Chapter 37: 4 Years Later
Shepard and Liara lied on the small beach behind the house listening to the soft tones of Auron playing the piano on the roof. Liara fidgeted uncomfortably as she looked over to Shepard desperately.
"John," she pleaded.
"No Liara," Shepard said sternly.
"But what if something happened? What if she hurt herself?" Liara argued.
"If anything had happened we would have gotten a call from the school; and besides, Korra should be here any minute now with Benezia." Liara sighed and nodded her head in acceptance as they laid there silently besides each other. For the past few weeks Benezia had been sent to the Asari equivalence of Kindergarten at a very prestigious school in Armali. Liara had wanted Benezia home schooled but Shepard had argued that she needs to have as normal a life as possible, and that included going to school. Finally Liara spoke up again causing Shepard to sigh impatiently.
"But John what if she doesn't like school?"
"No kid likes school Liara, but it's important that we send her off to school so she can get an education."
"What if," Liara started lying on her side, "We hire a private tutor? That way she doesn't have to leave home."
"No," Shepard said immediately.
"How about Auron and I teach her then? I know he'd be interested in teaching Benezia,"
"Auron wants Benezia around for other reasons Liara not for teaching her," Shepard argued sternly, not wanting to discuss why. Liara nodded in apology as she put her hand into his and squeezed gently. At 39 Auron would be considered, among the Salarian people, one of the older members of their society; due to their increased metabolism most didn't live past 40, the oldest recorded Salarian being at 42. Auron, also aware of his mortality, chose not to mope and pout about it but instead spent as much time as possible with his family. As the couple lied there together they heard Liara's sister calling out from inside the house.
"Hello? Is anyone home?" Korra called out.
"We're in the back," Liara called out as she shot to her feet, racing to the house. Shepard shook his head with a smile as he hoisted himself up, ignoring the pain in his leg, as he followed Liara into the house. Benezia was there suffering from her mother's over bearing hugs as Liara continuously exclaimed how much she had missed her.
"Mommy I can't breathe," Benezia complained as her mother continued to dote her. When Liara finally pulled away from her daughter Benezia took an over dramatic breath which caused Shepard to laugh as he shut the door behind him. On seeing her dad Benezia smiled and ran towards him.
"Daddy!" she said excitedly as she hugged his leg. Shepard smiled and picked his daughter up.
"Hey Benezia, how was school?" Benezia suddenly seemed reluctant to speak and that's when Korra spoke up.
"We actually had a bit of trouble today at school," she explained.
"What? Why what happened?" Liara asked worriedly.
"Well Benezia's teacher told me that she got into a fight with one of the boys at school," Korra said.
"Benezia is that true?" Shepard asked sternly.
"He messed up my drawing," Benezia said, pouting in Shepard's arms.
"Benezia it isn't ok for you to fight others, this boy ruining your drawing isn't a good enough reason for you to fight him," Liara scolded.
"But he's mean to everyone and he makes fun of the sick Salarian boy," Benezia argued.
"I will admit that the little boy is a piece of work though," Korra said in agreement with her niece.
"Who is he?" Shepard asked.
"Just a little Turian boy; even the teacher dislikes him but his father has ties in the Turian Hierarchy so they put up with him," Korra said. Shaking his head Shepard put Benezia down on the ground and looked down at his daughter.
"I understand that this boy might be mean to everyone Benezia but you should only ever hurt someone if they hurt you first; and I think that your mother and I are going to have to punish you so you learn your lesson."
"But it's not my fault!" Benezia wailed as tears began to flow in her eyes.
"No playing outside today, you have to stay in the house and think about what you've done," Liara added sternly. Benezia stomped her foot and ran off crying as she shouted angrily "You two are the worst! I hate you!" Liara looked like she had just been slapped and was about to go after Benezia when Shepard grabbed her by the arm.
"She didn't mean it Liara, she's five," he said soothingly. "Just give her some time and she'll forget about it,"
"But didn't you hear her?" Liara demanded pointing to the running child.
"Liara relax," Korra said assuringly. "She's young she'll probably forget she was punished,"
"I didn't," Liara said worriedly. "Every time my mother and I got into an argument, young or not, I remembered it. Before we found my mother we had gotten into an argument about my choice of profession."
"Intel broker?" Korra asked.
"Prothean researcher," Shepard corrected putting a comforting hand on Liara's shoulder. He then took one of Liara's hands in his free one as he looked her in the eyes.
"Are you worried something like that will happen?" Shepard asked.
"I know it sounds silly," Liara argued. "But I don't want the strained relationship I had with my mother; I want a good one with my daughters, where they can come to me no matter what with their problems."
"And she will," Shepard assured her as he kissed her hand gently. Shepard and Liara went back outside while Korra left to go home; sitting in the center of the stairs was a pouting Benezia, still upset about being punished. As she sat there with tears in her eyes she heard someone approach from upstairs. She didn't turn her head to see who it was, already knowing who it was, and moved over so the figure would be able to walk by. Noticing his niece sitting sadly on the stairs Auron traveled down the stairs with the aid of his cane and took a seat besides Benezia.
"Well, what do we have here?" Auron asked. The previous four years hadn't been very kind to the elderly Salarian. He found that he now had to get around with the aid of a cane and the need to take a multitude of medicine each day. Also his once bright brown skin color had paled and dulled to an almost gray color. Still, if he was ever in pain or felt burdened he never showed it, he acted as upbeat and caring as ever; much to his family's gratefulness.
"Mom and Dad punished me," Benezia pouted.
"Punished you?" Auron asked in mock astonishment. "What would possess them to punish you aniołek?"
"A boy was being mean to me so I stabbed him with my crayon," Benezia admitted. Auron looked at her bug eyed before breaking out in amused laughter, after a few moments Auron took off his glasses to wipe the tears out of his eyes.
"What did the little tyke do to you aniołek, to have you contemplate stabbing him?"
"He's mean to everyone in class and he ruined my drawing," Benezia pouted.
"So he's a bully then," Auron said seriously, putting his glasses back on.
"Uh huh," Benezia agreed.
"Did this boy hurt you?" he asked worriedly.
"No, but he picks on people. Specialy the Salarian boy,"
"Well I can see why you acted aniołek, but you still shouldn't have hurt this boy unless he hurt you first,"
"That's what Daddy said," Benezia recalled.
"And he's right."
"But why did they have to punish me?" Benezia asked.
"They do it because they love you, they want you to be a good person and do what you're supposed to; and not fight people."
"But Daddy fights peoples," Benezia pointed out.
"Yes, bad people who don't listen to their parents," Auron said with a smile. "And I don't think you want to fight your dad now, do you?"
"No," Benezia sighed sadly. Auron put his arm around his nieces shoulder and looked around; suddenly with a smile and a chuckle he looked back towards Benezia.
"You know where I just realized we are?" Auron asked.
"On the stairs?" Benezia asked confused.
"Not just anywhere on the stairs, but right in the middle,"
"Why does that matter?" she asked curiously.
"Well, whenever I'm not sure about something I sit in the middle of the stairs to help me think. Sitting half way up the stairs is almost like thinking about things."
"What things?" she asked.
"Well take this bully for example," Auron started. "You don't think you did anything wrong in stabbing this boy, but your parent's told you that it was wrong right?" Benezia nodded and Auron continued his explanation. "So you, just like I do, sat in the middle of the stairs to think it over."
"I did?" Benezia asked.
"Well, subconsciously maybe. But that's getting into an entire conversation about mental abilities and precognitive thinking and I don't think you want me to explain that." At seeing Benezia's confused face Auron couldn't help but laugh.
"How about I just sing you a song, aniołek?"
"Ok!" Benezia said excitedly. Auron cleared his throat and sang the perfect song built into the situation.
"Halfway down the stairs is a stair where I sit
There isn't any other stair quite like it.
I'm not at the bottom
I'm not at the top
So this is the stair where I always stop.
Halfway up the stairs isn't up and isn't down
It isn't in the nursery
It isn't in the town
And all sorts of happy thoughts run round my head
It really isn't anywhere,
It's somewhere else instead.
Halfway down the stairs is a stair where I sit
There isn't any other stair quite like it.
I'm not at the bottom
I'm not at the top
So this is the stair where I always stop."
Auron looked down at Benezia and smiled before kissing her gently atop her head.
"Think about it," he said gently. With a groan he stood up and went back upstairs; Benezia continued to sit there for a time to think. After a while she came upon a conclusion and walked downstairs, she noticed that her parents weren't in the house or in their room so she went outside where she found them sitting at the outside table drinking their adult drinks. Benezia opened the door and shut it behind her as she walked towards her parents. Noticing their daughter approach Shepard and Liara turned around to speak to Benezia.
"Benezia, didn't we say you couldn't play outside today?" Shepard asked patronizingly.
"Yes," Benezia said sheepishly as she stood in front of the table her parents were sitting at.
"Then what are you doing out here?" Shepard asked, a little more gently this time.
"I'm sorry I shouted at you," she said sheepishly as she looked down at her feet. Shepard and Liara looked at one another and then back to Benezia.
"Is that so?" Shepard asked calmly as he silently urged Benezia to do the same. "And why did you shout at us?"
"I was angry, and I wanted to play outside," Benezia answered. Liara looked towards Shepard pleadingly, silently asking for permission to forgive her when Shepard finally relented and nodded with a small smile. Liara got out of her seat and went to a knee as Benezia ran into her arms for a hug.
"It's alright baby, we forgive you," she said happily.
"I don't hate you Mommy, or Daddy, I was just angry," Benezia said, starting to cry. Liara shushed her daughter gently as she said in a strained voice, "I know baby, I know," From inside the house Auron was watching the series of events happily. As he smiled he walked into the kitchen where he reached for his tea pot in the shelf; as he prepares his trade mark cup of tea he begins to sing a song he'd been working on for the last few months. He didn't have all the lyrics finished but when he played the song on the piano the melody really swung.
"Buh bup buh dum
Oh when the dust clears
I'm not the one bup buh duh dum.
I took my share of lumps,
Bop bop bop duh baddup bop!
But I'm still standing,
Bop buh bum – Ackh!"
Auron dropped the tea pot and grabbed at his chest in pain as he began coughing violently. When his chest finally calmed down he looked at his hand that he had been coughing into, the palm of his hand was covered in green blood. As Auron's breathing became stable the realization of what had happened became clear. Auron looked down at his hand and then back out to his family outside. Feeling tears form in his eyes Auron took a seat at the kitchen table putting his head in his clean hand. For the first time in Auron's life, he was afraid of what was to come.