Siblings' Quest |Phineas and Ferb Story|

Part Four: Unloved, Unwanted

June 20th, 1999

"Mommy!" Candace chirped, skipping into the kitchen to find her eight-month pregnant mother washing off plates in the sink.

Linda looked down at her rather excited daughter, a small smile appearing on her face. "Hey sweetie, whatcha got there?"

Candace proudly help up the folded paper card that she had colored with markers and decorated with stickers, glitter, and sequins. "I made Daddy his Father's Day card on the last day of school! Do you think he'll like it?" The six-year-old asked eagerly, barely keeping herself still on her feet.

Linda's smile faded as she slowly took the card from her daughter to examine it. The front had the words boldly written in green and yellow: Happy Father's Day! with a few hearts and smiley faces on the corners.

"After he gave me Ducky Momo, I think he deserves the best card ever! Don't you?" Candace asked, tilting her head with a gap-toothed grin.

Linda had no idea what to even say to her ecstatic child. She opened the card, biting her lip and forcing herself to hide a frown. Inside the card was a small paragraph—with many misspelt words and crooked letters—explaining to her father just how much he meant to her. On the other side was a drawing of two stick-figures. One was a man, tall with dark orange hair, holding hands with the shorter little girl figure. The little girl was holding a duck toy in her other hand, with the biggest grin on her circle-face.

Linda felt like crying, overwhelmed by guilt, sorrow, and weariness.

Candace took notice to her mother's expression and suddenly frowned. "Oh no, is it bad? You don't think Daddy will like it?" She asked, fidgeting with her pigtails.

"No, no it's not that, honey." Linda assured, setting the card on the counter. "It's beautiful. It's just that..."

She couldn't do it.

She couldn't tell her.

Looking at her daughter's adorable, innocent little face. That purity in her eyes. The sweetness, the gentleness. No, the truth would destroy all of that. She would tell Candace when she was older, when the innocence didn't need protecting.

"Um, your dad's away on a business trip. He won't be back for a while." She lied, nervously pushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

Candace lowered her gaze, "Oh. How long will he be gone? I wanna give him his card soon while it's at least still the Father's Day month!"

Linda shook her head, "He'll be gone for a while, sweetie. But how about I mail the card to him? How does that sound?" She suggested, forcing a smile on her face.

Candace shrugged, "Um, I guess."

"Great. Now, go play outside while I find a special envelope for this, okay?"

"Okay, Mommy." Candace nodded, walking out into the backyard. She didn't seem too satisfied with the idea, but it was better than nothing.

Linda waited until she saw the little girl hopping onto the swing, then quickly walked up the stairs into her bedroom.

She pulled out a shoebox from her closet, the inside filled with jewelry, cards, letters, money, and pictures. This was a box she had to keep her daughter from finding at all costs. Sighing, she stared at the Father's Day card one last time before setting it inside, right on top of the pile of letters addressed to her. She secured the lid on the box and placed it back on the high shelf.

If she ever finds that box...Linda thought warily, then shook it away, refusing to even imagine what Candace would think of her if she did find it. No. She'll never know. Not now, not ever.