The song "Only Time" by Enya is borrowed for this chapter.
Chapter 17: Remembering Old Times!
AN HOUR LATER!
Alvin, Brittany, Theodore and Eleanor sat quietly at the kitchen table. Neither of them had anything to say to each other. It has been such an emotional day for them that they didn't even bother changing from their funeral clothes. They just sat in silence. The silence, however, lifted when the sound of small feet running into the kitchen.
"Yeaaa! I'm finally free!" Vincent cheers, as he's now glad to out of the itchy suit he had to wear earlier that day.
"Vincent! Settle down." Simon called out sternly. He walks into the kitchen with his tux still on. Apparently he too still hasn't been able to change just yet. His concern was to get his children dealt with first.
Tom and Mary, whom are also changed in their regular clothes followed close behind their father. Vincent reached for the door handle and began to open it to go out side to play in the backyard.
"You guys play nicely...and stay in the yard!" Simon told his children.
"We will." The triplets chimed at once.
Jeanette walks in, still in her funeral clothes as well, and sits down beside her sister, Eleanor. She lets out a deep sigh, but says no more then that.
Simon watches his kids playing in the yard for a moment. He closes the door and heads for the kitchen counter. He pulls out a jar from the cupboard before taking out a tea kennel.
"Hey, Simon? Are you making some of your tea?" Alvin finally said as he looks up from the table.
"Yea, why?"
"Because, I want some."
"Alvin, this tea tastes awful. You wouldn't like it."
"I don't care, if it tastes like mom's cooking, I want it." Alvin replies with a slight frown.
"Ooo, tea. That sounds nice." Jeanette cooed softly, without looking at her husband.
"Make one for me too, would you Simon." Brittany speaks up softly.
Simon sighed, "Anyone else want some?" He asks while holding up the jar of his special herb tea.
Slowly Theodore and Eleanor start raising their hand to indicate that they too would like some tea.
"I'm going to have to get some more soon..." Simon mutters to himself while he fills the kennel with water.
Brittany lifts the slightly used tissue she still holds in her hand and lifts it to her face. She blows her nose into it, before she looking up to everyone as they sat quietly in their thoughts.
"I think this was the hardest thing for any of us to have to deal with..." She began, her voice trembling.
"Not necessarily..." Simon said over his shoulder, while putting the kennel on the stove and turning it on.
"What do you mean, Simon?" Theodore asks.
"He probably means all the times we've gone on crazy adventures as kids." Alvin softly points out.
"Oh."
"You guys forget." Simon shakes his head. "I've been through this before, during the time when I lost my friends from the Island." He says while serving the empty cups on the table while his tea water starts to boil.
"Oh, yea..." Alvin realizes.
"I've seen enough death to last me five lifetimes." Simon plainly stated.
Theodore looks up with a guilty look on his face. "It must have been hard for you. Y-y-y-you know... S-s-seeing Miss. M-Miller?"
Simon frowns as he tries to forget that morning. "I don't even remember walking home after seeing her just lying there... It brought me back to when I discovered Renee that one fateful morning."
Quickly Simon turns and heads back to the kennel when he hears it whistling.
Dave chooses that moment to walk in and saw everyone sitting at the table minus Simon. When he looked over to the stove and saw his middle son making tea, "Oh, good. You're making some tea. Could you make one for me too, please?" He asked.
"But, Dave...This is the special herb tea." Simon tries to explain.
"I know." His father assured him, "You don't mind, do you?" Dave asks hopefully as he pulls a chair up to the table.
"No Dave, not at all. I'll make more." Simon forced a smile. He turns back to the teapot and mutters, "and I'm the one trying to fight depression?"
Simon reaches again in the cupboard and pulls out more herb tea and sprinkles it into the teapot.
"Been a long week, hasn't it?" Dave asked as he tries to make small talk to the suddenly quiet Chipmunks and Chipettes.
"Yes. It has." Eleanor responded. The others just nodded in agreement.
"Miss. Miller was heck of a woman though, wasn't she?" Dave tries again to get them to talk more.
"Yup. She was." Alvin said plainly.
Simon comes by with an extra cup and the teapot filled with more tea. He pours the tea into each cup on the table then heads back to the counter to pour his cup.
"Thanks Simon." Dave says politely.
"Hey, does anyone remember the time when Miss. Miller dressed up as a Mummy in order to help me win a bet with one of the girls from school?" Brittany mentioned as she fought back her tears.
"Oh yea..." Simon smiled as he remembered that time. "Say Jeanette, did you and Alvin also dress up as Mummies."
Jeanette giggled. "Yes, and we all agreed to not discuss that part. For it involved a certain sister thinking it would be a better idea if I didn't wear my glasses." Jeanette complained and giving a glaring look to Eleanor.
Eleanor grins bashfully to Jeanette. "Oops..."
"Still, I was grateful for all of your efforts, especially Miss. Miller's. It made me realize how lucky we are to have had her in our lives." Brittany said.
"Like the time when she helped us win that talent show." Eleanor added.
"You mean, the show when she lent us those cute little 40's style outfits?" Jeanette asked to make sure it was the right talent show Eleanor was talking about, since they had been in plenty as children.
"I remember that. Boy, was I mean about that at first." Brittany sighed with a slightly guilty.
"Well, we all had our moments, Brittany." Jeanette said trying to comfort her sister.
"I know." Brittany said as she took a deep breath.
"Miss. Miller always had a special way in understanding you Chipmunks." Dave comments. "Like during that time when you boys stole her toy panda."
Alvin, Simon, and Theodore instantly started blushing.
"Uh, heh. Yeah..." Theodore stumbled to find the right words.
"No matter what, Miss. Miller loved us and was always there for us...but now...she isn't anymore..." Brittany said with tears in her eyes.
"Miss. Miller will always be with us. We just have to look deep within our hearts and we will know that she is there." Dave spoke up.
"Dave's right," Simon sighs as he stares at his cup.
"I don't think I've cried so much in my life...Y-y-you know...something that wasn't over me being...selfish." Brittany slowly admits as she blows her nose again.
"I'm about to cry right now," Alvin said as he made a grim face, "over this tea." He adds after taking his first sip from the cup. Alvin then looks up at Simon. "Why didn't you tell me it tasted so bad?"
Everyone let out a little chuckle over Alvin's comment. They couldn't help the fact that he was right about the tea tasting awful.
Simon was about to say 'I told you so,' when he just looked slightly to one side. "It's an acquired taste." He calmly replies before taking another sip from his cup.
"Boy, that was lame." Tom comments as he and his siblings enter back into the kitchen from outside.
"Hey, how was I supposed to know the ball would get caught in the tree...?" Vincent innocently replies while shrugging his shoulders.
"Come here, Vincent." Brittany says softly.
"Awe... What did I do now?" Vincent complains.
Dave and the Chipmunks and Chipettes all start giggling over Vincent's cuteness.
"Nothing yet, I'm sure..." Simon comments as Vince moves slowly to his Aunt Brittany.
"Ignore him Vincent, I just want you to sit with me...is that ok?" Brittany asks.
"I guess." Vincent says as he crawls up to his Aunty. He then sniffs at the cup of tea in front of her.
"What's this?" He asks.
"Special herbed tea that your daddy made us." Eleanor answers.
"Smells like Nana's cooking." Vincent said with a look of discuss as he remembers Vinny's last visit, and her special dinner she cooked one night.
The Chipmunks and Dave started chuckling over Vincent's remark.
"Awe, your such a little sweetie." Brittany cooed as she pats Vincent's head tenderly. She then pulls him closer as she couldn't help but to hug him.
"I know..." Vincent grinned.
"Are you guys feeling better now?" Mary asks as she sits up on her daddy's lap.
"A bit, honey...Thanks." Jeanette sighs as she reaches over and strokes her daughter's cheek.
"Mommy, I'm still a little confused." Tom openly speaks out.
Jeanette picks up her son and sits him between her and Eleanor.
"I know that this isn't easy for you guys to understand." Jeanette mentions to her three children.
"But in time, all of this will make more sense." Eleanor finished.
"So, what will happen now?" Vincent asks confused.
"Now we heal the hurt." Simon replies.
"I hate this!" Vincent complains.
"Why's that Champ?" Alvin asked his nephew.
"Because you're all sad, and we are not going to see Nana Miller anymore." Vincent huffs while crossing his arms.
"Don't worry Vince, the sadness won't last forever." Dave explained.
"Papa Dave? You won't go anywhere, would you?" Tom asked worriedly.
Dave smiles warmly at the little chipmunk. "Not for a while, Tom." He replies.
"I hope it's not for a long while." Vincent sighs. "I don't think I can handle anymore of this sadness."
Brittany then got the impulse to start singing; she takes a deep breath and begins:
(Brittany)
Who can say
where the road goes
Where the day flows
(Chipmunks and Chipettes)
- only time
(Brittany)
And who can say
if your love grows
As your heart chose
(Chipmunks and Chipettes)
- only time
(Brittany)
Who can say
why your heart sighs
As your love flies
(Chipmunks and Chipettes)
- only time
(Brittany)
And who can say
why your heart cries
when your love lies
(Chipmunks and Chipettes)
- only time
(Chipettes)
Who can say
when the roads meet
That love might be
In your heart
And who can say
when the day sleeps
If the night keeps
all your heart
(Chipmunks and Chipettes)
Night keeps all your heart
(Brittany)
Who can say
if your love grows
As your heart chose
(Chipmunks and Chipettes)
- only time
(Brittany)
And who can say
where the road goes
Where the day flows
(Chipmunks and Chipettes)
- only time
Who knows - only time...
Who knows - only time...
------------
The Seville family all looks at each other and smiles knowing that no matter what happens the will always stay together.
Chapter 17: Remembering Old Times!
AN HOUR LATER!
Alvin, Brittany, Theodore and Eleanor sat quietly at the kitchen table. Neither of them had anything to say to each other. It has been such an emotional day for them that they didn't even bother changing from their funeral clothes. They just sat in silence. The silence, however, lifted when the sound of small feet running into the kitchen.
"Yeaaa! I'm finally free!" Vincent cheers, as he's now glad to out of the itchy suit he had to wear earlier that day.
"Vincent! Settle down." Simon called out sternly. He walks into the kitchen with his tux still on. Apparently he too still hasn't been able to change just yet. His concern was to get his children dealt with first.
Tom and Mary, whom are also changed in their regular clothes followed close behind their father. Vincent reached for the door handle and began to open it to go out side to play in the backyard.
"You guys play nicely...and stay in the yard!" Simon told his children.
"We will." The triplets chimed at once.
Jeanette walks in, still in her funeral clothes as well, and sits down beside her sister, Eleanor. She lets out a deep sigh, but says no more then that.
Simon watches his kids playing in the yard for a moment. He closes the door and heads for the kitchen counter. He pulls out a jar from the cupboard before taking out a tea kennel.
"Hey, Simon? Are you making some of your tea?" Alvin finally said as he looks up from the table.
"Yea, why?"
"Because, I want some."
"Alvin, this tea tastes awful. You wouldn't like it."
"I don't care, if it tastes like mom's cooking, I want it." Alvin replies with a slight frown.
"Ooo, tea. That sounds nice." Jeanette cooed softly, without looking at her husband.
"Make one for me too, would you Simon." Brittany speaks up softly.
Simon sighed, "Anyone else want some?" He asks while holding up the jar of his special herb tea.
Slowly Theodore and Eleanor start raising their hand to indicate that they too would like some tea.
"I'm going to have to get some more soon..." Simon mutters to himself while he fills the kennel with water.
Brittany lifts the slightly used tissue she still holds in her hand and lifts it to her face. She blows her nose into it, before she looking up to everyone as they sat quietly in their thoughts.
"I think this was the hardest thing for any of us to have to deal with..." She began, her voice trembling.
"Not necessarily..." Simon said over his shoulder, while putting the kennel on the stove and turning it on.
"What do you mean, Simon?" Theodore asks.
"He probably means all the times we've gone on crazy adventures as kids." Alvin softly points out.
"Oh."
"You guys forget." Simon shakes his head. "I've been through this before, during the time when I lost my friends from the Island." He says while serving the empty cups on the table while his tea water starts to boil.
"Oh, yea..." Alvin realizes.
"I've seen enough death to last me five lifetimes." Simon plainly stated.
Theodore looks up with a guilty look on his face. "It must have been hard for you. Y-y-y-you know... S-s-seeing Miss. M-Miller?"
Simon frowns as he tries to forget that morning. "I don't even remember walking home after seeing her just lying there... It brought me back to when I discovered Renee that one fateful morning."
Quickly Simon turns and heads back to the kennel when he hears it whistling.
Dave chooses that moment to walk in and saw everyone sitting at the table minus Simon. When he looked over to the stove and saw his middle son making tea, "Oh, good. You're making some tea. Could you make one for me too, please?" He asked.
"But, Dave...This is the special herb tea." Simon tries to explain.
"I know." His father assured him, "You don't mind, do you?" Dave asks hopefully as he pulls a chair up to the table.
"No Dave, not at all. I'll make more." Simon forced a smile. He turns back to the teapot and mutters, "and I'm the one trying to fight depression?"
Simon reaches again in the cupboard and pulls out more herb tea and sprinkles it into the teapot.
"Been a long week, hasn't it?" Dave asked as he tries to make small talk to the suddenly quiet Chipmunks and Chipettes.
"Yes. It has." Eleanor responded. The others just nodded in agreement.
"Miss. Miller was heck of a woman though, wasn't she?" Dave tries again to get them to talk more.
"Yup. She was." Alvin said plainly.
Simon comes by with an extra cup and the teapot filled with more tea. He pours the tea into each cup on the table then heads back to the counter to pour his cup.
"Thanks Simon." Dave says politely.
"Hey, does anyone remember the time when Miss. Miller dressed up as a Mummy in order to help me win a bet with one of the girls from school?" Brittany mentioned as she fought back her tears.
"Oh yea..." Simon smiled as he remembered that time. "Say Jeanette, did you and Alvin also dress up as Mummies."
Jeanette giggled. "Yes, and we all agreed to not discuss that part. For it involved a certain sister thinking it would be a better idea if I didn't wear my glasses." Jeanette complained and giving a glaring look to Eleanor.
Eleanor grins bashfully to Jeanette. "Oops..."
"Still, I was grateful for all of your efforts, especially Miss. Miller's. It made me realize how lucky we are to have had her in our lives." Brittany said.
"Like the time when she helped us win that talent show." Eleanor added.
"You mean, the show when she lent us those cute little 40's style outfits?" Jeanette asked to make sure it was the right talent show Eleanor was talking about, since they had been in plenty as children.
"I remember that. Boy, was I mean about that at first." Brittany sighed with a slightly guilty.
"Well, we all had our moments, Brittany." Jeanette said trying to comfort her sister.
"I know." Brittany said as she took a deep breath.
"Miss. Miller always had a special way in understanding you Chipmunks." Dave comments. "Like during that time when you boys stole her toy panda."
Alvin, Simon, and Theodore instantly started blushing.
"Uh, heh. Yeah..." Theodore stumbled to find the right words.
"No matter what, Miss. Miller loved us and was always there for us...but now...she isn't anymore..." Brittany said with tears in her eyes.
"Miss. Miller will always be with us. We just have to look deep within our hearts and we will know that she is there." Dave spoke up.
"Dave's right," Simon sighs as he stares at his cup.
"I don't think I've cried so much in my life...Y-y-you know...something that wasn't over me being...selfish." Brittany slowly admits as she blows her nose again.
"I'm about to cry right now," Alvin said as he made a grim face, "over this tea." He adds after taking his first sip from the cup. Alvin then looks up at Simon. "Why didn't you tell me it tasted so bad?"
Everyone let out a little chuckle over Alvin's comment. They couldn't help the fact that he was right about the tea tasting awful.
Simon was about to say 'I told you so,' when he just looked slightly to one side. "It's an acquired taste." He calmly replies before taking another sip from his cup.
"Boy, that was lame." Tom comments as he and his siblings enter back into the kitchen from outside.
"Hey, how was I supposed to know the ball would get caught in the tree...?" Vincent innocently replies while shrugging his shoulders.
"Come here, Vincent." Brittany says softly.
"Awe... What did I do now?" Vincent complains.
Dave and the Chipmunks and Chipettes all start giggling over Vincent's cuteness.
"Nothing yet, I'm sure..." Simon comments as Vince moves slowly to his Aunt Brittany.
"Ignore him Vincent, I just want you to sit with me...is that ok?" Brittany asks.
"I guess." Vincent says as he crawls up to his Aunty. He then sniffs at the cup of tea in front of her.
"What's this?" He asks.
"Special herbed tea that your daddy made us." Eleanor answers.
"Smells like Nana's cooking." Vincent said with a look of discuss as he remembers Vinny's last visit, and her special dinner she cooked one night.
The Chipmunks and Dave started chuckling over Vincent's remark.
"Awe, your such a little sweetie." Brittany cooed as she pats Vincent's head tenderly. She then pulls him closer as she couldn't help but to hug him.
"I know..." Vincent grinned.
"Are you guys feeling better now?" Mary asks as she sits up on her daddy's lap.
"A bit, honey...Thanks." Jeanette sighs as she reaches over and strokes her daughter's cheek.
"Mommy, I'm still a little confused." Tom openly speaks out.
Jeanette picks up her son and sits him between her and Eleanor.
"I know that this isn't easy for you guys to understand." Jeanette mentions to her three children.
"But in time, all of this will make more sense." Eleanor finished.
"So, what will happen now?" Vincent asks confused.
"Now we heal the hurt." Simon replies.
"I hate this!" Vincent complains.
"Why's that Champ?" Alvin asked his nephew.
"Because you're all sad, and we are not going to see Nana Miller anymore." Vincent huffs while crossing his arms.
"Don't worry Vince, the sadness won't last forever." Dave explained.
"Papa Dave? You won't go anywhere, would you?" Tom asked worriedly.
Dave smiles warmly at the little chipmunk. "Not for a while, Tom." He replies.
"I hope it's not for a long while." Vincent sighs. "I don't think I can handle anymore of this sadness."
Brittany then got the impulse to start singing; she takes a deep breath and begins:
(Brittany)
Who can say
where the road goes
Where the day flows
(Chipmunks and Chipettes)
- only time
(Brittany)
And who can say
if your love grows
As your heart chose
(Chipmunks and Chipettes)
- only time
(Brittany)
Who can say
why your heart sighs
As your love flies
(Chipmunks and Chipettes)
- only time
(Brittany)
And who can say
why your heart cries
when your love lies
(Chipmunks and Chipettes)
- only time
(Chipettes)
Who can say
when the roads meet
That love might be
In your heart
And who can say
when the day sleeps
If the night keeps
all your heart
(Chipmunks and Chipettes)
Night keeps all your heart
(Brittany)
Who can say
if your love grows
As your heart chose
(Chipmunks and Chipettes)
- only time
(Brittany)
And who can say
where the road goes
Where the day flows
(Chipmunks and Chipettes)
- only time
Who knows - only time...
Who knows - only time...
------------
The Seville family all looks at each other and smiles knowing that no matter what happens the will always stay together.