Crazy as a Bailey

You stare at the mural without really seeing it. The earth felt as if it was shifting beneath your feet. The woman Fiona just described bore no resemblance to the daughter that you knew. Had this been anybody else, literally anybody else, you would have dismissed it in an instant. But this was Fiona. Since Elsie’s **** your big sister had been your rock. Whenever you needed a hard truth or somebody to give you a kick in the ass she was there to provide it. In a weird sort of way she had provided the father figure you never had.

“Why would she lie?” You whisper.

“To manipulate you.” Fiona answers directly. “To gain sympathy. To stop you from asking too many questions. She probably didn’t think you’d come to me about this.” She turns to face you. Grabbing your collar she gives it a tug to straighten it. “I have to confess even I was shocked when you called about the boy. It was a dark side of you I’d never seen before.” With smirk she adds. “I liked it!”

“Fiona, what do you think I should do?”

“Love her.” She smiles, a sort of sad smile. “She’s your girl. Even when she’s bad.”

“Of course I love her.” You say. “God, I’d die for her.”

“That’s my boy.” She pats your chest proudly. “Don’t be too hard on her. She’s a Bailey. She was bound to crack eventually.”

You grumble. You had tried so hard to provide your daughter with a healthy upbringing. Was it all for nothing?

“Now what?”

“If your asking me…” Fiona steps back and smooths her black and red suit then says as casually as anything. “…we bring back the old ways.”

“Old ways?”

“This family’s…fractured since we started playing by the rules.” Fiona says. “The bond was broken. This isn’t how it’s supposed to be.”

“Oh my God. Are you seriously suggesting…?”

“Fuck yes I am.” She says. “Can’t you feel it, Jesse? Something went wrong. This isn’t how it’s supposed to be. I’ve got the world in the palm of my hand yet…something’s missing. It all feels so…empty. Don’t tell me you don’t feel it too.”

“I thought you’d gotten over this.”

With a long, hungry look up and down your body she grins. “Oh, no. Not even close, little brother.”

“I can’t believe you!” You say. “How is that supposed to help Penelope?”

Her grin grows. “There’s nothing a Daddy’s love can’t help.” Fiona’s eyes, burning with passion, wander up to the mural. “Penny has the chance to do what I never…”

“Stop! Stop this. Please.”

She rolls her eyes with a huff. “Fine. You asked, I answered. I’m no parenting guru.”

“Give me another option. A real option.”

“Mmm.” Fiona thinks. “We bring her in.”

“In?”

“Here. We bring her here. Here we can keep an eye on her. Having her out there on her own is going to lead to something bad.” She says. “We bring her in. We harness her talents, nurture her, train her, let her become the goddess she was born to be.” Fiona’s voice takes on that inspirational tone that came so naturally to her. “We mold her to be my heir.”

“Your heir!?”

“Who else would be worthy of my empire?” She says. “Besides, I’d rather have her with me than against me. It may end in an unmarked grave for me either way, but ohhh what a legacy she would be to leave behind. The world will tremble at her feet!”

“You’re crazy!”

“Crazy as a Bailey.” Fiona quips. “That girl of yours is something special, Jesse. My lab, Peg’s lab, government labs, nobody has been able to replicate even half of what Penelope has. The best AI can’t unravel it. You and El just had that special…magic. She’s a real life superhero.”

“Or villain.” You gasp.

“Whatever.” Fiona shrugs. “As long as she’s on our side.”

“No.” I shake my head. “No. This is not what I raised her to be.”

“She’s not a child, Jesse. You cannot control her.”

“God.” You bury your face in your hands. “Elsie would be so disappointed in me. OW!” Your hands go from face to crotch as Fiona gives your dick a hard flick.

“Don’t you fucking dare talk for her!” Fiona snaps. “Don’t you dare use her memory to chastise your own guilty conscience.” She scoffs. “As if El was such a saint.”

“Fiona…”

“You always tried to be above it all. Acting as if you weren’t feeling the same urges we were. At least Elsie was honest. Down in the sin and the muck with the rest of us.” She shoves you back a step. “Don’t put your hangups on her memory. It’s fuckin gross.”

“Fiona!”

“You don’t think so? She literally tied you down and had you knock her up.” Bringing her hand to her lips she says in a disturbingly accurate Elsie impression. “Oopsie! Silly ol’ me. He he he! Uh ohhh! I’m preggers. How did that happen? Welp, **** now. Just gonna have to have my big brother’s baby. He he he!”

“Stop it!”

“She knew what she was doing!” Fiona says. “A piece of me died with that girl. She left a hole in my heart that’s never gonna heal. Right next to Papa’s. But let’s not make her into something she wasn’t.” Grabbing your shoulders she gives you a shake. “Elsie was in love with her brother. She’s was as cracked as the rest of us. And she would be so FUCKING proud of you, Jesse. You and Penelope. Don’t you ever doubt that.”

A strange mix of anger and guilt swirl in your belly. You wanted to scream at Fiona…and yet you knew there was truth in her words. Elsie wasn’t a saint. She was fun and smart and silly and horny and imperfectly perfect. Most of all she was understanding. Deep down you knew how much it would hurt her had she known that you were still alone all these years later.

Watching the anger in you shift to sorrow Fiona pulls you into another hug. Rustling your hair she lays your head on her shoulder. “I know, Jesse. I know.” She kisses your head. “I love ya, kid.”

With a sigh you melt into your sister’s strong body. It felt…nice. “Love you too, Fiona.”

“That’s my boy.”

“I’ll fix this.” You say softly. “Somehow…I’ll make Penny see reason.”