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Turn it inside out so I can see The part of you that's drifting over me And when I wake you're...you're never there. And when I sleep you're....you're everywhere You're Everywhere. ***** The white picket fence. The professional manecured lawn. Daisies in the flowerpots and stepping stones neatly arranged leading to the whitewashed front foor of the two story brick house with the blue roof. A lovely plum mailbox just outside the fence. Toad opened the mailbox and pulled out the letters, peering over the multicolored stamps and addresses. He then closed the box labeled Tolansky and followed the stones to his door of which he entered. He hung up his overcoat in the closet, reaveling a business suit. He set down his briefcase and placed the letters on the table. " Honey, I'm home!" He called. It was silent a moment, giving him the time to admire the pictures of his family on the lovely burgundy walls. Everything was so neat and clean with the fresh smell of cinnamon. She was baking a special treat for them...she always did. " Good evening, My Darling," a feminine voice smiled. That's when he smiled. He always smiled when she greeted him after a long day at the office. " Wanda, my dear, how was your day?" " It was swell, Toddikins," Wanda curtsied in her lovely red dress with the frilly white body apron and red flats. Her pantyhose were slightly offskin-toned, a contrast to her rather pale skin. Toad thought of Disney's Alice in Wonderland when he saw her in this outfit. How wholesome she was. " How was your day at the office?" Toad was pulled from his admiration when she spoke. She always caught his attention. He smiled again, " It was swell. But nothing beats coming home to my beautiful wife and family. Gee gosh golly, where are the children, My Love?" Wanda giggled and turned to the stairs, " Children, your father has come home! Do come down!" Gentle thumps as the pair skipped down the stairs. First down, by practice of manners, was the young lady in a blue dress...skirt just past her knees with a lovely olive green sweater hanging from her shoulders. Her hair was done in a lovely dirty-blonde tail, tied by a thick piece of red yarn. She was conservative on the make-up. Behind her came a taller young man. They were 3 years apart. " Father!" The young lady, aging about 14 cheered. " How we missed you." " Indeed, Father," the boy about 17 agreed, placing a hand on his sister's shoulder. " We couldn't wait to see you." " My wonderful children." Toad beamed. " How was school today? Egbert? Angelique?" " Oh swell," Angelique jumped in happily. " I recieved my report card today. Straigh A's!" " As usual, Pumpkin," Toad smiled. " Egbert?" " Sadly I have made one B, Father," Egbert solemnly replied. " I however can justify it. My biology coordinator had requested I dissect a frog. Sadly it is against my constitution to cut up a deceased animal. I feel it should rest in peace respectively." " Honorable, Egbert." Toad nodded. " Did you two finish your homework?" Both nodded and replied with a "Yes" " We finished it when we first came home." Egbert replied. " Yes, and Egbert and I played a wonderful game to help me study for my Math test Monday. Fractions, equations and geometric terminology is so gosh golly interesting." Toad nodded, " Glad to hear." He turned to Wanda, " Darling, is dinner ready?" " Indeed, Honey," Wanda replied cheerily. " I will pull the meatloaf from the oven while everyone washes up for supper." A bark distracted them. They peered down at the lovely collie as it sat down and waved a paw. " Silly kanine, Laddie," all commented in unison. After supper, Toad peered up at the clock. Eight in the evening. He let out a yawn, " What a late evening. I think I'm ready to call it a night. " Indeed, Father," Egbert agreed, standing up. " I'll help you clear the dishes, Mother," Angelique requested. " Why, thank you, Angelique." " No," Egbert interjected. " You took out the trash last night, Angelique. Let me clear the dishes tonight to repay you for your kindness." " You are such a wonderful brother, Egbert," Angelique smiled. " Well, not as wonderful as the sister YOU are, Angelique." " Did you children brush your teeth?" Wanda asked as the bathrobed children in two-piece pajamas walked past her. " Yes, Mother." Both replied simultaneously. Toad kissed both on the head and sent them to bed. Then he wrapped an arm around Wanda and walked with her to their own room. She turned and he was able to kiss her. " Good night, Love," he said gently. " You too, Darling" she replied, as she walked to her bed and crawled under the covers. Toad followed suit, getting into his own bed. Both lay with the bedtable between their beds, peering with smiles at one another. " Wanda?" He whispered. " Yes?" " Do you think perhaps...we could put the beds together tonight?" " Oh my," she pretended to gasp. " You silly romantic." Toad pushed himself up with a smile, " I love you." Wanda blushed and opened her mouth to reply...and sang out a ring. A...ring? * Toad shot up, eyes still half closed as he looked around for the noise. He picked up his alarm clock and tossed it against the wall, sending pieces flying around. He looked at himself. His slightly messy sloppy room...his t-shirt and boxer shorts rather than cozy two- piece pajamas. He looked at his muffled bed...rather poor in condition. He plopped back onto his pillow. " Man, even in my dreams, things keep her from me." It almost made him want to throw up...that pain in his heart. As sappy and pathetic as that dream was...however reoccuring...it always made him want to cry when he woke up....and seeing an emptiness beside him. ***** Just tell me how I got this far Just tell me why you're here and who you are Cuz every time I look You're never there. And every time I sleep You're always there ***** A yawn as Toad hopped to the table. Blob was actually cooking today. Bacon, eggs, toast and sausage. It smelled so good that his stomach rumbled. Pietro sat crossed-legged across the table reading a newspaper. He was always pretending to be sophisticated. Lance, twidling a toothpick in his mouth. But, where was she? " Wanda, get down here if yer eating!" Pietro hollared up. Toad winced at loud voices in the morning. Sure enough though, Wanda, in a long scarlet nightgown came down and sat at the table. She looked horrible in general...but she was always lovely to him. " Good morning, Wanda." He said gently with a blush. " Nnn," she replied, helping herself to coffee. " You look like ass," Pietro commented. She cast him an evil glare. He went back to his paper. " You feeling alright?" From Toad. " Don't worry about it." " Oooooh, she's on her rag," Pietro muttered. " Just be sure to rap em up in bags so we don't have to smell em." She slammed down her mug and stormed off. Toad covered his ears from the loud sound and was rather befuddled and tried to figure what had happened. " Wanda!" He called after her, hopping into the other room. " Kinda freaky, don'tcha think?" Lance said. " What?" Pietro perked up, leaning the paper down. " His horrible crush on your sister," Blob muttered, putting the breakfast on the table. " Oh," He replied. " You don't have a problem with that?" From Lance. " Why should I? I'm not the one having my cherries picked by frog- boy." " What is your PROBLEM today?!" Lance stood up. " I admit, this would be kinda funny...but this is just sick and obnoxious!" " Yeah," Blob agreed. " I don't need to envision Toad..." " SHHHHHH!!!" Lance spat out, waving his hands, trying not to envision or hear. " Overshare! And she's not either, by the way." " It's PMS," Pietro smiled. " I know my sister. It's PMS. Be prepared for headspinning and spouting pea soup." ***** Cuz you're everywhere to me And when I close my eyes it's you I see You're everything I know That makes me believe I'm not alone. I'm not alone. ***** " Wanda, about this morning...you okay?" Toad asked, walking up beside Wanda on the sidewalk. " He pisses me off sometimes," she found herself saying...perhaps more to herself than to anyone else. " He's a jerk. You should know that better than anyone." She glanced at him. He was silent a long time before speaking up, " Are you alright? Y'know, as much as I hate to even hint Pietro had a point...you don't seem like yourself today." " I'm fine!" Wanda growled. " Can't I just have a bad day like everyone else? Or is it forbidden because I'm a female?" " Sure...I...I was just....concerned. Sure you dont want to talk?" " Why should I trust that you won't blab? Besides, it's nothing...just my rag...like he said." Toad stopped as Wanda walked on. Where she was going she didn't say. He would keep an eye on her. He watched as she walked the corner of Egbert and Templeton Ave. It only made him sick to see her vanish from sight. He turned back home and hopped back up to his room. He was by himself in the house by now. Lance was spending a day with Kitty. Pietro was doing god knows what...and Blob was attending a fair across town....figures. So, here Toad was again...alone. No. He picked up a picture frame from his dresser and sighed. It was a picture cut and figured. A school picture of him before they were kicked out. And a cut picture of Wanda leaning against a tree...but the tree was cut out and Wanda herself was taped to Toad's picture...making it seem she was leaning on him. Peering around, he noticed little things he collected from her. A thick red piece of yarn was tying a clump of hair that belonged to her. She had let her hair grow long...and swiftly chopped it off again. He never let on that he scowered the bathroom floor to save every strand he could. Across the room, he glanced at the boombox on the table. He threw a shoe, hitting the play button and allowing the song to play. It was her favorite song...and one that reminded him of her. He had "stolen" the tape from her room to make his own copy to always have a piece of her. He returned the original to its proper place before she had time to notice. He picked up the lock of hair and smelled it. After she had cut it off she had sprayed herself with perfume, so much though that is trickled in particles to the floor...where her fallen hair lay. Yes, every wall of his room had something that reminded him of her. He smiled....he was alone in this house...alone in his room...alone with his thoughts.... But, she was everywhere to him. ***** I recognize the way you make me feel It's hard to think that You might not be real I sense it now, the water's getting deep I try to wipe the pain away from me Away from me ***** Wanda stood on the boardwalk, glaring down at the sand below. It was getting cold, and the amusements were closed for the season. Nothing but empty and boarded up booths.....stranded tram car tracks....desolate wastes of empty and quiet rides fading in the sunlight and beginning to cool. They will freeze when winter comes. There was nothing here now but Wanda and the seagulls and the pod of dolphins migrating along the shore. She sighed and sniffed in a large breath of the salty sea air. Not as intense as being out on the sea...but dampened by the shore and the wet sand under the boardwalk and past the steel rails in which she leaned upon. " Kinda pretty, isn't it?" Wanda turned with a gasp. She then growled and returned to her position. " Toad, how'd you know I was here?" " I didn't." He honestly confessed. He took his position beside her and took in the atmosphere. " I came here to think. Looks like we're not so different after all." " You have guts to say that," she said quietly. She then moved her eyes to sideglance him, " Think about what?" " What are YOU thinking about?" " I...I asked you first." He smiled and gave a chuckle. " Stuff. Besides, it's a clear evening. Perfect for just being outside." " Perfect for being alone," Wanda said miserably. Toad glanced at her. " Maybe. I don't mind being alone sometimes, but sometimes it's also nice to just have a little company." Pity he didn't see Wanda's smile at the comment. " Look." Toad followed in the direction she pointed. The sky was getting purple, dimming to orange near the water. Sea gull chorused overhead. The sun wasn't so bright now. It was dim in brightness but not in color. He took a swift glance at her. A bark caught his attention. A stray dog on the beach. Not uncommon. He smiled inwardly. " Looks like a Lassie, doesn't he?" Wanda said quietly. He glanced at her. She smiled, " I love Lassie. I used to dream of a collie like that. But, we're not on television, and we don't get 50's television wholesome family fun pets." Toad merely smiled. " I like collies too." =Here I am...living only one of many dreams. Pinch me, now. Am I having one?= These were his thoughts as he realized how content he was. Here he was, watching a sunset with her. They stayed for hours admiring the sky. First the sunset, then the stars. It was a full moon. In this cold weather, no one was about. Who was to talk? They talked for hours about nothing. ***** Cuz you're everywhere to me And when I close my eyes it's you I see You're everything I know That makes me believe I'm not alone. I'm not alone. ***** " He bothers you, doesn't he?" Toad finally asked. " Who?" " Pietro." " He can't help it. He was a born prick. He gets it from our father. He's a prick too." Wanda let out an aggitated sigh. " Sorry I brought it up." " It's alright. I wonder if I should feel happy or disgusted to be part of this family." Toad was silent a moment. " It's not really the family itself. At least you have one, no matter how disfunctional it is. Y'know, I don't have anyone. I don't have any siblings. My mother...she's dead, I think. My dad....who knows. Dropped me in foster care and walked off without even a backwards glance. Too disgusted to even acknowledge his son. Who wants to adopt a slimey little pest like me? All I have is the Brotherhood. I hate it sometimes sure. I don't get the love I need, or the respect I probably deserve. But, it's better than being alone." " Maybe no one is really alone." " How so?" Wanda let out an embarressed chuckle. " Maybe we all have someone to love us and look out for us. Maybe it's family. Maybe it's just a friend. It may be an animal....perhaps another person whom we may or may not know of yet. Maybe it's even God. Just someone to listen when things go wrong, no matter how meager." Toad smiled, " I'll listen." " You just want a chance to get in my pants." She scoffed rudely. Toad smiled, " I don't think you have enough room for two in those pants, Wanda." She glanced at him in semi-shock. What to make of this comment she wasn't sure. Was it perverted, or some metaphorical way to prove to her otherwise? Toad being metaphorical? Could he do that? " What's to keep you from talking?" " You never asked me to." Another brief silence. " I see." " I say it all the time, Wanda." He felt himself say. It was almost like he forced the words out as his heart tried to hold them back. " I'd do anything you asked me to. Have I ever questioned that?" " And your motive isn't perverted like anyone else who chases after me?" Wanda asked, eyes closed. " Maybe it's enough just to listen. Just to have you there. You don't need to do anything. It's enough. My motive is simply to catch you if you fall. It's something I WANT to do." " I see." She was quiet a long time, feeling uncomfortable in this silence. She glanced at the beach and smiled. " That water looks nice. Just wish it wasn't so cold out." " Water looks warmer than you think." He hopped off the rail and onto the soft sand. Wanda couldn't say why, but she followed him and followed him to the water. ***** And when I touch your hand It's then I understand The beauty that's within It's now that we begin You always light my way I hope there never comes a day No matter where I go I always feel you ***** Both had removed their shoes and began to tredge into the lukewarm water as it crawled onto the sand and retreated. Toad was closest to the water with Wanda just to his left. The night was so lovely. He gave many sideglances to her. She never noticed. Should he act? No? It drove him crazy to stay idle. With a swallow he decided to try, moving his hand to entwine hers and curl his fingers with hers. She turned red in response...such a lovely color on her. She eyed the hand and found herself accepting it. " Maybe there is something sweet in you yet. Maybe one day you'll meet the right girl. I'm sure you'll make her very happy." " I've met her already." Toad said quietly. " But I don't think she'd know, even if I tatooed it on my body and paraded around the football field naked with a marching band." " Good luck winning her over." " I'll need it, I'm sure." He whispered. He looked up and smiled. " Such a lovely evening." " Yeah." " Wanda....d'ya think a clear night sky and a quiet beach is nature's aphrodisiac?" " TOAD!" She yelled, tossing him into the waves where he was dragged out a few feet. Swiftly he got up and spat out the salty water and looked around. It was rather difficult to see when in the water in the dark. But, he saw her red clothing. He let out a laugh and shot out his tongue, grabbing her wrist and reeling her out to him. She let out a scream and started to cough when she surfaced. She put a hand in his face to dunk him again...which led to a water wrestling match between the two. It was moreso out of play, as it was so awkward. She pushed away from him and sloshed as fast as she could onto the beach, trying to run from him. He narrowed his eyes with a wicked smile and lept into the air, leanding on the beach. Another bound placed him close enough to shoot upright and grab her, dropping her to the sand and pinning her down. " I win." He said quietly. She let out a laugh and a long sigh. " In yer dreams, Toad-Face." " Indeed." He said simply. This made her go silent. He caught both of her hands, which she accepted, entwining their fingers together. She tried to pull away when he rested his face into her neck. Yet her body betrayed her and the tingly feeling arose up her spine and in her tummy. " Todd...stop." He did. He hid the frown and got up into his normal toadie crouch. She got up and glanced at him. He couldn't understand the expression on her face. It had no easy readable form. She simply stared long and hard at him, then turned to walk away. " Wanda?" " I'm cold. I want to go home." He stayed behind and watched her as she left. When she was out of sight, he glanced down and grabbed his sweater, bringing it to his nose. The hint of saltwater behind her heavy perfume. He had managed to get it on him. Such a pity. He'd have to wash it to make it wearable again....but he frowned at the thought of losing her scent. ***** Cuz you're everywhere to me And when I close my eyes it's you I see You're everything I know That makes me believe I'm not alone. Cuz you're everywhere to me And when I catch my breath It's you I breathe You're everything I know That makes me believe I'm not alone. ***** It was an hour until midnight. He took the night to be the one where he showered and tended to himself. Anything to get that icky salty feeling off. He lay in bed now, staring at the stained ceiling. He thought about the events with Wanda. There was no real peace however. God forbid. He could hear them downstairs. There was Pietro, he knew that voice..and the speed. And a very defensive Wanda. What they were fighting about, he didn't know, but most likely Pietro started it. He always did lately. Why did he have to pick on her so hard...especially now when hormones are super worked up? He'd be a nervous wreck and hard to socialize with too if he had to bleed for 7 days non-stop from his crotch. Eww, he didn't even want to think about that. It looked too messy anyway. He had caught sight of the tampon in the trash can during a bathroom break from his solitude and mascarade of the happy Toad. He was pulled out of his thoughts by loud screaming, louder than usual. It honestly scared him to hear her scream so loud and to have Pietro yell so aggressively. He opened his door and peered out in time to see her use her powers to hold Pietro still...and slug him a good one. With that, she turned and stormed up the stairs and past Toad without noticing him, slamming her own door shut. He peered over the railing. He could hear his teammates down there. " Whoa, she's a toughy," from Blob. " Serves you right, Pietro. You were asking for that one a long time." From Lance. Toad pulled back from the rail and knocked on Wanda's door. There was no answer. Slowly he opened to door to see her in a slump in her red pajamas, face buried in her pillow, sobbing. He closed the door behind him. No sense everyone knew she was crying. Slowly he approached. " Are you alright?" " WHY...do you...keep...asking me that?!" She said between sobs and sniffles. He couldn't think of anything to say. He simply invited himself to sit beside/across from her. As if she had been waiting, she lunged for him, wrapping her arms around his neck and sobbing into his shoulder. He remained motionless for a long moment, wide- eyed and trying to decide if this too was some fantasy. After that moment, he held her and let her cry. With every breath he took, he inhaled her scent. Such nice soap she uses. Such fragrant shampoo. With a stroke of her hair he smiled. Such effective conditioner too. Herbal perhaps. He took the embrace as an opportunity to peer slightly about the room, seeing posters of punk rock bands and girly items. He closed his eyes, enveloped in everything that was her. He was alone with her. And she was everywhere. ***** You're in everyone I see. So tell me Do you see me? ***** He opened his eyes. It was not hard to see in the darkness, though the moon filtered through her window and into her room. He glanced up at her Felix clock. What did it say? Four? Five in the morning? How long had they been asleep? He stretched his fingers, and noticed the strands that pulled at them. Strands of her hair. The smell was still there. The shampoo, the soap, everything. He felt warm, as if on a cloud near the sun...but felt as secluded from the world in a dark cave, deep in solitude. He heard a heavy breath and felt a fist form, gripping at his t- shirt. The grip pinched him, waking him totally, but not enough to destroy how sleepy he still was. He slowly stretched, readjusting to allow some bloodflow. It was brief but enough before returning to his position. She was comfortable and that's all that mattered to him. It wasn't a dream....this was real. He hadn't left her at all. The last thing he could remember was holding her and now here he was waking up in her room. Had he fallen asleep so suddenly? Was she offended? Perhaps not. Since she let him sleep...even covered him. She even so much as turned out the light and stayed in the bed with him...even stayed in his arms. He watched her sleep for a while, trying to become tired enough to join her again. He felt content...as though this was everything he wanted...simply. He tried to hold back an inner laugh. He remembered that night after night he lay in his own bed, dreaming of her. How his world revolved around her there. How even with an emptiness in his waking hours, she was everything to him there...everywhere. She was his world and everything in those dreams were for either of them...from both of them. " Maybe we can talk about NOT naming our son Egbert," he muttered in a groggy voice. She let out a soft sleepy moan. She was surely unaware she did it...too lost in her own dreams. =Hmmmm.= He thought, snuggling with her, taking in everything he could without violating her. He closed his eyes and found himself ready to drift off. But he did so with those interesting thoughts. Did she ever dream about him alone in her room the way he did about her? Did she feel anything remotely similar that he did there? In her dreams....was he everything? Was he everywhere to her? " Not Egbert," he heard a soft voice say. He let out a chuckle in his sleepiness. Maybe she did after all. Good or bad, he was obviously either in her dream or contributed to something therein. Yes, in their waking hours, they seemed to always be separated by charades and circumstances. During their real lives they were seemingly alone. But in their dreams....he let out a content sigh. " We're everywhere." END | ||||
