Generation 1, Chapter 10: Revelations

Before me, the scene that I couldn't possibly process, quickly dissolves into a scene of distress, as my father and mother-in-law notice my untimely arrival.

"Uh, um... This isn't what you think it is...," my father splutters, masking the shame on his face with his wrinkled hand. My eyes shift to Mrs Webber, and I receive confirmation that what I saw was indeed what it is. 

"Really, dad? That's how you're gonna defend yourself?" I growl in a low, threatening voice. "'Oh, oops, it's not what it looks like'. COME ON! We all know that it was EXACTLY what it looked like. You're cheating on mom. Mrs Webber is cheating on her husband. What else can it be, old friends reconciling? Yeah right!" The last bit of my accusation I say with such hatred that my father seems shocked - obviously that's not how he raised me. But sometimes one's anger can get the best of you.

"Now, missy, don't you go talking like that to your father. I am still your senior, your parent, and you should respe-"

"Respect? Dad, I'm not a child, so do not treat like I'm one. I hold you in the highest regards when it comes to respect. But that is because you're a good, honest man, and I cherished you because of that. But you literally threw all of that out of the window just now!"

"Honey? Is something wrong? Did you find the dogs?" I unexpectedly hear my husband's worried voice drift up the stairs, and I realize that my voice must have reached a higher peak. I breathe in deeply, before answering.

"Yes, everything is fine. Akira is just chewing on some of the furniture, and I'm trying to get her to stop!" I call back, surprised at how steady my voice flows out of me.

I hear Alex's quiet chuckle from below. "Hah, well, good luck to you!"

The minute I hear Alex's footsteps move away from the stairs, I turn my annoyed eyes on his mother.

"I'd like you to leave now, please," I say in the most amiable voice I can manage.

"I don't think that's the right thing to do, we should sort this out, Destiny!" Mary protests.

"Leave. NOW," I order like an army sergeant. "I don't have the strength to deal with this." True, it's harsh of me to be saying this to an older person, and also my mother-in-law; but when someone does something crazy in my house, I have the right to chase them out.

When Mary walks out of the front door, I make sure no one is in the hallway, before dragging my father up to the attic, where hopefully no one would hear me if I decided to scream out loud.

"I'm sorry, sweetie, that you had to find out like this," my father sighs.

"How did this happen, Justin?" Hearing his real name causes him to flinch - he's not used to be called that. "How long has this been going on? Does anyone else know? ...HOW did this happen?!" I repeat.

"Well, it all started... At your wedding, pretty much, where I first met her. Mary and I, we can talk to each other about anything. And I enjoy that. I swear we haven't done anything worse than just talking, until today. I thought it was the perfect moment to kiss her, here, in private. Apparently I was wrong. No one besides you knows. I don't know if I have the power to tell your mother... I mean, I still love her, but I like the company of Mary as well."

I let go of the breath I had been holding in, knowing that this is just as hard for my father to announce, as it is for me to hear it. "Alright," I say, calming down, little by little. "I'm trying to see your viewpoint, and I understand that you want a chatting companion when mom isn't at home. But doing it behind her back like THAT, isn't the way to go. I want you to stop these shenanigans and be straightforward and in the public. If I find out that you two are still going behind our backs, I swear... Everyone will know of your betrayal."

My father chooses to depart after our "nice little discussion", and, with nothing better to do, I head downstairs to find my husband. As I suspected, I find him busy attacking Keegan with his 'Magical hand of tickles'. The sight instantly brings a smile to my face.

"Ah, there's my beautiful princess! I wondered what tower you had climbed up, or if the dragon had kidnapped you, and I thought I might have had to rescue you... But I see you rescued yourself!" Alex's delicate hand reaches out to my face, and the gesture sends chills down my spine. It's like the day I met him at the park again... I keep getting this giddy feeling when I'm around Alex.

"Nope, this princess can think for herself, thank you very much. And if there was a dragon, he'd be no match to her supreme Martial Art skills!" I laugh, taking his hand in mine.

We laugh together for a moment, before he stares into my eyes seriously. "Des, what happened up there?"

"What do you mean?" I play dumb, and try to look innocent.

"Come on, there was a whole lot of shouting... And then my mother left. Then your father came down a few minutes later, and sped off with his car. I'm not stupid, Des. I can see you guys had a fight. What did my mom say? Did she say you're only good for housework, because seriously... I can put her in her place."

This man knows me so well, I almost want to moan. "Do you mind if I told you tomorrow, when we go to the park for our family day? I'd rather just cool down today and let go of it tomorrow."

Alex says nothing, but nods. From his demeanor, I can see he's frustrated, yet doesn't bother me any further. God bless this man for knowing me so well.

We arrange to drive to the park early, before it becomes too crowded with people that love to visit the park on the weekends. Getting out of the house feels nice, as after a while, the house can become... Too small? Of course, it's a huge house, but spending time outside of it just feels good.

As Alex pulls into a parking lot just across the park, I beckon to him that I'd like to speak to him in private. Kaylin is blissfully unaware of our exchange, and leads Keegan to a safe spot where the play peek-a-boo.

On a comfortable bench on the east side of the park is where we sit down to talk. I've made up my mind; I'm going to tell him. But each time I think about, I just want to shy away from it - I can't bring myself to say it out loud.

"Beautiful day, huh?" I say in an effort to distract him, casting my eyes around the breathtaking scenery that surrounds us.

"Um, yeah, it is. Perfect for a family day... Des, what did you want to talk about? You were so distant towards me last night. Did I say something wrong again?"

"No, NO! You're perfect, Alex. But there's just something that has been bothering me...," I suck in a deep breath, loading my lungs to its full capacity, before shooting up from the bench in a standing position.

"You know that I was pretty upset last night... And for good reason. Well, the truth is, yes, your mother and I did have an unpleasant encounter with each other, but not for the reasons you think. I caught her in the dogs room... With my father, while in an embrace. I think they were just about to kiss each other again, when I walked in there."

Alex stands there for a moment, his mouth hanging open and his eyes shocked, the perfect picture to describe what "dumbstruck" means.

"Wait a minute... Are you saying... That MY mother... Is cheating on MY father? And vice versa with you?"

I nod sheepishly, not knowing what else to say.

"Please tell me you're kidding? Because this is not funny," Alex threatens in a dark tone.

"Alex, I wish I WAS standing here and spouting nonsense. But I saw what I saw, and I can't change it. Our parents are cheating, end of story, fullstop."

"Oh... Oh my God. My mother, she's such a good person, sweet as an angel. How can she do such a thing. She and my father have been together for so long... NO!"

I watch on how my husband freaks out in front of me, clutching his hair in his fists, looking absolutely terrified. Note to self: deliver such hard news more delicately next time. If there IS a next time, which I highly doubt.

I leave Alex alone for a bit so he can cool down and come to grips about the news I just gave him. Instead, I go search for Kaylin, who I find is dancing around the park like a crazy fool.

After watching her play for a minute, I realize that I'm the idiot, and that she's only playing around in the park, in search of some butterflies that are flying around. I observe how she moves up close behind a butterfly, and quickly clap her hands to catch it...

...Sadly, she couldn't catch one, and the thought seems to break her heart.

Like the worried and over-protective mother that I am, I rush over to where she's sulking, and pat her on the back.

"Don't worry, sweetie. There will be other butterflies you can catch."

She sighs. "I know. But I really needed this one for my homework project. I have to say how certain species of butterflies look like, and a whole bunch of other stuff."

"Well, I could help you, if you'd like," I suggest timidly.

"Really?" Her eyes light up. "That would be GREAT!"

For the first ten minutes of homework, I describe to her a few of the species that I have seen up-close and have caught in a jar. It's only after a describe to her a "dark and mysterious" type of butterfly that I see she has some troubles.

"Mommy... Keegan isn't at school anymore. I didn't see him in class today or yesterday, and I went to the teacher, who said that he didn't know, either, just that Keegan's name disappeared off of the system." She pauses for a moment, and starts to weep. "Mommy, I'm really worried about him. What if something happened to him?!"

"Oh, come now darling, you can't think like that!" I hush to her, quickly taking her into my arms for some comfort. "Think positive thoughts, and positive thoughts only. I'm sure he just transferred to a new school..."

"Without telling me? He wouldn't do that. He's my best friend. Well, maybe not entirely - We had a really bad fight. I told him that I was getting too old for certain things, like playing with dolls and stuff. And that seemed to tick him over the edge." She sighs again, her head hanging low. "Him leaving without saying goodbye... That's probably what's making me so upset. I guess I could get over him. As my teacher said, 'No one man is worth crying over'. There's some real wisdom in those words!"

I laugh, not out of agreement, but because I have no clue what to say. I don't really agree with that statement; if Alex died, I would cry until an entire ocean was filled.

Speaking of Alex, he was pacing around the park like a madman. He never stops, just walks around and mutters incoherently. At one point, he pauses, instructing us to come over.

"Do you mind if we switch over this get-together to the beach? I think the ocean air would help me think more clearly." Yeah, as if that would help clear anything. I agree anyways, and as we walk by the pool, I recognize the hospital in the distance, remembering that I wanted to go there to refill a prescription.

"Do you mind...?" I gesture to the hospital.

"Alright, no problem," Alex nods. "Meet you down at the beach."

As I walk through the steel doors of the hospital building, I figure I might just as well get myself one of those pregnancy tester things they sell in the pharmacy, for in the future. I fulfill my prescription, and as a personal joke to myself, I test myself to see if I'm pregnant, knowing that I'm obviously not pregnant at all. The sad part of it all, in the end?

Turns out I AM pregnant.

Why is it that each baby after my challenge seems to be a surprise baby?

~♥~

Thank you for reading the latest installment of the Rose Legacy! Hopefully I improved from the last update I posted - to be honest, I've spent a great deal of time, making sure the grammar and adjectives of this post are proper.

Please comment and share your thoughts with me on this chapter!

PS: As many of you have (hopefully) seen, I've added default replacement skins to my game. I really like them, and think of keeping them. I'm not so sure on the area of males, as I like Alex's face without the new skin. Anyways, in the next post, you'll also see default replacement eyes, which I'll be testing out.

Have a nice day!

:)