1 Alternate Realm

Chapter 3

A New Family Member





The next weeks that passed were indeed hard for Rinoa, but mainly because she made it that way. Her mother would come home from one of her dates with Laguna, blissful and in a good mood, but Rinoa either spoiled it, or she had no one to share her happiness with because Rinoa had already gone to bed. But Julia never gave up; she wouldn't let Rinoa stand in the way of her love for Laguna.

One night, however, Julia truly was afraid to come home to her child.

She stood outside her home doorway with Laguna, feeling a fear grow in her every second.

"Have you told her yet?"

Julia merely shook her head. "When are you going to then?"

"Tonight. I'm telling her tonight."

"Good. Tell me how she takes it okay?" He kissed her and said, "Goodnight. I love you Jules."

"I love you too."

She walked slowly inside, dreading each step she took. She couldn't even imagine what Rinoa would do when she was told she was getting a stepfather. The visual she saw was not even good to think about, for it only made her more reluctant.

"Hey Rinoa?" she called as confidently as she could, mustering up all of her courage. "Are you awake sweetie?"

Soft footsteps toward the room Julia was standing in gave her an answer.

"Yeah?"

Oh Hyne, Julia thought, groaning internally. She's even in a good mood. How will I tell her now?

"I wanted to tell you something honey. Sit down please," she directed calmly. Rinoa obeyed, but she did not feel comfortable with the way her Mother was talking.

"What is it?"

Julia's tongue felt heavy, but she knew she had to loosen her feelings. Rinoa was mature; she could handle this… right?

"Well… you know I've been dating Laguna for about three months now. How do you feel about him now?"

"He's alright I guess… for a moron. Why?"

Just get it over with, she thought, and blurted, "We're… we're getting married Rinoa."

Rinoa's eyes became so wide, Julia was afraid they would pop out. Please don't start screaming Rin…

"No…" she denied quietly, praying it wasn't true.

Julia nodded. "Yes."

Rinoa's worst fears had come true. It was bad enough that they were dating, but marriage? It was too much, too fast. She wanted to be furious with her, but instead, she began to cry. Julia was caught off guard by this reaction, but her motherly instincts kicked in and she reached over to embrace her.

"I just want my Daddy back," she sobbed faintly as Julia consoled her.

"I know sweetheart, I know…"

"I hate Laguna!" she suddenly cried, roughly breaking the contact with Julia's body.

"Rinoa…"

"No! I hate him! I'll always hate him! And I hate you!" she back away she shouted, tears still falling down her cheeks. She ran up the stairs, never looking back at her Mother.

The words stung her, just as many of Rinoa's words had before. She sighted, her hopes of Rinoa taking the news well dashed.

"I should've expected it anyway," she said to herself, getting up from the couch. How are we ever going to make it through this?



"So you told her?" Laguna asked as they at their dinner. Julia was quiet for a moment, and then replied, "Yes."

"And…?"

"Let's just say it didn't go as I hoped."

"Uh-oh, what'd she do?"

Julia picked at her chicken, averting Laguna's eyes. "She basically said that she hates you, she hates me, and she'll never be happy if we get married."

Laguna gulped. "Ouch. I guess she doesn't want us to marry huh?" he chuckled a little, but Julia's face remained with a frown.

"You think we shouldn't?"

"No! Of course I think we should! I've just… never seen Rinoa this miserable. It breaks my heart to see her like this."

He reached over the table and grabbed her hand reassuringly. She looked up at him, mentally noting how much he'd matured over the years.

"If you think we should wait…"

Julia shook her head. "No, I don't want to wait. It may sound selfish, but I think I've waited long enough."

Laguna nodded knowingly. "I love you."

"I love you too."



Rinoa couldn't help but feel a bit of déjà vu. She sat in front of her mirror, wanting to rip off her brightly colored bridesmaid dress and tear it to pieces. She still could not fathom how soon her Mother had dumped her Father for Laguna.

The day was a sad one for Rinoa, as much as it was the happiest day for others. Rinoa wore no smile; no frown… simply an expression that held no feeling. She walked out of her bedroom door like a zombie, determined to let no one see how much she detested that day.



Laguna beamed as Julia came down the stairs, looking angelic in a satiny whit dress. She smiled back at him, holding a bouquet of flowers tightly, trying to keep the smile as she caught sight of Rinoa's forlorn face. She reached her groom, took his hand, and faced the priest.

He spoke the same sacred words she'd heard when she married before, but for some reason, this time, it seemed right to her.

"Do you, Julia Caraway, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband? Do you promise to love him in sickness and in health, in good times and bad, till death do you part?"

She paused, feeling Rinoa's eyes burning into her. "I do," she replied whole-heartedly.

The priest said the same thing to Laguna, and he responded with an "I do," as well. Julia grinned, despite how much she knew Rinoa would despise her for it.

"Then if no one here objects to this marriage…"

Rinoa's voice wanted to scream out, 'I object!' with all her might, but nothing came. Her Mother looked so happy… she just didn't have the heart to ruin everything for her.

"Then I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Laguna stared into her eyes, and kissed her passionately. Rinoa looked away, closing her eyes and wishing none of it had ever happened. She wanted to run away from the scene, never looking back. But nothing could be changed now, what's done is done, she thought. I should know that by now.

"And so here my new hell begins," she said in a hushed voice aloud. No one heard her, as she'd wanted it to be that way. She wouldn't be around for the Reception, that was for sure.

No one needed her there anyway. Her Mother wouldn't look at her, and Laguna just tried acting like a Father to her, which pissed her off. She scurried up the stairs as people crowded around her Mother and "stepfather." Rinoa shut the door firmly, but was careful not to amplify the sound. She relaxed on her bed… wishing the day were over.