This takes place in April of 2017, around Elena's 22nd and everyone was having a hard time celebrating Elena and Bekah's birthday after Della's passing.
This chapter is not going to focus on the birthdays of Bekah and Elena, it's going to be more along the lines of another mental health conversation.
It was the early morning of Elena's 22nd birthday and she was up early and sitting on the balcony looking up at the stars.
"I miss you Grandma Della and Grandpa Perry. I wish you guys were here with us." Ken had been sleeping on the couch as he woke up gently seeing Elena outside.
"Come inside, 'Lena. It's a little chilly. I've got a fire going." Ken said softly as Elena jumped but relaxed seeing Ken as she began to cry.
"I'm… I'm sorry, Uncle Ken. I didn't mean to wake you." Ken sighed as he held her close.
"It's alright, I wish they were here too." Elena sniffled softly as her body was still trembling from Ken scaring her slightly,
"You don't have to be afraid; I've got you." Ken whispered as he felt her trembling, feeling beyond guilty for having triggered it.
Bekah was sound asleep but began to toss and turn, the night her world fell apart was replaying in her mind. The night she lost her mother.
"Momma…" Bekah whimpered as she sat up and relaxed feeling Finian's arms around her,
"I know, darling." Bekah sighed as she got up and smiled seeing Ken and Elena on the couch as Elena moved to hug her mother,
"Happy Birthday, Mama." Elena said as Bekah held her close,
"Happy birthday, sweetheart." Elena sniffled and felt her heart break as she asked this question,
"How would you feel if we didn't do anything special today, Mama?" Bekah nodded,
"I was about to ask you the same question. I'm just not feeling it, and I know Grandma Della would not be happy with us deciding to not do anything special." Elena looked to Bekah,
"Why don't we make Grandma Della's favorite dishes for lunch and dinner? I think that would be satisfactory." Bekah nodded,
"I think that would be just enough to make everyone happy." Ken was watching with a small smile as Bekah and Elena walked along the water. Once they got inside,
"Daddy." Elena said as she walked into Finian's open arms as Bekah smiled as her heart fluttered seeing the sight.
"Happy Birthday, Elena Joy."
The day went on with a somber mood but Holly and Elena tried their best to be the sunshine (as Della put it in her letters*) for the family and once everyone had gotten ready for bed.
"Perry, 'Lena can you come to Perry's bedroom please?" Bekah asked her two oldest as they went to Perry's room.
"How are you both doing? Be honest." Bekah asked as Perry sighed,
"I miss them, it's been hard." Elena felt tears come,
"I miss Grandma Della's smile and her laughter." Bekah nodded,
"Me, too. I miss her so much, and your Grandpa Perry. Grandpa Perry and I were so close that you swore that they had me since I was born. Not when I was five. My biological parents abused me. It was rough, I was over at my Aunt Elizabeth's more time than I was in my parents apartment."
Perry and Elena blanched. This was the first time that they had heard about the abuse their mother had be a victim of. Bekah sighed, she knew that she would have to mention that sooner or later.
"Holly, Phillip. Are you both alright?" Finian asked the twins as they got ready for bed as Holly began to cry as Finian held his youngest daughter close,
"It's OK, let it out." Phillip clung to his father as he began to cry too. Bekah had sung Perry and Elena to sleep and was making her way to see the twins, as she heard them crying as she walked in and the twins clung to her as she hummed softly.
As she was humming, Ken and Paul Jr were watching as they noticed Holly calming down first as Bekah laid Holly down and kissed her forehead as she hugged Phillip tightly as she continued to hum.
Once Phillip was asleep and the adults were in the kitchen with tea,
"How are you feeling, Rebekah?" Ken asked as Bekah looked up as a flush hit her cheeks, it had been ages since Ken used her full first name.
"I wish that I was able to take some time to myself and just allow myself to cry." Ken nodded,
"I understand when your Dad died it was the same way for Della. She wanted to do what you described." Bekah nodded,
"But Perry William was just a baby… Oh! She wanted to stay strong for me. I was just as broken as she was." Paul Jr nodded,
"She loved you very much. You know that. I can feel her around us. She's happy right now." Bekah smiled,
"I feel it too." Everyone smiled as they decided to go to bed as Bekah decided to lie again with Elena.
*See Chapter 33 for the letters