Introduction; Birthdays; Christmases

Prolong Part VI

Year: 1990

Date: November 20

When you think of a baby, what come to mind? Soft and cuddle right? Two very loving parents who are looking down at their sleeping child in their crib. Two loving parents that…

"Beth! Get the damn baby!" Larry barked to shut the new baby they adopted one week ago today.

"Alright! Calm down!" she barked back, "Someone just moved in across the street today and I was thinking we could go over there as a family and welcome him to the neighborhood."

"Yeah. Sure. You think they would want the little brat?"

"Larry! If you didn't want a child. Why did you want to adopt?"

"Not me. You. You wanted to adopt. I just agreed to get you off my back."

"Well, are you coming or not? I got her to calm down. I made sugar cookies for the new neighbor."

"Honey! The game is back on. I'll say hi some other time and take the brat with you. Will ya?"

Beth took the cookies and the baby with her and she left. She walked across the street, passed the 'For Sale Sign' and knocked on the front door.

A young man in his mid 20's answered the door. She noticed he had dirty blonde hair, which was looking warn for someone in their 20's. He had glasses and scars across his face.

Beth spoke first, "Hello. My name is Beth Turner and this is my daughter, Elizabeth. We live across the street from you and I just wanted to welcome you to the neighborhood," she handed him the cookies.

"Oh thank you. How nice of you for the cookies and for welcoming me. My name is Remus Lupin."

"Oh are you English," she was surprised by his ascent, "Sorry. I didn't mean to be so blunt."

"That's alright. You're not the first person to point that out to me since I moved to the states."

"Why did you move?"

"I needed a change. I lost some people very close to me."

"I'm sorry."

"Thank you. Is it just you two?"

"No. My husband is at home watching the game. Elizabeth shh."

Elizabeth stated crying.

"May I?" Remus held out his arms.

She looked at him, "Yeah."

Remus held Elizabeth, rocked her a little and she calmed down.

"Wow. You are so good with babies."

"No. I haven't had a lot of experience with children," 'which is true' he thought, "How old is she?"

"She is about one. No wait she is one. Just turned one year old," she saw that the man was giving her a look, "Oh um. My husband and I just adopted her a week ago."

"Oh. Well, congratulations are in order then."

"Thank you."

Remus handed Elizabeth back.

"Well, I have some shopping to do. It was nice meeting you Mr. Lupin."

"No please call me Remus."

"Okay. Remus, it was nice meeting you."

They shook hands and turned to leave. Elizabeth was using her hands to reach for Remus as Beth was walking away. Remus waved 'bye' to Elizabeth and then he shut the door.

Year: 1994

Date: November 10

"Izzie, you want to open present now?"

Izzie turned to look at her foster mother with tears in her eyes, "No. It hurts," she pointed at her back where Larry, her foster father, beat her not ten minutes earlier in front of her guests who came for her fifth birthday party.

"Honey, I told you this morning not to stick you fingers into the cake. He doesn't like that."

"But it's m-mine bir-birthday cake."

"But he bought the cake for you."

"I'm sorry."

"Yeah. Let's go open presents. Okay?"

"O-Okay."

"Don't studder in front of him. You know your father doesn't like it when people studder."

"He is not my father."

Beth slapped Izzie across her face, "Don't let him hear you say that. Or me anymore."

Beth walked back with a tearful Izzie back to the party in their back yard.

After Izzie opened all her presents, she went up stairs to her bedroom. Little did she know the "funny man that lived across the street", she calls him, was standing in the door way.

"Did you have a nice birthday, Elizabeth?" he always called Izzie by her full first name.

"No, not really. It was okay until," she thought about the incident with the cake.

"Yeah, I understand."

"I think the best gift was from Grandma Joe. She gives the best ones."

"You have one more to open," Remus said handing her a small red box.

Izzie opened the small red box and inside was a golden locket on a golden chain. On the back of the locket was a funny design. She tired to open the locket but couldn't.

"It won't open."

"Here I'll show you. It has a password I guess you could call it," Remus took the locket and said, "Elizabeth," the locket opened all by its self.

"Cool. How you do that?"

"Magic. Now only you can say the password. Only you can open it or other family members if they know the password."

Izzie looked at the two pictures inside the locket. There was a beautiful woman on one side and on the other a handsome man. Izzie was so transfixed on the pictures it felt like years until she spoke again.

"Who are the pretty people?"

Remus chuckled," There are friends I would have like you to meet."

"Are they dead?"

Remus was surprised, "Yes. They died a few years ago."

"I'm sorry. I would have liked to meet them," she never once looked away from the pictures.

"Does Larry hit you a lot?"

Izzie broke the eye contact with the locket to look at Remus like 'how did you know', "Yes. When he gets angry."

"Does he get angry a lot?"

"Yes. But don't tell that I told you. Please."

"I won't. Not yet. Remember only you can open the locket."

Remus turned to leave, "Thanks for coming and thanks for the locket, Lupin."

"You're welcome, Elizabeth."

Year: 1995

Date: December 25

Elizabeth age 6

Under the tree was empty after Christmas morning. Izzie had a cast over her left arm. She says she fell down the stairs. The stairs they don't have at school.

Beth went to start the Christmas dinner and Larry went to go take a shower. When Izzie noticed there was another present. But it wasn't there a few minutes ago. It was addressed to her from Lupin.

Izzie unwrapped the present and inside was a diary. On the front cover inscribed in fancy writing was 'Inclosed is the Diary of Elizabeth'. She opened to the first page and Lupin had written: 'Elizabeth life is hard sometimes. But we move on. Use this diary to express yourself and your feelings if you don't have someone to tell.'

A few tears began to run down her face.

Please Review; Guess what this is the last and final PROLONG, yay!! aren't u happy that it is the last one:D