Disclaimer: Lost Girl characters depicted here are the property of Showcase, and are used for entertainment and not profit.
Authors note: Huge massive thanks goes to my 'bourbon' adviser for 'technical' help on that subject, and also for going above and beyond on beta duties – these chapters are the better for it! Any remaining errors are purely my fault.
Geminus Fatum – Epilogue
"Meeting the Parents"
Chapter 1
The Bellamy Brothers' "Let Your Love Flow" was playing on a classic hits radio station, and blasted out from the car's speakers. Lauren felt the music, like a strong pulse vibrating through the floor into the seats. She laughed as she and Bo sang along at the top of their voices; Bo thumping the steering wheel with her hands, along to the beat, as she drove.
The sea breeze coming in through the passenger window, teased at Lauren's hair, and she closed her eyes, turning towards the window, feeling it brush across her face; it was warm from the sun, like a hot breath whispered against her skin.
She felt wonderfully happy, turning to look at Bo, as they continued singing.
Bo reached out for her hand, winking at her. "Okay?" She asked in-between lyrics.
Lauren nodded.
Eight weeks had passed since the incident with Hades. The headaches had started two weeks after that. Low and over the eyes to start with; non prescription pain killers able to quell the discomfort. Then the pain became worse, causing nosebleeds as well as blurred vision and tingling sensations in her limbs. Lauren had self diagnosed that it was migraine clusters; quick onset symptoms, alleviating after she vomited. Double checking, she ran various extensive tests and scans, and thankfully nothing abnormal showed up. Her conclusion was delayed stress. She'd been viciously stabbed, had died and been 'reborn'; it was obvious that her body and psyche would have been affected on a deeper level, and that eventually both would heal in time.
Bo had been constantly vigilant. The first time she'd seen Lauren experience a full on nosebleed, she'd been concerned, but Lauren had waved it off. When the symptoms went full blown, Bo was beside herself with worry. Watching Lauren in obvious pain, nose bleeding, retching into the toilet, and left weakened after, was stressful to her, and just as baffling as it had been for Lauren.
Lauren's medical opinion of her condition, and the fact that a multitude of tests had showed nothing sinister had helped to abate Bo's concern and she trusted that, as Lauren did, the events that had triggered it would lessen. However, Lauren had decided to hold back one additional possibility from Bo; that her current symptoms might actually worsen over time.
Other than this small setback, life couldn't have been better Lauren pondered. That night at the mansion hadn't been a one off either. In fact, the physical side of their relationship often left them in a state of awe; stupid grins, giggling, longing looks, suppressed desire, kisses that would ignite a desperate passion within both of them, and that was when in the company of others. Left alone in privacy, to let those desires and passions run amok, invariably meant steamed up windows in the car, blinds hastily closed in Lauren's lab office, and a reluctance to leave the comfort of the bed and each other's arms.
Bo's only concern was sharing their energy during these times; she had wondered if that was affecting Lauren, causing her current headaches. The sharing heightened everything, but Lauren had convinced her that it wasn't the cause. As much as they could share energy like that, when Bo had tried to pass hers to Lauren, to try and alleviate her symptoms, for some reason Lauren couldn't take it for the purpose of healing, yet it could work the other way; Lauren could help to heal Bo. Distracted while watching Lauren as they had cooked a meal together one time, Bo had accidentally cut herself while chopping some vegetables. It wasn't anything serious, but Lauren had held her finger under the tap to help stem the blood, and then had playfully kissed her; it had jumped started Bo's passion and without thinking, she had taken some of Lauren's chi; the cut had immediately healed.
As for the Fae Clans they had been shocked, but appeared accepting so far, of the news of the real Chosen One, and now they held Lauren in more esteem over the sacrifice she had made. Hale and Evony were currently in joint leadership, and the hope was that others, worldwide, would start to unite.
And despite what Kenzi had initially found, Lauren had always known her parents' names to be Patrick and Madeline; she had a birth certificate to show that fact, so it must have been an exceptional network of people who had aided her parents. She'd phoned them in the last eight weeks, taking care not to say too much, but enough for her parents to know what had happened and who Bo was; now being able to see them, Lauren knew the whole truth would finally be told from their side.
As her parents had since moved from their last home, Evony had arranged all their travel. The Dark's private jet had flown them into the nearest airport, and she had also ensured their means of transport. The Jaguar F Type was by far the sexiest car Lauren had ever seen, let alone ridden in. With a top speed of 200mph, she'd left the driving to Bo, just in case a migraine had erupted.
Bo took a slip road off the coastal highway, the road bending almost back onto itself. Then it started to climb upwards, a gentle incline that allowed Lauren to look out over the ocean. The azure coloured sea was calm, sparkling from the sunlight; the waves, with their white tips, gently folding over and falling into the shore. She could see why her parents had chosen to move here; there was something tranquil about the whole view, one that she knew they would both enjoy.
The road flattened out, and rows of detached houses started to appear, with long front lawns, that gave a high view out over the sea.
"Do you think they'll mind we're a bit early?" Bo asked slowing the car as they both looked for the mail box that would indicate the house number.
Lauren smiled. "I don't think it will be an issue, considering how long it's been since I last actually saw them."
Lauren's stomach tumbled when she spotted the house number at the same time as Bo.
"This is it." She said quietly.
Bo looked at her. "Ready?"
Lauren nodded, and Bo turned the car onto the driveway, slowly taking them towards the house.
"Wow," Lauren mumbled. "Mom finally got the house she always dreamed of."
The colonial style house was impressive but not ostentatious; that would not have been her mother's taste at all. Instead, it was understated; the wrap around porch with its pillars, was more homey and welcoming, and although the windows appeared plain, they actually enhanced the overall architecture. This wasn't a house that promoted itself to have money; it was house that promoted itself as a home.
Lauren inhaled sharply, leaning forward in her seat.
Bo had spotted him, too. Lauren's father was forking the soil in a flower bed on the lawn; he looked up at hearing the car, turning his head towards the house.
"Maddie! They're here!" he shouted out. Dropping the gardening fork, he strode across to the drive, smiling, excited.
Bo stopped the car, and they both got out. Before Lauren could move towards him, her father was already in front of her, engulfing her in his arms.
"Welcome home, Laurie." He said softly. His voice broke, his eyes welling with tears. He pulled back, holding Lauren at arm's length, to look at her again.
Bo smiled at how he referred to Lauren. She studied him for a moment, and thought of the resemblance that Trick had mentioned. How Lauren's human parents would have been picked for a similarity in inherited genes, so as not to raise suspicion as she grew up.
He was tall, easily six three, and he looked in good shape for a man in his late fifties. He was wearing battered sneakers, jeans and a black T shirt, that defined toned pectoral muscles, and toned biceps. His olive coloured skin looked healthily tanned, and his sandy coloured hair, graying at the temples, was neatly cut short. His eyes were a darker brown, but it was the smile that was captivating. Bo imagined that that alone, would have melted many female hearts when he was younger, and probably still did. He was a handsome man, in a semi rugged way, and undoubtedly could have given Robert Redford a run for his money in the pin up stakes. As for the Ancients, he was the embodiment of a Greek Adonis, so his appeal was obvious from their perspective.
"God, it's good to have you home again!" Lauren's father hugged her again, kissing her forehead.
Lauren choked back a sob, gently easing herself out of his arms. "Dad, this is Bo."
Bo stepped forward, her hand outstretched in greeting. "It's nice to meet you." She smiled at him.
He stood for a moment, frowning, staring at her hand, as though hesitating whether to reciprocate.
Bo's stomach knotted. She understood he knew who her father was, and that he was possibly not eager to welcome a child of Hades into his house, nor was he too pleased that his daughter was in love with a child of Hades. Bo knew there'd probably be a lot of questions asked later, so she was not surprised when he didn't shake her hand.
Instead, she was surprised by what he did do.
"No need to be so formal, Bo," he smiled. "It's Patrick, Pat, or Paddy, and welcome also." He then embraced her warmly into his arms.
Bo gulped, thrown by his welcome.
As they stood there, Patrick eyed the car. "Nice set of wheels, kiddo."
"It's just a hire, dad." Lauren told him.
"You two go on in, your mom's waiting. I'll get your bags and put the car up near the garage."
Bo dropped the keys into his hand. "It does one hundred real easy, on that coast road." Bo whispered to him.
Patrick gave a small laugh. "Does it now?"
Bo smiled. She figured he might like to test that out a little later.
Lauren took Bo's hand, leading her towards the house. As they stepped up onto the porch, the door opened, and Lauren's mother appeared.
Bo couldn't believe it. Lauren's 'resemblance' to Patrick was rather vague, but to her mother, it was extraordinary. Although tiny, only about five two, she was slim, and had the same blonde hair. It was tied back in a loose ponytail, and untamed wisps of it hung down at the sides of her face. Her eye colour was an exact match, but the remarkable resemblance was the smile. Again, like Patrick, Madeline didn't look late fifties, and it was obvious that they both took care of themselves.
Madeline, barefoot, was wearing three quarter length jean shorts, a light flamingo pink polo shirt, and an apron, that was dusted with flour. Her face and hands were also smudged with it.
Madeline stood, her arms open and Lauren walked into the embrace, bending her knees slightly to compensate for her mother's short stature.
"Welcome home, sweetie." Madeline said. Lauren nuzzled into her mother's neck, and Bo saw Madeline breathe in, as though taking in her daughter's scent, squeezing her closer.
Pulling apart, Madeline touched Lauren's cheek; her eyes narrowing, scrutinizing her daughter. She said nothing for a moment, just stared at her. Then she wiped off the flour she had deposited on Lauren's face.
"I've made your favourite, chicken soup. Looks like you need some. And I'm just making key lime pie and a chocolate cake, now. Come on in."
Madeline reached out, taking Bo's hand, squeezing it. "Welcome, Bo." She smiled, leading them both into the house.
Bo tried not to gulp down the chicken soup. Her taste buds were on the point of overload from the flavours exploding in her mouth; it was like a culinary orgasm on her tongue and she hoped there'd be enough for a second helping.
They sat at a breakfast bar in the kitchen; a housewife's dream of a kitchen, with a state of the art range cooker, and other top notch appliances and gadgets. Bo wondered if it was all really necessary for just the two of them, but as Madeline obviously had a talent for cooking, it made sense that her kitchen would be so well equipped.
"Hey, save some for me!" Patrick gently squeezed Bo's shoulder as he came into the kitchen. "I know that look when people try Maddie's chicken soup. They're always figuring out if there'll be enough for seconds!"
Bo almost choked.
"Ha! So that's what you are thinking!" Patrick sat down on the stool beside her, laughing.
Madeline placed a bowl in front of him. "Paddy could finish the whole lot in one sitting, if I'd let him, so help yourself to more, before he does!" she said to Bo.
"You like key lime pie, Bo?" Patrick asked as he spooned soup into his mouth.
"Yes, sir."
"Goddammit!" He exclaimed. "Guess I have to share that, too!"
Bo grinned. Lauren was sitting opposite her, smiling at the exchange between the two of them.
For a short while the only sound was spoons in bowls and happy noises over the soup.
After a second helping all round Madeline suggested showing them the room they'd be sleeping in.
"Let's get you settled in. You can take a rest, and then tonight after dinner we'll talk and tell you everything."
Patrick stood up; Bo thought he looked worried, even sad at the prospect. He watched them follow Madeline out of the kitchen, but didn't move.
Patrick had left their holdalls at the bottom of the stairs. Grabbing them they followed Madeline up. At the top she pointed down a hallway. "Our bedroom is just down there." Then she went in the other direction, pointing out a bathroom on the way, and two other bedrooms.
"I'm sorry, sweetie," Madeline said to Lauren. "It's not like your old room; we didn't think you'd still want all the fan posters and sports trophies, and other such stuff on display. But we still have all that, Bo," she smiled at her. "If you want to see them?"
Bo liked that Madeline was teasing Lauren, threatening to expose her youthful achievements.
"But I hope you'll like this room. It has wonderful views of the mountains out the back window." Madeline opened the door, inviting them in. Again, the room was tastefully decorated, with a large comfy looking double bed.
"Sorry, there's no en-suite, but the bathroom is just across the hall."
"Mom, its fine, its lovely." Lauren dropped her holdall, walked over to the bed, and sat on it.
"Good, I'm glad you think so," Madeline looked at Bo. "Aren't you coming in?"
Bo stood in the doorway. "Oh?...errm, well I thought maybe I'd be in the guest room…"
"Whatever for?" Madeline asked. "Unless that's your preference?" Now she was teasing Bo. "I'm touched by your obvious respect, Bo, but please, it's not necessary here. I'd find it very odd that you'd want to be apart from each other, especially since recent events. You're grown women, not horny teenagers that I need to separate."
Bo bit her tongue. If only you knew, she said to herself. She was pretty sure Lauren had told them what she was, but perhaps it had not registered, and they probably didn't stop to think about Lauren's own appetite for such things. Horny teenagers were nothing compared to what healthy sexual indulgences they engaged in.
It was Lauren that partially let the cat out of the bag. She stifled a laugh at her mother's comment, and when her mother raised an eyebrow at her, Lauren blushed.
Madeline just smiled knowingly. She went over to her. "What is it?" she held her hand to her forehead.
"Nothing. Just a slight headache." Lauren answered. Bo tensed, wondering how Madeline suddenly knew to ask. Lauren had appeared fine.
"Take a nap and rest. As I said, we'll talk later." Madeline kissed her forehead then left the room.
Bo finally put down her holdall, going straight to Lauren.
"Are you okay? Is it bad?" She searched Lauren's face for any sign of pain.
"No, I just think it's all the excitement, of seeing them both again." Lauren's eyes filled with tears. "They haven't changed a bit. I guess to them, I have."
Bo pulled Lauren to her. "Hey," she soothed. "I don't think that matters to them, and I doubt you have all that much; just grown a little older and wiser since they last saw you. It's obvious how much they love you."
Lauren managed to smile. "I feel guilty, for having neglected them for so long. They haven't seen me since I went off to the Congo with Nadia, and then the Fae happened. I thought it best to keep my distance, to keep them protected. I didn't know what might happen; they must have been worried, knowing I had a purpose…" Lauren's voice trailed off as she yawned.
"I'm sure they'll understand, you can tell them the full story later. Just lie down for a bit. I'll unpack our stuff."
Reluctantly Lauren drew her legs up onto the bed. "Just five minutes, that's all I need…"
Bo kissed her and watched as Lauren closed her eyes. As her body visibly relaxed, Bo knew she was asleep.
The unpacking done, Bo contemplated lying down beside Lauren, but her attention was drawn to the view out of the bedroom window. The mountains were a spectacular backdrop. The house was ideally located; with that view at the rear, and the sea to the front, who wouldn't want to live there. She decided she would go downstairs, find Patrick, and see if he wanted to take the Jag for a quick late afternoon spin while Lauren slept.
The house was quiet, which instinctively for some reason, made Bo move stealthily, not wanting to disturb the peace. At the bottom of the stairs she could smell chocolate cake baking, the warm richness of it making her smile.
Bo turned towards the kitchen, rounding the corner from the hallway; she stopped dead in her tracks, rocked by the scene.
Patrick was sitting on one of the counter stools, while Madeline stood, holding him. His shoulders were shaking, and it was obvious he was quietly crying. Madeline just held him, rubbing his back, softly kissing his face.
"She's home, Paddy. She's fine. She's safe."
Bo turned away quickly, feeling like she had intruded on something very personal. Patrick's obvious delight at seeing Lauren again, had manifested into an emotional outburst with probable relief that she was okay. She had survived the last few years without them, and that everything they had done to keep her safe, possibly knowing her fate, had meant they had not lost her, quite literally, for good.
Moving quietly, Bo reached the front door, stepping out onto the front porch. The sea view was quite stunning, and she imagined the sunset would be quite a spectacle. As she stood there, she could faintly smell the salt from the sea, mixing with the scent of the flowers in the garden. The sun's rays were blinding, and as much as she wanted to admire the view out to sea, she needed her sunglasses if she was to stay and sit here for a moment. She remembered they were in the car, so ambled towards the driveway.
She could see the vehicle parked up near the double garage. When she got to it, she noticed another outbuilding to the side, semi hidden by trees. Retrieving her shades from the unlocked car, Bo saw that it was a workshop, and that the door was open.
She walked over peering inside from the doorway. There was a large table saw, and a mounted mitre saw. Various tools were neatly arranged, hanging against the walls. Benches had pieces of wood on them, and more wood was stacked around the workshop.
"Beer?"
Bo jumped at Patrick's voice. He stood holding out a bottle, while he held another in his other hand.
"Sorry, didn't mean to sneak up on you," he smiled. "I saw you from the kitchen window, thought you might like one."
"Thanks." Bo took it gratefully, taking a small swig. "This your hobby house?"
"Yep, go on in." Patrick urged her. Bo entered, and he followed.
Bo could now see various woodworking projects. Table legs, table tops, wooden toys, and various guitar parts were all hanging, waiting to be assembled.
"You make all these?" Bo motioned with her bottle.
Patrick nodded.
"You make guitars?" Bo questioned.
Patrick smiled. "Yeah, that's been quite the challenge. Tried it many years ago, but failed. So I left it, then a couple of years ago, I decided to try again. Not sure yet, if they'll be playable, but that's all part of the creation. And I decided it would be nice to make us all some new ones to play."
"You play guitar?" Bo asked.
"We all do; Maddie, Lauren, Nathan. Maddie taught me when we met and then the kids. She'd taught herself when she was young."
"Hang on," Bo looked at him. "You're telling me, Lauren plays guitar?"
Patrick's smile widened. "She kept that quiet, didn't she?" He leant against one of the workbenches, as Bo wandered around the workshop. "We've still got her guitar. Maybe while you're here, we'll all play for you, if she wants to. It's been a while since we played as a family."
"I'd love that." Bo smiled at the idea.
Then she noticed the chess board and pieces, obviously made by Patrick. It looked as though this had been a lifetime project. The pieces were intricately carved, and from her knowledge of the Gods, she recognized some of the figures; Athena, Artemis, and Aphrodite took the roles of the rook, bishop, and knight, while Persephone and the Fates were the pawns. The pieces denoting the King and Queen, both of which were female in form, were not recognizable Gods to Bo. The most remarkable thing about all of it was that the board squares and all the pieces had been hand painted in one tone of gray.
Bo tilted her head as she looked at it. "Aren't both sides supposed to be distinguishable? Historically black and white?"
Patrick smiled. "Well, life's not so black and white, as much as we'd like it to be. There can be gray areas. And I've found chess is a gray area. It's a battle, tactical and strategic, so why should it be so easy to define both sides? Opponents are not always so distinguishable; sure, you can try and second guess their moves, but you never know just how much they are willing to sacrifice for victory. And yet, there's no real clear winner at the end. It's rather ambiguous; a victory can be claimed, but no real total defeat. It's an impasse of sorts."
He picked up one of the queen pieces. "The queen is the most important piece. You can eventually corner her, but you can never remove her from the board; never completely take her from the game. But all the other pieces can be sacrificed, even the King. Their only purpose is to protect her, at all costs."
He gently placed the queen back on the board.
"I guess," Bo smiled wryly at him. "That's your way of telling me, that if I ever hurt Lauren, or don't protect her, then I'll answer to you."
Patrick slowly nodded. "Although something tells me, you'd never let that happen."
"That's my only purpose now; Lauren. She's all that matters."
"I'm glad to hear it, Bo." Patrick retrieved the car keys from his pocket. "How about we test that fancy set of wheels? What's its top speed?"
Bo liked Patrick. She liked him very much.
Lauren woke with a start, her heart pounding. She sat bolt upright, her hand pushing into her stomach, trying to ease the searing pain of the knife's blade. Hades' face had been taunting her, his mouth twisting into a sneer of hate. It took her brain a few seconds to remember where she was, those moments between dreaming and being awake, when the mind is unsure which one is real. She'd been wondering when flashbacks might begin, knowing that they'd probably become more intense.
The bedroom was semi-dark; from the window she could see that it was now early evening. She swung her legs off the bed, making her way out of the room. Out on the landing she heard muffled voices, interspersed with laughter, going in search of where they were. She found Bo with her parents in the dining room, all sitting at the table.
"Hey!" Bo said. "I was just coming to get you," she kissed Lauren's cheek. "Your mom has dinner ready."
"It smells good." Lauren answered. "Home made meatloaf, mom?"
Madeline nodded. "Sit, we'll eat now." She left them, heading towards the kitchen.
"You feeling okay?" Bo asked quietly.
Lauren nodded then noticed the photo albums on the table. "Oh no." She mumbled.
"Didn't I just know you'd be a cute looking baby?" Bo's comment couldn't hide her delight.
Lauren raised a questioning eyebrow at Patrick.
"Bo needs to know what she's getting herself into, Laurie. I think it's only fair she gets to see what you were like as a youngster."
Lauren could see his delight also, at her mild embarrassment at old family photos. "Please tell me, you haven't shown her the videos?"
Bo looked at Patrick. "You didn't mention them. You holding out on me, Pat?"
Patrick just shrugged. "Well, I wasn't going to subject Lauren to you seeing those, but now she's broached the subject?"
"I hate you." Lauren murmured, and Patrick laughed.
"I've never been able to picture you in a tutu doing dance classes…until now." Bo held up the album, pointing at a photo of Lauren when she was about six years old.
"I hated ballet, but I just loved the dress." Lauren sat down beside her. "That was my 'wanting to be a princess when I grow up' phase."
"Quite sporty, too, from this one?"
It showed Lauren with a tennis racket. "I was ten there. That was my 'I'm going to win Wimbledon when I grow up' phase. I was also into track and field at the same time, so it could have been my winning Olympic gold phase, too."
"Can you explain this one?" Bo asked.
"Oh God!" Lauren mumbled. She hid her face in her hands. The photo showed her with messed up coal black hair, heavily made up eyes, assorted chain style necklaces, wearing a black leather jacket, and holding a guitar.
"I was fourteen. That was my 'I'm gonna be Joan Jet' phase."
Bo stifled her laugh. "There's just too many to choose from that are potential favourites." Then she flicked over some pages, pointing at another one. "But I think this one is probably my favourite of all."
It showed Lauren, now a young woman, smiling happily, holding her test results that would get her into Medical School.
"That was my 'I'm going to be a brilliant doctor' phase."
"Ain't that the truth! I guess that phase stuck, eh?" Bo winked.
"That one was always there; the others were just part of growing up and having dreams. But being a doctor was inherent. Now I know why of course!"
Madeline appeared carrying a tray with the meatloaf and vegetables.
Bo's eyes widened. She wondered if there were going to be more guests.
Lauren noticed her surprise. "Mom can't cook in moderation. It's as if she expects an army for dinner."
"Ignore her, Bo," Madeline added. "My family can eat enough for an army, trust me! They've always had healthy appetites!"
Dinner was a delicious as it looked, and when everybody had eaten as much as they could, the dishes were cleared away, and they all retired to the living room. Madeline produced the chocolate cake, while Patrick poured out glasses of red wine.
Bo and Lauren sat opposite her parents on one of the two large comfy sofas in the room.
"Why don't you two start, sweetie? Tell us everything that happened from when you left for the Congo?" Madeline suggested.
Lauren sighed. Her mother had been diplomatic by not saying "when you left for the Congo with Nadia". Her parents had met her partner at the time, and they had been as welcoming as they always were. Lauren took a sip of her wine, and slowly retold the events of the past few years; Bo explaining her family history along with her.
Patrick appeared to be more affected by what he heard, while Madeline remained calm. Hearing about his daughter's supplication at the hands of the Fae, caused Patrick visible distress. His hands balled into fists, the knuckles turning white. His eyes became pained, but he said nothing. Madeline's hand rested lazily on his thigh, and when she felt his body tensing as she sat next to him, she gently rubbed his leg, easing him away from his anguish.
Hearing how Lochlyn had had her caged for several days, Patrick's jaw set, his breathing quickened. Now even Madeline showed small signs of discomfort.
Nadia's death at Bo's hands, and from Lauren's plea for her to do it, meant neither could hide their shock. Patrick looked at Bo, and his eyes showed pain again, but for her, for having made the choice she had for Lauren's sake. Madeline had also been moved by this admission.
The only light moments came when Bo and Lauren spoke of their own relationship, the trials they had faced together and apart, which brought smiles to her parents' faces.
The most recent events with Hades were the most difficult for Patrick and Madeline to hear. Both moved closer together on the sofa, Patrick reaching for Maddie's hand, as Bo retold the scene; Lauren's death at her own father's doing, her return to life, and how she had bargained with the Gods to live the life she wanted.
The bottle of red wine was empty. Patrick stood up without speaking, fetching another.
Lauren looked at her mother, motioning with her eyes towards her father. Madeline just nodded, assuring Lauren that he was okay.
Patrick refilled their glasses, sitting back down. He cleared his throat looking at his wife as she sat quietly smiling at him.
"You know I met your mom in college. I was eighteen, real excited to be there, mostly because of all the young women I'd meet. Like most eighteen year old males, my mind wasn't too much on studying. But I'd told myself, I wasn't gonna be one of those guys to get tied down. I'd just play the field, study and then head off with the world at my feet. So on my first day, I'm looking for my class; I round a corner, bumping into someone, books scattering all over the floor. This person was so short, I hadn't seen them. They were picking up their books, so I lent a hand. She turned to look at me, and I was dumbstruck. She was the most amazing, beautiful gal I'd ever seen. She said, "Is there something you'd like to say?" and she just stared at me, waiting. I wanted to apologise, but I just couldn't speak, so she said "I see you've forgotten the word for sorry, asshole!" and with that she'd picked up all her books and left. That's when I fell in love with your mom. Right at that moment I knew this was the woman I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. I spent the next few months apologising and trying to convince her that I wasn't an asshole."
Bo laughed. "So it wasn't love at first sight for you?" she asked Madeline.
"On the contrary, it was," Madeline smiled. "But unlike Paddy, I was there to study, and I'd worked hard to get there. And I figured he was just one of those good looking college jocks who was out to play the field, and I wasn't about to fall for that. Besides, he was so good looking I didn't think he'd give me a second glance. But I made him work for it, for those first few months."
Patrick squeezed her hand, sipped some wine and continued. "Plus, that was never really the plan for both of us. I think we had ideas about our future, and they didn't include that kind of involvement so early in our lives. And of course, your mom had no idea about my family's history; what that involved. I wasn't supposed to meet someone outside of it, and if I did, it wasn't expected to last. When it became obvious, just how important our relationship was, and that I wasn't prepared to give it up, then it was deemed necessary that your mom be told the truth. I knew that it would either end the relationship, or cement it, but I was willing to take the risk, rather than keep your mom in the dark about my family's secrets."
Lauren shifted forward on the sofa, waiting eagerly to hear what her father had to say.
"Just so you know, your real last name should be Kelly; that's my family's name. But to aid in keeping you safe, it was changed to Smith….such a common name that it would be harder to track you down amongst the millions who share it. For us, it became second nature to use it."
"And by the way," Madeline added, "you knew my maiden name to be Browne; it's actually Lewis….the fact you decided to change yours to that from Smith because of your favourite biology teacher, and that there was another student with the exact same name as you, was strangely perverse. Me and your dad spent many nights discussing the coincidence!"
Lauren's mouth fell open. Her brain tried to assess this information, but the computation over the odds was too great to even contemplate, so she gave up trying.
Bo just looked at her, with the same expression of disbelief.
Patrick sipped more wine. "My family line can be traced directly back to the ancient Greeks. We were not related to or born from any of the Gods, but were trusted guardians, supporting and assisting, especially where their liaisons with mortals, resulted in children. The Gods often distrusted each other, and any such infidelities, could result in conflict between them. Keeping those children hidden was sometimes of paramount importance."
He explained that it wasn't just his family alone that had the honour of serving; each major God would have their own support network, with allegiance focused solely on them. It wasn't restricted to the main known three, Zeus, Poseidon, Hades; it also meant their offspring.
"For instance, your grandfather, Apollo, would have had his own specific network of support. The thing about our line was that it was one of the three high trinities; our priority was for Zeus, and any descendents from his line; Asclepius included, as that was his grandson."
"And what was the punishment, if these families failed in their obligation?" Lauren asked.
"They rarely did, and the Gods couldn't afford to be rid of them, if it happened. These families were also responsible for keeping the people's faith alive in the Gods; they worshipped them, loved them, and the Gods needed the adulation to exist. People want a God to love them, not punish them for their fallibility when trying to measure up to a higher being; one that sets such a high benchmark of spirituality that's practically unobtainable to reach, no matter how hard they try."
"So the Gods are still worshipped?" Bo asked.
Patrick nodded. "The Hellenic religion underwent a revival in the 1990's, although it's been in practice for centuries. Of course, what I'm talking about predates that," he smiled. "The Fae weren't anything new to the families either. Their existence was known back then also, and of course, they had their own network of human guardians. They just didn't know how much we knew about them. The Prophecy of the Chosen One wasn't exclusive knowledge, it was entwined with the Gods; the Fae just didn't figure out how much, and how much influence the Gods had in it."
He looked at Lauren and winked.
"It's hard to get my head around this," Lauren said. "You've never really shown much interest in any form of religion, apart from discussing various ones with me and Nathan as a way to broaden our minds. There was nothing, no idols on show, or even hidden ones of the Gods, to suggest you were remotely devoted!"
Patrick cleared his throat. "Ah, well, that's because I was a reluctant devotee." He refilled everyone's glass.
"Your mom and I are part of the baby boomers, that generation born after the Second World War. Of course by then, the Greek Gods had been relegated to school text books, their power no match for the religion that came after them and swept across the world. World War II was a defining moment. There'd been wars of course, throughout history, but nothing on this scale. The sheer genocide of innocent people, a Holocaust so horrific, that not even the Gods believed humans could reach such a level of depravity. Not even Ares himself would have found any Glory in leading any army in that conflict, and he'd lead many in the past. They trusted, as did everyone, that the allied forces would find a way to prevail, which thankfully we know they did, at a high cost."
"The issue for some, was knowing that there was no great rescue from on high, no Ancients, or new Gods that had put a stop to it, so the generation after changed a culture steeped in faith and tradition. The fifties started it, but the sixties struck a chord: music, fashion, free thinking ideas, the sexual revolution, drugs; young people initiating a new form of freedom, one they already owed to those who had made the ultimate sacrifice. Their hope was that it wouldn't happen again. So belief, faith, religion took a bit of a battering. I was a child of the sixties, too young to fully understand, but old enough to know that what our family considered important, wasn't. As much as my family had cared for these Gods, what had they done for us?"
"When did you become aware as a child of the family history?" Lauren asked. She placed a slice of the cake on a plate for her and Bo to share.
"My parents made us aware of it from a young age. Of course it was pretty secretive, so not something that was spoken of outside the circle. As a high family, we had others in the employ of keeping it that way. Guardians for the guardians," he smiled. "Meetings would take place at the house every now and then. But we didn't have a secret altar down in the basement, where everyone stood in a circle wearing cloaks, spouting demonic chants and making human sacrifices!"
"It seems the Fae have some of those traditions." Bo mumbled.
Patrick smiled at her.
"You said your parents made us aware?" Lauren said. "Who was us?" she felt her body tensing, waiting for his response.
Patrick looked at her, his eyes apologetic. "My two brothers and my sister."
Lauren closed her eyes. "I had an aunt and uncles? You told me when I asked that you didn't have any siblings." She then looked at Madeline.
"I was an only child; that was the truth." She confirmed what she had told Lauren.
"I know that's what I told you when you were young," Patrick added. "It was all part of the plan to keep you safe; no curiosity on your part, searching for any family that could lead to your discovery."
"So if you were reluctant over the family history, why the change of mind?" Lauren sipped her wine, hoping the alcohol would ease the tension out of her shoulders.
"My plan was never to be involved. I had two younger brothers that could take over, the emphasis on younger, and my sister. My father had years to prepare them. I'd met your mom and as far as I was concerned, I had no obligation to be a part of it."
Bo smiled. "Yeah, family obligations suck sometimes."
Patrick laughed. "Your mom and I were coming to the end of college," he addressed Lauren once again. "Rumours started to propagate that something big was on its way. Something all the high families would have hoped for but the idea that it might actually be a child born of the Gods was unthinkable. That hadn't happened in several millennia for mankind. To understand it, for the Gods, there is no time, their world is the same as it's always been, but time by our standards means thousands of years of progression; effectively we've moved on and they haven't. You may only be thirty-six now, Laurie, but you're an Ancient of their time."
"Don't worry sweetie, I have some Seven Seas vitamins for the 'over fifties' that might help." Madeline suggested.
Bo gurgled her wine as she sipped it. "Sorry." She said to Lauren, noticing her scowl. She was partly grateful for Madeline adding a touch of humour to the conversation. She could feel Lauren was on edge sitting beside her.
"Of course, we know what the 'big something' turned out to be!" Patrick reached for a slice of the chocolate cake. "It was Zeus' line, a direct descendant, and of course that meant my family's direct involvement. My own parents couldn't have explained the arrival of a new baby at their ages, and that was never a choice. The responsibility would have to fall down the chain. At twenty-two, I was the only choice. My sister was seventeen, way too young for the responsibility, and my bothers only fifteen and twelve. Your mom and I had already been tested, and the decision was final. The day after we finished college, we were quietly married. Amongst our friends it gave the impression of a shot gun wedding, and we'd already said I'd had a job offer out of state. If we should come across anybody we knew, a baby wouldn't be a surprise."
"What about help?" Lauren asked. "What about money?"
"My own father was an investment banker. He was in charge of," Patrick quote signed, "Funds, belonging to the Gods….over the years that diversified into cash, bonds, stocks, shares, investments. That was part of the high families' trust, in case anything like this happened."
"Wow, old and rich? I feel an accident coming on once we're married!" Bo joked rubbing her hands together with delight. Lauren playfully slapped her on the arm.
"Sorry to burst your bubble Bo, but it's held in trust," Patrick said. "Some will be available to your children, and the rest will continue to remain tucked away, for the next time this could happen. We were only given a small financial handout to start with, again, anything too substantial could have flagged up investigation. As much as possible, we needed to give the impression of a normal young married couple, and lack of finances helped. Official documents were taken care of, and we were informed when to move on, to what towns and what job opportunities could be found. What helped was my eventual career at a pharmaceutical company that was researching cancer medication. It seemed fitting under the circumstances. I progressed, was paid well, and made some wise investments; hence my early retirement and this house."
"Did you know Lauren's purpose?" Bo asked.
This time Madeline answered; watching Patrick explain it all, years of a life shrouded in secrecy, was tiring him. "Not specifically. Her true parentage obviously meant a healer, and that her purpose was to defeat one of the Ancients, although we had no idea who or how. We also knew what would need to happen for her to ascend to her true self. That was the hardest part, every parent's worst nightmare. We knew it couldn't happen too soon in her life, but that it eventually had to. When you left for the Congo, we pretty much figured that could lead to it."
"So, my human grandparents were actually alive?" Lauren asked her father. She'd been informed by him they had died when she was a toddler. She looked from him to her mother.
"Again, I was telling the truth about mine having died before you were born." Madeline answered first.
Patrick nodded. "Yes, they were alive while you were growing up."
"Were?" Lauren asked quietly.
"As I said, we'd get messages every now and then. My mother died ten years ago, and my father five years ago."
Lauren held her breath for a moment. "You never got to see them after you left, did you?"
Patrick simply shook his head.
"And you never got to attend their funerals, either." She concluded without his affirmation. "You did all this, both of you, just for my sake!" Lauren found she couldn't hear anymore. "All that sacrifice!" She stood up, agitated, feeling unworthy of what had been done, the lives it had affected; it wasn't just her parents, but Patrick's family, his parents, his siblings, not being able to see their son, or their brother again.
"Nathan." She closed her eyes, as she thought of her brother, realizing there was a whole family he didn't know about as well, as not truly knowing who she was.
"Lauren," Paddy stood up also. "The outcome far outweighed any sacrifices we made. Believe me it was all worth it, to have you. And Nathan's life hasn't been any the less for it, either. There is nothing to feel guilty about."
Lauren opened her mouth to speak, only to find she couldn't answer him. He knew that's exactly what she was feeling; guilt. She hugged him tightly, hoping he would feel how much it meant for her to know he understood, and for all that he had told her.
He squeezed her to him, kissing the top of her head. They stood together like that for a moment. "Is there anything you want to ask?" He said.
Lauren shook her head.
"Bo?" Paddy offered her the same opportunity.
"No. I'm like Lauren, I'm a little speechless right now." She told him.
Madeline got up out of the chair. "I think we've all had quite a day. You two must be tired; traveling to get here, on top of hearing all this. Let's call it a night. We can continue tomorrow, if there's anything you want to ask."
Lauren nodded, kissing Paddy on the cheek, and then her mother, before heading out towards the stairs.
Bo hung back. "Thank you."
"For what?" Paddy looked puzzled.
"For keeping her safe. She's the only reason I've survived what I have. If you hadn't done what you did, I wouldn't have met her, and I don't wanna think about what I could have become."
Now it was Patrick that couldn't speak; his shoulders set. Madeline reached out, taking his hand, a familiar sign of quiet support. Bo noticed it, guessing it was time to leave them in private.
Up in the bedroom, Bo and Lauren quietly moved around each other, taking off clothes, until they were just in tops and underwear. Bo was still trying to process the whole conversation, suspecting that Lauren was trying to come to terms with it, too.
"I'm just gonna go brush my teeth." Bo said.
"Okay." Lauren answered, without looking at her, folding her clothes neatly as she always did, while Bo's were an untidy pile on the floor.
Bo stood brushing her teeth, as Lauren entered the bathroom, going straight to the toilet.
"Quite a story?" Bo remarked, feeling the need to say something about it, trying to gauge Lauren's reaction.
"Yep."
Bo continued brushing, watching the doctor sitting there. Bo smiled at her. That was the thing about relationships; how quickly any inhibitions or shyness ebbed away, how couples fell easily into 'sharing' an openness about habits. Dr Lewis taking a leak was just as sexy as anything else they shared.
"What?" Lauren asked.
Bo said nothing, spitting into the sink. Lauren flushed the toilet, joining her, squeezing paste onto her own toothbrush.
"How do you feel about it? Now you know the whole truth?" Bo asked, leaning against the countertop.
Lauren shrugged. "It's kinda surreal. This whole life we had as a family, and their lives before it. What they did, what they gave up. It's hard to believe that it was for my sake. It was like it had happened to someone else."
"Are you upset by that?"
"No. I'm not explaining this very well. If I could put it into scientific data, then I probably could!"
"So you need to get all nerdy, to tell me how you feel?" Bo pushed Lauren for a response. "That was some heavy stuff to hear."
Lauren stared at her for a moment. "You don't think I'm reacting normally? I should be more emotional about it?" she tilted her head pondering. "Okay, that's data I can analyze." She said more to herself.
"It's also okay, if you don't feel anything," Bo assured her. "It's not a requirement."
Lauren spat, wiping her mouth. "I'm more comfortable showing how I feel, than talking about it." She leaned in, leisurely kissing Bo. "You wanna help me with that?"
Trailing her fingers down Bo's chest, Lauren left her standing there, going to their room.
Bo frowned, pushing away from the sink. She found Lauren, pulling down the bed comforter.
"Are you suggesting what I think you are?" Bo said quietly. She'd lowered her voice, hoping it meant Patrick and Madeline wouldn't hear her, or the implications of Lauren's comment, despite their room being several meters away.
"That's a matter of your perception," Lauren moved to stand in front of her. "I'm just wondering if you want to participate in a sexual study that might produce biological results of how I feel right now." Her hands caressed Bo's body, as she moved them closer to the end of the bed, pushing the succubus slowly down onto it.
"Lauren?" Bo's protest was interrupted by Lauren forcing her further up the bed. "Is this really the way to deal with it?"
"I don't know…yet." Lauren crawled up to her, silencing Bo from speaking, with a deep kiss.
Despite trying to resist, Bo couldn't help moan. Lauren straddled her waist, then pulled her own t-shirt over her head.
Bo twitched as she took in the sight of her semi naked body, her own reacting excitedly, goose bumps erupting. "What about your parents?"
"I don't think they need to be involved in this study."
"You know what I mean." Bo's hands worked of their own volition exploring the doctor's torso, her finger tips feeling the heat emanating from her skin. "This is their house, shouldn't we be more respectful?"
"Bo, this won't be the first time I've had sex with someone while my parents slept just down the hall." Lauren whispered.
Bo stared at her. "Crap!" she moaned. The whole sentence evoked erotic images of Lauren and past lovers. Lauren was not going to let this go.
"You know us….we're not exactly quiet…well I'm not!"
"Then perhaps now is a good time for you to learn. I figure there's forty feet between our room and theirs. I know I can do it, but let's see how you cope."
Bo considered momentarily that this was a strange way for Lauren to react. She also knew, as the doctor had told her in the past, people dealt in different ways to processing events and emotions. For Lauren, that meant right now a physical need to connect with her, and if that's what she needed, Bo couldn't deny her.
Bo discovered Lauren was right, despite her best efforts; Lauren had mastered the art of quiet control. A while later, Bo also found a way to cope; staring down at Lauren, settled between her legs, and looking back at her with wicked satisfaction, Bo grabbed the headboard, and stuffed her other fist in her mouth.
Bo woke up immediately sensing the empty space beside her where Lauren should be. She scrambled from the bed, grabbing a t-shirt and underwear, dressing as she made her way out of the bedroom. She spotted the light coming from under the bathroom door along the corridor.
"Oh no!" she mumbled to herself, rushing towards it. In the bathroom she found Lauren, naked, on her knees, retching into the toilet, dollops of blood splattered on the tiled floor.
Bo grabbed a large bath towel, wrapping it around Lauren's body.
"Why didn't you wake me?" Bo said softly.
Lauren couldn't answer as she continued to vomit. She was shaking violently, sweating, as blood continued to pour from her nose. She was holding her head, her fingers digging into her own scalp, trying to ease the pressure and pain.
Lauren lent back against her. "I'll call a doctor." Bo said.
Lauren, shivering, shook her head, then heaved again into the toilet bowl. Bo held her, stopping her from collapsing, from hitting her head against the porcelain, or the floor.
Hearing the sink taps running, Bo turned to see Madeline standing there, wringing out a face cloth. Kneeling down with her, she placed it against Lauren's forehead.
"How long has this been happening?" she asked.
"A few weeks."
Madeline pinched the bridge of Lauren's nose, still holding the cold damp cloth to her head.
Bo continued to hold Lauren, now too weak to support herself. Madeline dampened the cloth again, and re-applied the pressure pinch, in an attempt to stop the nose bleed.
This routine carried on for an hour. Lauren's stomach, bare of any contents, still going through the motion of trying to empty itself, only regurgitating the water that Madeline had been forcing her to try and drink to stay hydrated. Finally, the nose bleed ceased.
It was only when Lauren's eyes closed and she slumped back against her, that Bo knew this episode was over. It was the longest lasting one yet. She sat on the cool tile floor, holding Lauren against her for a moment, shaking herself, relieved that it was finished.
Madeline looked at her. "Are you okay?"
Bo nodded.
"Can you manage with her, or shall I get Paddy?" Madeline asked.
Bo nodded again. "I can carry her." Thankful for her Fae strength, she managed to stand, carrying Lauren in her arms.
Placing her back on the bed, Bo stared at Lauren's pale face. The doctor appeared small, vulnerable, as she lay there, and Bo suddenly felt afraid.
Madeline appeared with a bowl of hot water, handing Bo a cloth.
"Let's wash her down."
Bo removed the towel covering Lauren and following Madeline's lead, helped to gently wash the sheen of sweat from Lauren's arms, torso and legs. Madeline's face showed her concern, but she said nothing, as she gently nursed her daughter.
After they dried her, Bo found a t-shirt and shorts for Lauren to wear, then pulled the comforter over her.
"Is this over, or likely to start up again?"
"No," Bo answered Madeline's question. "Normally once she passes out, that's it."
They silently watched her for a few more minutes.
"Would you like a coffee?" Madeline offered.
Bo hesitated. She knew Madeline was eager to know just what had been going on over the last few weeks, but was reluctant to leave Lauren. She knew, by recent episodes, that it wasn't likely that Lauren would wake up and suffer another bout of illness. In fact, the opposite was the case. Once she did recover, her energy was stronger every time, until it struck her again, but every strike now seemed to be more severe.
"Yeah, I'd welcome a coffee right now." Bo answered. Instinct told her Lauren would be okay, but a mother's concern needed her assurance. She kissed Lauren's cheek.
Grabbing shorts for herself to wear, Bo followed Madeline down towards the kitchen, noticing she too was in just shorts and a t-shirt, her blonde hair loose and a little messed up from sleep.
As they got to the bottom of the stairs, Madeline waved a hand of dismissal at the kitchen.
"To hell with coffee, let's have something a bit stronger." She headed towards the darkened lounge, passing the sofas to a room at the back, with glass French doors.
As Madeline opened them and switched on a lamp, Bo could now see the room; a study, with a desk, and wall to wall shelves, bulging with books. What couldn't fit on the shelves, were stacked in neat piles on the floor.
Two leather chairs were in front of the desk, and Madeline motioned Bo to sit, as she switched on another lamp.
"I guess this is your hobby room?" Bo said.
"Yes," Madeline answered, fetching a bottle and two glasses from a small cabinet. "Paddy's has always been his workshop. It's where he goes to work things out, think things over. He's a physical man; he has to be doing something. My destresser is books, reading; it's how I work through stuff."
She handed a glass to Bo. "Kentucky bourbon, straight up, okay?"
Bo nodded, holding up the glass, her hand trembling. Madeline helped to steady it, as she poured. Filling her own glass, she downed the shot in one. Bo followed suit, eyeing the bottle's label. 'Angel's Envy', a bourbon aged in ruby port barrels; Bo expected an explosive taste from the name, but instead the finish was smooth, lingering, and felt like liquid silk as it soothed its way down. The usual burn was slow, the warmth spreading evenly; it was primarily a sipping bourbon, and she realized why Madeline had downed the first shot; Bo felt its affects, easing the tension from her body, helping her to relax, as Madeline knew it would.
Madeline refilled both glasses, setting the bottle on the desk, sitting in the chair opposite her.
"I assume by your reaction," Madeline pointed at Bo's trembling hand. "That what happened upstairs was bad compared to recent incidences of the same thing?"
Bo nodded. "How did you know?"
"I know my daughter, and I knew something wasn't right when you arrived. Despite not having seen her these last few years, it was obvious something was…wrong."
"That's the worst it's been." Bo said, explaining about all the attacks Lauren had had, and the tests she'd run that had shown negative results for any cause.
"It's not like her to be ill. Even as a child, she rarely got sick. Her brother was the opposite!"
Bo managed to smile.
"Of course, I put that down to her being….special, that it was part of her nature, that illness wouldn't be a major issue. She had colds, but nothing that she couldn't shake off after a couple of days. With Nathan, she never caught anything off him, not even chicken pox. He was a magnet for anything going around at school."
Bo started to feel more relaxed, as Madeline talked. It seemed a natural ability that she had, to put people at ease, despite her obvious worry over Lauren.
"Did they get along?" Bo asked.
"Oh yes. Lauren's four years older, so Nathan practically followed her everywhere once he could. They adored each other, and she was very attentive towards him, even as a baby. Oddly enough, she seemed to know when he was getting sick, before it became obvious. Even then, she showed signs that a medical career was where she was destined to be. She probably wouldn't remember any of that now, but she was always concerned when any of us were ill, and was very adept at helping as much as she could."
"That sounds like Lauren, doesn't look like much has changed." Bo gave a small laugh.
"And her bedside manner showed a very caring personality from a young age, as well as a curiosity for medical practices. On the odd occasion Nathan had to be taken to the doctor's and Lauren was there, she paid great attention to what the doctor said and what they were doing. One time, Nathan broke his leg falling out of a tree they both liked to climb. Lauren was beside herself with worry and guilt, 'cos she knew he wanted to do everything she did."
Madeline sipped at her drink.
"So she was fascinated at the hospital, with all the x-rays and the cast for his leg. I mean, if you've ever had a hyper six year boy at home from school, and tried to keep him occupied, you'd appreciate the effort that takes. The only one who could keep him calm was Lauren. She'd sit with him for hours reading him stories, playing games, and he'd do whatever she told him."
"They sound like great kids."
"They were, but there were times they tested my patience, believe me! Toddler tantrums, teenage angst, and having to support young idealistic views; seriously, a whole freshman year in a wedding dress and combat boots? I expect she's told you about that?" Madeline rolled her eyes. "But we've been very lucky, very blessed with our children."
Bo smiled to herself. It seemed to Madeline there was no distinction that Lauren wasn't her natural daughter.
"What is it?" Madeline tilted her head, her eyes narrowing.
"Nothing." Bo dismissed.
Madeline moved forward in her chair, taking hold of Bo's hand. "I'm so sorry you never felt that from the people who cared for you. We may not be Lauren's biological parents, but she's our daughter." She refilled both their glasses.
"As you know, we had gotten married more quickly than we'd expected to. Paddy's whole family obligation towards the Gods? When they first told me, it was a real what the fuck? moment."
Bo laughed at the candid comment.
"I honestly thought it was a joke," Madeline continued. "Then I thought maybe they were a bunch of crazies, until I realized they were deadly serious. Once I was taken into the whole confidence of it, I realised we loved each other enough, and not even something like that, could break us up. And then the whole, we're going to parent this special baby. That was probably the point where I was ready to run because that was something I wasn't sure I could do. How the hell, at just twenty-two, was I going to cope, to be a good enough parent, to any child, let alone one so special? I remember the night she arrived. Paddy had gone on ahead to some quiet rural town, to find us a home, to get a job. I eventually joined him, thinking I'd have time to organize this little house he'd found, for the arrival of a baby. I got one day at it, because my second night there, they brought her to us. I remember everything about that night, the time, the meal we'd eaten, what we were wearing. Even seeing Paddy's reaction, and knowing in that moment, it had changed him into a man. This tiny little bundle, literally just a few hours old, and the minute I held her in my arms, I fell in love with her. I knew, no matter how hard things might be, whatever we had to do, she was the most important thing in our world; she was our responsibility, and at the cost of our own lives, we'd ensure hers. I understood in that single moment, what it meant to be a parent. And that in fact, I was ready to be one."
"She's lucky to have had you both." Bo raised her glass in salute.
"It's been a two way street." Madeline smiled.
"It couldn't have been easy, having to hide away, move constantly?"
"I imagine no harder for any other family, with commitments. We did what we had to do, to provide a good home for our children, to give them a solid family foundation. Paddy's job meant relocations, which helped in the overall scheme of things, and the kids were young enough that it didn't affect them too much. That all settled after the first ten years; not to say it was all plain sailing, there were moments that were tough, and Paddy struggled for a while, but we came through it."
"I'm not surprised it was tough. Having to leave your families, not having any contact with them. Paddy mentioned his family earlier, but neither of you really mentioned yours. Was there no other family members at all who would have missed you?" Bo asked, as she finished her drink.
Madeline didn't answer right away, refilling their glasses once again. Bo stopped from protesting at another drink. Truth be told, she actually didn't mind if she got smashed. She knew it would be very easy to do so right now, after seeing Lauren so ill, and it seemed that drinking with Madeline was an easy pastime; it was relaxing and had a quiet sophistication and maturity about it, rather than the frenetic drinking sessions she and Kenzi engaged in. As a future mother-in-law, Madeline was scoring high in the buddy stakes right now.
Madeline sat back in the chair. "My parents were killed in a car crash when I was five. My mom was only seventeen when I was born; not quite as acceptable back then, as it is now. They were very young and a little reckless, and probably considered themselves to be indestructible, as most young people tend to see themselves. With no immediate family, or even distant ones willing to take in a five year old, I was delivered into the foster care system."
"Shit!" Bo gasped under her breath.
Madeline continued. "The constant change for us as a family was already a familiar one to me. For four years, I had no real stability, moved from one foster family to another; not that I helped much in trying to settle in. I proved to be a handful," she winked. "So the foster services tried a different tact. Instead of a family with children, they opted for a couple with none; a much older couple in fact. They'd been foster parents for years and were on the point of retiring, when services begged them to take me. They were reluctant at first, due to their ages, both early sixties, but when they were informed of my case, they decided they couldn't let me go back into a system that wasn't working for me. It was only supposed to be for a few months. I was nine. They officially adopted me when I was ten."
"That's where Lewis comes from, isn't it?" Bo guessed.
Madeline nodded. "John and Marion were my parents, and that's the only name I wanted."
"You must have loved them very much."
Madeline breathed in deeply. "Yes I did. It was a calming home, very loving, very attentive. They were both school teachers. My level of academia was helped greatly under their influence. Fortunately I was awarded a scholarship to attend college, as by then, they were retired, so I didn't have to worry about fees. I could get through with odd jobs towards what I needed for classes and living."
"What happened to them?" Bo sensed there was more to come from this story.
"I think they filled a massive obligation, and finally seeing me achieve my goal, they were able to let go. Marion died first, and John followed two weeks later. It was during my first semester."
Bo closed her eyes, unable to take in what she was hearing.
"I got through it, knowing they'd want me to. I managed to pick up classes after everything was settled. And I guess that's why Paddy's family had no concerns over me, as a rank outsider; in fact his mother was ultra supportive of our relationship and that I be included."
"That's what I call a what the fuck? moment!" Bo shook her head looking at Madeline in disbelief.
"My goal was to be have been able to take care of them as they aged, but they denied me that," she half smiled, remembering. "So I did what I set out to do, and what they'd done for me. I became an English teacher. I've had the great privilege of teaching eight to nine year olds, instilling in them a love of story-telling. It's just the right age to catch them, before they start to slide down the road of puberty, before that battle begins! When there's still innocence, and a belief in magic. And books are magical journeys. There's a small school here in town that I still teach at part time."
"Lauren told me you were a teacher, but she never mentioned all this. She doesn't know does she?" Bo said quietly.
Madeline smiled, leaning over the side of the chair. "She didn't, until just now." Her voice louder, aimed towards the lounge. "You might as well come in here, rather than sit there in the dark!"
Bo frowned, until Lauren sheepishly appeared at the doors to the study, wiping at her eyes. Bo got up immediately, going to her.
"How do you always know?" Lauren whined, sniffing.
"A mother's instinct! I always knew when you and your brother were sneaking around. I can tell your footsteps, even barefoot!"
Bo wondered if Madeline had always been alert, especially where Lauren was concerned. Any attempt at trying to sneak off could have led her towards a danger she would have been completely unaware of when she was younger.
Bo gently held Lauren, who still looked pale, but now distraught at what she had heard.
"Why didn't you ever tell me all this?" Lauren pleaded.
"Because when you came along, you were my life; you, your brother and your dad. Whatever I'd gone through was of no importance, compared to that." Madeline said softly.
Lauren inhaled sharply, forcing the lump in her throat back down.
"But I knew there'd be a time, when I'd be ready to tell you, and that time is now."
"I want to know all about it, about John and Marion!" Lauren said forcefully.
"And I'll tell you. But not now. It's two in the morning, and you need to be in bed!"
Lauren went to protest.
"No arguing! Enough talking for one night! We'll talk more tomorrow." Madeline looked to Bo to back her up.
"Your mom's right. Let's get some sleep."
With her mother's and Bo's arms around her waist, Lauren allowed them to lead her back upstairs.
Up on the landing, Madeline cupped Lauren's face in her hands, kissing her forehead. "Sleep now," she kissed Bo on the cheek, "Goodnight, Bo," then started towards her bedroom.
"Night." Bo said quietly.
"Mom?" Lauren called out. Madeline turned to look at her. "I love you."
Madeline showed the first signs of caving in, a slight stumble at Lauren's words. Bo held her breath watching her, not surprised, considering everything, at the sudden welt of emotion that had appeared. She willed her not to crumble, not now; but ready to catch her if she should.
"Love you, too, sweetie." Madeline's voice cracked slightly, but she managed to smile, then went quietly into her and Paddy's bedroom.
In their own room, Bo took off her shorts and laid down next to Lauren. "You should have stayed in bed." She gently admonished.
"I woke up and you weren't here."
"Sorry, but your mom offered coffee, and it sounded like a good idea." Bo quickly kissed Lauren's lips.
"That would be bourbon coffee from the smell of it?"
"Yeah, just minus the coffee."
"Did my mom get you drunk?"
"No," as Bo thought about it, and at how much they had in fact drunk, she smiled to herself. "No, I'm not drunk at all. But that was one of the best drinking sessions I've ever had." And she knew it was one she had been privileged to be a part of; one that she would never forget.
"Your mom's a remarkable woman."
Lauren just nodded.
Bo pulled Lauren to her, stroking her face. "I love you. So much."
Unlike her mother, and for no immediate reason Lauren could fathom, she crumbled at the words; Bo caught her, aware more than Lauren in that moment, that this was probably the reaction she should have had after her parents had told them everything.
Bo held her tightly through the sobs, until sleep finally claimed them both.