thinking about FLDS (fundamentalist mormon) whitaker again…
he sort of forgot that his life sounded like a LifeTime movie. he rationally knew that it was a batshit way to grow up, but it was hard to truly internalize that when he didn’t know anything else for nineteen years. but now he was out in the real world, and there was no prophet, multiple wives were not the norm, children were protected (most of the time).
it was a slow day, even if no one would jinx it by remarking on it. they were all taking an actual lunch instead of just housing a protein bar. mckay started lamenting about harrison being an only child. she said, “i don’t know, i just feel like he’s missing out on something. he talks a lot about how boring summer is when his dad and i can’t drive him to his friends houses.”
“i grew up an only child and i’m pretty normal,” frank said while taking a bite of his grilled chicken breast.
trinity and mckay made loaded eye contact. dana, not wanting it all to devolve, cut in and said, “whitaker! you got any siblings?”
dennis wasn’t really thinking. trinity’s leftover adobo was so fucking good. “yeah, i’ve got nine full siblings, and i have no idea how many half siblings at this point. they don’t talk to me.”
trinity’s eyes widened. she knew, of course, about dennis’s past. that was hard to hide from someone you lived with. dennis was weird about food and didn’t understand a lot of cultural references. he averted his eyes anytime she wore something above her knees for the first couple months. it all came tumbling out one night after some drinks, like things often did. she was sworn to secrecy.
she was honestly surprised she wasn’t the one to let the cat out the bag.
frank (who trinity refused to believe was ‘pretty normal’) got that mirthful look in his eyes that he usually got right before he said something HR-worthy. “your dad got a girl in every port or something? was it a shocking 23 and me reveal?”
dennis clammed up. “no, my family’s just weird!” he waved his hand, as if to throw away the topic. “forget i said anything.”
“no, no! this just got interesting,” frank insisted. “how many half siblings last you heard?”
“i don’t…” dennis trailed off uncomfortably. he didn’t know how to get out of this.
mckay took pity. “it’s fine, dennis. it sounds complicated.” she glared over at frank, telling him to knock it off. “you don’t have to get into it if you don’t want to.”
so dennis didn’t. dana changed the topic, trinity exaggeratedly made fun of a patient, frank reluctantly ignored him.
dennis resented the way he never quite fit in anywhere. he was too worldly for short creek, too short creek for the world.
and now they had proof. it was only a matter of time before people put it all together, before they started asking him about the prophet and the sister wives and the funny hairstyles.
only a matter of time before dennis had to explain his whole upbringing like it was an interesting podcast one listened to on a road trip.
only a matter of time before he went from acceptably quirky to down right different. and different wass what got him left for dead in the dessert.