Work Text:
Evanston, IL The Gilbreth Home
Kate Gilbreth Baker was one of two children born to Mr. and Mrs. Gilbreth. After Kate's sister died, it was the beginning of a downward spiral for what was once a sweet little girl.
She turned to drugs and dropped out of school in eighth grade, her parents tried but neither of them knew what to do with her anymore. It didn't help that Mrs. Gilbreth had a soft spot for her daughter and enabled the behavior against Mr. Gilbreth's wishes.
She was not surprised but saddened when her parents filed for divorce, Mr. Gilbreth moved to another part of town and his presence in her life decreased until it was non-existent. Drugs and hooking up with random men became Kate's favorite hobby at barely fourteen. She gave birth to her first child Nora Baker.
The father, Tom Baker was a senior up for a football scholarship but agreed to provide child support. Kate left her childhood home with Nora after arguing with Mrs. Gilbreth who had tired of Kate's behavior.
Kate had no home and she and Nora often lived on the streets. Campgrounds, trailer parks, motels, and etc. became their new best friends. Tom had been busy with his football career but eventually found the 'one' in Kate and they got married. After Charlie and Lorraine were born, the two moved to Chicago.
The marriage between the Bakers was very dysfunctional to say the least. She and Tom both had dreams of having a big family but she refused to stop using. After a move to Midland, Henry, Sarah, Jake, and Mark were born in consecutive years. The magic number eight turned into nine kids after the first set of fraternal twins, Jessica and Kim were born. Tom got a vasectomy after Mike's birth.
Anger and not love was a common emotion Kate showed her children. Especially when she couldn't get her fix. Tom never laid a hand to his children but that didn't mean he did anything to protect them from Kate's brutal beatings. The best Nora could do to protect her siblings was to take a slap or punch for them when she could.
Raising so many kids wasn't easy, the job fell on Nora due to Kate's addiction and Tom being around the house less and less. The vasectomy wasn't effective for a few weeks bringing the Baker kids up to twelve with the birth of identical twins, Nigel and Kyle. No longer wanting to be in a loveless marriage, Tom divorced Kate. With rent and utilities no longer being paid, the landlord evicted Kate and her twelve children.
Parental rights signed away, Tom moved out of the country and had nothing more to do with his ex wife or twelve children.
Uphauled to Evanston by Kate, they moved in with one of her new boyfriends. Most of the Baker girls didn't trust men but especially Kim. Ever since almost being taken advantage of by a guy Kate cheated on Tom with, she couldn't handle being around men. Evanston hadn't been a favorable period for Kate or her twelve children.
Family more important to her, Nora dumped her boyfriend, Hank after seeing him for the 'doorknob' the family claimed he was. Their new school was horrible for every Baker, Mark got picked on by two bullies named Quinn and Cooper until Jake, Jessica, Kim, and Mike beat them up. Even the expert at managing chaos Nora couldn't seem to get things in order. Chaos went to an alltime high. Mark ran away after being constantly told by his siblings that the FedEx guy dropped him off.
Nora found Mark at a train station departing from Evanston to Midland and convinced him to return home. The family reunited and Mark finally felt like one of the Bakers. Kate was soon dumped by her 'boyfriend' and the Bakers were back on the streets. She was long skilled in the art of manipulating her mother and they were taken in temporarily by Grandma Gilbreth as the children affectionately called her.
Already living with Grandma Gilbreth was Tom and Kate's godson Jari Shenk. Neither of Jari's parents were fit to raise a child and custody had gone to Grandma Gilbreth acting as proxy for the Bakers.
The Baker family's pet, an American Bulldog named Gunner lived there due to their family moving so often.
Kate was arrested for drug possession. Custody of the Baker children went to Grandma Gilbreth and she was not allowed to live with the children upon release.
A few days later, Nora started preparing breakfast and her younger siblings plus Jari soon came down to help. Once everyone else went to the dining room table to eat, Jari hang back in the kitchen with Nora and Lorraine.
"What's going to happen when Kate gets out?" asked Jari as he looked up at the older girls with a serious expression. He was close with Sarah, Jake, and Mike and around the former two's ages.
Nora kneeled down to the boy's level and placed a hand to his face. "Nothing's going to happen Jari, she's not allowed to live with us."
"But you know how Grammy is Nora."
Grandma Gilbreth was more of a mother to Jari since the woman had practically raised him.
"He does have a point, Grandma Gilbreth still enables her." Lorraine reminded her older sister.
Nora raised an eyebrow at Lorraine. "I really think Grandma's changed since then."
Jari wasn't so sure whether the blond's words rang true. "I don't want to go in the system nor do I want any of you to go in the system."
"Everything's going to be fine."
"Can you believe Mom's in jail, what do you think they'll do to her?" Lorraine asked.
"What goes around comes around." Nora deadpanned.
Life got better for the Bakers with Kate being in jail over the next few months. The welfare check went to Grandma Gilbreth which Nora used to provide clothes and other necessities for her siblings.
Nora was the one who got her siblings and Jari to school everyday. She helped them with homework afterschool, extra help was also given when they didn't understand the material. Nora was the one who made sure they had something to eat, and that they had clothes on their backs. The Head of Household wasn't Grandma Gilbreth, it was Nora.
It seemed that at least one of the Baker girls were destined to follow in her mother's footsteps, Lorraine got pregnant by her loser boyfriend Sam. Nora berated her sister for being stupid enough to get knocked up at fifteen. It had always been them against the world but not anymore. Lorraine dropped out of school and moved in with her boyfriend.
Nora had more problems to deal with once Kate got out of prison. Though her mother claimed to have changed, she didn't believe it. The choice for Kate to move in went to Nora since Grandma Gilbreth wouldn't allow it otherwise. Reluctantly, she agreed but regretted it once her mother went back to her old ways.
Kate manipulated Grandma Gilbreth into allowing her to bring a guy home. Though Nora tried to get her mother to reconsider for Kim's sake, she was unsuccessful.
More manipulation from Kate gained her the welfare check from Grandma Gilbreth much to Nora's dismay. She had a job at the ad agency but it wasn't enough to provide for her siblings. The check was necessary. Nora was hit on by Kate's boyfriend and backhanded when she refused his advances.
Nora knew that her grandmother was in ill-health. Unlike Kate, she tried to make things as easy for the elderly woman as possible. Grandma Gilbreth collapsed and was taken to the hospital after Charlie called an ambulance. Tragedy struck at Grandma Gilbreth's death, Nora got the chance to see her one last time in the hospital and gave the forgiveness that Kate never would've.
Enabled even in her mother's death, Kate was willed the house and the life insurance policy. Nora wasn't able to prevent Child Protective Services 'CPS' for taking Jari or her younger siblings into foster care. It took a few weeks for her to get them out. Nora was given temporary custody by a judge upon getting her own place and proving employment.
Nora tried to convince Lorraine to move back in but her younger sister didn't want to. She thought her sister was bound to end up like their mother. Lorraine wanted a new life with Sam and their baby though advised Nora to set a better example.
Social Services kept a close eye on the Bakers and visited frequently, the house was always kept clean and Nora ensured that they could attend the same schools.
Much to the horror of the younger Baker siblings and Jari, Kate physically attacked Nora for trying to take her kids away from her. Nigel and Kyle were clinging to Charlie as they cried at the sight. Numbness went through Jari, he wanted to help Nora but wasn't sure how. The Bakers and he went to comfort Nora who flipped Kate off of her and broke down crying.
Thanks to the new house that the Bakers lived in allowing pets, Gunner had moved with them. Nigel, Kyle, and Jari were in front yard playing fetch with Gunner a few weeks later. As a trick that evening, Nigel threw the flat football and then bent down so that Gunner could run up his back to catch it gaining applause from his brother and Jari who had been watching in amusement.
Fed up with Sam's usual rudeness on a visit with Lorraine, Jari accused him of trying to steal Lorraine from her family. He then let Lorraine have it with both barrels before telling Nora that he'd wait in the car.
Jari was silent during the ride back to the house. But that didn't mean he wasn't listening, Nora agreed with him about Sam but didn't want to lose her sister. The silence concerned Sarah, Jake, and Mike who all wanted to know what was going on. Sarah told him not to worry about the jerk who knocked up her sister when he finally told them.
The milk ran out a few days later, the only ones who wanted to go with Nora to purchase more were Nigel, Kyle, and Jari. A simple trip to the mini mart turned into a a drive-by shooting. Nora forced her brothers and Jari under their car until it was over.
***
The Baker Home
The police came to question Nora about the shooting that evening. Nora led them into the kitchen and sat at the table holding Nigel and Kyle close to her as Jari sat across from them. She sent Jake upstairs who had blamed the cops for almost getting his siblings and best friend killed.
"Please excuse my brother, he thinks he's my husband." apologized Nora to the police as they nodded and left once they were done with their questioning.
Jari was still freaked out about the shooting and not even thinking about what he was saying. "You should've just let Jake at him."
"Is that going to happen everytime we go buy milk?" Nigel asked before Nora could form a response.
"Like hell it will, I'm never buying milk again!"
Nigel looked at Kyle who nodded his agreement, the twins were both playful and hilarious in their antics. "Us neither."
"I'm going to bed." Jari said, he couldn't imagine the thought of dealing with another night like this one.
Sleep is one thing that Jari didn't get that evening or during the next few weeks after that, at least until getting into Nora's bed. Nora encouraged the children to sleep in their own beds but gave in on a few occasions such as this one. The bed was already occupied by the eleven younger siblings. He managed to snag a spot between Sarah and Mike.
Jari had friends. The only two that knew of his family situation were a long blond-haired girl named Christina Beardsley and a brown-haired boy named Josh Faulkner. Josh had a mild form of Spina Bifida and walked with crutches. He told them about the drive-by shooting and had to assure a worried Christina that he was fine and escaped with only nightmares.
Jari came into Henry's room a few days later, the blond-haired preteen was practicing his clarinet. He left and came back minutes later. Henry allowed the younger boy to join him and the two made music together 'til being called outside for a game of catch with Charlie.
Bike riding with Christina around the neighborhood, Jari was asked about the upcoming custody battle. He worried about the prospect of Kate winning custody and being taken from Nora. Christina assured him that no judge in their right mind would give Kate custody but he wasn't too sure. Faking a smile to his friend, the subject was dropped.
Jari went skateboarding with Sarah, Jake, and Mike a few weeks later. He didn't know how to skate very well yet but the trio were teaching. Bumping into Mike's back when the younger boy suddenly stopped, he asked what was wrong and spotted Kate getting into someone's car.
Jari didn't answer Mike's question about what Kate was doing and neither did Sarah and Jake. However, the quartet did skate elsewhere. Nora told them to stay from Kate when they told her what happened later that morning, she constantly worried about their safety.
With each passing day, the Bakers worried about seeing Kate again but never did. Jari was sitting on a top of car belonging to Josh's neighbor one afternoon. The social worker was scheduled to visit and he told his friend that he might miss the open house at their school that night.
Jari knew that the visits were necessary for him to stay with Nora, but he had already missed two other open houses. Only the warning look in Nora's eyes prevented him from being rude to the social worker. Once again with the visit going well, another open house went missed.
He struggled while working on a school report due the next day, Nora walked in and offered to help. The report was on Greek Mythology which was surprisingly a topic that the honey blond knew a lot about. Much headway was made, Nora apologized for open house being missed again and tried to promise that they would go to the next one but he placed a hand on arm and told her not to make promises that she couldn't keep.
That July, Lorraine gave birth. The baby boy was given up for adoption and she moved in with her siblings and Jari. The news of Lorraine dumping Sam thrilled Nora who was the only one happy to see her, the rest even Charlie treated her like a stranger.
It was a shame since Charlie and Lorraine used to be close. The custody trial was coming up and Nora had convinced a lawyer to take the case pro-bono, Jari was still worried. Nora allowed him and the other kids to roast smores in the backyard a week before the trial. Knowing that it was only a distraction, he put on a brave face and went along with it.
Jari accompanied Charlie and Henry to the local Dairy Queen. After ordering milkshakes and burger combos, the trio headed back home. He narrowed his eyes as Lorraine's question of why she wasn't invited caused a vicious argument with Charlie.
The days leading up to custody trial were filled with arguments between Lorraine and one or more of her siblings. Nora finally had to sit everyone down, the honey blond reminded them that Lorraine was their sister and that they needed to stop fighting. Ripping into her about excusing Lorraine's selfish actions, Jari declared that he was staying with the Faulkner's that night.
***
Superior Court of Evanston
The custody trial took place a few days later. Jari had hugged Lorraine tight before they walked into the courthouse, the two had made up the day before after Lorraine's apology. Charlie, Lorraine, Henry, Sarah, Jake, Mark, Jessica, Kim, Mike, Nigel, Kyle, and Jari entered the courtroom after the judge called them in to ask who they wanted to live with.
"Nora." said everyone of the Bakers when the judge asked them the question.
The judge acknowledged Kate's pain and remorse before terminating her parental rights and giving custody to Nora with a sharp reminder to the honey blond that they were her children now. "I understand, they've always been my children, they've never been anyone else's." said Nora.
"Does this mean we can go home now?" Jari asked. Nora nodded her head.
"And we get to stay with you?" Mark added.
Nora ruffled her redhead brother's hair. "Of course."
Sarah, Jake, Mike, and Jari exchanged grins. "This is going to be awesome!" exclaimed Mike.
"No more foster homes." Jari agreed.
"I love you all." Nora said.
"We love you too." Charlie placed a kiss to his older sister's forehead.
Jari didn't like the crazed look in Kate's eyes and started to get uncomfortable. "Urm-" he started.
"Are you okay?" Jake asked and then followed his friend's gaze. "She can't hurt us anymore Jari."
"You're right."
"These are my fucking kids! You can't do this!" Kate cried out to the judge. The Baker siblings all group hugged.
***
Epilogue.
Nora continued raising her siblings, she went through many boyfriends before finally meeting a guy named Bud and marrying him. The two have one son and are expecting twin daughters.
Charlie and Lorraine both got part-time jobs to help Nora out, the money went to making sure that their siblings were fed and clothed. The open adoption of Lorraine's son allowed her to get updates from the adoptive parents. There were also annual visits. Sam never had anything to do with his son after the adoption and refused to talk to Lorraine.
Jari knew that he was not really a Baker, it didn't matter to Nora or her siblings since they treated him like family. He even got legally adopted by Nora as a brother. After the custody trial, Kate kept away from her children and godson. The last anyone had heard, the so-called mother had two more kids who they would never get to meet.