Daughter
By: Cheshyre
Title: Daughter (1/1)
Fandom: Laverne and Shirley
Pairing: None
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: I don't own it. I don't make money off of it. I just use it to make other people happy. Suing me will only get you action figures.
Notes: Sequel to "Dad".
Warnings: May cause sore throat, dry mouth, and nasal drip.
Squiggy sat silently on the couch next to Laverne as Shirley hurried around the kitchen of his and Lenny's small Milwaukee apartment. He was looking through his photo album, but every time he turned a page, he'd first glance at the clock and then at the door.
After over a half hour, Laverne finally looked up from her magazine.
"Will ya stop worrying?" she said. "They'll get here soon. I doubt Lenny got lost on his way to the airport."
"I know," Squiggy snapped. "Lenny ain't no dope. I'm just nervous."
"Why?" Laverne asked. "It's just Punky. She's your kid. You shouldn't be nervous about seeing your kid. Unless they come lookin' for money like a couple of mine do."
"Because..." Squiggy took a deep breath. "We ain't been apart like this before. I ain't never left her alone before. My parents used to leave me alone for days all the time. And, when Punky was born, I swore I'd never leave her. And, I never did. Just ask Lenny. Never left her alone ever. Always one of us with her. I just...I shoulda never left her alone out there. I shoulda stayed."
"Squig, she's a young woman," Laverne said gently. "She can take care of herself. After all, he's been taking care of you. I'm sure she's alright."
Squiggy shook his head.
"No, I shoulda listened to her. She didn't want me to go. I as good as abandoned her out there."
"Squiggy, stop it!" Laverne scolded. "You're gonna work yourself up and give yourself an attack if you keep it up."
"She ain't comin', Laverne. That's why they're so late. She hates me for leaving her. And, Lenny won't come home knowin' the truth."
He struggled to his feet, his photo album falling to the floor with a loud thud. With the aid of his cane, hobbled off to the bedroom.
Laverne sighed and picked up the album.
"He's really upset," Shirley said quietly, walking into the living room, stirring something in a big bowl. Her pink apron was covered in random food splotches.
"Yeah," Laverne said, leafing through the album.
"Who'd have thought Andrew Squiggman would have been such a devoted father," Shirly mused, sitting down next to Laverne.
"I guess since he had such a rotten childhood he wanted to do better for Punky." Laverne stopped on a page and pointed at a picture. "Hey, Shirl, look. This must have been taken right after Lenny's wedding."
Shirley stopped stirring and looked at it.
"Oh yeah. That was at that party right after he and Amy got back from their honeymoon. They were so sweet together."
"Yeah," Laverne said. "Too bad it didn't last though."
She turned the page.
"It would have, but Amy...poor Amy," Shirley said, standing up and starting to stir the contents of her bowl again. "I still can't believe she's gone. She was so sweet. She didn't deserve to die like that."
Laverne shook her head.
"No one does," she said. "Her funeral was the last time we were all together."
Putting down the album, Laverne stood up and followed Shirley into the kitchen. She watched as Shirley poured what she had been stirring into a cake pan.
"I honestly wonder how Lenny got through all that," Shirley said, smoothing the cake batter before sticking it into the oven. "I don't think I could have."
"Ya know, I was talking to Lenny the other night. Did you know Punky was born two days after Amy died?" Laverne asked.
Shirley looked stunned.
"Are you sure?"
"That's what Lenny said."
"Did Lenny know about the pregnancy then?"
"Not until the funeral. Squiggy said he wanted it to be a surprise."
"Well, it definitely was," Shirley said, going over to the refrigerator.
"Anyway, Lenny was at the hospital when Punky was born. Said Punky's mom obviously didn't care much for Squiggy or the baby. Didn't even help name her. Just left when they discharged her and never looked back," Laverne told her.
"Poor Squiggy," Shirley lamented, setting out some potato salad on the kitchen table.
"So, Lenny's been helping Squiggy out with Punky since the day she was born. He said that's what helped him deal with Amy's death," Laverne finished.
She watched as Shirley continued setting plates of food out on the table.
"Shirl, it's just gonna be five of us. You've got enough here to feed an army!"
"I just want to be prepared," Shirley said. "Why don't you set out the plates and stuff instead of standing there gawking."
As Shirley finished making the icing for the cake, Laverne set the table. Pulling the cake out of the oven, Shirley glanced at the clock.
"They really are running late," she observed. "I hope Punky's flight got in okay."
"It's probably late," Laverne said, stealing a baby carrot off of the veggie tray. "I've never seen a flight come in on time."
"Maybe we should try to get Squiggy to come out of his room," Shirley suggested softly.
"Yeah, I guess so."
"Well, go ahead," Shirley urged her.
"Me? You said 'we'!"
"I have to stay here and ice the cake," Shirley said.
"Why don't I ice the cake and you go talk to him," Laverne bargained. "You're much better at that anyway."
"Well," Shirley began as she took off her apron, "I suppose you're right about that. I do have a way with words."
She handed Laverne the apron and walked out of the kitchen, heading for Squiggy's room. Pausing a moment outside his door to listen, Shirley then knocked softly.
"Squiggy," she called sweetly through the wood. "Dinner's ready and Punky and Lenny will be home soon. You wanna come out and wait with us in the living room?"
"NO!" Squiggy yelled angrily, surprising Shirley, making her take a step back.
"C'mon, Squiggy. Don't be like this. You know Punky loves you. Now come on out," she urged, still trying to be cheerful.
When she got no reply, she tried the doorknob. To her horror, she found the door locked.
"Squiggy, what are you doing in there?" she asked. "Why is the door locked?"
"To keep you out!" Squiggy hollered through the door.
"Squiggy unlock the door. This is childish!"
Squiggy didn't respond.
Shirley pounded on the door.
"I mean it, Squiggy! Unlock the door!" she yelled. "I won't bother you, but you can't lock the door! What would happen if you had an attack? We wouldn't be able to help you."
The door suddenly jerked open and Shirley nearly fell into the room.
Squiggy stood there, leaning on his cane and looking very upset.
"If you don't mind, I'd like to be alone with my thoughts and you keep scaring them off pounding on the door!" he snapped.
Shirley opened her mouth to reply when a very familiar "hello" drifted down the hallway.
"Now see! What did I tell you? She's here."
Squiggy made a move forward, but Shirley stopped him.
"You can't go out looking like that. You're all disheveled," she admonished and began straightening his clothes and smoothing his hair until Squiggy batted her away with his good hand.
"Leave me alone, woman! She's seen me worse!"
He slowly made his way down the hallway with Shirley following him.
"Daddy!" Punky nearly screeched the minute she saw him, dropping her bag.
Punky practically jumped the couch in her rush to get to her father. She kissed his cheek and hugged him hard.
"I missed you, Dad. How've you been? You look tired. Have you been getting enough sleep? Are you eating okay? Is this a bad day? C'mon. Come sit down. You shouldn't be over exerting yourself."
"I'm fine, Punky," Squiggy protested as his daughter led him over to the couch and sat him down.
She ignored his objections and continued to fuss over him.
"My flight was so late and I was worried that you might start worrying and upset yourself. You haven't been over doing it have you? And, you've been taking your medication right? I know you forget sometimes."
"Punky, I'm fine, really," he assured.
She looked at him for a moment.
"Are you sure?" she asked quietly. "Ya look sad."
"I'm not sad. I'm fine," he told her before pulling her into a tight embrace. "I missed ya, Pearl."
"I missed you, too."
As they broke apart, Punky wiped a tear from her cheek as her father did the same.
"Dinner's waiting," Shirley said.
"Right," Squiggy said, turning a bit red in embarrassement.
Punky helped him to his feet. Lenny slung an arm around Punky's shoulders and they followed Squiggy to the table.
Laverne and Shirley smiled at each other and joined them.
To Dad
To They All Leave