Babies 65 and 66: Part 1 of 3

I left early that morning for the funeral.  I couldn't believe my mother was gone.  It seemed so... impossible.  She was perfectly healthy for her age and she wasn't even that old.  It wasn't so much as a funeral but more like a family mourning day.  Only my father, four of my five siblings (Alicia hadn't shown up yet), and I were there.  The "funeral" was at a park that Dad had purchased and beautified in my mother's honor and there she was buried.

Lydia, Josh, Dad, me, Noah, and Sophie

We slowly proceeded up the small hill up to her grave under the willow tree and stood in a semi-circle.  My oldest brother, Noah, knelt down and placed a pot of blooming flowers by the headstone.  It was simple, yet meaningful in so many unspoken ways.

We stood there for hours, just crying and holding hands.

Most of all, we were there for dad.  He seemed to take it the hardest.

Alicia came not too long after noon.

"Sorry I'm late, I had some divorce papers to work out."

No one really responded to her.  We just opened up the circle for her and she accepted it.

I know we were at a funeral for my mother and all but all I could think of for the rest of the time was DIVORCE????  I had no clue what she was talking about.  Of course, I hadn't seen her in years nor any of my other siblings.  After the funeral, my siblings stood around to chat.  I went straight for Alicia.  She was sitting on one of the benches with her head down.

"Hey Alicia," I greeted her softly.

"Hey," she replied, not looking up.

I stood there for a long time until she finally stood up.

"I think I should tell your something I should have told you a long time ago."
"Yes?"

"Simon and I... we broke up."  She threw it out there and it landed on me like a bomb.

"Um, you and Simon broke up?"

"Yeah.  A while ago actually."

"When?" I asked incredulously.

"Well it was before---."

"Before I got together with Luke?  Was that what he was calling me about?"  I snapped.

"I assume so---."  She retreated but looked as if she wanted to say more.  My heart was leaping and pumping harder than ever.  These were not the reactions I wanted my body to make at this news.  I thought I had gotten over Simon.

"Were you going to say something?"

"No, forget it."

"No, go on."

"Okay," she took a deep breath.  "Aren't you going to ask me why we broke up?"

"No, that's personal but if you want to tell me I'm okay with it."

"Okay, please don't react to badly to what I'm going to say... but I kind of cheated on him."

Questions raced through my mind.  Should I tell her that Simon had basically cheated on her too?  I mean, all we had done was share a few harmless kisses, but it was still cheating even if nothing too harmful had happened.

"Wait, when you came you said that you were doing something with your divorce, does that mean Simon's back from Bridgeport?  Meaning he's here in this town?"

"Um, yes.  I think he said he was going to go back in a few days though.  He's still doing his research thingy, you know, the young again potion."

"Oh.  Yeah, I think I read about that in the paper but they didn't mention him."

Then she asked me what I hadn't wanted to tell her.  "Why did he call you?  I mean, I know you're kind of like family since he was married to me and, no offense, but I just can't understand why he would call you."

"Um.  Please don't get too mad."

"Promise."  We were just like little kids again.

"I'm kind of in love with him.  Or at least I was.  We were sort of lovers.  Well, that's what he wanted to be, but when he called me I broke up with him and didn't let him explain.  I feel terrible about it now."  She was silent.  "Alicia?"

"Why didn't you tell me?"  She finally asked.

My temper flared.  I'm not sure if it was because our mother was laying dead in the ground a few yards away or what but I was angry.

"Why didn't you tell me you two had broken up?"  I hissed.  "That would have been nice to know."

"I didn't want to bother you with my pathetic life."  She retorted looking up at me.

I ignored her.  "Ugh, I'm so confused," I complained.  "It's Luke or Simon.  Luke or Simon."

"You could do neither of them."

"That's not helping," I glared.

"So," she started trying to make conversation while I calmed my throbbing head.  "I cheated a cheater."

She continued.  "Did you two do anything... bad?"  She looked away.

"No!"  I snapped.

It was silent for a while.

"Wow, you must have really hurt him for him to leave for Bridgeport all these years."

"What do you mean?" I asked through gritted teeth.  She really wasn't making this process easy.

"Well, he wasn't going to take this job offer but right after getting divorced he took the first available plane to Bridgeport and hasn't come back except to deal with divorce papers.  After what you've said today I'd say it was because of you."  She thought for a second.  "I knew there must have been something!"

"What?"  I said impatiently.

She backed down a little as if afraid of getting punished.  "When I told him about me cheating he didn't seem that mad.  I thought it was because he was just a super nice guy and too innocent to do anything but I think it's because of you.  It makes so much more sense now."

"Oh everything's because of me now isn't it?"

"No, but now I hate that man.  He probably wanted to get divorced.  He was probably happy I cheated on him because of then he could go running back to you."  She was on a rant but I quickly stopped her.

"No!  Stop!  Keep me out of this, Alicia.  And don't say you hate him, he's a very nice man.  Urg, you frustrate me to no end sometimes."

"It's just a little relationship.  Plus you said you didn't do anything and you broke up with him."

"It's because I thought he was still with you!  And it was not just a 'little relationship'.  I've known him longer than you.  It was very... complicated."

"Sorry, but I thought you said you cut him off before he could say anything?"

"I DID!  And do you know how much I regret it.  Oh, this is the worst day ever."  I felt like crying.

"So are you staying with Luke?"

"I DON'T KNOW!!!!"

"Okay, fine."  She backed off.  But being Alicia she just came right back.  This was quite the conversation.  I was surprised none of my other family came by wondering what we were doing especially with all of my shouting.  Truthfully, I could hardly keep track with what we were saying.

"So what are you going to do again?"  She asked.

I clenched my fists and took a deep breath.  Now that I think about it those didn't really work for me.  "Alicia, let's just forget it and wait a few days.  I need to think about it."

"Okay.  I understand.  Sorry for pressing you so badly.  You take your time.  Truce?"  Now this was one thing I liked about Alicia.

I nodded and pulled her into a tight hug.  "I'm sorry for getting so mad at you.  I guess all the tension with mom and all this Simon/Luke stuff just needed to come out.  Thanks for being here for me sis."

It started to get dark very quickly once it was time to leave.

Dad took one last look before retiring for home.

"Bye mom."  I whispered.

I was the last one to go.  As I was about to exit the park I noticed a familiar head of purple hair.  Or at least it looked purple in this light.

"Laura?"  I asked.

"Calista Smith!?  Is that you?"

It was my friend Laura Johanson in Sunset Valley.  I had visited her a while back in her hometown, Riverview, but I hadn't expected her to be in my home town.  We exchanged the normal greetings and pleasantries before she asked me what I was doing here.  After telling her she gave me her condolences.

"Hey, let's forget about it.  Why don't we go back to my house."  I suggested.  My heart was in too much pain to bear anymore talk about my mother for one day.

"Ooh, can I meet the famous Luke?"

"Of course."  I smiled (for the first time today).

Immediately I was relaxed at the idea of being in Luke's arms.  I knew I could tell him everything and he would do his best to comfort me.

Laura and I drove to me house and Luke and my now grown up children greeted me at the door.

"We couldn't wait," was their excuse.

Marseille was a child now and I thought he was just as cute as when he was younger.  He loved playing chess, probably from all those happy afternoons Luke and I had spent with him.

The triplets were very unique and as cute as buttons!  Interestingly enough, Zvon somehow ended up with light brown hair.  His hair went so well with his green eyes but I had no clue where the light brown hair came from.

Zenon had very dark brown hair and green eyes.

Zuriel had her father's yellow, green, blue hair along with his red eyebrows.  She also had green eyes like her brothers.

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NOTE

Thank you Amanda514 for letting me use her 100 BC mother in my challenge.  Calista and Laura are going to have so much fun!  Do check out her challenge, it very fun to read, and Calista is also in it!

Hmmm, I guess this post doesn't really count as part of the baby aspect of the challenge but oh well.  I just split the post up because I didn't want to keep you guys waiting too long, otherwise you'd have had to wait a LONG time for this entire post to come out!  Short and more frequent is how I'm going to try setting up this part of the story. :)