Chapter One; The Big Bombshell
Lilly and Lucy finished changing into their bathing suits. They had been over at their aunt and uncle's house to spend some time in their pool with the rest of their siblings, cousins, and friends. They slid the door open that led out onto their deck, while Amber walked into the kitchen where Hermione had been busy rubbing the dishes dry before she levitated them into their proper place inside the cupboards.
"Hey Hermione have you seen Melissa?" she asked her.
"Yeah, she's already outside with the other kids." Hermione replied while avoiding eye contact with her friend.
"Is everything alright?" Amber asked her worriedly.
"Yeah, everything's fine." She began. "Why?"
"Because The Cheetah Girls have to get ready for their big annual summer tour with The Dragons like we've always done." Amber told her.
"Oh yeah, right." She began before she finally turned to look up at her. "I forgot, just with everything that has been going on."
"Well don't worry, I'm sure you'll do great." Amber reassured her with a warm and loving smile. "After all, you and Ginny have always had the best voices, and I know that Ginny would love for you to be our new lead singer." She said.
"What about our fans? What are they going to think about it? I mean, do you really think we're still just as good by ourselves?" Hermione wondered.
"Listen Hermione, it was yours and Ron's idea in the first place." Amber told her before Hermione let out a rather sad and heavy sigh before turning to go down the hallway.
"I better go get changed." She said hurriedly while Amber simply turned her head and watched her from over her shoulder.
"Hermione?" she questioned as she watched her friend escape into the bedroom and close the door behind her when suddenly Aaron came into the kitchen soaking wet wearing his bright red swimming trunks (with a jet of fire on the side of them) and matching sandals.
"You're getting water all over the floor." Amber said as she turned to look at her husband who was now drying his face inside a bright blue towel.
"I'm sorry, but everyone was wondering when you and Hermione were coming outside." He explained.
"Well, I was just coming out and Hermione just went inside the bedroom to change, but I think that something is really bother her. She seemed really distracted when I was talking to her." Amber told him as he breathed a heavy sigh. "What's going on here, do you know something that I don't?" she questioned.
"Well you see Amber, the thing is,.." he began when suddenly Hermione came out of the bedroom wearing a bright red bikini.
"Hey, didn't that use to be Ginny's?" Amber wondered.
"Yeah, we wear the same size so Harry gave it to me since he knew how much I've always liked it. He figured that Ginny would also want me to have it since we were best friends." She explained. "Well come on, let's get out to the pool before everyone starts to worry about us." Hermione said as she started towards the door but Amber quickly leapt in front of her and blocked her.
"Oh no you don't! Now we've known each other forever and we've been friends almost our whole entire lives, I know that there's something that you're not telling me." She said as Hermione took a deep breath. "Alright but promise you won't tell anyone, especially the children." She said.
"Of course I won't say anything, I'm one of your best friends." Amber assured her. "Now what is going on?" she asked her anxiously as Hermione took another deep breath and breathed a heavy sigh.
"Ron and I are getting a divorce." She told her.
"What?! Why?" Amber questioned her eagerly.
"Well we never really got along to start with, and every time we started talking about our problems it just made things worse, so we decided it would be best if we just became friends since we still like and care about one another, just not in that way. And we just want to do what's best for the children. We want them to grow up in a happy and loving family, not one that argues all the time." She explained with a shake of her head.
"So, aren't you going to tell them?" Amber wondered.
"We will, but we just want to have some time to prepare them for it. I just want them to know how much we love them and that we'll never split them apart or anything. Everything that we'll do, we'll make sure is in their best interest. And make sure that they get to have their time with each of us." She explained.
"Yes, of course, I know you will. Does Harry know yet?" Amber asked her.
"No, not yet. He just lost his wife, and Ron and I wanted to make sure that he had some time to get over it before we told him since he's obviously going to be through a really rough time as it is right now." She answered. "As for my stage name, I'll still go by Hermione Weasley since that's what all of our fans know me as. I mean technically Justine's last name is Matthews, but she goes by her grandfather's last name since he is so well known." She told her before the two girls headed back outside with Aaron tagging along behind them.
Hermione quickly slid the door shut before Beethoven could get out and started on her way down to the pool where Sheela, Chase, Lilly, Lucy, and Brianna were already splashing and squealing with giggles inside of it. "Come on Mum I need backup!" Chase shouted. "I'm the only guy in here and the girls are ganging up on me!" he cried as she smiled to herself before joining her children and nieces inside the pool. At least right now they could enjoy being together as a family, and she would worry about her problems later.