The Feminist Challenge

Bonus Chapter: Audrey Ketchum

This chapter took me a LIFETIME to write... but anyway, it was supposed to be published on Lisi's birthday, but it wasn't ready on time ;o; so... HAPPY LATE BIRTHDAY LISI!

And peepz, have fun reading this bonus chapter!

-

Seeing Anthony's fiancée for the first time got Misty thinking.

It was like she was left... out. She knew she wasn't left out, and her son would never abandon her (statement under review), but there was something inside her that made her think this way; think that this girl came to replace her or take her spot.

"Mom, this is Audrey."

"Nice to meet you, Mrs. Ketchum." Audrey was as polite as ever.

Misty behaved politely too. "Nice to meet you too. Please, call me Misty."

The girl even brought presents. Misty received a very beautiful white gold thin necklace with a small turquoise pendant. The redhead presumed she and her son have been talking a lot about her-because only her family knew about her white gold obsession. She assumed the turquoise was Audrey's idea.

Win. Misty liked the gem.

It was clear Audrey was trying to win everyone over with politesse and modesty. Misty thought it was a good sign; this meant she was a good person, and good people are... good.

Though, Misty felt as if Audrey treated her differently. It's like she was getting a special treatment-in a good way, if you ask her. Audrey was just very polite around Misty. Too polite. Too much.

No one would probably catch it, but Misty did.

First, she never engaged in a very 'open' conversation with her. With Misty, everything was formal, too polite, and limited.

Second, she never really looked Misty in the eye. She looked everyone in the eye-she looked Ash in the eye and laughed hard at his joke, and just stopped laughing and regained herself when Misty walked in.

Third, she always offered Misty help, and only Misty. She'd snatch the tray from her hands and head straight to the kitchen-again, without looking straight at Misty.

Fourth, she showed Misty only the polite and ladylike side. Misty has seen her once with Chris, Dylan and Matt in this latter's bedroom as she passed by, and Audrey wasn't sitting down with her hands on her lap and sipping coffee gently.

Misty wasn't sure if those things meant something. Maybe it was just a coincidence, and maybe the girl was just trying to give a very good impression. Not that Misty minded, but she wasn't a big fond of this special treatment.

The redhead was hoping she'd get some company, someone she could finally share interests with. Sure, mutual respect was welcomed, but there was no need to feel so uptight. Misty tried very hard to get the 'he's replacing me' idea from her head (even if Tony called less and less ever since he met Audrey...), and now that she succeeded, this girl was treating her so traditionally, and as if she was dealing with an authoritarian mother-in-

Waaait, was Misty scary or something?

She wasn't authoritarian. She never was and never will be. Fine, she felt jealous sometimes; Audrey was slender, anything looked gorgeous on her, she got Tony wrapped around her finger, and she might make him move near her mom in the future, but she did make him happy, and seeing Tony happy makes his family happy.

Misty wasn't sure what Audrey really thought of her now. Tony couldn't have told her she was hard to deal with, could he? It wasn't true. Misty wasn't hard to deal with! Why did she feel as if the girl was scared of her?

No, this wasn't what Misty wanted. She never wanted a daughter-in-law; she wanted a daughter. Who cares if they were still engaged? It's that what she wanted.

Misty looked up when Audrey walked in the kitchen, looking at her left and laughing. She stopped laughing when their eyes met, and like always, Audrey looked down slightly.

"Oh-hi, Mrs. Ketchum. I didn't see you there." Audrey avoided walking right past by Misty.

And oh, she never called her by her first name. Misty didn't really complain about that because she and Ash were on the same boat.

"Do I scare you or something?" Misty stood against the counter with her arms crossed over her chest.

"W-what?" Audrey stopped in her tracks.

"Do I?"

Silence.

"You're not looking at me. This is impolite."

Audrey panicked. "No! That's not-"

Misty cut her off with her laugh. "Calm down. Why are you so hard on yourself?"

"..."

"What did Tony tell you about me anyway?"

Audrey rubbed her hands together. She smiled a small one. "Nothing bad."

"Are you sure? You seem like you don't like me-"

"No! No! That's not-I'm sorry I cut you off! It wasn't on purpose..."

This girl needs a lot of work... Misty smiled. "Do I match Chris's girlfriend's descriptions?"

Audrey giggled quietly and shrugged. "She didn't tell me anything. That's the truth."

"Then you just got those wrong ideas inside your head, and you need to get them off." Misty walked toward her and smiled. "I'm not planning on stealing your future kids, making Tony choose between us or even stopping him from moving near your mom,"

Audrey's eyes shot wide and she chuckled.

"I'm a woman, just like you, who is trying to win a new friend over, or a daughter, really. I'm not evil, and I'm not extremely, overly protective of my sons-well, I try not to be, and plus, Matthew is still young. Do you think I'm overprotective?"

Audrey was smiling. She shrugged. "I just...I'm not really used to-Tony was my first boyfriend..."

"And how many times do you think I got asked out?"

"..."

"Tony's father was the only one who dared coming near me. Did Tony ever tell you? I never liked men. I used to hate them." Misty grinned at the memories.

"Really?" Audrey raised an eyebrow.

"That's a very long story. It needs some-" Misty opened the freezer and took out some ice cream. "-fancy tea party."

THE END.

Sorry for the little hiatus, peepz! I hope you liked this drabble c:

And happy birthday, Lisi! (you're probably sleeping now but anyway cx)