Sins Of The Father
By Shotzette




"Sins of the Father"

By Shotzette
Rated PG

This is a work of fanfiction that was written for entertainment purposes only. It was not intended to infringe upon anyone's copyrights anywhere.
This is a sequel to Missy's "I Never Promised You a Pepsi Tree".


Davey Cunningham threw the nerf ball angrily at his closed bedroom door. It wasn't fair! Jimmy had been running around the dining room to, when they broke Great-Grandma-Feeney's ironstone platter, but only Davey was sent to his room. Again. Jimmy just got the usual "Don't do everything your brother does" lecture, while he got the "You're older and need to set a better example for your little brother" lecture. The worst part is that he wasn't all that much older than Jimmy, just one year. Jimmy was old enough to sit with him at the third grader table at lunch, and they were on the same Little League team. Davey felt more like Jimmy's twin than his older brother most of the time.

But, Mom always held him responsible. For everything.

Davey lay on his bed forlornly, then looked to his left, fighting down a surge of anger when he saw Jimmy's empty bottom bunk. He sighed. It was only four o'clock. Mom hollered that he'd forfeited dinner tonight, which meant he'd be alone until Jimmy and Ricky went to bed at eight-thirty. He groaned. Four hours of nothing to do but read. Normally, he wouldn't mind, but he'd just finished his newest Encyclopedia Brown book, and didn't like Jimmy's Hardy Boys mysteries.

Davey smiled briefly. Dad would be home by six-thirty. He ususally would step in when Mom punished him too much. It wasn't like his Dad let him get away with stuff either, but he wasn't as strict as Mom. His Dad was the coolest. He worked for a newspaper and wrote stories that told people when other people were getting hurt and not being treated fair. His Dad beleived in treating people fair. Davey wished he was around more, especially on days like this.

His Dad also built the treehouse in the backyard. It was the best on the block and even had a neato tire swing. His Dad built it in two days, with him and Jimmy helping while Mom shreiked that it was too high and someone would end up in the Emergency Room. Deep down, Davey knew that "someone" meant Jimmy, or Ricky, even Susan, or Beth. Not him.

Davey squirmed uncomfortably. It was wrong to think bad thoughts about Mom. At least that's what Dad always said. His dad would put his arm around him and tell him patiently, each and every time, how Moms and Dads love all of their children the same, and how there's enough love for everyone in the Cunningham house. Those talks helped, some. But it was hard for Davey feel good about them when all he could notice was getting the smallest piece of cake for dessert. Again.

Dad said Mom got cranky sometimes because it was hard work taking care of so many kids. Dad had smiled when he said it, but he didn't look happy. Before Beth was born, Davey had been awakened by yelling one night. He had been so scared. Dad never yelled, but that night he'd yelled, "How many are enough?" over and over again.

Then they had moved again. Davey could remember three moves so far. Each had been to a bigger house. Dad once joked that Mom would have to get a job so they could afford the next, even bigger house. Mom didn't laugh. Davey couldn't remember ever hearing her laugh.

He sighed as he saw the sky growing dark outside He tried to ignore the sounds of his brothers and sisters playing in the yard. He winced at the loud BANG, and realized Jimmy was playing with his new cap gun, the one Uncle Lenny gave him for Christmas. Davey scowled. It just wasn't fair! Jimmy broke the platter too. The should bothe be in their room, or both outside. All he could do ws to hope that Jimmy woulnd't break his favorite toy. He knew Mom wouldn't let Uncle Lenny get him another one. She seemed mad that Uncle Lenny had gotten him an "extra" gift after giving everybody else kazoos.

He smiled when he thought about Uncle Lenny. Uncle Lenny and Aunt Laverne were the best things (except for his grandparents) about their Christmas trip back to Milwaukee. At first, Davey was afraid. Mom didn't want to go back. She wanted to spend Christmas with Grandmother Feeney in San Diego, like always. She and Dad didn't fight, but there was a scary sound in Daddy's voice when he said they were all going to Milwaukee, but she could go wherever the H-E-double-hockeysticks she wanted. Mom didn't speak to Dad once during the long drive to Milwaukee.. Davey had been born in Milwaukee, but he didn't remember living there at all. Mom and Dad moved to California when he was just a baby.

Davey's nervousness had gone away the second he Grandma Cunningham had wrapped her arms around him and given him a giant hug and kiss. She kissed him and cuddled him as much as she had the other kids. It had been wonderful! Grandmother Feeney had never hugged him. Not once.

He had only seen Mom smile once during their trip, and that was when Aunt Laverne came over. Dad told him that Mom and Aunt Laverne had been bestest friends since they were his age. Mom didn't have any friends in California. Davey guessed she was too busy being a mom. Aunt Laverne was fun. She talked and laughed and gave him a huge hug when she met him. She knew all about baseball and football and other neat things his Mom wouldn't like or understand. Uncle Lenny was great too! He played with Davey's trucks on the living room floor with him while Uncle Potsie and Dad laughed and told stories about the olden days. All the grownups were surprised when Aunt Laverne showed up, like it was some sort of big deal or something. Davey overheard Aunt Joanie telling Grandma to make sure Uncle Fonzie wouldn't show up at the same time, or there'd be big trouble.

Davey hadn't liked Uncle Fonzie when he had met him the day before. Uncle Fonzie had just looked at him like he had been some sort of a slimy, crawly bug. It had seemed like everytime Davey had looked up, Uncle Fonzie had been staring at him, all mean like. Uncle Fonzie had hugged Dad, but he'd ignored Mom completely. Uncle Ralph had said Dad and Uncle Fonzie used to be bestest friends. When Davey had asked why Uncle Fonzie had never visited them in Van Nuys, Uncle Ralph had said that Uncle Fonzie hadn't liked it when Dad had married his Mom. Then, Aunt Joanie had told Uncle Ralph that he had been drinking too much, again. Uncle Ralph had gotten quiet after that, and had hung out in the kitchen for the rest of the night.

Davey had been glad that Uncle Fonzie hadn't stayed too long. He had thought that Mom was glad too. Uncle Lenny and Aunt Laverne had been more fun, anyhow. Uncle Lenny had patted Aunt Laverne's big tummy and then asked if their next baby could be a great little boy like him, since they already had two great little girls. Everyone, except Mom, had laughed. Giggling, and overwhelmed by the sudden outpouring of attention, Davey had run up to Aunt Laverne then and there and said that he wished that he was her little boy.

Everyone got real quiet, and Mom made a really choked noise, before bolting out the back door into the cold. Aunt Laverne's eyes had gotten all red and her lips all trembly as she had tried to pull herself up off of the couch and run after Mom. Uncle Lenny had looked nervous all of a sudden and then grabbed their coats. He had started babbling about how they were late to pick up the girls from their babysitter, and he then had yanked Aunt Laverne out of the front door.

Davey had felt awful. He had hoped that Dad didn't think he loved Uncle Lenny more than him. He hadn't meant it that way. Dad had gotten very serious and ordered Davey and the rest of the kids upstairs. Davey had tried to listen as he had run tearfully upstairs, but by the sounds of closing doors and the starting of engines, he had known that the party was over.

They had left early the next morning for home. By then, Mom hadn't been speaking to anyone. She just looked out the car window, all pale and glassy-eyed. This time, Dad didn't talk either.

Davey sighed again, as he realized it had grown dark again. Dad still wasn't home. It seemed like he worked later and later. Downstairs, Davey heard the clinking of the dinner plates and smelled meatloaf. His favorite. His lower lip started to tremble and he rolled over on his stomache. For the first time that afternoon, he was glad he was alone in his room. He'd hate it if Jimmy and Ricky saw him cry like a little baby. When he grew up, he vowed, he move far away from Mom and her dumb rules, and it wouldn't matter if she didn't love him. He wouldn't care anymore.

He'd grow up, move away, and become just like his father...

FIN


FIN












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