When Mel, Ryan and Skye saw the place I picked out, they were ecstatic. I admit it was beautiful. I set up the area where we were going to eat. Ryan pulled a Frisbee out of his pockets and offered up a game. Skye agreed and before I knew it, we were scattered across the beach, running around and throwing the Frisbee. We were having so much fun and somehow, the game ended by us tackling each other in the sand. Laughing, we trotted to the picnic area and began to eat. I could tell Melody and Ryan really liked her. That's important to me. Skye would be with me, and I'm always around the kids. It's funny. I never imagined me wanting to marry a girl and settle down. Honestly, that was the least of my goals. It was the lowest on my priority list and I didn't care. Now, after meeting Skye, my perspective on things is so different. It's hard to explain. She's quiet like I am, but she brings out the best of me.
I didn't tell Ryan and Melody my plans to propose to Skye yet. I wanted to see what their judgment was. When I was finished eating, I got up and began to take a walk. I pretended like I was admiring some fish and examining some shells. I stopped at a certain distance where I knew Skye wouldn't have been able to hear me. I called out to the kids, telling them to come over. Ryan and Mel exchanged confused looks but obeyed. When they got closer, I smiled and began to talk to them. "So how do you guys like Skye?" The kids liked her a lot. Which was good. I nodded and pointed at the shell, pretending to talk about it. "So what would you guys think if I said I wanted to propose to her tonight?" I asked. Ryan rose his eyebrows.
"Uncle Lobo, isn't that a little soon?" he asked. Mel elbowed him in the stomach.
"Shut up. Uncle Lobo's an adult. If he loves Skye and wants to propose to her, who are we to stand in the way?" Thanks Mel. Ryan apologized. I ruffled his hair and thanked the two of them. I emphasized that this was a secret and ordered them not to let on any suspicion of anything. Mel nodded and grinned. "You got it, Uncle Lobo!" she exclaimed. I just loved those kids. I would die for them. When I eventually made my way back over to the picnic, I grabbed Skye's hand and stood her up. She asked what I was doing but I didn't answer her. Mel and Ryan exchanged more glances and snickered. Skye blushed.
"Come on Lobo. Just tell me." she said lightly. I laughed and dragged her down the beach.
"Walk with me." She acquiesced. When we were far down, we stopped to admire the sunset. We reveled in its beauty. She said it was romantic. I nodded. "Speaking of romantic, I wanted to ask you something." She seemed distracted and caught off-guard. That's good. I always knew that my dad proposed to my mom on the beach. That's why I chose to do it with Skye. I hoped it would work, but I also hoped it would make my mom proud. I pulled the box out of my pocket, opened it, and got down on one knee. This fluid movement shocked her. When Skye saw what I was doing, she gasped and held her hand over her mouth. "Skye, I love you so much. We've only known each other for a short time but you're the love of my life. I never thought I would say this, but I've found my soul mate. So I ask you humbly, Skye, will you marry me?" Skye began to cry and I calmed her down. Once she was coherent enough to speak, she nodded.
"Yes! Yes!" I took the ring out of the box and slipped it on her finger. She was overjoyed. I was overjoyed. Until a strange smell wafted past my nose. It was smoke. I glanced towards the forest. Smoke rose from the trees. Orange flames jumped across the trees. I gasped.
The forest was on fire.
Jackie's POV
Tex is a very efficient lawyer. He wasn't able to get the restraining order, but he did have the Equalists agree to stay off our property and had the culprits charged with vandalism. The cops were currently going through processing. However, this came with consequences. The news stations quickly burst with news flashes about how the Harris family was "attacking the Equalists." This wasn't the case at all but try explaining that to the biased media. They print and release what they want to. Even if I did a press conference trying to clarify things and explain them, I wouldn't get my entire point across. The good part is that Steven was bailed out of jail. Once Steven was released and the police station apologized, I tried to tell Tex to let them go. I didn't want issues. We still had to live our life and I didn't want the police station to have it out for us. However, Tex was insistent. He gave me that whole schpiel about freedom. You can't argue with Tex when he's in a schpiel. I was driving away from the jail slowly with Steven in the passengers' side.
Paparazzi wouldn't leave us alone. Steven was silent. I guess jail made him somber. I wouldn't blame him. Steven didn't seem like the kind of guy that could survive one night in jail. I was trying to drive through the crowd without running someone over. It was difficult. Something I heard on the radio shocked me so much that I slammed on the brakes. This gave the little vermin a chance to surround the car closer. Steven opened his mouth to ask me what was wrong but he heard the news too, and turned up the radio. The man's voice was calm but firm.
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"Right now, Cocoville is engulfed in flames. The entire forest is on fire. Animals are being told to evacuate. Nook's Cranny is already burnt down, but that's not all. There was some strange oil spill. It is currently unexplainable and authorities are trying to examine both the cause of the fire and the oil spill. No authorized oil carrier was planned to travel near Cocoville at all. The Harris-Howlerson Family Safety and Security Committee suspect there is some kind of foul play involved, but nothing can be said for sure. Stay tuned for regular updates on the fire! And now to--wait."
My heart sunk. I felt like I was going to be sick. Our kids. Lobo. Our calm life was being disrupted again. Steven was breathing nervously and his face was pale. "My...my dream. About a fire...Jackie..." I reached my hand out and gripped his hand. I wanted to tell him everything was going to be okay so I could be the supportive peppy wife. However, I just couldn't bring myself to say it, because I wasn't sure. The man on the radio was speaking again.
"Breaking news. The police are saying there are people trapped on the beach. Two wolves and two human children...breaking development...the Harris children, Lobo Howlerson, and an unidentified wolf are trapped on the beach." I squealed and placed my hand over my mouth. Steven just broke down. He dissolved into tears. He broke away from me and just began crying. The paparazzi and news people were really getting a kick out of all this. I bet all these photos would be worth a lot of money. I wish I could have just run over all of them and sped to Cocoville in an instant. I couldn't. Instead, I just honked the horn continuously, in anger. It didn't scare them; if anything it got them excited.
"Jackie...our kids." Steven whispered in between tears. "We left them and it's all my fault." he said. I told him it wasn't his fault. He shook his head and placed his hand over his mouth. "It is my fault, Jackie. I failed...I failed. My kids are...Lobo...oh my...." I grabbed Steven's shoulders and shook him.
"We have to be strong. We have to trust that everything's going to be okay." I said firmly. Steven cried more.
"But what if it's not? Jackie, I can't lose those kids. They're my everything! I live for them. If they d--" We were interrupted by Steven's cell phone ringing. I was annoyed but looked at it anyway. It was Jason. I picked it up since Steven was occupied. Jason was calm but still seemed inwardly frazzled. He told us they were planning a helicopter rescue and everyone should be safe. I responded testily and hung up quickly. I would have to apologize about that later. But for now, I had more important things to attend to. I parked the car and wrapped my husband into a giant hug. He cried into my shoulder. We haven't had this much drama in a long time. While it was disconcerting to go through, I was confident everything would turn out in the end.
Melody's POV
Ryan and I watched Uncle Lobo walk with Skye down the beach. I really did like her. Besides, my uncle Lobo needed a companion. He seems content for now with us, but I know that he wanted to settle down as long as he met the right girl. For a while, I was worried that Uncle Lobo wouldn't find anyone, but when I met Skye, I knew she was right for him. I can't explain it but Uncle Lobo just acts different around her. He's a happy-go-lucky guy, but around her, he's happier. It's like he's on the top of the world and nothing can ever move him from the top of that mountain. I want Uncle Lobo to be happy. I want him to get married, settle down, and have kids. I've learned something being here: Life is what you make of it and you can do whatever you want. Your life is your choice, but if you go through it alone, it's no fun. You may have accomplished some small-term goals you wanted to achieve like making money, getting that big house, or going to the best college, but there's nothing like having a friend in life. There's only a few things we really need to survive. Food and water and air are the obvious ones. But there are other things we need that nobody mentions. You have to learn those things on your own. We need love, we need support, and we need friendship. Whether that friend is just a close friend like Midge is to me, or a lifelong friend, we need that person and that person needs us.
I underestimated the power of friendship. When I lost Midge, I felt like I lost my other half. It sounds stupid and even childish, but you don't understand unless it happens to you. And that feeling I felt...I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. For once in my life, I finally understood how my dad felt when he lost his sister. It wasn't just the fact that she died, or wasn't protected enough. It had nothing to do with that. It was much deeper and I was too stupid to realize it. My dad had a bond with his sister that can never be replaced. They had their ups and downs but ultimately, they loved each other just like I and Ryan love each other. Kristen wasn't just my dad's sister; she was my dad's true friend in life. They were so close and I just didn't know it. Nobody probably knew it. So when my dad lost Kristen, he didn't just lose his sister. He lost his best friend.
He can never get her back. He has to go through life feeling that empty feeling I felt for a few days when Midge left me. I finally understood why he wanted to protect his family. It had nothing to do with being overprotective and annoying and overbearing. While he couldn't replace his sister fully, he bonded with all of us and we were his new "friends." If he lost us, he would feel emptier and sadder than ever. I finally got it. I wish I could tell him I understood, and hug him and kiss him, and tell him how much I love him. Now I'm stuck in this fire and there's a chance I might not be able to get out. I may never be able to tell him how I truly feel and apologize for my actions, and that is the hardest thing ever.
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We had packed up all the stuff from the picnic but there was no way out. The forest was on fire and oil was spilled in the water. We were basically trapped. Uncle Lobo had gotten a phone call from the Harris-Howlerson Family Safety and Security Committee. They were sending a helicopter. I was relieved but I just hoped they would hurry. I looked up and saw a figure move through the forest. I stood up and pointed this out to everyone else. I ran to the edge of the beach. Uncle Lobo called after me, but when I got closer, I realized who it was. It was Trevor. God, I hadn't seen in forever. He was burnt, he was covered in soot, and he coughing. I grabbed and carried him further down the beach. He was still coughing when I sat him down. Lobo offered him a little sip of one of the bottles of water we had taken with us.
"Trevor, what were you thinking? Are you okay?" I asked nervously. Once Trevor was composed, he nodded.
"Yes. I'm fine. But Mel, how are you? I wanted to make sure you were okay!" he exclaimed. I shrugged.
"I'm fine! But Trevor, you shouldn't have went through the forest just to look for me!" I yelled. I didn't want him to die or get hurt on my account. I wasn't worth it. Besides, why did he care? Trevor sighed and shook his head.
"Melody, the last time I left you, I felt so lost and alone. I was an idiot. The last time we spoke, I was a jerk and I ended thing pretty abruptly and suddenly with you. I know it didn't seem that way at the time...you were actually pretty understanding..." Trevor sighed. "I learned that I couldn't be without you. You made me feel...happy. My life isn't perfect. I may be a Nook but my life is far from glamorous. Same with you. You're a Harris. You're a celebrity, but my lie isn't stress free. But something about you...you make me feel like I'm on top of the world." He paused. I paused. This was a very dramatic moment. I brought up his arranged marriage. Trevor didn't seem too concerned about it. I opened up my mouth to bring up something else; but I was interrupted by the whirring of a helicopter.
We were being rescued.
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I know right? For a while, people thought Lobo would be the lonely bachelor. I honestly thought he would too, but the introduction of a new female wolf in NL allowed some stretching.
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Jared hadn't returned. When I went back into work, it was just me. It was unnerving and rather terrifying. I remembered the last words he told me. He had such confidence in me. I wish I could've told him he was wrong. I wish I could've told him that he was far from correct about me. I would never be something, and I never wanted to be something. I was content with my life. I wasn't the richest but I was happy. Who truly can define happiness and wealth anyway? No one can, so we have to go through life with our own idea of those concepts. I'm content with my interpretation of those concepts. If I went through life constantly wanting and wanting, I would never be content and I would never be satisfied. I'll admit: I'm not ambitious and I'm not going to be something I'm not.
A manager of a Nook store...I am not. At least I thought I was. Right in this moment, I'm managing the store. The worst part was, I was operating the entire store by myself. I really should hire help. God, I haven't even been the manager for long, and I'm already talking about hiring help. The bell over the door rang. A brown pig with blonde hair walked in and smiled at me. "Hello there, Bree!" This was Pancetti. She had come in the store regularly and was a normal customer. When I worked normally for Jared, we developed a close acquaintaince. She noticed I had a different outfit on today. I would have been wearing a light blue t-shirt but since I was a manager, I now had a blue apronI on top of my normal shirt. "What's with the new apron?" she asked. I smiled nervously and leaned on the counter.
"Well, Pancetti...Jared offered me a job as a manager." I said. Pancetti opened her mouth and an emotion of shock wiped across his face.
"Bree, that's great! Congratulations!" I didn't say anything. Pancetti continued to babble. She was a talker. I didn't really like talking much, especially during work hours. Pancetti sensed my discomfort and prodded me gently. "What's up?" she asked. I shrugged. She clicked her tongue. "You don't exactly look like a happy manager." she said with a slight grin. I rolled my eyes.
"I'm not." Pancetti asked why. I untied my apron and threw it on the counter. "I don't want this. I don't want any of this. Jared ditched me with barely a word to say in edgewise. He gave me the keys and practically ran out of this joint." I looked around. "It's falling apart, and I don't have what it takes to nurture this place back together." I looked around some more. The place was clearly a dilapidated shack. How Jared never noticed is beyond me. Pancetti listened to my rant quietly. I pointed to the supplies. "We don't have the inventory to raise profits and we don't have the money to get variety. I looked at the books and we're barely breaking even." I sighed and placed my elbows on the counter. "No wonder this place was going to go through with the merger. I'm thinking about doing it myself." Pancetti balled her hands into fists and beat the counter violently. I was quite startled and stood up straight.
"You can't!" She was practically in tears. Why was she so emotionally vested in this place? I asked her if she wanted to be the manager. Of course I was joking, but apparently she didn't appreciate my poor sense of humor. "You need to take this more seriously! Jared obviously put you in charge of this place for a reason! He must have seen a flame of passion deep inside of you or something!" she exclaimed. I narrowed my eyebrows and thought inwardly. I have no passion for really anything except my son. I told her Jared must have been wrong. Pancetti growled. "Sometimes I can't stand you because you're always so negative and down on yourself! Look up for once and think positively!" she shrieked. "Ever since I was a little girl, I always enjoyed coming in here and seeing Jared. Jared's not here and that's okay. I like you but I don't want you to close the store down!"
For some reason, I was getting angry. "That's not your decision." I retorted. "I'm the manager and if I want to close the store, I can close it. Nothing you say is going to convince me otherwise!" I said. I don't really know where it came from but it had the opposite effect on Pancetti. Instead of getting angry or scared, she actually smiled. She patted me on the shoulder.
"That's the sprirt! Now if you act like that more, I think that's what Jared is hoping to squeeze out of you!" I was confused and asked Pancetti to explain. She shrugged and leaned against the counter. "Well, I've only known you for a short time but I can tell that you're loyal and passionate. I think he's right. I think you have what it takes to make it in business!" I exhaled loudly.
"Business is boring and you don't understand. I don't want to do anything like that. I would be content if I did nothing for the rest of my life. I don't want to be 'something'. I don't even want to be 'someone'. I just want to live my life quietly without being bothered. I don't need to be rich or well-known or famous. I've had my time in the spotlight when I was younger and you know what? It sucked. I hated every second of it. I don't want to be the center of attention. I just want to...I don't want any of this." I turned on my heel and ran out of the store, Pancetti calling my name.
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I watched Mel and Trevor interact. Even though they were right besides me, I couldn't hear what they were saying. I was too nervous. Skye gripped my hand and I kept Ryan close. Every now and then I glanced up at the sky. I was waiting for a helicopter to fly in and rescue us. I watched the flames lick at the forest. The trees we had just walked through, the foliage we had all enjoyed and admired...it was being destroyed in front of our eyes. I looked towards the water. Fish bodies were rising from the bottom and floating on top, among the oil. I could barely look at it. I had to turn away. The oil was killing the wildlife. Those fish did nothing to hurt anyone and they were suffering...for us. Why does everyone and everything seem to suffer for us? It's not fair to them. I blinked away a tear, thinking of the time Steven, Mom, Dad, Uncle Steve, and Aunt Mariah and I were trapped in the basement. I felt Skye squeeze my paw and she smiled at me. I smiled back.
She would never be able to understand me, or what I've been through, but she tries and that's all that matters. She pointed to the sky. "Lobo, there's something up there." I squinted my eyes and adjusted my glasses.
"It looks like a helicopter." Quickly, the object got closer. The wind was blowing and the whirring got louder. The helicopter was trying to find a place to land. Skye and I grabbed Ryan and Melody and moved backwards. That way, the helicopter had tons of room to land. It didn't actually land though. It hovered about fifty feet over the sand and lowered a rope ladder. A man stuck his head out of the door and gestured towards us. I nudged Melody, Ryan, and Trevor forward. They needed to go first. Slowly, they climbed up. Then I let Skye go up. I allowed myself to go last, because I loved all those people so much. Well, Trevor was just there and I didn't know him that well; but everyone else I loved dearly and would die for. They're all I live for. Finally, I climbed up the ladder. Once we were all inside the helicopter, the plane turned swifty and headed away. I didn't know where it was headed but I had a good idea we were going to be teleported somewhere where we would be safe. We were in better hands now. The Harris-Howlerson Family Safety and Security Committee would take care of us. I was confident everything would be okay.
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I went home actually. I guess that was bad of me. On the first day on the job as a manager, I ran out of the joint. Oh well though. I've had a lot on my mind recently. I have just reunited with my family, Moose had a steady job and were attending counseling, and my son was still in the hospital. In the beginning, Rodney had made some progress; but recently he's been at a roadblock. The doctors say it's common and possibly a phase. He'll get out of it. However it's been a while. I'm worried he'll be permanently that way. Rodney was always tired and could barely stay awake for two-three hours straight through. Moose and I always tried to be there for those times. Rodney could hear and see us, but he was mute and he was very fatigued. He couldn't get up out of the bed yet, and had trouble with his motor coordination. Therapists were working with him but Rodney would get very frustrated. He couldn't speak but he could squeal and grunt and blink to communicate with others. One of Rodney's therapists was Doctor Renee Altman. She was a pink rhino. Very nice girl. She was patient and caring towards Rodney. She would push him as much as possible but when he would get annoyed, she would stop and let him have a break. She was great with him.
I was reminiscing about one of the episodes where Rodney made a lot of progress. Renee was talking to him and told him that his mom and dad (Me and Moose) have been great, and have been coming out to the hospital every day. We couldn't stay overnight because it was too stressful. Renee asked if Rodney could repay the favor by telling us he loves us. Moose and I didn't know what to expect. Rodney had suddenly thrown his arms back across his chest so he looked like a mummy and mumbled incoherently under his breath. That day, I felt so happy. However, that was the last day he really did anything. Renee says that may have tired him out. She said she was teaching it to him secretly, as a surprise for us, and maybe he got burnt out.
Now as I sat on my couch, I felt tears flowing down my face. I was crying on the couch and didn't notice that the door had opened. Moose was coming in from his lunch break I guess. When he saw me, he came over and helped me stand up, asking if I was okay. I nodded. "I was just thinking about that time Rodney told us he loved us..." I trailed. Moose sighed and distanced himself. I could feel the dirt and sweat on him. He muttered an apology and poured himself a glass of water.
"You can't obsess over that, babe. The more you think about it, the sadder you get." I knew what Moose was saying, but his tone behind it made his comment seem insensitive. I cringed inside and he sensed it. "I'm sorry." he mumbled. "But you know how I feel about that. I don't like to think about it." he said looking down.
"Well, maybe you need to stop ignoring the problem and sweeping it under the rug!" I exclaimed. I blurted it out. I had no idea why I said it. Maybe it was in retaliation for his first comment? I don't know. Moose clenched his fists but said nothing. I blushed and looked away. Something inside of me wanted to apologize to Moose; but my stubborn side resisted. My stubborn side won. Moose exhaled loudly and looked at me.
"How did this turn into an argument?" he asked testily.
"You're making it one right now." I said smoothly. I shouldn't have said that either. He got angrier.
"Me? How about you? You're the only one that can suffer or be hurt by all of this?" he asked. I felt like slapping him across the face but I was able to restrain myself. He kept talking. "Well, I'm hurt too Bree. I'm Rodney's father. I--" I interrupted Moose by reminding him I was Rodney's mother. "Will you let me finish?!" he yelled. I stood up and walked across the room. No apologies were exchanged between us. Moose sighed and scratched his head. He spoke in a quieter voice. "I'm hurt too, okay? Rodney is my son and I love him just as much as you do. I wasn't the best parent in the world so that's what makes this all the more difficult." I looked up and saw he was crying. "I've made mistakes. I was a terrible dad and a terrible husband. I missed the moments of his life. Now he's 20 years old and his life could be changed forever. He may be a different kid. That's okay and I'll always love him but...I'm never going to know what he was really like." I began crying again. Moose embraced me and we hugged in the middle of the living room. When we broke apart, he laughed a little. "That's why I don't like to talk about it..." I kissed him on the cheek.
"Crying doesn't make you less of a man," I stated. "Speaking of being a man, Rodney is going to be 21 soon." Moose's eyes bulged and he whistled in admiration.
"21, huh? Time flies." I nodded in agreement but said nothing. I was thinking about something Moose had said. He said he would never get to know what Rodney was really like. Does that mean Moose lost hope? Does that mean that Moose has given up on our son? I haven't given up on Rodney and I never will. Even if years pass and nothing has changed, I will never give up on Rodney. I know he's strong and I know he's a fighter. I wanted so badly to discuss this; but I knew better this time around. I stayed quiet and as we embraced in the living room, I remembered three things. Firstly, I remembered a quote I read one time: "Your life is like a butterfly...you go through changes before you become something beautiful." I don't remember where I heard it but that was always pretty. Secondly, I remembered people saying that no matter how much they fought with their family they always loved them because they were always there for them. Thirdly, I remembered a family magnet that was on my parents' fridge as a kid:
"What is a family? A family is a blessing It means too many things Words could never really tell The joy a family brings... A family is a mutual love, The love of a mom and dad Showing children how to love And care for one another... A family is heartfelt pride, The feeling deep and strong, That make us glad to play a part And knowing that we belong... A family is always home, A place where we can share Our joys and sorrows, hopes, And dreams, For happiness lives there... A family is a bond of faith That even time can't sever, A gift to last throughout our lives-- A family is forever!"
That didn't really describe our family but that is what I believed the definition of a family is. Those discoveries made me realize something. It made me realize that I could make it work with Moose, and it made me realize I could make it work with my brother, my sister, and maybe even my parents.
Short but sweet. This is actually a magnet I own BTW. I wish I could change this to say 8/1 butttt I'm not.
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Thank you for the Reese memories (7/9/13-9/27/17)
Well, I was speeding towards Cocoville. My wife was hanging on for dear life as my speedometer reached 100. She had told me several times to slow down but I didn't really listen. It's not like I was going to get arrested or be in danger by speeding. There was no one on the road going this direction. Everyone was going the opposite direction, leaving the Cocoville area and evacuating. As a matter of fact, in the other lane, traffic was backed up and cars were sitting still. It had to have been annoying to be stuck in traffic on this rural road. As the smoke got closer and the smell irritated us more, I could tell we were getting closer. I slowed my speed to 80 when the sign actually said 45. Jackie grabbed my shoulder and told me to slow down before we go around the corner and encounter the cops and other people stopped in the road. I wasn't worried though. I mean, I should have been. However the only thing that mattered to me right now was my family. Finally, the smoke was so thick that I had to slow down. I had seen the cop cars only because of their sirens. I quickly parked the car and hopped out. Jackie followed. I had bumped straight into Jason. He looked up at me and squinted.
"Steven? What the heck are you doing here, man?! You can't tell me that you drove all the way out here." I told him I did. Jason sighed. "I told you I had it under control. Here." he handed Jackie and me some safety masks. I thanked him and we put them on. Next, I asked where Lobo and the kids were. Jason pointed towards the sky. "The pilot radioed a few moments ago that he had just picked up everyone safely off the beach. They're heading over now." I breathed with relief and prayed under my breath. I felt Jackie's soft hand on my shoulder. Suddenly, the wind picked up and I saw men in the distance backing up nervously and waving at the sky. That's when I saw the helicopter. I ran towards it as fast as I could. Jason and Jackie called after me but I didn't want to stop. The men waving the helicopter down tried to stop me but I kept going. Just as the helicopter touched the ground, I jumped in and hugged my family.
I didn't think there was one person that I hugged first, I kinda grabbed them all and embraced them. I noticed there were two people that didn't exactly qualify to be family. One was Trevor Nook, but I think he liked my daughter. The other was some wolf. She was very pretty and reminded me of Aunt Whitney. I had a good feeling it was Lobo's girlfriend. I didn't even have to say any words to my family. I just continued to squeeze them, thankful that God kept them on this earth. I didn't know what I would do if they died. Paramedics and cops pushed me aside so they could address any medical concerns they had. They first grabbed Trevor Nook, because he was burnt pretty badly. Tears rolled down my face. Melody looked up at me.
"Dad, I'm so sorry for everything I've said or done to you. I understand you now. I--" she was talking so quickly I wasn't really paying attention. I couldn't really focus right this moment. I kissed her and hugged her closer.
"Not now, honey. We'll talk later. I promise." I said. She nodded. "Go to your mom." I said, pointing to Jackie across the way. She ran over to her. I scooped my son up. He was embarassed but I didn't care. Despite his protests, I kissed him all over and carried him to Jackie and Melody. I wouldn't let go of him or loosen my grip. "I love you, son. I love you so much and we're going to spend more time together and I never want you to leave and--" I blurted. Jackie put a hand on my shoulder and told me to stop. I got the nonverbal hint and put him down. I looked over my shoulder and called out to Lobo. Turns out he was right behind me with Skye. Lobo blushed a deep red and introduced us.
"This is Skye. My...girlfriend." There was something about Skye...either it was her personality or her appearance. Something about her screamed Aunt Whitney. I remember Aunt Whitney clearly. I missed her. I could see qualities of her in this Skye girl and I only saw her for two seconds. I told her it was nice to meet her and shook her hand. The wolf smiled and shook my hand back. Lobo smiled. "Actually, she's my fiancee. I proposed to her on the beach." I rose my eyebrows. Proposal? That was rash, very unlike of him. I just hoped he was making the right decision. I couldn't tell him how to live his life. He was an adult and he deserved someone. I honestly didn't know there were any wolves around. I thought he was going to sadly live alone, or with us. Living with us wouldn't be totally bad but he could never have a companion. Now that he found Skye, I'm legitimately happy for my cousin. He can be truly happy now since he has a forever friend in life. I congratulated the two firmly. We were interrupted by Jason.
"Hate to barge in on the reunion guys. but the police are going to conduct a giant investigation. Plus it isn't safe for you all to be here. We need to relocate you." I asked if we were going to be in the same place my parents were. He nodded; I felt relieved. I hadn't seen Mom, Dad, Uncle Wolfgang and Lobo in forever. We got in the car and headed out. I kinda lost track of where we were going, but I was excited. Eventually, we wound our way through a thick forest and the car slowed down near an old farmhouse. Jason didn't go with us, but he sent some security with us. The guard looked back from the driver seat and grunted at us to get out. I practically ran out of the car and entered the farmhouse. I barged in the kitchen without knocking. I immediately encountered a flashback of the basement moment. My mom was frazzled and nervous, my dad was composed, and Uncle Wolfgang was in the corner with Melba. My mom saw me and ran over.
"Steven!" she wrapped her arms around me. "Oh gosh, I'm so scared. This reminds me of that time--" I nodded and cut her off.
"I know, Mom. It'll be okay." Jackie, Lobo, Skye, and the kids came in after me. Dad knelt down and hugged the kids. Mom shifted her embrace from me and hugged Jackie tightly. When Mel and Ryan hugged Uncle Wolfgang and Melba, I shook Dad's hand firmly. "How's it going?" I asked him. He shrugged and glanced at Mom subtly.
"Eh, you know how it is with your mom. I'm holding the fort down though." he said, flashing an impish grin. God, that grin never gets old. It brings the youthfulness back to his face. Lobo and Skye exchanged niceties with Uncle Wolfgang. Dad narrowed his eyes at Skye and pointed to her. "Who's she?" he asked. I explained that it was Lobo's fiancee. Dad chuckled and looked at her for a while, without saying anything. We both kinda stared at her quietly. Finally, he spoke up. "She looks like Whitney. Spitting image of her." I said I knew. "No, really. It's amazing how that happens sometimes. She seems like a lovely girl." I nodded.
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#blackout
Thank you for the Reese memories (7/9/13-9/27/17)
"She is." I remembered the last time we were all together like this. Unfortunately, it didn't end up as well. I looked across the room and saw Ozzy sitting beside by himself. Ozzy was Melba's son from her first marriage. He looked left out and alone. I felt like going over there and talking to him, but Dad distracted me by talking about Skye. I couldn't help but remember what Dr. Howell said, about how I held a grudge against my father for not protecting our family enough. I know deep in my heart that it wasn't his fault, however for some reason, I felt it was. I figured there was no time to talk about it like now. This was a perfect time. I interrupted my dad. "Mind if we talk privately somewhere? Maybe upstairs or in another room?" Right now we were all in the living area, in the dark, conversing in different groups. Dad nodded.
"Sure! What do you want to talk about? I didn't answer and walked into the office room. It wasn't really an office but it could be one. He sat down in one of the chairs and asked me again. How was I supposed to go about this? It wasn't like this was an easy topic. I sat down next to him in a different chair, and went through the options in my mind. My dad was looking at me expectedly. Finally, I opened my mouth.
Jackie's POV
The men talked with the men for the most part, and the women stuck together. It wasn't necessarily my job to console her, but she is my mother-in-law. I respected and loved her. It took a while but I was able to calm her down. I never spent a whole lot of time with her, but she reminded me a lot of Steven. Their attitude and their panic-stricken outlook on crises really are alike. I could sort of see why Steven is the way he is. I never understood really before, but I could always try to relate to him. Mariah is a great woman but a bit ago, she was having a meltdown. I was the only one that could calm her down. Melba and Skye were talking to each other in the corner. I was abandoned. Melba and I didn't always get along. Steven was rather neutral about his uncle marrying the koala; I didn't really have an opinion. I heard a squealing. Skye was in the kitchen with a kettle.She was making some tea. I remembered something that Steven said ages ago, and something I had read in Wolfgang's book Perfection and the Hacker 2.
Whitney, Wolfgang's first wife and Lobo's mom, had always made tea when she was nervous. Now, Skye, Lobo's fiancee, was making tea. I thought that was kinda funny. I saw the astonished looks on Wolfgagn's and Lobo's faces. I couldn't tell if it was a look of pure glee, excitement or terror. It was all those emotions sorta mixed into one expression. It was amusing nonetheless. Mariah had interrupted my thoughts by speaking. "I apologize if I'm being a burden, Jackie. I appreciate you sitting here with me." I looked at Mariah's face. She was much older. You always say old pictures of Mariah, when she was young and beautiful. I mean, she still is a very pretty woman, but she's definitely aged. Now, the wrinkles showed. Her eyes were red and puffy. I couldn't help but feel sorry for this poor woman. She's been through a lot and this definitely doesn't help matters.
We were sitting across from each other. I subtly mentioned how Steven sometimes gets panicked too. Mariah didn't seem surprised. "It's no wonder he is the way he is, if you knew how he grew up." she commented. I asked her to clarify. "Well, he grew up with...me. You see how I am. I can't help it. I'm always like this. I've tried to control it but if I try to calm down too quickly, it just gets worse. So I learned to just go with the flow." I nodded and asked her if she frequently gets panicked. She nodded. "Of course I do! It drives Steve crazy but he learns to love me." she said adding some laughter. "Steve doesn't understand sometimes, but he tries to relate. I just tell him that I felt such an empty feeling during all those times and it really took a toll on me. I never want to feel that way again." I gasped and felt a realization dawn on me.
I understood so much now.
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#blackout
Thank you for the Reese memories (7/9/13-9/27/17)
What am I saying? I still love him. However, my idea of love towards my father has changed. After my mother died, he changed and I couldn't describe it. He ran for mayor and was elected but it wasn't very successful. I feel it was really a publicity stunt. Dad wasn't genuine about it. Plus he married Melba, my old nanny. In no way am I judging her because of her species. It's just...we have a history. She didn't like my mom. That's an understatement. Melba said my mother was a terrible mom. I do admit that in the early years, Melba was more of a nurturing parent to me, however she had no right to say that about my mom. The fact that Dad went with her...God. It hurt, you know? I know both sides of the story. I know that Melba thought my mom worked too much and didn't spend enough time with me. I know that Melba thought my mom was pushing me off on her, because I was a burden. I know that isn't true. I know my mom's side too. My mom just wanted to live her dream. She always wanted to act, same like Skye. She had no choice but to let Melba take care of me, and she felt terrible about it every second. Yes, she was snooty. Yes, she didn't like Melba around me; however she had no choice. Dad had to work too, so the only option was Melba.
It wasn't that she suddenly wanted to play house and be mommy. She did honestly feel bad, and thought Melba would be taking me away from her. That wasn't the case at all, but I won't forget those words that Melba said. Those words she said about my mom. How could I get over that so easily? I was a mama's boy anyway. However, after some time, I developed a relationship with both Dad and Melba, but we weren't close. Just now, they were huddled in the corner by themselves. I could see Dad's eyes rest on Skye every now and then, when she was making tea. I saw the look in my dad's face. He saw Mom. Honestly, I saw Mom too but I didn't like to admit it too much. Wouldn't that be weird?
Anyway, Melba and Dad were sitting in the corner nervously. I felt a little bad because nobody was talking to her, but I definitely wasn't going to be the one to break the ice. Just as I thought that, Skye got her cup of tea, sat next to them and started talking. As much as I wanted to sit next to my fiancee, I didn't want to deal with Melba. Thus, I walked towards Melody and Ryan. I would comfort them. For a while, we played cards, laughed and had a good time. Later, in the middle of a game, Ryan looked up and smiled.
"Hey Pop-Pop Wolfgang!" he exclaimed. I looked up and saw Dad was standing there. He asked to speak to me alone. I nodded and stood up, asking the kids if it was okay. Ryan nodded. "It's fine, Uncle Wolfgang. We'll go on without you." Ryan and Melody continued the game. Dad led me away from the group into a room upstairs. As we ascended the crickety stairs, my nervousness worsened. We entered a bedroom and sat on the bed. I looked my dad in the eye and asked if everything was okay. He nodded.
"Peachy. I wanted to talk to you about something...well, someone." My stomach pitted. This was going to turn into a 'why do you hate Melba' conversation. I stood up before he could say anything.
"I know what you're going to say, Dad. I don't want to hear it. Honestly I--" Dad cut me off.
"Skye is a wonderful woman. I'm glad you're marrying her." I paused and asked him to repeat himself. Dad blushed and hung his head. "I...I think Skye will be a good wife. I'm happy for you." I couldn't believe what I was hearing. My breathing got shallow. I managed to ask Dad how he found out. "I could just tell by the way you two were acting. It reminded me of how your mother and I acted when we were engaged. Besides...I saw the ring....and Steven told me." I rolled my eyes and smirked. Steven was always a blabber mouth. "Unlike you, I'm actually approving of your fiancee." Ouch. That hurt. Dad and Melba were married but I refused to acknowledge it or go to the wedding. However, that was very different. Right? I mean, I was hurt and betrayed. I wasn't necessarily a victim but I wasn't in the wrong. I bit my tongue, refusing to say something I would regret later. I had just made amends with my father. I wanted to continue on the pathway to a healthy relationship with him again. I decided to speak my feelings, but I would speak calmly.
"There's a big difference, Dad. It took a long time for me to adjust to Melba, and you know it. Our history is just--" Dad scoffed.
"Just what? You need to grow up, kid. Sometimes, things don't go your way in life. You just have to deal with it and move on." he said coldly. Harsh.
"Dad, Melba said Mom was terrible and pathetic. How can you be with someone that trashes the mother of your only son?" Dad didn't say a word. I continued talking. "I just don't understand you sometimes. How can a woman be more important than your own son? You should respect your child's opinion enough to listen to them and not stomp all over their feelings!" I exclaimed. Dad mumbled something but I couldn't hear it. "I know, you're just so ashamed of me, right? I'm not the butch athletic son you wanted. I know you envied Steve and Steven's relationship. Now look at them! They're messed up too! Oh, so I was nerdy, booksmart, small and unathletic. That doesn't mean you can just throw me to the curb and not consider me your child!" Dad stood up from the bed but I pushed him down. "You don't get to walk away!" I yelled. I'm sure someone heard me. Heck, I'm sure the whole house heard me, but I didn't really care. "It's my turn to tell you exactly how I feel!" I exclaimed. Dad sighed deeply. As soon as I spazzed, I felt bad. You could visually see that my dad was older. His hair was gray, his face was wrinkly, and he didn't move as fast as he used to. However, something inside me held me back from apologizing.
Dad cleared his throat. "I'm going to bring Melba up here. You're going to settle this with her. Don't drag me into this." Dad stood up and walked out of the room. He stopped himself though in the doorway and turned around. I could feel his eyes piercing mine. I felt guilty. He sighed. "I love you." I watched him descend the stairs. I fell onto the bed exhausted. I never flipped like that before. I felt terrible, and to top it off, I didn't want to apologize either. I knew I was wrong, but I also felt that it was okay for some reason. That's when I heard light footsteps on the stairs and I heard a weight lean on the wall.
"Lobo? It's Melba. Can I come in?"
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#blackout
Thank you for the Reese memories (7/9/13-9/27/17)
After some time, I got used to being in a managerial position. I won't say it suited me, because it didn't. I just felt more comfortable being the boss and calling the shots. It was just me at the store. No one else. I didn't hire other people, because I still wanted to work. Needless to say, nothing changed drastically. However I could tell business was picking up. I received positive and negative attention. Since I was on civil terms with my brother and sister, they spread the word that I was now the manager of a Nook's Cranny. Those people spread it around and--since my name was still noticeable--I was receiving a lot of business. Some people were nuisances who sat outside, jeered, and convinced others not to go in. There were some people who chose to not buy anything but strike up conversations, ask for autographs, and take pictures. I had to reassure these people I was no celebrity, but they wouldn't hear it. Then there were the other people that came in, bought something, were nice, left, and promised to spread the word. I appreciated those customers.
One day, my brother and sister came in. Dora brought her husband and her two kids. My niece and nephew were quiet mice and didn't speak to me really. While they looked around aimlessly, my brother and sister came up to the counter. I greeted them like normal and asked what was going on. They had a different countenance to them. Normally, Broccolo would be loud and goofy, joking and socializing with the other customers. Dora would roll her eyes but laugh at our little brother's antics. However, today they were grim and quiet. Broccolo shrugged. "Dora and I need to talk to you." he said simply. I looked around the store. There were quite a few custoners shopping and browsing. I told them now wasn't the best time; but Broccolo wouldn't take no for an answer. "We've put it off long enough. Can we go in your office so it's more private?" I sighed. I didn't really want to 'leave' my store, but technically the shop was so small that my office was nearby. I nodded and led them into my office. I shut the door and offered them a seat. The two mice sat across from me.
I was becoming nervous now. They were scaring me. I couldn't sit down. Broccolo told me to sit down but I refused. Dora sighed at my stubbornness and spoke. "Broccolo and I didn't want to tell you this at first, because we had just reunited. However, we agreed that we have to tell you this and we delayed it for too long." she said with a sigh. A few tears fell from her eyes and Broccolo had to pick up the conversation.
"Bree...Dad has terminal cancer." My eyes bulged out and instinctively, my hand gripped the table. I asked for more details. What kind of cancer? How long has he had it? Why didn't they tell me? Dora was in no state to answer. Broccolo hung his head. "It started from a little tumor they found...but it's spread all over. They found it last year. Doctors told him he only had a few months." Tears began flowing freely down my face. My dad...his days were numbered. It broke my heart to know this, but it also broke my heart to realize that we haven't spoken to each other. He told me to be gone from his life. If Broccolo and Dora didn't tell me, my father and I never would've resolved things. Broccolo scratched his head. "We're sorry we didn't tell you. We really are...but we didn't want to just spring it on you like this."
"So you wanted me to not know?!" I yelled. The mice winced and I felt bad for taking out my emotions on them. It just seemed that lately, everyone around me was disappearing slowly. We were all silent for a few moments before I broke the ice again. "Where do Mom and Dad live?" They told me they lived on a remote island. I stood up straighter. "I'm visiting them. Today." I started to walk out of the room but Dora--who had recovered from her little breakdown--grabbed me and stopped me.
"Why? Bree, you can't just go and--" I cut my sister off.
"Yes, I can, Dora. I'm going to see both of them. I'm not going to let it end this way." I turned on my heel and sprinted out of the office. I ran past the customers. I left my keys on the counter. This would be the second time as a manager, that I ran out of my store while it was still open.
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#blackout
Thank you for the Reese memories (7/9/13-9/27/17)
Great chpter, Liv! The cancer thing... that really took me by surprise, the story's very dramatic now. Not saying it wasn't, but now... it's even better.
Thank you Nikkiwikki! This will be an pivotal part of the plot as you'll see later in the story. ;D It wasn't fun writing that part but these last few chapters of the PATH series...I blew through them. I enjoyed writing them and I enjoyed just buzzing through. xD
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#blackout
Thank you for the Reese memories (7/9/13-9/27/17)
I remembered how Dr. Howell told me to confront Dad. I was just supposed to...let it all out. It's much easier said than done though. I had to do it though. I need it to move on, and Dad needs it so...I don't know exactly. To know the truth? To know how I feel? Maybe. I loved him and I never want to hurt his feelings; however by bottling in my feelings, I was getting hurt in the process. I couldn't do that any longer. I opened my mouth and told Dad how I really felt. It was hard. It was hard telling my father how--for ages--I felt it was his fault my twin sister died. As a father, I never would want to hear those words. I wouldn't want, God forbid, Ryan blaming me for Mel's death. No, I wouldn't want it; but I continued. I continued for the sake of my sanity and my family. As I told Dad all this, his expression softened and he looked like he was going to break down. When I finally stopped talking, he replied mellowly.
"So...you're saying that in the beginning, you thought Kristen's death was my fault for not protecting her, and that's why you are the way you are?" he asked. I didn't say anything. He got part of it right, so I wasn't going to correct him. I nodded. He bit his lip and it took him a second to form a thought. "You have no idea how much I've struggled with that. Maybe we need to talk more so this kind of stuff doesn't happen and get carried on for years..." he trailed. "But honestly, I felt guilty for so long. I had nightmares about it. I blamed myself, of course I did. You bet. I had to go to Dr. Howell to deal with it all." he stated. Wait, what? Dr. Howell knew about this? Geez, she's good. I guess she was right. All I had to do was confront Dad and things would've been easier? Dang it, I'm such an idiot. "Your mother was so supportive of me. Nights and nights passed--you can ask her--where I would wake up crying like a baby and she held me and told me it wasn't my fault."
"How did you get over it?" I asked. Dad shrugged and smiled that impish grin.
"The same way you got over it. Time heals all wounds. I 'spoke' with Kristen often, asking for forgiveness, had regular counsel with Dr. Howell, and had your mother's full support. It wasn't easy but I went through it. You didn't really notice it, I guess. That was okay. We all had our different ways of coping." he said. I nodded.
"I guess all I had to do was talk to you, huh?" I asked. Dad laughed and nodded. "I'm sorry, Dad. This all could've been resolved if we just--" I trailed uneasily. Dad finished for me.
"Talked?" I nodded and laughed. The Harris grin crept onto my face too. We both started laughing. Soon, Mom and Jackie came up the stairs, asking if everything was okay. We nodded. Mom asked us what we were talking about. Dad explained it a little bit. Mom nodded.
"Right. I forgot you went through that phase. I was just talking to Jackie about the same topic. I told her I lost a lot of things in my life that were special to me at one point: North Creek, Dr. Shrunk, Kristen of course, Whitney...a lot of dramatic things have happened to us that threatened our lives. It's even taken some other lives and I told her that those things and people possessed parts of my heart. When they were taken away, I felt empty. We all panic in our own ways, but it's the support that makes us special, brings us back to ourselves, and calms us ultimately." My mom always was so wise about things. Jackie sat next to me, kissed me on the cheek, and told me she loved me. I kissed her back and we couples had a "romantic" moment. It's really not weird to cuddle your wife in front of your parents. It's not as weird as I thought anyway. Jackie spoke up.
"I know you always told me, Steven, that I would never understand you or your feelings; but I do relate to you. All I can do is comfort you and calm you down. I may not have been through what you have, but I always can be there to help you through the rough patches." Dad laughed and nudged Mom.
'Who does that sound like, Mariah?" he asked teasingly, smiling. Mom blushed.
"I know, I know! I always say that!" We all shared some more laughter. When we were done, we dispersed, leaving the room and going on our own way. But I never realized before how much we're all alike. It's somewhat eerie to see the comparisons in me and Jackie, and Mom and Dad. I just pray that we won't mirror them as much...I don't want to lose Melody or Ryan. And I don't want either of our children having to worry or panic about things. While it's nice to see the similarities, I hope that Jackie and I learn from the past and create a better life for ourselves and our family.
Melody's POV
I remembered reading Perfection and the Hacker 2 and seeing what had happened during my dad's childhood. Reading that book was a staple of the way Ryan and I were raised. Not reading that book, in my family's eyes, was a tragedy. I clearly remember how everyone spent time together in the basement. That's like how we are now: all stuffed in some strange barnhouse in the middle of nowhere just waiting things out. Time heals everthing but on some occasions, it's not the solution. However, I will admit that I've learned a lot by spending more time with my family. I've learned lessons that will stick with me for life. I'm not sure how Ryan has responded to this but he seems different. Normally, he would be like the side character while someone else took the show. I couldn't help but notice that he became more vocal and opinionated. I felt he was making the transition into becoming a man. He had spent a lot more time with Dad recently. That would always benefit him. Overall, we all have spent more time and learnt more about one another. It's brought as closer as a family and I love every second of it.
Speaking of Dad, I still had to talk to him. He had come downstairs with Mom, Grandma, and Grandpa. I didn't know what they were doing up there, but I didn't question anything. When Dad got near me, I asked him of I could talk to him for a moment. He nodded and asked what was up. I led him into a different room, but I invited Ryan to come with us. Ryan deserved to be involved in the conversation. We sat down in a distant room, away from everyone else. I looked at Dad. When we were living in Cocoville, a lot of Dad's stress was gone. You could see it visibly absent in his face; however, it had reappeared now. I was saddened to see this, but I didn't let it bother me too much. I could tell Ryan saw it too.
"Dad...remember when I was talking to you when we first get off the helicopter?" he nodded. He blushed and admit he wasn't paying attention. I rolled my eyes and chuckled. Typical Dad. We were all swept up in the moment now, so I didn't blame him. "Well, I wanted to apologize to you. Since we moved here, I've learnt a lot of things and I kinda understood you more." He raised his eyebrows and stared with intrigue. "I understand how you feel and why you are the way you are." Dad could see where I was going. Ryan raised his hand.
"I understand too. I used to be very neutral about everything; however I've seen your perspective on things now." Dad smiled and brought us into a hug, thanking us and crying a little. Instead of trying to soothe him, I ended up crying with him. That caused all of us to have a crying fit and we just embraced for a few moments. When we broke apart, I wiped my eyes and smiled at my dad.
"I'm sorry for everything, Dad. I hope you'll forgive me." I trailed. Dad laughed and flashed that impish grin. That impish grin of the Harris family, that I constantly see Grandpa and Dad flash. That impish grin I see occasionally in Ryan's smile. It must be something with the Harris men. We hugged again. Grandma had walked in but blushed, walking out of the room and mumbling she barged in on a family moment.
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#blackout
Thank you for the Reese memories (7/9/13-9/27/17)
With the help of my brother and my sister, I found the island where my parents were living. It was an exotic resort island, off the coast of Smithville. It wasn't easy to find them. Turns out, a lot of people retired there when they were older. However it seemed that everyone on the island knew Samson and Bella Crepeau. They didn't know me though. I guess I was never mentioned. That's okay. I didn't expect or need to be bragged about by my parents. The neighbors wanted to know more about me, but I hurried away. They didn't need to know anything about me. Besides, I was afraid that they would learn more things about me...they didn't need to know my business. I was just here to see my parents. I wasn't looking to socialize or make friends. As I approached the neighborhood my parents were living in, I could tell which house was theirs. It was just their style: large, modern, and clean. It looked like a mansion, just sitting there on the beach. No one was outside though. There was no boat or jet skiis around either. It's a shame that such a beautiful beach house was occupied by such fuddies.
I knocked on the large white door. I heard some rustling and then the door swung open. My mom stood there. That's something weird to say...my mom stood there. I hadn't seen her in forever. She definitely aged during that time period. Her hair was almost all white now, she was hunched over, wrinkles hung on her face and neck, her hands were stricken with arthritis, and sunken gray shadows lingered underneath her eyes. If I didn't remember how rude my mother was to me, I swore I almost felt bad for her. She narrowed her eyes at me. I guess I wasn't that much different. For a bit, I had changed my appearance to look rebellious, but now I looked like the same ol' Bree. She bit her lip and her steady gaze turned into a glare.
"Who told you?" she asked coldly. Ha. The first words my mother has spoken to me in years were words of disgust and hatred...typical. I folded my arms and leaned on the vinyl siding.
"Broccolo and Dora. It doesn't matter though. Someone should've told me. Were you never going to tell me?" I asked testily. She shrugged indifferently.
"That was the plan." she said coldly. I clenched my fists but controlled myself. I pushed past her (she was weak anyway), muttering to myself that I wanted to see Dad. She cut me off and scowled. "You can't just come in here after how man years and demand to see your father! I'm calling the police!" she exclaimed, grabbing the telephone. I sprinted upstairs. I figured my dad's bedroom would be up there. Mom followed me upstairs. "Your father is in a very bad condition right now! You can't go up there...I forbid you!" she screeched. I laughed out loud.
"Mom, I'm an adult now, with a kid of my own. Forbidding me to do things and counting to three doesn't work anymore." I said with a sneer. I pushed her against the wall and ran up the steps. I didn't honestly mean to shove her as hard as I did. I guess I underestimated my strength. I didn't anticipate my mom to be so...weak. Feeble? Whatever the word for my mother's loss of strength is...it baffled me. I felt bad as I heard her back collide against the wall roughly. I felt too ashamed to apologize though. I blushed and ran away. Maybe it wasn't the best move, but it was what I did. It was easy to find my dad's room. It was the only room where the television could be heard. I burst through the room when I saw him. He looked vulnerable and sick. He looked like he was dying. That latter assumption was more or less true.
He was lying in bed, eyes half closed. His head turned a tiny bit when he heard/saw me come in. When he spoke, his hoarse voice barely rose above a whisper. "Bree...is that you?" I choked back tears and nodded. He was as brusque as Mom. He closed his eyes and turned his head at an angle. My heart broke. Dad was still the same. I kept calling out to him. He muttered under his breath. "Leave me alone." I freely cried and let my makeup bleed. I grabbed my father's arm. He was weaker than my mother, I was afraid my grip would create a bruise on his arm. I let go but pleaded with him.
"Please, Dad. Dad? Daddy...I love you. Please, look at me." I begged him. I demanded his attention. He ignored me. It broke my heart. I loved my father. I haven't spoken to him in years, yes. I thought he was the biggest jerk in the world, yes. I even despised him and thought he was the epitome of a white collar snob, yes. But I loved him. He was my father. He gave me life. I understand that he wasn't the best father ever; but he was my dad. I loved him unconditionally. That's one thing I learned...he may not love me but I don't have to stoop to his level and not love him. I can be the better person. So that's what I'm doing. Long ago, I forgave him. I just felt better not being around him. He was toxic and mean honestly. But now, after learning that my dad didn't have long, I felt different. I didn't want to leave it off like this. I don't think I could live with myself.
He closed his eyes. "No." he croaked. Before I could respond, the door opened. Mom was standing in there. She stormed in and pushed herself between me and my father. She kept telling me to get out. I refused and fought back. However, after a bit, it was futile. I gave up. I glanced at my dad one last time and pleaded with him to reconcile. Time was ticking. Every second that passed was a second that I didn't spend having a mutual loving relationship with my father. It always killed me on the inside; but I buried it. I never let it show...but now it was difficult to cover. I wanted to make up. Dad didn't though. He opened his eyes, lifted his head, and glared at me. I couldn't interpret this. At first, I thought he was actually going to do it. I thought he was going to say okay. Actually, quite the opposite happened.
"Never." His head bounced backwards. His eyes closed. His chest froze. Mom turned around on me and snarled.
"You...you...you killed him!" I stuttered dumbly, unable to come up with anything to say. "Get out. Get out! Be ashamed of yourself! Get out of my house!"
"Mom--please don't! You're making a mistake! I just--" I stuttered.
"I never want to see you again! I would be happy if you were out of my life for good." I paled and froze. I guess this was the true reality. I was kicked out of my mom's house. I let myself go. I knew that if I resisted, police officers would come. I didn't need that drama on top of anything else. I wandered onto the beach, feeling abandoned. I thought about my brother and sister. They deserved to know. I wasn't going to hide this from them. Was his death my fault? Maybe, but even if it was, I wasn't going to let it bother me too much. I headed to the docks, freely crying. I wanted Kapp'n to take me home. By the time I got to the docks--after lying in the sand and crying--my tears were dry. Standing at the dock were three alligators. They looked related. I didn't know them from Adam, but you can, for the most part, tell if people are related to each other. A tall green alligator with some kind of gills on the side of his head was obviously the father. Two younger children were running around at his feet. The boy was a camoflage color and the girl was bright pink. The father looked down at the kids, and grabbed them before they could run off the dock.
"Sly! Gayle! Calm down please." he ordered. I was shocked at how quickly the children obeyed. They stopped and the boy looked up at me. I always felt awkward when little kids looked at me. Most little children were very fascinated with me. I never knew whether to smile or not. It was never natural for me to grin at other people's children; but it always seemed like they expected it.
"Hi!" Sly, I presume, said with a wide grin. I smiled and greeted him back. The father chuckled and looked at me.
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#blackout
Thank you for the Reese memories (7/9/13-9/27/17)
"This is Sly," he said pointing to his son, "and Gayle is the carbon copy of her mother. Nice to meet you, I'm Drago." he extended his hand. I shook his hand firmly. We were moving rather quickly. Were introductions necessary? I mean, his kid just said hi to me. If I had friends every time my kid said hi to someone, I would be one of those obnoxious people with a thousand friends. I didn't want to be one of those people either.
"I'm Bree." I said curtly. I turned my shoulders, signifying I wasn't interested in this conversation. Drago looked out at the water and turned towards me.
"It's a beautiful day, isn't it?" I nodded. He continued talking. "I feel grateful during times like this." I narrowed my eyes, my curiosity now piqued. I asked him to explain. "Well, days like this make me thankful for my life. Every day passes no matter what, but every day is different. Every day, one person isn't living and a new person has replaced them." He was talking about birth and death. We have just met each other and he is broaching this sensitive subject...well it's sensitive for me since I just saw my father die in front of me. Holding back emotion, I let him continue without betraying my thoughts. "I'm grateful that I'm given the opportunity to live every day. I want to use this time to fight for myself and fight for my children. Not only do I want to fight for them, I want to be the best I can be so one day, when I'm not here, they can appreciate me and acknowledge my impact on their lives..." he trailed. By now, his children were towards the edge of the docks again, looking down at the ecosystems under the water. This guy was such a great father. He was nothing like my dad. I pursed my lips and turned towards him.
"As long as you love your children unconditionally and never stop, then I'm sure your children will love and appreciate you back." I said. He smiled and nodded.
"I will. Thank you...um thanks for not only saying that, but thanks for listening. Someimes my own wife doesn't even listen to me when I go on my inspirational tangents like this. So yeah...thanks." he said blushing and laughing. This guy seemed nice enough, but was he just wanting a friend? Or was there something more and I just didn't know it? Whatever. The boat was arriving from the other side of the island. A white anteater with dark hair stepped off of the boat and thanked Kapp'n for the ride.
"No problem. Annalisa!" he said. "I'll see ye later." he said. Kapp'n turned to me. "Ready, Bree?" I nodded and turned towards Drago, about to tell Kapp'n I wasn't the only animal ready to go back to the mainland. However, he was gone. Drago wasn't just gone. His children were gone too. I squinted my eyes."Are ye okay?" he asked. I nodded and asked him if he saw a family of alligators standing there. He shook his head. I asked if he had taken over a family of alligators today. He said no again. This was getting weird now. I was confused but chose not to pursue anything. I got in the boat. Kapp'n stared at me strangely, but said nothing either. As I looked towards the mainland, I saw a little brown alligator standing on the dock. He was waving at me. My eyes bulged out of my head. I spluttered dumbly and tried to point out Sly's presence to Kapp'n.
Kapp'n didn't see him.
I couldn't discern reality at this point.
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#blackout
Thank you for the Reese memories (7/9/13-9/27/17)
That was sad... Poor Bree, she killed a man... Twice, now, I believe? One being her father, and one being Kristen. I think that's her name, anyways. But awesome chapter, that was also a sad chapter, and stuff.
Posted:
7/12/2013 12:03pm
Catching up now! 
