Chapter 25

Misery and love

Sarah Marie Wilson May 13, 1998 – November 23, 2019 "A beloved daughter taken from this world too soon"

I placed the flowers, a mix of her favorites along with a few Asphodelus (My regrets follow you to the grave), Rue (sorrow and repentance) and Zephyranthes (I love you back, I will never forget you), in the vase.

I felt someone next to me. Smelling of dust, ash, and sand.

"If you're not here to take me, then I don't want to see you." I said.

"Then listen to my words, princess of Avalon." Anubis said. "Before I took her to the other side, she asked what happened. I showed her. Then she asked if I could give you a message."

"…What is it?" I asked.

"'Tell Talia I'm not mad at her. I know what she's going through. When I came out, my parents weren't the best. I made them realize I wasn't kidding and they had to dig deep in themselves to accept it. It wasn't her fault. I didn't even give her the chance to explain. Granted it seemed like an impossibility, but I should have at least told her I was pregnant. I acted rashly and I took away our baby. Rachel had a tendency to blame herself when she shouldn't and if she's anything like her…, but please forgive yourself. That's my final request: Forgive yourself, Talia, and live a full life. I'll always love you.'" He relayed.

I looked at her grave and saw her. She waited for my answer. "I spent so long blaming myself. But if I forgave my father, I have to forgive myself. I'll do what you asked of me, but I'll always miss you."

She nodded, smiling, and disappeared. We stood in silence. The sky was bright blue. There was a cool fall breeze now. I heard birds chirping. I took a breath and turned to leave.

"Talia." He said.

I looked at his human disguise.

"I'm glad you chose life." He left as quietly as he came.

I walked back out and met Adri at the car. We got in, but we didn't pull out yet.

"What are you going to do now?" She asked.

"Not get blackout drunk." I said.

"Good." She started the car.

"Adri?" I decided.

"Yeah?" She glanced at me.

"I want a birthday cake." I said.

"What happened?" She asked.

"I finally got to hear something I needed to hear." I smiled a small smile.

We went to store and Adri made me go get some stuff I was out of while she ordered my cake. I didn't see the point. I knew about it, I told her what flavor I wanted. I guess she wanted some sort of surprise. I haven't celebrated in 2-3 years.

We got back home. Adri put the cake and food in the fridge. "Talia?"

"Yeah?" I asked.

"What was Sarah like?" She asked quietly.

"Sarah was… a lot like you, kind and loving. She had a sense of humor too. At first, I just chose her because she was seemed ok, but I got so much more than I bargained for. She was going to be a marine biologist." I closed my eyes. "She had too much passion if that's a fault. But I didn't care. I had someone. And maybe deep down, I knew I could never be happy if I wasn't myself so I got jealous and tried to ruin what we had. She forgave me, Rachel. She always forgave us…" I wiped my eyes.

"Talia, I'm sorry." She gave me a tissue.

"It wouldn't be my birthday if I didn't cry once." I joked.

"It didn't have to end this way." She frowned.

"If I had gotten my way, I would have been dead 7 years ago. Then you would have been in my shoes." I blew my nose and tossed the tissue away.

She hugged me and kissed my cheek. "It's not fair."

"Things swing my way in the end. I have you and my family back. The devil's luck comes with a price though. Mine is misery. Alex's is responsibility. The devil himself is impatience." I smiled sardonically.

"Go take a nap. You're getting weird again." She shoved me lightly.

"As you wish." I went and took a nap because she would check on me.

I woke to the scent of magic. I walked out and saw Puck with a pile of gifts in the living room. "You heard."

"Of course I did. And then David made me tell him." He smiled.

"Adri's gonna feel bad now." I said.

"I sent her out to get something for you while I held down the fort. Alex doesn't understand, not fully, but he knows something happened that made you so upset you didn't want to have a birthday party." He told me.

"Anubis gave me a message from Sarah. I forgave you all. Except myself." I said.

"Anubis doesn't do messages." Puck said.

"I know." I frowned.

"How-" He started to ask something.

"I stayed alive even when there was a way out. I fought when I could have broken down. I missed you when I could have been cursing your name. But my guilt over Sarah's death could ruin everything I'm trying to fix. No one would be able to dispel my grief… except Sarah herself. I needed to hear her words. He was the only one able to do that. I would have killed myself and you wouldn't be able to save me." I explained.

He frowned, but he knew it was true.

"David, he can't have it, can he? Not the way he wants it." I watched him.

"It's a burden living longer than you're supposed to. Demona, Macbeth. Even they will die one day. He thinks he won't succumb to his emotions. You and I both know that's not how it works. His price is the truth. He won't ever be immortal. His legacy may be passed down, but true immortality is not what humans were meant to have. What we all weren't meant to have." Puck told me, eyes a strange blue.

I nodded. "We live on in our work, in our children. We figured this out long ago, but we still wish anyway. It's our nature. Someone always has to learn the hard way."

"Do you both need a nap before dinnertime?" Adri asked smiling.

"No, Adri, we're fine." I told her.

"Good. Puck, you, uh, staying?" She looked at him.

He looked at me. "I kinda want to keep it small."

"I can do small." Puck said.

"Alex can come for cake, I guess. After dinner." I said.

"Great! Now, Owen's been itching to see you, but I gotta hug my little trickster first." He let me make the first move and we hugged.

He turned back to Owen. "Hello, Sweetheart."

"Hey, Dad." I smiled.

"I'm glad you let us stay." He smiled.

"Someone has to take pictures for David." I said.

He huffed slightly. "What's for dinner?"

"Um, I was just gonna make fried rice and steamed veggies." Adri shrugged.

Owen's eye twitched.

"I like fried rice. She makes it eggs and Chinese sausage." I added.

"Talia, stay. Adriana, come with me and don't touch anything you don't need to." Owen took off his jacket and tie and rolled up his sleeves.

They went to the kitchen and I sat on the couch. I looked at the presents.

"Don't you dare, Talia!" Owen yelled.

"I wasn't gonna!" I shouted back.

"You're a published author!" He noticed my lack grammar.

"That's where all my thinking goes!" I turned on the TV.

I began to get hungry when the smells started wafting through the house. But Owen wouldn't let me the kitchen or have a little taste. I pouted and he kissed my cheek. Adri got my other one. I smiled. It took forever to plate up the rice, veggies, and chicken. He made us sit at the table. The veggies weren't all gross so I ate them. The chicken was great, but I think Owen wanted to do more than what he had time for. We ate and then Owen cleaned up.

"Who's gonna get Alex?" Adri asked.

"You should, Talia." Owen smiled.

"I'll be right back." I teleported away.

Alex was playing with Hudson. He smiled. "Tai!"

"You wanna come eat birthday cake with us?" I asked.

"Yeah!" He bounced up and hugged me.

"I thought you weren't celebrating your birthday." He got up from his chair.

"Anubis bent the rules a little and gave me a message from Sarah. It was… the last hurdle I needed to get over." I said.

"Keep her words close and her smile closer." His gaze laid bare all the old loves he held.

"I will." I said, petting Alex's hair. He was being a good boy.

"Save us some cake, will ya, lassie?" He grinned a small bit.

"Of course." I said and left.

We didn't end up where I thought we would. Through the darkness, I made out the shape of Sarah's grave. I would remember it forever. I stood still as he walked to vase that held my flowers and put three flowers in it: a dark crimson rose, a dark pink rose, and rosemary. Mourning, gratitude, and remembrance.

"Thank you for being there for my sister." He whispered and came back to me.

"One day, I'll tell you the full story. But not tonight. Tonight is about healing. Let's get going." I told him and he held my hand.

I brought him to my apartment. Owen and Adri had put the candles on the chocolate strawberry cake. She had them put "Happy23rd birthday Tai!" on it in light green frosting. We sat down and Alex lit the candles before Owen could get the matches ready. He frowned at my brother, but let it be. They sang to me and I blew them out.

Then it was present time. Owen took video of me opening them. As I opened them, I was reminded harshly I was gone from their lives for so long. Fox got me some jewelry and David still had no idea what I liked. Brooklyn saved me some trinkets from the past. Goliath got me another book. Elisa followed his lead. Matt gave me a shirt with a totally not Goliath on it. Lex made me a weird watch. The note said it was supposed to be an emergency beacon. Broadway gave me a cookbook. Angela made me a sweater. Alex got me another pin, but this one had a fox on it. Adri got me the purse and dress I had been looking at. Puck made me a little snow globe, but with the clan and fireworks instead of snow circling the Eyire Building. He had also given me my guitar and flute back along with my fox.

Owen cleaned up and Adri entertained Alex as I cut the cake up and saved what I wanted.

"Alexander, time to go." Owen turned into Puck.

"I don't wanna!" He pouted.

"You'll see me tomorrow, ok?" I said.

"And Adri?" He asked.

We looked at each other. "Adri's family has Thanksgivings at noon."

"And we have it at night." Puck said. "We have most of our holiday stuff at night."

"I think it's time I meet your family as your girlfriend." Adri smirked.

"Yay!" Alex hugged her.

"There was no choice, was there?" I asked.

"Absolutely not." Puck smiled.

I sighed. "Gimme a bye bye kiss, Xander."

He obliged happily then Adri had him give her one. I glared at her, but she looked pleased with herself. Puck took Alex and the cake back home. I moved my gifts to my room and Adri spent the night with me.