The Past Repeats
scene: Momo's house during the wintertime, it is snowy outside.
time: Nearly 60 years later, Momo is a grandmother and her 18-year-old granddaughter is living with them.
rating: this story is rated PG-13, possibly R for violence and swearing.
prologue – Tell me a story
Reena sat on the floor, facing the fire with a dim expression. Her shoulder were slumped, arms wrapped around her legs tightly pulling her knees against her chest. She sighed.
"Reena, dear, is something the matter?" a warm voice asked from the shadows behind.
Turning slowly, Reena hesitated a smile before looking back at the leaping flames. "I miss mama and papa…"
The guest frowned in reply, "I miss your mama too." She said slowly, feeling the loss of her child again, "and I miss your papa. It wasn't either of their faults for what happened, Renna, darling. Things just happen sometimes."
"But they didn't have to go!" she proclaimed, for the first time confessing the feelings she held inside, "they decided at the last minute to change their flight plans, they didn't have to go when they did… they could've waited… I would've waited…"
The elderly woman, and Reena's grandmother, sighed, sitting on a plush couch staring at the fire, "Reena, your parents loved you so much that they changed their plans so they could come home to you sooner."
The girl's shoulders sagged further, "so this is all my fault…?"
Her grandmother reached out, gripping the girl warmly in her frail arms, "Of course not, sweetheart. This was no one's fault."
Reena was silent for a moment, "Grandma," she began, turning to face her grandmother with a smile, "tell me a story of mama and papa. Did you and grandpa really name mama after you?"
"Yes, child, your grandpa and I gave her my name, he loved my name so much, he took one look at your mama when she was born and said, "What an adorable little peach. Can we name her Momo, my peach? Can we? Can we?" To end the confusion he called me "peach" and our daughter Momo."
Reena laughed, "I guess I broke the name game, huh, grandma?"
"I think two Momo's in the family were enough. Though," she began slowly, "You take more after me than your mama."
Blinking her sea grey eyes Reena paused, mid-thought, "Like you?"
"Well, your eyes are the color of your papa's, but you look like me when I was your age. Your grandpa says it all the time."
"What do I say all the time?" a third voice chimed in from the hallway. The figure paused, retraced his steps and entered the small living room.
"That Reena looks like me when I was her age."
The man took a deep intake of air and let it out slowly, "Sometimes I get the two of you confused." Walking into the room he leaned over and kissed his wife on the head loving, "you haven't gained a day since I married you, peach."
Reena smiled, watching her grandparents looking so happy. It spread a warm feeling through her body and soul, something that she didn't get from anything else. She could've watched her grandparents snuggle all evening. She believed in true love, but after her parents passed away she stopped believing for a while. It was hard to believe when two people in true love were killed prematurely, never to let their love finish blooming. Only lucky people could have true love, something she would never have.
She frowned slowly, her face blanching. Thinking about her own love life brought her mind to school, the one place she never wanted to be.
"Reena? Something the matter?" her grandfather asked, curiously.
The teen shook her head, turning back to the fire. She slumped over her legs again, trying to curl herself up tightly. She wanted to disappear.
"Sweetheart, you've been living with us for almost two years, we're your grandparents too, you can tell us what's wrong." Momo questioned.
A tear fell from Reena's eye and she stood up suddenly, wiping her cheeks, "I'm tired, that's all. Goodnight." And ran upstairs where she closed and latched the door.
"Kiley, she does look an awful lot like me, doesn't she?"
He kissed her forehead again, "Yes, peach, she does."