I do not own anything except the plot.

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Bitter Welcomes

As I unpacked my things I knew right away that I should of not come back to London, but I was here to see Felicity and Anne. I was always back, because Thomas's letters were getting on my nerves, only a bit though, well that is what I told him. Each day he begged me to come back to London, I guess I tortured him a bit, especially when he is living with Grandmother, who is not happy about me wanting to continue my education at a university in New York instead of marrying. She blames all this on Felicity I bet, she has never said that to my face but I am sure of it. Dear Fee, she is a care free soul and the one girl that I never thought I would say was my best friend.

I turned my head when I heard someone knock on the door. I brushed up my clothes and checked my hair to see how it looked, "come in," I finally said politely. I did a silent pray to God that it was not my Grandmother coming up to the room to tell me once again that I was a disappointment to her. If you ask me she can hold one heck of a grudge against people.

I was relieved to see Thomas's dark curly hair and his polite smile standing there instead of my angry Grandmother who seemed to only know how to frown and glare at me. Yet I am not sure if her facials ever change, only when she is out with her friends drinking tea or at a social event. "I hate to bother you, but I was wondering if you needed anything?"

"Thank you but I think I am alright," I saw with a polite smile toward my older brother.

"Good, good," Thomas said looking around awkwardly and fidgeting a bit, a nervous habit on his part and I inherited myself.

"Was there something else?" I ask trying to ease him a bit.

"Yes," Thomas answered rather quickly. "Yes there is one more thing, you see it is Father," Thomas started off he looked me in the eyes and saw that my face had dropped. "Gem, we knew he would not last and each passing minute he gets worse. I think we should bring him back here so we can see him for the last time or we could possibly go there to be by his side. If I know Father he would not want to… pass on without someone next to him."

"I see," I said quietly. My throat all the sudden went dry and everything seemed to slow down with the beating of my heart. I knew this day would come, death is a part of life that we have to go through, it is a test that God puts out there to see if we are strong or vulnerable. My vision started to blur and I refused to let Thomas see me break now. I lost two people in my life already that I loved dearly. One I wanted to marry and one was my Mother.

Oh my poor Mother. Trapped in another world called the Realms, although the Realms was finally at peace but she was still there and not here. Katrik, the one that I wanted to marry died for me only two years ago. I missed him with all my heart and it killed me to know that I am the reason he is dead now. I am glad that he is united with his brother, but he is trapped inside a tree in the Realms. I hated that he sacrificed himself for me and look where he is now.

Thomas cleared his throat and I looked him in his brown eyes, "are you alright?" he asked gently. I nodded my head and looked down again. "It is okay to show your true feelings you know. Grandmother is not around she went to her friends house for a tea party, if I am not mistaken," Thomas continued.

"Oh Thomas. I just want to know if he is suffering or not," I finally said looking back up at him. I fiddled with my skirt and kept his gaze trying to see if he was going to try to lie to me or not.

"Gem, I want to answer your question but I am not sure if I can. He wont let anyone know he is suffering but I can tell in his eyes and in his writing that he is suffering. He is suffering from heartache and well he is also dieing. But I think it is a good thing though in a sad way."

"Why do you say that?" I asked trying not to be offended by what he just said.

"He and Mother will be happy together again," Thomas stated with a weak smile. I just wish I could tell him all about the Realms and how Mother truly died. I just wish I could do so and not be thought of crazy by my brother and others that find out the secret I have been hiding for a awhile now.

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Well there you have it. Please review, the button is bigger making it more tempting to do so.

Love always

CB