Last chapter, people! I can honestly say, I am sad that this is ending. I loved writing about my character, Eva and her life with Erik. It has been a great journey and I am glad you guys are liking it. I may make…a sequel to this. IF YOU GUYS WANT ME TO! I would love if someone could say if they wanted a sequel or not. Be totally honest! Thanks. And here is the last chapter of "First".

~Lauren

Chapter 22

Epilogue: Part 2

Eva stands in the kids' room, waiting for them all to lay down. She hears them all arguing, but she tunes them out, thinking about what Rose had said earlier about how Erik was in America. There could not be anyway she knows where he is. It doesn't even make sense how she knows that drawing is Erik.

"Mother!"

Her head snaps up and she looks at Rose with a light smile. "What is it, darling?"

"There is a letter for you from father."

Eva's eyes bulge and she furrows her brow. "Where is it?"

"Oh, it hasn't come yet." Rose says with a shake of her head. Angel rolls his eyes at this remark.

"Just shut up about father! We don't have a father! He left us! He didn't want us and we will never hear from him!"

Rose slumps down in her bed and Eva drops her jaw.

"Angel! That is no way to talk to your sister!"

"But, he isn't wrong!" Gustave says.

Eva glares at him with big eyes. "Gustave, now don't you start!"

Angel and Gustave sit on their beds and stare at their mother. Rose is fiddling with her thumbs as tears roll down her face and hit the covers on her bed. Eva runs over and kneels next to her daughter. She rubs her back and scolds at her sons. "I want you to apologize to Rose. Both of you." Rose picks up her head and holds up a hand. She sits up straight and says confidently, "No, mother. I will prove them wrong when the letter comes. They will see." Eva looks at her daughter with a look that is asking her if she is sure about the decision she is making. Rose smiles at her mother and kisses her on the cheek.

"Goodnight, mother. I love you."

"Goodnight, Rose." She says with a kiss on her head. She gets up from the side of her bed and walks over to Gustave. She kisses him on the head. "Goodnight, Gustave." He smiles as she walks over to Angel and kisses him on the head. "Goodnight, Angel. Be nice to your sister." He shrugs. They all start to nestle into bed, but Eva intrudes.

"Wait, children. You must say your prayers." The boys groan, but Rose smiles. They all get out of bed and kneel down on the floor. "I'll do it tonight." Rose says.

"Dear God, let you bless this family and this house. Let you bless us with happiness and joy throughout our lives and let no harm come to anyone. Please, bless my two brothers, Angel and Gustave. Bless, my mother. And…bless my father. Whom we may not know of, but he is still part of this family and I love him. Amen."

"Amen." The boys mutter and scurry into their beds. Rose slowly gets up off her knees and climbs into bed. Eva watches her daughter in astonishment. For she said the most beautiful prayer she had ever heard. Even though she did not know Erik, she still cared and loved for him. She is a special little girl. Eva thinks with delight.

Eva turns around and exits their bedroom. She walks downstairs and goes into the kitchen. She grabs her supplies she needs for tea, and sets the pot down on the stove. As she waits for it to whistle, she talks to herself.

"She is a wonderful child. How could she know so much about Erik? I want to ask her some more questions, but I don't want to push her. She is only twelve, well, almost thirteen." She says with a slight laugh. "Thirteen years. Thirteen years has gone without Erik being at my side. I will never know why he left. But it shouldn't matter. He is gone, and I will move on."

"Is he really in America? Was Rose right? And when will that letter come? Oh, god, this is driving me crazy." She sighs and calms herself down. "I will just have to see."

As her tea whistles, she thinks about their birthday just two days from now. And about when and where she will find that new wig for Rose.

Two Days Later

Eva creeps through the bedroom door. Her children are still sleeping and she has no idea how she will wake them up. But she comes up with an easy and sure idea.

"HAPPYYY! BIRTHDAYYYY!" Eva screams in a sing-song voice. The boys groan and cover their ears. But Rose pops up from her bed with a huge smile. Eva rushes over and hugs her daughter. "Thank you, mother." She whispers in her ear. They release their hug and Eva smiles at her daughter. "Now help me get your brothers up." They both giggle and they both walk to different boys.

Rose goes over to Gustave and Eva goes over to Angel. They start shaking the boys back and forth. They scream many things about how it is going to be a great day and it's their birthday. Eva starts tickling Angel and Rose copies, doing it to Gustave. The boys try to hold back their giggles, but they can't, Laughter erupts through the room and the girls start laughing too. Angel creeps up out of bed. He is still being tickled, but he is able to get out some words.

"Alright! Alright, I'm up! I'm up!" Eva release from his stomach and she ruffles his hair. Gustave has sat up too, but he doesn't says anything. He still looks half asleep. "Come on, Gustave. Get up." Eva chimes. "Gustave…I made pancakes."

His eyes swell and a giant smiles appears on his face. He dashes out of the room and the sound of his feet slamming on the stairs echoes through the foyer. The remaining few in the bedroom laugh. They start walking down the stairs.

When they get to the kitchen they see that Gustave has already grabbed a pile of pancakes and is now drenching them in maple syrup.

"Did you leave any for us?" Rose says with a giggle.

"Sorry!" he says as he shoves a pancakes into his mouth. All the others sit down at the table and grab their pancakes.

When they are finished breakfast, Eva looks at her children with a smirk.

"Shall we open presents?" The kids gain smiles that reach from ear to ear. Eva motions with her head to the other room. "In the family room." The kids jump out of their seats and run onto the floor, waiting to receive their gifts. Eva then pulls three boxes out from behind the couch. She hands them to each of the kids as she says their names. "Gustave, Angel, and Rose. Happy Birthday. I love you all."

They all open their boxes fast, except for Rose. Gustave explodes with joy when he sees the beautiful violin. "Oh! This is amazing!" Angel is also very happy when he sees the big palette of colors and a bunch of different brushes of all different shapes and sizes. "Oh, this is wonderful!" he exclaims.

And Rose has just opened the box and she peers down into it. Her jaw drops progressively and a gasp escapes from her mouth. "Oh…mother…" She picks up the wig slowly from the box, making sure she doesn't mess it up. She looks over at her mother with watery eyes. "It is beautiful. I don't know who to repay you." A tear rolls down her cheek. She sets the wig down and rushes up to her mother. She gives her a warm hug. "Thank you, mother. I love you."

Eva feels very proud as a mother and could not be happier at her child's reaction. They release when they hear a small creaking sound at the door.

"That's the mail." Gustave says.

"That's the letter from father." Rose says. The boys groan and rolls their eyes.

"Angel, go fetch the mail." He nods and runs off to the door. He comes back with one letter. He hands it to his mother. She takes the letter, nervously. Eva looks over at daughter. Rose nods with a smile. She slowly opens it. She moves her eyes over the words and her eyes bulge. She looks back up at Rose, once she is finished, with a dropped jaw.

"It is from father…isn't it?"

Eva is absolutely speechless. "Uh….um…kids, could you go into the other room? Thank you" The kids scamper out of the room into the music room.

Eva looks around the room, not knowing what to say.

The letter was from Erik.

She has to read the letter once more to just make sure this is real life.

Dear Eva,

I am sorry for leaving you thirteen years ago. I did not feel right living with someone I didn't love. I still love those kids, and I hope I can see them one day. I am in Coney Island. So I am very far. But it is only a short ferry ride away. It would not take long if you were to come here. I have opened my freak show back up. 'Mister Y's Phantasma.'

I also want you to wish the children a happy birthday for me. And I hope you can understand why I am gone. I hope you are not too upset with me. Please, if you would like, write me back and we can send many messages. I have no problems writing to you. I hope you can understand.

Remember, you were my first friend. I don't want that relationship to go away.

Sincerely,

Erik.

Eva smiles. "His first friend." She whispers. That brings her so much joy to know that she means so much to him, even though he doesn't love her. I will definitely write back. Eva has had a great life and will forever.

She had her first best friend, first time, first relationship, first loss, first house, and now her first family.

Welp. There it is. That was "First". So, if you guys ever want me to write a sequel, I will. I will only do it if you guys want it. Thanks so much for the support and I will see you later.