AUTHOR'S NOTE: 400 views for (almost) the month of August on this book! Thank you! So, this chapter will be my last one for a while, simply because I still have writer's block. This is not the last chapter, but I hope to get back to writing soon. Enjoy!
DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything related to "Meet the Robinsons" or "High School Story," the only characters I do not own are Franny (MTR), Tallulah (MTR), Wilbur (MTR) and Emma (HSS).
STORY #31: New Chapters
STORIES OF REFERENCE: Trouble; Her Heart's Calling; Hope
NARRATORS: Idrial, Wilbur, Diana, Berethor, and Wesley
DECEMBER 24, 2083 – TODAYLAND, NORTH MONTANA, USA
IDRIAL'S POV
"How are you two teenagers already?" our mother Diana asked as she set the cake down on the table.
"We're fast learners," my twin sister Morwen answered as the rest of the family took a seat.
"Not to brag, but she's right," I chimed in with a cocky smile on my face.
"Idrial, you are sounding more and more like your sister every day," our father Berethor replied, returning the smirk.
"So, you two are now teenagers," Tallulah, our mom's godmother, said with a smile. "What are you two looking forward to the most?"
"High school, without question," I answered. "But I'm also looking forward to learning to drive."
"If there's a karate club in high school, I'm looking forward to that," Morwen answered with passion in her voice.
"What if there's a dance club?" I asked with a dreamy smile.
"Dancing is for weddings," Elegost, our youngest brother, jeered.
"Elegost Eurion Wheaton, that was not nice," Mom replied sternly. "Your sister's been dancing all of her life."
"We took you to her performances," Dad reminded him.
"You even told her good job," Eaoden, our other brother, chimed in. "I think you should go for it, Rial."
"Thank you, Eaoden," I replied, suddenly feeling hurt.
"Idrial, honey, cheer up," our great-grandmother Franny told me with a big smile on her face. "It's your birthday. And Christmas is tomorrow."
"We should be celebrating with happiness and togetherness," our grandfather Wilbur reminded us. "Not insulting one another and being angry at each other."
"What were you looking forward to when you all became teenagers?" Morwen asked.
"Before we answer that, we need to sing the song," our grandmother Karena reminded us.
Morwen and I were prompted to blow out the thirteen candles after our family sang the birthday song, and we all burst into cheer.
"So, what all did you want to do?" Morwen asked eagerly.
"I was not looking forward to being a teenager at all," Tallulah answered. "I had acne all over my face and I was made fun of for my body. Laszlo, on the other hand, he was looking forward to expanding his artistic skills."
"I remember when I turned thirteen," Great-Grandma Franny said with a smile. "I had just met your great-grandfather and he came to my thirteenth birthday party. I was looking forward to spending more time with him and him helping me with my frogs."
"I was just looking forward to doing my job," Grandpa Wilbur answered.
"Wilbur, you were—"
We watched our grandpa put his hand on his wife's shoulder and give her a nod, not wanting to reveal what he really wanted to say. I knew that he was masking the truth about him riding the time machine in his youth, but I did not want to pry, so I stayed quiet.
"I was not looking forward to being a teenager either," Grandma Karena said. "I didn't have a mother growing up, so those years were hard for me."
"Being thirteen was easy for me," Uncle Wesley chimed in, and I just now realized how quiet he, Aunt Maggie, and our seven-year-old cousin Dennis were. "Your mom was going to enter her senior year in high school while I was going in the eighth grade. I knew that she was going to help me through my high school years, so I asked her everything I was curious about. I carried the Robinson torch with pride in high school as the new class president of Westport High School."
"You were class president?" Aunt Maggie asked with surprise. "You never told me that!"
"Dad was the president?" Dennis asked with awe in his voice, and we all laughed. "Cool!"
"No, Dennis, I was not the president of the United States," Uncle Wesley answered. "I was just the student president in high school."
"I was looking forward to having all the sleepovers," Aunt Maggie answered with a big smile on her face. "I loved having my girlfriends over and spending time with them all night long."
"What about you, Mom?" Eaoden asked.
"At first, I was just looking forward to graduating high school," Mom explained. "But then I learned to take it one day at a time and just enjoy being in the moment. I did not take my teenage years for granted."
"I was able to ride my horse independently when I turned thirteen," Dad explained. "I didn't need my parents watching over me all the time anymore, and I took that with pride. And, no, I did not fall from my horse at all."
"Full of pride, but careful," Grandpa Wilbur chimed. "You were a good teenager, Berethor."
"I have a feeling Idrial will be a good teenager, too," Mom said with a proud smile.
"What about me?" Morwen asked, folding her arms over her chest.
"You use your fists all the time," I answered.
"So I can do shadowboxing instead of actually hitting people," Morwen shot back. "I'll adapt."
"You need to watch your mouth, too," Dad chimed in, taking a bite of his cake. "You do a great job at bad mouthing people, and it sounds like Elegost is learning from you."
"What is that supposed to mean?" Morwen asked defensively, standing up in anger.
"Morrie, take deep breaths," I soothed her, taking deep breaths until she was doing it with me and sat back down.
"You are just like your grandpa, Morwen," Grandma Karena chimed in. "You need to be mindful of your actions because they greatly influence people around you."
"What was your greatest challenge after high school?" I asked with curiosity. "I know that life after turning eighteen will be a challenge."
"I had moved into my first apartment right when I turned eighteen," Grandma Karena answered. "Being at my dad's house was too much for me. I saved up all I could from my job so I could afford my own place. But the bigger challenge was moving here. Not only did I have to adapt to a new town, I had to adapt to a new time where everything was different. But it was worth it."
"I had married your grandma when I was eighteen," Grandpa Wilbur explained. "So not only was I going through college, but I was also getting used to being a husband. But my biggest challenge was moving to Westport when I started working for TIME…"
MAY 11, 2045
WILBUR'S POV
I closed my last suitcase and looked around my room with both awe and sadness at the same time. I had lived in this room my entire life until tomorrow. Tomorrow, I was going to have a temporary room in a totally new place before, hopefully, moving into my very first home in the New York City area.
So many things were going through my head at once. I remember crawling to my mom for the very first time in this room. I cried all of my tears in this room because I was bullied and because things didn't go my way all the time. I had some heart-to-heart talks in this room with every family member, including my wife Karena. But, I was not the only Robinson to have their first moments in this room. My daughter Diana had also lived her first months of life in this room. She would have this room for two weeks before she and Karena would join me in New York.
"Hey, little buddy."
I turned around to see my best friend Carl walking in the room with a small smile on his face, and I returned the smile.
"Hey, Carl."
"You're not so little anymore."
"I know. I will never forget this."
"Are you feeling okay?" Carl asked.
"Yeah! Yeah, I'm okay."
"Are you sure? You were anxious for a long time about the move."
"I still am, Carl. It will be my first time truly away from home. When I go to work, I won't be returning to this house. I'll be going to another house."
"Your house, Wilbur. You'll be going to your house. How does it feel to be a homeowner?"
"I'm not a homeowner yet, Carl. My new boss is letting me stay at her house while I search for my own."
I let out a sigh, still taking in the room that I would now call my childhood room.
"That was nice of your boss to let you stay with her," Carl said. "You'll have to tell me all about it."
"I will. I promise. I'm going to miss this place so much."
"We'll all miss you, Wilbur. You've made our lives entertaining with your wanting adventure."
"I'm anxious because I won't have any of my family helping me search for a house," I explained. "I have to do this all on my own. I've probably earned that, though, after all the trouble I caused."
I turned to look at Carl to find a nervous glance on his golden face.
"Carl, are you okay?" I asked.
"I know I'm not supposed to tell you, but your dad is going to help you."
"What?"
"Your dad wanted to surprise you by flying to New York to help you look for a house," Carl explained, and I opened my mouth in awe. "None of us wanted you to go through this step alone since this is your first time finding a house. You are only almost 22."
"Carl…"
I walked up to him and gave him a hug, and he hugged me back. I could tell he smiled because I felt his face move on my shoulder.
"I love you."
"I love you too, little buddy."
We pulled apart and smiled at each other.
"You're not so little anymore," he told me.
"You said that already," I replied with a chuckle. "Stop reminding me."
We both laughed before walking out of the room for dinner.
END OF FLASHBACK
IDRIAL'S POV
"I didn't think about that," Morwen said after our grandpa finished his story. "We're going to be on our own after high school."
"What about you, Mom?" I asked with curiosity. "How did you handle it?"
"Well, my story is actually depressing," Mom replied with nervousness in her voice.
"Come on, Mom!" Elegost whined.
"Please tell us," Eaoden requested.
All five of us gave our mom puppy eyes, and she laughed.
"You kids are little stinkers," Mom jokingly replied. "If it's that important to you, then I'll share my story. In that fateful summer, I had stayed in Westport at first because I didn't want to be around family. Your grandma and uncle both went ahead here to Todayland while I stayed with your grandpa since he had to work…"
JUNE 1, 2063 – WESTPORT, CONNECTICUT, USA
DIANA'S POV
I packed the last of my bathroom supplies to take with me to Todayland. Thankfully, my godmother Tallulah had made clothes for me to wear whenever I visited, so I did not need to worry about packing clothes. Initially, I wanted to pack all of my clothes into my suitcase because I was not sure if I would ever come back to Westport. But, a little voice had told me to just pack the essentials, because I would be back to visit my friends and family.
"Diana, Emma's here!" I heard my dad yell from downstairs.
"Emma, you can come up here!" I yelled back to my best friend from high school.
I sat back on the bed and looked around my bedroom. I had hung various pictures of me and all of my high school friends along the walls. I had kept the first selfie that Emma and I took together when I created a Facebook account for her. I asked Autumn for a picture of my very first homecoming committee meeting. There was a picture of me, Michael, Amy, and Rory after we won the talent show during my junior year. I glanced at the picture of me and Megan, who was now a sophomore, at my senior prom. Next to that picture was a picture of me with the cheerleading squad in my freshman year. The last picture on the wall was a picture of my girls day the day of the homecoming dance during my junior year, a picture that Amy took with her phone.
Then, I walked up to the desk and glanced at the three pictures of me and Caleb, my late boyfriend who had passed away over a month ago. I kept our pictures from our first homecoming together, our first winter formal, which happened my junior year due to unforeseen circumstances, and our first prom. Then, I looked down and saw a picture my dad printed out of me in my black prom dress this past May, and right next to that picture was a letter that Caleb wrote me before he died.
Promise me that you will open your heart up to love again, Caleb had written. I cringed at the thought while holding that letter with shaky hands.
"How would any man love me after what I had gone through?" I asked out loud with no hope in my brown eyes.
"Because you are the strongest woman I know."
I turned around to see Emma Hawkins, my blonde best friend, stepping in my bedroom with a smile on her face. I cried immediately and ran into her arms.
"How am I strong in a time like this?" I asked with tears on my face.
"You keep moving forward, Diana," Emma answered, wiping away my tears. "You needed your time to grieve, and now, the phoenix has risen from her ashes."
"Emma, I'm still grieving. This is something I will never get over."
"You will, Diana, you will. And when you do, you will be smiling at the memory of Caleb instead of crying. And, if a man does come along and treats you like a queen, then he'll support you and that memory. He will love you for the Diana you are in the present, not the past."
We paused, staring at each other in the eyes before Emma looked to the side to see my bag.
"I take it you're going to Todayland?" she asked.
"Yeah, my dad thinks I need to be with my family instead of here where my memories of Caleb are at," I explained. "And he's right. Emma, all I've been doing is lying down in bed thinking about how sorry I am for myself. I'm not doing anything productive with my life because… I don't know what to do that doesn't involve Caleb."
"Then going to Todayland is definitely the best move for you," Emma replied. "Being with your mom and Wesley will help with that."
"Oh, please. What help could Wesley possible be?" I asked. "Before Caleb died, he thought we weren't suited for each other. I don't want to go there to prove that he's right."
"It's not about proving him right, Diana. No matter what you two fight about, you are still brother and sister. You will be supporting each other until the end of your time. Besides, didn't Wesley think Caleb's death was his fault?"
"He did, and my parents convinced him it wasn't."
"Caleb's death is nobody's fault."
"It's that darn driver's fault," I replied angrily.
"Well, alright, yes, his accident could have been prevented. But Diana, now it's beyond anyone's control. It happened, and you need to move on. Going to Todayland and then Pacific Bay is the only way to do that. Time is the best healer for all things."
"Time is useless," I answered. "I can't use the time machine to prevent a death. Either I could die or worse… what if my dad dies? I don't think I'd be able to get through that. Honestly, I would rather be dead than Caleb. At least I wouldn't have feelings about any of this."
"Diana, stop talking like that, please. You're alive because you're needed here and you have a greater purpose. What if God wants you to be a mother? What if God wants you to be the CEO of a company?"
"Emma, I turned that down, remember?" I asked, managing to put on a smirk.
"The point is, God has a purpose for you, no matter what kind of pain you have. Just leave everything to him and, like your dad said, keep moving forward."
"Emma, what if I never heal?" I asked.
"Just pray anyway. God can hear you and your heart. He will heal you in his own timing, and you will be the happiest woman. That is always something to look forward to."
"Just… please be with me this whole way?"
"I won't be there physically, but I will always be a text or phone call away if you need me."
"This is why you're my best friend," I replied, giving her another hug.
"Diana."
We both turned to see my dad standing at the door.
"It's time to go."
"Would it be alright if I went with you?" Emma asked.
"Actually, yeah, that would be great," Dad answered with a smile on his face.
END OF FLASHBACK
IDRIAL'S POV
"I pretty much did the same thing in Todayland," Mom finished explaining. "I ate and I laid in bed. The only person who could help me overcome my anxiety was your grandma. And then, your dad came along after I moved to Pacific Bay."
"Alright, I'll ask for Morwen," Grandpa Wilbur chimed in. "Berethor, first, did you ever really move out of your parents' house when you started college? And second, if the first one's a no, how did it feel moving into your first apartment?"
I watched and laughed as Morwen glared at our grandfather before our dad answered.
"Well, considering how I was raised in a snowy climate and went to college in the complete opposite climate, yes, I did move out of my parents' house," Dad answered. "I could have driven there every day, but it's a lot of money to charge a flying car. Besides, it's not good to drive from a snowy climate right to a warm one and then back to the colder climate."
"That's a lot of weather changes," Eaoden replied.
"So how was moving out of Grandma and Grandpa's house?" I asked.
"It was actually fairly easy," Dad explained. "Both of my parents were with me all the way and helped me settle into my dorm. I went back to their house every weekend to spend time with them because it was a place I could go back to and not have any reminders of pain. Actually, my challenge was introducing Diana to my parents for the first time…"
AUGUST 15, 2064 – PACIFIC BAY, CALIFORNIA, USA
BERETHOR'S POV
I waited at Pacific Bay Airport for Diana to return from Todayland. I was excited and worried at the same time. I was excited about seeing her again after three months. But, she had also explained to me about her late boyfriend's death before her flight to New York in May, and I was worried that being in Westport would bring some bad memories to her. I texted and called her every day and asked her if she was okay. For the most part, it seemed like she had a good time in both Connecticut and Todayland.
"Berethor!"
I looked up to see a familiar black-haired woman running up to me with her backpack: Diana Robinson. I walked up to greet her halfway, and we quickly got into each other's arms.
"Hey, Diana. How was the trip back?"
"It was smooth," Diana answered. "Thank you for asking. I, um… told my family about you."
"Oh really?" I asked with a smirk.
"My family in Todayland really want to meet you. My brother wants to meet you."
"What about your parents?" I asked.
"My mom does as well. My dad is… a little skeptical of you right now. But I think he'll turn around once he gets to know you."
"Well, speaking of family, I've made plans for us," I told her.
"Oh? What's that?"
"Well, I also told my parents about you, and they, along with my sister, want to meet you. So, they want to invite you to dinner and spend the weekend with us. You don't have to get settled in your dorm until Sunday night."
"And your parents are okay with this?" Diana asked, biting her lip.
"They are the ones who invited you. We do have a guest room, if that's what you're thinking."
Diana blew a sigh of relief.
"Well, alright. Let's go."
I led Diana to my car, and we traveled through Ocean Shore, Ivywood Hills, Bayou Bleu, and we eventually drove into White Peaks. I drove her through our downtown area before driving to my parents' house.
"Mom, Dad, we're here!" I yelled through the house after I led Diana through the front door.
"Berethor's back!" my younger sister yelled excitedly as she ran out of her room upstairs and came down the stairs that was at the center of the house. "And you've brought somebody."
"Amelia, this is my girlfriend Diana," I introduced the two girls to each other. "Diana, my sister Amelia."
"You're pretty," Amelia said, shaking her hand.
"Thank you," Diana replied while blushing. "It's nice to finally meet you, Amelia."
"Welcome to our home, Diana!" my father said happily, walking down the stairs with his arm linked to my mother's. "My name is John, and this is my wife Sarah."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Diana," my mother said, giving her a hug.
"It's nice to meet you too, Mr. and Mrs. Wheaton," Diana replied.
"Dinner should be ready any minute," Mom announced, walking to the oven and taking out the food. "I hope you like fried chicken fettucine alfredo, Diana."
"Fried chicken alfredo?" Diana asked. "That's a new one."
"You've never had fried pasta before?" Amelia asked. "Mom's fried pasta is to die for!"
"I can't wait to taste it!" Diana replied before I tugged her back.
"You've seriously never had fried pasta?" I whispered with surprise in my voice.
"I've never even heard of fried pasta before," Diana whispered back.
"You're in for a treat then," I replied with a wink.
I led Diana to the table, and we all took a seat after my mom set the pasta down. We prayed for our meal, and then we dived into the pasta. I grabbed both my serving and Diana's because she was a guest.
"So, Diana, Berethor tells us that you're also going into criminal justice," Dad started the conversation. "How did you come to that decision?"
"I did an internship through TIME before my junior year of high school," Diana explained. "And I shadowed every member of my dad's team."
"What is TIME?" Mom asked.
"The Temporal Investigation, Management, and Exploration Agency. My dad is the historian over there and he helps his teammates fix the timelines if someone were to interfere with history. It's a secret agency, so my dad doesn't talk about it a lot."
"Are you looking to get into TIME?" Amelia asked.
"No, I want to be a profiler for a big police department."
"You should consider the Pacific Bay Police," Dad suggested. "That's where Berethor wants to work after he graduates. Profiling… is it a different kind of police work?"
"I would be studying the criminal mind, so yes, it's different. I might even predict the criminal's next move and help my team out that way. I'm very fascinated with the classes I've taken so far."
"Well, enough about that," Mom chimed in. "What do you like to do outside of school, Diana?"
"I like to ride horses, and I'm part of a band called The Dreamers. Me and a few friends from high school formed the band to participate in the talent show and we won first place. We're looking to reunite this coming school year since the last member graduated from high school and is moving here to California."
"What kind of songs do you do?" Amelia asked.
"We do covers of various kinds," Diana explained. "Covers of song that I can match my voice well to."
"What's your favorite artist to sing to?" Mom asked.
"Jennifer Knapp."
"That is an artist I have not heard of in a long time," Mom replied. "She was gay, wasn't she?"
"Yes, she was. But her songs are still so good."
"I have to ask since I'm still in high school," Amelia started. "Did you participate in any sports?"
"I was a cheerleader! I was the captain my senior year of high school, in fact. Is that what you do, Amelia?"
"No, I play volleyball and frisbee. I'm a junior this year."
"Ooh, testing year, huh? Study hard, Amelia."
We continued our conversation over dinner, and I was content that my parents enjoyed getting to know Diana better.
"I should get to bed," Diana announced. "It's been a long day for me."
"Can I help?" Amelia asked.
"That's up to Diana," Mom answered, and Diana nodded before following my sister up the stairs.
"Berethor, she's a lovely girl," Dad told me.
"You like her?" I asked with a smile.
"I adore her," Mom answered, returning the smile. "You should invite her over here more often. Why didn't you invite her sooner?"
"Because we were just friends. And besides, Diana was going through a lot when we first met. I didn't want to rush things."
"Keep listening to her and being there for her," Dad advised me. "She will feel safe with you."
END OF FLASHBACK
IDRIAL'S POV
"Mom, Dad, I'm glad you two got married," Eaoden said after our dad finished his story.
Both of our parents laughed at that.
"We're both glad we got married, too," Mom replied, still laughing as our dad kissed her on the cheek. "You know, Wes, you never told me about your transition to Todayland."
"Yes, I did!" Uncle Wesley defended himself with humor in his voice.
"What happened, Daddy?" Dennis asked with a big smile on his face.
"Well, like your Aunt Diana, I graduated from high school in a town called Westport, which is in Connecticut. It's an hour away from New York City. Well, the day I moved was also the day Aunt Diana and Uncle Berethor flew to Todayland to get married…"
JUNE 2, 2067 – WESTPORT, CONNECTICUT, USA
WESLEY'S POV
I packed my last suitcase full of clothes and took a look around my room. I had collected many trophies for both participation and recognition for being in the junior high and high school teams. When I graduated high school a week ago, I was the male most valuable player. I smiled, knowing that my parents would take good care of them while I lived in Todayland.
"Are you ready, Wes?" I heard my dad Wilbur ask me from the door.
"Yeah, I'm ready," I answered.
"How are you feeling?"
"Like my high school years flashed before my eyes and my next chapter truly is beginning tomorrow. I'll be a Todayland citizen."
"Well, not officially," Dad corrected me. "You have to get a new driver's license since your official place of residence will be there. But I'm sure Grandma and Grandpa can help you with that. They're all excited to have you living with them."
"Dad, I know your first home was in that house. Was it really hard for you to move on from there to here?"
"Oh, absolutely! I had high anxiety when I accepted my job at TIME because I had never taken a step that big before. But just as Grandma and Grandpa helped me move forward to Connecticut, they'll help you move forward there. Does it help you that Mom and I will be there? And Diana and Berethor as well?"
"A wedding really is a great way to start a new chapter," I answered. "I'm excited to see Diana get married. That's all she's talked about ever since she got engaged."
"Are you really excited to see your sister get married?" Dad asked teasingly. "Or are you more excited because you're one of Berethor's groomsmen?"
"Both! I swear!"
"I'm just pulling your leg."
"Dad, do you have any advice for me? Like, what do I expect?"
"Well, unlike Diana, who only had Berethor and three of her high school friends since she arrived in Pacific Bay, you have family at your side. Family who have always been with you since you were born, and they will always be there until their last breath. And the best part is, you can be anyone you want to be, even if you're studying to prepare yourself to take over Robinson Industries. But, my best advice for you is to take it one day at a time. If you're stressed, take a deep breath, and keep moving forward. Or go to sleep."
"Go to sleep? Dad, you don't like going to sleep during the day."
"Hey, naps can be a wonderful thing is you're stressed out to the max. Oh, and one more thing: your grandpa is the best person to ask for advice about your future as a CEO. So is Tallulah since she owns her dress shop."
"Are we ready to go?" my mom Karena asked as she strutted in the room.
"Just about," I answered.
"We're just waiting on Diana and Berethor to get back from the cemetery."
"We're home!" we heard Diana yell from downstairs.
"Just in the nick of time," Mom whispered.
I followed my parents down the stairs where we greeted Diana and her fiancé.
"I can't believe my little brother is moving to Todayland for college," Diana said with a proud smile on her face.
"I can't believe my big sister is staying in Pacific Bay to start a family," I replied teasingly.
"Oh, I'm not sure about that yet," Diana replied with laughter.
"Come on! You and Berethor getting married technically starts a family."
"He's not wrong," Berethor chimed in with a smirk.
"So, Diana, what is the status of your bridesmaids?" Mom asked.
"They're going to meet us at the airport," Diana answered. "Ajay, Michael, and Rory are joining us there as well."
"Then what are we waiting for?" Dad asked with a big smile on his face. "Let's go and get you married!"
"Dad, I'm not getting married for another nine days!" Diana replied.
"Hey, what about me?" I asked.
"Oh, and get Wesley moved in!" Dad added.
I watched my parents, sister, and future brother-in-law go out the door. I paused and turned around, taking one last glance at my childhood home before I would start calling it my parents' house.
"So long, Westport. I'm going to miss you."
END OF FLASHBACK
IDRIAL'S POV
"That's right!" Mom exclaimed. "I forgot you moved the same day we all flew here to see me and Berethor get married! And I even remember the piece of advice I gave you about college!"
"That it's hard and always ask your professors to help you?" Uncle Wesley asked with a smirk. "You weren't kidding about the difficulty of that. Especially with being the class president and meeting Maggie on top of that."
"Idrial, Morwen, you both will always be welcome to visit us here in Todayland after high school graduation," Aunt Maggie said with a smile. "And the same goes for you two, Eaoden and Elegost."
"I was actually thinking about moving to Todayland after high school," I replied with a smile. "But what I really want out of all this is for Morrie and me to be together no matter what."
Morwen pulled me into a hug after I finished talking, and I hugged her back.
"You two really do have a special bond," Great-Grandma Franny said with a big smile on her face.
"It doesn't matter where we end up," Morwen replied. "We're sisters. We've been there for each other literally since day one of our lives. And I want to continue being there for her after high school."
"We've even already agreed to be each other's maid of honor and godmothers for our future children," I said.
"What's a maid of honor?" Elegost asked.
"A maid of honor is a bride's best friend who plans all of the events before the wedding," Mom explained.
"I was your grandma's maid of honor at her wedding," Tallulah chimed in. "I remember that day so well."
"As you should," Grandma Karena replied. "You made my dress! Diana's too!"
"Idrial, I wouldn't mind if you took over my shop someday," Tallulah told me. "In fact, when the time comes, it will be your birthday present from me."
"Tallie, that's too much!" I replied with surprise in my voice.
"Just think: you can make all the dresses and clothes and sell them to people who need them. You have all of this space for your creations, and you have your very own dressing room in the back. The best part about it is watching all the brides try on their dresses and say, 'this is the dress.' You have a gift, Idrial, and I would be honored if you would take over my shop one day. Just think about it."
"Speaking of presents, you two should start opening them," Grandpa Wilbur suggested, and we started to make our way to the living room to continue our celebrating being teenagers.