to Joe's apartment building. And made their way upstairs. To apartment 217B. Jennifer unlocked it as Sue, their father's Basset hound bounded to them. 

"Hey Sue! Hey girl!" Clair greeted her, stroking the extra flap of skin under her chin. Jennifer lightly rubbed the spot of light brown fur that rested on the center of a snowy white head. The rest of Sue was freckled with light brown spots against white fur. Mia let Sue lick her hand. "Let's get your stuff girl... than we'll get you to our place"  Jennifer stated. Sue wagged her tail, and licked Mia's palm excitedly. "Clearly she's content with this idea" Mia smiled. Mia helped. They boxed up her food, water dish, leashes, toys, and anything else they could find. Jennfier found a picture of Joe right before he died, with her and Clair, and Sue. At Crawler's Bar. During a Nebraska football game. "I'll take this. Clair's gonna want it". She found another picture. A very young Beth in a white dress, with a very pregnant belly. And a very young Joe. Looking handsome in a tux. "Hey? What'd you find?" Clair asked. "Mom and Dad's wedding picture" she smiled. Clair picked it up. "Mom may want this... we can get it framed".

Sue was strapped into the small backseat of the cab of the truck. "Alright girl... ready to go?" Sue let out a rather exuberant Arf! in response. The girls stopped at the local fast food joint. And picked up an extra large of curly fries. "Mom and grandma will want in on this" Jennifer smiled. 

At home Jennifer parked the truck in the driveway. Mia carried the french fries, Clair helped Sue out of the car, she had the basset on a leash, and carried her inside. Jennifer pulled the box of Sue's things out of the back, Mia carried the pictures they found.

Ethyl was sitting in her chair, watching an episode of The Golden Girls. "Hey grandma... is mom OK?" Clair asked. Sue trotted in and plopped down in a heap at Ethyl's feet. "I told her to go lay down for awhile. So... this is Sue?" Ethyl bent down as Sue rolled onto her back. As if to say "RUB MY BELLY PLEASE!" Ethyl seemed happy to oblige. "What do you three have?" . Sue's stuff. Uhm... some pictures ... dad and mom on their wedding day. and us with dad before he died...and curly fries". "Best hang onto those pictures for now... and go heat those puppies up". Beth wandered out, she wore her pajamas, a white t shirt and a pair of old black shorts. "What's going on out here?" she asked. "We picked up Sue... dad's old dog.And in true Spencer family patterns... Greasy food" Jennifer smiled sheepishly. Beth chuckled softly. "You heard the old lady. Go heat 'em up. And go get out of those awful sad looking clothes! We're marathoning The Golden Girls tonight" Beth instructed. Jennifer and Mia exchanged relieved faces. Clair nodded almost robotically. 

Jennifer heated up the food, Mia hurried upstairs to change. Beth saw the look on her youngest's face. "Babe... come here" Beth extended her arms to her youngest. Clair followed her. Curling up in her mother's warm embrace. "It's OK... to be sad. Your dad was a good man. And he loved you. And I am sorry... that I wasn't aware of how upset you were" she said softly. Beth gently kissed Clair's forehead. "Honey as much joy as it used to bring me, to hit your father upside the back of the head with my cane... It breaks my heart to see you this sad. And I will miss him" Wthyl added. "Do you wanna stay here with us? Or just head to bed?" Beth asked. "I'll stay with you old ladies" Clair  teased. Beth smiled, "That's my good girl. Go change".

After a few episodes of The Golden Girls Jennifer's phone went off. She crawled out of her place on the couch, and went to answer it. 

"That was Uncle Delmar... somebody broke into Dad's apartment after we left".

Author's Note

This was another "On a whim" addition. I guess that's kind of my style :). It's slowly changing. My time in a summer writing workshop on my campus gave me some inspiration.

The soundtrack of choice for this chapter was "The Hardest Part of Love" from Children of Eden, and "I Shall Believe" by Sheryl Crow.

Reviews

[theKansasginger]

- So I just realized(Months later) I got Mia's last name wrong. Continuity huh? Her last name is Torres. Her mother kept her last name(Like my mom:} ) when she married Mr. Torres. There will probably be more exploration. I promise this isn't dead. School's just WAAAAAAY swamped right now.