DISCLAIMER: I don't own Pokémon, Geo doesn't own Pokémon, some people in Japan or America do. Apparently. I dunno, gonna move on now…
A/N: My chapter, yeeha, lol. Well yeah, I don't have much to say except, once again, thanks so much for all the reviews and kind words as they keep us going. Read on read on!
Chapter Three - Reunions and readings
I somehow found the strength to dial the number Ash had written down near the phone and listen to those tainted words again. Once more I was told that my father had died of an unconfirmed brain hemorrhage that would be check out by a pathologist, and again the news resounded in my brain like it was challenging me to believe what I heard. But I couldn't believe it, even as I flatly packed a suitcase to take to Cinnabar that night. How could I face this? Dad hadn't deserved to die so young and now I was feeling my heart shatter all over again.
I stared at the half-empty suitcase blankly, no emotion showing on my face, even as it ravaged me within. This was just another hurdle I had to jump over but I had a feeling this one would take a lot longer to clear.
Daddy…I lied to you. You could've been here, I could've got you to a hospital or at least said goodbye…
Wracked with bereavement, I collapsed on the bed and burst into uncontrollable tears again, which brought Ash running in a microsecond.
"Oh Mist" he sighed, holding me close as I let out my grief through my tears. "Shh. He's happy now and -"
"How can you say that?!" I yelled. "He's dead, my dad is dead and dead people don't feel anything!" My raised tones instantly startled Andrea, who notified us of this through the wails she sent down the hall. So I had just cut her afternoon nap short. Great. I shakily stood up before Ash placed his hands on my shoulders and forced me to sit down again.
"Don't move a muscle." With that he practically sprinted out the door and was back in record time with our now content daughter in his arms. "I can get Brock to look after her if you want."
"No" I shook my head and held out my arms. I just needed to hold her, to feel that warmth she radiated around me. With a placid little yawn she snuggled into my arms and looked up at me like she knew something was wrong. I swear she's got intuition. The day she was born she almost silently pleaded with me like she knew I was set on giving her up. She swayed me then and now she was of some comfort to me.
"My gorgeous angel" I whispered, stroking her hair. "You'll never remember the great man your grandfather was. He…" I couldn't go on and gratefully let Ash hold me close again.
"Come on. You don't wanna miss your flight" he said gently after a few minutes of silence. Didn't I? Maybe I did. Then again, that wouldn't make the pain go away. I had talked to Dad's lawyer on the phone who wanted me there for the reading of his will, which was the next day.
In the end Ash had to help me pack because I kept on spacing out with random thoughts and memories of my father. I suppose that's better than an outburst similar to the one I had put Ash through only minutes earlier. So he finished off my packing and I fed Andrea before he announced it was time to go.
Oh my God. Where had the time gone? I panicked as I realised I was entering the unknown without my family but Ash comforted me with his promises and reassurances.
"We'll catch up with you in a day or two. You need to be there first for the will but we'll be there tomorrow night or the next day. Soon Mist, I promise." Soon wasn't soon enough for me. I wanted them there now, I wanted them to board the plane with me so I didn't have to be left alone with my thoughts. But Ash had hurriedly booked the flight and we both knew how hard it was to go anywhere with Andrea. It took time to sort everything out for her, we couldn't have done it as quickly as I had packed.
The airport was crowded as he spoke those words to me and kissed me in full public view as more tears streamed down my cheeks. I just couldn't stop them. My vision was still blurry when we finally pulled away from each other.
"Be good for Daddy. I'll see you soon" I whispered to Andrea, holding her tiny hands with my shaking ones. I reverted my gaze back to Ash. "I don't think I can do this. See if there's a spare seat, book it now, just jump on the plane for God's sake, I can't do this by myself."
"Misty, you know we can't take Andie to a will reading. Tomorrow night, I swear, and I'll call you the minute you land. Now get going, the longer you hang around the more I'm tearing myself apart." I placed a hand on his cheek, overwhelmed by the sincerity of his statement, and kissed him one last time.
"I love you so much" I whimpered through my oncoming tears.
"We're right behind you honey. Be strong. We'll see you soon." I nodded, kissed them both quickly goodbye and rushed to the boarding gate for fear of physically dragging them on the plane with me. I had to see myself through just one day and then I'd see them again. With a final wave I slowly started walking towards the aircraft that would take me somewhere I didn't want to go.
The plane was full and it wasn't until I sat down that my thoughts completely took me over into zombie status. My gaze out the window led my empty eyes to nowhere as the plane took off. The woman sitting next to me attempted conversation but I think my monosyllabic responses only encouraged her to stop.
The rest of the forty minute flight I spent in silence, occasionally swiping at my eyes to destroy potential tears and glancing out the windows at the blackened sky.
One of many random thoughts that crossed my mind's path was that of the afterlife. Did it exist? Here I was, flying high above the world among clouds that many considered to be homes for spirits in the next life, and yet I didn't feel any closer to my father. If anything I only felt more distant from him at the thought of him being so out of reach while I was on earth.
Swiping at more tears, I vaguely heard the captain's voice announcing that we were landing. Sure enough the clouds disappeared and before I knew it the wheels had hit the runway of the island Dad had called home for too short a time.
My single suitcase was held firmly in my trembling hand as I stepped inside the small but bustling airport. Everywhere I turned people were greeting friends and relatives with hugs and kisses and exclamations at the time span that had passed since their last meeting. But that wasn't for me. I was a 17-year old girl alone in the middle of an airport with no one coming to meet me and so disoriented with grief that I couldn't even figure out where the taxi stands were.
Vulnerable? Just slightly.
Despite my initial disorientation I found the taxi stands and grabbed a cab with the name of the hotel Ash had booked me into earlier. The cabbie seemed to know where he was going which I was grateful for since I didn't have a clue, only a hotel name.
I sighed as I was whizzed through Cinnabar. Everything was lit up in tourist festivities that I had once so longed to be a part of. Now I just wanted to crawl into a corner and drown myself in my own tears.
Which hotel had he been staying at? It wasn't the same one I was going to, was it? No, that would be too morbid. Where had Dad spent his last hours? What was he doing, thinking, feeling? And why was I asking myself such pointless questions?
"Would you like me to take your bag into the lobby?" the cabbie asked politely as he turned off the engine. What? We were there? I slowly stepped out and took in my surroundings. The hotel was one of many in the area and it was big, but what I loved about it was the name. Carmel By The Sea. Ash had really pulled out all the stops.
I was shown to my room which was on the eighth floor and I slowly walked through in a surreal state of mind after being handed my key. I was all alone on the island my father had died on. This thought transformed into tears that didn't stop for fifteen minutes. Only then did my sobbing cease thanks to the sound of the phone.
"Hello?" I croaked out.
"Hi beautiful. Did you have a good trip over?" Ash asked.
"All things considered, I suppose so" I said quietly. I sniffled before I next spoke. "Thank you Ash, you didn't have to do all this."
"Well actually I did. You deserve only the best, especially now. How are you feeling?"
"Terrible. I can't face tomorrow" I quivered.
"Yes you can, tomorrow's when you see us. Me and Andie and Brocko get in at 7.30 so be prepared for an intrusion in that room of yours" Ash said teasingly.
"Brock's coming too?"
"Yeah. He can be the babysitter if you ever wanna, you know, just talk with me or whatever. He offered actually, mainly because he's so bloody worried about you, as am I." I gulped back more tears at what he had just said. They were both that concerned about my wellbeing. "What time is the reading tomorrow?" Ash asked.
"It starts at ten" I replied.
"I'll be thinking of you. I've started packing Andie's things" Ash announced. See, this is why he hadn't booked her and himself on the same flight as me. Just packing for her alone is one small mountain of a task.
"God, I miss you both so much" I whispered. It was true, even after only a few hours apart. Saying goodbye to them at the airport had broken my heart and now this phone call was both comforting and inevitably painful. There was always a goodbye at the end of a phone call and I never wanted to say goodbye to Ash again.
"We miss you too. Andrea was a little bit unsettled when we got home from the airport but she's asleep now and she's fine, so I don't want you stressing about her."
"Yes sir" I smiled weakly.
"You sound beat. I better let you get some rest" Ash said. "We'll get a cab to the hotel tomorrow so expect to see us around about eight. Until then you look after yourself, you hear me? If you ever need to call me just do it, I don't care if it's three in the morning or whatever, just call, okay?"
"Okay" I replied meekly. "I love you."
"I love you too. See ya tomorrow."
"See ya." I slowly hung the phone back up and stared at it for a long time in silence. So many thoughts crammed my head into a painful orb of despair that I had to lie down on the couch in defeat. I couldn't battle this forever, I had to let myself go. I cried a thousand tears for the father I had lost before feeling myself slip into a grief-induced sleep.
*******
I woke up at eight the next morning with a throat that resembled sandpaper and my eyes so sore I could barely open them. A grief hangover. Urgh.
It was a beautiful Cinnabar Island day. The beach was a stone's throw away and already eager surfers were testing the morning waters. People strolled along the boardwalk, many of them with prams, and I had to hold back my tears. It was so painfully strange not to wake up to the sound of Andrea's cries and the feeling of Ash's arms around me.
I slowly sat up, not really enjoying the idea of waking up in yesterday's clothes, and yawned in an attempt to loosen my jaw a bit. It was then that I heard a knock on the door. Panic set a rhythm in my heart at the sound and I gulped nervously before walking towards the door.
Why I didn't ask who was there is beyond me, for in my devastated state I truly should have. But I simply opened the door and gasped in shock at who stood in front of me. Daisy, Violet and Lily. The three sisters who had turned their backs on me all those months ago. How did they know I was staying here?
A stony silence ensued as I found absolutely no courage to initiate any sort of conversation. I was soon to be shocked when they all calmly walked past me into my room without a single word.
"I hope you're happy Mist" Daisy started coolly. "Not only did you bring down our sales, force us to sell the gym and totally humiliate us, you killed Dad."
"WHAT?!" I shouted at the blunt words.
"If you hadn't convinced Dad to leave Mom he would've been at home with us and we could've saved him. But you said it would be better for him if he left and he did, and now he's gone" Violet added.
"I don't know what you're talking about" I said through clenched teeth.
"Oh come on, Misty!" Daisy suddenly shouted. "He always listened to you and he always took your side! Even when that Ash idiot knocked you up he couldn't see any wrong in you. After you and Mom fell out he couldn't stop asking if you could come back. But she said no and he went running, after seeing you so supposedly happy away from home."
"You told Dad it was better away from Cerulean, didn't you?" Violet scowled accusingly.
"No! I never told him anything!" I said defensively.
"Bullshit Mist. We know he visited you in Pallet" Violet told me. I quickly glanced at Lily, who hadn't spoken a word at all and who was keeping her eyes to the floor.
"Yeah but that was after he had decided to leave Mom. He told me that day and I never even suspected it would happen. I never wanted them to split up" I explained.
"Sure, sure. God, why do you always have to screw everything up?" Daisy asked, striking a nerve in me as she did. She had once been so worried about me, she had encouraged me to fess up to Ash on both occasions we got together. And now…
"Where's the kid?" Violet asked crudely, causing my eyes to narrow at her aloofness. She made 'the kid' sound like a lost remote control or something. I sighed and rubbed at my sore eyes.
"She's at home with Ash."
"How touching" Daisy sniggered. "Little Miss Illegitimate stays home with Dada while Mama jets off to confront the fact that she killed her kid's ever-doting grandfather."
I think it was that statement that pried my fingertips off the cliff of sanity. My actions were controlled by a demon I very rarely saw within me as I strode over to my sister and punched her with all the fury she had just installed in me. She staggered back from the force and shrieked when she had caught her breath.
"You little bitch!" she yelled.
"Excuse me, I'm the bitch?" I asked mockingly.
"You just punched me!"
"Yeah, and you just accused me of something I didn't do and disrespected my family in one sentence. That hurts more than a little punch" I sneered.
"I'll show you which one hurts more" Daisy said callously. She started to charge towards me before Lily held her back.
"Daisy, don't." So she had spoken at long last. Daisy looked at her like she was crazy. "Fighting won't help anyone. Come on, I knew this was a bad idea" Lily said quietly.
"The bad idea was ever communicating with that skank over there" Daisy said viciously. I had forgotten how poisonous she could be and silently watched them walk towards the door.
"This isn't over, Misty. It's far from over. You'll pay for killing Dad" Violet announced, before she stormed out after the other two and slammed the door. I stood there shaking in anger and disbelief at what they had just implied. I didn't kill Dad. I didn't! I never told him to leave Mom and I never told him how much happier I was without her.
Then again, he knew how happy I was. He had seen it for himself and when he told me he was leaving her I had been all for it if it meant he would be happy. If I had convinced him to stay in Cerulean with Mom and my sisters, would they have saved him? Would he still be alive? Oh God, that punch was sure to have some kind of ramifications too.
"No dammit, no!" I yelled out loud. "Cut me some fucking slack!" I didn't mean to use such harsh words directed to nobody but not for the first time in my life I felt myself on the verge of a breakdown. I threw myself back on the couch and punched the cushions in a furious battle against my emotions. Damn my sisters. Damn them and my mother.
I was really tempted to call Ash, so tempted that I picked up the phone and dialed out the first three numbers of our phone number before I quickly hung up. He didn't deserve to hear my ranting and raving this early in the morning. Andrea would be up and dealing with a baby and an emotionally crippled girlfriend would not be easy.
With a sigh I wiped my eyes again and stood up to prepare for the day ahead. God knew it wasn't going to be easy, especially after the little taste I had just received from my sisters.
But I didn't have much time to think. Ten o'clock was rolling around faster than I had given it credit for and I quickly showered and put on the clothes I had picked out for this. I was wearing a skirt (I still detested them immensely but I had to show some sort of formality) and a white shirt with lace short sleeves. Simple but elegant. Blah. I felt anything but.
I took the lift down to the lobby and ordered a cab from the free phone down there. The reading was taking place at a lawyer's office in the middle of town and I very quickly found myself handing money over to the cabbie and standing in awe at the tall building in front of me. God, where was time going today?
I nervously asked for directions and was led to two big oak doors, one which was open, before being ushered inside by the receptionist who had shown me the way. Sitting at a table were two lawyers, my sisters…and Mom. There she was, her hands clasped together, all in black like she was actually in mourning. I somehow doubted it and sat down as far away from my family as possible, avoiding their eyes, especially Daisy's who was sporting a blue and black contusion to her left eye.
"Hi Misty. I'm Tony and this is Aaron. We're going to make this as stress-free as possible. Thank you for being so punctual."
Punctual? I was the last one to arrive. I shrugged it aside and smiled weakly before Aaron held up a piece of paper that had been lying on the table.
"The reading of the will of Jeffery Waterflower is now in session." Well they said it would be stress-free, they didn't say anything about it being quite so formal. "All assets and properties have been assigned in this will."
Properties? Why was that in the plural? Dad had only owned the gym and the house they had moved to later on. I didn't know about anything else.
"To Maria Waterflower, wife of Mr. Waterflower, the two properties in his name are handed over to her and officially in her name after she has signed the contracts."
Huuuh? Now I was really confused. What two properties? The gym had been sold so…
Mom nodded anyway and I continued to sit there in silenced confusion. Her eyes wandered over to me and I knew the black clothes couldn't fool me. She still had the same eyes of steel that showed a soul as black and as empty as the day she had kicked me out. I shuddered and turned away from her gaze. How the hell could she be so intimidating?
"To Daisy, Lily, Violet and Misty Waterflower, his four daughters, he leaves a quarter of his assets to the value of five hundred thousand dollars each."
I nearly choked. Five hundred thousand dollars?! Dad didn't have that much money. If that was a quarter that meant he had…two million dollars. Two million! I had never known! We'd never had huge luxuries growing up but all along my father had been a millionaire. Maybe selling the gym up had done it. Maybe he'd secretly won the lottery. I couldn't think of anything else that would do it.
"They are not to inherit this money until they reach the age of twenty-one" Tony added.
"Actually my daughters' shares will all be going to my name. None of them are twenty-one" Mom suddenly announced. I sent her a wide-eyed look but she never glanced my way.
"Well I suppose that makes sense" Tony said casually while Aaron nodded.
"No hold up, shouldn't my share just stay in my name until I turn twenty-one?" I asked weakly.
"Well since there is a condition and you are a minor then the next of kin is allowed to decide what do to with the assets" Aaron announced.
"Yes but it's there under my name" I protested.
"Misty, listen to the lawyers. They know more than you" Violet piped up. I shot her a lethal glare and then turned back to Aaron.
"How can me being a minor make the assets be handed to my mother?" I asked.
"Well someone has to look after them" Aaron explained.
"But I've got a kid back home!" I exclaimed. Oops. The complete wrong thing to say. Why did I even say that? As I thought they would, both lawyers sent me disapproving looks and then glanced at each other.
"We'll have to consult the books about this. Having a child as a minor might jeopardise your chances of inheriting" Tony announced.
"Are you serious?" I asked in a shocked whisper. Both of them nodded and I stared at the table in disbelief. "It's under my name, my father left it to me, not my mother. You can't disallow me to inherit and give it all to her."
"As the next of kin she can legally decide what to do with it. I'm sorry Misty, that's the law" Tony said casually. Oh yeah, he sounded so incredibly sorry. I somehow had the feeling my mother had consulted them before this meeting and the discreet smug look she sent me only confirmed my fears.
"But -"
"Misty, don't argue with the law." It was the first time my mother had spoken to me directly since I'd arrived. I glared at her. "I can use the money to buy the gym back. It'll be wonderful." Her happy voice deceived the ugliness within her so well that the lawyers smiled as their hearts were warmed.
"I don't want you to buy the stupid gym back!" I snapped. "That's my inheritance, it's the only thing Dad's left me, and I don't want you meddling with it."
"We're letting Mom have our share. It'd be selfish of you not to do the same" Daisy said in an overly sweet tone. "And besides, it's the law. She's entitled to it before you are." There was a serious temptation inside me telling me to give her right eye the same treatment her left one had received earlier that morning but instead I clenched my fists and calmly locked eyes with the lawyers.
"I've never heard of such a law."
"Yeah but you'd heard of statutory rape and that didn't stop you, did it?" Violet pointed out smugly. Oh I was gonna kill her. I tried to ignore her remarks as best I could and turned back to the lawyers when a sudden thought struck me.
"Is there anything in the will concerning Ash or Andrea Ketchum?" I asked.
"Um…" Tony scanned over the paper. "No, there doesn't appear to be."
"Are you sure?"
"No Ketchums sorry." I clenched my teeth in frustration. Dad must not have updated it before he died. I grabbed a hold of my emotions and thanked them anyway. They then said the reading was over and apologised but they had to attend to other business. This left the five of us in the room alone and as soon as the door closed behind them Mom turned on me.
"How dare you punch your sister like that! You could've damaged her eye!"
"Yeah, I guess cos her brain's already damaged enough as it is" I shrugged casually. Mom's face almost turned purple but I didn't back down. "You can't have the assets Dad left me. It doesn't make sense."
"Whether you like it or not Misty, I am still your mother. The assets automatically go to me. Your father didn't update the will so that's how it goes. Those are the breaks" Mom announced.
"I fought you once before Mom and you lost. Don't think I won't do it again" I said warningly.
"Go for your life. The law will only stand in your way."
"I know there's no such law. There can't be" I said desperately.
"I'm afraid there is. The other three are willing to co-operate, why aren't you?" Mom asked, almost forlornly, as Daisy and Violet looked at me with fake pained eyes. Lily, again, kept her eyes low. That was really starting to confuse me.
"Oh let's see Mom, cos you were a total bitch to me during one of the hardest stages in my life, is that a good enough reason?" I asked sarcastically. She glared at me and stood up with my sisters.
"We'll see you at the funeral I suppose."
"You are having the funeral here, right?" I asked timidly.
"Why would we have it here? Your father lived in Cerulean City. His funeral will be there. It's already being organised so don't you dare try and make any sort of protest about this" Mom declared.
"But he didn't live there his whole life. He was happy here, he wanted to start a new life here. One without you" I added under my breath. This didn't help Mom's glaring and she walked past me towards the door.
"We'll be seeing you later, Misty." With that she and the other three left, and I sat in the big room all by myself, my head whirling in confusion. She had to be making up that shit about this so-called law, she had to have bribed the lawyers or something. I knew that any assets left to me went to me regardless of my age or whether I had children.
I couldn't bear to think about it and so instead walked back outside and grabbed a cab back to my hotel. Dad was going to have his funeral in Cerulean, probably the last place he would have wanted it, so I'd have to go up there to attend it. It was all too mind boggling and I trudged back to my room with a heavy heart. My father's wishes were going to go unlistened.
I walked through to my room and nearly fell over in shock at the sight of Ash holding Andrea on the couch. Brock was sitting on the other couch reading the day's newspaper and they looked up at me as I made my entrance.
"It's not eight yet, is it?" I asked wearily. I wouldn't have had much of a clue about the time in the state I was in. Ash smiled, handed Andrea to Brock and walked up to me.
"Surprise. We got the earlier flight" he whispered. I stared at him in disbelief before his form became blurry thanks to my tears and I collapsed into his arms, sobbing into his chest. He held me close the only way he could and stroked my hair while I cried like there was no tomorrow. "How did it go?" he asked quietly.
"Horribly. Mom's threatening to take what he left me and my sisters have been total bitches and he didn't update it so there's nothing for you or Andie" I blubbered uncontrollably.
"Oh boy" Ash sighed. He kissed the top of my head. "She can't beat us, remember? We've watched her fall enough to know that she is pretty weak when it comes to these sorts of things." I think he was going to say more but a knock on the door stopped him. "Hang on, I'll grab that" he offered. He let go of me and I smiled weakly at Brock, who reflected the gesture while Andie was seated on his knee.
"Hi Ash, is Misty in?"
I heard the voice but didn't quite believe it. I spun around to meet Lily's eyes and she half-smiled at me. Ash turned to me with a look that said something along the lines of 'be careful' and I slowly walked up to her.
"What are you doing here?" I asked quietly.
"Um, this is gonna sound totally absurd after everything that happened today, but…uh, can I see my niece?" Lily asked hesitantly.
"What? No! You can't! Go on, go and scheme some more ways to make my life a misery, I don't want your shit around here" I said vehemently.
"Misty please, hear me out. Mom is being so stupid and I'm the only one who can see that. I want my assets too but I don't have much of a choice. She's being a total bitch. I've been dying to call you these last couple of months but she won't let me and the number would come up on the phone bill. Dad told me your little girl is a real sweetie" Lily smiled.
I paused. Was this some kind of cheap trick that Mom was working on behind the scenes? I searched my sister's eyes and realised why she had been so quiet at our last two confrontations. She didn't want any part of what Mom was doing. I sighed and held the door open for her.
"I dunno about this Lily. The other two -"
"Are being total cows. Ignore them. That blonde bitch deserved everything you gave her this morning" Lily grinned. It was then her eye caught a hold of Andrea and she physically brought a hand to her chest in shock. I saw her gulp before she turned to me with wide eyes. "Is that her?" she whispered.
"Yeah" I said sheepishly. "That's Andrea."
"Andrea" Lily murmured. "Oh my God, Misty she's…beautiful. She's so gorgeous. How can Mom hate her? God…" She trailed off and managed to tear her eyes away from my daughter to face me. "I'm sorry Misty, I can't stay long, Mom will -" A beeping sound was heard from her cellphone, interrupting her words and she sighed. "That'll be her now. I better go. Can I come back some time and see her again?"
"Um, s-sure" I stammered. Lily smiled and walked back to the door.
"She really is beautiful, Mist. And you don't deserve the crap Mom's putting you through. I'm sorry the other two are being such bitches, saying what they did to the magazines and now with this. Stay strong, Daddy would want you to. I don't think you killed him." With that she hurriedly left, leaving me standing at the door in shock.
"What was that all about?" Ash asked.
"I'm not sure" I replied slowly. It was true. I didn't understand how Lily had just bounded up full of apologies and in awe of Andrea when she hadn't spoken a word to my defense when Mom was having a go at me. But it was somewhat comforting. A little. More confusing than anything.
Ash wrapped his arms around my waist from behind and kissed my neck, which instantly brought a smile to my face. No matter what, he was there for me. I could always fall back on him in the darkest of times, even if my estranged older sister confused the hell out of me when it came to her loyalties. I knew where Ash's loyalties and priorities lay, right here within his family, and that was something I could hold onto forever.
A/N: Aaaand we're done! Reviews are always nice (like I said before, God, can't stop mentioning the damn word, lol!) and Geo's starting the next chapter now so look out for it. Thanks again guys, AAML forever!
