This is just a product of my shameless love for the dead characters of Veronica Mars.
"Dad, where did my name come from?"
It was mid-march, time for Veronica, Wallace, Eli and Mac's bimonthly dinner and drink. The spouses took turns watching the kids those nights, and it was Logan's turn. Which is why he had an eleven-year-old, four ten-year-olds, an eight-year-old and a four-year-old running around his living room. This question, the latest in a series, had come from Meg.
"Well Meg honey, you were named after a friend of your mom's from high school. Megan Manning"
"Why haven't we ever seen her?" asked the always inquisitive Lillian.
"She died back when we were in high school in a bus crash." He believed in being as honest as possible with his children, even if other parents would have lied. Besides, these were smart kids who didn't need to be coddled. "She's the mother of your cousin Lilly."
"What about me dad?"
"Well Ms. Lillian Lynn, you're named after two amazing women."
"I wasn't named after someone amazing?" Meg asked, pouting.
"I know Meg Manning was amazing too. She was nice to your mom even though other people weren't. I just didn't know her like your mom did. She can tell you all the amazing things."
Meg seemed satisfied with this answer and wanted to hear about Lillian.
"Now Lil, you were named after Lilly Kane." Logan smiled at the name. It wasn't the same lovesick smile she used to inspire, but it was a smile meant for someone remembered fondly.
"Who was Lilly Kane? Was she your friend or mom's?" Meg inquired.
"Both. She was your mom's best friend and she was my girlfriend."
With this information, Tori Fennel looked up, interested.
"Aunt Veronica started dating her best friend's boyfriend? That is not girl code approved." she smiled, "Was Lilly mad?"
"It happened a while after Lilly died. Lilly was the type who would've been happy about it. Is that girl code approved?" he asked jokingly.
"I guess. It's hard to imagine Aunt Veronica of all people doing anything remotely uncool. But it's also weird to imagine. I mean you two have been together forever. Like almost 20 years. That's an eternity."
Any time he forgot why he loved hanging around kids, he just had to think of moments like these. He fed off of the optimism, the naivety, the joy, the carefree spirits.
"Yeah. It's been a long time. But Lilly, everyone loved her. She was murdered when we were 15."
The children all became silent when he mentioned murder.
"By who?" asked Felix, while the other children asked why.
Logan contemplated. He and Veronica had discussed how much they would tell their, and their friends', children about Lilly and her murder. But that didn't mean he wanted to be the one to talk to them about Aaron.
"Lilly had a lot of boyfriends. One of them got angry at her and killed her."
"And who was this boyfriend?" Tori asked. The other children nodded.
"Alright, I know you guys will google it later if I don't tell you, so the boyfriend that killed her was my dad."
The mouths of all seven children dropped open. Finally Tori, as much a questioner as her reporter mother, spoke:
"Your dad dated your girlfriend?"
Well dated wasn't really the word but… "Yes. That's why you should never let anyone take advantage of you, even if it's an adult. If you know something is wrong, don't do it because an adult tells you to. Now that we have that over with, Lil, your middle name is after my mom."
"Did your dad kill her too?" Lillian asked fearfully.
"No sweetie. She was a great mom and I loved her a lot, but she was really sick. She died when I was in high school."
The children were once again silent, appreciating their parents a little more.
"I know, Trevor, that your middle name Henry is after your dad's dad. And Felix, you're named after a friend of your dad's. He was killed because he got involved with a bad group of people. That's all I got kids."
The children nodded, then slowly resumed their activities, before Meg asked another question. Logan felt as though a weight had been lifted off of him. He knew there was still to tell his children about their family, Lilly, and his mistakes. But he was glad that they knew something of the past, and the girl, that had shaped his and Veronica's lives.
