Chapter 31: Three Birthdays and a Funeral
A few more tries later, Link is about to age up still without a sibling in site. He's now eating well, and sometimes even without the mess, but crawling is still a far way off it seems.
"Some children just never crawl," Willow tells her daughter on the phone. "It is nothing to worry about, I promise. He'll be running around soon enough and you'll forget you ever worried about him crawling."
Christmas is a perfectionist, however, and she does not like not completing things. But life has its own ways of humbling you, and this time, Christmas must settle for preparing for a birthday party without that perfect result of Link reaching all his milestones.
As usual they celebrate outside by the pool, a laid back affair in summer clothes and swimsuits, and Willow grill some food for everyone.
Grandpa Lawrence adores his grandson.
And everyone is enjoying the warm weather, the pool and the food.
Though not everyone got the memo about this being a laid back affair. Grandma shows up in her party clothes.
Time to blow out the candles:
Link ages up from a sensitive infant to a wild toddler.
"Some children just never crawl," Willow tells her daughter on the phone. "It is nothing to worry about, I promise. He'll be running around soon enough and you'll forget you ever worried about him crawling."
Christmas is a perfectionist, however, and she does not like not completing things. But life has its own ways of humbling you, and this time, Christmas must settle for preparing for a birthday party without that perfect result of Link reaching all his milestones.
As usual they celebrate outside by the pool, a laid back affair in summer clothes and swimsuits, and Willow grill some food for everyone.
Grandpa Lawrence adores his grandson.
And everyone is enjoying the warm weather, the pool and the food.
Though not everyone got the memo about this being a laid back affair. Grandma shows up in her party clothes.
Time to blow out the candles:
Link ages up from a sensitive infant to a wild toddler.
But wild or not, it's always nice when mom reads you to sleep at night.
But this year it's not just Link aging up. It's time for Willow to join Derek and become an elder. Before her party she takes the opportunity to get a haircut. "It's just more convenient," she says.
"That's what I said too, but you insisted I'd let it grow out," Derek points out, but Willow brushes him off. "It's better that way, trust me."
Before her birthday party she makes sure to water the plants, feed Munch. She even takes the time to make a flower arrangement and increase her skill. She's now at level 8, two more levels to mastery.
But then it's time for the guests to arrive. Willow has made sure there is food for everyone.
She gets to speak to Valentine again - this time without the kicking.
And then it's time for the cake, but why is Olivia suddenly so dirty?
Could it be Munch?
Yup! Much is very pleased with herself when Willow milks her. Oh how she wishes people would learn that at parties you should only eat the cake she serves and not the one Munch try to trick them into eating.
Living as retires has it perks. Willow has all the time in the world to spend in her greenhouse using her new outfit she got for her birthday.
Or pruning her bonsai tree to increase her flower arranging skill.
Sometimes in the evening, it's nice to just know the other person is there, even if you don't actively speak.
At others, you can nag your daughter to bring your grandson over more often.
This fall comes with many birthdays, however, and next in line is Valentine, who is ready to start school. Sunny and Carolyn has been preparing for a while, even with their busy work schedules, and so on the day in question, as daddy plays with him and mommy cooks dinner for the guests, Valentine is really excited.
Carolyn is just about finished with dinner when the guests start filing through the front door of the house.
Soon the house is filled with guests, and Valentine can't wait for them to be done with the eating so he can get to the cake and birthday presents, and cuddles with grandma Sandy and little extra gifts from grandpa Malcolm who always tell him he's such a bright boy.
After dinner he gets to dance with aunty Christmas. That's fun. But why is grandpa Malcom looking so strange?
Tensing up, he freezes, then collapses on the floor. And then there is a scary guy in a cape and then everyone is sad and grandpa Malcolm is gone!
Mommy and grandma are really upset. And then everyone leaves and Valentine didn't even get to blow out the candles on the cake and everyone seemed to forget his birthday!
After changing into pjs, daddy made sure he got to blow out the candles before going to bed at least. Sunny tries to be as cheerful as he can be, and says he understands, that the same thing happened when he was a boy, but Valentine is still angry and not in the mood to be cheered up by anyone! It's not fair! (He also doesn't really believe this actually happened to his dad as well. What are the odds?)
And so Valentine ages up with a mean streak, determined that he will beat Grim one day. He's going to live forever and no one is going to tell him differently!
"So he just died, right there during the party?" Willow asks when Christmas and Jamie tells the story the during Harvestfest dinner the next day. "Poor Carolyn! How is she holding up?" For obvious reasons, Carolyn, Sunny and Valentine stayed at home this holiday.
"Sunny says not well. The funeral is this weekend, and she worries about her mother, of course. I think they might be considering moving back to Oasis Springs. Or Carolyn is, I know Sunny isn't so fond of the idea."
"How did Valentine take it?"
"According to Sunny, he's been angry and acting out all day."
"Poor boy!"
But this year it's not just Link aging up. It's time for Willow to join Derek and become an elder. Before her party she takes the opportunity to get a haircut. "It's just more convenient," she says.
"That's what I said too, but you insisted I'd let it grow out," Derek points out, but Willow brushes him off. "It's better that way, trust me."
Before her birthday party she makes sure to water the plants, feed Munch. She even takes the time to make a flower arrangement and increase her skill. She's now at level 8, two more levels to mastery.
But then it's time for the guests to arrive. Willow has made sure there is food for everyone.
She gets to speak to Valentine again - this time without the kicking.
And then it's time for the cake, but why is Olivia suddenly so dirty?
Could it be Munch?
Yup! Much is very pleased with herself when Willow milks her. Oh how she wishes people would learn that at parties you should only eat the cake she serves and not the one Munch try to trick them into eating.
Living as retires has it perks. Willow has all the time in the world to spend in her greenhouse using her new outfit she got for her birthday.
Or pruning her bonsai tree to increase her flower arranging skill.
Sometimes in the evening, it's nice to just know the other person is there, even if you don't actively speak.
At others, you can nag your daughter to bring your grandson over more often.
This fall comes with many birthdays, however, and next in line is Valentine, who is ready to start school. Sunny and Carolyn has been preparing for a while, even with their busy work schedules, and so on the day in question, as daddy plays with him and mommy cooks dinner for the guests, Valentine is really excited.
Carolyn is just about finished with dinner when the guests start filing through the front door of the house.
Soon the house is filled with guests, and Valentine can't wait for them to be done with the eating so he can get to the cake and birthday presents, and cuddles with grandma Sandy and little extra gifts from grandpa Malcolm who always tell him he's such a bright boy.
After dinner he gets to dance with aunty Christmas. That's fun. But why is grandpa Malcom looking so strange?
Tensing up, he freezes, then collapses on the floor. And then there is a scary guy in a cape and then everyone is sad and grandpa Malcolm is gone!
Mommy and grandma are really upset. And then everyone leaves and Valentine didn't even get to blow out the candles on the cake and everyone seemed to forget his birthday!
After changing into pjs, daddy made sure he got to blow out the candles before going to bed at least. Sunny tries to be as cheerful as he can be, and says he understands, that the same thing happened when he was a boy, but Valentine is still angry and not in the mood to be cheered up by anyone! It's not fair! (He also doesn't really believe this actually happened to his dad as well. What are the odds?)
And so Valentine ages up with a mean streak, determined that he will beat Grim one day. He's going to live forever and no one is going to tell him differently!
"So he just died, right there during the party?" Willow asks when Christmas and Jamie tells the story the during Harvestfest dinner the next day. "Poor Carolyn! How is she holding up?" For obvious reasons, Carolyn, Sunny and Valentine stayed at home this holiday.
"Sunny says not well. The funeral is this weekend, and she worries about her mother, of course. I think they might be considering moving back to Oasis Springs. Or Carolyn is, I know Sunny isn't so fond of the idea."
"How did Valentine take it?"
"According to Sunny, he's been angry and acting out all day."
"Poor boy!"
That behavior doesn't change in the coming few days. On the morning of his grandfather's funeral, he starts by yelling at his mother.
Then complains to his father.
Though once at the cemetery he can't stop crying. "I don't know how to help him," Sunny admits to Christmas.
"Just be there for him, nothing much more you can do."
Sunny tries, but a funeral isn't ever a happy affair, even when the person who died was old.
For Jasmine, it's a time not only for mourning the man who raised her, but for establishing herself as the head of the crime syndicate. She looks to her mother for support.
Neo and Malik aren't really impressed. Back home after the funeral, they talk about the changes that are affecting them. Not only has Malcolm died, but Broderick who ran the gym has also died, and as of now no one knows if the gym will be allowed to stay open.
"Underground boxing just doesn't pay anymore," Malik complains. "And those realtors are eying this entire street, wanting to build fancy homes and make it boring."
"I don't know if I want to work for the Mendoza woman," Neo confesses. "I don't know her, and she doesn't seem the type to focus on good old fashion crime."
"No mostly computer scams. Less risk of getting caught - good money."
"No thrill."
"I'm getting too a bit too old for the thrill."
"Speak for yourself old man, I will never get too old for the thrill, but maybe for big jobs that lines someone else's pocket more than my own. But now what?"
"Sell the house for much more than its worth and take the cash we have stashed and move somewhere warm?"
"If you're talking about Oasis Springs you can shoot me first. I'm not just sitting around waiting to die."
"Are you crazy?! I was talking about somewhere like Tartosa. Beaches, bars, some little secluded villa where we can spend our days in bed waiting for the night to begin."
"I think I could live in Tartosa. A lot of houses I haven't broken into, and no one to take a part of the profit."
"I have my moments."
Then complains to his father.
Though once at the cemetery he can't stop crying. "I don't know how to help him," Sunny admits to Christmas.
"Just be there for him, nothing much more you can do."
Sunny tries, but a funeral isn't ever a happy affair, even when the person who died was old.
For Jasmine, it's a time not only for mourning the man who raised her, but for establishing herself as the head of the crime syndicate. She looks to her mother for support.
Neo and Malik aren't really impressed. Back home after the funeral, they talk about the changes that are affecting them. Not only has Malcolm died, but Broderick who ran the gym has also died, and as of now no one knows if the gym will be allowed to stay open.
"Underground boxing just doesn't pay anymore," Malik complains. "And those realtors are eying this entire street, wanting to build fancy homes and make it boring."
"I don't know if I want to work for the Mendoza woman," Neo confesses. "I don't know her, and she doesn't seem the type to focus on good old fashion crime."
"No mostly computer scams. Less risk of getting caught - good money."
"No thrill."
"I'm getting too a bit too old for the thrill."
"Speak for yourself old man, I will never get too old for the thrill, but maybe for big jobs that lines someone else's pocket more than my own. But now what?"
"Sell the house for much more than its worth and take the cash we have stashed and move somewhere warm?"
"If you're talking about Oasis Springs you can shoot me first. I'm not just sitting around waiting to die."
"Are you crazy?! I was talking about somewhere like Tartosa. Beaches, bars, some little secluded villa where we can spend our days in bed waiting for the night to begin."
"I think I could live in Tartosa. A lot of houses I haven't broken into, and no one to take a part of the profit."
"I have my moments."
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