I Believe in Love and Kindness 💜

Where the hell is he? Timmy looked around. Why is it pitch black? Then suddenly there was a blinding light. He grit his teeth. What the hell? As his vision adjusted, he looked around. This is so odd. Why is he back in his childhood home and in his old bedroom?

His parents sold it when he moved out and left for Yale with Chester, AJ, and Remy the day after his high school graduation, wanting to get as far away from Dimmsdale as possible. Yeah, his college courses didn’t start until that fall in September but he, Chester, AJ, and Remy already had an apartment and jobs lined up for them in New Haven all thanks to Remy and his family’s connections. 

They weren’t great parents either but at least they didn’t cut Remy off from their lives like his parents did off and on. It still pissed him off that they bailed for Florida before he graduated from Dimmsdale High. He should have known that they’d be a no show for that huge milestone in his life. Screw them. 

Looking around his old bedroom, the feelings of anger and resentment towards his parents and their bullshit hit him full force. It’s not like he didn’t feel those feelings before. To be fair, he still did but at least everything in his current life, Jade, Alan, Phoebe, his and his beautiful wife’s law firm, his successful law career, his friends and his in-laws along with intense therapy kept those dark thoughts and his anger at bay. Letting them fester would ruin everything he has worked towards since leaving home.

Still, Timmy hated his parents. Whenever they weren’t doing whatever the hell they were up to in Destin, Florida, they never hesitated to call him up to ask him for money and/or talk trash about Jade and her parents and claim that Alan is a bad kid for not wanting to see them. How could he blame his son? All the times he let Alan talk to them over the phone or on video chat, they made him cry or pissed him off by their backhanded comments or just treated him like shit. 

It’s no wonder Alan didn’t want anything to do with his grandparents on his father’s side. They’re bad people. He doesn’t deserve to experience the same kind of treatment his father did growing up. As a father, Timmy swore Alan would never go through all the bullshit he had to put up with. He made good on that promise when he was born. Alan is his boy and nothing can change that. He’ll always be there for his son. No questions asked. 

Now that Phoebe is born and adding more fun and joy to his family, his parents are now trying to kiss his ass so they can see their granddaughter. Timmy sighed with sheer annoyance, anger, and disgust. He still didn’t know how they found out about Jade’s second pregnancy and the gender of his second child. 

Hell, he and Jade chose to not hold those silly gender reveal parties for both of his kids. Everyone just found out the genders of Alan and Phoebe when he and Jade were ready for everyone to know. Whoever contacted his parents and informed them about his sweet daughter’s birth can just go to Hell. He didn’t want them to know about Phoebe anyway. 

She, Jade, and Alan along with Roy and Judy don’t need his parents’ toxicity in their lives. Growing up, they never hesitated to tell him that he should have been a girl. They wanted a girl and not him. Perhaps that’s why he can relate to Liz Dimmadome so well. Dale said the same garbage to her about how she was supposed to be a boy off and on too. People like that should never have children. 

Thank god for Jade and the Hendersons. At least Judy and Roy are good people that love their children unconditionally with Jade and her sister, who’s transgender. Dr. Henderson and his wife loved both of their children regardless of gender, cis, trans or any other gender identity with them both being huge advocates for the LGBTQ+ Community. Unlike his parents. Fuck, he recalled how he overheard his dad say that he would disown him and kick him out of the house if he came out as gay or trans. 

Timmy rolled his eyes. His grandfather wasn’t homophobic or transphobic before he died so why was his dad? The former godkid sighed, feeling so annoyed. His dad was such a hypocrite being so obsessed over one of their neighbors, Sheldon Dinkleberg. That made him wonder about his dad. Dinkleberg didn’t do shit to him. Regardless, Dad was still such an ass to him. Just before he left home, Mr. Dinkleberg asked him what his dad’s problem was for all those years and the only response he could think of was to say, “I don’t know, maybe he had a secret gay crush on you.”

The memory of saying that false statement about his dad still cracked him up. Shit, his parents still couldn’t accept that Tootie is an out and proud lesbian, still saying that he should have married her and not Jade. Not only did it annoy him but it also pissed off Tootie. As if she didn’t get enough of that bullshit from her own parents and Vicky.

Timmy was still so grateful that he and Tootie both realized that they weren’t good romantically with each other and mutually broke their relationship off. Remaining as friends was better for them mentally and emotionally in the long run. He’s happy he found the one with Jade and Tootie found hers with Chloe. 

Looking around his old bedroom, poor Timmy didn’t want to be there. Why the hell is he here? Wasn’t he in Dimmadelphia with his beautiful wife, two awesome kids, his in-laws, the Dimmadome Siblings, and Peri? The last thing he remembered was sitting on his couch with his head pounding migraine kicking his ass. 

He shouldn’t be here. He hasn’t stepped foot in Dimmsdale since the day after his high school graduation. He swore he’d never look back. He swore he’d never go back. That entire town was filled with so many bad memories. When he left, he swore he would start over and start over, he did. 

Timmy’s blue eyes scanned his surroundings. The last time he was in this room, he had packed all his belongings and it was completely empty save for his old bed and nightstand with the empty fishbowl when he left. But now, everything he owned back then was how it was when he was a kid. What the fuck is going on?

Was he being pranked? This has to be a prank. Timmy chuckled to himself, “Very funny guys. Haha. You got me good. For real, AJ, Remy, Tootie, Chloe and maybe you Chester if you’re in town, this was a good one. Hey, I bet you two, Sanjay and Elmer had something to do with this too. Where are you guys?”

Timmy walked around the room in search of his gang of buddies, “Come on, guys, party’s over. Let’s just call it a day and get some pizza or something. We can even take our kids and spouses with us. A pizza party is something we all need. I mean, who doesn’t like pizza?”

No response. It was….quiet. Eerily quiet. Timmy blinked, “Hello? Seriously, you guys got me good.”

He strolled over to his bedroom door and grabbed the doorknob. Timmy tried to turn it. Shit! It wasn’t opening. He then slammed his tall broad shouldered lineman-like body against it, hoping to break the door down. Sadly, it didn’t budge. What the fuck? He tried to jiggle the doorknob to get it to unlock. What the hell is this? Why is he locked in there? 

“Okay, this isn’t funny anymore. Guys, come on. Stop this. Hello?”

Again, no response. Goddammit, he didn’t expect to be trapped in some strange reboot of MTV’s “Punk’d”. Back when it was still on the air, he loved that show and remembered watching it with Chester, AJ and some other people….neighbors. He thought about them. He remembered a couple with a young son that took him under their wing but he couldn’t remember anything about them. 

They moved away around the time of his 18th birthday. Why can’t he remember that family? They obviously weren’t the Dinklebergs. The Dinklebergs still resided in Dimmsdale the last he heard. That mysterious family was way better than his actual parents in every way. Fuck, he felt so guilty. Those people were fun and treated him like family. Plus, being around their young son felt like he had a little brother. He’s always wanted a brother. It’s so not fair that his memory has to draw blanks trying to remember them.

Still expecting Ashton Kutcher or the modern equivalent to show up and say that he had been Punk’d, Timmy continued to scan his surroundings, hoping this was some ridiculous TV or stage set or something. This has to be an elaborate prank. It’s the only explanation that makes sense.

He ran over to the window and opened the curtains. Well shit. This wasn’t some film set after all. His old neighborhood is outside. He could see his old neighbors, even the Dinklebergs outside. The fuck?! He tried to open the window. Sadly, like the bedroom door, it wouldn’t budge. 

Timmy felt a strange feeling creep into the pit of his stomach. Shaking his head, he backed away from the window. This was creeping him out. Why is he here? Why can’t he leave? He has to leave. He has to go back home. This damn house isn’t his home anymore. The house he and Jade bought together in Dimmadelphia is. 

Timmy tried to think of a solution to bust out but nothing was coming to mind. He didn't want to look at that goddamn window anymore as it’s making the feeling of helplessness feel so much worse. Upon turning around he was confronted by a young boy who looked just like him as a kid. 

The former godkid blinked, “Alan? Al, what are you doing here?”

He slowly approached the boy, “Son, did you set this up? If you did, how did you do it? Did Mommy or Uncle AJ or Uncle Remy or even Aunt Tootie or Aunt Chloe help you?”

The closer he got to the boy it quickly dawned on him. That kid wasn’t his son. He was a few years too old to be him and he was dressed in a pink shirt and hat, not green. Green is Alan’s favorite color, not pink.

Timmy blinked his blue eyes, “Wait, you’re not Alan. Who the hell are you?”

The young pink clad 10 year old blinked his blue eyes and spoke, “Dude, I’m not Alan. You don’t recognize me?”

Timmy shook his head, “No…or at least I don’t think so. Why the hell are you wearing my old favorite shirt and my old hat? I thought I put those in storage years ago. I haven’t touched them since.”

The boy continued to stare up at him, his expression blank, “Because they’re mine…..or more like ours. Why wouldn’t I wear them?”

It then hit Timmy like a ton of bricks. The man began to shake his head, in total disbelief. No. No. This isn’t happening. He’s not being confronted by his past self. This has to be a joke. It’s an elaborate prank. 

10 year old Timmy chuckled and smiled, “It’s true. I’m you. Or….the part of you that was taken away and long forgotten….until now.”

Present day Timmy felt his tall body freeze. He was stunned, at a complete loss for words as his younger self continued, “I know you’re refusing to believe what’s in front of you but you’re not seeing things and this isn’t a prank. It’s really happening.”

The only word that escaped the former godkid’s lips was, “Why?”

10 year old Timmy just simply replied, “I’m here to help you remember….them.”

“Them?” he blinked, so confused, “Who’s them?”

Slowly walking towards his older, present day self, he said, “Those people who you thought were your neighbors. They weren’t neighbors. Those were false memories planted in your brain to replace the real ones that were taken from you.”

“Who were they then? How did I get these “false memories”?”

His younger self replied, “He did. He took your real family away from you. If it wasn’t for you, your little brother wouldn’t have been born. I’m here to give them back to you.”

Timmy was taken aback. Brother? What is his younger self talking about, “I don’t have a brother. I’m an only child. My mom had a hysterectomy when I was 15 because of her uterine cancer. Honestly, if it spread and killed her, I wouldn’t have given a crap. She was a terrible mother anyway.”

Younger Timmy continued to slowly approach him, “I’m not talking about Mom and Dad or should I say Mom and Dad in name only. No. I’m talking about them.”

“Yeah, I know how shit parents they are. But who the hell is them? Just tell me already.” his patience was already starting to wear thin. Timmy was so annoyed. He just wanted to go home. He wanted to see his beautiful wife and his kids again.

10 year old Timmy stopped walking. Past and present now standing face to face. Wanting to speak to his past self at his level, Timmy knelt down. The two Timmys, two sets of blue eyes, made contact as present day Timmy began to plead, “Please….please tell me. Who’s them? Please. I have to know.”

10 year old Timmy drew in a deep breath and exhaled, “Fair warning, some of this stuff may bring back trauma you haven’t confronted in years. It might freak you out.”

That wasn’t going to deter the 30 something year old lawyer. If anything, it spurred his need to know curiosity. If this was going to help him solve the mystery of this mysterious family who took care of him, then so be it, “Bring it on. It can’t be that bad. I have to know.”

It was silent amongst the two Timmy iterations before the younger one spoke, “Okay. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Close your eyes.”

Obliging to his 10 year self’s request, Timmy shut his eyes. His younger self’s right hand began to glow as he raised it. He then placed his glowing hand on his present day self’s forehead. Feeling that warm touch, Timmy felt like he was being sucked into some strange vortex as flashes of a middle aged couple with pink and green hair came into his mind. 

Wands, wings, and floaty crowny things. A magic 9 ball which was a cheap knock off of a magic 8 ball came into his view. He doesn’t remember how he got that piece of crap, but that detail was unimportant as that couple, fairies, his fairies came bursting out of it. Wait, a couple with pink and green hair….Hazel Wells’s neighbors….they too….had….

It was….them! Cosmo and Wanda! His old fairy godparents. No, not just that. To him, they were his actual parents. More so than his biological parents, parents in name only. Any dumbass can create a child but it takes an actual good person to be a parent. Flashes of all those memories come back full force. All the adventures, good and bad, flooded his mind. His head began to hurt once more, another damn migraine. Fuck! Not again. 

Then a major event. Wishing for Cosmo and Wanda to have a baby of their own. Poof. His baby fairy brother. The migraine grew more intense as the memory of wishing him out of Cosmo’s womb came and all the events of the first seven years of Poof’s life played out like a long movie like he was watching the extended director’s cut of the Crimson Chin Chinfinity War Movie. Tears streamed down Timmy’s face as the final memory came. 

His baby fairy brother being so distraught over his departure from his and his parents’ lives. Saying goodbye to Cosmo, Wanda, and Poof was like a huge punch to his gut again. The feelings of mourning his fairy family came rushing back while he hugged and said goodbye to Poof flashed before him. Poor Timmy let out a bloodcurdling scream feeling the worst migraine he had ever experienced in his adult life as his 10 year old self disappeared, being absorbed into his body. 

Then the world around him went completely black. Suddenly, the nasty migraine dissipated as quickly as it came before he heard the sound of a heart monitor beeping in the background. Okay, where the hell is he now? Hearing the voices of two women speaking, Timmy slowly opened his blue eyes. 

He was lying on a hospital bed in a private room, dressed in a green hospital gown with blue anchors printed on it and a blue hospital blanket draped over his long legs. He scanned his surroundings and found that his wife was speaking to his ex-girlfriend, crying, “I’m so sorry you wasted your lunch break on me.”

Tootie drew Jade in for a warm hug, holding her lunch and water bottle, “You didn’t waste my lunch break, Jade. You needed a friend. Besides, being a doctor, I had to learn to eat on the go anyway. I never know when I’m needed.”