April 30, 1971

On Friday afternoon, Mike came to the hospital to pick up Carol and Bobby.

"Oh Mike!" Carol kissed her husband. "I've missed you so much!"

"I've missed you too, Honey. You too, Son." Mike playfully punched Bobby's arm.

Bobby forced a smile.

"Well that's not a look of a young man excited to go back home after a long stretch of time in the hospital."

Bobby shrugged.

"Talk to us, Son. What's upsetting you?"

Bobby sighed. "I bet the kids didn't even miss me! At home, I'm just the forgotten fifth child. I'm not popular like Greg and Marcia, I'm not kind and friendly like Peter, I'm not memorable like Jan, and I'm not cute and precious like Cindy! I'm nothing! I'm just 'that other Brady kid.'"

"You're right, Son. You may not be as popular as Greg and Marcia. You may not be dramatic like Jan, you may not be the cute youngest sibling like Cindy, and you may not have as big of a heart as Peter. But that doesn't make you any less special. You're not like your siblings. Rather, you have different traits that make you uniquely Bobby. You're creative, you can always find the good side of a situation, and you're one of the most loyal people I know." Said Mike.

"Too bad my brothers and sisters don't see me like that." Bobby mumbled.

"Look me in the eyes, Son." Mike said. When Bobby did so, he continued. "Do you have any idea how many times your siblings asked about you this week. They missed you. You have a very special place in our family. On the day you went to the hospital, all of your siblings asked about you. Each and every one of them. Greg was missing your help when he was waxing his surfboard. Marcia and Jan were struggling to play a game of Twister. Cindy was stumped on her homework and Peter can't play catch by himself very well. Your siblings would be lost without you, Bobby."

Bobby's eyes twinkled with hope. "They really needed me for all those things?"

"Every single one." Mike nodded.

"I'm sorry, Dad. I was really wrong about what they think of me."

"I know that being the fifth of six children isn't an easy place to be. You often feel forgotten and left out. But your siblings just showed me how important of a role you have in our family."

Bobby smiled. "I'm ready to go home Dad."

Mike smiled and hugged his youngest son. "I'm ready for you to be home, Bobby."

Mike and Carol smiled and put their arms around each other as their son led the way out of the hospital.

That afternoon after school was dismissed, Bobby anticipated the arrival of his siblings.

They walked in the door.

"Bobby!" Cindy squealed, running and throwing her arms around her brother.

Marcia, Jan, and Peter soon joined the hug. Greg set his books down and put his arms around all his siblings.

"Those are some pretty special kids you have there, Mr. and Mrs. Brady." Alice smiled.

"They are. We're so blessed." Carol smiled, leaning her head on Mike's shoulder. "Very blessed indeed."

* I am SO SORRY for the wait on the last chapter everyone. This finally concludes my story. I hope you enjoy it! :)