*Welcome to the final chapter of House of Trio (read the note at the bottom before you get too sad).*
*The beginning is in Patricia's dream and in the middle there's a shift back to reality.*
Chapter Thirty-Five: The Love of Family
"You feel like a candle in a hurricane/ Just like a picture with a broken frame/ Alone and helpless/ Like you've lost your fight/ But you'll be alright, you'll be alright…/ Life's like a novel/ With the end ripped out/ The edge of a canyon/ With only one way down/ Take what you're given before its gone/ Start holding on, keep holding on/ Every time you get up/ And get back in the race/ One more small piece of you/ Starts to fall into place/ Cause when push comes to shove/ You taste what you're made of/ You might bend till you break/ Cause it's all you can take/ On your knees you look up/ Decide you've had enough/ You get mad, you get strong/ Wipe your hands, shake it off/ Then you stand" –Rascal Flatts Stand
The fight was reaching its climax. I felt like I could no longer hold on. I was arguing with myself like there was no tomorrow. One part of me poured out all of the awful feelings about myself: no one loved me, Sami had died for no reason, Piper was better than me and everyone knew it, even Sibuna hated me… It went on and on. The thoughts swirled around my head until I could barely think about anything else. I was about to give into my insanity and just let those thoughts become me. They were so powerful; I wanted to give in and stop fighting myself. Then I heard it.
It was the faintest noise, but still one voice broke through the wall of hate that I had built up in myself: Eddie. I could hear him mumbling something. I couldn't tell what it was, but somehow I knew that he was there. Even if he didn't understand what I was going through, he was there. That was what mattered. The voice got clearer and I could tell what he was saying. Then his image began to appear in front of me. With everything that he said he got clearer and clearer. Finally, I knew he could see me too.
Somehow he had been transported into my dream. The meadow bloomed and it was a beautiful green field with flowers blooming. The place was no longer dark and depressing, but bright and beautiful. I felt good about myself then. Somehow, I knew that everything was going to be okay. I wasn't worried then about being the Knowledgeable One, I just wanted Eddie. I know that it sounds cliché; you know girl is going through a rough time and her "prince" saves her. Let me just tell you that I never believed in fairytales, but I do believe that through everything, love can last. I'd like to say that my "magic powers" brought Eddie into my dreams, but it wasn't. I honestly think that it was something purer than magic that brought him to the meadow. I needed someone; that was a big step for me just to admit it, but I needed someone. It was something more beautiful than magic that had brought him here and in some cases, rarer than magic. I see magic every day: a smile from a stranger, a new mom and her baby, friends, the beauty of simplicity (I could go on for a lot longer than this). This was rarer than magic: it was love in its purest form because when you're trapped in your dreams, reality can't hold you back.
We stayed in that meadow in my mind for a while, but I knew that my dream state was fast and fleeting since my feelings had been sorted out. We woke up sometime later. His physical body had stayed behind, but his mind had joined in with mind in our mutual meeting ground. Sibuna came up only moments after we rose. Everyone was glad to see me, but it still felt like these moments were a dream. The last specks of sleep had yet to leave me, and I was in a state of pure bliss. They began to ask questions and try to get answers, they tried to tell me something about Sami saying it was better that I lived. I honestly could care less about any of that stuff right now. When they did finally calm down a bit and tried to ask me real questions, Eddie and I just smiled at each other. We wanted to keep this our secret for now.
I looked around at my friends. I loved all of them like siblings, and now I know that, through everything we've been through, they feel the same. We've become a family; yeah it's pretty screwed up at times, but we're still a family. I looked at all of my friends and I knew that they'd be here for me when I needed them. I listened to them talk, as they tried to make their own conclusions about my dreams. Eddie had convinced them that I was just trying to listen for once, and I was. Part of knowledge is knowing when to speak and knowing when to talk. I wanted to enjoy my thoughts for now. My friends began to grow tired; Victor should be giving his speech soon. We broke our meeting apart with our usual "Sibuna" and Eddie and I were alone. We were standing and holding each other, finally able to relax and enjoy being together. For once, things felt right. I looked at him and he looked back.
He said, "How does everything feel O Great Knowledgeable One?" I laughed and rolled my eyes, but I didn't say anything back to him. I looked up at Eddie and smiled. I felt weeks of tension melt away and we could finally just be Patricia and Eddie. Even if it's only for a minute, I enjoy things being uncomplicated. It is at this moment as Eddie kissed me that I know that I am ready to for my responsibility to the world.
*That's the end of House of Trio, but don't be sad. There will be a sequel. I will have it out between the middle and end of June. It will be called House of Knowledge and picks up pretty much where this one left off. See you guys soon… Sibuna!*