K2K: Sogo Saikuru

by BlueflameBocchi90210

Summary:

This takes place about 50 years before the events of Kurikaeshi to Kaosu and I would highly suggest reading Chapter 11 before continuing with this because many of the same characters are in this story as well. Taking place in the late 60's and early 70's It tells the story of Madeline, A Magdalene Orphan who ran away to Paris with her best friend only to face more challenges, all the while trying to hide the painful trauma of being abused by nuns for being an Orphan. Can one young man stop all this hell or will Madeline live the rest of her life reliving it all.

Notes:

• Inspired by Kurikaeshi to Kaosu by BlueflameBocchi90210

Chapter 1: March 17

It had been almost 10 years since WWII ended and economic growth was at an all time high, but for one poor 13-year-old French girl it was a nightmare. Her name to the nuns that were presiding over her might as well have been unfortunate, but Emma Dullaghan was a victim of rape by a visiting Irish priest who managed to take the innocence of five completely different girls over the span of three months before vanishing into thin air. Now as she was lying over her bed looking at her newborn daughter there were tears in her eyes, as she knew she couldn’t keep her. 

 

Nun 1: What a beautiful little girl, she has your eyes

 

The nun slid the newborns hood off her head to examine her light hair

 

Nun 2: She’s going to be very beautiful when she grows up, what are you going to name her

 

Emma: *sniff* I always found names with three syllables pretty

 

Nun 2: How about Madeline, you have gorgeous red hair, and the character in the book does too

 

Emma looks at her daughter staring right up at her

 

Nun 2: I can already see this child is very precocious

 

Emma: *sniff* Madeline 

 

The newborn looked up immediately and started smiling; Emma knew it was the one. Unfortunately for her, the bishop in charge of the child had shown up to collect her.

 

Bishop Thomson: Sisters what is the child’s name

 

Emma: Madeline *sniff*

 

Bishop Thomson: Is that right

 

Nuns: Yes Bishop

 

Emma knew what that meant, she only had a minute to say goodbye to Madeline before they whisked her away to an Orphanage

 

Bishop Thomson: *grabs* I’ll make sure Madeline is well taken care of, come on sisters, the cars waiting

 

Nuns: Yes Bishop

 

And with Madeline screaming at the top of her lungs, the Bishop and two nuns walk quietly out of the room, leaving Emma sobbing to herself

 

Emma: *sobs* I’ll remember you Madeline *prays* God please have her find me one day and keep her safe *sniff*

 

Unfortunately later on in the day, with her family giving complete rights of her away to the church, she would be going into the home for unwed mothers and forced to work with little pay and almost no chance of escape. Meanwhile Bishop Thomson knew of the five teenage girls that were raped by this man, but he only saw it as them coming on to him and not for the unfortunate victims they were.

 

Bishop Thomson: This is the third baby born from the Irish priest, and there are still two more left.

 

Nun 1: It’s unfortunate that his willpower got the best of him

 

Bishop Thomson: I hope he has repented, none of these children can ever find out the existence of each other. The oldest is a boy and with her it’s now two girls from him born out of wedlock.

 

Nun 2: Where will this one go Bishop?

 

Bishop Thomson: It’s going to one of the orphanages outside Alsace–Moselle

 

Emma sobs as she watches Madeline and Bishop Thomson from the window get into a Peugeot 203 sedan and drive into the foggy morning sunset never to be seen by Emma again.

 

Bishop Thomson: Hello Madeline, I know you’ll be a good girl for Mother Clarabelle won’t you

Chapter 2: 1960's

Mother Clarabelle’s Orphanage in Alsace–Lorraine was set up thirty minutes from the outskirts of the town. The locals from around there knew of the children, and told their own children to look away from the dismal looking building as those children were bastards. It was an orphanage for girls that only catered to them until they aged out, were forced into the laundries, or moved on to other orphanages or group homes as the 60’s came. The grounds of the orphanage housed a laundry, which was where many of the orphans ended up. The girls knew that they weren’t allowed to associate with anybody outside of the church or risk getting a severe lashing from Mother Clarabelle. One day in 1963 she was forced to accept 4 girls that came from a nearby orphanage that had just closed its doors.

 

Mother Clarabelle: So correct me if I’m wrong father, but you want me to take this girl into this orphanage, do you realize what you’re doing.

 

Father McCoy: We don’t have a choice, the nearest orphanage for girls besides this one is 7 hours and they’re at full capacity

 

Sister Yvette: *door ajar* Forgive the intrusion Mother, but the new transfer sister is here

 

Mother Clarabelle: Ah yes send her in

 

Sister Mary then walks into the office; she was a pretty plain looking woman in her mid-30’s with fierce blue eyes, an irritated disposition, and nothing else. She had been transferred to Mother Clarabelle’s orphanage after being accused of abusing boys in her last orphanage.

 

Sister Mary: Hello Mother

 

Mother Clarabelle: You must be Sister Mary, I’m Mother Clarabelle and this is Father McCoy. You came at a rather precarious time, we’re about to welcome new orphans as well

 

Sister Yvette: *door ajar* Mother

 

Mother Clarabelle: HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I TOLD YOU ABOUT WALKING INTO MY OFFICE WITHOUT KNOCKING FIRST 

 

Sister Yvette: Forgive me Mother, but the new arrivals are here

 

Mother Clarabelle: Ah, What a pleasant surprise Sister Mary, Father McCoy lets meet them together

 

Right into Mother Clarabelle’s Office walked 4 girls the youngest being 5 year old Marie, 8 year old Annette, 9 year old Anna, and 11 year old Claudette

 

Mother Clarabelle: Welcome Girls, I’m Mother Clarabelle, this is Father McCoy, and this is Sister Mary who is also new here. This will be your new home. We only go outside these walls for School, to observe the Sabbath, and nothing else. We go to bed at 9 and rise at 5, we clean our rooms from top to bottom every morning and the washing and eating are done in 10 minutes. We have a full service laundry for the town that I expect each of you to work at when you reach working age. The school is a catholic school and I expect you to behave there as well as you behave here. I’m assuming you are all good children.

 

She then turns to the youngest girl in the group Marie

 

Mother Clarabelle: How old are you, young lady?

 

Marie: 5 

 

Mother Clarabelle: Hmmm, how about the rest of you?

 

Annette: 8 

 

Anna: 9

 

Claudette: 11 

 

Mother Clarabelle: All of you are too young to work in the laundry, so you will be heading to school and doing the chores here in the orphanages with the rest of your sisters, especially you Sister Mary

 

Sister Mary: Yes of course Mother

 

Mother Clarabelle: Anyway as you know, it’s almost time for nighttime prayer, Sister Yvette, bring all the children to their rooms

 

Sister Yvette had already brought Marie and Annette to their rooms. Ever since they had been closing orphanages left and right, it had gotten a little bit crowded in Mother Clarabelle’s space as the 110 girls from newborn to late teenagers had barely anywhere else they could go. The only reason Mother Clarabelle’s orphanage didn’t suffer the same fate was because of the laundry. The former orphanage they were in was a catholic orphanage, but it wasn’t like this place. It was large and had a school attached to it. This place was slightly overcrowded, and it was such that the 9 year old Anna would be getting a roommate.

 

Sister Yvette: Unfortunately, you’ll have to share a room with Bernadette; she’s the same age as you

 

Bernadette was of Spanish and Romani descent and had olive skin and chocolate brown eyes. 

 

Sister Yvette: Bernadette, This is Anna, make her feel at home

 

Bernadette: Yes Sister

 

And with that she and Claudette who was with her, walk away to go toward her room. Anna was shocked at how sparse the room was, with only two beds, two dressers and a table between the two beds, it was a very confined space.

 

Bernadette: Sorry this place is so small

 

Anna: I’m use to it; though this place is a lot smaller than my last orphanage 

 

Bernadette: Where are you from?

 

Anna: Chaumont

 

Suddenly Madeline and Nicole walked into her room. Nicole was Madeline’s Half-Jewish Roommate and had brown hair and eyes like a young Winona Ryder. She was also two inches shorter than Madeline.

 

Bernadette: Nicole, Madeline, this is Anna

 

Nicole looked at Anna, then looked at Madeline 

 

Nicole: Madeline, you and her look the same

 

Bernadette: *looks at both of them* You know they sort of do, stand together for a second

 

Anna and Madeline nervously stand together as Nicole and Bernadette look over them. Anna did look very similar to Madeline, but was two inches taller and had light auburn hair and light freckles.

 

Madeline: So Anna when’s your birthday

 

Anna: February 28th 

 

Nicole: *looks close at both of them* you have the same exact color eyes

 

Bernadette: Isn’t that rare unless they’re related

 

Sister Emilie then enters the room to see if they were minding their nighttime prayer. 

 

Sister Emilie: Excuse me ladies, but it’s time to observe nighttime prayer

 

Bernadette: Ah Sister, doesn’t Madeline look a lot like the new girl

 

Sister Emilie: Yes they have the same eye color, wait was size shoe are you

 

Anna: 36

 

Madeline: Me too

 

Sister Emilie: Well when you girls grow up, you’ll be the same height. Anyway Madeline, Nicole, I don’t want you girls getting a lashing from Sister Marie again, so why don’t you go to your room quickly.

 

Nicole: Good Idea

 

Madeline: Bye Guys

 

Anna was perplexed by the whole ordeal, but nonetheless she observed the nighttime prayer before she went to bed. A week later before the day could begin at 5, at 4:30 The sound of a leather strap, and screaming at the end of the corridor woke both the girls up.

 

Anna: *heavy breathing* It’s like this here too

 

Bernadette: Stella wet the bed again, wait this happened at your old orphanage

 

Anna: They use to drag girls by the hair into the dungeon

 

Bernadette: We have one too; it’s the basement of this place

 

But what they didn’t know was that it wasn’t Mother Clarabelle whipping her, it was Sister Mary, who went to get the little ones up first. Stella was a 5-year-old girl that was very sweet, but had a history of bedwetting and some undiagnosed learning disorder that no one knew about at the time. Usually Mother Clarabelle would whip her five times and that was that, but this time they heard way more than that.

 

Stella: *sobs*

 

Sister Mary: *whisper* Come On, let's make it feel better Ok

 

Stella agreed, what they did before 5 am nobody would know, but her and Bernadette told the rest of the girls what they heard.

 

Nicole: That wasn’t Mother Clarabelle that beat her this time

 

Bernadette: But it could have been anyone, maybe it was the new nun Sister Mary. Every nun except Sister Emilie and Sister Chloe used to beat Stella for wetting the bed, every nun except for Mother Clarabelle, Sister Gretchen, and Sister Yvette, beat her once. Sister Gretchen will only smack on the hands 5 times.

 

Nicole: Sister Marie will whip you three times

 

Madeline: What about Sister Margaret, she’s never beaten anyone, but maybe it’s because she’s old hehe

 

Suddenly Stella comes from behind them with welts all over her face and visibly shaken. She knew that she could never tell anyone what happened to her this morning. 

 

Madeline: STELLA, ARE YOU ALL RIGHT

 

Stella: *sniff* Yes, I’m Ok

 

Madeline: Stella, you have marks and bruises all over you, and you’re not walking straight, Who hurt you

 

Stella: *sobs* I can’t

 

Madeline: Stella, Let’s go to the nurse 

 

Which is what they did. While Nurse Travers was examining Stella and was horrified at what she saw, she had to tell Mother Clarabelle who was busy with Father McCoy eating a great big raw steak together. What she found on Stella was more than just marks and bruises.

 

Mother Clarabelle: What is it Nurse Travers

 

Nurse Travers: Forgive me Mother, but it’s Stella, we have to take her to a hospital

 

Mother Clarabelle: Did she run into something again

 

Nurse Travers: Someone violated her Mother

 

The two people's eyes were as big as saucers, who could have done that. Well it was none of their concern.

 

Mother Clarabelle: Father, I think I know what we have to do

 

Father McCoy: It is unfortunante, she is the product of the devil now

 

And with Stella very confused they led her to a waiting car to go to the hospital, when in fact, she was going to just go to a regular orphanage that wasn’t religious. But to the other kids, they might as well have killed her. Mother Clarabelle was hushing it up and getting paid for it and with Stella gone, that meant a little bit more profit for them. Anna happened to be walking past Madeline and Nicole’s room and heard sobbing coming out the other side.

 

Madeline: *sobs* If I had just kept my mouth shut *sniff* Stella would still be alive *sniff* God please send her back, I promise I won’t say anything to anybody

 

Nicole: I miss Sister Chloe *sniff* If she saw Stella like that, she would have protected her from leaving

 

Anna: The person who hurt her would be better off having a great millstone fastened around their neck and have them drowned in the depth of the sea. It says it in the book of Matthew

 

Madeline: *sobs* WHERE DOES IT SAY IN THE SCRIPTURE THAT IT’S OK TO HURT CHILDREN TO THE POINT THAT THEY CAN’T WALK CORRECTLY *sniff* 

 

Unfortunately for them, Sister Mary was also standing in the doorway. She was trying to get them to mind their nighttime prayer and she was impressed with Anna’s knowledge of the scripture.

 

Sister Mary: YOUNG LADIES, WHY AREN’T YOU OBSERVING NIGHTTIME PRAYER, AND YOU, I WANT YOU TO TELL ME WHAT CHAPTER VERSE YOU GOT THAT FROM

 

Anna: Matthew Chapter 18 Verse 6, it can also be applied to Luke Chapter 17 Verses 1-2 and Mark Chapter 9 Verse 40

 

Sister Mary: *slaps hard* ONE ANSWER WAS ENOUGH, AND BOTH OF YOU STOP YOUR CRYING OR I’LL SLAP THE TEARS OUT YOUR EYES

 

Anna: *heavy breathing* Even Jesus wept in the Garden of Gethsemane before hi- 

 

Sister Mary: *slaps hard* YOU ARE ALL BASTARD CHILDREN, DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME, AND IF YOU SAY ANY MORE QUOTES, BY GOD I WILL SEND YOU HOME *grabs Anna by the arm* NOW IT’S TIME FOR BED, GET TO YOUR ROOM AND DON’T MAKE A SOUND, GOODNIGHT.

 

Madeline and Nicole were so horrified that they didn’t sleep a wink and over the past couple months, the girls learned to fear Sister Mary like the plague. Sister Mary would beat girls for absolutely no reason at all and most of the girls would cower in the corner whenever she would arrive. She was very quick to anger compared to most of the nuns and she certainly let you know it if you did anything remotely irritating. There were very few children she did actually like and those children would be the ones she would take to her room. She then began having sick dreams about what she could do to both Madeline and Anna because they looked so similar.

 

Sister Mary (To herself): Oh what I could do to those two, this is going to be fun. Anna is very intelligent so she's gonna be hard to rope in, but Madeline is very eager to please. I have to get everything ready.

 

Later that night, Sister Mary enacted her diabolical plan. Both girls didn’t know what to expect as the time came.

 

Anna: I have a very bad feeling about this. Why does Sister Mary want to see the both of us?

 

Madeline: I don’t know, she doesn’t like a lot of people, why are we special?

 

The girls head up the stairs to the nuns quarters. Madeline knew where Sister Mary’s room was because that was where Sister Chloe’s room once was. All the girls missed Sister Chloe because she allowed them to go to her room much to the dismay of the rest of the nuns who got rid of her when the opportunity presented itself. As they opened the door Sister Mary was in a cheerful mood.

 

Sister Mary: Ah Welcome Girls, I’ve prepared special drinks just for the two of you

 

Anna: That’s wine

 

Sister Mary: I think you girls are mature enough to handle a few drinks

 

Madeline: Umm I don’t like the taste of wine

 

Anna: We’re not of legal age to drink 

 

Sister Mary: Oh, but it doesn’t matter to god, He says to drink your wine with a merry heart

 

Anna: But we’re not in Israel and there is plenty of drinking water, besides when you break the law, you are disobeying god as well.

 

Sister Mary: Alright Grape Juice it is, Let me go get it

 

But Sister Mary knew that the girls wouldn’t just go with wine, especially Anna. Unfortunately for them Sister Mary did have grape juice mixed with vodka that she made herself. She made damn sure that it tasted like grape juice.

 

Sister Mary: It’s my own special recipe too, I think it tastes a lot sweeter

 

The two girls nervously drink the concoction of Alcohol and Grape Juice, they both don’t notice the taste and start praising the drink.

 

Madeline: Wow, this is the best grape juice i’ve ever had

 

Anna: It’s very sweet, what ingredients did you use

 

Sister Mary: Ah well, I only chose the sweetest grapes from the vineyard where I grew up

 

Well no she didn’t grow up in a vineyard, but if lying was the only way to get these girls to do her bidding, then Sister Mary had no problem with it

 

Sister Mary: The men would pick the grapes down in the orchard and would usually ferment them, but when I was a girl, in order to sweeten them I would immediately store them in a bag of sugar and citric acid. You know grapes don’t sweeten when you pick them up immediately.

 

Anna: Yes, they usually rot very quickly *gulp* have you tried mixing water with the sugar as well

 

Sister Mary: Yes, it actually is more consistent that way

 

Madeline: Do you have any more of this

 

Sister Mary: Of course drink as much as you want girls 

 

After about an hour the girls felt slightly looser, especially Anna, who completely let go of her principals.

 

Anna: Haha and then Sister Jeanne would pretend that she was a racehorse by placing the belt behind her and as she would whip you she would say “neigh”

 

Sister Mary: Hahaha she probably looked like one too

 

Anna: She was too fat to be one, she’d just be a hippo

 

Sister Mary: Haha, well some people can’t help it you know, not like you girls, Madeline practically looks like Grace Kelly 

 

Madeline: Who’s Grace Kelly

 

Sister Mary: Oh, she was a beautiful actress, and then she got married and stopped

 

Madeline: Maybe she was tired and wanted to stop

 

Sister Mary: Oh you never just stop being an actress, say I know why don’t we take pictures after you finish this grape juice down in the basement

 

Madeline: Really, that sounds fun

 

Sister Mary: But you can’t tell anybody about this or i’ll probably be fired haha

 

While Madeline was unaware of Sister Mary’s intentions Anna had some reservations, but after the girls drank even more of Sister Mary’s grape juice they indeed went down into the basement and they continued to go down in the basement for the next six years. Sister Mary would molest the two of them together or separately, but when she could get the two of them together it was ideal. There were other girls that fell prey to her too, but nobody would tell anybody anything for fear of getting taken away like Stella.

Chapter 3: 69

Over the coming years, a lot changed culturally and socially, but for the girls at Mother Clarabelle’s Orphanage, time stood still. People also came and went such as Sister Emilie, who spoke out against Sister Mary and within six months of Sister Mary’s arrival she was gone, off to another orphanage in Spain. It wasn’t just Sisters leaving or dying either, Bernadette ended up getting the opportunity to go to a boarding school fully paid and she took it at 13 years old. Meanwhile the influx of new orphans was dwindling and the future of the Orphanage and the Laundry was dim. They were predicting by 1972 that the Orphanage and laundry would finally shut its doors for good. 

 

In the early 60's when Anna first came to the orphanage, they had almost 120 girls living there, by 1969 it was down to 67 and it was mostly older girls that were still waiting to turn 18 like Anna, Madeline, and Nicole. Sister Mary deliberately kept her favorites until they reached 18 and didn’t vary often. There was one younger girl she took an interest in that was keeping her attention for the most part, which meant that she wasn’t molesting Anna and Madeline as often.

 

For the two girls though living was hard enough, they never felt like they were pretty or beautiful, they were just fuel for Sister Mary’s hormones. They never told anybody at school what happened in the basement of that orphanage because they knew about institutions and it scared them to death. For Anna it was especially a nightmare because she was clearly one of the brightest students at school and the nuns thought so as well, but Sister Mary would beat her if she even thought about leaving her for another much better school. One Day in May of 1969 the nuns of the catholic school in town sent her transcript to one of the top boarding schools in Switzerland and she got accepted, she was finally free of Sister Mary’s hands for good.

 

Nun 1: Congratulations Anna, St Georges International School isn’t easy to get into for any girl, you did it

 

Nun 2: Not many get the chance like this, and it’s fully paid too

 

Anna: I’m going to miss you all

 

Anna ran to tell Madeline and Nicole about being accepted into a Swiss boarding school.

 

Anna: Nicole, Madeline I was accepted

 

Nicole: That’s great Anna *hugs*

 

Madeline: *sniff* You’re finally getting out of here *hugs*

 

Anna: *hugs* Once I get an apartment in Switzerland, we’re all living in it, no more laundry work for us

 

Nicole: Lake Geneva is so pretty

 

Madeline: I know, but isn’t it cold there

 

Anna: It depends on the region, but it should be beautiful regardless, I’ll be bumping shoulders with diplomats and politicians children

 

Suddenly Sister Mary is in the doorway and she is bawling her eyes out, but what's diabolical is that she has all of Anna’s entrance paperwork in her hands and she is about to do something heinous.

 

Sister Mary: YOU’RE LEAVING US *sniff*

 

Anna: I’m sorry Sister, but I 

 

Sister Mary: OVER MY DEAD BODY *sniff* HOW COULD YOU LEAVE WITH THIS *shows admission paperwork* WELL I CAN TELL YOU IT’S *rip* NOT *rip* HAPPENING *rip* NOW

 

Anna is in complete shock, without that paperwork she wouldn’t be able to be admitted to the school and Sister Mary had just ruined that chance in an instant.

 

Sister Mary: *grab* You are going to think long and hard about this, Goodnight Girls

 

Anna was so shocked she just went along with Sister Mary, but this was the seed that was planted in her that night. She cried all night long as she wrote a letter to Madeline and Nicole. At around 1am while everyone including the nuns were fast asleep, Anna took action. She snuck into Madeline and Nicole’s room and placed the note in Nicole’s backpack because if she put it in Madeline’s, she wouldn’t notice it right away. She then walked toward the laundry building and climbed the six story structure. There were tears in her eyes, but she still looked poised as she reached the top of the laundry.

 

Anna: *sobs* God *sniff* May your kingdom take me home *sniff* To you, O Lord, I cry, and to the Lord I plead for mercy *sniff* “What profit is there in my death, if I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it tell of your faithfulness? Hear, O Lord, and be merciful to me *sniff* O Lord, be my helper!  for you have turned my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent. O Lord my God *sniff* I will give thanks to you forever!

 

After saying this she jumps six stories, but fortunately the sound of her fall woke up the tenant.

 

Tenant: What in Jesus name is that sound

 

He goes to investigate where that sound came from, he pushes the door to his house open and shines his flashlight around the building where to his horror his dog starts barking at the smell of fresh blood coming from the fence. To the horror of the tenant, Anna was killed instantly when the speed of her fall connected with the sharp fencepost, leaving her impaled.

 

Tenant: MOTHER CLARABELLE

 

The ambulance and police were there within ten minutes and the sound of it woke everyone in the orphanage up.

 

Father McCoy: GET BACK TO BED EVERYONE

 

Orphan 1: What’s going on father

 

Father McCoy: SOMEONE FELL OFF THE ROOF OF THE LAUNDRY, BUT THEY’LL BE OK, NOW GET BACK TO BED

 

Nicole: Where’s Anna

 

Madeline went to check Anna’s room, and when she wasn’t there, it sent shockwaves through her. Then it immediately dawned on Madeline that it was Anna who fell off the roof, but before she could become upset, Mother Clarabelle showed up to remind everyone to go back to bed.

 

Mother Clarabelle: ALL OF YOU GET BACK TO BED IMMEDIATELY

 

Madeline: *sobs* ANNA JUMPED OFF THE ROOF OF THE LAUNDRY DIDN’T SHE

 

As she was saying this a detective agent stumbled into the hallway to do the deceased paperwork. He even stumbled saying what he inevitably was forced to say, but Madeline knew by his expression that Anna was indeed dead.

 

Detective: *heavy breathing* S-she w-was impaled b-y a f-f-fence-post

 

Madeline then ran into her room, with Nicole right behind her and started bawling and hyperventilating uncontrollably. Nicole was also numb, but nevertheless the two girls cried and hugged each other for hours.

 

Madeline: *sobs* I understand Anna *sniff* It wasn’t selfish *sniff* you were just trying to escape the pain weren’t you *sniff* 

 

Nicole: *sniff* Madeline

 

Madeline: *sobs* I’ll never forgive them *sniff* I WANT TO LEAVE HERE AND *sniff* NEVER COME BACK

 

Nicole: *sniff* I wish there was a wa-, there’s something in my bag that wasn’t there before

 

Nicole then takes the piece of paper sticking out of her bag, it was the suicide note Anna left behind. She then started reading it and ultimately became shocked at what she was reading

 

Madeline and Nicole *sniff* You two are my best friends, I’m only writing this letter to you. Now that my dream of escaping this place is no longer an option, I’m going to die *sniff* My life has been nothing but misery ever since I was born, I have no other option and even though there have been nice nuns in this world, the only ones I know have beaten me and call me a bastard. I wish that I wasn’t born so intelligent, then maybe I wouldn’t have been beaten as badly. Nicole I’m so sorry *sniff* but the truth is Sister Mary has been molesting me and Madeline for six years. 

 

Nicole stops for a second and Madeline starts hyperventilating much worse

 

Nicole: MADELINE *hugs* SHE TOUCHED YOU

 

Madeline: *shaking* Y-y-yes N-n-nicole *sniff* 

 

Nicole is absolutely stunned, but determined to keep reading the letter while being an absolute wreck

 

The only reason she doesn’t include you is she thinks you don’t deserve love because you’re half jewish. 

 

Now Nicole is both very confused and very upset with Sister Mary

 

Nicole: *sobs* WHAT DOES BEING JEWISH HAVE TO DO WITH BEING MOLESTED *sniff* 

 

Madeline: *sobs* She won’t go near anybody who’s not pure and godly *punches bed* she thinks all of us are special bastard children and that in order to get to the kingdom of heaven *sniff* we must have this done in order to obtain god's love

 

Madeline is now seriously contemplating leaving the orphanage for good after revealing so much information to Nicole. Nicole is undeterred, her and Madeline were practically like sisters.

 

Nicole: Madeline *sniff* you have to tell a psychologist or a police officer or something 

 

Madeline: *sobs* I’ll be thrown in the loony bin if I *sniff* told anybody what Sister Mary does to us

 

Nicole then finishes reading Anna's Suicide Note

 

Sister Mary needs a great Milestone caste in the depths of the sea if she thinks that only pretty children deserve love. What she did to us was not out of love, but out of power and manipulation for her own needless desires. I want you two to be free *sniff* Think of me as Jesus dying for all your sins. In Deuteronomy 30:19 it says that I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live. You two need to do better than me *sniff* you need to find people who love you and if you need to escape this prison then so be it. Sister Mary stole the only opportunity I had to be free and now I have nothing, don’t be like me, I love both of you and I hope we can meet again someday, Anna

 

Nicole was shocked, but Madeline saw it as a sign to leave.

 

Madeline: *sobs* Nicole *sniff* There is not a doubt in my mind now *sniff* I have to leave this place

 

Nicole: *sniff* But Madeline, we can’t leave for another three years

 

Madeline: *sobs* AND I CAN'T TAKE ANOTHER SECOND *sniff* If I stay here I will end up like Anna *sniff* I’m serious Nicole you should come with me

 

Nicole is shocked, the only home they had even known was Mother Clarabelle’s Orphanage. Mother Clarabelle had been afraid to transfer Madeline because of the huge scandal her birth caused within the church and Nicole had only gotten to Mother Clarabelle's when she was 6 after her original orphanage closed down and her and three other girls were transferred here

 

Madeline: Think about it *sniff* There’s so much of the world we haven’t seen yet *sniff* The farthest we’ve ever been was the zoo and the amusement park, we’ve never been outside the country, we’ve never been to America

 

Nicole: Madeline *sniff* we need passports to get out of the country *sniff* Remember when Olivia tried running away *sniff* They found her and almost beat her to death

 

Madeline: That’s because she didn’t leave town *sniff* The people that found her went to our church and knew her. If we go far enough away where no one knows us *sniff* like Paris

 

Nicole: Paris is only 4 hours away from here 

 

Madeline: And a world away from this orphanage *sniff* nobody in our orphanage has ever gone that far before

 

Nicole: But the train costs $5.50 for the both of us and I only have $12.75

 

Madeline then realizes that Nicole is definitely Jewish, but that wasn’t important, what was important was she had some money. If the Children worked in the laundry, they got 5 cents a day. Nicole had saved quite a bit of her money for a rainy day. Madeline was not good at saving her money and only had $1.50.

 

Madeline: YOU HAVE MONEY NICOLE

 

Nicole: But what about food, shelter, clothes, don’t we need those things too

 

Madeline: That’s part of the adventure *sniff* If we stay here we’re doomed to a life of working in the laundry and forever being known as bastards *sniff* Out there we can be anybody, no one will know we’re orphans if we don’t tell them.

 

Nicole: I’m scared Madeline *sniff* What if we get caught and brought back *sniff* We’ll be beaten so bad that they’ll force the laundry on us until we’re old and can’t move.

 

Madeline: *hugs* Think Nicole *sniff* What would Anna want us to do?

 

Anna was one of the bravest people either one of them met. Her suicide was shocking, but before that, even when she was being abused and molested, she was very stoic, keeping her emotions to herself, unlike Madeline and Nicole who wore them on their sleeves. It was hard for them to accept that Anna was gone, and for the two girls to contemplate escaping the orphanage to a place they’ve never been before was a daunting task.

 

Nicole: *shaking* The sad thing is *sniff* even when Anna was beaten, she wouldn’t cry *sniff* but she kept all that in and when Sister Mary ripped apart those papers she snapped *sniff* I wish she’d have just talked to us *sniff* Then maybe we could have all escaped together

 

Madeline: Then it’s settled Nicole *sniff* we’re doing this because Anna told us

 

Nicole: But when are we going to escape *sniff*

 

Madeline: Tomorrow *sniff* we have to do it while Anna’s death is still on everyone’s mind *sniff* And we don’t want anybody to find that letter

 

Nicole: Let’s burn it

 

Madeline: Hehe *sniff* I don’t think she would want us to do that either

 

The two girls spent all night planning their escape. It was going to be relatively simple, they walk almost a mile and a half to school every morning. The problem was that the nuns saw everybody each morning at the gate and everyone would know if they skipped because the people in town knew what the orphan uniforms looked like. They knew one of the sisters had a clothing drive for the poor and the class would contribute sometimes, but in this case they decided they were going to get their own uniforms dirty on purpose so that they could grab something that fit them and once the nun was in the laundry with the uniforms being washed, they would hitch hike to the train station in Alsace–Moselle once they got to the main road out of the town. The morning of the escape was grim with the death of Anna fresh on the minds of everyone. The detective's car and two other police cars were still around the laundry investigating when everyone left for school that morning.

 

Nicole: I can’t believe they’re still there, so how are we getting our uniform dirty

 

Luckily it had been a damp day before and there was a fresh mud puddle on the ground next to Madeline. Madeline carefully looked around, there was nobody around them.

 

Madeline: Why don’t we jump in that puddle *jumps in puddle*

 

Nicole: MADELINE YOU’VE GONE MAD

 

Madeline: Look it actually penetrated through the fabric, this is gonna take a while for them to wash and look around, nobody saw us do it either

 

Nicole: *looks around* Alright you *jumps in puddle* got me

 

The two girls only meant to do it once and that was enough, the next part of their plan was to make it to Sister Colette’s after they got reprimanded by the nun at the gate.

 

Madeline: Now all we have to do is tell Sister Margaret about how we fell into a puddle

 

Nicole: I can’t believe it’s soaking right through

 

Unfortunately when they got to the gate, Sister Margaret was indeed very cross with them.

 

Sister Margaret: Ladies, what is the meaning of this

 

Madeline: A truck got our uniforms dirty Sister

 

Sister Margaret: It looks to me like you jumped in a puddle

 

Nicole: No, the truck splashed mud on us, luckily he only got the hem of our skirts, we should really get shorter skirts if we were going to avoid that

 

Sister Margaret: *grabs both by the ears* You’re explaining this to Sister Colette

 

Madeline (To herself): *owww* All according to plan

 

Nicole (To herself): Madeline *owww* Why?

 

Once inside the building, Sister Margaret practically threw the two girls at Sister Colette who was busy washing linens. Madeline knew that there was another room next to where she would wash where they would wait for their clothes to be done. Recently the school had gotten a new dryer and they knew when she went in there it would take her 20 minutes for the uniforms to be dry again. 

 

Sister Colette: Oh hello girls, It looks like you accidentally stepped in a mud puddle. I just need the shoes, socks, and skirt it looks like. Anyway you girls go in that room while I do this.

 

Which they do immediately, in that room there was also clothes that were for the poor that the school gave out around the country. They had to sift through them and find things in their size as quickly as possible while she was in the drying room, but for now with Anna’s death still fresh, Sister Colette was concerned for the two girls.

 

Sister Colette: Anna was such a bright girl, are you two going to be alright 

 

The two were taken aback, but they knew that if they let their emotions get to them, the plan wouldn’t work.

 

Madeline: Yes Sister, we’ll be fine

 

Nicole: Anna wouldn’t want us to feel sorry for her

 

Sister Colette: I’m glad *sniff* It was so tragic, I’m surprised you girls are holding it together, I’ll dry your uniforms for extra time Ok girls

 

Both Girls: Yes Sister

 

After about 20 minutes she finished getting the stains out of both the girls clothes and went into the drying room. Once they heard the door of the drying room shut, the girls took action, they knew if they went trying on pants it would take longer. The girls went through sizes like mad, Madeline being 40 and Nicole being 38. Madeline found her size immediately while Nicole was struggling

 

Nicole: Madeline I can’t find a 38 they’re all 40’s

 

Madeline: Just get a 40

 

A 40 was way too big for Nicole, but she found a light blue dress and quickly put it on. Then the girls waited a bit to get their shoes because they were drying outside the window pane, while the socks and uniform were still in the dryer. They knew Sister Colette was old and couldn’t hear very well, and they also knew that they had to leave the socks and uniform behind.

 

Nicole: This is so uncomfortable to walk in Madeline

 

Madeline: This is so tight on me

 

Madeline legit looked like a hooker in her simple black dress with a torn sleeve, it was a conservative dress, while Nicole had a hard time keeping herself covered

 

Nicole: Let’s just switch

 

Madeline: Quickly

 

Time was really not on their side, It had been 10 minutes since Sister Colette went into the room with the dryer and their uniforms were almost done. 

 

Sister Colette: These dryers are so slow

 

Unfortunately for them the dryer went off, that wasn’t good

 

Madeline: We’re dead

 

Nicole: Madeline, let’s just take these off

 

But luckily for them Sister Colette wasn’t satisfied with how damp they still were

 

Sister Colette: These uniforms are far from being dry girls, it’s probably going to take another half-hour

 

Madeline: Oh, that’s fine Sister

 

Sister Colette: At least you have an hour before class starts

 

Nicole: Yeah, we are pretty lucky

 

The girls had dodged a proverbial bullet, but now the next part of their plan could commence. Once they got the shoes from the windowpane, there was a small corridor that led to the outside, but they had to pass quite a big hallway on the other side where Students and Nuns could come outside and walk at a moment's notice. The girls sneakily took their shoes without making a sound and quietly opened the door to the corridor. The girls were breathing heavily as they closed the door, and ran barefoot toward the hallway, looking around the corner and seeing two Nuns walking to their classroom. Luckily they didn’t come toward them. Once they waited a minute they took the biggest leap of faith yet and opened the door to the outside without anybody seeing anything.

 

Madeline: *looks around* You don’t see anybody right Nicole

 

Nicole: Nope, let’s go find a food truck

 

The next part of their plan was finding a delivery truck that had quite a bit of space and a place to hide. Unfortunately when they got to the delivery bay, there was nothing.

 

Nicole: *heavy panting* Madeline, none of the vans have closed backs

 

Madeline: *heavy panting* We’ve come too far to give up now

 

Just by chance, they see a truck making deliveries far off in the distance, not at the school but at the furniture shop across the street.

 

Madeline: Nicole *pant* If that truck doesn’t say Paris on it we’re hitchhiking on the main road

 

Nicole: *sigh* I hope we don’t get picked up by creeps

 

Without being spotted by any of the nuns, they run toward the Citroen H van, nobody is around it, but the driver is still inside footing the bill. The girls see the passenger door open and slip right in, fortunately the cabin was closed. Once the driver would get back to the truck and pull away, the girls would be free.

 

Nicole: It smells awful in here, what are they delivering cow manure

 

Madeline: I think it's furniture polish

 

The van that they stepped in was not from Paris, but from Reims

 

Delivery Driver: Alright Bye

 

It turned out, the driver had a weird habit of leaving the passenger door open, once he closed the door and started the car he was actually on his way to Paris to deliver furniture polish to another store, he had to be there by 3.

 

Delivery Driver: Fuck, Paris is gonna take me forever

 

The driver then pops a Benny and takes off. Madeline and Nicole were huddled on the driver side trying not to make a sound.

 

Madeline: *hugs* Nicole we’re free

 

Nicole: *hugs* We did it *sniff*

 

The driver thought he heard something

 

Delivery Driver: I knew I shouldn’t have taken this shit before driving

 

Meanwhile panic was setting in at the school. First Anna died, and now Madeline and Nicole were missing.

 

Sister Colette: I was washing their uniforms *sniff* they were in the room waiting for them to be done, I don’t know how they could have disappeared.

 

Sister Giselle: WELL, THEY'RE NOT IN MY CLASSROOM

 

Sister Colette: I’ll call Mother Clarabelle

 

Unfortunately that was the wrong time to call Mother Clarabelle, she was still dealing with how to bury Anna’s body

 

Mother Clarabelle: WHAT DO YOU MEAN MADELINE AND NICOLE AREN’T AT SCHOOL

 

Sister Margaret: We looked all over the school, we’re sending the police out for them now, they couldn’t have gone far

 

Mother Clarabelle: YOU KNOW GIRLS THEIR AGE KNOW HOW TO HITCHHIKE, IF THAT HAPPENED WE’RE SCREWED DO YOU HEAR ME

 

Sister Margaret: Yes Mother, I have your word that we’ll bring them back safe

 

After Sister Margaret hung up, Sister Mary was a wreck, with Anna dead and Madeline missing, she was beside herself. 

 

Father McCoy: Sister Mary, This is certainly a tragedy or a Shakespearean opera. 

 

Mother Clarabelle: This certainly puts our orphanage at a great disadvantage. We haven’t accepted a new arrival in months and now people are starting to buy industrial strength washing machines. At this rate the orphanage will certainly close in five years unless we modernize our laundry

 

Father McCoy: But the women that have been there for generations won’t have a Job.

 

Sister Mary: I just want the girls to come home safe and sound

 

Mother Clarabelle: All we can do is pray for their safe return Sister Mary, I think we should start putting a security system around the perimeter to make sure this never happens again.

 

Father McCoy: Right i’ll be on the phone with them tomorrow

Chapter 4: Freedom

Unfortunately for them they weren’t ever coming home, Madeline and Nicole were hiding in a Citroen van on their way to Paris, It had been almost two hours since the driver left their village and they were still behind the driver as he was listening to the radio

 

Deliver Driver: *smokes* 

 

It was a good thing the driver had the window open, or the two girls would have been coughing in the back like crazy, unfortunately for them a news bulletin came on.

 

Radio Announcer: We bring you this update, two girls from a town outside Alsace–Moselle are missing, 15 year old Madeline Dullaghan and Nicole Kessler were la-

 

Delivery Driver: *shuts radio off* If they’re 15 then who gives a fuck, probably hitchhiked and joined a cult, stupid kids nowadays

 

Madeline and Nicole were shocked, but were also really surprised with the Delivery Drivers language. About thirty minutes later the driver finally pulled into a rest stop outside Reims and got out of the Van for lunch. Madeline and Nicole then exited the Vehicle as soon as they could. Luckily they were in an isolated area, but they still didn’t know where they were

 

Nicole: *heavy breathing* Madeline we’re fugitives

 

Madeline: *heavy breathing* We’re nowhere near Paris are we

 

Nicole: I guess we really do have to hitchhike now

 

The two then walked on the valley roads hoping to find somebody to pick them up

 

Madeline: Do you think anybody here knows we’re gone

 

Nicole: I know if we stayed with that guy we would have been brought back for sure or worse

 

Madeline was visibly shocked at that, but they kept going with their thumbs out, they really had no idea where they were.

 

Madeline: Actually, where are we right now?

 

Nicole: It looks like they’re building some new highway over there

 

Which would later become the A4 in 1973, but for now people have passed them constantly, not wanting to give them a ride.

 

Madeline: But you know what Nicole, were finally free *sniff* WE’RE FINALLY FREE NICOLE

 

Nicole: MADELINE WE’RE STILL FUGITIVES 

 

Madeline: Yeah but, there are no police cars picking us up are there

 

Nicole: There’s going to be if we don’t get a ride soon

 

Suddenly a women driving a 1967 Peugeot coupe notices the two girls 

 

Stephanie: What are those two girls wearing

 

She then sees that they’re hitchhiking. Stephanie Zubont happened to be a fashion designer and was on her way to Paris from Lyon. She felt bad for the girls outfits and decided to help them out

 

Madeline: Look someone’s pulling over

 

Nicole: And it’s not a creepy old man

 

Madeline: That car looks expensive

 

Stephanie then pulls over to the side of the road where the girls are.

 

Stephanie: You’re hitchhiking in 50’s outfits and you’re barefoot, that’s pretty bold. How old are you girls

 

Nicole: Were both 15 and we really need a ride to Paris, My mom is having a baby and we need to be there

 

Stephanie: Oh wow really, is it a boy or a girl

 

Nicole: Girl

 

Stephanie: But what are you girls doing out here

 

Nicole: It’s a long story, i’ll tell you on the way to the hospital

 

Stephanie: Ok, I’m going to Paris too so get in, is it Maternity Port-Royal Hospital

 

Nicole: Yes, you know where it is

 

Stephanie: Yep

 

The girls then close the door and try not to say too much, but Stephanie was very interested in the two girls.

 

Stephanie: It looks like you had a pretty harrowing adventure

 

Nicole: Haha well we did escape from a party last night and for some reason nobody at the event wanted to give us a lift back home so here we are

 

Stephanie: You girls look way too young to have those kind of parties anyway, are you two related

 

Nicole: No, she’s just a really good friend of mine

 

Stephanie: You know, you’re really pretty, you should be on a cover of Elle or Vogue or something

 

Madeline: I don’t know about that, they’re are plenty of people out there who are much prettier than I am

 

Unfortunately for Stephanie, Madeline was extremely self-conscious about how beautiful she was. Sister Mary had taken all of her self-confidence away from her

 

Stephanie: Sweetheart I work with models, I wouldn’t say that about anybody, you stand out to me somehow, What’s your name

 

Madeline: Madeline

 

Stephanie: That’s such a pretty name too

 

Nicole: Oh umm I’m Nicole by the way

 

Stephanie: Madeline, Nicole, How would you like to become Models

 

This shocked the hell out of both of them, they were not expecting to come into a strangers car and asked to be Models on the spot.

 

Nicole: Umm What kind of Modeling 

 

Stephanie: Well, I am a fashion designer, I was actually looking for somebody to model my collection of fall wear for Milan fashion week

 

Nicole: Is it true that models throw up in order to retain their figure

 

Stephanie: Sweetheart, where did you hear that

 

Nicole: Well i’ve never seen a model who was fat

 

Stephanie: Hahaha, Fat people on the cover of Elle or Sports Illustrated, people would throw a fit seeing all that schlop, could you imagine a nude plus size model on the cover of playboy hahaha It would be like watching the pillsbury doughboy doing a striptease

 

Madeline: What if they weren’t super fat, but looked amazing anyway

 

Stephanie: It’s unhealthy Sweetheart, it’ll encourage people to gain weight, we’d have more fat people on this earth and all the beautiful delicate petite models will disappear

 

Nicole: I don’t think that will happen unless somebody in power would sprinkle something in all the food and whatever they sprinkled would cause people to gain weight

 

The three laugh hard at that, but Stephanie was also concerned about the girls outfits and shoes.

 

Stephanie: Anyway about those outfits

 

Nicole: Well, they actually burned our clothes

 

Stephanie: WHAT THE HELL KIND OF PARTY WAS THIS

 

Nicole: A Bat Mitzvah at a resort near Alsace–Moselle

 

Stephanie: Oh, that’s a gorgeous town, but you girls must have been sloshed

 

Nicole: We’re too young to drink, they were drunk and threw our clothes over the railing by mistake, we were so mad we stole their parents dresses and that’s how we’re getting to the hospital now, don’t worry we have plenty of clothes in the waiting room.

 

Stephanie: Wow, I would hope so hahaha, Anyway you two should really consider being Models, you’ll get paid a lot of money

 

Now Nicole and Madeline were really contemplating it, but they also knew that the more attention they drew to themselves, the more the nuns from the orphanage would notice and steal them away.

 

Madeline: Well that’s very nice of you, but I think we’ll wait until we’re 18 and besides we don’t really want the attention right now

 

Nicole was about to yell at Madeline, but after she said that she realized that she was right.

 

Nicole: Yeah, we’ll definitely be by once we finish school though

 

Stephanie: But this is a once in a lifetime opportunity *sigh* But you girls seem like you have your head screwed on a lot more tightly then most teenagers I come across, all about ye ye girls and smoking marijuana and meaningless sex, it’s ridiculous.

 

Madeline: What’s a ye ye girl?

 

Stephanie: Thankfully a passing fad as far as i’m concerned. Telling those girls to sing about lollipops and dolls and cutesy shit when they're 16 is ridiculous. Now they sing about their acid flashbacks

 

The three of them talked about a lot of different things leading up to when they got to Paris, Madeline and Nicole were beside themselves at seeing all of the Parisian architecture for the first time.

 

Stephanie: Finally we’re in Paris again, It was nice

 

The two girls were gazing at all the sights in amazement passing by the arc de triomphe and the pantheon, the pavement cafes and corner stores, and other fresh sites they’ve only seen in books or magazines. Mother Clarabelle didn’t allow TV or Radio inside the orphanage, so whatever knowledge they had was from girls at their catholic school.

 

Stephanie: You girls seemed like you haven’t been back for quite some time

 

Nicole: Yeah, about two weeks

 

Stephanie: Well you girls are home now

 

Madeline was almost beside herself, but didn’t show it. She was so proud to finally be away from Sister Mary and away from the constant molestation and abuse at her hands.

 

Madeline (To herself): We did it Anna *sniff* We’re in Paris, We can do anything we want now

 

Unfortunately for them, Stephanie had pulled up right next to the Hospital.

 

Stephanie: Alright Girls we’re here

 

The girls got out of the car and started admiring the structure from a distance.

 

Nicole: You know for a hospital, it seems very tranquil

 

Stephanie: I WISH YOU’RE MOTHER A SPEEDY DELIVERY

 

And with that Stephanie drove away, never to be seen again. The girls then looked at each other and hugged. They were so proud that they’ve gotten this far away from the orphanage.

 

Madeline: *sniff* There’s no way Mother Clarabelle or Sister Mary are going to find us here

 

Nicole: And Nobody knows who we are here

 

Madeline: We can start fresh, it’s impossible for everyone in Paris to know who we are

 

Nicole: Unless we become Ye Ye Singers

 

Madeline: Stephanie wasn’t exactly clear on what they were

 

Soon Madeline’s stomach started to rumble, the last thing they ate was the regular oatmeal that was served daily for breakfast almost 8 hours ago.

 

Madeline: Speaking of which i’m hungry

 

Nicole was hungry too, but there were other things on her mind like trying to find shelter and a job for the both of them. The two girls then walked down Bd du Montparnasse toward the Eiffel Tower after finding a hot dog stand and a newspaper

 

Nicole: Ok Madeline, We now have $9 between us now that we have this newspaper, we need to look for a job and shelter

 

Madeline: Can’t we at least see the Eiffel Tower or The Louvre’

 

Nicole: That cost money

 

Madeline: Looking at the Eiffel Tower from the bottom is free though, we just can’t go to the top

 

Some people were also noticing the two girls used dresses

 

Patron 1: Who’s that Grace Kelly

 

Patron 2: Is that Elizabeth Taylor

 

Patron 3: I can’t tell if she cut her hair

 

The girls were getting weird looks from people because their dresses were out of date formal dresses.

 

Madeline: Hey Nicole, why are people staring at us

 

Nicole: *looks around* Probably because of our dresses

 

Madeline: Maybe we should get clothes also

 

Nicole: Again, that cost money

 

Madeline: So we’re just going to be in this big dresses until we get the money for clothes of our own

 

Nicole: I don’t think we have a choice, unless we work for a laundry again

 

Madeline: That’s the one job I refuse to do

 

Suddenly in the newspaper, Nicole sees an ad for a job at an independent laundry in Vanves for 3 people with two apartments for rent on the top of the building

 

Nicole: Hey Madeline, you’ll probably hate me but I found a job at a laundry

 

Madeline: It’s not religious though, see it says independent

 

Nicole: And this is todays newspaper, so it’s probably still available, and they have two apartments for rent on top of the building

 

Madeline: No Eiffel Tower then

 

Nicole: Maybe when we have money, it says it’s in Vanves

 

Madeline: Is that far

 

Nicole: Well, it looks like it’s in the area

 

Madeline: Let’s just ask somebody where i-

 

The man Madeline unfortunately wanted to ask happened to be walking his pet anteater, the girls freak out and startle back

 

Anteater Man: AHHHHH, He only eats ants

 

Nicole: KEEP THAT THING AWAY FROM ME

 

Madeline: Umm sir, D-Do you K-K-Know where *points at ad* this place is

 

Anteater Man: AHHHHH, No Idea

 

The Girls were stunned, luckily they ask a normal looking woman where they were

 

Woman 1: Oh, that’s about an hour walk from here, you just go straight down that way and that will be on your right.

 

Nicole: Thank You so much

 

Woman 1: Better then Salvador Dali over here

 

Madeline: Is that him

 

Woman 1: Haha no, he has a weird mustache and an even bigger anteater he walks around, he use to walk around a Lancelot too, but then that died and he got the anteater

 

Madeline: Guess cats and dogs weren’t enough for him

 

The three laugh at that and head in that general direction. They were a little lost getting there, and had to ask for directions quite a bit, but they did eventually make it to the area where Delia’s Laundromat was. 

 

Delia: I can’t with those damn kids, they want to slack off so much

 

Yvette: It’s the way of the world now, no respect for anything or anyone, just pure selfishness

 

Delia: I understand, who wants to work in a goddam laundromat for the rest of their lives, but don’t come to work and explain to me how you expanded your mind taking drugs. If you expanded your mind so damn much, the least you can do is be more respectful and articulate

 

Yvette: Did anybody answer the ad yet

 

Delia: Not yet, we only put it out yesterday, and one old lady showed up so far

 

Suddenly Madeline and Nicole show up in their dresses at 5’o clock. It had been 12 hours from the time they got up at the orphanage to this point, if they could get something from this job that would be it. Delia looked at these poor girls with utter shock and amazement, mostly with what they were wearing.

 

Delia: Hello Girls, I see you got dumped at the ball, who was it?

 

Madeline: Hello ma’am ummm

 

Nicole: We saw your ad in the newspaper

 

Delia: How old are you girls?

 

Nicole: Both of us are 15, we actually came here to acquire about the job in your ad

 

Delia: Girls, let me ask both of you this, are you dropouts or did you run away from home.

 

Nicole: Well, yes it’s true we don’t have a home right now, my parents kicked me out and she was being abused by her father.

 

Madeline scrunched up a bit as she said this, Delia noticed this immediately with her. Sister Mary could be very emotionally abusive with Madeline and Anna when she wanted too.

 

Delia: Where are you girls from?

 

Nicole: Near Alsace–Moselle

 

Yvette: That must have been quite a journey, that’s near Germany you know

 

Delia: That’s over 4 hours from here, did you just get here today

 

Nicole: Yes, we snuck in a furniture truck and then we got a ride from this fashion designer

 

Delia: You girls are really lucky you didn’t get kidnapped or worse, but I understand why you did it, you girls came to Paris because you wanted a better opportunity right

 

Nicole: Anything’s better than a town that knows everybody else

 

Delia: You girls are fortunate you’re 15 because if you were 14 you would have been working here part time.

 

Nicole: Anything's fine, we’re not picky at all

 

Yvette: Delia, I’d let these girls live here regardless, What are your names

 

Nicole: Nicole

 

Madeline: Madeline

 

Yvette: Such pretty names too

 

Delia: Also, are those the only clothes you have on you right now?

 

Nicole: Yes, we had to grab these from a homeless clothing drive, we don’t have anything else

 

Delia: Haha, you girls fascinate me, most kids your age don’t want to work, They want to smoke, drink, and have sex.

 

Madeline: That’s what Stephanie said too, she was the one who gave us the ride into Paris

 

Delia: Haha, not only that, but when most people work they complain about the pay, last year we had a huge riot in Paris that almost destroyed my business. It started with college students and then even working people joined. Then De Gaulle started his own riot and that got people to stop.

 

Nicole: What were they protesting

 

Delia: Well I can tell you while the Adults were protesting working conditions and low pay, Kids were protesting being able to spend the night in other peoples dorm rooms.

 

Yvette: My Granddaughter told me one girl was arrested for accidentally hitting a police officer with a brick, I don’t know how you explain that

 

Delia: Anyway, the pay here won’t be so well for a while, it’ll be $1.50 an hour for the both of you, is that fine

 

Madeline: Wow, that’s not bad

 

Nicole: How much is rent for one of your apartments

 

Delia: How about I take 75 cents of your pay

 

Nicole: Then won’t we be making 75 cents an hour

 

Madeline: It’s better then nothing Nicole

 

Delia: Besides, you’re still young kids, and I don’t know how well you girls work.

 

Nicole: Oh, we’ve both worked in laundries before

 

Madeline: That one curtain you have has mold that you have to scrub with baking soda, doesn’t it.

 

Yvette: Wow, how did you know?

 

Madeline: Hehe, I’ve had to do it countless times before, and it looked like someone tried scrubbing it out, but they scrubbed too hard and damaged the fabric. I would use vinegar on these suits before it’s too late as well, lemon juice works also.

 

Delia: What about these dresses

 

Madeline: Oh, for those, I would deodorize with a mix of vinegar and warm water

 

Delia: Wow, should I give you a raise and promote you to manager

 

Madeline: Oh, there’s no need for that

 

Delia: And I was joking too, that’s the funny thing, Anyway you girls are definitely hired.

 

Delia then shows them their apartment. It is a one room studio with a bathroom and nothing else, but for Madeline and Nicole to get this all in one day was a Borderline Miracle. Whatever they took was better than what they had in the orphanage.

 

Delia: I know this place is a drab, but the last people that lived here were heavy pot smokers, I threw them out last week when they moved to heroin

 

Nicole: Well it can stand to use a cleaning

 

Delia: It’ll be the same to you if you start using so be careful, weed is nothing, but once you go for the harder stuff, there’s no turning back. Anyway you girls get plenty of rest, we open at 7 and close at 6, whatever you do before or after I have no control over.

 

And So Delia leaves them to their apartment, there is absolutely nothing in it right now, but for the two girls, they had a roof over their head and they still had the $9 for the both of them.

 

Madeline: *sobs* How *sniff*

 

Nicole: *sniff* Madeline, we did it

 

Madeline: *sniff* This doesn’t feel real to me. This morning we were getting up, cleaning our room, getting ready for school, eating, and going to school. Now we’re in Paris with a job and a roof over our heads *sniff* 

 

Nicole: *sniff* But if we could survive the beatings and the routines of the orphanage *sniff* We can probably survive anything out here

 

Madeline: *sniff* But we still have a schedule and what about school

 

Nicole: Madeline, we have jobs now, what do we need school for

 

Madeline thought deeply about it, while she was generally a good student, she wasn’t the genius that Anna was.

 

Madeline: Think about it Nicole, would Anna want us to just drop out of school and get a job in a laundry

 

Nicole: Madeline, think of this as a start, we can always do better eventually besides *sniff* Anna wanted us to be happy *sniff* The reason we got here alive was because Anna was watching over us.

 

Madeline: Of course Anna would be quoting something from the bible at our situation right now.

 

Nicole: *sobs* I miss her already *sniff* we should have gone to the funeral

 

Madeline: *sniff* You know they’re burying her in a paupers grave because she took her own life *sniff* But you know what we do have from her *sniff* This letter will remind us why we are here in Paris right now and Anna could be together with us in spirit if we keep this with us.

 

Nicole: Yeah *sniff* but maybe we should hide it

 

The only thing the stoner didn’t take with him was a lone drawer that had nothing in it, but it was something that they could use for now. 

 

Nicole: Now Anna is safe inside this drawer

 

Madeline: Haha, yep

 

A few hours later Yvette bought a mattress and clothes from her granddaughter that fit Nicole perfectly, but were a little too tight on Madeline.

 

Yvette: Sorry, My granddaughter is quite short

 

Madeline: Oh it’s fine, it’s better then the dress I was wearing earlier, and thank you for the mattress also

 

Yvette: I figured you girls would rather have something soft to sleep on, I’m just lucky my daughter’s husband had it lying around, I also have a down comforter that I had Matilda get at my apartment

 

Nicole: How old is she?

 

Yvette: She’ll be a sophomore in high school next year

 

Madeline: Us Too

 

Yvette: Wait, Do you girls plan on going back to school, because I think you should, you’ll have a lot more opportunities if you graduate

 

Nicole: I mean if it comes to it, we could get our GED right

 

Suddenly Yvette’s Granddaughter Matilda shows up with the huge down comforter, she and Nicole were the same height and had the same hair color, but she had hazel eyes and glasses.

 

Yvette: Ah, Matilda, these were the girls I was talking about earlier, that’s Nicole and that’s Madeline

 

Madeline: Thank you for the clothes

 

Matilda: No problem, they’re just extras our family had, i’ll see what I can get at the thrift store tomorrow *looks at dresses* Those dresses look heavy

 

Nicole: Well it was basically the type of situation where we didn’t have a choice but grab the nearest thing we could find and run

 

Matilda: And there old too

 

Madeline: Well they’re basically Sunday dresses

 

Matilda: Did you guys go to church often

 

Nicole: Every Sunday, sometimes we even went on weekdays too

 

Matilda: I don’t know anybody in our age group that go to church anymore

 

Madeline: Well we didn’t really have a choice, where we lived if you didn’t go to church it was considered sacrilege and you were ostracized 

 

Nicole: There were a few Jewish people in our town, but even they went to our church

 

Matilda: Where are you guys from?

 

Nicole: Around the Alsace Moselle area, but the town itself was 20 minutes away and was practically overrun with nuns

 

Matilda: Yeah we had a few around here, but ever since the riots last year, I haven’t seen them around

 

Nicole: Did people really throw bricks at police

 

Matilda: Yeah, I was with my friend Mary and this lady kicked a brick off her balcony and it landed on a police officers head, luckily he was wearing a helmet, but I can’t imagine she ended up getting sued for it

 

Yvette: I thought she was arrested for throwing it at him

 

Matilda: No that was another woman that we saw being dragged into a police car, she definitely hit somebody

 

Yvette: Oh, anyway girls I don’t want to bother you too much, we just came to bring you things, i’ll be here tomorrow at 6:30

 

Matilda: We’ll try to go clothes shopping sometime this week 

 

Nicole: There’s no rush, we’ll be here

 

The two women then leave, the girls are still amazed at everything that transpired and for the next month they slowly got used to their new life. They were especially grateful to Delia and worked more than they really should have for girls their age, but even Delia’s regular customers were impressed with these new workers. Even though the work was still hard, the girls weren’t treated like objects and their pay, while small because of the rent, was enough for them for now. 

Chapter 5: A Month Later

Six blocks down and five blocks to the right from Delia's Laundromat was the Lucien bakery. Customers had been getting their breakfast and pastries there for years ever since Emil Lucien opened it after the war. Emil Lucien, his wife Lucy, his sister Darise, and Darise’s daughter Debra all ran the operations of the business and employed two Spanish cooks named Salvador and Paco. The business had always been booming and Emil was an exceptional cook, the one thing that was holding them back was Emil and Lucy’s only son Reggie.

 

By the time 1960 came Emil was dead of a heart attack. Reggie was seven years old when this happened and ever since then, the business that Emil built from the ground up, while still going, wasn’t the same. Reggie would rather hang out with his friends, smoke pot, and listen to hard rock like Deep Purple or the new band that just came out, Led Zeppelin. He had no interest or motivation to be a pastry chef even though he was a very good cook, but he only worked in the bakery when he needed money for something. Right now he was still upset because his girlfriend Giselle had dumped him for somebody from the neighboring school.

 

Derise: How long is Reggie going to stay in his room until

 

Lucy: It’s been three days and he hasn’t even come out, I warned him about that hussy didn’t I, but no, he went after her anyway

 

Derise: Kind of like when Emil was dumped by that whore Maryanne, and that was right before you

 

Lucy: Poor thing was out in the cold singing his heart out and I just happened to overhear him, he was always a terrible singer

 

Derise: I think Reggie was a better singer when he was singing Elvis

 

Lucy: Hahaha and now it’s these guys with long hair and they smell funny

 

Both girls laughed at that, but 25 year old Debra was dating one of these guys now

 

Debra: Eduardo doesn’t smell that bad

 

Derise: He reeks of pot, and so does Reggie 

 

Lucy: My son isn’t going to be one of those degenerates that loiter in public places looking for trouble

 

Debra: Oh I have laundry that I need to go to Delia’s

 

Derise: Speaking of which, we have dresses that need to be washed as well, maybe we should have Reggie do it

 

Lucy: Guess I’ll go get him then

 

16 year old Reggie was indeed still pissed off but he was better than yesterday. Reggie was 5’7 and 145lbs with one of the first dark red Emo haircuts that didn’t sweep over his eyes. Wearing a light brown sweater and black pants, he was still reeling from the breakup as his hazel eyes were still crusted and he still smelled like pot. When Lucy came in, he had headphones on and was listening to Leslie West’s Mountain.

 

Lucy: *knock knock*

 

Reggie of course didn’t hear it at first, Lucy really did not want to go into her son’s pigsty of a room adorned with Hard Rock and Horror Posters, Reggie also happened to be a fan of Horror films, his favorite being Night of the Living Dead

 

Lucy: REGGIE IT’S YOUR MOTHER *knock knock*

 

Reggie finally heard her, he was still extremely tired and didn’t want to be bothered.

 

Reggie: *stretch* Fuck Off *opens door* 

 

Lucy: It’s been three days Reggie, how are you feeling

 

Reggie: She dumped me for a guy with a Citroen Mom

 

Lucy: You said that two days ago, don’t you want to meet somebody who won’t do that

 

Reggie: It’s not like when you and Dad were courting, they all beat the shit out of you if you say the wrong thing

 

Lucy: Well saying you don’t mind if you do it with De Gaulle watching freaked her the hell out finally, and she was a bad influence, splurging off of your money for drugs

 

Reggie: But her dad use to give her a shitton of money

 

Lucy: AND YOU’D STEAL THAT TO BUY CRAP RECORDS AND MOVIE MEMORABILIA *sigh* Listen Reggie, women like her don’t think of the long term, I know she was your first and all that, but women that are only after your money are not good to have. I met your father after the last woman he was with dumped him, maybe it’ll be the same for you.

 

Reggie: But Mom, it’s the revolution, women aren’t concerned about staying at home and pumping out 50 kids like in your day

 

Lucy: THIS ISN'T THE 1700’s

 

Reggie: NO IT’S THE FUCKING DARK AGES, WOMEN ARE CUTTING THEIR HAIR SHORT AND DEMANDING THE SAME PAY AS A MAN BUT WHAT THEY DON’T REALIZE IS THAT IT’S ACTUALLY AN INSURANCE RISK FOR THE MEN IF WOMEN GET HURT, SO THEY CUT THEIR PAY JUST TO PROTECT THEM, AIN’T THAT CHILVAROUS 

 

Debra: SHUT THE HELL UP REGGIE, IF YOU WEREN’T SUCH A WEIRD ASSHOLE, MAYBE A NICE GIRL WOULD GO AFTER YOU

 

Reggie: NOT IF THEY’RE COMING AFTER ME WITH A WHIP DEMANDING EQUALITY

 

Lucy: REGGIE FOR ONE SECOND, I only came up here to tell you that i’ve got laundry downstairs I need brought to Delia’s, could you do it?

 

Reggie: I suppose, for a price

 

Lucy: *sigh* Alright, you’ll get 2 dollars, now do it

 

The women had filled their laundry in two heavy garbage bags, while Debra’s clothes only needed the washing machine, the dresses in the other bag needed more work. Reggie was not satisfied with the pay and he certainly wasn’t satisfied dragging the dirty laundry almost 12 blocks to the laundromat

 

Reggie (To himself): Why can’t we just get a washer/dryer set, we have the money *hmm*

 

Meanwhile there were people that knew Emil and seeing his son outside doing work was a rarity for them.

 

Patron 1: Isn’t that Reggie doing work

 

Patron 2: They finally got him to do something

 

Patron 1: He’s probably getting paid

 

Reggie could feel the intense stares of the townspeople and wanted to go home so bad, once he reached the laundry he went to one of the open washer dryer combos and put Debra’s clothes in there. After he was done putting her clothes in the wash, he had to go up to the counter for the other heavy bag full of dresses. Delia knew the Lucien family well, her and Lucy were in the same year of high school.

 

Delia: What a rare sight, Lucy sends her son to do the laundry this time , you carried them all the way here didn’t you

 

Reggie: Well If I took my bike, I would have fallen over, I also have those clothes i’m washing over there 

 

Delia: Haha *lifts bag* I’ll let your mom know the price when she picks them up, *looks back* Madeline this one’s a little heavy can you help me out

 

Madeline had on a flannel shirt and black capri pants, she was just finished with another dress when she walked over to the counter where Delia and Reggie were.

 

Madeline: What’s in it

 

Delia: Some formal dresses, carry one of them for me and put it on the rack

 

Madeline took a look at the dress, there were some baking stains on it from being left out for a while. Reggie was in a trance though as he looked at Madeline. They didn’t quite make eye contact but Reggie somehow knew she was the one.

 

Madeline: This shouldn’t be too hard to get out, this was left out for a while though 

 

Delia: The family own a bakery, their son was just bringing it over, we don’t have to rush these do we

 

Reggie: Huh no idea, you’d have to ask my mom

 

Delia: Ok, I’ll call her when we’re done

 

Reggie was absolutely dumbfounded, and as he was waiting for Debra’s clothes to dry, he was daydreaming about what he just saw

 

Reggie (To himself): They have girls this gorgeous working at this shithole, she’s LITERALLY GRACE KELLY BUT SHORTER. THAT BLONDE HAIR THOUGH OOHHH I JUST WANT TO SNIFF IT SO BAD, GOD WHY DOES SHE WORK IN A SHITHOLE

 

It was too bad for him because Madeline came out to let him know how much it would cost.

 

Reggie (To himself): FUCK GISELLE, HER ASS WASN’T THAT TIGHT ANYWAY, AND I USED A

 

Madeline: Excuse me 

 

Reggie: WOODEN SPOON *shocked* Haha, Jesus you scared me

 

Madeline chuckled hard as she tried to talk to him

 

Madeline: *laughing* I just came to tell you that it was going to be $8 when you come get your dresses

 

Reggie: Oh Haha Thank you

 

Madeline then walked away still chuckling, Reggie was usually a pretty funny person, which was why Giselle fell in love with him, but for some reason around Madeline he found it hard to be funny and as he took Debra’s dry clothes out of the dryer and into one of the plastic bags he was still thinking about her. For the next few blocks to his house he couldn’t stop thinking about her, was it love at first sight, maybe.

 

Reggie: I’m home finally, It’s going to be $8 mom

 

Lucy: *sigh* That’s what I get for leaving our formal dresses on the floor

 

Debra: You look happy finally

 

Reggie: I’ve finally gotten over Giselle for good

 

Debra: Don’t tell me one of the Runaway Girls Delia hired, that’s dangerous

 

Reggie: SHE’S NOT DANGEROUS, SHE JUST TOLD ME IT WAS $8, AND BESIDES WHY IN THE FUCK WOULD I BE INTO ANY OF THEM

 

Lucy: Because you’re getting excited talking about them, now what's her name

 

Reggie: I actually don’t remember

 

Debra: Was it Nicole or Madeline

 

Reggie: WHAT, I DON’T KNOW, I PASSED OUT IN FRONT OF THE DRYER, THEN I SAID WOODEN SPOON AND SHE LAUGHED SAYING IT WAS $8

 

Derise: Lucy, he’s an odd one

 

Debra: You know Reggie they’re both 15 years old

 

Reggie: Really, she looked younger than that, anyway I’m better now, maybe i’ll be back home later

 

And with that Reggie leaves to go tell his friends about the girl that worked at Delia’s in their usual hangout in the park while smoking pot. Rich was a tall 6 foot 200Ib guy that looked like Bob the Bear Hite with a beard already at 16 and long wavy black hair, his claim to fame was that he could put anything in his ass as long as he was drunk. Then there was Mike who looked like Derek Schulman with the same length brown hair as Reggie without the beard and had been Reggie’s friend since junior high. Mike had a knack for knowing about weird things that went on in the government. You could say today that he was a sucker for conspiracy theories. Almost as tall as Rich but a lot skinnier with long poofy black hair like David Palmer from Steely Dan was Tristan, he was a drummer who knew where to get the good weed, and loved his girlfriend Marielle who was a classical pianist. Finally the weirdest of Reggie’s friends was Pierre, this 5’8 blue eyed guy had no fear of what he said or did, and had the shortest black hair with it slicked back like a 50’s greaser, but him and Rich had known each other since kindergarten.

 

Mike: You’re saying they're two girls that work there and one of them is either named Nicole or Madeline

 

Rich: Where are they from?

 

Pierre: Who knows, they could be from Germany for all we know

 

Reggie: Well, she spoke french

 

Pierre: But if she works at a laundry, my guess is her parents threw her out after discovering her masturbating or something

 

Tristan: What’s wrong with a woman masturbating in public, these stuffy ass politicians gotta loosen up

 

Mike: Idiot that’s a crime 

 

Tristan: But it shouldn’t be

 

Pierre: I SECOND THAT

 

What the guys didn’t know about Rich was that he was actually bisexual and swung both ways, but in 1969 you could have been murdered if you revealed it.

 

Pierre: How about you Rich?

 

Rich: It’s none of my business what people decide to do in public, If i decide to cut a piece of the Berlin wall and make love to it, why should anybody know

 

Mike: You’d get massive hemorrhoids trying to shove that huge piece into your ass

 

Rich: Not if I break up a small piece

 

Tristan: What do you call people who would rather fuck inanimate objects

 

Mike: I’m sure it’s classified somewhere in the DSV

 

No, Objectum Sexually wasn’t classified until at least the 2000’s

 

Reggie: Hehe, aren’t we getting off topic, anyway she had blonde hair and blue eyes and she looked like Grace Kelly but shorter

 

Mike: We were always a fan of the short girls, hopefully the other one is short too

 

Pierre: What if she’s ugly as sin though

 

Mike: Hopefully she’s not, cause i’m going after the other one

 

Rich: Why don’t we just go to the laundry and find out for ourselves

 

Reggie: IDIOTS WE CAN’T JUST DO THAT, IT WOULD BE TOO OBVIOUS WE WERE INTO THEM

 

Tristan: I don’t need to go because I have Marielle, but I'll at least see what she looks like.

 

Mike: Isn’t Marielle’s father pissed at you anyway

 

Tristan: I know if he saw me smoking pot outside his house i’d be dead

 

Pierre: You honestly think her dad's a nice guy

 

Tristan: I showed him Deep Purple and Jimi Hendrix and he liked them

 

Pierre: My dad refuses to listen to anybody but black jazz artists, he says whites don’t have any rhythm

 

Tristan just stares at him smoking his pot, he happened to be a drummer in a somewhat popular hard rock band around town and he was the youngest member of the band with the other two members being 25 and 24.

 

Mike: You know Tristans a drummer right and so is Keith Moon and Mitch Mitchell and John Bonham from Led Zeppelin

 

Pierre: But do they get down like James Brown's Drummer Clyde Stubblefield

 

Tristan: I heard he slaps band members and fines them $10 if they make a mistake on his stage

 

Reggie: How the Fuck did we get from talking about the two new girls at Delia’s Laundromat to Blacks having any rhythm

 

Pierre: Because they came in first in the races

 

Tristan: I mean Dhaudevi who won last year's Grand Prix de Paris was Brown

 

Rich: I always wanted to pretend to be a Racehorse by shoving the tail end up my

 

Reggie: GODDAMMIT RICH, THEY HAVE SEX SHOPS YOU KNOW

 

Rich: But we’re 16, they won’t just let us in

 

Reggie: True, but I wonder what these girls are into anyway

 

Tristan: Probably a lot if they ran away from home

 

Mike: Or they could be into nothing because they were so traumatized what they saw at home that they decided to live a life of having no man

 

Pierre: You mean a feminist or a lesbian

 

Rich: Aren’t they the same thing

 

Pierre: Well one’s married and likes to boss the husband around and the other ones just into girls

 

Rich: It’s fine at least they could use objects

 

Pierre: BUT THEY CAN’T GET PREGNANT WITHOUT A MAN

 

Mike: Yeah, and pretty soon scientists are going to create laboratories for women to give birth without a man, and it’s gonna be so popular that it’s going to be illegal to have sex.

 

Reggie: Ridiculous, that’ll never happen, that’s like saying they’ll only be one gender, anyway I don’t think this girl is a feminist, not in the slightest. When I was daydreaming about her, those hazel eyes, that figure I just want to lift off the ground, caress, and say everything is going to be alright.

 

Mike: You’ve lost it now, she only told you it was going to be $8 and you turn it into wanting to fuck the shit out of her

 

Reggie: She seemed very friendly and laughed when I blurted out Wooden Spoon 

 

Tristan: Maybe she likes being talked dirty too

 

Reggie: I’m not into that crap, seems too superficial to me, but anyway one of these days we’ll go down there and i’ll show you

 

Tristan: Better do it before somebody else does

 

Pierre: I’m gonna bet the other ones ugly as sin or Jewish

 

Mike: I’M JEWISH

 

Rich: My mom lost both her parents in the holocaust

 

Pierre: But how much did it cost

 

Tristan: About 6 million

 

Reggie: That’s a lot of dough

 

Mike: CAN WE STOP RAGGING ON MY JEWISH HERITAGE FOR ONE SECOND

Chapter 6: A Few Weeks Later

Unfortunately for the rest of the guys, It took them quite a long time to have the guts to go back to the laundromat. It was already the middle of summer vacation when Reggie and Mike were sitting in Reggie’s room listening to one of Mike's new progressive rock finds

 

Mike: Haha, how much fucking shit did you have

 

Reggie: Too Much, who is this again

 

Mike: I think my cousin said they were called Arzachel

 

It was too bad Lucy and Derise were going to a wedding in a few days and that meant Reggie had to work in the bakery that day if they wanted to stay open.

 

Derise: These kids, all they do is laze around and listen to this avant garde crap, I’d have them go to Delia’s to get our dresses done for Martha’s wedding

 

Lucy: You know, he hasn’t been back there in almost a month

 

Derise: But they really reek of pot this time. Best thing is, I think her and Yvette went on vacation for a week starting yesterday so I don’t know who’s running the shop

 

Lucy: THAT’S IT I’M HAVING THEM GO TO DELIA’S

 

The two women laugh at that, but as Lucy heads up the stairs to her son’s room, they had already heard Lucy saying that and started trying to act natural. Taking the record off and preparing for when Lucy got to Reggie’s room

 

Mike: Calm Down, it’s probably not a lot of dresses

 

Reggie: Are you sure they’re even there today, isn’t it summer vacation

 

Mike: You’re right they’re probably not even there

 

*knock knock*

 

Lucy: Can you guys go to the laundromat and wash our dresses for Martha’s wedding

 

Mike: I’d be happy to help ma’am

 

Reggie: You mean go to Delia’s

 

Lucy: NO I MEANT WASH THEM IN THE RIVER REGGIE

 

The two boys were nervous as they gathered up the dresses and headed out the door to the laundromat

 

Lucy: Have fun

 

Reggie: What’s fun about carrying dresses almost 12 blocks

 

Mike: Reggie, your sweating like crazy AND WE BOTH HAVE RESIN STAINS ON OUR SHIRTS

 

Reggie: IT’S ALRIGHT MAN, SHE PROBABLY UNDERSTANDS MAN DON’T YA GET IT

 

Mike: What are you a fucking beatnik 

 

Reggie: Maybe it was a temporary thing, I mean they looked young anyway like 13

 

Mike: A girl that looks like Jean Seburg always looks young

 

Reggie: Hey, if she likes black guys it’s a huge turn on

 

Mike: It’s not like the FBI is trying to kill her with COINTELPRO or anything

 

Rido: THEY BETTER NOT

 

It was too bad for them that an actual black guy overheard them, the guy happened to be Rido Duvall, a guy the same age as them, and played bass in a Jazz Fusion band. He didn’t know Tristan though, but he was the same height and had a small afro.

 

Mike: Don’t you play bass 

 

Rido: Haha yeah, it sounds like you guys are really excited about getting laundry done

 

Reggie: Ahaha well, there’s this girl that works at the laundry

 

Rido: Madeline or Nicole

 

Mike: Wait a minute, you know them

 

Rido: Hell no, if my black ass got caught with either of them, i’d be tarred and feathered

 

Reggie: Wait a minute, which one was the blonde one

 

Rido: Madeline

 

Mike: What does Nicole look like

 

Rido: Short brown hair, around 5’2

 

Mike: So a feminist

 

Reggie: Her name is Madeline

 

Mike: WAIT A MINUTE, IF YOU NEVER MET THEM, HOW DO YOU KNOW THEM

 

Rido: I know somebody that goes there all the time. They work hard and never seem to take a break

 

Reggie: BECAUSE THEY STRONG INDEPENDENT WOMEN THAT DON’T NEED NO MAN

 

Rido: Haha, I don’t think that’s all girls, just ones that are hard to get, How much weed you guys smoked

 

Rido just noticed the resin stains on both of their shirts

 

Reggie: Probably two hours worth 

 

Rido: Where do you usually get it from?

 

Reggie: Our friend Tristan, he’s a drummer for this hard rock band

 

Rido: WHAT, I’VE BEEN LOOKING FOR A DRUMMER

 

Mike: But he’s into Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Cream, that kind of thing

 

Rido: Me too, I love Jimi Hendrix, and I love good weed connections

 

Reggie: Ahaha, maybe we’ll introduce you when he’s done fucking his girlfriend like he does every weekend instead of practicing.

 

Mike: I think even those guys are getting tired of having a minor in their band

 

Rido: I hear you, the band I’m in is too Miles Davis and Thelonious Monk and not enough Beatles or Motown

 

Mike: Anyway, I gotta go hit on Nicole I guess

 

Rido: Good luck with that and Good luck with the other one, if you end up in a relationship, I’ll celebrate by giving you an ounce of free weed on me

 

Reggie: I’ll think about it 

 

The two then head toward the laundromat, they now officially know the names of the two girls that work there.

 

Reggie: Her name is Madeline, I knew it

 

Mike: Calm down genius, we haven’t even gotten there yet

 

Reggie: It’s such a pretty name, like that children's book, maybe she’ll go up to a lions den and try to comfort it or something

 

Mike: With our luck, they’re probably not even there

 

But they were heading toward the place which was a block away, Mike had never been to Delia’s Laundromat, his family already had a washer/dryer, but many types of customers would converse inside the laundry, especially some homosexuals that wanted their chiffons washed. Madeline was actually talking to a crossdresser named Leslie right now.

 

Mike: *whispers* HOLY SHIT REGGIE THAT’S MADELINE

 

Reggie: hehehe

 

Mike: *whispers* Your right, she’s fucking gorgeous Jesus

 

Meanwhile the homosexual crossdresser that was in his late teens and looked like Sylvester was describing how he wanted his chiffons washed

 

Leslie: So some dog knocked a plant over and worn it right in the fabric as I was drying it, I’m afraid if I try washing it again i’ll shrink it, I’ve got a cabaret to go to and they aren’t going to like dog prints all over this beautiful pattern

 

Madeline: NICOLE, CAN YOU GET THIS ONE

 

There were three other workers there that were mostly old ladies and they were busy with other dresses. Nicole was almost done with another pattern dress when she got called on by Madeline

 

Nicole: Sure

 

Leslie: How old are you two girls

 

Nicole: We’re both 15

 

Mike: *whispers* DUDE THEY’RE 15

 

Reggie: Hehehe Yep

 

Leslie: Shouldn’t you be outside having fun

 

Nicole: Well we have the weekends, but the owners are on vacation so it’s just us running the shop right now

 

Leslie: I have respect for you girls so much, do you think you could get this out quickly?

 

Madeline: Well, you do have to hand wash something like this safely, but it won’t take long i'd say about an hour

 

Leslie: Ok, I can wait that long

 

Mike: *whispers* I admit, Nicole’s not that bad either

 

Reggie: *whispers* And now it’s our turn genius

 

The two guys go up to the front counter, they were certainly nervous but they had a plan up their sleeve, sort off

 

Madeline: Oh Hi

 

Reggie was a bumbling idiot so Mike had to save his ass

 

Mike: Hey, we’re trying to get these dresses ready for a wedding in three days, don’t worry, it won’t take an hour

 

Leslie: GIRL, THESE BOYS ARE STONED AS HELL, look at their shirts, and you smell like some good stuff don’t you

 

Mike: Does it matter

 

Meanwhile, Reggie was sweating his ass off of nervousness, but unfortunately for the both of them, Madeline did notice the resin stains on the front of their shirt

 

Madeline: That shouldn’t be too hard to come out, you guys must have worked really hard outside 

 

Reggie: Ahhh Yeah that’s it

 

Leslie: YOU'RE ALL LYING LIKE HUGE DOG SHIT IF YOU THINK YOUR WORKING IN SOME PARKS DEPARTMENT IN PARIS

 

Mike: Better than pulling my pants down in a cabaret

 

Leslie: WITH YOUR SKINNY BUTTS, YOU WOULDN’T EVEN LAST A SECOND, EITHER ON OR OFF THE STAGE

 

Suddenly Pierre showed up out of nowhere just to drop off his mom’s laundry, he had never been to Delia’s laundry either, he was just going because their washer was getting repaired

 

Pierre: WHAT IS THIS A STRIPPER SHOWDOWN, BECAUSE YOU’D PROBABLY LOSE

 

Mike: PIERRE YOU GO TO THIS LAUNDRY

 

Pierre: No, our washer died finally, so I came here

 

Leslie: AND THIS BOY HAS RESIN STAINS TOO

 

Pierre: I WORK LONG AND HARD IN THE FIELD AND YOU PROBABLY WORK LONG AND HARD ON A JALAPENO STICK

 

Mike: *whispers* You know he doesn’t work in a Field

 

Madeline: *laughs* I don’t think he could in those clothes

 

Reggie laughed at that, but our Sylvester clone wasn’t done yet

 

Leslie: AT LEAST MY BUTT CAN WIGGLE AND DANCE, AND TONIGHT AT THE CABARET, I’M GOING TO BE FABULOUS, YOU KIDS ARE PROBABLY AFRAID OF PUTTING ON A DRESS AND GOING TO A CABARET

 

Mike: I can’t wait for the singular genders to be a thing

 

Leslie: WHAT THE HELL EVEN IS THAT?

 

Mike: The government is secretly planning a program to effeminize the population so that the rich can covertly bring socialism into society, starting with boys who think it’s ok to wear dresses, and then it will escalate into men wanting boobs or girls wanting penises, and then we will call it gender neutrality.

 

Leslie: I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'VE BEEN SMOKING, BUT BOYS WEARING DRESSES IS A CHOICE

 

Mike: Then you agree to gender neutrality for everyone, even your kids

 

Pierre: I think it’s frowned upon for drag queens to have kids

 

Leslie: I DON’T EVEN WANT KIDS, THOSE ANNOYING BASTARDS ARE NOTHING BUT TROUBLE

 

Mike: Well some people shouldn’t have kids anyway

 

Nicole: This conversation is horrible, how could you say that about children

 

Mike: Haha we’re talking about what could happen to children and I hope it doesn’t trust me

 

Pierre: Until you have drag queens coming into kindergarten classrooms teaching them about singular genders

 

Leslie: THAT WILL NEVER HAPPEN, Anyway how’s my chiffon looking sweetheart

 

Nicole: *sigh* I have to let it soak for 30 minutes to get the stains out so I’m free until then

 

Leslie: Anyway, how old are the three of you 

 

Mike: Pierre over here’s still 15, but me and Reggie are 16

 

Leslie: I’M ARGUING ABOUT THIS WITH A BUNCH OF HIGH SCHOOL KIDS, YOU GIRLS FIND THIS REPULSIVE RIGHT

 

Madeline: Umm I don’t know how I feel about it

 

Nicole: Madeline, It’s ok i’m confused too

 

Just then Matilda showed up to help out, she had walked in right when the Homosexual customer started talking

 

Matilda: Madeline, Nicole, what’s going on and what are you three idiots doing loitering here.

 

It sucked that all five of the boys knew Matilda from school

 

Mike: Getting Dresses washed and Pierre’s washing his mom’s underwear in there

 

Pierre: I KNOW YOU WANT TO SEE THAT SHIT

 

Leslie: I KNOW I DON’T

 

Pierre: THEY’D PROBABLY FIT YOU

 

Leslie: GRANNY PANTIES ARE SO 1968, AND WHAT YEAR ARE WE IN SWEETHEART, THE 1950’S ALREADY HAPPENED

 

Pierre: BUT GETTING PENISES REMOVED DIDN’T YET 

 

Matilda: LISTENING TO THE BOTH OF YOU IS GIVING ME A PERMANENT MIGRAINE

 

Suddenly Rido appears out of nowhere as well. Nobody knew who he was as he just moved to Paris from Nice and before that he was from Cameroon. Nicole however was instantly smitten with him

 

Reggie: Oh Rido, glad you could join us

 

Rido: *laughs* You guys are ridiculous, I just wanted to see what all the fuss was about

 

But the homosexual customer was astonished at this poised black man’s style

 

Leslie: MY ADONIS IS HERE

 

Rido: Relax, I’m into girls

 

Leslie: OH THE HORROR

 

But there was a legitimate customer right behind Rido with a mountain of clothes in a bag that needed to be pressed

 

Madeline: Hello sir

 

Customer 1: I just need these linens washed and pressed

 

Madeline: Ok, Miriam this man needs these washed and pressed

 

Miriam: Ok Madeline

 

Customer 1: How old are you, young lady?

 

Madeline: 15

 

Customer 1: Why are you letting this young lady boss you around, Is she related to the owner, I happen to be a part of the labor board and I want to talk to your parents about why your working here at such a young age

 

Leslie: It’s none of your damn business, let the girl make her money

 

Customer 1: GENTLEMEN

 

Leslie: DID YOU JUST MISGENDER ME, THAT IS A CRIME

 

Customer 1: YOU’RE NOT EVEN MAKING SENSE, MISGENDER, I OUGHTA SEND YOU OFF TO JUVIE, THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS IN THE AFTERMATH OF RIOTS ISN’T IT.

 

Pierre: DE GAULLE LEFT OFFICE, GET OVER IT

 

Meanwhile Reggie notices that Madeline is shaking, he’s had enough of this bastard

 

Reggie: IF YOU’RE GONNA HARASS WORKING PEOPLE, HARASS THE ILLEGITIMATE SHIT LIKE SEX WORKERS OR HARD DRUG DEALERS OR SOMETHING. THESE GIRLS ARE MAKING LEGITIMATE MONEY, WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH THAT

 

Customer 1: WE HAVE A LOT OF MINORS IN THIS COUNTRY WORKING UNDER THE BOOKS AND BEING UNDERPAID AND IT CUTS INTO HONEST WORKING MAN'S LIVELIHOOD 

 

Reggie: I WORK UNDER THE BOOKS TOO, IN A BAKERY THAT MY FAMILY OWNS, AND I’LL PURPOSELY TAKE ILLEGAL REFUGEES AND PAY THEM MORE THAN YOUR SALARY, NOW LEAVE THESE GIRLS ALONE OR GET THE FUCK OUT

 

Customer 1: I WANT YOUR NAME RIGHT NOW

 

Reggie: GOOD CHOICE *grabs customers bag of Linens* CATCH THIS SHIT 

 

Pierre caught the bag and ran out of the store with it, fueling the irate customer hatred even more

 

Customer 1: GET BACK HERE THIEF

 

The customer then chases Pierre for a couple blocks before everyone in the laundry came out to witness this, including the old ladies working with Madeline.

 

Miriam: It’s none of that man's business, I oughta tell Delia about banning him from this store

 

Worker 2: Serves him right

 

Suddenly Rich and Tristan are walking by and see Pierre being chased by an Irate labor board member

 

Pierre: TRISTAN, THIS GUYS AFTER ME CATCH

 

The customer is 5’7, balding, and was a former De Gaulle Supporter, he was no match for the two tall stoned individuals.

 

Tristan: DUDE, WHAT THE FUCKS GOING ON *catches*

 

Pierre: HE’S TRYING TO GET THE TWO GIRLS FIRED

 

Tristan: WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO TO THOSE GIRLS MAN

 

Customer 1: I ONLY WANTED TO SEE IF THEY WERE WORKING LEGITIMATELY YOU STONED THE-

 

Tristan: Hey Rich, you mind holding this guy

 

Customer 1: IF ANY OF YOU PUT YOUR HANDS ON ME, I WILL SUE YOU FOR ASSAULT

 

Tristan: Alright, then we’ll walk over there *lifts bag over head* Your not getting these back until you apologize to those girls

 

The customer begrudgingly accepts for now, the four then go up to the crowd of people that have now gathered outside the store, Madeline and Nicole were embarrassed by the whole ordeal and wanted it to end. They knew if they told this guy about anything it would be back to the orphanage.

 

Rich: See, you just made a scene of yourself, and you embarrassed yourself in front of these girls, I would leave if I were you

 

Customer 1: Are you girls being treated fairly by your employer

 

Nicole: Yes we are, now stop harassing us and leave

 

The customer, with all eyes on him, promptly walks away. Thanks to Reggie and his friends, the girls were now free once again.

 

Miriam: Alright back to work everyone nothing to see here

 

Reggie: Dude seriously fuck that guy

 

Mike: It’s like he wants to put barcodes on us and control where we go 

 

Tristan: Like satellite tracking devices

 

Rich: Or they could just put them in things called cell phones

 

Mike: The government already wiretaps house phones

 

Suddenly Madeline appears out of nowhere to thank them all

 

Madeline: Thank you all so much

 

Tristan: No problem, that guy’s a fuck anyway, he probably wouldn’t have done anything

 

Nicole: You think so

 

Pierre: Trust me, that dude’s a fucking peon

 

Madeline: Why do you all curse so much?

 

The seven were stunned, they didn’t really ever think about it, it was just part of their natural language.

 

Pierre: Is that an issue

 

Madeline: Well I mean even David cursed in the bible

 

Nicole: Madeline, I don’t think any of these guys ever went to church

 

Pierre: Don’t tell me you’re Christians

 

Nicole: Not quite

 

Pierre: *points at Mike* THIS GUYS TOO JEWISH FOR THAT SHIT, THEY KILLED ALL HIS ANCESTORS DURING THE HOLOCAUST AND NOW HE'S HERE FOR REVENGE

 

Nicole: I’m Half Jewish

 

Pierre: *shakes like a rabbi* OY VEY THE SHEKELS

 

Mike: *bonk* WHEN THE FUCK HAVE I EVER DONE THAT

 

Nicole: I’ve never been to a synagogue, where we came from there was none, just a catholic church that almost everybody went to

 

Mike: Oh yeah, where are you girls from anyway?

 

Nicole: Outside Alsace Moselle

 

Pierre: SO THEY’RE FROM GERMANY

 

Rido: It’s on the border of Germany

 

Tristan: Oh yeah, who this guy

 

Rido: You must be Tristan, I heard about you from these two, you play drums

 

Tristan: Yeah, but they told me they found another drummer so I guess I’m not in a band right now

 

Rido: I play bass In a Jazz band but it’s getting boring 

 

Tristan: Shit, I was about to get depressed about it but now I got a jam partner, now all we need is two guitarists

 

Rido: Why two

 

Mike: I mean Fleetwood Mac has three guitarists

 

Tristan: I know, but think of all the interesting harmonies we could come up with, I heard a band do it one time and fell in love with the idea

 

Rido: Couldn’t we just get a keyboard player

 

Tristan: That could be the third guitar player, but one of them has to sing though

 

Rido: Do you know of any guitarists

 

Tristan: Only the one in my old band

 

Rido: I knew this one guy in Nice who played like Jimi Hendrix

 

Reggie: Anyway Tristan has a drum setup at his place, why don’t we all just go there and see what happens, What time does the laundry close at

 

Madeline: 6

 

Matilda: I kind of want to see how bad this is going to be, I’ll invite my friend Mary 

 

Rido: I already have some people I could invite too

 

Rich: I’ll bring the wine and booze

 

Pierre: I gots the weed

 

Leslie: Umm, I have a cabaret I have to get to, BUT YOU KIDS HAVE FUN NOW

 

Tristan: I mean i’m sure if we do it this way, guitarists will show up right

 

Rido: They’re bound to show up

 

Mike: Couldn’t you just put an add in the paper or something

 

Tristan: Guess we could do that too

 

Rich: I mean I have work so I can’t go tonight

 

Pierre: Oh shit, I totally forgot I had to work today too

 

Reggie: In the Field

 

Madeline laughed at that

 

Pierre: FUCK OFF, No at the corner store sweeping up

 

Leslie: I can see how many people on the cabaret would want to go to that, I know I’m free next week

 

Rich: I know I don’t have anything next week

 

Pierre: That’s it party at Tristan’s house next week

 

Tristan: Hell Yeah

Chapter 7: The Jam

Madeline and Nicole didn’t have a Phone or a TV yet, so if they wanted to talk to them, they would have to go to the laundry. Meanwhile Tristan and Rido put an ad in the paper for a free Jam session in Tristan’s Garage. They decided that on the day of the Jam, the random guitar players who wanted to join, would see how good they were in front of a crowd.

 

On the day of the Jam, two of the hopefuls named Dominic and Roland showed up super early. Dominic was skinny and had long wavy brown hair like Paul Kossoff from Free and sunglasses while Roland was also thin had much shorter black hair cut like Iggy Pop

 

Roland: Jesus man, is this guy loaded or something

 

Dominic: It can’t be like that other band we tried out for who had a huge mansion *knock knock*

 

Too bad Tristan’s mom Susan opened the door in nothing but a short robe and her naked rear barely exposed. Susan was a former Glamour Model who looked exactly like Suzy Parker at 5’10.

 

Susan: TRISTAN, SOME BOYS ARE HERE FOR YOU

 

Dominic: Oh, but I’m not a boy ma’am, i’m a real ma-

 

Roland: *bonk* HOW OLD ARE YOU

 

Susan: Hahaha you guys are funny

 

Tristan: MOM, WHAT ARE YOU WEARING

 

Susan: My Pajamas

 

Dominic: I don’t mind them ma’am

 

Tristan: Yeah, let’s just go to the garage, the rest of the guys should be here in like 4 hours

 

Susan: Hahaha that means we better leave quickly before your father gets a migraine

 

Dominic: Your not gonna listen to us play Charles Trenet, Georges Brassens or perhaps Johnny Halliday

 

Roland: *bonk* WE’RE NOT PLAYING ANY OF THAT SHIT

 

Dominic certainly knew how to make Tristan’s mom laugh her ass off. Once 6:30 came around, three more young hopefuls showed up, but so did 40 other people. Madeline, Nicole, Matilda and Mary weren’t there and neither were Reggie and Mike, but Pierre, Rich, Leslie and some of his Coquettes as they were called were there along with Rido’s friends that he knew and some people that neither Pierre, Rich, or Tristan knew but showed up anyway.

 

Pierre: I’ve never seen so many people at Tristan’s Garage before

 

Rich: Those girls look pretty cute

 

Pierre: They look like they’ll break your nutsack if you talk to them the wrong way

 

They turned out to be cousins Gretchen and Gertrude who were Tristan’s sister Theresa’s friends. Gretchen was 5’8 and had long straight red hair and a miniskirt on and Gertrude was 5’9 and had a longer version of Mireille Mathieu’s black bob haircut but had black capri’s on instead of a miniskirt. Suddenly Reggie and Mike finally showed up, Reggie had to wait until the shop closed to finally have him and Mike get there at almost 7.

 

Reggie: Hey is Madeline and them here yet

 

Tristan: I don’t see them, I invited Marielle too but she had a concert so probably won’t get here until like 8 or 9

 

Dominic: But when’s your mom coming back

 

Roland: *bonk* I’m sorry this guy has a huge crush on older women for some reason

 

Mike: REGGIE'S MOM'S SIN-

 

Reggie: *bonk* HELL NO

 

Dominic: I don’t know man, I’ve fucked a couple older women

 

Mike: HOW OLD ARE YOU?

 

Dominic: 16

 

Tristan: I think it’s a crime for them to fuck you bro

 

Dominic: Nah man, it’s only a crime if you don’t want it

 

Rido: Yeah but what if she happened to be ugly

 

Now Dominic doesn’t know how to react to that

 

Roland: Exactly, it’s fucking rape dude

 

Dominic: But they always let me be in charge though

 

Roland: To be fair you only started screwing old ladies three months ago

 

Dominic: True

 

Reggie: I don’t even think Pierre would get that crazy

 

Just then Pierre decided to talk to Gretchen and Gertrude, he’d been staring at them for a while.

 

Pierre: Ehy ladies, You like Jazz

 

Gretchen: Get the hell away from us creep, I’m here to see my boyfriend tryout 

 

Pierre: How about you?

 

Gertrude: *slap* FUCK OFF

 

Reggie: Who were those girls again

 

Tristan: Some of Theresa's friends

 

Suddenly in a group of five people, Madeline, Nicole, Matilda, Mary and her boyfriend Chris finally came to Tristan’s Garage. This is what Tristan was waiting for, and he made the announcement as soon as he saw the two girls. Theresa was by her friend Sandra who looked exactly like Brigitte Lahaie, they had been friends since 4th Grade.

 

Tristan: ALRIGHT IT’S TIME TO GET THE AUDITIONS STARTED

 

Leslie: *grabs Madeline and Nicole’s hands* YAS THE QUEENS ARE IN THE BUILDING 

 

Sandra: *whispers* What does Yas mean

 

Theresa: *whispers* A big Yes I guess

 

Tristan: ANYWAY I’M TRISTAN I PLAY DRUMS AND THAT’S RIDO HE PLAYS BASS, SO WHO’S THE FIRST GUY TO COME UP

 

The first guy to come up was YH1 who happened to be Gretchen’s boyfriend, he called out Cream’s Crossroads. 

 

Tristan: ALRIGHT CREAM’S CROSSROADS EVERYONE

 

By the time the song came, Reggie and Mike were already by Madeline and Nicole. Rido wasn’t familiar with the song, but it was a 12 bar blues, so he figured it out quite quickly. The one thing was the guitar player couldn’t sing that well, but his guitar playing sounded exactly like Clapton, even though he was using a Gibson Non-Reverse Firebird. Suddenly the cover stopped and everyone clapped, including Gretchen who clapped the loudest.

 

Reggie: This guy sucks at singing but he should stick to playing guitar, he’s pretty good

 

Mike: You think Tristan would put him in the band as one of the guitarists

 

Reggie: Maybe

 

Tristan: Shit man, he sucks at singing, but he’s definitely a better guitar player then clapton, NEXT VICTIM

 

Unfortunately for them, YH2 was fucked up on LSD and was in the process of trying to slap every girls ass because he thought they were baboons

 

YH2: I am not weasel *Slaps Theresa and Sandra’s ass* You are the weasel *Grabs Gretchen and Gertrude’s ass*

 

Gertrude: *Elbow punch* 

 

YH2: WHY DID BABOON SLAP ME

 

Gretchen: *kick*

 

Tristan: Unfortunately Guy just doesn’t know anything about self respect, so i’m gonna have to pass on that, AND ONE OF THOSE GIRLS ASSES YOU SLAPPED WAS MY SISTERS YOU FUCK, NEXT GENIUS

 

The guy that went before Dominic and Roland was interesting, He instructed Rido to play in Drop D and then went on to play a riff that sounded very similar to what would later be My Own Summer by Deftones only this version sounded more like a jazz number. Madeline and Nicole were not used to loud garage band concerts, so they were waiting until they were finished to speak. Once the song stopped, people were confused but clapped anyway. 

 

Reggie: Guy has groove though, i’ll give him that

 

Mike: He thinks he’s a Jazz rhythm player or something

 

Unfortunately for them YH2 woke up, and started seeing White Baboons on Madeline and Nicole’s asses

 

YH2: *Grabs Madeline and Nicole’s ass* A RARE WHITE EL-

 

Reggie and Mike grabbed the guy and beat the shit out of him, The girls were both perplexed but surprisingly Madeline thought it was funny

 

Nicole: MADELINE, HE JUST TOUCHED OUR BUTTS

 

Madeline: Hahaha I know, but it tickles

 

Sister Mary: Only prophets of god can touch bastard children’s precious skin 

 

Suddenly Sister Mary flashed in front of her and she stiffened up like a board

 

Nicole: Madeline

 

All of a sudden out of nowhere, where Reggie and Mike were kicking him, Madeline kicked him in the shin

 

Madeline: DON’T *kick* TOUCH ME

 

That actually hurt the dude’s shin really badly and he could barely walk for a minute, but Reggie and Mike were proud of her because they already knocked him up pretty good and he was a tall dude at 5’11.

 

Tristan: NO VIOLENCE PLEASE, SOMEBODY CARRY THIS MOTHERFUCKER TO THE HOSPITAL AND SAY HEROIN ADDICTS BEAT HIM UP OR SOMETHING.

 

To which Rich and Pierre gladly volunteered to do so that the show could go on, Suddenly most of the girls were coming up to Madeline and congratulating her, but she didn’t feel like she deserved any of it.

 

Madeline: It’s ok, you don’t have to thank me

 

Matilda: Don’t be so modest Madeline, I should have done something

 

Mary: Don’t people know that’s sexual assault

 

Tristan: ANYWAY BEFORE THAT ASSHOLE RUINS THE AUDITION PROCESS, I JUST WANT TO SAY, WE FOUND OUR TWO GUITARISTS ALREADY

 

The two young hopefuls were excited until they realized that there were two other guitarists that hadn’t gone yet.

 

YH1: WHAT THE FUCK, THOSE TWO GUYS OVER THERE DIDN’T EVEN GO YET AND YOUR PICKING THEM

 

Tristan: THEY WERE THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT CAME AS TWO, BOTH YOU GUYS CAME AS ONE

 

YH3: BUT YOU DON’T EVEN KNOW HOW GOOD THEY ARE, WHAT IF THEY SUCK

 

Tristan: THEN MAYBE I’LL CHANGE MY MIND, BUT FOR NOW LET'S HEAR IT FOR THESE GUYS

 

Dominic and Roland then get their gear and plug in. Dominic had an SG and Roland had a Les Paul Jr. Nobody knew what to expect with these two guys, but they already had plans up their sleeves

 

Dominic: ALRIGHT, I’M DOMINIC AND THAT’S ROLAND, WE’VE COME TO YOU FROM THE OTHER SIDE, ALRIGHT THIS SONGS PRETTY EASY TO FIGURE OUT IT’S JUST F#, A, AND B AND IT’S CALLED COUGAR HUNTER

 

Rido: Least he gave me the keys

 

Then Dominic plays the riff and six seconds later Roland comes in with a harmony line. The people watching had rarely heard harmony lines and were eating it up. Then Dominic starts to sing the lyrics, it was of course a song about fucking MILFs

 

Dominic (Sings): Big Hips, Jelly roll thighs

Tell me all about what you can’t hide

Your not old, so don’t be blue

I’ll just stick my young love into you and then

TEEELLLLL YOOOOUUUUU MY NAAAAMMME

CAUSE I’M A COUGAR HUNTER

LEEETTTTTS PLAAAAYYYYY A GAAAAMMME

CAUSE I’M A COUGAR HUNTER

 

The people were really impressed with both Dominic and Roland, Dominic had stage presence and Roland’s guitar harmonies were unlike anything anybody ever heard before, if only his lyrics weren’t weird as hell.

 

Gertrude: IS HE SERIOUSLY SINGING ABOUT FUCKING OLDER WOMEN

 

Theresa: TRISTAN HAS A KNACK FOR GETTING WEIRD PEOPLE IN HIS BAND

 

But Dominic wasn’t done yet

 

Dominic (Sings): Let me help you with the real man’s work

See this rod, I’m just 16

Daddy’s old, throw him to the curb and just

Leave those worries behind so I can

TEEELLLLL YOOOOUUUUU MY NAAAAMMME

CAUSE I’M A COUGAR HUNTER

LEEETTTTTS PLAAAAYYYYY A GAAAAMMME

CAUSE I’M A COUGAR HUNTER

 

The crazy thing was there were actually people in the audience who walked by to listen and were repeating the chorus. While many of the girls weren’t impressed with the lyrics, they couldn’t deny that Dominic was a talented frontman and skilled guitarist, but Roland was the more technical of the two.

 

Dominic: HIT IT ROLAND

 

Roland then blasted into notes like a mad bluesman, almost possessed. Tristan and Rido were speechless, but had been enjoying playing with these two guys so far. Meanwhile the girls in the audience were entranced as they didn’t even know guitar players could play that fast

 

Girl 1: I HOPE HE’S THAT FAST WITH MY

 

Girl 2: I KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN

 

Suddenly it stopped in a wall of feedback with Rido still playing, but still Dominic wasn’t done yet

 

Dominic: YOU KNOW, THAT’S ALL THE LYRICS I WROTE SO FAR, BUT I DON’T WANT THIS SHIT TO END HAHAHA

 

Suddenly Rido made up his own bassline and it fit so well with what Dominic wanted to do next, he just turned his head to Roland and made a peace sign, but it was the signal for the second harmony riff.

 

Dominic: YOUR KIDS MIGHT LIKE THIS

 

Suddenly they go off into a harmony riff that has everyone mesmerized the minute they hear it

 

Mike: I NEVER HEARD FLEETWOOD MAC DO THAT

 

Reggie: I NEVER HEARD ANY BAND DO THAT

 

And Rich and Pierre got back just in time for the dual guitar solos that came right after it. 

 

Pierre: THIS IS LIKE SOME JAZZ SHIT 

 

Rich: OR JEFF BECK JIMMY PAGE SHIT

 

The two other guys who tried out had their mouths gaping open, there was no way they were going to be in the band.

 

YH1: MOTHERFUCKER

 

YH3: IT’LL ONLY BE BAD IF THE SINGER DOES GUITAR SOLOS ALSO

 

Unfortunately while Dominic wasn’t as Technical as Roland, his guitar solos were still soulful as hell.

 

YH3: FUCK MY LIFE MAN, LET’S JUST FORM A BAND AND BEAT THESE ASSHOLES

 

For Madeline and Nicole, this was all extremely new to them and even Reggie and Mike could see that they were enjoying themselves.

 

Reggie: I WONDER IF WE SHOULD ASK THEM WHICH GUITARIST IS BETTER

 

Mike: I THINK THEY LIKE BOTH EQUALLY MAN

 

Pierre: THE SINGERS GUITAR PLAYINGS A LITTLE SLOPPIER

 

But there were people like Gretchen who didn’t appreciate these guys blasting her boyfriend off the stage with their pyrotechnics

 

Gretchen: THE LEAD GUITAR PLAYERS TOO FAST

 

YH1: NO BABE, HE HAS TECHNIQUE, I CAN’T COMPETE WITH THAT

 

Gretchen: YOU’RE COMPLIMENTING THAT GUY, I’M SURE YOU COULD DO THAT IF YOU TRIED

 

YH1: I WISH IT WAS THAT EASY

 

Then Roland bursted into a flurry of notes that had everyone’s mouth gaped open, that sort of speed wouldn’t be heard on a global scale until the 80’s and he just did it in 1969. The crazy thing about was he pulled it off on such a huge neck like a Les Paul jr when those 80’s guitarists had very thin necks

 

Mike: THAT’S SOME FUCKING CRAZY RITCHIE BLACKMORE SHIT HE JUST PULLED

 

Pierre: I DON’T EVEN THINK RICHIE BLACKMORE PLAYS THIS FAST

 

After that barrage of notes it was back to the harmony line, but what nobody knew was that Marielle finally showed up to the Jam right after the barrage of notes and she had a very unfortunate look on her face. She had just gotten the offer to study at Julliard and knew that she couldn’t take Tristan with her. She was admiring the band from a distance and was waiting for them to be done, which they almost were.

 

Marielle (To herself): These guys will be fine

 

It was too bad Madeline and Nicole were right next to her, and when they were finally finished with the song, it was overwhelmingly obvious that they were a full fledged band. Everybody in the audience was clapping and jumping like you wouldn’t believe

 

Marielle: *sniff*

 

Nicole: IS IT THAT GOOD

 

Madeline: ARE YOU ALRIGHT

 

Marielle: *sniff* YES, I’LL BE ALRIGHT

 

Marielle was 17 and about to enter college, she knew a year in advance that she couldn’t be with Tristan forever, but she never wanted to hurt him.

 

Tristan: HOLY FUCKING SHIT, WE ARE DEFINANTLY DEVELOPING THAT ONE MORE, BUT YEAH THESE GUYS ARE IN FOR SURE, AS FOR THE REST OF YOU, I ENJOYED OUR LITTLE TIME TOGETHER WHILE IT LASTED HAHA

 

After it was all over, Marielle forces her way to the front of the makeshift garage 

 

Dominic: OH SHIT, CHERS IN THE HOUSE

 

Tristan: DUDE, THAT'S MY GIRLFRIEND

 

Marielle: Hello Boys, that was wonderful, Tristan I got accepted to Julliard

 

Tristan: WHAT WE SHOULD CELEBRATE RIGHT

 

Marielle: *sniff*

 

Tristan: What’s wrong Babe

 

Marielle: Tristan *sniff* I have to move to New York *sniff* I can’t take you with me *sobs* 

 

Tristan: *sniff* It’s Ok Marielle I understand *sniff* I’ll still be here in four years *sobs* right

 

Marielle: *sobs* No Tristan *sniff* I have to breakup with you

 

Everyone is witnessing this, there were even some stupid ass girls that were calling to be the next one

 

Girl 1: DON’T WORRY, I’M NEXT

 

Girl 2: YOU NEED SOMEONE WHO CAN STICK AROUND FOR THE LONG HAUL

 

Girl 3: LET ME PULL DOWN MY

 

Marielle got so upset that she ran away from the garage and into the darkness never to be seen again. Tristan is babbling like an idiot and his sister was getting pissed off

 

Theresa: ALRIGHT SHOWS OVER, GET THE HELL OUT OF OUR GARAGE *whispers* Sandra, can I stay at your place

 

Sandra: I don’t see why not, I wouldn’t want to be around that either

 

Theresa: Thanks 

 

Meanwhile after the majority of the people left, Tristan just sat at his kit and cried. He had met Marielle over a year and a half ago right before he started high school and she was his first real love, he didn't know if he would ever find anybody as Musically Talented or In Tune with who he was as much as Marielle.

Chapter 8: Michelle

Fortunately about a couple weeks later an opportunity presented itself when he was with Mike. Reggie was working at the bakery and a familiar face was also in the park where the two guys were just lazing around on a park bench smoking.

 

Mike: Hey Tristan, you know we can’t smoke here right

 

Tristan: Yeah, but it’s a good place to meet chicks, this is where I met Marielle

 

Mike: So you’re just going to do the same thing, then why am I here

 

Tristan: I figured you weren’t really into Nicole that much, but then again she does ask a lot of questions? Maybe that’s the jew in her

 

Mike: GODDAMMIT MAN

 

The familiar face that was also in the park was Stephanie, she just happened to walk her Papillon past the two.

 

Stephanie (To herself): *sigh* Typical stoners with nothing to do

 

Mike: Hey look it’s Chinese food, Huh Tristan what are you staring at man *waves hand* Tristan

 

Tristan was staring at an almost 6ft tall blonde/blue eyed girl wearing a blue shirt with a yellow miniskirt. Her name was Michelle and she had just moved to Paris from Montpellier so that her older brother Micheal could go to business school. 

 

Tristan: *whispers* DUDE WHO IS THAT

 

Mike: Somebody way out of your league man

 

Tristan: I GOTTA MEET THIS GIRL MAN

 

Unfortunately for them, they were still sitting on the bench, but they weren’t that far from where Stephanie was standing. She was eying Michelle in amazement as well but for a different reason. This girl would be the perfect Model, and for reference she looked exactly like future broadway star Leigh Zimmerman who was born six months ago. Stephanie had made up her mind to sign Michelle immediately. 

 

Snorkels: *woof*

 

Michelle: Aww *pets* Hello 

 

Tristan: *shakes* DDDUUUUUDDEEEE SSSSHHHEE IS SOOOO SWEETTTTT

 

Mike: DO YOU HAVE THE FUCKING SHAKES

 

Stephanie: His name is Snorkels, I love your miniskirt, where did you get it

 

Michelle: My mom bought it

 

Stephanie: How old are you sweetheart and what is your name

 

Michelle: 15, and my name’s Michelle

 

Tristan: *shakes* OHHH MMMYYY GOOOODDDD DDDUUUDDDEEE

 

Mike: GET A GRIP AND ASK HER OUT BEFORE THAT WEIRD MADAM MAKES HER INTO A PROSTITUTE

 

Stephanie: I’m Stephanie Zubont, Fashion designer extraordinaire, I design clothes for Models and my dear you are the one I’ve been looking for.

 

Michelle: Really

 

Tristan then goes up to Stephanie, but doesn’t know how to approach it

 

Stephanie: I have many girls that would kill to look like you, and you’ll make quite a bit of money doing it

 

Michelle: I don’t think my dad would like me being a Model 

 

Stephanie: But don’t you want money

 

Tristan finally figures out what to do and it shocks the hell out of Stephanie.

 

Tristan: I know I need the money, can I be in your next shoot

 

Stephanie: HELL NO YOU DEGENERATE STONER

 

Tristan: LEAST I DON’T WALK AROUND WITH LIVE CHINESE FOOD RECRUITING FUTURE PROSTITUTES

 

Stephanie: YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING, I’m sorry Michelle, we have real idiots in this park, let’s go somewhere else

 

Michelle: But I have to be home by 5

 

Stephanie: DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW LONG I’VE BEEN TRYING TO FIND SOMEBODY LIKE YOU FOR THE AGENCY I WORK FOR

 

Tristan: THEN MAYBE YOU SHOULDN’T BE GOING AFTER GIRLS WHO ARE STILL IN SCHOOL LADY

 

Stephanie: I WOULDN’T EXPECT SOMEBODY LIKE YOU TO UNDERSTAND THE MODELING INDUSTRY

 

Tristan: MY MOM WAS A GLAMOUR MODEL JACKASS, IT’S EASY, YOU TAKE OFF YOUR CLOTHES, SHOOT HEROIN, DO COKE, AND TELL FAT GIRLS THEY NEED TO GO THROW UP IN THE TOILET IF THEY ATE A HAMBURGER

 

Michelle: I’M NOT TAKING MY CLOTHES OFF

 

Stephanie: *shock* I would never until you’re 18 dear AND YOU’RE SERIOUSLY PISSING ME OFF, I HIGHLY DOUBT YOUR MOM MODELED, WHATS HER LAST NAME THEN

 

Tristan: Chauvet, now it’s Moncoutie

 

Stephanie: HAHAHA I DOUBT IT WAS SUSAN CHAUVET

 

Tristan: HAHAHA YEP, THAT’S MY MOM

 

Stephanie: *shock* YOUR MOM USED TO BLOW OFF APPOINTMENTS ALL THE TIME, I was just starting at the time, so I only knew her for a few months. I haven’t seen her since she got married, and now I know why. 

 

Tristan: BELIEVE IT LADY, MODELING IS FOR ATTENTION WHORES, NOT SWEET GIRLS LIKE THIS, DO YOU WANT TO BE FORCE FED COKE BY HER

 

Michelle: I like drinking Coke

 

Tristan laughed his ass off, but Stephanie was starting to get fed up with how naive and stupid Michelle was.

 

Stephanie: THAT’S NOT WHAT HE’S TALKING ABOUT, HE’S TALKING ABOUT SNORTING COCAINE, YOU KNOW POWDERED DRUGS

 

Michelle: But drugs are horrible

 

Tristan: AND DO YOU WANT TO BE FORCED TO THROW UP FOOD IF YOU’RE TOO FAT, BECAUSE SHE’LL DO THAT TOO

 

Michelle: *hides her face* THAT’S DISGUSTING

 

Stephanie: Michelle, This idiot doesn’t know what he’s talking about. Trust me you don’t do any of these things.

 

Michelle: I’m sorry but I don’t think I want to model, everytime I see one they look sad

 

Tristan: HAHA YOU HEARD HER CRUELLA, TAKE A HIKE

 

Stephanie: FINE I DON’T NEED YOU TWO RETARDS ANYWAY

 

And with that she walked away in a hurry, but she shocked Michelle in the process

 

Tristan: Are you alright

 

Michelle: Yes, I’m ok, Thank you

 

Tristan: Oh, I’m Tristan by the way

 

Suddenly Mike appears in between them and notices that they are the same exact height.

 

Mike: Hahaha, you two are like the same height, perfect for the Lebensborn breeding program, Hitler would look at you guys and go SHIT I SHOULDN’T HAVE KILLED MYSELF

 

Tristan: Hahaha, anyway Michelle where are you from?

 

Michelle: We just moved to Paris a week ago so that my older brother could go to college, he wants to be a Banker like my dad

 

Tristan: What do you want to be though

 

Michelle: I don’t know, I love kids so I thought maybe I’d work in a preschool or something.

 

Tristan: Oh My God, You would be a perfect preschool teacher Michelle

 

Michelle: Thank you but, I’m super clumsy I don’t know if I could do it

 

Tristan: Don’t worry, you’re sincere, and I don’t think you’d beat a kid.

 

Michelle: I’d cry if I saw a child being beaten

 

Tristan: Me too, unless they deserved it

 

Michelle: NO CHILD DESERVES TO BE BEATEN

 

Tristan: Hehehe, your right Michelle, I’ve realized the error of my ways

 

Mike: Oh, I’m one of this dumbasses friends, My names Mike

 

Michelle: My older brother’s name is Mike too

 

Mike and Tristan: Really

 

Michelle: Yep, we’re both adopted, but he’s my biological older brother

 

Mike: Wait a minute, then your not really straight up German

 

Michelle: HOW DID YOU KNOW WE WERE ADOPTED IN GERMANY

 

Mike: Lucky Guess so where were you on your way too

 

Michelle: I was just exploring the city, but my Dad told me I had to be back at 5

 

Tristan: What time is it now

 

Mike: 11 in the morning

 

Tristan: We have time to fuck with Reggie right

 

Mike: He’s probably bored out of his skull at the bakery right now, Oh the bakery is 12 blocks that way

 

Michelle: I was on my way to the Eiffel Tower

 

Mike: That’s an hour and a half walk, but the bakery is on the way there

 

Tristan: AWW DUDE WE COULD GET MADELINE AND NICOLE TO COME TOO, THEY HAVEN’T BEEN TO THE EIFFEL TOWER AND IT’S SATURDAY

 

Michelle: HAHAHA I don’t mind going with you guys

 

Tristan: AWESOME

 

They then walk the 12 blocks to the Lucien Bakery where Reggie was busy insulting the breakfast rush as usual. The only reason Reggie had to work was because Lucy and Derise went to another wedding.

 

Customer 2: Do you think the bakery will survive with him being the owner

 

Customer 3: Doubt it, Emil was very Jovial, His son is just a nuisance

 

Suddenly the three walk in just as the customer said what they said

 

Reggie: Ma’am I’m not my father, If you want my dad, why don’t you dig up his grave and then maybe he’ll be happy to help, otherwise i’d like to do my job please

 

Customer 3: That’s incredibly rude

 

Reggie: Yeah, well don’t compare me to my father who died when I was seven within earshot either, that’s also incredibly rude

 

Customer 3: YOU’RE JUST AN ENTITLED PRICK

 

Reggie: GET THE FUCK OUT OF THE STORE LADY

 

Which both customers did, if there was one thing that pissed Reggie off it was being compared to his Dad.

 

Mike: Jesus, What a fucking bitch

 

Reggie: Just lost two customers, business is slow anyway, Hey Tristan, is that your wife.

 

Tristan: Might as well be right

 

Michelle: I’m Michelle

 

Reggie: Yes you are Holy Shit Tristan, you got over Marielle quick

 

Tristan: Nah, I just saw her in the park being harassed by someone trying to scout models, but she was 15, way too young man

 

Reggie: At least she’s younger then Marielle and won’t leave you to go to Julliard

 

Michelle: What’s Julliard

 

Tristan: One of the most premier classical music schools in the world, She’s a pianist and I’m a drummer in a band, it wouldn’t have worked anyway

 

Michelle: YOU PLAY IN A BAND

 

Reggie: You should have heard them two weeks ago, they have two guitar players and they play in harmony

 

Michelle: THAT’S AMAZING, Is it loud though

 

Tristan: Almost moved the fillings out of my mouth it was so loud

 

Michelle: Won’t you go deaf if you play loud too long

 

Tristan: I guess I could wear earplugs if it gets ridiculous, but for now it’s fine

 

Michelle: Please Don’t go Deaf

 

Tristan: I promise

 

Reggie: *whispers* These two are already a married couple

 

Mike: *whispers* I mean they’re both dumb as doornails too

 

They both chuckle at that, Meanwhile Michelle was getting curious about why they were laughing

 

Michelle: What’s so funny

 

Reggie: It’s funny how you two think alike

 

Michelle: Really, but I don’t know him that well, oh wait how old are you again?

 

Tristan: 16

 

Michelle: Oh, that’s not bad at all

 

Tristan: Anyway, Have you seen Madeline and Nicole Recently

 

Reggie: Not since the show, but they don’t work on weekends

 

Mike: Aren’t they usually with Matilda on weekends

 

Tristan: Why don’t we find out, where do they live

 

Reggie: Right above the laundry

 

Mike: Yeah they live in a one room apartment by themselves with nothing in it, it’s kinda sad honestly

 

Reggie: I mean they’re practically homeless

 

Tristan: Let’s not get too deep into it and just pick them up

 

Lucky for them, Madeline and Nicole were now just lazing around the apartment.

 

Madeline: You know, we still never went to the Eiffel Tower

 

Nicole: We’ve been here three months and still haven’t done that

 

*knock knock*

 

Nicole: Who is it?

 

Reggie: Umm it’s Reggie

 

It was too bad for them because they were in nothing but a tanktop and panties right now. While the rest of the boys would’ve liked to see that, they were certainly flabbergasted as they rushed to put on their Capri’s

 

Madeline: JUST A MINUTE

 

Nicole: ANYBODY ELSE WITH YOU

 

Reggie: Umm Mike, Tristan, and Tristan’s new Wife

 

Michelle: I DON’T EVEN KNOW HIM

 

Reggie: Yeah, they just met today

 

Madeline: OK YOU CAN COME IN NOW

 

Reggie, Mike, Tristan, and Michelle walk into the one room studio with just a mattress and drawer with very little food and a bathroom.

 

Tristan: Yeah, This is Michelle, she just moved here from Montpellier a week ago, she’s 15 and loves doggos

 

Michelle: What’s a Doggo?

 

Tristan: Another word for a dog

 

Michelle: Hahaha, I love dogs

 

Nicole: How tall are you?

 

Michelle: 182cm

 

Tristan: We’re the same height, Anyway Michelle’s never been to the Eiffel Tower before and we figured you girls haven’t either

 

Nicole: No, we can’t afford it, we can barely afford to eat either

 

Michelle: That’s Horrible, you look young, how old are you?

 

Nicole: We’re both 15

 

Michelle: What, No way, we’re both sophomores

 

Madeline: Well, It’s a long story but we kinda had to drop out of school to work in the laundry downstairs

 

Michelle: My parents won’t let me drop out

 

Nicole: We didn’t have a choice, we were kicked out

 

Michelle: I can’t imagine how horrible that must have felt, I’m so sorry

 

Nicole: It’s Ok

 

Michelle: No, There are people in the world that don’t deserve children. My real parents didn’t want me or my older brother and we were left in an orphanage. 

 

Madeline and Nicole became completely shocked. They had no Idea who Michelle was, but they felt like they could completely trust her.

 

Michelle: We were very fortunate to be adopted, but I know not everybody is, I don’t remember it, but when we were in the orphanage my brother remembered getting beaten by the nuns a lot. 

 

Madeline: I remember getting beaten by nuns too, both of us were taken into back rooms, and whipped with a belt or a rod if we did anything wrong. Sometimes we were beaten for no reason or because they felt like it because we looked at them in a disrespectful manner.

 

Nicole: I’ll never forgive those nuns for what they did to us

 

This was the first time the guys and Michelle heard anything about Madeline and Nicole’s past, Michelle was heartbroken

 

Michelle: I know *sniff* They’re horrible people for hurting you *holds arms out* Nobody deserves to be beaten

 

Madeline was so moved that she went up to hug Michelle. Even Tristan was starting to tear up at how nice Michelle was. They had already left the room so that they could be alone for a bit

 

Reggie: *whispers* Damn 

 

Mike: Yeah, those girls bonded super quick

 

Tristan: *sniff* I Fucking love her already man

 

They watched Madeline just quietly sob into Michelle shirt

 

Madeline: *sniff* I’m so sorry

 

Michelle: It’s Ok, This shirt was old anyway

 

Nicole: I mean, we don’t have any T-shirts that fit

 

Tristan: I DO

 

Lucky for them, Tristan was wearing two shirts, he decided to give Michelle the top Black shirt and he would just go in his tank top, It smelled of weed though

 

Tristan: Ohh you guys have spray or something cause it smells like weed

 

Nicole: SERIOUSLY

 

Tristan: Oh man, but it’s one of the light ones, DON’T DO HEROIN, COKE, OR BENNYS THOUGH, OR I’LL DISOWN ALL OF YOU, but I also understand that weed is not for everybody

 

Michelle: *sigh* Well, I suppose if I don’t have a choice *takes shirt off nonchalantly*

 

Nicole: WAIT MICHELLE, *looks at Tristan* LEAVE THE ROOM FIRST

 

Tristan: Oh right, My bad

 

And with that Tristan leaves the room and Michelle puts on the black shirt, while Madeline tries her best to wash Michelle’s shirt.

 

Michelle: It’s a little big on me, maybe if I tuck it in

 

Tristan: Dude, I’m never washing that shirt

 

Mike: You’re a sick fuck you know that

 

Michelle: Perfect fit, It’s a little loose though

 

Michelle just created a fashion that wouldn’t really be prevalent until the 80’s with the oversized T-shirt tucked into the miniskirt.

 

Michelle: Thank you for the shirt

 

Tristan could barely contain himself, Michelle looked so good with his shirt tucked into her skirt.

 

Tristan: IT’S A NEW FASHION, OVERSIZED BOYS T-SHIRTS INTO MINISKIRTS

 

Reggie: Anyway, let's get to the Eiffel Tower, I haven’t been there in a few years, so it’ll be interesting

 

Madeline: How much does it cost

 

Reggie: Don’t worry about it, I’ll pay for it

 

Tristan: I’ll get half of it man, I’ve been there too many times, and Mike will get what I can’t pay because he’s Jewish

 

Mike: *bonk* DO I LOOK LIKE A BANK

 

Michelle: What does being Jewish have to do with having money?

 

Reggie: Are your parents Jewish

 

Michelle: My Mom is, but she spends money, my Dad’s the one who saves it

 

Tristan: It’s probably for the best

 

Nicole: ANYWAY LET’S STOP WITH THE JEWISH JOKES FOR ONCE, REGGIE PAY FOR YOU AND 

 

Mike: WAIT A MINUTE, I’LL PAY FOR EVERYONE USING MY MOMS CREDIT CARD, SHE NEVER KEEPS TABS ON HER STATEMENT ANYWAY

 

Reggie: Sounds good

Chapter 9: Eiffel Tower

The six then head off toward the Eiffel Tower. The girls had never been there but the guys had been there collectively at least 5 times, mostly when they were little kids. The six managed to take a taxi to get there faster and Tristan had Michelle on his lap, but he was having a hard time not because Michelle was heavy, but because he was getting an erection. It didn’t help that all he was wearing was a tank top and black flare jeans with converse. 

 

Once they thankfully got out of the taxi, the girls stared at the structure before them. Unfortunately once they got there Michelle and Madeline were shaking like fig leaves. While they were excited to be at the Eiffel Tower, they underestimated how big it would actually be, but that didn’t deter Tristan who had a grand Idea. Tristan had bought Madeline and Michelle Blindfolds so that they could stand the ride up easier. It was too bad for them that tourists were staring at two teenage girls with blindfolds on. Once they were finally at the top, they got both girls to the center and took off their blindfolds really quick, Madeline was flabbergasted at the view but Michelle was so shocked, she hit Tristan multiple times.

 

Soon enough Madeline and Nicole went off to be alone for a second, They had realized that they had made it to one of the places that they dreamed about going to with Anna. The two took the time to observe the view from 906 ft up in the air, while Mike and Reggie watched the two girls from Afar.

 

Tristan and Michelle were still staring at each other and then they were staring at the view from the observation deck. Everyone around them knew that it was already a date for them as far as they were concerned, it was just too bad it was now 4:20 and Reggie snuck up behind him to tell him, scaring Michelle in the process.

 

After that everyone went their separate ways, Madeline and Nicole took a taxi to their apartment, and Before Michelle got into hers, she gave Tristan her address as she didn’t have a phone yet. She also gave her address to Madeline so that she could give her her shirt back once it was finished, and with that she was off. It was too bad for Michelle because when school started, something really awkward happened. Michelle and Matilda were in the same homeroom but so was Gertrude and Tristan’s Sister Theresa. Theresa had heard about Michelle but didn’t know what she looked like.

 

Theresa: My brother is an annoying prick now about this Michelle, I wish he would just shut the fuck up

 

Gertrude: At least he hasn’t jerked off saying her name yet

 

Theresa: IF HE DID THAT I’D KICK HIM IN THE FUCKING BALLS

 

They see Michelle and Matilda walk into the room, and see who she is, they still have no Idea that this was the Michelle Tristan was talking about.

 

Gertrude: I don’t remember seeing her last year, she’s taller than us

 

Theresa: Gertrude she’s like a model

 

Theresa was 5’9 and was a carbon copy of her mother, but had black hair instead of her mom’s brownish red hair. All the boys were also paying attention to her as well.

 

Boy 1: Who is that with Matilda of all people

 

Boy 2: She’s like a Russian Model

 

Boy 3: Dude, she’s totally mine this year

 

The brave boy from class walks up to Michelle, she is very oblivious to his affection

 

Boy 3: Hello ummm

 

Michelle: Hi, I’m Michelle

 

Theresa then started sweating profusely, all she had heard about Michelle was that she had blonde hair, blue eyes, and was the sweetest person her brother ever met.

 

Boy 3: Oh, I don’t remember seeing you in these parts 

 

Michelle: Well we just moved here three weeks ago

 

Boy 2: From Where

 

Michelle: Haha, from Montpellier

 

Boy 1: Have you ever been to the Eiffel Tower

 

Michelle: Yeah, My boyfriend took me

 

This stuns all the boys in the class, surely this girl isn’t the Michelle Tristan kept talking about.

 

Boy 1: YOU HAVE A BOYFRIEND

 

Boy 2: WHAT’S HIS NAME

 

Theresa: *slam* HER BOYFRIEND IS MY BROTHER YOU FUCKING IDIOTS

 

Michelle was shocked as well. Tristan did mention that he had two sisters, but she didn’t know that one of them was the same age as her. Meanwhile Gertrude was laughing her ass off in the background

 

Matilda: *whispers* Umm Michelle, that is actually Tristan’s Sister

 

Michelle: YOUR BROTHERS TRISTAN

 

Theresa: THIS DOESN’T MAKE ANY SENSE ANYMORE, I’M GONNA KILL HIM

 

Michelle: WHAT

 

And with that she stormed out of the classroom to find the juniors area. It was going to be hard trying to find Tristan, but Theresa was determined. Suddenly she sees him in one of the classrooms talking to Rich and Reggie, the only two friends that managed to be in the same homeroom as Tristan this year. Mike and Rido were in another homeroom and Pierre was in a different one from all of them.

 

Tristan: THERESA

 

Theresa: *slap* YOU PIECE OF SHIT, YOUR GIRLFRIEND IS IN MY CLASS

 

Tristan: Ahhh, Really

 

Michelle: I’M SORRY TRISTAN, I HAD NO IDEA

 

Tristan: It’s ok Michelle, My sisters just jealous

 

Theresa: *slap* YOU NEVER TOLD ME SHE WAS THE SAME AGE AS ME, OR THAT SHE WAS TALLER THAN ME, DID YOU EVEN MEET HER PARENTS

 

Tristan: Oh yeah, they’re nice people

 

Rich: Holy Shit Tristan, she’s gorgeous man

 

Theresa: GO SHOVE A WINE BOTTLE UP YOUR ASS AGAIN 

 

Reggie: You liked that shit didn’t you

 

Theresa: I DON’T NEED SHITHEAD REMARKS FROM YOU, AND YOU, WHAT DO YOU FIND IN MY IDIOT BROTHER THAT’S SO ATTRACTIVE

 

Michelle: Ummm, Well he’s polite, kind, and he saved me from being recruited by a fashion designer who turned out to be not very nice

 

It was too bad the teacher for Tristian’s class came in right after she said that, The class was already full so the teacher found it odd that there was two girls standing there with no seats

 

Teacher 1: LADIES, CLASS SEEMS TO BE FULL, IS THIS YOUR HOMEROOM

 

Michelle: OH WE’RE SORRY

 

And before they had the chance to finish, they had to run to their homeroom, they had barely made it in time for class, but the teacher got there at the same time they made it back to their seats, so they were safe.

Chapter 10: Tristan's Parents

Later that day Theresa ended up telling her family about Michelle. The women in the Moncoutie household ruled over the men as Theresa, Tristan and 12 year old Tina who was 5’7 and looked like Dorian Leigh with the same hair color as her mother were on one side and Susan and their father Tre who was 5’10 and 10 years older than his wife at 52 with poofy hair like his son, but not as long were on the other side. The three women did not have poofy hair like the men. 

 

Theresa: NOT ONLY IS MICHELLE IN MY HOMEROOM, SHE’S IN MY MATH CLASS AND MY HOMEMAKING CLASS

 

Susan: Hahaha, Be lucky she’s not in your gym class

 

Theresa: THEY’D BE TAKING PICTURES OF US IN THE LOCKER ROOM AND SENDING THEM TO PLAYBOY

 

Tristan: YOU’RE ALL JEALOUS

 

Tre: I wonder what her real parents were like, I bet her mom was a knockout

 

Tristan: Her brother Micheal and her both tower over their adoptive parents, I think even Tina’s taller than them

 

Tina: Maybe we should have dinner over their house to find out what they feed them because a girl being Tristan’s height is not normal

 

Susan: Being my height isn’t normal Tina and apparently she's taller then me

 

Theresa: Yeah, I'd say by like an Inch

 

Tre: You know I like them in all sizes sweetie, even midget sizes hahahaha

 

Susan: *bonk* IF I SEE YOU USING A MIDGET AS A WHEELBARROW, I’M PUTTING YOU IN JAIL FOR PEDOPHELIA

 

Tre: I mean, it would look like a garden gnome

 

Theresa: DAD STOP TALKING RIGHT NOW

 

Susan: Anyway are we ever going to meet Michelle Tristan

 

Theresa: NO YOU WON’T, AND I’LL MAKE SURE OF IT

 

Tristan: BUT I WOULD SUPPORT YOU IF YOU DECIDED TO DATE ONE OF MY FRIENDS

 

Theresa: EXCEPT FOR RIDO AND ROLAND, ALL OF YOUR FRIENDS NEED TO BE PUT IN THE INSTITUTION

 

Tre: I should invite Dominic to dinner more often

 

Theresa: DAD, DO YOU HAVE A DEATH WISH

 

Dominic: Yep *places hand’s on Susan’s shoulders* and I’ve got nine lives baby

 

Theresa: *bonk* GET YOUR HANDS OFF MY MOM CREEP

 

Susan found it hilarious whenever Dominic would show up from behind. Him and Roland were known to show up unannounced all the time. They didn’t go to the same school as the rest of the guys, but they had friends that would come down to Tristan’s garage too like Claude, who was right behind them. He had only met Tristan once during one of their practices, but this was his first time he was meeting his family. Claude was 5 '11 with undiagnosed ASD that had short blonde hair like Alan Wilson from Canned Heat and glasses covering his blue eyes, but was an expert in the blues and could play harmonica and guitar well, not as good as Roland though.

 

Roland: Oh Claude, this is Tristan’s family

 

All he could muster was a wave, the girls wave right back, but that didn’t mean they were done arguing

 

Tristan: THERE’S YOUR MAN RIGHT THERE THERESA

 

Theresa: *bonk* Hi Roland

 

Roland: We need that guy you know, what’s going on anyway

 

Tristan: DUDE, MICHELLE IS IN THERESA’S CLASS

 

Dominic: REALLY, I WONDER WHAT HER MOM LOOKS LIKE

 

Tristan: Short and Jewish, her real mom, i’m not sure

 

Dominic: If Michelle’s real mother is dead, can I dig it up

 

Tina: Now you’re into Dead Old Ladies

 

Dominic: No, anyway you ever bringing Michelle over here, I hear she’s a blonde knockout

 

Theresa: She’s as dumb as bricks as well

 

Tina: That’s something you two have in common

 

Dominic: Just bring her over already

 

Tristan: Hey, maybe she could bring Reggie’s new crush Madeline and her friend Nicole but I’d have to ask you to go to Delia’s

 

Theresa: Aren’t they also my age, why don’t they go to school

 

Susan: I dropped out at 15

 

Theresa: But mom, that was during the war 

 

Tre: Remember you had to pay for our first date with the money you made off of that ad, I wouldn’t be rich like this if it wasn’t for your mom and you guys

 

Susan: I remember you lost it all when I met you *kiss* 

 

Tre: I love you Su

 

Theresa: GET A FUCKING ROOM JESUS, AND YOUR DOING IN FRONT OF A GUY WE DON’T EVEN KNOW

 

Tre: Oh, my apologies

 

Claude: It’s fine

 

Rido: I never met Michelle, but her family was nice and her brother is really tall, oh hey Claude

 

Rido also came into the dining room at an opportune time. The family were known to just let anyone walk into their house unlike Michelle’s conservative family.

 

Tristan: Yeah, he’s in college trying to be a Businessman

 

Dominic: A BUSINESSSSMAN WITH A BUSINESSSPLAN How will that do in a post De Gaulle Society

 

Roland: With the schools luck, he’s probably on psychedelics right now and seeing god in one of his hallucinations

 

Tristan: Nah man, I think their parents are a little too uptight for that

 

Susan: I would be too if my kids were adopted in Germany

 

Tristan: Her brother was 5 and she was 2 when they were adopted. Apparently he was beaten by nuns at the orphanage they were at in Germany. Michelle doesn’t remember any of it though

 

Susan: Weren’t we all beaten by nuns

 

Tre: I had one made me clean her room with my tongue, then she gave me a lashing, I stopped going to church after that

 

Susan: My father would’ve raised hell about his girls being spanked, but Uncle Charles and Uncle Cameron got spanked all the time.

 

Tina: Grandpa was very sexist wasn’t he

 

Susan: That’s why I ran away at 15 Dear, anyway we gotta meet these girls don’t we

Chapter 11: Michelle's Parents

A few days after that was when Madeline and Nicole came to dinner at Michelle’s house. It was perfect because her brother Micheal’s classes ran late. Michelle’s Dad Randolph was a carbon copy of the actor Nathan Lane being in his early 50’s and 5’5 but balding and a Jovial Salesman, while his Jewish wife Eileen was the same height and had a curly brown perm. She was a little bit more Liberal than her husband as well. 

 

Michelle: And she hasn’t spoken to me since, even though we’re in two other classes together

 

Nicole: I think she’s still shocked over the fact that you and her brother are a couple

 

Madeline: Thank you both for having us, this is very good

 

Eileen: Hahaha, you’re welcome girls, I always end up cooking too much because Michelle and Micheal eat quite a bit. Micheal eats more than Michelle though

 

Randolph: You know by the time they were both 10 years old they were already as tall as us, I know they don’t get that from your side of the family

 

Eileen: And I only remember one uncle from your side who was over 6 foot 

 

Michelle: Tristan’s Sisters almost my height though

 

Randolph: So they’re a tall family as well 

 

Michelle: Well, he does have another sister who’s 12, but I don’t know how tall she is, and I never met Tristan’s parents, but his mom used to be a Model, even the lady who scouted me knew her.

 

Madeline: We had somebody scout us too, her name was Stephanie

 

Michelle: YOU MET HER TOO, DID SHE HAVE A DOG WITH HER

 

Madeline: Haha no, but she gave us a ride in a nice car, anyway she told me that I should be on the cover of Vogue or Elle, I declined because I don’t really like the attention.

 

Eileen: So you girls are cousins

 

Nicole: Yes, our moms are related

 

Randolph: I heard you two girls live by yourselves, were you kicked out

 

Nicole: Yes, and Madeline was being mistreated by her father anyway so we decided to live in Paris.

 

Randolph: Wow, and you made it this far from Alsace Moselle. You girls are very lucky at your age. I’m sure it wasn’t easy to decide to finally escape the circumstances leading to having you leave home and you girls have a job also

 

Nicole: The first thing we did was buy a newspaper and look for a job and an apartment.

 

Randolph: You gotta admire their work ethic Eileen, and the fact that you girls turned down quite a bit of money is admirable

 

Madeline: Well, we don’t really know how much models make, but all I know is that they can’t be comfortable holding those poses all the time for hours on end

 

Michelle: I know I couldn’t

 

Eileen: Haha you know Michelle, Madeline you two look like you could be related from here, I’m already imagining an ad in my head that would win awards

 

Randolph: EILEEN, YOU KNOW THAT INDUSTRY IS FILLED WITH SNAKES LIKE THAT STEPHANIE PERSON

 

Eileen: Hahaha, I’m joking dear

 

Nicole: Yeah, we don’t want to throw up if we become fat either

 

Michelle: Hahaha Tristan joked about that and doing drugs with Stephanie and she got so mad at him. I wonder if his mom ever went through that

 

Madeline: We’ve been to his house before when he was trying out guitarists, his parents weren’t there though.

 

Randolph: Oh really, whats the house like

 

Nicole: Well, we didn’t go inside, but it was a very nice house with a big garage that had a drum set and amplifiers in it. 

 

Randolph: So when they played were they loud

 

Madeline: Yes, but they were very good, I never heard anything like it

 

Eileen: How good of a drummer is Tristan you think

 

Nicole: Oh he’s really good, He must have played for an hour straight without a break, and he didn’t waver at all

 

Michelle: You guys are making me jealous, now I want to go to one of their practices or something

 

Nicole: Yeah, but how would Theresa feel about it

 

Michelle: When she found out about me and Tristan she actually ran to his classroom to slap him 

 

Eileen: She sounds like a feisty character

 

Michelle: Not really, I think she’s just embarrassed, I would be too if Micheal ended up dating one of my friends

 

Nicole: Your brother

 

Michelle: He did have a girlfriend before we left but he had to break up with her before we moved here

 

Eileen: He already met somebody in one of his classes, so I wouldn’t worry about it yet

 

Randolph: Micheal’s 195cm tall, an A+ Athlete, and scored in the top 100 on the exams. Of course he’s going to find somebody

 

Micheal: Find who dad

 

Micheal just seemed to sneak into everything, His 194cm athletic frame made him look like Loid Forger from Spy x Family as he was eyeing Michelle’s new friends. He actually did meet somebody in one of his classes though

 

Randolph: DO YOU REALLY HAVE TO SNEAK UP ON ME EVERYTIME

 

Micheal: Hahaha, I did meet somebody while having lunch though

 

Eileen: She doesn’t go to your school

 

Micheal: We only have a hundred people in the business program mom, anyway Michelle are these more of your friends

 

Michelle: This is Madeline and That’s Nicole

 

Micheal: Do you guys know Tristan and Rido

 

Nicole: Yep we know both of them

 

Michelle: Am I the only one that never met Rido

 

Eileen: Hahaha, We met Rido and Tristan when Tristan came to pick his shirt up

 

Randolph: Of course we knew right away that Rido played Bass

 

Eileen: *playful slap* NOT ALL BLACK PEOPLE KNOW HOW PLAY BASS DEAR

 

Michelle: HE’S BLACK

 

Madeline: And Nicole has a crush on him 

 

This made Nicole flush with embarrassment, It was all she could think of after they locked eyes for the first time

 

Nicole: He probably has a girlfriend already

 

Randolph: Dear, I might have a heart attack

 

Eileen: Remember Cecil and Etta

 

Randolph: Oh Yeah, are they still married

 

Eileen: Cecil was from Africa, and Etta was a girl I worked with 20 years ago who married him and ended up getting disowned by her whole family, you remember when nobody from either side of their families came to the wedding. They ended up moving to America and have five kids now.

 

Michelle: It’s horrible that they had to move, but Nicole what do you like about him

 

Nicole: Ummm Well, He’s so cool about everything, anyway what about Reggie

 

Michelle: I think he likes you Madeline

 

Madeline turned three shades of red, she could have never thought in a million years that someone would ever like her. With the constant emotional and sexual abuse from Sister Mary being played out in her head, she thought she was a tainted women, and certainly if Reggie were to find out, he would dump her because by force she wasn’t a virgin. 

 

Madeline: Why, I mean he’s nice and always stands up and protects me but I don’t know about liking someone like me.

 

Michelle: Madeline, nobody does the things he did with you without liking them, plus he’s very funny

 

Madeline: Hehehe, he is the funniest person i’ve ever met in my life

 

Micheal: Why am I here again

 

Randolph: Son, I have no idea, anyway who is this girl you just met

 

Michelle: I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW TOO

 

Now Micheal was put on the spot, The girl he met was going to veterinary school and her name was Emily. He had only met her three days ago, but they exchanged numbers.

 

Micheal: Her names Emily, she’s from Marseille and she’s trying to be a vet for marine animals

 

Eileen: Really, that’s not far from us

 

Micheal: She was shocked as well because she used to compete with us in swimming and we used to compete with her school in basketball tournaments as well.

 

Randolph: Did she move to Paris

 

Micheal: Yeah, she also moved here recently, but she’s staying in a dorm

 

Michelle: What does she look like?

 

Micheal: Hahaha, She looks kind of like her *points at Nicole* but with glasses, oh she’s much shorter though

 

Nicole: You like short girls don’t you

 

Yep, his last girlfriend Caroline was 5’0 while Emily was 4’11. Guess Micheal was caught red handed

 

Michelle: Yes he does Nicole

 

Micheal: Hehehe, You caught me, but we just happen to have many things in common like we both like Science Fiction novels and Star-Trek, and we both can’t stand George Orwell

 

Randolph: That dystopian nonsense is a work of fiction, it could never happen in real life.

 

Micheal: So are you girls in Michelle's class

 

Randolph: Believe it or not these girls work, Michelle just happened to run into them the day she took that walk and they all went to the Eiffel Tower together.

 

Micheal: Wait, so you dropped out, I mean you could always get your GED right but then you’d have to go to a community school for certain subjects, pass that, and then trying to get into a university would be difficult.

 

Madeline: We’re just lucky we have a job, it’s better then where we were, besides I don’t really know what I want to do anyway

 

Nicole: I always thought Madeline should be a nurse or a psychologist

 

Suddenly a flashback of Sister Mary re-appeared in Madeline’s thoughts again, Madeline always wanted to help people, but Sister Mary would remind her that she was a bastard and nobody wanted help from someone born from rape.

 

Sister Mary: People don’t want little bastards helping them, God wants you to serve him and praise your mother and sisters with total obedience

 

Madeline was trying really hard not to run out of the room, but she did the best she could to grin and bear it this time, but she knew she would be a wreck when she got home.

 

Michelle: Madeline

 

Madeline: Oh sorry, I don’t think I want to be either of those things hehehe

 

Later that night, While Randolph and Eileen were going to bed, Eileen became worried that something more happened to Madeline.

 

Eileen: Something bothers me about Madeline

 

Randolph: Dear Madeline is a very sweet girl who just happened to be mistreated by her parents so badly that she decided to run away.

 

Eileen: Randolph she has absolutely no confidence in herself, something horrible happened to her, I'm sure of it.

 

Randolph: Eileen, we can’t worry about every kid in the world or it’ll kill us

 

Eileen: Girls like her are the first ones to become victims of prostitutes or drug addicts Randolph.

 

Randolph: Yes but both Madeline and Nicole are polite and hardworking individuals, girls who become prostitutes are weak willed, now let's just go to bed, I have a finance meeting in the morning

 

Eileen: *sigh* I’ll pray for the both of them

 

And with that they both went to bed. In those few weeks when Tristan wasn’t having band practice, he started going over Michelle’s house more and more. Theresa was finally getting Jealous of that and started trying to talk to Michelle. Tina’s birthday was coming up on October 5th and she wanted to invite her. It didn’t help that Michelle, like Tristan said, was actually very friendly and had people talk to her all the time. She didn’t inherit her brother’s brains though and was only really good at creative or volunteering activities, everything else was a struggle.

 

Theresa: If my brother never met her, we would’ve been good friends

 

Gertrude: If Gretchen started dating Tristan, i’d think i’d be ok with it

 

Theresa: That’s like water and oil

 

Gertrude: I mean who stays together after high school anyway, people move on all the time, besides Gretchen did finally break up with the guitar playing guy.

 

Theresa: Why, because Dominic and Roland blew him off

 

Gertrude: Hahaha, yeah now he won’t leave his room he’s practicing so hard, couldn’t even finger her correctly anymore

 

Theresa: YOUR TURNING INTO MY BROTHER, I heard my brother’s friend Pierre is into you guys

 

Gertrude: GET THAT JAZZ CREEP AWAY FROM ME

 

Theresa: Hahaha right you’re not into guys

 

Gertrude: No I am, just not a lot of them

 

Theresa: If you had a choice between Rido or Roland which would you pick

 

Gertrude: Hmm What if I say Dominic

 

Theresa: THEN I WOULD DISOWN YOU

 

What Theresa didn’t know was that Tristan already invited Michelle over to their house for Tina’s birthday. She was hesitant but she had to tell Theresa about it first, Tristan encouraged her to do it herself.

 

Michelle: Umm Theresa

 

Gertrude: Hey Michelle, hows Tristan in be

 

Theresa: QUIET YOU

 

Michelle: Umm he’s fine, but I heard that your sister’s having a birthday party

 

Theresa: My brother told you

 

Michelle: He told me a week ago, he wanted to invite me, but i didn’t know how you would feel about it

 

Theresa: I mean you’re his girlfriend right, I don’t mind at all

 

Michelle: No, I know it’s weird that i’m dating your brother, if anybody I knew dated my brother i’d probably feel the same way

 

Gertrude: I mean how tall is he

 

Michelle: About 195cm, he use to play basketball too

 

Gertrude: I’m in love

 

Michelle: Haha, he already has a girlfriend who’s studying to be a marine veterinarian

 

Gertrude: Is she cute

 

Michelle: She can fit in your pocket

 

Gertrude laughed at that, and then slowly but surely Theresa started laughing at that too.

 

Theresa: Is your brother a closet pedophile

 

Gertrude: I mean if he’s attracted to shorter girls who were flat that’s a dead giveaway isn’t it

 

Michelle: SHE DEFINANTLY HAS BOOBS, I SAW THEM MOVE

 

Gertrude: You mean you watched your brother have sex

 

Michelle: Well I did accidently walk in on his last girlfriend, my parents weren’t home either, it was frightening

 

Gertrude: You know, i’m thinking if Michelle’s brother 

 

Theresa: *bonk* STOP WITH THE SICK FANTASIES ALREADY

 

Michelle: What about my brother

 

Theresa: SHE WANTS TO BE IN THE MIDDLE OF YOUR BROTHER AND GIRLFRIEND, YOU KNOW, HAVE SEX WITH BOTH OF THEM

 

It was too bad Matilda was right behind them

 

Matilda: What are you doing

 

Michelle: MATILDA THERE’S NO WAY YOU CAN HAVE SEX WITH A BOY AND A GIRL AT THE SAME TIME RIGHT

 

Matilda: Anyway are you guys talking about a party

 

Theresa: Yeah, it’s for my little sister though so a lot of her friends are coming over the house, but my relatives are coming earlier and then leaving when Tina’s friends get there

 

Gertrude: Unless they get super drunk like your uncle and start touching the girls again

 

Michelle: YOU MEAN BOTH BOYS AND GIRLS CAN DO THAT AT THE SAME TIME

 

Gertrude: Hahahaha, Michelle, there are only some people in the world that are into that kind of thing, AND I’M DEFINITELY NOT ONE OF THEM

 

Michelle: I don’t know anything anymore, anyway what time do you want me there

 

Theresa: I guess you’ll have to ask my brother, but he’d probably want you there early, everyone else wait until like 4 or 5 because I have little cousins coming too, Oh Michelle my cousin Teddy is special 

 

Michelle: Is it his birthday too

 

Theresa: Ummm No, let’s just say he’s a little slow

 

Michelle: But why is he special?

 

Gertrude: She’s trying to say he’s retarded without being offensive

 

Michelle: HOW COULD YOU SAY THAT ABOUT YOUR OWN COUSIN

 

Theresa: BECAUSE I’VE HAD FRIENDS COME TO THE HOUSE BEFORE AND MAKE FUN OF HIM

 

Michelle: HOW OLD IS HE?

 

Theresa: 9

 

Michelle: THEY’RE MAKING FUN OF SOMEONE YOUNGER THAN THEM, THAT’S HORRIBLE

 

Matilda: Anyway you want us over there by 4:30

 

Theresa: Yeah sure, as long as you don’t bring any perverts it’s fine

 

Gertrude: Oh Gretchen might show up with her new boyfriend, he’s on the lacrosse team at another school, and he’s a senior.

 

Theresa: Oh we should invite Leslie, he came to the garage with all those crossdressers

 

Matilda: I doubt they’d want to come to a thirteen year olds birthday party

 

Michelle: What’s a crossdresser?

 

Gertrude: Guy’s who decided they want to be women, there's even some that actually get surgery to have breasts and female organs, There's even women that want male organs too hahaha

 

Michelle: *hides her face* FORGET I SAID ANYTHING

Chapter 12: The Party

And so the day of the party arrived, their pool was unfortunately closed but Michelle was one of the first people to show up. She rang the doorbell in a white shirt tucked into a purple skirt that was three inches above the knee. Tristan knew she would be coming first so got to the door before Susan. He was just wearing a T-shirt and black jeans

 

Tristan: MICHELLE *hugs* YOU LOOK AMAZING

 

Michelle: Hahaha, Tristan what if Theresa sees us

 

Susan: That’s her own problem, WOW DID YOU TAKE DANCE LESSONS

 

Michelle: I did when I was little, I stopped because I have two left feet haha

 

Susan: I love the skirt too, is that silk

 

Michelle: I have no idea, but I like it

 

Tre: Wow Sweetheart can we have her

 

Susan: *bonk* DEAR THAT’S NOT FOR US, IT’S FOR TRISTAN

 

Michelle: WAIT, ARE YOU REALLY INTO BOTH BOYS AND GIRLS

 

Theresa facepalmed super hard while her parents were cracking up at that offhand comment

 

Theresa: *facepalm* MICHELLE DON’T ENCOURAGE THEM

 

Susan: Hahaha *sniff* I love everyone equally and so does Tre, but were definitely not into anybody under the age of 30 well except maybe

 

Theresa: DON’T YOU DARE

 

Michelle also facepalms super hard, that's what she got for making that comment

 

Tristan: Don’t worry Michelle *hugs* they’re joking RIGHT MOM AND DAD

 

Tre: Oh Yeah Hahaha *sniff* we’re sorry Michelle

 

It was too bad Uncle Charles, Aunt Mildred, and cousins 12 year old Rachel and 10 year old Renee just got to the door

 

Uncle Charles: Holy Christ, Who’s This

 

Tristan: Oh Uncle Charles, this is my Girlfriend Michelle

 

Michelle: Hello

 

Tina: Hi Rachel, Hi Renee, IS THIS MICHELLE

 

Michelle: You must be Tina, Happy Birthday, I’m sorry this was all I could get 

 

Michelle just got Tina a birthday card with nothing in it, but it was the thought that counted.

 

Tina: Thank You

 

Suddenly Susan’s sister Dorian came with her daughter Margaret who was 6

 

Theresa: Hi Aunt Dorian, Hey Margaret

 

Tristan: Oh Margaret, this is my girlfriend Michelle

 

Michelle: That’s a very pretty dress

 

Margaret: My mom bought it

 

Michelle: My mom bought mine too

 

Margaret: You’re taller than my mom

 

Aunt Dorian: Margaret, that’s rude

 

Michelle: Oh no, it’s fine

 

Then Uncle Cameron, Aunt Dinah, and their two kids Caroline who was also 6 and Teddy who was 9 and had severe Autism, were next.

 

Uncle Cameron: Happy Birthday Tina *hugs Tina* GOOD GOD, IS THAT MARILYN MONROE

 

Susan: No Cameron that’s Tristan’s new Girlfriend Michelle

 

Uncle Cameron: You’re both the same height

 

Tristan: We get that a lot, Hey Teddy

 

Teddy just stared at Michelle for quite a long time. Most of Tristan’s friends and even Marielle had been uncomfortable around him because of his disability, but Michelle was determined to do the opposite.

 

Teddy: Pretty Miss

 

Michelle: Thank you, you’re handsome too

 

The adults were stunned and so was Tristan, Michelle was accepting of Teddy from the beginning. Tre’s older brother Troy and one of his three daughters, 12 year old Polly were the next victims. Uncle Troy already had two grown daughters from another marriage who were 19 and 21 and he had divorced Polly’s mother 3 years ago. Polly hated Teddy because he was slow, but the girls on the Chauvet side of the family didn’t like her either

 

Uncle Troy: Hey Tina *hugs Tina* How are you?

 

Tina: Fine Uncle Troy

 

Uncle Troy was a Jazz Drummer who played in a swing band in France when he was younger and went through marriages and women like they were going out of style.

 

Uncle Troy: WOW WHO IS THIS

 

Tristan: Oh Uncle Troy, this is my girlfriend Michelle

 

Uncle Troy: I can see why you cheated on Marielle 

 

Tristan: I didn’t, she broke up with me and I met Michelle a week later

 

Polly: That’s not your girlfriend Teddy

 

Tristan: I don’t mind him stealing her right

 

Michelle: Nope not at all

 

Polly: You have to be as stupid as he is

 

Suddenly the only childless Chauvet sister and the youngest Aunt Geri came in as well, followed by Aunt Noel who was two years older and her newborn daughter Carol. Tristan and Teddy were the only male cousins on either side of their family, so always ended up hanging out together.

 

Aunt Geri: SERIOUSLY POLLY, EVERY YEAR YOU MAKE FUN OF MY NEPHEW, WHEN IS IT GOING TO STOP

 

Aunt Noel: AND YOU *Points at Uncle Troy* THIS IS ALL YOUR INFLUENCE ISN’T IT

 

Uncle Troy: WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT TOOTS, YOU’RE THE ONE WITH THE KID AND NO MAN

 

Aunt Noel: LOOK WHO’S CALLING THE KETTLE BLACK MR. I’VE BEEN DIVORCED TWICE

 

But what nobody saw was Dominic dressed up as a clown. Roland and the rest of the guys wanted nothing to do with this.

 

Dominic: HIYA FAMILY

 

Uncle Troy: WRONG BIRTHDAY PARTY PAL

 

Dominic: I’M HOMELESS AND LOOKING FOR CANNED GOODS, CAKE, AND THESE WONDERFUL LOVELY LADIES *Points at Aunt Geri and Noel* Aww who’s the kid

 

Aunt Noel: *bonk* WHO THE HELL IS THIS TROY

 

Dominic: Allow me to introduce myself, I’m Pixie the Clown and I only come when there's adult women arguing.

 

Aunt Noel: YOU’RE NOT A VERY FUN CLOWN

 

Dominic: Hahaha No, that’s why I failed clown academy, Is this your mother little girl

 

Aunt Dorian: Hahaha Yes I am

 

Dominic: Madam, forgive my vulgar intrusion earlier, but I think I don’t want to earn money being a clown anymore, what can I do to earn your hea-

 

Theresa: *bonk* I SWEAR TO GOD DOMINIC

 

Tre: Hahahaha Glad you could join us Dominic

 

Aunt Dorian: Haha How old are you?

 

Dominic: Let’s worry about the details later

 

Tristan: He’s 16 Aunt Dorian

 

All of Tristan’s family members became shocked, especially Aunt Dorian, while Susan and Tre were laughing their ass off.

 

Aunt Dorian: *bonk* WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TRYING TO DO

 

Dominic: *sigh* Well you can’t win them all, am I right hahaha

 

Uncle Troy: Your friend Dominic has real balls doesn’t he

 

Then another surprise was about to await them, Madeline and Nicole became bored and decided to go to the party anyway, they had already told Matilda.

 

Michelle: Hey Madeline, Nicole, look at my new boyfriend

 

Nicole: What’s your name

 

Teddy: Ted Ma’am

 

Madeline and Nicole had never dealt with severely autistic individuals before because they were considered throwaways by the orphanage and they were sent to the institutions. The fact that there was one here in the living room amongst family members was surprising to them, but they were nice nevertheless.

 

Tristan: Teddy, That’s Madeline and That’s Nicole

 

Theresa: Oh hi, Michelle kept telling me about you guys

 

Teddy: Pretty Miss *looks at Madeline*

 

Madeline: Thank you Teddy

 

Polly: WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE, TREATING A RETARD WITH KINDNESS, REALLY

 

Dominic: THIS IS WHY I HAVE NO INTEREST IN LITTLE GIRLS

 

Polly: YOU’RE A CLOWN WITH AN OLD WOMEN FETISH, DON’T GET IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS

 

Dominic: I’LL FIND YOUR MOTHER AND SLAP HER IF YOU DON’T SHUT UP

 

The men in this family were laughing their ass off, the mothers didn’t understand what was happening and neither did the girls. Aunt Dinah, Teddy’s mother, had had enough of the constant verbal assault from Polly. She used to be a good person, but ever since her mother abandoned her at nine years old she had been mad at everything. When Dominic said what he said, she was almost in tears

 

Aunt Dinah: STOP IT, JUST STOP IT BOTH OF YOU *sniff* Tristan, your girlfriend and her friends are both saints *sniff* YOU *Points at Uncle Troy* NEED TO START PAYING BETTER ATTENTION TO YOUR CHILDREN 

 

Tristan: Come on Teddy

 

Aunt Dinah was still talking as the 4 girls, Tristan and Teddy, went to the garage. Dominic was unfortunately caught in the crossfire and couldn’t join them yet.

 

Tristan: Everyone just argues about what they would do to Teddy and I know it upsets him, so we just go out here

 

Theresa: Polly’s mother used to get drunk and slap Teddy as well, and then everyone in our family would fight her and it would end in a drunken mess

 

Michelle: Why would they say horrible things right in front of him *hugs Teddy* don’t they understand that he’s a human being too

 

Madeline: We knew people like that who were put away. I think your family is amazing for taking him around people.

 

Tristan: My Aunt Dinah and Uncle Cameron put up with so much shit from other people, they really don’t get it at all man, there’s probably so many people out there like Teddy in the world. All they need is a little bit more help then you and me, that’s all.

 

It was too bad for them because Rido, Roland, and Claude were right in front of the garage.

 

Roland: Don’t tell me Dominic actually went through with the clown idea

 

Tristan: Yep, he’s being grilled by my family now

 

Roland: Let’s wait out here for a while and see what happens

 

And they did, for the next couple of hours, and they all got to know Teddy pretty well. Teddy seemed to prefer Michelle and Madeline over everybody else, including his own cousins.

 

Rido: Dominic’s been in there for quite a while hasn’t he

 

Tristan: My relatives are probably drunk off their ass right now

 

Nicole: What about the kids

 

Theresa: They’re probably somewhere else in the house playing by now

 

Rido: It’s a good thing I didn't go in there with them being drunk or they would think I was a waiter 

 

Around this time is when Reggie and Mike showed up, Reggie actually had to work so that’s why he was late. They were at Tina’s party last year and all they did was hang in the garage with Teddy who he immediately recognized.

 

Reggie: I see you’re quite the Pimp Teddy, Tell me how did you get both of them

 

Teddy: No

 

Reggie: I see I have to up my foreign language game, how does Japanese sound

 

Tristan: Yamate

 

Reggie: What is that in Japanese?

 

Theresa: YOU DON’T EVEN KNOW JAPANESE YOURSELVES

 

Then Matilda showed up to the garage by herself, Mary would come with her boyfriend later in the evening and so would Gertrude and Gretchen with her new boyfriend.

 

Theresa: Matilda, do you know Japanese

 

Matilda: Only Konichiwa, other then that i’m clueless, Oh who’s this *Points at Claude*

 

Roland: Oh, this is Claude

 

All Claude did was wave like he did to everybody else when introduced

 

Theresa: You know, you don’t talk much at all do you

 

Roland: Claude may not talk a lot but he’s really good at Guitar and Harmonica 

 

Claude: Stop man, I’m not that good

 

Mike: If it’s coming from Roland, you must be good

 

Claude: Roland plays his guitar more like the modern rock guitarists, I prefer to emulate guys like Blind Willie Johnson, Son House, Skip James, and John Lee Hooker. I could go on and on but there are a lot of people who take influence from things that we don’t realize and we’ll never hear.

 

Roland: Once you get him started, he’s like a professor

 

Claude: Haha, but people don’t want to hear the boring stuff man, they want to hear Jimi Hendrix, but what I could tell you is that Black RnB has its roots in the south and especially in gospel music and a lot of what Jimi Hendrix does is based in that idiom

 

Reggie: You sure Jimi Hendrix went to church

 

Claude: There has to be an origin, and I believe that was one of the styles of music he took influence from much like a lot of the bluesmen. A lot of the yearning and call and response of the church is not just in modern rock music, it’s in RnB as well.

 

Tristan: But if you really want to hear Claude, you should have him play harmonica, he always carries one in his pocket. Oh, you might want to cover Teddy's ears because loud noises bother him

 

It didn’t help that Teddy was now rocking back and forth and flailing his arms, the girls were clueless on how to deal with this symptom of Autism, but Madeline was more aware than most people.

 

Madeline: Umm I don’t think he wants to be touched right now

 

Theresa: Teddy, It’s going to be loud

 

Teddy: *covers his ears* No

 

Claude: This is just something I made up

 

Then Claude starts to play a song he made up called poppy seed which was the exact riff to The Wizard by Black Sabbath, and interestingly enough he was rocking back and forth to the rhythm while still having his ears covered.

 

Claude: That was called Poppy Seed, anything else

 

Theresa: Do you know that Canned Heat song

 

Claude: That was originally Chicago Bluesman Floyd Joneses Composition that was based on a song by Delta Bluesman Tommy Johnson called Big Road Blues. On The Road Again was actually a remake of another song called Dark Road Blues from Floyd as well

 

Roland: Hahaha, Alright man, just play it

 

Claude then plays Canned Heat's version of the song, he wasn’t a singer though so he only played the more familiar parts of the song. Teddy was still rocking back and forth to the rhythm of the song and there was a big grin on his face the whole time. All of a sudden Teddy stopped when he realized he had to go to the bathroom

 

Michelle: HOLD ON, Are you ok Teddy

 

Madeline: I think he has to go to the bathroom

 

Theresa: Alright, come on Teddy

 

Roland: Come to think of it, maybe someone should check on Dominic too, he’s been in there for hours, and if he’s in there long, he might

 

Theresa: OVER MY DEAD BODY THAT’LL HAPPEN

 

The garage wasn’t attached to the house so they weren’t disturbed at all, Theresa led Teddy back into the house. What she saw was a normal scene at first, her relatives talking about current events and Tina and some of her friends that came entertaining the kids, but what made her nervous was that Dominic, her Aunt Dorian and Aunt Geri were nowhere to be found, but it was more important for Teddy to use the bathroom. Once they were done with that she had a gut feeling that Dominic was actually trying to have a menage a trois with her Aunts. Unfortunately she had to bring Teddy back to the garage first, When she got back Gertrude was there this time by herself.

 

Theresa: Umm Roland, I didn’t see two of my Aunts

 

Gertrude: Is your Uncle Troy here

 

Theresa: Sorry Gertrude he’s here and so is Polly, anyway ROLAND DOES HE REALLY FUCK FAMILY MEMBERS

 

Roland: *sigh* If your two aunts and Dominic are nowhere to be found in the house, then most likely he’s trying to engage in a Menage a Trois with them.

 

Theresa: HE’S ACTUALLY DONE THIS BEFORE

 

Roland: He says he’s been successful, but I’ve never been around him when this happened so I don’t know

 

Theresa: MY AUNTS COULD GO TO JAIL FOR LEWD CONDUCT WITH A MINOR ROLAND

 

Rido: ALRIGHT, i’ll take a look

 

Tristan: I’ll go with you, just in case they mistake you for a waiter

 

The two boys then open the door once again. The Adults are indeed drunk and it is pretty much the same scene as when Theresa entered the house. 

 

Tristan: Hey Mom, where’s Dominic

 

Susan: Hahaha *hiccup* He’s with your Aunt Dorian and Geri somewhere, they haven’t been back here in like an hour *hiccup* Hope they’re having fun.

 

Uncle Troy: *hiccup* HEY TRE, ISN’T THAT SIDNEY POITIER

 

Tre: LOOKS LIKE HIM FROM HERE *hiccup* THAT’S RIDO

 

Tristan: Come on man, they’re just drunk

 

They looked all over the house trying to find Dominic, they weren’t in any of the bedrooms or the bathrooms which meant the only possible place they could be was the pool house guest room where there was a couch.

 

Tristan: Fuck man, he better not be in my parents secret pool room

 

Rido: How is it secret if it’s right over there

 

Even the people in the garage could see Tristan and Rido walk directly toward the guest room. It was small as it was, but no-one went in there in October, and there were only two rooms, one had a couch that was open and the other was possibly too small for three people to fit in.

 

Theresa: THERE IS NO WAY IN HELL THEY’RE IN THE POOL HOUSE

 

Tristan and Rido get to the Pool House and realized it’s locked, looks like they had all been caught

 

Tristan: DOMINIC WHAT THE FUCK MAN

 

As it turns out Dominic was actually in the fitting room with Aunt Dorian and Aunt Geri. How they could fit in there was a mystery but what was really shocking was on the floor of the other room were Aunt Geri and Dorian’s Dresses along with Dominic’s clown costume, he was already naked underneath the costume as it was, but Geri and Dorian’s Bra and Panties weren’t there.

 

Dominic: *panting* DON’T WORRY MAN, WE DIDN’T DO ANYTHING, YOUR AUNTS REFUSE TO PUT OUT

 

Tristan: DON’T TELL ME THEY JERKED YOU OFF WITH THEIR UNDERWEAR ON

 

Dominic: *sniff* NOT EVEN THAT, THEY’RE JUST SO DRUNK THAT THEY TOOK OFF THEIR CLOTHES

 

Aunt Dorian: *hiccup* I can’t wait until you’re 18 Dominic *hiccup*

 

Dominic: Haha, And I can’t wait to be Margarets stepfather and I can’t wait to give you a kid too, but my friends are calling me, take it easy

 

Suddenly Dominic walks out of the changing room butt ass naked for them to see which got a swift punch to the face by Theresa who was right behind Tristan and Rido.

 

Theresa: *punch* PUT SOME FUCKING CLOTHES ON 

 

While Theresa was yelling and beating the shit out of Dominic, The rest of the people from the garage certainly got an eyeful.

 

Michelle: NO TEDDY, YOU CAN’T SEE THIS

 

Mike: Holy Shit, should we leave

 

Roland: Nah, this is not the first time he got his ass kicked by somebody for doing this

 

Reggie: I thought you said he was usually successful 

 

Roland: That’s only in Dominic’s mind

 

Unfortunately for them the minute Tristan’s Aunts saw Rido, they start changing their mind about putting their dresses on

 

Aunt Geri: *grabs Rido’s arm* Hey Hahaha *hiccup* You must be huge down there 

 

Rido: *pushes away* Get away from me you drunks

 

Aunt Dorian: Come on *hiccup* we just wanna see it

 

Suddenly a flashback occurred for Rido, what nobody knew about him was that back in Cameroon when he was adopted by a traveling french couple at seven, nobody knew that while also being made to be their servant, he was also supposed to be their lover.

 

Mother: Come on Rido, we just wanna see it

 

Rido: I’LL NEVER SHOW YOU AGAIN *runs away*

 

Rido ran into the garage to try to calm down, he hid behind the amplifiers to try to be alone.

 

Roland: Rido what’s wrong man

 

Rido: *sigh* I’m sorry guys, I know there drunk and it’s not their fault, but I just need to be alone for a second

Chapter 13: Date 1

Madeline was shocked, but understood that Rido needed his space, Nicole was confused and wanted to try and help Rido and after a few minutes she made her resolve. Nicole went up as gently as she could behind the fender bassman cabinets that were obstructing Rido’s view. From watching Madeline have her flashbacks, she was very familiar with what Rido was going through.

 

Nicole: *knock knock* Rido, I think I know why your having those, something horrible happened right

 

Rido: Hahaha, if only I could escape, it seems no matter where I go they always follow me in my own mind.

 

Suddenly Nicole was right next to him before he knew it, he was startled at who it was

 

Rido: *shock* Jesus, it’s only you

 

Nicole: Rido, did someone do something to you when you were a kid

 

Rido: Why are you so interested? If I shared it with you I'd be put in an insane asylum and castrated. They might even make something out of the remains once it’s all over with

 

Nicole: It’s Ok, I don’t exactly want to tell people why I moved to Paris either because it’s too sad and we’d be forced into slavery by nuns.

 

Rido: Are you a Magdalene Orphan who ran away from an Orphanage by any chance.

 

Nicole was shocked, how did he know about that, she didn’t know what to do with herself and started crying. Rido really didn’t know what to do now.

 

Nicole: How did you know *sniff* Please don’t send us back there

 

Rido: I could never do that, I’m an Orphan too, I was adopted in Cameroon by a French Family when I was seven and made to be a practical slave. I was treated worse then the dog, they even *balled up fists*

 

Nicole: Rido don’t say anything *sniff* they abused you didn’t they

 

Rido: *breathes deeply and nods* I ran away from there when I was 12 and ended up in the foster care system. I only came to Paris in January when my girlfriend's father disapproved of me being in a Jazz band and I’ve lived with the band ever since.

 

Nicole: I thought you had a girlfriend

 

Rido: Hahaha, you’re very curious about everything aren’t you, I lived with her when I lived in Nice, but we broke up when I moved to Paris. What about you though, why did you decide to escape

 

Nicole: It’s complicated, but one of my friends *sniff* committed suicide by jumping off the roof of the laundry, she even left us a note that said that she wished she could escape, so we did it because she couldn’t *sniff* I’ll never forgive those nuns

 

Rido: Wow, Is Madeline an orphan too

 

Nicole: Rido, me and Madeline are like family, we both grew up in the orphanage, and both of us escaped together

 

Rido: Hahaha, that’s funny, but what about your real parents, do you know anything about them

 

Nicole: All I know is that I'm half-jewish, but my mom was catholic and my guess is they disapproved of her being with my dad so they forced her to give me up

 

Rido: I still have the last name of the people who adopted me, I want to get rid of it, but Rido Duvall kind of has a nice ring to it

 

Nicole: Hey Rido, what was your last girlfriend like?

 

Rido: Hahaha, well she was mixed race actually, but she was beautiful, all I know now is that she’s dating the guitar player.

 

Nicole: Have you ever dated someone who was white?

 

Rido: Hmmm What are you getting at, I could never date someone who was white because of what people would think, or what their family or friends would think, and there would be so many obstacles I’d have to overcome.

 

Nicole: I don’t care Rido *sniff* I already told you about my life and if I just let it go like that who knows what’ll happen. The fact that you’re so cool about it all *sniff* It’s not right

 

Rido: *hugs* I know, you can be very pushy, but it doesn’t bother me because you care and I can see that.

 

It was too bad for them because a few minutes later Rich and Pierre unintentionally entered the garage.

 

Pierre: Jesus where is everybody

 

Rich: Is the party over already

 

Pierre: And you’re the one with the party favors AKA the weed

 

Meanwhile Roland came back into the Garage as well, basically to check on Rido.

 

Roland: Hey Rido, you good man

 

Rido: Hahaha, just a second man

 

Theresa was still beside Dominic and her two aunts near the pool house

 

Roland: Hey listen, I know you would like to use the pool house with Nicole but it’s still being

 

Then Rido and Nicole emerge

 

Nicole: What are you talking about?

 

Pierre: I’M TALKING ABOUT A CELEBRATION, THE MORE MIXES IN THE WORLD THE BETTER, I APPROVE

 

Rich: *thumbs up* Don’t mess up man

 

Rido: MESS UP WHAT

 

Mike: Nah this works out for the best, because there’s already going to be a massive population decrease with the whites anyway, SO I SUPPORT MIXES 100% BECAUSE THEY ARE THE FUTURE *hi fives Pierre*

 

Gretchen: *bonk* ARE YOU FUCKING STUPID, US WHITES ARE MORE POPULATED AND SUPERIOR

 

Mike: BUT US JEWS KNOW ABOUT MONEY DON’T WE, AND WHEN THE GOVERNMENT STARTS CONTROLLING EVERY ASPECT OF THE POPULATION THROUGH COMPUTERS THEN YOU’LL BE SORRY FOR BEING A RACIST

 

Gretchen: I’VE DATED BLACK GUYS BEFORE ASSHOLE

 

Gretchen’s new boyfriend was built and he was from a different school as the rest of them. His name was Arthur and he was a senior lacrosse player at a prestigious school and looked down on the rest of the guys. 

 

Arthur: Why does it matter, I’m bigger than them anyway

 

Mike: I bet in four generations, white boys' dicks will be the size of a female clitoris because of all the processing they put in the foods.

 

Arthur: THAT’S ALL FICTION

 

Mike: You want me to get the documents on it, it’s all planned

Chapter 14: Date 2

Meanwhile Reggie, Madeline, and Michelle were still with Teddy. Theresa and Tristan were trying to sort their family members out and Dominic was still passed out on the couch from being hit by Theresa.

 

Reggie: Don’t worry Teddy, when you grow up, you’ll be bigger than both of them, hell maybe you’ll be able to throw that guy

 

Michelle: Hahaha, I don’t know about that

 

Reggie: He’d be unpredictable at lacrosse just because he wouldn’t know what to do

 

Madeline: Wouldn’t he be kicked off the field

 

Reggie: *sigh* Dammit TEDDY YOU CAN DO ANYTHING IF YOU PUT YOUR MIND TO IT, YOU WANT TO BE IN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE GO RIGHT AHEAD

 

Michelle: What's That?

 

Reggie: No Idea, then again we don’t know what Teddy is really capable of do we TEDDY WHAT’S 2 + 2

 

Teddy just stared at Reggie for a long time and flapped his arms

 

Teddy: Aaahhhh

 

Reggie: *sigh* Really close but it was 4

 

Suddenly Theresa called Michelle over to help her

 

Michelle: Sorry Teddy, i’ll be right back *winks at Madeline*

 

It left Reggie and Madeline alone with Teddy which was nerve-racking enough for Reggie because him and Madeline had never been alone together before.

 

Madeline: You’re really good with kids 

 

Reggie: Hahaha, I don’t have any younger cousins and i’ve never watched a kid in my life so I don’t know if i’m any good or not

 

Madeline: But your watching one right now aren’t you

 

Teddy: No kid

 

Reggie: Hahaha, of course not Teddy, you’re 18 years old, when we going to the bar

 

Teddy: Late

 

Madeline: *laughs* 

 

Reggie: Ok Teddy, you can take Madeline to the bar does that sound good

 

Teddy: Pretty

 

Reggie: Yes Teddy, Madeline is very pretty I agree

 

Madeline really didn’t know what to think now, it was getting harder and harder to keep her composure around the two. She was about to cry but amazingly Teddy noticed it,

 

Teddy: No cry 

 

Madeline: *hugs* You really are so sweet Teddy *sniff* 

 

Teddy: Bar now

 

Madeline: Hahaha *sniff* Teddy alcohol makes me nauseous, besides we’re both way too young to drink

 

Reggie: Then how about a movie then, you like Horror films

 

Madeline: I’ve never actually seen a horror film, I hear they’re scary

 

Reggie: Hahaha, how do you know they’re scary if you’ve never watched one, some of them are actually just funny and some of them are so bad they’re good. I know a theater that airs Night of the Living Dead, you ever seen it?

 

Madeline: No, is it scary?

 

Reggie: It’s actually pretty bad, but some people say it’s scary, anyway I know it’s airing next Saturday, and I was wondering

 

Madeline: Are you using Teddy to ask me on a date

 

Teddy: Yes

 

Madeline: *laughs* You’re funny Teddy, but I think you are too Reggie, but I don’t understand why you want to go out with somebody like me though, I’m not exactly like most girls

 

Reggie: Every girl says they’re not like other girls, I know you probably don’t like compliments because I see every time you're given one you freeze. I don’t know what happened but I’m not bothered easily by things, so you can tell me anything you want, I won’t bite.

 

Madeline: You really just say what's on your mind regardless of the consequences, that’s brave, if you did that where I lived you probably would’ve been beaten by the brothers

 

Reggie: Hahaha, Religion is a joke honestly. My Dad died when I was seven and ever since then I haven’t believed in god or buddha or the flying meat monster. I haven’t been struck by lightning right, and you haven’t either, which proves my point that a 2000 year old book can’t possibly control us.

 

Madeline: But why do so many people live by it

 

Reggie: Because they’re indoctrinated and they can’t escape it. If you want to be brave you question everything, besides that book is irrelevant in times like these.

 

Madeline: But there’s also a lot of good things about religion too, like how to be generous and forgiving toward our fellow man, and how we can be hopeful in dark times such as war and famine.

 

Reggie: We can do all those things without that book, besides people do horrible things according to that book like forcibly invade countries and rape and pillage women and children in Vietnam.

 

Madeline: There are also people who abuse their power under religion, yet people still believe in them and even when children get hurt, they turn the other way and keep quiet.

 

Reggie: You’ve seen some shit haven’t you, that’s ok you can tell me more after the movie, I’m really curious now

 

Madeline: What do you think Teddy should I go out with this guy

 

Teddy just looked at Reggie who was doing mime imitations and making him laugh, causing Madeline to laugh as well. Madeline liked the fact that Reggie was good with kids. Meanwhile Michelle made it back to them to witness this spectacle

 

Michelle: What’s so funny

 

Madeline: *laughs* I don’t know how to tell Reggie that I want to see Night of the Living Dead with him

 

Michelle: That movie’s scary

 

Reggie: Not really, you can tell it had a limited budget

 

Madeline: Could you bring Teddy to see it

 

Michelle: No Way, It would give him nightmares, Oh so Rido and Nicole are a couple now and your friend Mike is trying to fight that guy because he doesn’t believe Microchipping people for not getting a vaccine will happen.

 

Reggie: Mike’s dad crazy, he works in Civil Defense and he photocopies a bunch of documents, who knows if it’ll happen or not

 

Madeline: I hope not, it sounds horrible, but I’m happy for Nicole, Rido really is a nice guy

 

Michelle: I think so too

 

Reggie and Teddy looked at each other and hi-fived, Reggie had finally asked Madeline out to the movies, and as the girls were walking home that night with Matilda they relayed it all.

 

Matilda: I’d be careful Madeline, Reggie will not take anything seriously

 

Madeline: But he’s actually very good with kids, and he’s very funny

 

Nicole: Rido was afraid because I was white, but after I told him I didn’t care he started to warm up

 

But what the others didn’t know was that Claude actually gave Matilda his number. Claude was more shy than the others and didn’t like being in large groups really, but Matilda found him interesting.

 

Madeline: Matilda, what’s that paper

 

Matilda: Oh this, Claude gave me his number

 

Nicole: Wait a minute, Claude asked you out

 

Matilda: Not necessarily, He told me he’s not very good at calling people back so If I wanted to call him I’d have to do it myself, He’s very shy so it’s hard for him to initiate conversation

 

Nicole: You think he’s afraid of knowing too much

 

Matilda: It seems like Claude’s is naturally smart but he’s very selective about it

 

Nicole: Maybe he’s one of those super geniuses that knows so much about one subject, he neglects everything else, even hygiene

 

Matilda: Claude doesn’t smell at all though, that I know of at least

 

Nicole: I think that’s only a few of them, anyway are you gonna call him

 

Matilda: Maybe, he is very interesting when you get to know him

 

Madeline: It wouldn’t hurt would it

 

Matilda: I guess not, alright I’ll do it next week, I think if I did it sooner Claude would get nervous

Chapter 15: The Movie

What ended up happening was Matilda did call Claude and they talked for four hours. Claude had never been in a relationship and hated rushing anything, but he really wanted to go to a botanical garden because as it turns out he knew quite a bit about ecology as well. This was all happening while Reggie was getting super nervous about his date with Madeline to go see Night of the Living Dead. Madeline had never been to the Lucien Bakery before, They were all sitting around the Table now ecstatic for her arrival

 

Lucy: Come on Reggie, she’s not gonna be here for five minutes

 

Reggie: No shit, why am I sweating so much though

 

Lucy: Hahaha I did too my first date with your father

 

Debra: You better not freak this girl out like you did Giselle

 

Derise: If Delia says she’s a good person, i’ll believe it

 

Lucy: And she’s a hard worker too, not many girls of that caliber around anymore

 

Suddenly the doorbell rang, Lucy got up right before her son who immediately sat back down.

 

Reggie: Dammit Mom

 

Lucy: *sticks tongue out* Slowpoke

 

Lucy opened the door to find Madeline standing there dressed in an all white one piece dress that she borrowed from Matilda which meant it was a little bit small on her. The problem was it was now 6 degrees celsius and Lucy was concerned.

 

Lucy: Come in, Don’t you know how cold it is outside, REGGIE GET HER A JACKET

 

Reggie rushed upstairs to get a clean flannel out of his dresser, but he found a light blue flannel jacket that used to belong to Debra and ran down with it.

 

Reggie: *pants* Here Madeline

 

Madeline: Thank you Reggie

 

Debra: That’s my old Jacket

 

Madeline: Oh I’m sorry

 

Debra: It’s fine, I have plenty more

 

Lucy: So Madeline, hows my old friend Delia doing

 

Madeline: Hahaha, she’s fine

 

Lucy: You know me and her are the same age and went to the same high school, I married Reggie’s father right after I graduated, then it took another 15 years to have Reggie.

 

Madeline: I heard that he passed away

 

Lucy: Yes 9 years ago, it was a surprise heart attack, I always say that he died trying to make everybody he knew happy, but I have my sister in law and my niece so I don’t really need a man anymore

 

Derise: Especially with all those new products on the market, who needs them

 

The girls both laughed hard at that, but Madeline didn’t get the joke at all

 

Reggie: Come on Madeline, let’s not encourage them

 

Lucy: Have a nice time, don’t do anything me and your father didn’t do 

 

Reggie: Alright i’ll sing Frank Sinatra terribly on the way there

 

The two then made their way down the block toward the movie theater which was in the next district over. The theater was known to show American films as well as porn, but if Reggie bought Madeline into those films, there would be no second date. 

 

Reggie: So Madeline, how good is your English

 

Madeline: Is this movie in English

 

Reggie: Yeah, but don’t worry it’ll have subtitles, 2 for Night of the Living Dead

 

Ticket Taker: Haha 2.50

 

Reggie gives him the money, and the Ticket Taker says something toward Madeline

 

Ticket Taker: Have fun Angel HAHAHAHA *gives them the tickets*

 

Reggie: Madeline, don’t worry about that asshole ok

 

The ticket taker gave Madeline the creeps anyway. The Theater wasn’t too packed as it was, so friends and couples were spaced apart generously. Reggie’s unintentional plan was to bring Madeline to a horror film hoping she would be so scared, she would hold on to him. Reggie had already seen the movie with Giselle last year and three times after that as well, so he was going to be bored throughout the movie.

 

Reggie: It’s Ok Madeline, this is my 5th time seeing this movie

 

Madeline: This must be one of your favorites 

 

Reggie: Yeah, it’s definitely top 5

 

Then the movie started and as the car was driving up the graveyard Reggie had this to say to Madeline.

 

Reggie: Madeline, if it gets too scary just grab my hand alright

 

Madeline just nodded, she didn’t get it at all until the scene with the girl going up the stairs and seeing the dead body literally made her jump and then when the other guy went up the stairs

 

Madeline: *grabbed Reggies hand* Don’t go up there *covers eyes*

 

Reggie: Madeline, shhh it’s not real

 

Madeline wouldn’t let go of Reggie and wouldn’t uncover her eyes for quite a while until about 15 minutes in and for the next almost half hour she was calm, but that would last until they all went outside and the young couple blew up in the truck and then there was the scene where the dead were eating them

 

Madeline: *shaking* Reggie they're really eating them

 

Reggie: Shhh, it’s only a movie

 

Reggie’s arm was going numb from Madeline clinging to it, the scene where Ben shot Mr. Cooper made her jump, but the worst was when she saw Mrs. Cooper go down the stairs only to witness Karen eat her own father and then pick up the shovel to stab her own mother triggered Madeline to run out of the theater.

 

Madeline: *screams* NO

 

Reggie: MADELINE

 

She wasn’t the only girl to do that as another redheaded girl with glasses did the same thing, but Madeline literally ran out of the theater and collapsed on the ground shaking. 

 

Reggie: *opens door* MADELINE, hey did anybody see a girl running 

 

But Reggie found her away from the other people in a corner outside trying to calm down, but the memory of Anna being impaled was on her mind the minute she saw that scene in the movie.

 

Reggie: *pants* Madeline

 

Madeline: *sobs* I’m sorry 

 

Reggie: Madeline don’t be sorry, the film was almost over anyway

 

Madeline: *clings to shirt* Reggie *shaking* That stabbing scene reminded me of my friend who committed suicide *sniff* She was impaled by a fencepost when she landed 

 

Reggie didn’t know how to react to that, he was almost beside himself

 

Reggie: Madeline I’m so sorry, I’ll never bring you to those types of horror films again

 

Madeline: *sobs* Why did she kill her own mother *sniff* they could have all just gone in the cellar couldn’t they

 

Reggie: Madeline Shhhh, Karen was already bitten remember, she would have eaten everybody

 

Madeline: That’s such a horrible film, a child killing their own parent, and that bald guy was horrible as well *sniff* 

 

Reggie: But that’s why he was shot

 

Madeline: *sobs* It doesn’t make it right Reggie, that film was terrible

 

Reggie: Ok Madeline, I’ll make it up to you, let’s see something else instead

 

Madeline: *sniff* Something that doesn't have any stabbing right

 

Reggie: Of Course

 

And so later on that night they saw The Sicilian Clan at a different theater which Madeline enjoyed more, which meant they didn’t get out of the theater until almost midnight and the theater they were at was a 45 minute walk from Reggie’s house.

 

Reggie: Was that movie better

 

Madeline: Much better, but I feel bad for making you spend so much money

 

Reggie: Hahaha, don’t worry about it, we can just gaze at the stars as we walk

 

Madeline: Paris is very pretty at night

 

Reggie: Yeah, but you know what else is pretty at night *looks at sky* you are

 

Madeline froze at that, Reggie knew she hated compliments and was really trying to find the source of her unhappiness.

 

Madeline: Why do you say things like that?

 

Reggie: Because it’s true Madeline

 

But suddenly Sister Mary appeared again and this time it was much worse than she could have imagined.

 

Sister Mary: GRACE KELLY HAD PARENTS, YOU WERE BORN A BASTARD, YOU CAN’T POSSIBLY BE AS PRETTY AND GOD FEARING AS HER YOU UGLY BASTARD, I’D HAVE TO TOUCH DOWN

 

Tears flowed down Madeleine's face as she relieved it in her head, causing Reggie to be legitimately concerned once again. He didn’t know much about Madeline’s past, but seeing her break down over compliments almost had him crying.

 

Reggie: Madeline, what were you thinking about just now

 

Madeline: *sobs* I can’t tell you *sniff*

 

Reggie: Madeline *hugs* you don’t have to tell me yet, we barely know each other as it is *sniff*

 

When Madeline heard Reggie sniff, that was when she knew he wasn’t a bad person and put her arms around him as well. 

 

Madeline: *hugs* Ok Reggie *sniff* I know that you care

 

The two had their arms around each other until they reached Madeline’s apartment and even then, Reggie was reluctant to let her sleep alone.

 

Reggie: I really feel bad about letting you sleep alone

 

Madeline: That’s ok, Nicole should be back already

 

Reggie: I mean Rido could be having his way with her too

 

Madeline: What do you mean by that?

 

Reggie: You know they could be having sex

 

Madeline: Not before marriage Reggie

 

Reggie: Madeline, everyone knows once their loins develop, they got to get it in there before they’re 18 or they risk becoming old maids, besides they could just go to the UK now to get it aborted if they have an accident

 

Madeline: ABORTION IS NOT AN OPTION REGGIE

 

Reggie: *sigh* Darn, that’s alright they got pills that you take before you have sex now that keeps your eggs from dropping

 

Madeline: WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?

 

Reggie: Don’t tell me you’ve never had sex ed in school

 

Madeline: No, If a girl from our school had sex before marriage and got pregnant, she would be whisked away to a home

 

Reggie: But how do you think she got pregnant

 

Nicole: *opens door* What are you talking about?

 

Reggie: WHAT, WHERE'D YOU COME FROM

 

It didn’t occur to Reggie that he was right outside Madeline’s door and Nicole heard everything Reggie was telling Madeline.

 

Nicole: I don’t know, but i’m definitely not having sex with Rido, YET

 

Reggie: Haha so you want to

 

Nicole: *sigh* We got dirty looks from old people and Rido was uncomfortable with it, so we ended up going to a park for hours

 

Reggie: And you hid in the bushes the whole time right

 

Nicole: Is everything about sex with you?

 

Madeline: It’s starting to sound like it is, anyway how did those girls become pregnant?

 

Reggie: Umm well they would have to undress and put their penis inside you

 

Unfortunately for the both of them, Madeline was utterly shocked and all the emotions of being sexually abused came out at once. When being violated by Sister Mary, she would use all kinds of soft objects on Anna and Madeline and when she heard that a man was the one responsible for creating a baby, the shaking and crying started again

 

Madeline: *shock* NO THAT’S NOT TRUE *sniff* THEY CAN’T DO THAT

 

Nicole: Reggie, leave right now

 

Reggie didn’t question it, there was no doubt in his mind now that someone hurt Madeline. Madeline was still shaking so bad, Nicole gave her the bed.

 

Madeline: *shaking* NO THEY *sniff* WHY *sniff* HOW COULD HE SAY THAT NICOLE *sniff* 

 

Nicole: Madeline how do you think Rape happens?

 

Madeline: *sobs* THAT ALL MAKES SENSE NOW

 

Nicole: Madeline *hugs* 

 

Madeline: *sniff* Could you actually have children through that

 

Nicole: Madeline, I heard it from Matilda, you need a man to have a child, Sister Mary can’t give you a child because she’s a woman, so yeah you can

 

Madeline: *sniff* NICOLE, I THINK I’M GOING TO THROW UP

 

And Madeline actually did throw up in the sink at the thought of someone raping and conceiving a child.

 

Madeline *panting* Are there really children who are born from that *sniff* What if we are Nicole *sniff* Is that why we’re called bastard children?

 

Nicole: Madeline, I have no idea *hugs* Do you still like Reggie

 

Madeline: *sniff* I didn’t like the movie he took me to, so he took me to another one *sniff* But then he saw me have one of those flashbacks and he gave me a hug *sniff* but while he did it I could hear him sniffling a little, so I gave him a hug too *sniff* I think he cares about me.

 

Nicole: Of course he does Madeline, he doesn’t want to hurt you, he loves you. 

 

Madeline: That’s what I like about him *sniff* but I don’t know if he wants to see me again after having two meltdowns in front of him

 

Nicole: If he can’t handle them then he’s not the right one, lets just go to bed for now

 

Madeline: *sniff* Ok Nicole

 

Reggie was beside himself, to him Madeline was one of the most beautiful girls and the fact that she had these issues didn’t deter him from loving her. In fact they made him want to stay with her and as he entered his house to find his mother waiting for him, he was still very depressed, but deep down he knew it was going to take a lot of work to really love this girl.

 

Reggie: Mom, what are you still doing up, isn’t it almost 2 in the morning

 

Lucy: HOW COULD YOU GET BACK THIS LATE REGGIE, YOU HAD SEX WITH HER DIDN’T YOU

 

Reggie: NO MOM I DIDN’T

 

Lucy: THEN TELL ME WHY YOUR SO LATE

 

Reggie: *sigh* We went to see the movie, but Madeline ran out of the theater so I told her we could go see another movie at a different theater, and since we had no money we ended up walking for quite a while back to her apartment.

 

Lucy: She doesn’t like horror films huh, She seems like such a sweet girl

 

Reggie: She is Mom, and I’m gonna marry her one day

 

Lucy: Hahaha, you said that about Giselle too and look what happened

 

Reggie: But Mom, Madeline is different, she’s not fake, she’s very easygoing and she can read people so well it’s crazy

 

Lucy: Which probably means you’re not going to be able to get away with anything around her hahaha

 

Reggie: She was really good with Teddy, even though he’s mentally retarded and very hard to understand, she understood him, but there are a lot of things that really scare her that I don’t understand, but I want to.

 

Lucy: Isn’t she a runaway, there’s probably a lot of things that happened to her that she doesn’t want to talk about.

 

Reggie: All I know about her is that she came from an extremely religious family and her best friend committed suicide, which was why she ran away from home.

 

Lucy: That’s horrible, her parents screwed her up didn’t they

 

Reggie: I want to meet them one day by myself

 

Lucy: Reggie, you can’t fix these kinds of things, sometimes you just have to let it go. I know you love this girl, but if you pry too much into her past, she could end up resenting you.

 

Reggie thought about it for quite a long time, and the next time at the park with Tristan, Mike, Rich, Pierre and Rido he told them of his fears.

 

Rido: Nicole told me the same thing, with her friend committing suicide and them running away together. 

 

Reggie: Her friend was impaled on a fencepost when she landed, it sucks that I don’t know her name either

 

Pierre: Damn man, I could of had that pussy too

 

Tristan: Now you're into necrophilia

 

Rich: I mean how long have Madeline and Nicole been in Paris less then 6 months 

 

Reggie: Yep, Fuck Man, she’s still so beautiful though, and kind, and 

 

Pierre: JUST FUCK HER ALREADY

 

Reggie: No way, I have a lot of work to do before that happens, and with my cousin getting married and moving out in June, I'm gonna be working a lot more at the shop, so I won’t really have time, shits just so stressful you know.

 

Mike: Does that mean you’ll actually inherit the bakery

 

Reggie: Fuck no, if I did, i’d turn it into a topless bar

 

Tristan: Hahaha I’m sure Madeline would love that

 

Reggie: *sigh* She’s so damn repressed, I don’t know what her parents indoctrinated her with, but it pisses me off. Rido Nicole’s her cousin right, she’s probably seen some shit too

 

Rido: Whenever I ask her about what happened, she gets defensive.

 

Tristan: Maybe they were sexually abused or something, I remember Marielle would get memories of her cousin fondling her while she practiced

 

Reggie: Dude, I described sex to Madeline and she broke down and cried. Somebody definitely did something, but whoever did it Madeline won’t say who it is. I’ll let it go for now, but once I know, i’m fucking hunting that dude down.

 

Rich: Won’t we go to prison for murder 

 

Tristan: Not if we catch them in the act, then we have every right to shoot them

 

Pierre: I mean they came from a town that was overrun with nuns and priests right, It could have been one of them too

 

Reggie: True, Nuns and Priests make me sick, they think they can get away with fucking murder

 

Mike: There’s already a huge conspiracy about them molesting children anyway, the problem is if anybody revealed it, they’d be castrated, I have a feeling Reggie that one day it’s all gonna be revealed and in like 30 or 40 years the people who were molested will get their retirement money from the church collections.

 

Unbeknownst to any of the guys, Madeline's Biological mother overheard the conversation as she was walking with her husband Harry. She had already left the laundry by the time she turned 21 and had settled down as a housewife to a finance manager.

 

Harry: Those boys are talking about some weird stuff aren’t they

 

Emma: Hahaha, yeah

 

Reggie: All I know is Madeline doesn’t deserve that shit, somebody did something to her and I don't care if it takes the rest of my life, I'll find a way to make her forget about all the horrible things she went through, I’ll love her back to life if I have too.

 

Emma was shocked at what she heard and so was her husband, but it couldn’t have been the daughter she gave up 15 years ago. Emma already had two daughters that were 2 and 3 that were Madeline’s half sisters, and the fact that this guy might be talking about her daughter almost made her break down right there.

 

Harry: Emma, what’s wrong

 

Emma: Do you think they’re talking about my Madeline

 

Harry: Hahaha, Maybe they are sweetheart, but they’re are a million people named Madeline in this country

 

Emma: I hope she finds us one day 

 

Harry: Emma believe me, she’ll find us one day

 

But that wouldn’t happen, and as the autumn holidays got closer Reggie and Madeline still kept on dating, almost always with Tristan and Michelle or Nicole and Rido in tow or both, sometimes even with all the guys in tow including Dominic and Roland.

Chapter 16: At The Bakery

Around the Christmas holidays was when the Lucien Bakery was really busy and for Reggie he knew that meant he wouldn’t be spending as much time with Madeline as he thought, which gave Lucy an Idea.

 

Lucy: Hey Delia, it’s been awhile

 

Delia: Tell your son to stop stealing the merchandise

 

Lucy: Hahaha, Hey Madeline

 

Madeline: Hello ma’am

 

Delia: I hear Debra’s getting married huh

 

Lucy: Yep, in June, and then she’s moving to Spain which means Reggie will probably be working more if the shops going to stay open.

 

Delia: Do you think he’ll actually inherit the shop

 

Lucy: If he did, he’d turn it into something else

 

Delia: I can only imagine what the shop would be like with him running it

 

Lucy: Hahaha, but you know, maybe if Madeline worked there

 

Delia: Hahaha, Now you’re trying to steal my workers

 

Lucy: I meant during the Christmas holidays, we hire extras usually, but I figure if Madeline worked for us for thirty days it wouldn’t be an issue right, and it would shock the hell out of Reggie every time he came home from school because they would be out by 12 anyway so he would never know.

 

Delia: You’re sick, stealing my employees like that, how much would you pay

 

Lucy: Hmmm, probably a dollar an hour with free breakfast

 

Delia: But how are you getting Reggie out of bed before 5

 

Lucy: He doesn’t leave until 6 usually, sometimes earlier if Pierre comes with his van

 

Delia: Isn’t that boy 16, how is he driving that thing

 

Lucy: Don’t ask me, they’re all weirdos, anyway Madeline how does it sound

 

Madeline: That’s very nice of you, but i’ve never worked with food before

 

Lucy: Do you know how to make coffee

 

Madeline: No

 

Lucy: Hmmm, Well you’ll know how by the time i’m done with you

 

Madeline: Is it really ok 

 

Delia: Madeline, just enjoy it, you’ll still work here afterward

 

Madeline was overthinking it, but Nicole thought it was a good idea

 

Nicole: Madeline, think about it, you’ll get 25 cents extra plus free breakfast

 

Madeline: But she doesn’t want Reggie finding out about it either, and what about the laundry

 

Nicole: Madeline, you worry too much, I can handle your portion of the work, and besides it’s only for a month, wait when does she want you to start

 

Madeline: November 24th and then I stop after Christmas

 

Nicole: But think of how many moments you’ll have to be alone with Reggie

 

Madeline: Haha, I suppose once he finds out it won’t be so bad

 

On the day she started, Reggie had already left with Pierre, his mom made sure he left with him until December 20th, but Reggie was still tired as all hell, Mike was also in the Peugeot D4 van.

 

Pierre: Ready for your first day 

 

Reggie: *stretch* Good night 

 

Pierre: Goddammit at least show some enthusiasm, I got good stuff this time

 

But Reggie had already passed out, minutes after they pulled away to pick up Rich, Tristan, and Rido, Madeline arrived ready to work, but Derise was getting nervous.

 

Derise: Reggie’s going to find out eventually

 

Lucy: Luckily, not now

 

Madeline: Hello

 

Lucy: Ahhh Madeline, Good Morning, have some Tea and Croissants 

 

Madeline: Thank you

 

Derise: What manners, Giselle never had any

 

Lucy: She was never willing to work either, anyway Madeline we open at 6, Salvador and Paco are the ones that do most of the harder pastries for us so that we don’t have to, we focus mostly on the stuff that’s easy to make

 

Derise: Before them Emil did it all, cook, prepare, and handle customers

 

Lucy: You’ll be handling what’s out front mostly and making coffee, we also do catering as well, so if a customer wants 100 Madeleines for a party, you tell Salvador and Paco

 

Derise: But we have one right in front of us

 

Lucy: *playful slap* Hahaha Anyway let me show you our inventory on this tray, we have baguettes, macrons, palmiers, eclair, pain au chocolats, flan

 

Madeline: Hahaha, they all look delicious

 

Derise: Don’t eat them all on your first day, anyway why don’t we show you how to make coffee when your done

 

Once Madeline finished breakfast, Lucy showed her the faema coffee maker they got last year, it was state of the art at the time only having to press a lever down once and coffee was made, they got two for both regular and decaf coffee.

 

Lucy: Anyway, you just press this lever down and coffee comes out, if we run out, the cocoa beans are in here, and the hot water is on the stove over there

 

Madeline: That’s a lot to remember

 

Lucy: Just handle what’s out front and we’ll take care of the behind the scenes, Debra will help you in a minute, just familiarize yourself with the display.

 

Madeline looked around the shop, there were all kinds of bread and pastries on display to remember, and around the shop there were quite a few tables making it seem like a small bar. The shop was open from 6am to 2pm everyday except Sunday and Saturdays it closed at 12, but there was still a lot to do in the meantime. If Derise wasn’t the assistant baker she was the one that handled all the business usually while Lucy worked as the head chef in her husband's place and Salvador and Paco were the ones that cooked and were the pastry assistants. Madeline and Debra were going to be the ones that handled the customers. Reggie wouldn’t have liked to admit it, but he was a very good pastry chef, he just didn’t want to put effort into it. There was no time to waste however as the busy breakfast rush was starting and it didn’t slow down until around 9:30.

 

Customer 1: I like a croissant and decaf to go

 

Debra: Right, Madeline another Decaf

 

Madeline: Ok

 

Unfortunately for her she mixed this customer’s up for Regular, and once the customer drank it, he immediately knew

 

Customer: I ASKED FOR DECAF

 

Debra: That’s not decaf

 

Madeline: I’m so sorry sir, i’ll get you another one

 

Customer 1: My seven year old niece can make a better coffee

 

Customer 2: DON’T EVEN GIVE THIS MAN ANYTHING

 

Customer 1: MIND YOUR DAMN BUSINESS

 

Madeline: Here you go sir, it’s decaf this time, I even got you a new cup

 

Thankfully when the customer tasted it, it was Decaf and all was right with the world. Many of the familiar customers were actually quick to defend Madeline because she was so nice and hardworking, but even Lucy was starting to see the effect Madeline had on the regulars.

 

Customer 3: Lucy, this girl is so polite, unlike your son

 

Lucy: Well I mean he is dating her

 

Customer 3: Hahaha, That’s too funny, you should knock some sense into him once in a while, one time I came here and I don’t know maybe it was one of his friends and they were swearing at each other in front of the customers

 

Madeline: What did he look like?

 

Customer 3: he was a short puffy guy with black hair down to here

 

Madeline: Hahaha, I know him, he’s very smart, but nobody gets what he says at all. 

 

Lucy: Madeline, all of what Mike says is nonsense, there’s not going to be a Chinese economic invasion or bomb threats because somebody didn’t get their crude oil fast enough.

 

Customer 3: Hahaha, if they did, we’d be running on water, or air, or electric

 

The women laugh at that, and once 9:30 rolled around it was time to take it easy, but a familiar face unexpectedly came into the shop at 10:00

 

Leslie: *gasp* YOU’RE WORKING EVERYWHERE I SEE

 

Madeline: Hey Leslie

 

Leslie: So did you finally quit

 

Madeline: No, I’m only here until the end of Christmas, i’ll be back at the laundry at 12

 

Leslie: Have you ever cooked before

 

Madeline: No, but hopefully i’ll be able to soon because i’m having a hard time not eating all this

 

Lucy: Can I help you?

 

Leslie: Oh yes, we’re having a party and I was wondering what your cake selection looked like

 

Lucy: What’s the occasion?

 

Leslie: Two of my friends decided to get married, and I was wondering if you guys could make it, we’ve already been turned away from two other bakeries.

 

Madeline: That’s horrible Leslie, why would they turn you away?

 

Leslie: Hahaha, well it’s because it’s a wedding cake for two guys

 

Customer 4: IF THIS ESTABLISHMENT MAKES A FAGGOT WEDDING CAKE, I WILL NEVER COME HERE AGAIN

 

Lucy was so pissed off that she did everything in secret

 

Lucy: *whispers* Madeline write the names down, so what are their names?

 

Leslie: *whispers* Troy Rathburn and Steven Soundin

 

Lucy: *whispers* Ok we’ll have it ready by Thursday

 

Leslie: I understand

 

And with that Leslie left the building as soon as the order was processed, the irate customer had no idea he was had

 

Customer 4: DID YOU REALLY JUST TAKE HIS ORDER

 

Lucy: I TOLD HIM TO LOOK SOMEWHERE ELSE, NOW FINISH YOUR DAMN COFFEE AND GET OUT OF HERE

 

Madeline knew this was all a lie, but the fact that this customer hated Leslie so much made her just as mad and once the customer finally left the two women sighed in relief.

 

Madeline: I hope we’re making that cake

 

Lucy: Of course we are Madeline, If a customer wants something done we do it, no matter how outrageous it is. Besides, you know that guy right

 

Madeline: He’s one of my regular customers too, I don’t understand why people can be so horrible to people who love each other

 

Lucy: Madeline, your fairly religious right, is homosexuality a sin to you personally.

 

Madeline: I used to think it was, but Leslie and his friends are really wonderful and accepting people. Besides, I think it’s brave that they wear women's clothing out in public like that haha

 

Lucy: Well it’s not illegal, but many people are against it and still think it’s a sin to crossdress, but I find it amusing too, I couldn’t get Reggie to do it though haha.

 

Madeline: *laughs* I think he’d do it to bring customers in

 

The women both laughed at that, throughout the first week of working with Lucy, Madeline learned a lot, but unfortunately for Lucy it only took a week for Reggie to found out when a customer who was in the day before picked up some pastries they ordered on Friday

 

Reggie: Good evening 

 

Customer 5: Hello, I ordered 300 Madeleines the other day, i’m here to pick them up

 

Reggie: Sure, what’s the name

 

Customer 5: Prenout

 

Reggie was looking for the box when the customer realized this wasn’t the same person who took the order.

 

Reggie: Hey mom, where’s the box of Madeleines

 

Lucy: Over there in that pink box

 

Reggie: Oh, got it

 

Reggie then takes the Madeleines to the customer, it was going to be $15

 

Reggie: Alright ma’am is that all

 

Customer 5: Yes

 

Reggie: That’ll be $15

 

The customer gives Reggie the money and then it happened

 

Customer 5: Does your family own this shop

 

Reggie: Yep, we’ve been in business almost 25 years

 

Customer 5: You know what’s funny, the person behind the counter yesterday, her name was Madeline, I thought it was interesting since I ordered Madeleines as well, Is she a relative

 

Reggie was shocked, but maintained his composure

 

Reggie: Hahaha, No she’s actually my girlfriend

 

Customer 5: Oh, well she’s very nice, I wish you two the best

 

And with that the customer walked out the door, Reggie had quite a few words for his mother.

 

Reggie: MOM

 

Lucy: Yes Reggie

 

Reggie: Madeline’s not really working here now is she

 

Lucy: Merry Christmas

 

Reggie: YOU CAN’T JUST STEAL MY GIRLFRIEND FOR SLAVE LABOR MOM

 

Lucy: Relax, she’s only helping out over the holidays, we knew you’d find out eventually, Delia doesn’t mind either because she can pay that other girl more

 

Reggie: HER NAME’S NICOLE MOM

 

Lucy: Anyway all of the regulars love her Reggie, she’s hardworking and very eager to learn. I made a wedding cake for a homosexual couple that she helped out on and it turned out really tasty.

 

Reggie: Hahaha, How is she at cooking?

 

Lucy: She’s learning, but I think she’ll be great

 

Fortunately for them, Troy and Steven came to the bakery themselves to thank them really quickly.

 

Troy: WHERE ARE LUCY AND MADELINE, WE HAVE TO THANK THEM

 

Reggie: Umm, my mom is in the back and Madeline’s not here, but I’m her boyfriend

 

Troy: Really, well can you give them these, they’re necklaces

 

Reggie: Hahaha, yeah sure

 

Steven: You really have such a sweet girlfriend, so be good to her will you, oh and your mom too

 

Lucy: Thank you guys, the pleasure was all ours

 

Troy: We will definitely be referring you guys to more of our friends

 

Lucy: Anytime, thanks for the necklaces

Chapter 17: Date 3

A few days later Reggie went to Madeline’s apartment to give her the necklace and tell her the unfortunate news that he found out about her working in his shop. Madeline happened to be home alone while Nicole was out with Rido, she had only left with him a half hour ago, and she knew her and Reggie were going somewhere later.

 

Reggie: *knock knock* 

 

Madeline: *opens door* Hi Reggie

 

Reggie: Hey Madeline, I got you an early Christmas present *shows necklace*

 

Madeline: *gasp* Reggie It’s beautiful, how much was it

 

Reggie: Free, I got it from that gay couple that came into my store to give it to you, but you weren’t there

 

Madeline: *sigh* Your mom didn’t want me to tell anybody, but I guess you found out huh

 

Reggie: Yep, i’m not mad, I’m actually kind of glad you’re working there

 

Madeline: I’m only working there over the holidays, but I feel bad for your cousin because once she leaves, they would have to hire somebody else wouldn’t they.

 

Reggie: Yeah, and then I have to end up dropping out of school to run it, which I'm not looking forward to.

 

Madeline: Why do you have to drop out?

 

Reggie: Because if I don’t, we’d have to close, unless someone comes in in June to take Debra’s place

 

Madeline: Aren’t your options limited if you drop out?

 

Reggie: Yeah, but I don’t know what I want to do either. All I know how to do is make pastries and make people laugh. I fail every STEM subject I take and all the humanities are lost on me.

 

Madeline: But do you really want to work at the bakery?

 

Reggie: *sigh* If I don’t have a choice, then I guess I wouldn’t mind it, but then that would mean I’d be stuck there for the rest of my life.

 

Madeline: I understand, I don’t want to work in a laundry either

 

Reggie: Haha, why you worked in one before

 

Madeline: Yes, and I was only paid 5 cents a day, both me and Nicole worked there, and it was run by the sisters of charity

 

Reggie: Haha, Charity my ass, Madeline what they paid you isn’t even a legal wage, imagine going to the labor board with that shit, they’d shut that down in a heartbeat

 

Madeline: No they wouldn’t, they’re tax exempt, besides a lot of the bastard mothers, nuns, and orphans worked there too and if it was shut down, a lot of the older nuns wouldn’t have a job

 

Reggie: Shit, at least raise it to a dollar a hour then if you don’t want complaints and Bastard Mothers, you mean women who stuck their pussy on top of the wrong person and got caught

 

Madeline giggled when Reggie said pussy

 

Reggie: Ooooh you like that huh *tickles Madeline*

 

Madeline: *laughs* REGGIE 

 

Reggie: EHY BOSS, DE PUSSY PLESE

 

Madeline: *laughs* REGGIE *hmpf* I CAN’T BREATHE *tickles Reggie*

 

Reggie: *laughs* DE PUSSY FIGHTS BACK

 

At this point, they were both lying in bed with Madeline on top now, unfortunately Reggie just realized that his erection was growing and in order for Madeline not to feel it, he had to do something drastic

 

Reggie: *breath* MADELINE DAT ASS *pushes ass forward*

 

Thankfully that only made Madeline laugh even more, but who wasn’t laughing was Michelle and Tristan who decided to show up right then.

 

Michelle: DO YOU TWO NEED A ROOM

 

Tristan: *leaves* Oh, Good luck man

 

Michelle: *grabs* NOT TODAY MISTER

 

Madeline: *panting* Oh hey guys

 

But the only person who didn’t notice was Madeline, the other couple certainly got an eyeful. Reggie was quick to throw Madeline off him and crouch 

 

Madeline: Reggie What's wrong

 

Reggie: Nothing, just give me a minute

 

Michelle: He got stiff because you were on top of him

 

Madeline: What do you mean?

 

Reggie: *pants* It means I love you Madeline

 

Madeline was genuinely speechless, up until this point, Reggie had never said it before, and at a precarious time like this.

 

Madeline: *gasp* Reggie

 

Michelle: Madeline, if you hug him, he’ll get stiff again

 

Tristan: It’s alright man, I get erections in public all the time

 

Madeline: What's an Erection?

 

Reggie: THANKS FOR KILLING IT TRISTAN JESUS, Madeline, it’s when someone is so beautiful to a man that their Hahaha Goddammit

 

Tristan: That their dick becomes an army general

 

Reggie: But I ain’t even invade her normandy beach yet

 

Tristan and Reggie laugh at this, but Michelle is furious

 

Michelle: YOU GUYS ARE HORRIBLE, Madeline it’s when a boy who loves a girl sees her, usually naked, and upon seeing her his thing becomes stiff

 

Madeline: But I wasn’t naked

 

Michelle: Hahaha, you don’t always have to be, you could just rub against him or hug him by accident and he could become stiff too

 

Madeline: Ahh, I see, I’m sorry Reggie for making you stiff

 

Reggie: It’s alright Madeline *hugs* I still love you

 

Michelle: DO YOU WANT TO GET STIFF AGAIN

 

Reggie: I mean Tristan's here so I can’t

 

Madeline: So what happens if two guys love each other, do they get stiff around each other?

 

Reggie: Yes Madeline, anybody does, except lesbians

 

Michelle: I think Gertrude might be one, she doesn’t like any guys that I know of, Oh Madeline we’re going to get our hair and nails done by her that’s why I came over. She only got hired there last week

 

Tristan: Yeah and while they’re doing that, Mike’s meeting us at the record store, I meant to get the new Led Zeppelin record, and Michelle wants Abbey Road

 

Reggie: I still want to get that new Deep Purple record too shit

 

Tristan: The one with the orchestra

 

Reggie: Yeah

 

Madeline: When are you guys going to be on a record

 

Tristan: Hahaha, we have to have a record company executive spot us by chance while we perform in a club or a house party or something, then they give us a contract to sign and then we can make a record.

 

Madeline: How long will it take?

 

Tristan: Could take a month or years depending on how good our songs are, anyway let’s go shopping baby girl *looks at Reggie*

 

Reggie: Aww You Doll

 

Michelle: ARE YOU TRYING TO MAKE EACH OTHER STIFF

 

Madeline: Hahaha, I think they’re joking Michelle

Chapter 18: Gertrude

Later on in the day Michelle and Madeline made it to the salon to find Theresa getting her nails done there as well. Gertrude was busy blow drying a customer's hair when they entered. The boys were at the record store three blocks away, they could spend hours there if Mike was in charge but in the salon, the Mireille Mathieu Made In France was the album playing in the background.

 

Michelle: Hey Gertrude

 

Gertrude: Ahh, you bought Maddie this time

 

Michelle: Maddie

 

Gertrude: Haha, don’t you think it rolls off the tongue easier

 

Madeline: Hmm, It does have a nice ring to it

 

Gertrude: You’ve never been called that before haven’t you

 

Theresa: That’s ok, she calls me Terry sometimes too

 

Gertrude: Maybe I should call you Cherry instead

 

Theresa: YEAH IF I WAS MAMA CASS

 

There were already two other people in the store, The girl doing Theresa's nails and the customer getting their hair done by Gertrude.

 

Customer 1: I’d be afraid of choking on a ham sandwich if I was that heavy

 

Gertrude: I don’t think if you’re that heavy you can choke on anything hahaha, anyway Maddie your hair looks uneven, do it yourself

 

Madeline: Umm well the last time I had a haircut was in March. They didn’t use any water or sprays or anything just a comb and scissors

 

Gertrude: DID A NUN CUT YOUR HAIR OR SOMETHING

 

Madeline: It was a nun actually

 

Gertrude: Anyway sit in that chair over there I’ll fix it

 

Nails Lady: Honestly, I don’t think it matters what you get

 

Madeline: Well, i’ve never had my hair this long either, I was never allowed too

 

Nails Lady: Where are you from?

 

Madeline: Outside Alsace–Moselle

 

Nails Lady: So you’re German

 

Madeline: I think i’m Irish because my last name Dullaghan sounds like it is

 

Suddenly Gertrude Appeared after the customer paid her and she was whisked out the door, she just had to get to those blonde locks.

 

Gertrude: Yep, Dullaghan is definitely an Irish last name

 

Michelle: My original last name was Zimmerman, I think it sound Jewish

 

Nails Lady: I knew a guy with that last name, he was like 6’6 and his name was Arnold, he was Hungarian and had bright blue eyes

 

Michelle: I’m Adopted, but my brother remembers what my parents looked like, my dad had blonde hair and my mom had dark red hair.

 

Nails Lady: Hahaha, Arnold had black hair though and he has three kids with a wife named Phylis

 

Michelle: My parents were named Archie and Greta

 

Nails Lady: You know a lot about them for being adopted

 

Michelle: Well I hear about them a lot from my older brother, I never knew them because my dad abandoned my mom and she killed herself when I was 2.

 

Gertrude: I wish my parents killed themselves, my dad is always drunk and my mom is no better. All they do is fight, argue, and have kids, I'm their third of eleven.

 

Madeline: I guess you don’t live with them huh

 

Gertrude: Ha, no way, I live with my aunt, but I'm even getting tired of living there. All Gretchen talks about is getting married to Arthur and she spends less time at home anyway. Honestly they’re meant to be together I just hope they don’t have any children Hahaha

 

Theresa: All she cares about is boys and dropping out to get married. I think Arthur is too full of himself, It’s not going to last

 

Gertrude: Everyday I hear about his fucking penis size, like shut up already

 

Michelle: Why does it matter how big somebody is?

 

Gertrude: Well for one if it’s too small you don’t feel it and if it’s too big it hurts, like my bastard uncle when I was a kid hurt every time

 

Madeline was incredibly uncomfortable with where the conversation was going, she was starting to remember when Sister Mary would use objects again.

 

Sister Mary: Bastard Children need soft objects to feel closer to god, there there, doesn’t that feel good

 

Tears unequivocally just streamed down Madeline’s face without her knowing. Unfortunately everyone in the salon noticed.

 

Madeline: Don’t share it if you don’t want too, but I think more people need to hear about it even if it is shocking because nothing will get done otherwise

 

Gertrude was stunned, from the time she was old enough to walk to when she got her first period, her and her siblings were subjected to abuse from their uncle who would visit whenever he felt like it. Nobody ever believed them or cared to hear about it, especially her parents who were encouraging the behavior.

 

Gertrude: Ha, When I would tell my parents what Uncle Ray would do they’d laugh and think it was so ridiculous, I didn’t want to end up in the loony bin so I kept my mouth shut. The bastard used to make up empty threats like If you tell anyone I'll kill you and stupid bullshit like that. I ended up running away and being put in foster homes, but my mom’s family is so large that I can just go between aunts and uncles like nothing, it helps which ones you can step over and which ones you can’t hahaha.

 

Michelle: How can you laugh it off like that, I don’t find anything funny about being molested.

 

Gertrude: Because if i don’t, i’ll keep reliving it in my head. Anyone who molests a child is weak, it doesn’t matter what they hide behind either, you could be De Gaulle, Yves Montand, or a Priest, you’re still fucking weak scum for doing it.

 

Nails Lady: Wow, so that actually happened, i’m sorry

 

Gertrude: It’s ok, nobody understands it anyway, they think the kids are the ones turning the adults on

 

Theresa: How can kids turn adults on, I think Adults do it because they have selfish desires to harm children, they don’t find children attractive at all.

 

Gertrude: I think Uncle Ray was just so ugly that he couldn’t find a woman so he turned to children instead. Thankfully the bastards a vegetable in a mental hospital now, anyway Maddie now that you’re hairs even what’s next

 

Madeline was still stunned at how open Gertrude was with what happened to her. She was still very reluctant to share her story with everybody, but Gertrude gave her at least some courage knowing that nobody was calling her crazy or putting her in a mental ward.

 

Madeline: *sniff* When I was nine years old, there was this 5 year old girl I knew who had bruises all over her and was walking funny *sniff* I took her to the nurse and the next thing I knew she was put in a van being taken away to a mental institution. I promised myself ever since that day that I would keep quiet about things like that, but when you told me about what happened to you, there’s no doubt in my mind someone molested her *sniff* All I want to do is hug you for being so brave *sniff* but if not just a trim is fine.

 

Gertrude: You shouldn’t blame yourself Maddie *hugs* You didn’t know any better

 

Nails Lady: That poor child, I oughta castrated the bastard

 

Theresa: Well I mean if Maddie’s our age then it happened almost seven years ago which means she’s 11 or 12 now, wait Maddie whens your birthday

 

Madeline: March 17th, I’ll be 16

 

Michelle: What *sniff* my birthday’s March 1st

 

Gertrude: Theresa’s March 29th so that means you’re all March babies hahaha I just turned 16 last month November 25th, Anyway when did this happen 1963?

 

Madeline: Yes, it was around the time I met my best friend who committed suicide.

 

Michelle: *sniff* What was her name?

 

Madeline: Her name was Anna, she was so smart, she got accepted into a swiss boarding school, but the nuns ripped her acceptance papers apart in front of her and punished her for it and then she jumped 60ft off the roof of the local laundry.

 

Pretty much everyone was already crying from it. The Lady doing Michelle's nails was trying to do one hand and Michelle was covering her eyes with another. Theresa was so shocked she covered her face and Gertrude was the most put together out of all of them, continuing to do Madeline’s hair even as she was covering her eyes as well. Meanwhile hours later the boys were on their way to the salon with the new records they just bought. 

 

Tristan: So the Allman Brothers have two drummers huh this oughta be interesting

 

Mike: This record ought to scare the girls shitless too *Holds In the Court of the Crimson King vinyl up*

 

Reggie: I think that thing will give Madeline nightmares, better not be a Free Jazz record 

 

Mike: My Cousin said it was the weirdest prog rock record he ever heard in his life, they had one good song and the rest sounded like classical music

 

Tristan: And then Roland told me about this Tony Williams Emergency double album that's like a mix between hard rock and Miles Davis

 

Rido and Nicole actually showed up to the salon about ten minutes before the guys got there, Nicole was getting her nails done when the three got back with the records.

 

Mike: SINCE WHEN DO YOU WORK HERE

 

Gertrude: Since I turned 16, you all look like you could use a trim on everything hahaha

 

Mike: I DON'T NEED A FEMINIST TELLING ME MY GROOMING HABITS

 

Theresa: Why because the government will create a place where we can just delete men if we don’t like them

 

No Dating sites didn’t come out until smartphones were a thing

 

Rido: You guys got a lot of Records

 

Tristan: Yeah, we got steals on a lot of these, I got the Led Zeppelin record, Oh Michelle, I got Abbey Road on Clearance, Merry Christmas

 

Michelle: Yay, Thank you Tristan

 

Reggie: Oh Madeline, I got something too BOO *shows King Crimson record*

 

Madeline: *gasp* THAT’S CREEPY

 

Reggie: Yeah I know, that’s for Mike, I got you this instead *shows Janis Joplin record* Merry Christmas

 

Madeline: Who’s This

 

Reggie: Janis Joplin

 

Gertrude: She’s amazing, that’s her first solo record right, I have yet to listen to it

 

Madeline: Thank you Reggie, but we don’t have a record player

 

Nicole: We don’t even have a Radio or a TV

 

Gertrude: Jesus what do you do for fun play board games 

 

Theresa: I think we might have an Old TV in the Attic somewhere

 

Madeline: Oh No, that’s alright, we’re working on trying to afford one, but thank you for the offer

 

Tristan: That’s alright, we usually go to Mike’s house to listen to records because his system is state of the art

 

Gertrude: Are we really listening to all of those records

 

Reggie: No just the bands we never heard of, we have Tony Williams, Allman Brothers, and King Crimson

 

Tristan: Oh and I got weed

 

Reggie: But this is Mike’s parents we’re talking about

 

Tristan: Oh Right, his mom will yell at me and his dad will try to steal it for himself

 

Rido: They’re not prejudice right

 

Mike: No, my dad works with all races, anyway I guess we’re all going to my house.

Chapter 19: Records

Mike's house was quite cramped, he had an older sister who was 19 that still lived at home, but was out with her boyfriend today. His parents Harry and Edna were unfortunately arguing about how many people were in the house, while the 9 were down in Mike’s basement. Of course the girls were hearing them through the basement floorboards.

 

Mike: Hehe, don’t worry, they’re just excited I bought home more girls than boys

 

Harry: WHO THE HELL CARES, THOSE BROADS AREN’T FEMBOTS THAT’S FOR SURE

 

Edna: YOU AND YOU’RE GODDAMN FEMBOTS

 

Harry: THINK EDNA, IF I JUST CLONED THEIR SKIN, PLASTERED IT ON DEAD SKELETAL TISSUE, AND PUT SOME ORGANS IN THERE, THINK OF THE MONEY I’D MAKE, AND ALL THE ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION THAT COULD BE CURED

 

Michelle: What’s Erectile Dysfunction

 

Mike: CAN WE PLEASE NOT TALK ABOUT THAT, anyway what record are we starting with

 

Reggie: Start with the creepy record over here

 

Tristan: Nah, start with the Double Album, I heard this drummers really good

 

Rido: That guy was in one of the Miles Davis quintets

 

Gertrude: That records gonna be boring as hell, just play Janis Joplin

 

Tristan: Hmmm. I guess we could do that after we hear these three records

 

Gertrude: If that jazz shit puts me to sleep it’s your head

 

Mike: Alright Tony Williams Emergency everyone

 

They only managed to get through one of the albums before Gertrude got extremely bored.

 

Gertrude: If I was smoking pot right now, maybe I could get through this

 

Theresa: He’s a good drummer, but why is it all about him

 

Rido: I just wish they had a Bass Player

 

Mike: Ok anybody wanna listen to the other album

 

Gertrude: YOU BETTER NOT

 

Theresa: I’ll pass out

 

Reggie: Alright Scary Album next

 

Mike: King Crimson it is

 

Reggie: That shit better be a hard rock record

 

And almost 45 minutes later, everybody was still confused, but it was better than Tony Williams.

 

Gertrude: THAT ONE PUT ME TO SLEEP TOO ASSHOLE

 

Madeline: I thought it would be scary, but it was nice, I could fall asleep to everything but the first song

 

Nicole: I actually really liked the third song, what’s it called Epitaph

 

Mike: *looks at record* Yep, It sounds like Procol Harum a little bit though

 

Reggie: Yeah, I can kind of hear it, so what’s the next record

 

Theresa: This one better not be a snorefest

 

Mike: I doubt anything that says Allman Brothers is going to be a snoozefest, besides it’s short *opens the gatefold* LADIES PICK YOUR MAN

 

Theresa: *bonk* JUST PLAY THE DAMN RECORD

 

Mike: Alright shit

 

Once they put Don’t Want You No More on, the girls were instantly attracted to how much it sounded like Tristan’s band.

 

Rido: It’s like a better Santana

 

Tristan: AND THEY HAVE HARMONY GUITARS LIKE US

 

Nicole: THIS SOUNDS LIKE YOU GUYS

 

Theresa: They’re a little slower though, and they have keyboards

 

Gertrude: This better have vocals that are good

 

Thankfully when Gregg Allman came on, her fears were subsided, everyone was impressed with the band, well except Mike’s sister Martha and her boyfriend James who were mad that 9 15/16 year olds were in their sex spot.

 

Mike: Martha, I can explain all of this

 

Martha: *bonk* WHO IS THIS

 

James: This is the Allman Brothers Babe, You guys should listen to the last song Whipping Post, it’s like the greatest prog-blues song ever in 11/8

 

Tristan: THIS BAND PLAYS ODD TIME SIGNATURES, WE GOTTA LISTEN TO THAT

 

James: It’s the last song on the record, if you flip it over and go to 11:31 on the needle it’s right there

 

Gertrude: DO THEY SING ON THAT

 

James: Haha of course they do

 

Tristan got the Needle on the right spot and played the song, he was instantly impressed

 

Tristan: THIS IS IN 11/8

 

Rido: That is one funky Bassline

 

Mike: Too bad they switch it to 4/4 during the choruses and stuff

 

James: Yeah, but still trying to pull that off in a blues band is impressive

 

Tristan: Me and this guy *points at Rido* are in a band actually, were called MILF

 

James: You guys have anything recorded

 

Tristan: Well, only on my Wollensack so far

 

Then the harmony part in 11/8 came on

 

Reggie: Dominic and Roland could do these harmonies in their sleep

 

Mike: But Dominic doesn’t sound like that guy singing

 

James: Nobody sounds like Gregg Allman, and Duane Allman is one of the Guitar Players, he’s actually plays session guitar on a lot of R’n’B Records like Otis Rush and Aretha Franklin

 

Tristan: Shit man, we gotta show Dominic and Roland these guys

 

It was too bad for them that Edna came down the stairs as well because it was now dark and she was concerned about how thin all the girls were.

 

Edna: ARE ANY OF YOU GIRLS KOSHER BY ANY CHANCE

 

Nicole: Umm I’m Half Jewish

 

Edna: So which parent is it

 

Nicole: My Dad

 

Martha: Ma, Do you really have to interrogate these girls about their Religion, that’s rude

 

Edna: Well I figure if Mikey had a chance with any of them

 

Mike: GODDAMMIT MOM, NONE OF THEM ARE MY GIRLFRIEND, HER BOYFRIENDS THIS GUY *points at Rido*

 

Edna: Ooh it’s a nice match, then all your children will be multicultural, How about you girls you all look so thin, what are you eating

 

Martha: MA REALLY

 

Michelle: Umm is Zimmerman a Jewish last name?

 

Edna: Hmmm, Good Question, is it 2 N’s or one?

 

Michelle: One

 

Edna: I don’t think that’s a Jewish last name, it would have to have 2 N’s

 

Michelle: Oh Ok

 

Nicole: But Michelle, your last names Lainere

 

Michelle: I know, I was trying to find out if my biological parents were Jewish.

 

Edna: Oh, you’re adopted, does it bother you at all

 

Michelle: It used to bother me when I was a kid, but my adopted parents are all I’ve ever known so I don’t really feel anything for my biological parents.

 

Edna: You’re a strong one aren’t you, are you going out with 

 

Mike: MOM NO, TRISTAN IS HER BOYFRIEND

 

Edna: My god Mikey, how about this one *points at Madeline*

 

Mike: THAT’S REGGIE’S GIRLFRIEND

 

Martha: Oh You’re Madeline

 

Madeline: Hello

 

Edna: Thank god you got rid of the excuse my french SLUT for this nice girl, you’re not jewish i’m assuming

 

Madeline: No ma’am

 

Edna: Alright that just leaves these two

 

Theresa: Hahaha, this is my girlfriend

 

Gertrude: *hugs* I love her with all my heart *kiss*

 

Theresa was slightly taken aback by Gertrudes Gesture, but played along anyway. It was too bad Harry came down to witness this.

 

Harry: Edna, This is the future, Broads with Broads, Guys with Guys, Guys turning into Broads, Broads turning into donkeys with bee-stung lips because of the chemicals in the food they eat. PRETTY SOON NOBODY WILL HAVE REPRODUCTIVE ORGA-

 

Edna: *bonk* I’m sorry girls, he use to do this with Martha’s friends too

 

Martha: He’s just really happy you two are a couple

 

Gertrude was laughing her ass off and so was Tristan. Theresa was even more perplexed, but was still playing along with it.

 

Tristan: *laughs* Oh yeah, my sister’s always been the real forward one

 

Theresa: *bonk* SHUT THE HELL UP TRISTAN

 

Harry: DON’T WORRY THE NEXT THING IS SIBLINGS GETTING MARRI

 

Edna: *bonk* I think it’s time for bed Harry

 

Harry: WITH ALL THESE NICE BROADS

 

Edna: *whispers* I’ll wear your favorite underwear tonight

 

Harry: GOODNIGHT EVERYONE

 

And with that they both went upstairs and the record was finished, it was too bad because they enjoyed that one the most.

 

Gertrude: Your dad’s a fucking creep

 

Martha: I lost a few friends because of him

 

After that, they all left, Reggie, Rido, Madeline, and Nicole were all walking back home, Rido lived the other way but he had gotten used to the stares now, so was comfortable walking Nicole anywhere.

 

Rido: I was surprised they weren’t racist, but his dad is pretty sexist

 

Reggie: Yep, Giselle hated him too, we only go over there to listen to records anyway

 

Nicole: I’m not that pushy right

 

Rido: No way, Mike’s parents are a whole other level

 

Reggie: I mean, Mikes not really that pushy

 

Nicole: I don’t understand him at all, he has strange opinions

 

Madeline: A lot of them are very interesting, but i’d be afraid if they actually happened in the future, like having no oil for cars or the one time he mentioned that SARS disease killing off Saudi Arabia

 

Reggie: None of that shit will actually happen, we had that flu epidemic, but Mike never predicted that or the riots last year either

 

Madeline: I heard about that, apparently people threw bricks at one another

 

Reggie: More than that, I threw a shoe at a police officer, it was funny because he was trying to figure out who threw it haha

 

Rido: I saw the footage on TV, i’m surprised the city bounced back so fast

 

Reggie: Thankfully De Gaulle’s out of office, should be croaking any minute now

 

Rido: He wasn’t exactly open to all races either, calling Muslims Jellybiyas and People who race-mix idiots.

 

Reggie: His grandson wasn’t any better, I just happen to meet the guy in a restaurant when I was with Giselle, and I said I’d fuck her in front of De Gaulle, that’s how much I love you and then he goes, OH REALLY, I’M HIS GRANDSON YOU KNOW, and I go, YEAH OK YOU BIG DOUFUS and then I realized the guys he was with all had expensive jackets on, and Giselle fell in love with one of them and then a week later it was all over BUT THAT’S OK BECAUSE MADELINE IS WAY BETTER *hugs* AND WON’T LEAVE ME FOR THAT UGLY DE GAULLE ASS

 

Madeline: *laughs* REGGIE

 

Suddenly without thinking Reggie kissed the top of her head, Madeline froze for a second, while Reggie had always been affectionate with Madeline, this was the first time he had done something like this. It was already extremely cold outside, colder than it was when they went on their first date, and both of them were extremely underdressed for the weather, Madeline moreso.

 

Reggie: Madeline

 

Madeline: Reggie, I’m cold

 

Reggie: Hahaha, I get it *hugs* You want me to do this until we get home

 

Rido: Should we be here

 

Nicole just smiled and walked ahead of them

 

Rido: HEY NICOLE WAIT UP

 

Reggie: Now What

 

Madeline: Let’s go home 

 

Reggie: My house or yours

 

Madeline: Hmmm, I think it’d be easier if I went to yours

 

To which they did, Reggie was finally going to score today and he was excited once he and Madeline got to his room at almost Midnight. Reggie still had his arms around her, but thankfully Madeline remembered the promises Michelle, Nicole, and her made about losing their virginities.

 

Madeline: Hey Reggie, can we wait until my birthday

 

Reggie: *laughs* Sure, when is it in 3 months

 

Madeline: Yep, Michelle and Nicole are waiting until then too, but Nicole’s birthday is in 10 days

 

Debra: *whispers* DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT TIME IT IS?

 

Eduardo: You guys are back already. Oh Reggie I got good stuff this time

 

Yes, Reggie accidentally woke Debra and her fiance Eduardo up when she heard both of them enter the house initially. He had been caught red handed. 

 

Reggie: Later Eduardo, Madeline’s staying over

 

Eduardo: Oh shit babe, there’s competition

 

Debra: You’re lucky your mom is still sleeping

 

Madeline: Well Nicole is with Rido at my apartment right now so

 

Debra: *laughs* I get it, come on Eduardo let’s leave them alone huh

 

And with that they close the door, Reggie immediately flops down on the bed, while Madeline admires all the posters, some of them actually scared her though.

 

Reggie: What’s wrong

 

Madeline: You have a poster of that movie

 

Reggie: You want me to take it down?

 

Madeline: Oh no, you don’t have to take any of these down, want me to shut the lights

 

Reggie: No, I’ll do it *flops up and does it* Is that better

 

Madeline: It’s embarrassing, but your room scares me

 

Reggie: I don’t want you to be scared Madeline *hugs* Whatever nightmares you start having, i’ll be right here to put them out Ok

 

Soon after that they both fall asleep, but unfortunately for Madeline, she did have a nightmare, a very serious one where Mother Clarabelle and Father McCoy were watching her be comforted by Sister Mary.

 

Sister Mary: That boy is the devil, smoking, cussing, and disobeying god *sobs* HOW COULD YOU LOVE SOMEONE THAT ISN’T GODLY  *rubs Madeline’s thighs* THAT DISOBEYS THEIR MOTHER AND FATHER *kisses Madeline* YOU’RE A DIRTY PROFANER THAT LOVES FILTH

 

Father McCoy: OH YES SISTER, TELL THAT ROTTEN SLUT

 

Sister Mary: *rubs Madeline* WHAT SHOULD I DO WITH A BASTARD WHO DISOBEYED GOD

 

Unlike the other frequent times she had this nightmare, Reggie was there this time.

 

Reggie: GET THE FUCK OFF HER, YOU THINK YOU MOTHERFUCKERS CAN GET AWAY WITH IT

 

Mother Clarabelle: *hits with a strap multiple times* WATCH YOUR MOUTH YOU PROFANER

 

Reggie: *punch* THAT’S ASSAULT YOU *kick* GODDAMN PENGUIN 

 

Father McCoy: *hits with baton* WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING 

 

Reggie: *kicks balls and punches in the face* BEATING THE SHIT OUT OF PEDOPHILES, I WANT TO SEE YOU *kick* HIT ME AGAIN *looks at Sister Mary* IF YOU DON’T GET YOUR HANDS OFF HER *grabs Baton* I’LL BEAT YOU TO DEATH WITH THIS SHIT.

 

Sister Mary: CAN’T YOU SEE WE ARE IN LOVE, MADELINE IS MY MUSE, HOW DARE YOU TAK-

 

Reggie didn’t even let her finish before he started beating her with the baton until she was unconscious. Once Reggie was finished, bloody and beaten, he took Sister Mary’s place.

 

Reggie: See Madeline, I can go into nightmares too.

 

It was too bad that Madeline still woke up in a cold sweat and panicking, but this time it was different, it wasn’t scary. Reggie was still asleep with his arms around her waist.

 

Madeline: *heavy breathing*

 

She looks at Reggie sleeping, then she looks to see that it was 4:30 in the morning on Reggie’s clock. Madeline had had these nightmares frequently ever since she left the orphanage, but what was different was that she was sleeping next to Reggie and somehow he put them out.

 

Madeline: *whispers* You really do go into other people’s dreams *sniff* Thank you Reggie *kiss*

 

Unfortunately for her Reggie started to wake up only to see Madeline teary-eyed and staring at him.

 

Reggie: *whispers* Mmhhh What’s wrong Madeline

 

Madeline: Reggie *sniff* you went into my nightmares

 

Reggie: I did, who’s ass did I whoop

 

Madeline: Everybody *sniff* I’ve had that nightmare ever since I moved to Paris. I'm strapped to a bed and the nuns are beating me and calling me names, but this time you beat them all up, but I woke up before I could thank you in my dream.

 

Reggie: *whispers* Really

 

Madeline: Yes *sniff*

 

Reggie: Well *kiss* I’m here now

 

Madeline: I love you Reggie *sniff*

Chapter 20: Winter Recap

The two then made out for about 20 minutes straight, but Reggie still had to go to school and Madeline still had to work. For the next few months Madeline was blissfully happy, Christmas came and went with Madeline spending it with the Lucien Family. A lot of things happened in that time frame too, like Pierre dropping out of school to work for his Dad and Gertrude moving out and renting above Delia’s laundromat.

 

It was great for Madeline and Nicole because Gertrude bought her Radio and small TV with her, something they didn’t have and because of that they were over there frequently. They were also introduced to two of Michelle and Theresa’s friends Sandra and Monique, but Gretchen was nowhere to be found. She became pregnant and was poised to get married to Arthur, but he left her and Gretchen flew into a rage. It was this moment that inspired Gertrude to move out and they no longer spoke, even Theresa stopped speaking to her around this time.

 

Reggie and Madeline did quite a lot of things together in January. Claude had just gotten a used Volkswagen Bus for him to go camping in the french alps and him and Matilda invited quite a bit of people. Mike had just gotten his permit as well, so borrowed Pierre’s van to carry the people aside from Theresa and Gertrude, who didn’t like camping, out into the wilderness and Pierre and Rich had to work so couldn’t go anyway.

 

And into February there were even more changes, Reggie and Madeline spent Valentine’s Day with Michelle and Tristan seeing The Red Circle and then a week later Mike got a deal on a record that just came out that Reggie had to hear apparently but unfortunately for him, he had to work at the bakery yet again because yet again his mom and Derise were at another engagement.

Chapter 21: The Truth

Spring was looking to be a pretty happy occasion, Reggie had been with Madeline almost five months and he didn't see it ever ending. Madeline still refused to tell him everything about her past still, but her confidence since running away had improved, especially being with Reggie. There was no way this bond would be broken so easily.

 

Reggie: Here you are ma’am, that’ll be $9

 

Customer 1: *gives him the money* What happened to that blonde haired girl

 

Reggie: Hahaha, that was only for the Christmas rush, anyway here’s your change

 

The lady then walked away. It was a slow day today, with it already being 11:30 and Reggie and Debra were taking it easy for now.

 

Debra: I wonder why we don’t just hire Madeline to take my place

 

Reggie: Hahaha, but then Delia’s would have to hire someone to take her place, besides I don’t want to stress her out with two jobs

 

It was unfortunate for them that a 9 year old boy entered looking like he was in rough shape. All alone and barely wearing anything warm, the boy eyed all of the food with extra intensity. It was too bad he was hungry and had no money and as soon as Reggie and the young boy made eye contact he took the nearest loaf of bread and ran out of the store with it.

 

Debra: HEY KID YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR THAT

 

Reggie Immediately ran after the poor boy, who was eating the loaf of bread as fast as he could while running, but he was no match for Reggie as he tackled him to the ground.

 

Reggie: *pant* WHAT THE HELL KID *pant* YOU KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY THAT COSTS US

 

The kid wouldn’t say anything, he was too scared to be sent back to the children's home he ran away from.

 

Reggie: DO YOU

 

Young Boy: I was hungry

 

Reggie: WHERE THE HELL ARE YOUR PARENTS, HOW OLD ARE YOU

 

The kid still wouldn’t say anything other than he was hungry, fortunately Two Policemen were now at the scene.

 

Policeman 1: Well take care of this, now young man what is your name

 

Amazingly he still didn’t say anything to the police, he was still too scared to admit anything.

 

Policeman 2: What happened here

 

Reggie: This kid stole a loaf of bread out of my store and ate half of it

 

Policeman 2: You’re the Lucien Bakery boy, kid, you can’t steal food out of other people’s store, we’re going to have to have your parents come and get you

 

The young boy started becoming really upset, he knew once he was escorted back to the home his life would be over.

 

Young Boy: *sniff* Please don’t send me to that home, I don’t have parents and the nuns at the orphanage beat me and hang me by my ankles *sniff*

 

Reggie was flabbergasted, but unfortunately the cops weren’t buying it and he was escorted into their squad car.

 

Policeman 1: Sure they do, Don’t worry kid, you're going somewhere with food, you understand. 

 

The kid didn’t say anything as he was whisked away in a cop car with Reggie still stunned at what happened. About three hours later Madeline came over to the house to get Reggie. Lucy and Derise also got home about an hour ago

 

Lucy: Hey Madeline, he’s upstairs

 

Madeline: Hahaha, Ok

 

Madeline had been in Reggie’s room countless times, but this time Madeline sensed that something was very wrong because the door was locked and the lights were shut off.

 

Madeline: *knock* Reggie

 

Reggie: Hey Madeline, hold up

 

Reggie had been pondering the whole time about that kid, but he knew that the best thing was to send him back to the orphanage. He unlocked the door and let her in.

 

Madeline: I was wondering why the lights were out and the door was locked, were you sleeping

 

Reggie: Hahaha, not quite, we had a kid steal food from the store, but it was ok in the end because he’s going to a good home now.

 

Madeline: What do you mean?

 

Reggie: The damn kid was some kind of orphan runaway who was hungry and decided to steal the loaf of bread on the shelf. I ran after the little bastard and after I tackled him he didn’t say anything. Thankfully there were two cops there and he still didn’t say anything to them, so the cops told him something and he started crying about some nuns beating him and hanging him by his ankles, and once he said that the cops promised him he was going to a good home *sigh* so I guess he’ll be fine right.

 

Madeline was absolutely furious the whole time he told the story, and as the women were downstairs they heard the loudest slap coming from upstairs that they could. They were stunned, but so was Reggie who wasn’t used to seeing Madeline become very angry.

 

Madeline: YOU’RE SICK, DO YOU REALIZE WHAT YOU JUST DID

 

Reggie: MADELINE, I DIDN’T HAVE A CHOICE, THAT BREAD COSTS MONEY

 

Madeline: THAT CHILD WAS HUNGRY, AND YOU JUST SENT HIM BACK JUST TO BE ABUSED OVER AND OVER AGAIN

 

Reggie: I’M SURE THEY’LL SEND HIM TO A BETTER ORPHANAGE WITH LOVE AND AFFECTION

 

Madeline: THAT DOESN’T EXIST REGGIE, ALL THOSE CHILDREN ARE JUST NUMBERS. IF YOU DON’T MAKE YOUR BED PROPERLY THEY BEAT YOU, IF YOU DON’T EAT FAST ENOUGH THEY BEAT YOU, IF YOU DON’T GO TO BED AT THE SAME EXACT TIME EVERYDAY OR QUESTION ANYTHING THEY BEAT YOU, THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS LOVE IN THOSE HORRIBLE PLACES

 

Reggie: YOU’RE STARTING TO SOUND LIKE YOU WERE ONE

 

All of a sudden tears started flowing down Madeline so hard she couldn’t control herself, Reggie was shocked.

 

Madeline: *sobs* LOOK AT WHAT YOU HAVE REGGIE *sniff* YOU HAVE A ROOF OVER YOUR HEAD, FOOD, CLOTHING, A FAMILY THAT LOVES YOU UNCONDITIONALLY, AND YOU CAN COME AND GO AS YOU PLEASE *sniff* I NEVER HAD ANY OF THAT *shaking*

 

It didn’t help that Lucy was right outside the hallway listening in, she was just as shocked as Reggie.

 

Madeline: *sobs* I’m sorry Reggie I have to tell you the truth *sniff* I’ve lied to you about me and Nicole being cousins *sniff* we’re both Runaway Orphans from Alsace-Moselle *sniff* We never had a family *sniff* I don’t even know who my parents are *sniff* for all I know my real mother could have been raped by somebody *sniff*

 

Reggie wasn’t shocked, but he was very surprised and now he had his head in his hands, he just realized that if it was Madeline who stole that bread, he would have done the same thing and now he was sobbing to himself as Madeline kept talking about the horrors of the orphanage.

 

Madeline: The nuns used to beat us on a regular basis *sniff* we weren’t allowed TV or radio or clothes or even to get food from the cupboard when we wanted *sniff* And believe me when you disobeyed the nuns *sniff* They would do anything, Even beat you and hang you by your ankles *sniff* Anna Fairmount was an orphan and she was my best friend in the whole world *sniff* but she committed suicide because her only chance of escape was ripped apart right in front of her, and that’s why me and Nicole did what we did *sniff* because in her suicide note to us, she wanted us to escape.

 

Reggie: *sniff* WHY WOULD YOU LIE TO ME 

 

Madeline: Because I was scared I would be sent back *sniff* JUST LIKE THAT LITTLE BOY

 

All of a sudden Madeline ran out of the room and out of the Lucien Bakery as fast as she could, not looking back once. She understood that Reggie was in shock and needed his space, but she also didn’t know if it was the end. Meanwhile Lucy went upstairs to tend to her son.

 

Lucy: *knock knock* Reggie

 

Reggie: GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM ME YOU LYING BITCH

 

Lucy: YOU KNOW WHAT FINE REGGIE, BE A MISERABLE SON OF A BITCH *sniff* MADELINE WAS THE BEST THING THAT EVER HAPPENED TO YOU AND YOU RUINED IT, I HOPE YOUR HAPPY

 

Reggie wasn’t happy that Madeline lied to him, but he knew something had to change within himself, he knew it wasn’t going to be easy but as he sobbed in his room for hours. Madeline had gotten to her apartment only to find Gertrude there watching TV. They had just gotten one last week, but Gertrudes was broken so was using theirs for the time being.

 

Madeline: *sniff*

 

Gertrude: Wow, what happened

 

Madeline: *sobs* REGGIE WANTS TO SEND ME BACK TO THE ORPHANAGE LIKE THAT LITTLE BOY HE SENT AWAY TODAY *sniff*

 

Gertrude: ARE YOU SURE ABOUT THAT, AND WHAT ORPHANAGE

 

Madeline almost made a run for it, but Gertrude stopped her from leaving

 

Gertrude: MADDIE *grab* WHAT'S GOING ON

 

Madeline: *sobs* I’m a liar *sniff* Reggie stopped a little boy from stealing food from his store and he was taken by police back to the orphanage where he came from *sniff* I was so mad at Reggie that I slapped him and then I finally told him that I was also an orphan *sniff* and he didn’t like that I lied to him so I ran away *sniff* 

 

Gertrude: Maddie, who cares if you’re an orphan with no family

 

Madeline: HE WANTS TO SEND ME BACK *sniff* I HAVE TO LEAVE HERE

 

Gertrude: Maddie, i’m pretty sure he’s not going to send you to an orphanage

 

Madeline: THEN WHY DID HE SEND THAT LITTLE BOY TO ONE FOR STEALING FOOD, WHAT IF IT WAS ME THAT STOLE FOOD *sniff* I’D BE SENT BACK TO ALSACE-MOSELLE IN A STRAIGHTJACKET

 

Gertrude: MADDIE *hugs* I’m going to make sure that doesn’t happen trust me, I know orphanages and what he did was fucked up.

 

Madeline: *sniff* He said he didn’t have a choice

 

Gertrude: WHAT A WEAK PIECE OF SHIT, HE HAD A CHOICE, HE COULD OF SAID OFFICER, I CAN HAVE HIM WORK UNTIL HE GETS ME ENOUGH MONEY FOR WHAT HE ATE AND THAT WOULD BE THE END OF IT.

 

Madeline: *sniff* I wish he would’ve thought of that before they took the little boy away.

 

Gertrude: But Maddie, there is absolutely no reason he would do the same thing to you if he loves you right.

 

Madeline *sniff* I still haven’t told him I was a slut

 

Gertrude’s eyes were as wide as saucers now

 

Gertrude: Maddie, What did they do to you in there?

 

Madeline was shaking and hyperventilating so bad as she told the story about her and Anna being molested by Sister Mary on a semi-regular basis, a few days later Michelle and Theresa came to the salon only to find Gertrude burnt-out from Madeline telling her absolutely everything. The other two girls had no Idea

 

Michelle: Tristan wants to take me somewhere for a weekend, but I don’t know if I want to go. 

 

Theresa: You’re still on Maddie and Reggie breaking up huh

 

Gertrude: *sigh* They didn’t exactly break up, she’s afraid of him because she confessed a horrible secret to him and Reggie was mad that she lied to him. 

 

Michelle: What horrible secret

 

Gertrude: Maddie told me everything, trust me if she told Reggie, he would throw up. Anyway you’ll have to hear it from her, she won’t even leave her room she’s so frightened.

 

Michelle: Does she mind if we come over

 

Gertrude: *sigh* It’s like walking into a minefield, but I'm sure she wouldn’t mind. I wouldn’t tell any of the guys or anybody else anything though

 

Michelle: OF COURSE NOT, HER SECRETS STAY WITH US

 

Theresa: And you know I don’t tell anybody anything anyway

 

Unfortunately for Michelle and Theresa, Madeline did tell them everything as well, Nicole was there too but she already knew everything anyway. Michelle was absolutely shocked and heartbroken when she found out everything and Theresa actually threw up in the sink at the thought of Sister Mary. Unfortunately for Michelle, her parents were trying to decide what to do for Michelle’s 16th birthday. Michelle had to be strong and not tell them anything about Madeline’s past but she was already planning to have her birthday with Madeline instead.

 

Michelle: *door opens*

 

Eileen: Oh Michelle, Do you know what you want to do for your birthday yet

 

Randolph: I heard there’s this nice restaurant that just opened up

 

Michelle: Mom, Dad, I want to spend my birthday with Madeline

 

Eileen: Is she still not over the breakup

 

Randolph: There are plenty of nicer guys out there

 

Michelle: THAT’S NOT IT AT ALL, and I don’t think Madeline wants to date anybody else for quite a long time 

 

Eileen: She is such a sweet girl, and her birthday is close to yours isn’t it

 

Michelle: The 17th

 

Randolph: You’re both Pisces, AND SHE WAS BORN ON ST. PATRICK'S DAY

 

Eileen: What does that even mean?

 

Randolph: They’re water signs, at the first sign of trouble, they swim for the hills, they’re trust has been eroded and it takes time for them to fully commit again. What was he, you know Michelle?

 

Michelle: May 14th

 

Randolph: Huh, they’re a very good match, I think it all just comes down to an apology, and then they’ll be back in no time. I wouldn’t say that about anybody either, I truly think both of them will make it.

 

Michelle: I don’t know Dad, if Reggie found out about what Madeline told me, he would be sick to his stomach

 

Randolph: Ah, but he’s a stubborn one isn’t he

 

Michelle: He’s extremely stubborn

 

Randolph: If he really did love her, he wouldn’t mind listening to everything and accepting it. I’m only saying this because I’ve seen it happen with two people before, the girl had a horrifying past and the man did something terrible. It took them a long time to trust each other again, but once they did they promised each other that they would stay together forever.

 

Eileen: Is this our story

 

Randolph: Hahaha, your mother knows me too well

 

Michelle: But mom, you were never an orphan, and a nun never did anything nasty to you

 

Eileen: No, but there were guards who didn’t quite keep their hands to themselves either and your father was the only one that didn’t do anything *holds Randolph's hand* but he disappeared and I couldn’t find him, but once we found each other we pretty much never let go. That’s why I sympathize with Madeline because she reminds me so much of myself at that age.

 

Michelle: But he was very immature and she isn’t, there were just too many differences anyway.

 

Randolph: All we’re saying is to give it a little time, they’ll be back

 

Michelle really didn’t know what to think, while Eileen certainly didn’t suffer like Madeline, she did have to suffer from the horrors of the concentration camps. Back at Reggie’s house it had been almost 5 days since Madeline ran out of his house and Mike was really pissed off not because they weren’t a couple anymore, but because he never showed up to the listening party, and now he brought the record along with Tristan, Rido, and Roland who also didn’t hear the record yet. Rido was also pissed at Reggie but for a different reason.

 

Mike: I can’t believe they just broke up like that

 

They got to the Lucien Bakery where Lucy was there cleaning up the store. It was a good thing Dominic was starting his second day at his new job.

 

Mike: Hello Ma’am

 

Lucy: *sigh* Do you think you guys can get Reggie out of his room, he hasn’t left it since Madeline stormed out

 

Mike: Yeah of course, I bought him a new record, this is his copy

 

Roland: This is a nice store ma’am

 

Lucy: Thank you, we’ve been in business since the war was over

 

Rido: Be glad Dominic isn’t with us

 

Tristan: I say he lasts a week at that new job of his

 

Once they got to the door, they see that it’s locked tight. That didn’t bode well for the guys, but Mike had known him the longest and Tristan had good weed this time.

 

Mike: *knock knock* Hey man, you still with us

 

Reggie: Who’s with you

 

Mike: Just Rido, Tristan, and Roland

 

Reggie: Hahaha, just the men I wanted to see

 

Reggie unlocked the door, Reggie’s room was cramped as it was but they all made seats out of the dirty piles of laundry and cushions on the floor.

 

Reggie: I hope you bought weed

 

Tristan: Of course man *holds bag up*

 

Rido: Let me start out by saying that you’re a real idiot man

 

Reggie: First of all, I had no Idea she was an orphan, she lied to me about that, and what about Nicole isn’t she one too

 

Rido: Yeah, but I’m also one, there is an unwritten rule among orphans not to reveal anything, otherwise you’d get sent back there, and your dumbass sent a boy back to deal with the same bullshit all over again

 

Reggie: I know, I can’t take it back now, All I want is to be with Madeline for the rest of my life. I don’t care if she is an Orphan, I know she was scared when she revealed it and I was shocked at first, but I'm over it now.

 

Tristan: Michelle’s going to be spending her birthday with her, so no breaking her in until she’s done

 

Rido: Haha you guys are acting like it’s the greatest thing in the world, it’s really not fun for them 

 

Mike: That’s because you have a big dick

 

Rido: I plead the 5th on that haha

 

Roland: I don’t get what the big deal is with that, I’ve had the same love interest since I was seven

 

Tristan: We know her name’s Anna and she has Red Hair and Green Eyes 

 

Rido: Haha He’s been working on that song since we’ve known him

 

Reggie: Well it’s funny because the girl that Madeline said committed suicide and caused her to leave was named Anna

 

Rido: I know, and Nicole told me she had Red Hair and Green Eyes too

 

All of a sudden Roland got really nervous and everybody in the room noticed

 

Tristan: Hey Roland, you good man

 

Roland: Hey, was her last name Fairmount by any chance

 

Reggie was stunned, Madeline’s best friend and Roland knew each other, but from where. It took all of Roland’s self control not to break down at that moment.

 

Reggie: YOU KNEW HER

 

Roland: *sigh* Of course I did man, I was an orphan too, not for very long, but I was. My piece of shit parents were heroin addicts and sold me to an orphanage because I was costing them money. The six months I was at that shithole were the worst, but the one thing that kept me going was Anna *punches floor* IF SHE DID ANYTHING WRONG, I TOOK HER GODDAM PUNISHMENTS. MY FATHER USE TO SLAP ME HARDER THEN THOSE NUNS

 

Anna: ROLAND, ARE YOU HURT

 

Roland: It’s Ok Anna, It doesn’t hurt that much

 

Anna: Are we going to get Married

 

Roland: Of Course we are

 

Roland: UNFORTUNATELY WHEN I WAS ADOPTED BY MY UNCLE, THAT ENDED

 

Roland: *sobs* BUT WE HAVE TO ADOPT ANNA TOO

 

Roland’s Uncle: You’re only 9, you don’t need a girlfriend right now

 

Roland: *sobs* SHE’S NOT MY GIRLFRIEND *turns to Anna* ANNA ONE DAY WHEN I GROW UP, I’LL GET YOU OUT OF HERE *sniff* I PROMISE ANNA

 

And now in the present with Anna having committed suicide, Tears started flowing down Rolands face like he never believed.

 

Roland: *sniff* DAMMIT MAN, I’M GOING AFTER THE FUCKER WHO HURT HER *sniff* SHE HAS A SUICIDE NOTE RIGHT, THAT SHOULD GIVE US A CLUE WHO IT IS

 

Reggie: Well whoever it was, it was the same person that hurt Madeline too

 

Roland: DON’T YOU DARE TAKE HER FOR GRANTED MAN, YOU LOVE HER DON’T YOU

 

Reggie: More than anything in the world, and I want to go after that orphanage too

 

Roland: *sigh* Unfortunately, It closed not long after I left there and Anna was sent somewhere else

 

Reggie: All we know is that the place is somewhere near Alsace-Moselle which is a four hour drive from here. 

 

Roland: You should probably apologize to Madeline before you do anything stupid.

 

Reggie: Easier said than done, if anything she’s probably afraid of me right now.

 

Tristan: Well when my sister got home the other day she threw up in the sink. The last place she was at was Madeline’s apartment

 

Mike: What did she do poison them with her cooking

 

Reggie: Madeline’s actually not that bad at cooking

 

Rido: But Nicole is a horrible cook, anyway she probably said something to your sister right

 

Tristan: She’s not gonna tell me anything 

 

Mike: Anyway Reggie we’ll all be cheering for you man, now let's listen to this record that you never got to hear. I promise you Reggie, this is going to be your favorite band

 

Reggie: Hahaha, that’s a pretty bold statement what are they called

 

Tristan: Black Sabbath, They are amazing really

 

Reggie: Better than Led Zeppelin

 

Rido: No, just different

 

But the raindrops were already being heard through Reggie’s speakers and then the Devils tritone came up, shocking Roland because he’d never heard it in music before. Then Ozzy’s voice came in, stunning Reggie. Everyone else was already floored with the band and throughout the first side of the album Reggie was transfixed, Rido was impressed with the wah pedal on the bass, and Roland was impressed with the Dual guitar solos coming out of each stereo channel. Once side A finished, Reggie was so impressed but he didn’t want to listen to the B side until he apologized to Madeline.

 

Reggie: STOP MIKE, That record was amazing but I don’t want to listen to the other side until I apologize to Madeline. What is this singer's name?

 

Mike: Ossie Osbourne, My cousin said that this record is getting so many bad reviews, but I think they’re gonna be the next Zeppelin

 

Reggie: That’s a weird name, he should replace the ie with a y

 

Tristan: The other side isn’t as interesting to me though, but i’m sure you’ll both love it

 

Roland: Who are the guitar players

 

Mike: Tony Iommi on lead guitar and Geezer Butler on bass guitar

 

Reggie: Interesting, Alright Roland when are we apologizing to Madeline

 

Roland: Wait, Why am I going with you?

 

Reggie: Because you know Anna 

 

Rido: Why would she keep Anna’s suicide note?

 

Roland: Probably as a memento to never go back to the orphanage, but who knows, maybe they threw it out immediately too

 

Tristan: I’d do it the day after Michelle’s birthday 

 

Roland: We have rehearsal how about Wednesday at 7

 

Reggie: *sigh* Well I don’t have any plans, but Rido has to go somewhere with Nicole that day.

 

Rido: I mean I assume we would go somewhere, I’ll get her at 6:30

 

Roland: Then it’s settled, no backing out now

Chapter 22: The Real Truth

Once March 4th rolled around, Madeline was actually at a low point, that was the day that she decided to commit suicide. She loved all the friends she made, but the fact that Reggie had never come by to apologize had her thinking that he had moved on already and in her depressive haze she started reading Anna’s Suicide note. Once 6:45 rolled around she pulled the note out and talked to Anna through it.

 

Madeline: *sobs* Anna we did it didn’t we, we made it to Paris and met so many amazing people *sniff* I wish you were still here, you would have gotten along with everybody *sniff* But I can’t shake off the fact that I can’t ever be normal *sniff* I already told three people about Sister Mary and if I tell anymore people they’ll send me back there for sure, Especially Reggie.

 

Meanwhile Reggie had met Roland and had gotten to the apartment complex. They didn’t have much time because Gertrude usually got back around 7:30 and they all had a very small window to work in.

 

Reggie: Well, I think Rido left already

 

Roland: So, I guess i’ll just wait out here then

 

Reggie: Right, i’ll yell for you

 

Madeline was already writing her suicide note when she heard footsteps coming up the stairs toward her apartment, she froze for a second as the footsteps came closer. Madeline already tied a short noose around a light fixture and if that didn’t work she had a handful of tablets on the kitchen counter that were Gertrude’s she could use.

 

Madeline (To herself): God why do you hate me so much *sniff* I just want to be a normal girl, not a slut who’s been tainted by 

 

Unfortunately for Madeline, Reggie had knocked just in time, had he been 10 minutes late, Madeline would’ve been dead.

 

Reggie: *sniff* Madeline

 

Madeline was absolutely petrified, but she realized that Reggie sounded very quiet and not like himself. He realized he couldn’t mature in a week, but he knew that if he was going to do anything in the future, it was going to be with Madeline.

 

Reggie: *sobs* I’m a piece of shit *sniff* I made a mistake that I have to live with for the rest of my life and I can’t stand it *sniff* I wish all the children in the world had homes, and had families, and had food to eat every night, I wish my father never died either but that's life right *sniff* I know my suffering isn’t the worst compared to what orphans go through, but I want to understand it *sniff* I want to be better at it, and you’re the only girl in the world that can make me understand it Madeline.

 

Reggie could hear Madeline on the other side of the door crying and sniffling like crazy, she had still not moved from that exact spot or said anything yet.

 

Reggie: *sobs* Madeline, I really want to be with you for the rest of my life *sniff* I don’t give a shit how bad it was at those orphanages, I want to protect you from those nightmares *sniff* And I won’t let anybody take you away from me *sniff* I promise

 

Reggie was beside himself, but Madeline was speechless, she was writing a suicide note and now Reggie had shown up at her doorstep bawling his eyes out. It was very uncharacteristic of Reggie and Madeline realized that Reggie didn’t want to send her back, but she wasn’t letting him off the hook that easily.

 

Madeline: *sobs* You don’t understand anything at all *sniff* I’m a slut, If you stay with me you’ll be cursed by god.

 

Reggie: *sobs* MADELINE, I DON’T CARE IF I GET CURSED FROM YOU *sniff* YOU’RE THE ONE THAT MAKE ME STRONGER JUST BEING YOU, WHO GIVES A FUCK ABOUT GOD *sniff* Madeline, If any of those priests or nuns hurt you *sniff* I will go to the ends of the earth to make sure they don’t ever go near you again *sniff* I’ll make sure Anna’s memory isn’t tainted either

 

Once Madeline heard that she immediately opened the door to find Reggie crouched on the floor kneeling outside her apartment door. 

 

Madeline: *sniff* I’m sorry I ran out on you

 

Reggie: *hugs tight* Madeline *sniff* It’s ok, you’re safe now

 

At that moment Reggie had seen the short noose on the light fixture and hugged Madeline tighter. He couldn’t be mad at her because he now knew that the cause of her unhappiness was that horrible orphanage.

 

Reggie: *sobs* Madeline, were you trying to kill yourself just now

 

Madeline sobbed harder into Reggie’s shirt, she had been an idiot and wasn’t thinking about it at all, but Reggie was undeterred.

 

Reggie: *kisses forehead* Madeline *sniff* Promise you’ll never leave me *sniff* I love you Madeline *sniff* 

 

Madeline: *shaking* Reggie, I can’t do it, I’m a slut *sniff* Read the back of that letter on the table

 

Reggie: *sniff* What is it?

 

Madeline: *sobs* Anna’s Suicide Letter *sniff* I written my own on the back, but I only wrote a sentence before you knocked on the door *sniff*

 

Reggie: Madeline *sniff* I have a confession to make, Roland knew Anna when he was put in an orphanage for six months *sniff* When I told him Anna’s name, he immediately remembered her. They were really close, he wanted to marry her *sniff* He promised one day when he grew up, he would rescue her

 

This was a big shock to Madeline, Anna had mentioned him before, but as the years went on and she was being molested more and more, she thought less of him and if she had gone to Switzerland, she would have thought of him even less.

 

Madeline: *sobs* Anna mentioned him all the time, I didn’t know that he was the Roland she would talk about.

 

Reggie: Can he listen to it too

 

Madeline: *shaking* I don’t know *sniff* It might shock him because Anna was a slut too. She didn’t mention Roland in her suicide note either.

 

Lucky for them, Roland was down the hallway, he really did not want to be there, but he wanted closure for Anna.

 

Roland: It’s Ok, it had been way too many years anyway, but I did promise her I would rescue her, Just read the fucking thing man

 

Roland was beside himself as Reggie read all of Anna’s Suicide note

 

Reggie: Dear Madeline and Nicole *sniff* You two are my best friends, I’m only writing this letter to you. Now that my dream of escaping this place is no longer an option, I’m going to die 

 

Roland: Nope *sniff* definitely didn’t remember my promise

 

Reggie: My life has been nothing but misery ever since I was born, I have no other option and even though there have been nice nuns in this world, the only ones I know have beaten me and called me a bastard. I wish that I wasn’t born so intelligent, then maybe I wouldn’t have been beaten as badly. Nicole, I'm sorry but the truth is Sister Mary has been molesting me and Madeline for six years. The only reason she doesn’t include you is she thinks you don’t deserve love because you’re half jewish. 

 

Roland and Reggie were now incredibly angry, but Reggie kept reading the letter as if it were normal.

 

Reggie: Sister Mary needs a great Milestone caste in the depths of the sea if she thinks that only pretty children deserve love. What she did to us was not out of love, but out of power and manipulation for her own needless desires. I want you two to be free. Think of me as Jesus dying for all your sins. In Deuteronomy 30:19 it says that I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live. You two need to do better than me, you need to find people who love you and if you need to escape this prison then so be it. Sister Mary stole the only opportunity I had to be free and now I have nothing, don’t be like me, I love both of you and I hope we can meet again someday, Anna

 

It took all of Reggie’s self-control not to punch anything out in the room, the boys had now found out the cause behind Madeline’s unhappiness.

 

Madeline: *heavy panting*

 

Reggie: Madeline *hugs* You are not a slut do you understand me *sniff*

 

Roland: WHERE IS THIS FUCKING PLACE SERIOUSLY

 

Reggie: ROLAND, we’ll get to that bitch later *sniff* Madeline, none of you are sluts, you were victims and it’s never your fault

 

Madeline: *sobs* It started when we were nine years old *sniff* she would only pick the prettiest girls in the orphanage, and me and Anna just happened to be in the top 5 for her *sniff* she would give us alcohol and then force us down in the basement 

 

Madeline was hyperventilating at the same time she was saying all this

 

Reggie: Madeline *grabs hand* It’s Ok I’m not going anywhere 

 

Meanwhile Roland was beside himself listening to Madeline, personally he wouldn’t know how to handle it if Anna were still alive but he had to listen as Madeline kept telling the story which got worse.

 

Madeline: *sobs* It didn’t matter to her, she would use anything she could to keep us satisfied, rubbing us, kissing us, licking us, her tongue always felt so cold and gross and ticklish, but not in a good way *sniff*

 

Reggie: Madeline *sniff* It’s not supposed to feel good when you’re not comfortable, it’s supposed to feel good when you’re with someone you love. She was a fucking pedophile Madeline *sniff* and she used her authority as a nun to get away with it.

 

Madeline: *sobs* The sad thing was Anna would never complain about it, but that’s why she jumped off the roof *sniff* because she kept it all inside and I couldn’t

 

Roland: No, Anna was even stoic when I knew her, one time she accidentally dented a chalas and I knew she would get horribly beaten, so I volunteered for her *sniff* They lashed me good and I couldn’t sit down for a while *sniff* but as long as Anna never got hurt I was happy *sniff* FUCK MAN, NOW I WISH I WAS THE ONE THAT WAS MOLESTED AND NOT HER

 

Madeline: You really did care about her didn’t you *sniff*

 

Roland: *sniff* We didn’t understand what love was because we were too young, but all I knew was that this girl was way too beautiful to be abused *sniff* and she was the smartest girl I ever met in my life.

 

Madeline: *sobs* She was going to go to Switzerland on a Fulbright scholarship before Sister Mary ripped her acceptance papers apart *sniff* She use to say nasty things like we weren’t pretty and we were bastard children who didn’t deserve love *sniff* I never understood why she always wanted both of us together when she molested us either *sniff* The other girls she picked I'm sure were singled out.

 

Reggie: Madeline, Did it really last six years straight *sniff* 

 

Madeline: *sobs* Yes, but it was less frequent as we got older because there were younger girls taking up her time *sniff*

 

Roland: *sniff* Do you think she’s still doing it?

 

Madeline: *sobs* There’s no doubt in my mind that she still is *sniff* She has a violent temper when she’s mad so nobody says anything. That and nobody would believe us anyway because we’re bastard children who deserve it *sniff*

 

Reggie: Madeline *hugs* Nobody deserves to be molested, this emotionally manipulative penguin ain’t shit *sniff* The fact that nobody does anything at all just proves that they’re wrong *sniff* 

 

Roland: If Anna mentioned her in her suicide note, she’s automatically guilty. 

 

Just then Gertrude returned to find Reggie and Roland inside Madeline’s room

 

Gertrude: I assume you two are back together

 

Roland: Yeah, I always knew they would *sniff*

 

Gertrude: Are you alright

 

Roland: Huh, oh yeah something in my eye

 

Madeline: Gertrude *sniff* I told Reggie about the letter, Roland knew Anna

 

Gertrude: YOU DID

 

Roland: We were practically glued at the hip, she was amazingly smart and beautiful and I wanted to marry her, but I got adopted by my uncle and I promised her I would save her from the orphanage when I got older.

 

Gertrude: I guess it’s too late for that now huh

 

Roland: *sigh* If only I could beat the shit out of Sister Mary with a crowbar

 

Gertrude: I mean that’s murder so you’d probably go to jail

 

Roland: The sad thing is she’s probably still molesting girls at that orphanage, but of course because it’s the church, they’re probably going to get a slap on the wrist and cover the whole thing up.

 

Reggie: BULLSHIT, YOU CAN TOTALLY GO AGAINST THE CHURCH, I’M NOT GOING TO SIT ON MY ASS KNOWING THAT THAT PEDOPHILE ISN’T IN JAIL BECAUSE SHE’S A PENGUIN. 

 

Roland: Well, I mean we can’t give her a taste of her own Medicine either

 

Reggie: HAHAHA, You know what, I just thought of a great surprise birthday present for Madeline, but there is something we have to do first. Madeline *kiss* I’ll be back in a few days, pray for me Ok *grabs Roland* let’s fucking go we don’t have any time.

 

And with that the two men left, leaving Gertrude and Madeline stunned.

 

Gertrude: WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING.

 

Reggie: IT’S A SURPRISE, MADELINE’S GONNA LOVE IT.

 

Gertrude: Madeline, your boyfriend is a nut

 

Madeline: Hahaha *sniff* I know, but I wonder what his big Idea is.

 

Gertrude: Whatever it is, it better be legal

 

No it probably wasn’t, but they both went back to Reggie’s room, Lucy of course was still up watching TV when the boys came back.

 

Reggie: Mom, me and Madeline are back together, and now I want to create a huge surprise party for her birthday.

 

Lucy: Isn’t her birthday on St Patrick’s Day

 

Roland: What surprise birthday party

 

Reggie: A VERY BIG ONE, THAT’S WHY ME AND ROLAND ARE GOING UPSTAIRS TO PLAN IT

 

Roland: Hahaha, Oh Yeah it’s going to be so big it has to be planned now

 

The two hurry upstairs to Reggie’s room, there wasn’t going to be a surprise birthday party. Reggie wanted to do something even more insane than that, but he needed help.

 

Reggie: Roland, we’re going to that orphanage

 

Roland: ARE YOU ON DRU-

 

Reggie: Shhh, I just figured out a plan, what if we disguise ourselves as Brothers from a Catholic Missionary, say we’re here to give Sister Mary an opportunity of a Lifetime, and then have Rich beat the shit out of her

 

Roland: You’re a real piece of shit you know that, I was thinking that Sister Mary should have a Camera and I’d have Dominic steal it and all the film she has in her room and run for it

 

Reggie: Hahaha, I guess that is a better plan, but If it gets to the point where she hits us, i’m taking a swing

 

Roland: I mean we’re dressed as Catholic Brothers right, they wouldn’t dare hit superiors, Oh, who's making the costumes and how are we getting there.

 

Later the next day, they head to Pierre’s shop to see if he would be interested in Reggie’s diabolical plan.

 

Reggie: Hey Pierre

 

Pierre: Holy Shit Reggie, how long has it been

 

Roland: The Camping Trip

 

Reggie: Anyway Pierre, we got to ask you a favor

 

5 minutes later Reggie explained to him the plan, Pierre was shocked about the whole thing.

 

Pierre: SO YOU WANT ME TO DRIVE FOUR AND A HALF HOURS TO ALSACE MOSELLE TO BEAT THE SHIT OUT OF A NUN IN PRIEST COSTUMES, YOU’VE LOST IT THIS TIME.

 

Reggie: Dude, If I don’t do this, Madeline will keep having nightmares 

 

Roland: And the one girl I loved jumped off a building because of this bitch, we don’t want to beat her up, we just want to steal whatever camera equipment she has so that we could turn it into the police.

 

Pierre: HAHAHA, I always loved going on Road Trips, who else is going

 

Reggie: Hmmm, Well I want Rich and Dominic so far

 

Pierre: I JUST HAD AN IDEA, RIDO COULD GO AS AN AFRICAN MISSIONARY FROM UGANDA SEEKING YOUNG GI-

 

Reggie: *bonk* YOU DUMB SHIT, WE’RE NOT KIDNAPPING ORPHANS

 

Pierre: Alright I’ll have Priest costumes in your sizes by tomorrow, but you guys might want to cut your hair if you want to look convincing.

 

Roland: THAT AIN’T HAPPENING

 

Reggie: Hmm, Let’s just get it as long as priests can usually grow it

 

Roland: THEY DON’T HAVE THEIR HAIR PAST THEIR EAR 

 

Unfortunately for Roland, they did both get their long hair cut, and later in the day, they met up with Dominic and Rido. Lucky for them Tristan was on a trip, so that meant Tristan was definitely not breaking Michelle in.

 

Dominic: HAHAHAHA, YOU TWO LOOK FUCKING STUPID

 

Roland: I DON’T WANT TO HEAR IT FROM SOMEONE WHO JUST GOT FIRED

 

Roland and Reggie’s hair was only a few inches shorter, but they could now pass for Priests.

 

Dominic: Man, If only I wasn’t a janitor, I could of had those women

 

Rido: Pretending to be a Swimming Instructor at a Sports club when you’re the Janitor of the club is pretty fucking bold man

 

Dominic: Dude, those moms wanted me, it was too bad my boss didn’t understand hahaha

 

Reggie: But I tell you what Dominic, where we’re going, they’ll be plenty of nice older women

 

Rido: You’re all insane man

 

Reggie: Rido, she hurt Nicole man, in Anna’s Suicide Letter, it said the only reason she wasn’t molested was because she was half-Jewish, imagine if she wasn’t Jewish

 

Rido: NOT ONLY IS THIS LADY A PEDOPHILE, SHE’S A RACIST, I don’t deal well with those kinds of People

 

Dominic: I’ll tell you what, the minute any of them call you the n word, we’re beating the shit out of them

 

Rido: AND IF WE GET ARRESTED, THEN NONE OF US ARE SEEING OUR GIRLFRIENDS AGAIN, AND I’M GETTING PARADED IN THE STREET AND STONED TO DEATH

 

Roland: It’s not going to get to that point, we just want answers peacefully, this is only if they swing first, and do you really think nun’s resort to violence.

 

Rido: No, they’re covert about it, but a missionary from Uganda Really

 

Dominic: I just hope this Sister Mary is a looker

 

Reggie: DOMINIC, WE’RE NOT RAPING HER JESUS

 

Dominic: Hmm. you really think those poverty stricken bitches have any cameras

 

Reggie: Well, Madeline didn’t say anything about cameras, but we need evidence if we’re going to charge them

 

Rido: Anyway when the hell are we doing this?

 

Reggie: It seems like it would be best to do it on Sunday when there at church

 

Rido: I mean, i’m taking Nicole somewhere so I can’t do that, I can do Saturday though

 

Dominic: I mean I have a mom appointment on Saturday at 7 so do you think we could be back in time for that

 

Reggie: Roland, what the fuck is he talking about?

 

Roland: He promised some kid guitar lessons at the club

 

Reggie: I mean Rich and Pierre don’t care when it is, so I guess Saturday it is

 

Roland: Rido, you need a haircut if you’re going to play the Missionary

 

Rido: Haha, that’s not hard at all, I'll just shorten the afro conservatively at the barber tomorrow. OH IF WE GET CAUGHT, I VOLUNTEER DOMINIC TO TAKE THE FALL

 

Dominic: FUCK OFF 

 

The rest of the guys laughed at that. The fully realized plan was that Rich and Dominic were going to find Sister Mary’s room, While Reggie, Roland, and Rido were going to talk to whoever was in charge of the orphanage and get answers. They all knew that they couldn’t just bring anybody with them and telling any of the girls was off limits. Pierre’s only plan was to drive them to the orphanage.

Chapter 23: The Trip

Mike and Tristan on the other hand went on Separate Vacations and both got back on Friday. Reggie called them both early in the morning, they had no Idea what he was going to tell them.

 

Tristan: Fuck Man, Why did we have to get up so early

 

Mike: Apparently, it’s important

 

All of a sudden they see Reggie with short hair and immediately laugh their ass off

 

Tristan: *laughs* You woke us up because of a haircut

 

Reggie: Hahaha no, guys me and Madeline are back together. Something horrible happened to her and I have to fix it. I’m going to that orphanage to talk to those nuns on why they hurt her so bad. 

 

Mike: WHAT, YOU’RE GOING ON A ROAD TRIP

 

Tristan: I mean I already went on one

 

Reggie: Look guys, If I get arrested, tell Madeline I love her ok

 

Mike: I mean sure, who else is going on this

 

Reggie: Roland, Rido, Dominic, Rich, and Pierre

 

Tristan: I mean i’d go, but i’m finally about to pork Michelle tonight

 

Mike: I get it man, you want to beat the shit out of the person that hurt her don’t you

 

Reggie: Absolutely Man

 

Tristan: I’ll be rooting for you, and if you get arrested Mike can bail you out with his reserves

 

Mike: *bonk* JUST BECAUSE I’M JEWISH DOESN’T MEAN I’M MADE OF MONEY, REGGIE DON’T FUCKING FAIL PLEASE

 

Reggie: Haha, got it guys i’ll see you later

 

Once Reggie was out of earshot the two ran to Delia’s, it was still 6:15 in the morning. The six already were meeting at Pierre’s shop to get the costumes.

 

Pierre: Holy Shit, you three scare the shit out of me already

 

Dominic: Looking like the Lodge Brothers with those robes on Hahaha

 

Rich: So how far is this place?

 

Roland: About 5 hours if we take highways, now let's stop being the Spanish inquisition and beat some pedophiles

 

Reggie: Hahaha, we better go before the girls find out anything

 

They all pile into Pierre’s van as quick as possible, everyone was nervous and excited at the same time, but they were also totally unprepared

 

Rido: So anyone know how to get there

 

Roland: I remember how to get to Chaumont, someone in that town has to know where the orphanage is.

 

Pierre: I know how to get to Alsace-Moselle, we stopped there when I was a kid once.

 

Pierre then started up the van, there was no turning back now, unfortunately Madeline and Nicole were already up when Tristan and Mike heavily banged on the door to try to tell them about what Reggie was up too.

 

Nicole: Could you two be any louder, what do you want

 

Mike and Tristan were just catching their breath as Gertrude was also woken up by the incessant knocking.

 

Gertrude: DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT TIME IT IS

 

Tristan: Madeline *pant* Reggie and the rest of the guys took a roadtrip to your orphanage 

 

This shocked the hell out of Madeline and Nicole

 

Nicole and Madeline: WHAT

 

Mike: *bonk* YOU DUMBASS, HE’S JUST GOING TO TALK TO THAT NUN, IT’S NOT GETTING TO THAT POINT

 

Nicole: DID HE JUST LEAVE NOW

 

Mike: Yeah, They’re all taking a road trip up to that orphanage to beat the shit out of the nuns there

 

Gertrude: ARE THEY OUT OF THEIR MINDS, THEY’RE GOING TO GET ARRESTED AND PUT IN JAIL ALL OF THEM

 

Nicole: MOTHER CLARABELLE’S GOING TO WHACK THEM ALL THE MINUTE THEY SEE THEIR LONG HAIR

 

Mike: Oh Reggie actually cut his hair short which means he must be serious about it.

 

Tristan: Maybe Dominic will find the Nun’s and Mother Clarabelle attractive

 

Nicole: IF DOMINIC TRIED ANY OF HIS CHARM ON THOSE NUNS, THEY WOULD TIE HIM TO A HORSE AND BEAT HIM

 

Gertrude: HAHAHA I kinda wanna see that

 

Tristan: Don’t worry Madeline, if Reggie gets arrested, Mike will take his bat mitzvah money to bail him ow-

 

Mike: *bonk* I’D NEED A SEX CHANGE FOR THAT, AND I’M NOT DOING SHIT IF HE GETS ARRESTED

 

Madeline: Hahaha *sniff* I just want him to be safe and not get hurt that’s all 

 

The rest of the people in the apartment calmed down after Madeline said that, but Reggie and them had been on the road for hours taking back road after back road asking people where Alsase-Moselle was.

 

Rich: Jesus Man, At least open the window

 

Rich and Dominic were smoking all of Pierre’s supply and blowing it into homemade catches so that it didn’t stink up the van.

 

Dominic: What time is it?

 

Pierre: Your like little kids Jesus, it’s 10:00 were not getting to Alsace-Moselle  for another couple of hours

 

Reggie: Fuck Man, I haven’t pissed since this morning

 

Pierre just pulls over to the side of the road and has Reggie run out into the wilderness, once Reggie got back he was much better.

 

Reggie: Holy shit, thanks man

 

Pierre: ANYBODY ELSE

 

Dominic: I’ll scream like a little girl when it’s time

 

Pierre: YOU BASTARDS ARE COSTING ME GAS MONEY

 

They stopped in town after town, looking for nun’s who knew when there was an Orphanage, They finally found one who knew of the same area the orphanage was.

 

Nun 1: Oh, well I know of the Area, There’s two orphanages over there

 

Rido: Sister we’re looking for the one run by a Mother Clarabelle

 

Nun 1: Oh that place is starting to go down the tubes after that one orphan committed suicide last year. At this rate I wouldn’t be surprised if everyone got re-homed after that

 

Reggie: THAT’S EXACTLY THE ONE WE’RE LOOKING FOR, IS IT FAR

 

Nun 1: Oh No, I’d say it’s about two hours down that road if you keep going straight

 

Roland: Thank you very much sister

 

And with that the men drive the two hours into Alsace-Moselle, and once they get there another nun directed them toward the old orphanage

 

Nun 2: Oh It’s twenty minutes outside of town, you take that road until you see a yellow sign and turn right at the fork and it should be right there

 

Roland: Do you know if it’s still open

 

Nun 2: Are you brothers from out of town

 

Reggie: Yeah, Paris

 

Nun 2: Oh well, we rarely get brothers who drive that far, unfortunately I heard the orphanage was going to close next January after what happened last May, are you there to re-home children.

 

Rido: No Sister, we have a business proposal that we want to present to the Mother of the Orphanage. I think she should really take it if she doesn’t want to lose any revenue once it closes down.

 

Nun 2: Interesting, Alright have fun

 

They drove off, lucky for them they had a curtain up over Dominic and Rich who were passed out from smoking, eating, and drinking all the supplies they brought with them.

 

Dominic: Shit man, all these old ladies are fucking straight laced as hell

 

Rich: Seriously Man, and none of them had any Dominatrix Whips

 

Reggie: WELL AMEN TO THAT MOTHERFUCKER 

 

Exactly 15 minutes later they were finally at the entrance to the little catholic village Madeline and Nicole came from. It hadn’t changed at all since the girls left, but it did get more ominous because of the events that happened last year with Anna dying.

 

Reggie: Anyway Madeline told me the town would be overrun with nun’s so I’d watch out for that.

 

Dominic: You know, most nuns aren’t really that hot though

 

Roland: This town gives me the fucking creeps already, hey there’s a nun

 

It was too bad the Nun Roland spotted happened to be Sister Margeret.

 

Pierre: Really, that lady is strictly in Dominic’s Wearhouse

 

Dominic: Dude, I’m not going after someone I can break the hips of

 

Pierre: I’M GLAD YOUR LAZY ASSES ARE HIDING

 

Roland then volunteered to get out of the car and ask Sister Margaret where the Orphanage was.

 

Roland: Good Evening Sister

 

Sister Margaret: It seemed as if you traveled a great distance

 

Roland: Oh yes we did, but as you know you can never rest on your morals, we’re looking for Mother Clarabelle’s Orphanage

 

Sister Margaret: And what business do you have with the Orphanage

 

Roland: Well we heard that the Orphanage was going to be closing down and we wanted to take the opportunity to present her with heading a new Children’s Village in Paris.

 

Sister Margaret: Oh well, It’s just a few blocks down that way, she should be overseeing the town’s laundry which is right next door, but I should warn you, she doesn’t take kindly to solicitors so your proposal better not be foolish.

 

Roland: Absolutely not

 

Sister Margaret: The orphanage is going to close down next January, but her next in command is Sister Yvette who will only be running the Laundry

 

Reggie: Madeline never mentioned a Sister Yvette

 

Rido: Neither Did Nicole

 

Roland: Oh Ok thank you very much sister

 

But the six knew where the laundry was already because it was one of the biggest buildings in town next to the four schools, two catholic churches and town hall.

 

Reggie: This town is fucking crawling with Nuns, Maybe one of them is Sister Mary

 

Rido: Listen, Why don’t we go to the orphanage and figure it out from there, and besides you know the proposals bullshit anyway

 

Dominic: Fucking Children’s Village, your a sick fuck man hahaha

 

Pierre: Guys I think I see the orphanage

 

Nothing about the orphanage had changed since the girls left. It was still the same miserable looking building it was for years, Father McCoy’s big security plan happened to be just a security guard who was now at the entrance of the Orphanage, scaring the shit out of the six.

 

Pierre: Was there always a security guard at the entrance

 

Dominic: Come on man everyone knows that security guards are the biggest potheads, The guy looks like he hates his job anyway.

 

Rich: But this is a catholic orphanage we’re talking about

 

Rido: I figured this would happen after they escaped, so we know the plan right

 

Reggie: Hopefully that one nun doesn’t tell Mother Clarabelle and we’ll be fine

Chapter 24: Face To Face

Unfortunately for them, Mother Clarabelle was briefed of their arrival by Sister Margaret. She knew her days were finished, so the offer that Roland proposed didn’t seem that farfetched.

 

Mother Clarabelle: A Children’s Village in Paris huh, Did you ask what parish they were from?

 

Sister Margaret: No, But he seems legitimate about his proposal

 

Mother Clarabelle: I haven’t thought about going to Paris since the war was over. Alright you say they’re coming now

 

Sister Margaret: Yes, They’re driving an Old Blue Van, They should be there any minute

 

Mother Clarabelle: Ok I’ll tell the guard

 

And with that the plan could commence, Rido, Roland, and Reggie were going to be the ones going into Mother Clarabelle’s Office, While Dominic and Rich were going to find a way to sneak into the Orphanage. Pierre was just the getaway vehicle. The Van had pulled up to the Orphanage and the three got into their Catholic Robes and met the guard at the door.

 

Guard: What Business do you have Brothers

 

Roland: We’re here to see anybody who will listen to our proposal

 

Suddenly Mother Clarabelle appears at the door looking at the three men.

 

Mother Clarabelle: Gentleman, I have heard about your proposal, now what parish are you from in Paris?

 

The three were stumped, but in the moment Rido thought of one

 

Rido: Well, I myself am from Uganda, but I've been with the Parish of St. Eustache for 5 years now

 

Mother Clarabelle: Oh Really, What made you decide to come to France

 

Rido: Well, Civil war is commonplace in my country, so I came to Paris because of the beautiful architecture, now I understand your orphanage isn’t doing well correct

 

Mother Clarabelle: Not at all, we have a laundry to sustain us, but it’s not bringing in enough money to sustain the children here I’m afraid, Now come on Gentlemen, why don’t we talk in my office.

 

Rido: Very Well, this proposal will take a while anyway and I’d hate to waste the guards time.

 

And with that they all came into Mother Clarabelle’s office where Father McCoy was also there waiting. Meanwhile outside Pierre parked the van a couple blocks away so that Dominic and Rich could rob Sister Mary without knowing who it was later on.

 

Dominic: Jesus man, could this town get any more Depressing

 

Rich: No wonder why kids kill themselves here, hey you think this orphanage has a back way

 

Dominic: I mean they should

 

They then came across the orphans outside playing and about four of the nuns including Sister Mary were watching them.

 

Dominic: Damn, No wonder why these ladies were never broken in, I feel kind of bad for that one with the glasses, she probably doesn’t even know what a dick looks like

 

Rich: Hahaha, and that one’s so old, her hymens turning to dust

 

Dominic: She’d probably be like What’s a Hymen? Hahaha come on man, let’s look for another way in, it’s too crowded over there.

 

Lucky for them, there were two other entrances, but one of them was a fire escape, the only other one connected the laundry with the orphanage, which was easy access for anybody. Once Dominic and Rich saw that, it was a Jackpot moment

 

Dominic: Hahaha, What an entrance, Do you see any nuns coming

 

Rich: Nope

 

Dominic: *opens door* Shit Man, that was easy, now let's find Sister Mary's Room, it can’t be too hard right

 

Well unfortunately the Orphanage was a maze of girls and nuns that could spot the two at any time so they had to be careful who they interacted with. Meanwhile Mother Clarabelle was getting acquainted with the three young men that stumbled into her Office.

 

Father McCoy: Well Gentleman, it’s certainly an enticing offer

 

Rido: I think it would be a beneficial offer too, wouldn’t you enjoy having the children enjoy the sweet sights of Paris

 

Father McCoy: Is it endorsed by The Parish of St. Eustache

 

Rido: Absolutely, we have children from all across France come to the village

 

Mother Clarabelle: You two don’t talk much do you?

 

Roland: Oh no, we let our brother deal with the proposals, anyway can I ask how the children are being fed if there isn’t any income coming in.

 

Mother Clarabelle: Oh well, it’s really the fact that the washing machines and dryers are taking over laundry and there is no way to compete with that.

 

Reggie: I understand you haven’t been accepting any Orphans for quite some time 

 

Mother Clarabelle: Yes, ever since we had someone take her own life and then had two more running away the next day, we had to come to terms with the fact that it’s just time to move on.

 

The three then realized that they were talking about Madeline, Anna, and Nicole, Meanwhile Dominic and Rich were getting lost in the halls of the Orphanage trying to find Sister Mary’s room.

 

Dominic: Fuck Man, this place is like a haunted house

 

They were inside one of the orphan's rooms trying to hide from the constant bombardment of Children coming in and out.

 

Rich: This is like a pedophile’s paradise in here

 

Dominic: In this fucking drab of a place *opens door* Alright maybe there on the next floor

 

It was too bad that two twelve year old girls just spotted the two long haired potheads coming out of one of the rooms.

 

Dominic: Hey, Do you girls know where this Sister Mary’s Room is, We’re trying to surprise Madeline for her birthday

 

Girl 1: You’re Joking Right

 

Girl 2: Madeline vanished last year

 

Rich: I know, a friend of ours is her boyfriend, they’re in Mother Clarabelle’s Office right now

 

Girl 1: We’ve never seen you guys before

 

Girl 2: And I never saw Madeline with a boyfriend either

 

Dominic: Anyway, where is Sister Mary’s room

 

Girl 2: Upstairs, It’s the second door on the left

 

Rich: Thanks, don’t tell her we’re here alright, because then she’ll murder us

 

Girl 1: She’ll Murder anybody she’s a Witch

 

Rich: Is she a dominatrix by any chance

 

Dominic: CAN WE NOT FOCUS ON THAT, LET’S FUCKING GO ALREADY

 

The two then head for the stairs up to her room, the two girls were surprised with Dominic’s cursing, but everyone was still afraid of Sister Mary.

 

Girl 1: Those guys were weird weren’t they

 

The two managed to get into Sister Mary's room without being spotted, It looked almost exactly the same as when Madeline and Anna first entered the room eight years ago. They rummage through the cupboards and dressers trying to find anything of value.

 

Rich: This lady has quite a wine collection

 

Dominic: Reggie wants us to look for Camera Equipment 

 

Unfortunately for them, A lot of Sister Mary’s film was hidden downstairs in the basement, but Dominic found her camera and two rolls of film that happened to have the latest of Madeline and Anna being abused on it.

 

Dominic: Alright I got what I need

 

Rich: I think I’ll take a couple of these

 

Dominic: Alright, off to Pierre’s Van then

 

It was too bad Sister Mary was coming back up the stairs to her room, the guys were totally unprepared for when she came up to her room. She was bringing a child up by the ear when she saw the door to her room open.

 

Sister Mary: DID YOU OPEN THIS DOOR

 

Girl 3: *sobs* No Sister 

 

Sister Mary: *slap* HOW DARE YOU LIE TO ME ABOUT OPENING THAT DOOR

 

Dominic and Rich were nervous as fuck, they knew that if they walked out now, it would be a bloodbath.

 

Sister Mary: *pushes in room* GET IN THERE YOU

 

Sister Mary then got the shock of her life to find two long haired men she had never met before staring her down.

 

Sister Mary (To herself): JESUS MOTHER MARY AND JOSEPH

 

Dominic: FUCKING LIKE ABUSING KIDS DON’T YOU, I HAVE YOU’RE GODDAM CAMERA BITCH

 

Rich: *gulp* AND I’M DRINKING YOUR WINE

 

Dominic: THIS MUST BE THE BITCH THAT MOLESTED REGGIE’S GIRLFRIEND AND FORCED ROLAND’S DREAMGIRL TO KILL HERSELF, WHAT WERE YOU GOING TO DO TO THIS LITTLE GIRL HUH?

 

Sister Mary was in shock, unfortunately this got the attention of all of the other nuns and one of them got the attention of Mother Clarabelle.

 

Mother Clarabelle: Well Gentleman, it looks like there is some trouble up in the nun’s quarters

 

Unfortunately that was the next part of their plan, Once Dominic and Rich got caught, they would reveal who they really were.

 

Roland: We shall accompany you, I think we’re more than capable of handling it.

 

Reggie and Roland then went with Mother Clarabelle to where Sister Mary and some of the nun’s were desperately trying to catch Dominic and Rich. Reggie and the rest of them saw this, they knew what to do next. Rido went out of the Building to get Pierre and position the van right outside the entrance.

 

Roland: EXCUSE ME LADIES, LET US HANDLE THESE THIEVES

 

Dominic: *pant* SISTER MARY’S A FUCKING BITCH, SHE TRIED TO BEAT A LITTLE GIRL IN FRONT OF US

 

Mother Clarabelle: YOU KNOW THESE THIEVES

 

Reggie: HAHAHA, WOW YOU IDIOT NUN’S FELL FOR OUR TRAP, WHICH ONE OF YOU IS SISTER MARY

 

Sister Mary: WHO ARE YOU?

 

Reggie: YOUR WORST NIGHTMARE

 

Meanwhile there were other nuns trying to stop Dominic and Rich from leaving while Pierre’s Van was right in the line of sight of the guys.

 

Reggie: YOU CALL YOURSELF A NUN, YET YOU DESERVE TO BE IN HELL FOR WHAT YOU DID TO MY GIRLFRIEND

 

Reggie then takes off his robe to reveal that he really wasn’t a brother or a priest at all, shocking everybody.

 

Sister Mary: YOU’RE THE DEVIL

 

Reggie: ALL I WANT IS ANSWERS, WHY DID YOU MOLEST MY GIRLFRIEND FOR SIX YEARS

 

Sister Mary: WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?

 

Reggie: KEEP LYING, IN 30 YEARS YOU’LL ALL BE EXPOSED IN A DOCUMENTARY AND ALL THE CHILDREN THAT YOU HELPED MOLEST OR COVER UP WILL ASK FOR THEIR PENSIONS FROM THE CHURCH BECAUSE YOU WOULDN’T STOP FUCKING THEM

 

Sister Mary: *slap* HOW DARE YOU *punch* SUCH BLASPHEMOUS ACCUSATIONS *punch* 

 

Reggie: *whoosh* CALM THE FUCK DOWN LADY *whoosh* ALL I WANT IS ANSWERS ON WHY YOU MOLESTED MY GIRLFRIEND

 

Reggie knew at that moment that he could have punched Sister Mary’s lights out, but Madeline would never talk to him again if he did that. Suddenly out of nowhere Rich hit Sister Mary with one of her empty wine bottles causing everyone to make a run for the van, but before they did that Reggie and Roland had to say something.

 

Sister Yvette: CALL THE POLICE

 

Sister Gretchen: AND AN AMBULANCE

 

Reggie: I LOVE MADELINE DULLAGHAN WITH ALL MY HEART, IF ANY OF YOU GO NEAR HER AGAIN, I WILL FUCKING HUNT YOU IN YOUR SLEEP LIKE YOU DO IN HER DREAMS *throws shit* FUCKERS *run*

 

Roland: AND HOW DARE YOU KILL ANNA FAIRMOUNT YOU *throws shit* FUCKING ASSHOLES, I WAS GOING TO RESCUE HER AND YOU FUCKERS RUINED IT, I HOPE YOU’RE HAPPY *run*

 

Mother Clarabelle was shocked. This guy was Madeline’s boyfriend and the other one knew Anna. Unfortunately for them, Father McCoy called the Police so they had to get out of town quickly.

 

Reggie: Fuck *pant* that went by quick

 

Pierre: HURRY THE FUCK UP DIPSHITS

 

They both barely got in the van and sped off before the cops got there five minutes after they left town for good. They had managed to steal Sister Mary’s camera, two rolls of film, and unfortunately one bottle of wine.

 

Reggie: Holy Shit man, that bitch was crazy wasn’t she

 

Dominic: We only got one bottle of wine, but I got that bitches camera

 

Reggie: Haha, we’ll look at the film later

 

Roland: Hey man, you’re knotted up, she got you pretty good

 

Reggie: All this pain is for nothing man, Yeah my jaw hurts a little and I can’t feel it really, but what Madeline went through was worse

 

Unfortunately a radio bulletin came on looking for them

 

Radio Announcer: We bring you this update, Six young men are traveling in a light blue van labeled Duvoir Clothing and Costumes, The police are looking for this vehicle if you see it please contact their headquarters immediately.

 

Pierre: Fuck, good thing I brought house paint, besides I’m getting a new van soon anyway, Who wants this one.

 

Dominic: This would make a perfect touring vehicle

 

Roland: HOW ABOUT WE PAINT THE FUCKING VAN JACKASS

 

Which they did, and with everybody helping it took ten minutes to repaint the van gray instead of light blue with a little bit of gray patches added like it was before and then five minutes later they were back on the road again

 

Pierre: See none of the cops we passed noticed anything

 

Roland: You know they can still run license plates right

 

Pierre: Those nuns are way too stupid to remember a license plate number. 

 

Dominic: I can’t believe you hit Sister Mary with the wine bottle man, that was epic

 

Rich: I don’t think the concussion was that huge

 

Reggie: I’m just glad you hit that bitch because if I hit her Madeline would never talk to me again.

 

Rido: I’m just glad I didn’t have to do any violence, because those nuns were scary as hell

 

Dominic: And I’m glad Sister Mary isn’t good looking either, in fact, none of those nuns were even remotely attractive.

 

Rich: I’ll drink to finally beating a Pedo

 

Reggie: RICH, THAT’S MADELINE’S BIRTHDAY PRESENT, ALL OF THAT SHIT WE STOLE IS

 

Roland: We’re bringing the film to the police right

 

Reggie: It’s up to Madeline what she wants to do with it, hopefully she’ll want it burned

 

Roland: Technically having film of them being molested is a crime

 

Dominic: I mean maybe it’s not them, maybe it’s group outings with the orphans or something

 

Reggie: We’re not doing anything with this without Madeline’s approval

 

Roland: I wonder what all the girls are doing right now

 

Rido: Probably shopping with Michelle or something, Wait a minute TRISTAN AND MIKE DIDN'T

 

Unfortunately throughout the day, more people came over the apartment complex, Michelle and Theresa had been there since 10 and Matilda, Claude, Sandra, Monique, and Mary were there with them now as well.

 

Mary: Those guys are all idiots

 

Monique: I mean they’ve been gone since 7 in the morning and it’s almost 6

 

Mary: It takes how long to get there and back

 

Matilda: At least four hours

 

Michelle: They had to have stopped to eat

 

Sandra: Where, they’re probably on the run from the cops and they ended up crashing Pierre’s Van somewhere

 

Nicole: Sister Mary could have beat them to death also

 

All of their comments were making Madeline even more nervous that he would never come back, but just then the Gray Van pulled up outside of Delia’s Laundry. While they did stop to eat, they started becoming tired, except for Reggie. He was determined to bring up Madeline’s gifts, but for Monique who was looking out the window, it was just another boring gray van. They were only there to drop Reggie off

 

Monique: Hey, some van that looks like Pierre’s Piece of Shit Van is parked in front now

 

Theresa: Pierre’s Van is blue and has graphics on the side

 

Meanwhile, the boys were all wishing Reggie the best inside the van

 

Pierre: Alright Space Cowboy, go get her man

 

Rich: And if you don’t finish that bottle, you can give me it back for my birthday

 

Reggie: Haha, So you can shove it up your 

 

Rich: NEVER WITH THAT PEDO BOTTLE MAN, JUST GO TO HER ALREADY

 

Reggie: Hahaha Alright guys this is it, I’ll call you guys later

 

Moments later a short-haired Redhead in a catholic robe got out of the van with a Camera and a Wine Bottle, Gertrude had no idea it was Reggie.

 

Gertrude: Nah, it was just some short-haired homeless guy in a robe with a Camera they were dropping off

 

Mike: I mean he did just cut his hair

 

Tristan: Actually, that might be Reggie, I’ll go check

 

Tristan had to be the unfortunate victim to go outside and fetch Reggie, he went down the stairs toward where he was. Reggie was still hesitant to go in, but seeing Tristan eased him a little bit

 

Tristan: Oh Shit, Reggie it is you, You’re bruised up man

 

Reggie: I know, Sister Mary was a bitch man, I almost fucking punched her out but Rich knocked her out with a wine bottle and we ran for it

 

Tristan: All the girls were fucking worried you would be arrested or killed man, Especially Madeline

 

Reggie: Haha, me never, I do have another wine bottle we stole from her though, and we have some memento’s too like this camera and these two rolls of film I might have to turn in to the police.

 

Tristan: I gotta warn you man, Madeline brought the calvary up there this time

 

Reggie and Tristan calmly walk up the stairs, Reggie was still in his brothers outfit as Tristan went to make the announcement 

 

Tristan: REGGIE’S BACK MADELINE

 

Reggie: *walks in the room* WHAT IS THIS A SURPRISE PARTY, THAT’S OK BECAUSE I GOT GIFTS. MADELINE, LOOK WHO’S CAMERA I GOT *shows camera*

 

Madeline was in shock, she knew who’s camera that was

 

Nicole: NO YOU DIDN’T

 

Reggie: Dominic stole it out of her cupboard along with this film, he said that was all he could get before Sister Mary came back into her room with a child by the ear

 

Meanwhile Madeline was beside herself, Reggie really didn’t have to do this

 

Madeline: Reggie you have bruises all over your face *sniff* Did she do that

 

Reggie: Yes Madeline, she punched and kicked me too but Rich knocked her out with a wine bottle and he made me save the other wine bottle for us.

 

Gertrude: YOU FUCKING IDIOTS, WHY WOULD YOU STEAL HER ALCOHOL

 

Reggie: THAT WAS RICH’S IDEA, NOT MINE

 

Monique: How are you idiots not wanted over there right now

 

Reggie: Hahaha, we actually heard an announcement on the radio looking for Pierre’s Van but we painted it gray really quick and it seemed to work

 

Sandra: You guys really are dumbasses, you know they can run your license plate number too right

 

Mike: Like those dumb fucking nuns know it, besides Pierre can just switch those out too right

 

Mary: THAT’S HIGHLY ILLEGAL

 

Mike: Well they don’t have computers that can read license plate information yet, My dad’s being forced to work on it and he hates it.

 

Theresa: Serves you assholes right if that becomes a thing. 

 

Michelle: Anyway why don’t we all give the loving couple over here their space and go to my house.

 

Tristan: Sounds good, i’m starving

 

Michelle: Oh Nicole and Gertrude you come too

 

Gertrude: Good, I’m sure me and Nicole don’t want to hear all the moans from him coming out of these thin walls 

 

Reggie: AS IF I’M LETTING YOU HEAR THEM

 

And with that everybody left Madeline’s apartment, they also promised they might be there later, but Reggie really had to talk to Madeline, they had a lot to say to each other.

 

Madeline: Does your face hurt at all Reggie

 

Reggie: Hahaha, Madeline, it’s fine now, I think she chipped a tooth though

 

Madeline: Reggie I was really worried about you, you could have gotten arrested or hurt really badly or killed.

 

Reggie: It’s Ok Madeline *kisses forehead* Didn’t I say I’d go to the ends of the earth to make you happy and If anybody would be getting arrested it would be either Dominic or Rich because Rich was the one that smashed the wine bottle over her head.

 

Suddenly Madeline started sobbing uncontrollably, while she was happy Reggie did this, she wasn’t happy that it resorted to Violence.

 

Madeline: *sobs* Why did it resort to this *sniff*

 

Reggie: *hugs* He was trying to get her off me, I almost did punch her in the face, but once I thought of you, I took whatever hits she gave me *sniff* Her hands are so cold Madeline and she really is in denial, but once her hands connected, I felt how scared you were around her. Madeline *sniff* you’re way stronger than those penguins *sniff*

 

Madeline: *sobs* I’m not strong Reggie *sniff*

 

Reggie: Madeline, you are stronger and smarter than any of them *sniff* You left, they didn’t, you grew, they remained the same, and *hugs* you inspired me to do better Madeline, Those fucking Penguins are going to be in denial until the day they die.

 

Madeline: *sobs* But why did she get hurt *sniff*

 

Reggie: *sniff* Madeline, I know it’s hard to imagine somebody who tormented you for years finally getting what came to them, but non-violence wasn’t gonna work with her *sniff* I wish we did settle it in a civil manner, but she really did swing at me first, so I could technically sue her for assault.

 

Madeline: *sobs* I can’t believe you guys *sniff* when I saw that camera I knew you met her immediately

 

Reggie: Madeline *sniff* Do you want to destroy the camera for your birthday and the couple reels of film we stole

 

Madeline: *sobs* DESTROY ALL OF IT *sniff* There was more film in the basement that she hid, but that film you took was probably her latest ones from after we left *sniff* Monique says if you bleach and add hot water to the films, it will destroy them

 

Reggie: *kiss* Ok Madeline we’ll do that, Now what about the wine

 

Madeline: *sobs* That’s the wine she use to give me and Anna *grabs wine* I want this flushed down the sink right now

 

To which she did just that, Reggie was surprised that Madeline didn’t ever want the police finding out anything about the films or the wine at all.

 

Reggie: Hahaha, I suppose it’s too early to say this but when you turn 18 do you want to get married.

 

That really shocked Madeline, who didn’t know how to react to what Reggie said just now and started crying even harder. She never thought anybody would ever ask her to get married. Ever since she was a small child in the orphanage, she always thought her life would revolve around the laundry and she would never be eligible to get married. She was a bastard child and a slut, how could anybody love someone like that, but it wasn’t until she met Reggie and everyone around her did she realize what love was and now Reggie just popped the question out of nowhere.

 

Madeline: *sobs* WHAT ARE YOU SAYING

 

Reggie: Madeline, I’ve thought about what I want to do with my life, and all of it involves you *sniff* I can’t live without you Madeline, I want to be there for you until we’re both old as fuck and I get so senile I think you’re my sister *sobs* You can finally have that family you always wanted Madeline *sniff* and none of those fucking nuns can do anything about it.

 

Madeline was shaking so bad, but she practically tackled Reggie to her bed as she held onto him.

 

Madeline: *sobs* Reggie *sniff* Promise me you’ll graduate high school first and then promise me that we’ll be together forever and that our family will be ever expanding whether we have biological children or not *sniff* And you will never ever send any child back to an orphanage or to live with evil people.

 

Reggie: Hahaha, Madeline, I graduate next year, and you don’t turn 18 for another 2 years so I beat that one already *kiss* And I don’t plan on breaking the other ones either

 

Madeline: *sobs* Reggie *hugs* I love you so much *sniff*

Chapter 25: The Aftermath

And true to Madeline’s word, Reggie ended up finishing High School and went on to go to a Culinary School in Paris in the next district while Madeline permanently worked for the Lucien Bakery. She didn’t move in until they were married on Madeline’s 18th Birthday, but it took them until the mid 70's to have their first child Reggie Jr, followed by Caroline, Stella, Andre, and finally Rachel. 

 

They then went on to have 9 Grandchildren, Two from Reggie Jr, One from Caroline, and Six from Stella, but before the other youngest children could have kids Reggie fell ill and died in October at the age of 66 from Pancreatic Cancer. Madeline was devastated because the one thing he wanted was to see if their Granddaughter Ellie was alive after being Kidnapped in Japan four years ago. Unbelievably less than two months later they both got their wish when their daughter Caroline and Ellie’s mother got a call from a hospital in Japan from the relative of a Japanese Boy who was dying of an Aortic Aneurysm who happened to be dating Ellie.

 

Madeline realized after getting to know who Ellie’s boyfriend was that he was a lot like Reggie. Unfortunately for him he did die at a very early age, but he was also the reason why Ellie was able to reunite with her family and friends in Japan. Also at the funeral of that young man, Madeline met an Older Japanese man named Ryotaro whose wife committed suicide at 38 right after finding out their 14 year old son was raped and tortured to death leaving behind 3 living children.

 

Although the two were from completely different tragic backgrounds and the language barrier between the two was a challenge, they found an unlikely companionship with each other and getting towards Madeline’s 66th Birthday it was heating up so quickly that she had decided she was going to move to Japan and give the business to Andre, who was the only one in the family who inherited Reggie’s Culinary talents and sense of humor.

Chapter 26: 50 Years Later

On the 50th Anniversary of what Reggie did, Madeline was talking to Ryotaro about everything leading up to that through Video Chat on Madeline’s Desktop. Madeline still looked amazing, never drinking or smoking, and always keeping in relatively good shape for her age. 

 

Ryotaro: Wow, Reggie was definitely a crazy individual, i’m surprised they didn’t ever get tracked or put on a wanted list from those nuns

 

Madeline: Especially with all the technology we have now, they couldn’t get away with it

 

Ryotaro: Hahaha, So did the orphanage eventually close down?

 

Madeline: I didn’t find out until Bernadette visited the shop about 6 years ago. She became a private investigator at a firm in Paris. Anyway I remember when I introduced her to Ellie, Bernadette had to do a double take because Ellie looked so similar to me at that age.

 

Ellie: I hope that orphanage isn’t there anymore

 

Bernadette: No Ellie it isn’t, it closed over 45 years ago, and 20 years ago it burned to the ground, but I do have a photo on my phone of us *pulls it out* That’s your grandmother right there at your age

 

Then Madeline did a double take, none of her kids looked remotely like her except for Stella, but Ellie was literally a carbon copy.

 

Ellie: *points at Anna* That girl is pretty, who’s that Nana

 

Madeline: Ellie, that’s Anna, she died very young

 

Bernadette: When the orphanage closed down, they ended up burying her in a paupers grave

 

Ellie: That’s so sad, she had nobody that loved her or anything

 

Madeline: Well there was this one boy, but he died young too

 

Ellie: I hope they’re together in heaven Nana

 

Madeline: After Tristan graduated high school was when the band really took off. Nobody could touch Roland’s guitar playing at the time, but I think after he heard about what happened to Anna, he started slowly destroying himself. The band did release one record in 1973 which I still have, but it never sold well even in France. Unfortunately Roland died of a Heroin Overdose the year after that. Reggie was more upset then I was when it happened

 

Reggie: WHAT DO YOU MEAN ROLAND’S DEAD

 

Tristan: WE HAD NO IDEA HE WAS A HEROIN ADDICT *sniff* I THINK IT WAS ANNA THAT DID IT MAN *sniff*

 

Madeline: Everyone reunited for the funeral except for Pierre, I don’t know what he was going through at the time, but if there was one good thing that happened at the funeral it was Tristan reuniting with Michelle. They had broken up nine months ago because she caught him cheating with somebody and for those nine months I didn’t know what happened to her. She showed up to the funeral with a short Spanish guy and pregnant, but he was so awful to her and Tristan wasn’t taking that lightly.

 

Pablo: Alright you said your goodbye, now let’s go

 

Madeline: *whispers* Michelle who is that?

 

Michelle: *whispers* Pablo, He doesn’t like funerals

 

Pablo: HEY, LET’S GO YOU STUPID BITCH, I GOTTA MAKE MONEY

 

Tristan: Hey Man, What the Fucks wrong with you

 

Pablo: THAT’S THE MOTHER OF MY CHILD, I CAN’T HAVE HER INTERACTING WITH YOU YOU CHEATING ASSHOLE

 

Gertrude: You treat your mom like that

 

Pablo: WHAT MOM, SHE’S DEAD LIKE THIS JUNKIE OVER HERE

 

Dominic: Get this fucking beaner out of the funeral

 

Pablo: WHAT DID YOU CALL ME, I CAN HAVE YOU SHOT MOTHERFUCKER

 

Dominic: BY WHO THE CIRCUS

 

Tristan: Dominic Chill man *sigh* YOU’RE TREATING MICHELLE LIKE SHIT AND I DON’T LIKE IT, IF YOU DON’T GET THE FUCK OUT OF THIS FUNERAL, I’M CALLING THE DAMN COPS

 

Pablo: ALRIGHT, LET’S GO MICHELLE

 

Tristan: *grabs* I DON’T THINK SO MOTHERFUCKER

 

Madeline: I had never seen Tristan as angry as I did at Roland’s funeral before or since. Rich was helping Tristain detain him until the cops arrived but as it turned out, Michelle did get pregnant from him. Tristan was so heartbroken when he found out at first, but they did end up getting back together at the funeral.

 

Tristan: *hugs* Michelle, I’m so sorry *sniff* Those women meant nothing to me really *sniff* I just want you by my side Michelle, I don’t know what’s happening right now but I know the next step involves you *sniff* Just because this asshole got you pregnant doesn’t mean anything to me *sniff* Besides, I know you’re amazing with kids anyway.

 

Michelle: *sobs* He beats me if I don’t sleep with him *sniff* I had to stop going to school because of him *sniff* He ruined my life 

 

Tristan: *hugs* Michelle, let’s get married right now *sniff* That kid is going to be mine too, I’m not letting it learn about that piece of shit and you’re going back to school too *sniff* who else has he hit.

 

Michelle: *sniff* He’s hit his own grandmother before

 

Tristan: *sobs* NO WAY MICHELLE *sniff* Please forgive me

 

Michelle: *hugs* TRISTAN *sniff* 

 

Madeline: And they did the restraining order and marriage paperwork before Pablo got out of prison for the night and six months later Eddie was born. Tristan and Michelle’s own kids wouldn’t come until I was pregnant with Caroline. Her and Christina were born the same year, and their daughter Samantha was born the same year as Stella. They then had three more children Sabrina, Cassandra, and their only son Taylor.

 

Ryotaro: It sounds like you two are very close friends, even more than Nicole

 

Madeline: Well as for Nicole, her and Rido didn’t last very long unfortunately, then she met a guy named Max and had two sons with him but that didn’t last either. She became a single parent, and really struggled for a while, but Nicole raised her two sons very well. Her son Mason became a video game designer and her other son Malcolm is in IT. They stop into the shop from time to time because Andre and her sons are very close in age.

 

Ryotaro: What happened to Nicole

 

Madeline: Endometrial Cancer killed her in 2004, but I always thought of her and her kids as family, even as we drifted apart and she moved out of Paris. She always made it a point to see us every time she visited, which was more frequent once she divorced Max.

 

Ryotaro: I hope Michelle’s still alive

 

Madeline: No, and neither is her son Eddie. Eddie was destined to be an AnR man at a record company, he would be showing Reggie and Junior all of these new bands that came out. He was actually an intern at the record company and they wanted to hire him, but unfortunately Eddie and his Girlfriend Claire died in a horrible head on Collision. This devastated all of us, Junior especially because they were like brothers. I remember the day after the funeral he got his first tattoo of the Iron Maiden mascot and then underneath it says 1975 -1996.

 

Ryotaro: The feeling of losing your kids never leaves you as a parent, I completely sympathize with her, but whatever happened to Michelle

 

Madeline: Michelle ended up dying of Leukemia, but here’s the scary thing that I learned. Eileen, god bless her, lived to be 97 years old. In about 1983 or 1984 she got a call from Germany from a man who was dying

 

Eileen: Hello

 

Archie: Hello *cough* is this the residence of Randolph and Eileen Lainere

 

Eileen: Well my husband died of a heart attack 13 years ago, may I ask who’s calling

 

Archie: Listen very carefully *cough* I had a son and a daughter that I gave up almost 30 years ago. I have Leukemia and the doctors say I'm not going to make it in five months. They also say the form I have is genetic, so if any of my kids get it, I'll be heartbroken *cough* How are my children?

 

Eileen: Well Micheal is a Business Analyst in Nice, France who’s married to an aquatic veterinarian named Emily and they have two children. Michelle is a Kindergarten Teachers Assistant that lives outside of Paris who’s married to a rock drummer turned instructor named Tristan and they have three children 

 

Archie: Haha, Michelle must really love children huh

 

Eileen: Well, unlike you, Michelle would never think about abandoning any child and neither would Micheal. I’m glad you care about them now as you’re probably going to die soon, but to do that now is selfish don’t you think, anyway I’ll tell them you called *hangs up*

 

Madeline: I looked it up later and it turns out he died in 1984 at 61 years old of Leukemia, the same age Michelle was when she died. When I told her family this, they all ran to get genetic testing for it. I never found out who was prone to it, so I couldn’t tell you which kids actually have the genes for it.

 

Ryotaro: And I guess Theresa and Gertrude are still alive

 

Madeline: Yes, Gertrude traveled all over the world for a time, she lived in Germany for two years, then moved to New York for a while and then about 15 years ago she moved back to France because she said the taxes in New York were too expensive. She never married or had any children and Theresa ended up having one son, but never married either. She doesn’t live far from Paris though

 

Ryotaro: Is Tristan still alive?

 

Madeline: Unfortunately he died not long after Michelle. He was so heartbroken that 10 months later he was gone from Cirrhosis. 

 

Ryotaro: He really couldn’t live without her huh

 

Madeline: And their kids are some of the friendliest people. Taylor was still living at home when they died, but he was always touring as a Bassist in a Death Metal band that he started with Theresa’s son Gerard who is the Drummer in the same band and now just lives with them.

 

Ryotaro; What are they called?

 

Madeline: Manipulation d'énergie forcée or Forced Energy Manipulation in English. They’re very good

 

Ryotaro: I hear it all the time and I still can’t understand it. Whatever happened to Reggie’s friend Mike and all those conspiracy theories though, It sounded like a lot of it came true.

 

Madeline: Some of it did and some of it didn’t, Mike ended up moving out of Paris after high school and we didn’t see him again until the late 90’s when he visited the bakery on a business trip

 

Reggie: NO WAY MIKE, HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN

 

Mike: ROLAND’S FUNERAL

 

Reggie Jr: Dad who’s this guy

 

Reggie: This is my old friend Mike

 

Reggie Jr: Oh that Jewish guy you keep making fun of

 

Mike: *sees Madeline* I KNEW YOU GUYS WOULD STILL BE MARRIED

 

Caroline: Mom, who’s the creep

 

Madeline: Caroline, Stella that’s Mike, Dad’s old high school friend

 

Mike: THESE GIRLS WOULD DEFINITELY BE YOUR KIDS, THIS ONE LOOKS LIKE YOU MADELINE, HOW OLD ARE YOU SWEETHEART

 

Stella: 14, I already have a boyfriend though

 

Mike: DO I LOOK LIKE A PEDOPHILE

 

Caroline: Yes you do

 

Meanwhile Andre and Rachel had already come down the stairs

 

Mike: AND THERE’S MORE OF THEM

 

Andre: You’re Fat and Bald

 

Mike: THEY’LL BE MORE OF THEM IF YOU KEEP EATING ALL THAT PROCESSED SUGAR AND PLAYING THOSE COMPUTER GAMES

 

Rachel: But then nobody would be able to run anymore, they’d all turn into playdough and they’d have to run using wheelchairs

 

Mike: Hahaha, You are definitely Reggie’s daughter but five kids, who’s taking over this shop, is your mom still alive

 

Reggie: No, she died before Caroline was born

 

Mike: I’ll tell you what, she looks the most like your mother, she even has the same pissed off stance as her

 

Caroline: Whatever, I don’t believe in Reincarnation 

 

Mike: THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT YOUR GRANDMOTHER WOULD SAY

 

Madeline: We ended up having dinner together and then he left, unfortunately when Reggie tried adding him online one day he learned that Mike died under mysterious circumstances right before September 11th, maybe he knew his own death, and if he did that would be very scary.

 

Ryotaro: But what about the rest of the guys, Dominic, Rich, Pierre, you never heard from them again.

 

Madeline: Not for many years, until two months before Ellie was kidnapped. Pierre walked into the shop with a child who looked about Ellie’s age. He had long brushed black hair and almost looked mature for his age.

 

The two then walked into the shop to be greeted by Reggie. The minute Reggie saw who it was he almost cried.

 

Reggie: NO WAY, PIERRE

 

Pierre: HOLY SHIT, I THOUGHT YOU WOULD TURN THIS PLACE INTO A DIVE BAR BY NOW

 

Reggie: Hahaha, I don’t think Madeline would let me, hey Pierre who’s kid did you kidnap

 

Pierre: This is my grandson Hogarth, I have custody of him now after his parents lost their rights because they’re drug addicts, he’s been through three schools in one year because of fighting and he just started a new one last week

 

Hogarth was extremely embarrassed by his grandfather's behavior and wanted to leave, but he was nice nonetheless.

 

Reggie: Oh yeah, did you win any of them

 

Hogarth: Not really

 

Pierre: *sees Madeline* MADELINE, YOU STILL LOOK AMAZING

 

Madeline: Hahaha Pierre, What happened to you

 

Pierre: A LOT, AND NOW I HAVE LEGAL CUSTODY OF MY GRANDSON

 

Madeline: Oh, How old are you?

 

Hogarth: I’ll be 12 in July ma’am

 

Madeline: We have 2 granddaughters that are around your age

 

Reggie: Madeline, this kids badass, he’s been kicked out of three schools in a year, i’d want him on my team

 

Madeline: Oh what school do you go to now

 

Hogarth: I just started Melier Academy 

 

Madeline: Our Granddaughter Ellie goes there

 

Hogarth: *shock* It’s not Durand is it

 

Reggie: Young Man, Don’t tell me you’re in Ellie’s class or I might have to murder you 

 

Hogarth: Umm, I am, she seems nice though

 

Pierre: I wouldn’t imagine the granddaughter of Reggie and Madeline to be anything but a sweetheart.

 

Reggie: Anyway I mean to ask you this, but I can’t find Dominic or Rich online at all when I try to friend them. Only Rido, Tristan, and you show up.

 

Pierre: RIDO’S STILL ALIVE

 

Reggie: He lives in Brittany now with a family, but yeah he’s still kicking

 

Pierre: Unfortunately both Rich and Dominic are dead, Rich believe it or not died of AIDS in 1988

 

Madeline: That’s so horrible, Leslie died of AIDS before it even had a name

 

Pierre: I mean I figured he might have been dead from it, but your not gonna believe how Dominic died

 

Reggie: WHAT FROM A FAT OLD LADY

 

Pierre: This is the craziest story I ever heard, and this happened the same year Rich died. Apparently he was in a sex accident where he was wrapped like a mummy except for his cock, asshole and feet. They then closed the coffin and accidentally plugged him in and he fried to death. I found the medical reports online once and it was Dominic in the medical photos.

 

Madeline: *shock* That’s horrible

 

Reggie: Honestly, I’m not surprised he died the way he did, I’m just disappointed it wasn’t Tristan’s relatives smoosh smooshing him to death or fat old ladies beating him for using their garter belt 

 

Hogarth: Hahaha, Maybe I’ll tell Ellie about that guy

 

Reggie: YOU DO THAT AND I’LL HAVE YOU BY THE HEAD

 

Madeline: Unfortunately Ellie and her friend Cecile and Marie were over the next day and all Reggie did was pester them about if Hogarth told them about Dominic.

 

Reggie: I HEARD YOU GIRLS GOT A NEW KID IN YOUR CLASS NAMED HOGARTH, STAY AWAY FROM HIM, I KNOW HIS GRANDFATHER AND HE USE TO FLASH THE TEACHERS JUST TO GET KICKED OUT OF CLASS

 

Marie: But Hogarth doesn’t talk to anybody in class at all

 

Reggie: So he never mentioned anybody named Dominic

 

Ellie: Grandpa, who’s Dominic, and how do you know Hogarth’s grandfather?

 

Madeline: Haha, Hogarth’s grandfather Pierre and Grandpa were friends in high school, Dominic was somebody who was the same age as them that preferred older women to girls his own age. 

 

Cecile: So Dominic was a gerontophile

 

Reggie: What the hell does that mean

 

Cecile: It means you’re attracted to older women

 

Reggie: All these damn terms these days, all I know is he wrapped himself like a mummy, placed himself in a coffin and came out like a charred tin foil potato because an old lady he had a crush on asked him too

 

The girls had a very confused look on their face, but Madeline brought him back to reality.

 

Madeline: I know girls, I’m confused too, but he did actually die that way

 

Cecile: Dominic was a real idiot wasn’t he

 

Marie: Somebody really wrapped him up like a mummy and put him in a coffin

 

Ellie: How long ago did this happen?

 

Reggie: Late Eighties

 

Cecile: My image of the eighties have been tarnished because of Dominic

 

Madeline: Unfortunately Ellie was kidnapped two months later, everyone was devastated, Reggie was never the same either, he would stay up for hours crying at first, and then as the years passed, his health got worse, It turned out to be Pancreatic Cancer. I was taking care of him everyday, the only way he would eat in the final months of his life is if Pierre brought weed over. Pierre was the only constant since Tristan, Mike, Dominic, Rich, and Roland were Dead and Rido lived far away, But he did come to the funeral, and so did Hogarth, who was always a thoughtful young man. He’s been dating Ellie’s friend Marie for over a couple months now.

 

Ryotaro: Really, Marie was the one who had the cochlear implant as a child right

 

Madeline: Yes, Ellie told me that Marie always liked Hogarth, and Apparently he did too, even when she had the implant. Anyway once Ellie came back home to visit, everyone came by the shop to celebrate, even Hogarth and Pierre. I remember the minute Ellie, Caroline, and I walked through the door, My friends were the ones doing the double take.

 

Gertrude: HOLY SHIT IT’S MADDIE 2.0

 

Theresa: Am I seeing things

 

Madeline: No Theresa, this is Ellie

 

Ellie: Hello

 

Sandra: SHE EVEN HAS THE SAME PERSONALITY AS YOU

 

Matilda: Ellie, just ignore these people, they think you’re Madeline when we first met her

 

Theresa: She literally looks like her Matilda, I still have the picture Monique took of all of us at Michelle’s 16th birthday on my phone *holds photo next to Ellie* 

 

Rosella: Ellie, you really look like your grandmother

 

Sandra: I miss Michelle, Monique, Nicole, and I can’t believe Rido’s the only one living from MILF.

 

Cecile: Michelle was actually my Kindergarten Teacher before we moved

 

Madeline: I remember that

 

Matilda: Claude died two years ago

 

Theresa: You two were attached at the hip, yet never had any kids

 

Matilda: Claude didn’t want any, we already have 28 nieces and nephews on his side and we didn’t want to add to that

 

Ellie: Nana might have found somebody she likes already

 

Gertrude: NO WAY, MADDIE YOU’RE BLUSHING LIKE A LITTLE GIRL I SEE IT

 

Theresa: IN JAPAN, WHO

 

Madeline: Anyway I told them about you, they were shocked at first because of the language barrier, but after they heard about your wife and son and how you hadn’t had anybody since, they were stunned, more because Cecile and Kaito were a couple.

 

Theresa: We send them to Japan, and Maddie and Cecile come back with Related Japanese men

 

Sandra: Now I want one that fits in my pocket

 

Ellie: I think Ryotaro and Nana are perfect for each other, he’s definitely not Grandpa, and Nana isn’t his wife from 30 years ago, but he’s a very earnest and wise person. 

 

Theresa: And Cecile found his grandson on a computer game. I wish my son and my nephew would find a real Japanese girl on one of those Japanese computer games they play all day.

 

Gertrude: They still have that pillow of the naked girl with the devil horns

 

Theresa: WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH IT

 

Madeline: Hahaha, They can’t wait to finally meet you and Kaito eventually

 

Ryotaro: It’s amazing that most of your friends are still alive, My friends really keep pestering me about your nude photos and I won’t let them have them Hahaha

 

Madeline: THEY’RE NOT ON YOUR COMPUTER RIGHT

 

Ryotaro: Just on my drive, and I need a password to get in anyway. Oh yeah was Michelle that tall girl in the photos with you

 

Madeline: Hahaha, Me, Michelle and Theresa are the only people in those photos, Monique took them, she was an amazing photographer, but she died in a bus accident in Africa in 2000 trying to photograph wildlife.

 

Ryotaro: So Michelle was the tall blonde one and Theresa’s the tall dark haired one, those are the professional shot ones and then the amateur ones were Reggie. That had to be nerve racking at first wasn’t it

 

Madeline: Well Reggie, Michelle and Theresa were the only few people I felt comfortable doing that with. Once he went to the orphanage, I was able to for the most part move on, but then I heard about Nanako. When I heard she died a few weeks ago it immediately brought me back to when Anna died.

 

Ryotaro: You met her didn’t you

 

Madeline: Yes, she even reminded me of Anna. They both had the same forlong expression and were very mature for their age, but then Ellie told me her life story and I almost threw up I was so angry. Her family really was so horrible and she had the foresight to run away at such a young age. I honestly think Nanako was braver than Anna, I hope they're both friends.

 

Ryotaro: I’m sure they are, you know now that I think about it, have you ever tried to find your real parents.

 

Madeline: Ryotaro, I’m pretty sure they’re dead by now, and I don’t think they ever wanted me anyway. Michelle or Micheal never actively searched for their parents, even with all the advancements in trying to find public records online.

 

Ryotaro: I mean their dad sounded like a selfish individual anyway, but maybe yours weren’t, they could have been teenagers that were forced to get an adoption by the church.

 

Madeline: I really don’t like to think about it, Reggie didn’t even let me think about it because we already created an amazing family anyway.

 

Suddenly Madeline’s alarm went off, it was time to start setting up the shop and she had been busy talking to Ryotaro for hours.

 

Madeline: I’m sorry Ryotaro, I have to set up shop

 

Ryotaro: Hahaha, make sure to get plenty of rest afterward

 

Madeline: Ok, I’ll talk to you over the weekend

Chapter 27: Madeline's Origin

It was only 12:30 pm in Japan when Madeline signed off but at dinner Ryotaro had figured out that he wanted to do something crazy for Madeline’s birthday but needed the guys' help. Sato was over for dinner as well so it was the perfect opportunity to tell them

 

Ryotaro: So Madeline’s birthday is coming up

 

Ren: Oh yeah, when is it

 

Ryotaro: St Patrick's Day

 

Kenji: Hahaha, so she was born when they let all the snakes out of Ireland

 

Sato: Maybe her ancestors are from Ireland

 

Ryotaro: Well her maiden name was Dullaghan

 

Ren: That’s pretty Irish dad

 

Ryotaro: Anyway as you all know, Madeline grew up in a catholic orphanage with absolutely no knowledge of who her parents were. For her birthday, I want to try to find out what happened to them.

 

The four looked at him like he was nuts, there was no way they were going to find anything on Madeline’s parents in 13 days

 

Kaito: Grandpa, I watched a Tuam Children’s Documentary, they didn’t keep records of orphans back then

 

Kenji: But this is in France right

 

Sato: Maybe they have better records, we have her birthday and her maiden name so that shouldn’t be too hard, we just look for who had that last name and who gave birth to somebody on that day

 

Ren: It’s all gonna be in French too, are you ok with that

 

Ryotaro: She said she has a friend who was a private investigator that was also an orphan named Bernadette, maybe we should get in contact with her if we can too.

 

Kenji: Dad, you don’t speak french, how's that gonna work

 

Ryotaro: I don’t know, but we at least have to try, I know she doesn’t want me doing this, but maybe it will give her at least some closure don’t you think

 

Kaito: Hmm, I should hone in on my french

 

Ren: YOU HAVE TO ANYWAY IF YOU’RE GOING TO BE LIVING THERE HALF THE YEAR

 

And so the work began, it was tough at first because like Kaito said, most of the records of the orphans who lived at Mother Clarabelle’s Orphanage were erased. In the mid 90's a gang of kids burned the orphanage to the ground, so finding anything on it was close to impossible, but Bernadette proved to be a great asset to Ryotaro, Kenji and Sato.

 

Bernadette: Unfortunately it burned to the ground in the 90’s, but I was able to get some records of the children who were born before 1958, after that they used a different method of identification, and most of that is gone.

 

Ryotaro: Is Madeline in there

 

Bernadette: Unfortunately her hospital records burned in the fire and so did mine

 

Kenji: But then shouldn’t the hospital have records of each birth

 

Bernadette: Only if the hospital is still there, a lot of those hospitals are abandoned as well, so I wouldn’t be surprised if there isn’t any records there either

 

Sato: What about government records, they had to have existed for Catholic Hospitals, I’m gonna check

 

Later in the day Sato ended up using an illegal government identification site. This was his idea all along, he found news articles just bullshitting one day when he stumbled across a headline from 1953 seven months before Madeline was born about a Priest who was expelled to Spain because he molested 5 teenage girls and got them all pregnant. This interested Sato, so for shits he looked up who the five victims were, which he found easily, but what shocked him was that one of the names of the victims had a last name Dullaghan. Ryotaro, Kenji, and Kaito were stunned at Sato’s discovery, but they knew he would use illegal methods and find something

 

Ryotaro: There’s no way that’s her mother

 

Sato: A visiting Priest from Ireland named Rian Cullen molested 5 teenage girls and got them all pregnant in France before he was expelled to Spain and one of the last names was Dullaghan, This is his photo.

 

Rian had a guilty smile in the photo, but Ryotaro unfortunately noticed the blonde hair and bright blue eyes in the photo that were very similar to Madeline’s

 

Ryotaro: What’s scary is he looks like Madeline

 

Kaito: But this guy’s huge, Ellie’s grandmothers the same height as her

 

Ryotaro: And she’s in better shape too

 

Kenji: Which means her mother must have been really short, what was the girl’s name?

 

Sato: Emma Dullaghan, she was barely thirteen when it happened, he was 46

 

Kaito: Definitely an expert pedophile

 

Ryotaro: Alright, I guess we’ll try to look for what happened to her then

 

They looked for 2 days and they couldn’t find her records at all. Sato knew her birthday was August 29th so started there and found two matches but one of them was dead, the other one changed her last name to Robinson in 1965.

 

Sato: Hmm this one’s dead, and this one married a guy named Harry Robinson in 1965, let’s call that number I guess

 

Emma was now 80 years old at this point and while she had wrinkles and was still alert, she had started getting sick and her granddaughter Melba was starting to take care of her. Emma had never forgotten Madeline and told her family all about her. One day her granddaughter was cooking her grandmother food for them when she got a call from a Japanese number she didn’t recognize. Thankfully she picked the phone up.

 

Melba: Robinson household

 

Sato: Hi, is there anybody there named Emma Robinson

 

Melba: Who’s calling

 

Sato: Listen, did your mom ever mention having another daughter to you guys

 

Melba: You mean my grandmother, Yeah she had to give up a child when she was 13

 

Emma: Melba, who are you talking too

 

Melba: Apparently this Japanese guy knows the daughter that you gave up

 

Tears streamed down Emma’s face, This young man knew Madeline

 

Emma: *sniff* I have to talk to this man Melba

 

Melba: Ok Grandma

 

Emma: Hello

 

Sato: Hi ma’am, my name is Sato, is it true that you gave birth to a Madeline Dullaghan on March 17th 1954

 

Emma: *sobs* Yes, where is she *sniff* Is she still alive

 

Sato: Yeah, my friends Dad is marrying her, I’ll give you his number so that you could call him

 

Emma: *sniff* Thank you, please give it to me *hangs up* Melba *sniff* I think we finally found Madeline

 

The next minute Ryotaro got a call from Emma, she wasn’t wasting any time, she was already sick and knowing that Madeline was still alive made her feel even better.

 

Ryotaro: Hello

 

Emma: *sniff* Hello, Are you marrying somebody named Madeline

 

Ryotaro: Hahaha, Yes I’m marrying her in July, I wanted to try to find her biological parents as a birthday present

 

Emma: *sniff* You have no idea how long i’ve been waiting to find her *sniff* I tried to find her 20 years ago, but they said all the records in the orphanage she was in burned to the ground

 

Ryotaro: They told me the same thing, and then we found a news article on a priest named Rian Cullen

 

Emma started tensing up, she had no idea how they found that out

 

Emma: I wish I never met him *sniff* He was so nice and understanding, but he could read through you like a knife *sniff* In fact he gently threatened me with one and that’s how Madeline was born *sniff* How did you two meet

 

Ryotaro: Well, we met three months ago at a funeral, anyway I have her number, she runs a bakery in Paris right now, but she’s moving to Japan once she’s married to me

 

Emma: I want to call her right now *sniff* I have so much to say to her and I know I don’t have much time.

 

Ryotaro: I never told Madeline about this so she’ll be shocked

 

Ryotaro then gave away Madeline’s cell phone number to Emma. Madeline was actually with Theresa when she got the call from her biological mother.

 

Madeline: Hello

 

Emma couldn’t contain her tears, Madeline was really concerned about who was on the other end of the phone crying.

 

Emma: *sniff* 

 

Madeline: Is everything alright

 

Emma: Hello Madeline *sniff* I know you probably don’t know me *sniff* but your boyfriend Ryotaro gave me your number *sniff* My name now is Emma Robinson but before I married it was Dullaghan *sniff* I was raped by a visiting Irish priest when I was 12 years old.

 

Immediately Madeline was in tears, who was this woman that had the same maiden name as her.

 

Theresa: MADELINE

 

Emma: *sobs* And then nine months later you were born

 

Madeline: *sobs* No *sniff* It can’t be

 

Emma: Madeline *sniff* I’m your mother

 

Madeline almost passed out, luckily her and Theresa were on the couch

 

Emma: I know it’s a lot to process *sniff* but the nun’s wouldn’t let me keep you and I was sent away to a Magdalene Laundry right after I named you *sniff* I remember the Bishop snatching you out of my hands and you being put into a car, and then they drove away and that was the last time I saw you.

 

Madeline: *sobs* I was afraid of being born from rape all my life *sniff* How come you never tried to find me?

 

Emma: *sniff* I understand you would be angry about it *sniff* but I did try many times to find you after I left the laundry, but they would never tell me anything until the 2000’s when that Orphanage burnt to the ground *sniff* And then I got a call from Sato just now and then your boyfriend Ryotaro who then gave me your number and here we are now.

 

Madeline: *sniff* My life was horrible in the Orphanage *sniff* I escaped at 15 years old with another orphan because

 

Just then another emergency call came in from Ryotaro who just found out that there was another girl who was molested by Rian Cullen, 15 year old Mary Fairmount

 

Madeline: *sniff* Hold on i’m getting a call, Hello 

 

Ryotaro: Madeline i’m sorry I gave you the number but I found something else, one of the other girls that was molested by that guy was named Mary Fairmount and her daughter was born February 28th 1954

 

Suddenly Madeline became numb, Emma was listening to the whole conversation and was shocked because she knew Mary Fairmount. Mary, like her daughter, was a beautiful redhead who was the smartest in her class, much like Anna.

 

Madeline: *sobs* RYOTARO, ARE YOU SAYING ANNA IS MY HALF-SISTER

 

Ryotaro: It looks like it

 

Madeline: *sobs* NO WONDER SISTER MARY MOLESTED THE BOTH OF US 

 

Theresa was stunned at the whole conversation, but they suggested putting it on speaker which Madeline did, and then Theresa hugged her because she already knew about this 50 years ago.

 

Madeline: Theresa *sniff* My Biological Mother is on the other end of the phone right now

 

And Madeline and Theresa could hear the sounds of a much older woman sobbing on the other end of Madeline’s phone. Melba and her mother Coraline who just got home were shocked, she also had her phone on speaker. 

 

Emma: I knew Mary Fairmount *sniff* She use to tutor younger kids *sniff* And to think both of our daughters at the same time were molested by a nun *sniff* I understand why you both escaped.

 

Madeline: *sniff* Unfortunately Anna jumped off a six story building when she was 15 years old and before I contemplated the same thing, I escaped to Paris where I met a wonderful man named Reggie and I told him everything *sniff* and he went to that orphanage to confront her, but only managed to steal her camera and her wine bottle she used to give us to relax us *sniff* To this day, I haven’t had a single drop of Alcohol because of her *sniff* I married Reggie two years later, we had 5 kids, and we now have 9 grandkids *sniff* Unfortunately he died last October from Pancreatic Cancer.

 

Emma: Wow Madeline *sniff* 9 grandkids

 

Madeline: My middle daughter has six kids and lives in Germany, but you’re not going to believe who one of your great granddaughters is *sniff* You remember that story about that Literature Professor from France that was murdered in Japan

 

Emma: *sobs* You mean the one where they kidnapped his daughter and they were trying to look for her.

 

Madeline: Yes *sniff* She’s your great granddaughter, and she’s alive and well now *sniff* A young Japanese boy and her were going out and his aunt happened to be friends with my daughter Caroline *sniff* Unfortunately he died but not before the aunt recognized the last name and got in contact with her before he died.

 

Emma: Wow *sniff* And then you met Ryotaro at the funeral of that young man *sniff* You know did Reggie have long dark reddish hair by any chance

 

Madeline: Hahaha, he did when I met him

 

Emma: One time over 50 years ago, me and my husband were walking in a park in Paris, and this young boy was on top of a rock talking about trying to find whoever hurt somebody named Madeline *sniff* I had this gut feeling he was talking about you.

 

Madeline: Reggie would do something like that *sniff* Have you ever been to the Lucien Bakery by any chance?

 

Emma: Oh, I heard of that place, but we moved out of Paris in the 70’s, we’ve lived in Rennes since 1974. My husband Harry died 10 years ago, but you have two half sisters named Coraline and Marielle, and then I have one 28 year old granddaughter named Melba from Coraline and a 13 year old granddaughter Mary and 8 year old grandson Adam from Marielle *sniff* Not quite as big as your family I know

 

Madeline: *sniff* Hahaha, My oldest has two sons that are 8 and 6

 

Emma: How old is the one that was kidnapped

 

Madeline: *sniff* Ellie’s 16 now and my Daughter Stella kids are 18, 16, 13, 10, 7, and 5 and then my youngest son is getting married in August *sniff* He’s going to inherit the bakery as well.

 

Emma: WAIT A MINUTE *sniff* so your married name is Lucien

 

Madeline: Yes 

 

Emma: I’m so impressed Madeline *sniff* Anyway, things haven’t been looking good for me, I have a myriad of health problems and my granddaughter Melba is a home health nurse that takes care of me, I know this is probably going to sound farfetched, but I really want to meet all of you as soon as possible and I mean everyone, your kids, their spouses, and my great grandchildren before I die.

 

Madeline: *sniff* Hahaha, I’d love to, but I’d have to do it before I move to Japan, and Ellie goes to school in Japan so getting her would be difficult

 

Ryotaro listened to the whole thing, he knew Ellie would be open to the idea, so had to decide on a course of action.

 

Ryotaro: Sorry to interrupt, but why don’t you have it at your home Emma, on Madeline’s Birthday, I’ll pay for Ellie’s ticket myself.

 

Emma: Hahaha, That’s in a week, I don’t know your kids work schedules or how busy they are.

 

Madeline: Three of them work in the bakery, My oldest is in IT at a pharmaceutical company, and Stella’s a housewife

 

Emma: Your oldest sounds like he’s busy 

 

Madeline: He actually says he’s been working from home more often lately, but he wouldn’t oppose to going to meet you, none of my kids would

 

Emma: What about the one with six kids

 

Madeline: She wouldn’t be opposed at all

 

Emma: What does the husband do for a living to afford six kids

 

Madeline: Haha, He works for a Video Game Company in Germany as a software developer. My daughter says he mostly works from home as well

 

Emma: How long have they been together

 

Madeline: Since they were 13

 

Emma: WOW I don’t think there is any time to waste, just let me know if anything changes, but I’m having that party the 17th

 

Madeline: I’ll make sure everybody is accounted for 

 

Emma: Alright then *sniff* I can’t wait to meet all of you, I’ll give you the address later

 

Madeline: Alright bye *hangs up*

 

A few hours later she stormed into the bakery where her kids were still working, and she announced her plans.

 

Rachel: Mom, what’s going on

 

Madeline: Rachel, Andre, Caroline, My Biological mother just called me

 

Caroline: WE HAVE A GRANDMOTHER

 

Madeline: Yes, she’s 80 years old and not doing well, Ryotaro surprised me, Next week, everybody is going to Rennes to visit her for my birthday, Ryotaro is paying for Ellie’s plane ticket, I already called Harold and Junior and they’re coming too, there is no backing out of this

 

Rachel: Wait, does that mean she was 13 when she had you?

 

Madeline: It wasn’t her fault, she was molested by an Irish Priest named Rian Cullen, who unfortunately is your grandfather.

 

Andre: So we’re half Irish 

 

Madeline: Yes Andre, I’m almost fully Irish

 

Caroline: I’m more shocked that our Grandfather was a Pedophile and a Catholic Priest on top of that

 

Madeline: Believe me, when I found that out I became numb. Anyway I have two half-sisters named Coraline and Marielle, a 28 year old niece named Melba, a 13 year old niece named Mary and a 8 year old nephew named Adam and they’re all going to be there too.

Chapter 28: Reunited At Last

Finally the day came when the Lucien Family drove to Rennes to visit the Robinsons, One van had Caroline, Rachel and 18 year old Mario looking after 10 year old Duke, 8 year old Randy, 7 year old Max and 6 year old Stephan, they were all on their phones playing games the whole ride.

 

Max: YOU HAVE TO AIM DOWN YOUR SIGHTS

 

Stephan: YOU RUINED MY FORT

 

Caroline: I’m glad all we had was Nintendo

 

Rachel: It’s all PC Games now

 

In the other van were Harold, Stella, Ellie, her same age cousin Daisy, 13 year old Lara, and 5 year old Zelda who was very curious about Japan. She wasn’t even a year old when Ellie was kidnapped, so had never met her.

 

Zelda: ARE THERE REALLY RICE DONUTS THAT PEOPLE EAT FOR BREAKFAST

 

Ellie: Hahaha, No those are rice balls, they fill them with fish or vegetables.

 

Zelda: EWWW PEOPLE EAT THAT

 

Daisy: Zelda, you like sushi don’t you, it’s the same thing 

 

Zelda: Oh Ok

 

And Finally in the sedan was Junior and his wife Tracy, Andre, Francine, and Madeline.

 

Reggie Jr: Do you know what kind of illness she has Mom

 

Madeline: No Idea, maybe we’ll find out when we get there

 

Andre: We’re not even that French

 

Francine: Neither am I genius

 

Meanwhile in the front of the Robinson’s Porch, they were all anticipating their arrival, including Marielle’s husband Brian

 

Brian: I’ve been waiting to hear about if Madeline was a real person

 

Marielle: Of Course she’s real, we always celebrated her birthday instead of St. Patrick's Day.

 

Coraline: It’s amazing that she doesn’t drink or smoke, she has to be in good shape for 66

 

Suddenly the parade of cars lined up in front of the house, The Robinson’s had a sign out front welcoming the Lucien Family and Melba was already recording her grandmother and Madeline being reunited on the front porch.

 

Melba: GRANDMA, THEY’RE HERE

 

Emma had been sitting in her chair the whole time and didn’t see any of them come out of the cars. She got out of her chair herself, and walked very slowly toward her front door where they all got their first look at Madeline. Coraline was 5 '2 with Black hair, Madeline’s eyes, and a slight build, while Marielle was a thin 5' 4 with Darker wavy brown hair and blue eyes like her dad. They were slightly Jealous that Madeline still looked like she could pass for someone in their mid-40’s.

 

Marielle: She’s like a blonde version of you Coraline

 

Coraline: Yeah, but holy shit, Madeline looks good for her age

 

Emma: *sobs* MADELINE

 

Madeline immediately walked over to comfort Emma. It took 66 years, but for Emma, she had been waiting for this moment all her life.

 

Emma: *hugs* I wanted to find you all my life *sniff* I use to tell my kids about you when they were little *sniff* and we would all try to find information on where you were *sniff* 

 

Madeline: *sobs* It’s never your fault *sniff* you were only a child

 

Emma: *sniff* 66 years ago when I said your name for the first time, you looked straight up at me and smiled *sniff* That’s when I fell in love and then when the bishop took you out of my arms you screamed so loud down the hallway, and I started crying because I knew I would never see you again.

 

Madeline: *sniff* Thankfully those days are long gone now and a lot of these so called Priests are being held accountable

 

Emma: *sniff* But it’s too late for me. We found out Rian Cullen died in the early 90’s in the Philippines of all places.

 

Madeline: Believe me, If my husband were alive, he would be on the next plane over with a crowbar

 

Emma: So would mine *sniff* My husband Harry always wanted to meet you and so did our kids.

 

Madeline: My kids were shocked they had a grandmother, Reggie’s father died when he was 7 and his mother died when I was pregnant with Caroline, and the only relative we had was an older Aunt.

 

Emma: I WANT TO MEET ALL OF YOUR KIDS, WHICH ONES THE OLDEST

 

Madeline: HAHAHA KIDS, GRANDMA WANTS TO MEET ALL OF YOU

 

Emma met all 5 of her grandkids in succession, Once it got to Ellie, Emma paused for a brief second and then cried as she gave her one of the biggest hugs. Ellie had no idea how much her great grandmother knew about her.

 

Emma: *hugs* You really are so brave *sniff* I can’t begin to imagine how hard everything has been 

 

Ellie: *hugs* It’s Ok, I’m here now 

 

Emma smiled, loving the fact that her new-found family was filled with such warm and accepting people. The Robinson family now had a new chapter in their lives and Mary and Adam had more cousins to play with and relate too, while Marielle and Coraline had more beauty tips to steal from Madeline. By August, Madeline had already married Ryotaro and Emma actually got to view the wedding, but her health had been going downhill fast by that point and right before Madeline's 68th birthday she was dead of Natural causes. All of the Lucien Family were at the funeral. It may have taken over 66 years for everyone to reunite, but in that moment they all related to each other and Madeline made sure that the Robinsons and her Family knew that they were loved, just like Reggie did for Madeline all those years ago.