Okay, so this chapter was not at all planned. And based on how it goes, neither will the next one. And I'm glad too. We have some trials with the bridal party, which is normal when planning a wedding. With that said, happy reading, and I will be back with another chapter shortly!
DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything related to "Meet the Robinsons," "TMNT," "Toy Story," nor "Criminal Case," nor do I own Ginny Owens' Remember Me. I only own Lilianna, Athena, Venus, Karena, Diana, and Justine.
May 17, 2045 - Elkhorn, Oklahoma, USA
LILIANNA'S POV
I knocked on the door to Pride Ranch after taking the portal from the lair. The opened to reveal my best friend from Oklahoma.
"Lily!" Justine squealed excitedly.
"Hey, Justine," I replied.
We embraced each other.
"Come, come!" Justine beckoned me. "Please come in!"
I walked into the house smelling like roses.
"It's just the two of us, plus Chloe," Justine explained.
"Meow!"
I looked down to see Justine's black cat rubbing her head against my leg.
"Hey, Chloe!" I said sweetly. "It's so good to see you."
I heard Chloe purring.
"My parents already went to work," Justine continued. "But come on upstairs! I've got something to show you!"
I followed Justine up the stairs into her bedroom.
"Whoa!" I exclaimed.
There were papers of designs all over her bed.
"What is all this?" I asked.
"Lily, I got so excited about your wedding that I've already come up with ideas to make your wedding dress and the bridesmaids dresses," Justine explained with a big smile.
"I thought Tallulah was going to make the dresses," I replied. "She's the seamstress."
"Well, I am a seamstress, too. And I want this to be the best day of your life!"
"Have you even asked Tallulah about you making my dress?"
Justine pouted, putting her hands on her hips.
"What about all those dresses I made you?" she asked.
"Tallulah has made my show dresses. She knows what she's doing."
"In my defense, I know what I'm doing, too," Justine replied coldly. "But could you please... just look at what I have to offer? I want to lift you off the floor."
"Huh?" I asked in confusion. "What are you talking about?"
"My idioms must need work."
I took a glance at every design Justine drew and printed pictures of. The first ones didn't really appeal to me. And then, my eyes widened.
"Whoa!"
I picked up a picture of a white ball gown with green lace designed to look like leaves, some white lace, and pink and white roses attached. The entire bodice had white and green lace, and one strap had white and pink roses attached to it. The back of the dress was backless, but it was trimmed with white and green lace.
"Justine, this is absolutely stunning!" I said, my jaw practically on the floor. "But could you pull this off?"
"I think I understand why you trust Tallulah so much," Justine replied. "This dress looks like it would take longer than two months to make."
"Then ask Tallulah if you two can put your minds together," I prompted her. "You're both extremely gifted seamstresses. Maybe even Franny, Billie, and Karena can help you."
"I'll even ask my mom for help!" Justine said excitedly. "Lily, we've found the dress! And I promise we'll get it done on time."
I hugged her excitedly.
"Thank you so much!"
Then I let out a sigh.
"What's wrong?" Justine asked. "More wedding jitters?"
"No. It's nothing like that. Today's Wilbur's birthday and he's celebrating without family. He's staying in Connecticut with his boss and her family until he finds a place. Karena's staying in Todayland to finish her school year and Diana's with her."
"Oh, wow," Justine replied with a frown. "That must be hard on him. Maybe you should call him."
"Maybe I will."
I took out my T-Phone and dialed Wilbur.
"Hey there! This is Wilbur Robinson. I'm not able to come to the phone right now, but please leave a message and I'll call you back soon. Thanks!"
I heard the beep.
"Hey, Wilbur, it's Lily. I'm just calling to wish you a happy birthday and I hope everything's going well for you in Connecticut and New York. I'll see you soon."
I hung up.
"He didn't answer?" Justine asked.
"No. He must be at training. That's why he's in New York by himself. I'm worried, Justine. He was so anxious about moving away. I tried helping him a little."
"You have psychic powers and a portal," Justine replied with confidence. "And you're a smart woman. You'll figure this out."
We laughed together and enjoyed a horse ride together before I returned to New York.
New York City, New York, USA
I knocked on the door to my dad's lab. He looked over my way and smiled at me.
"Come on in!"
I walked in and closed the door. Then I walked over to his desk.
"How was your time in Oklahoma?" Dad asked.
"I found the dress," I answered with a big smile. "Justine's gonna try to get all the women together to help make this dress. You're gonna love it, Dad. Speaking of which, does anyone here know who to sew?"
"You're talking to him," Dad answered with a smirk.
I facepalmed myself.
"Very funny, Dad."
"I'm serious! I can sew, but I've mostly sewed stitches on living beings. Wedding dresses are a different story altogether. Your mom can sew, though. Mona Lisa is actually very good at sewing, also."
"Huh! I'll have to ask if they can help with the dress."
"I'm sure they can," Dad assured me.
"Oh! Speaking of which, I want to pay for services at the farmhouse."
My dad stopped what he was doing and turned towards me with a surprised look on his face.
"Lily, it's your childhood home and you're my daughter. I want you to save money."
"I don't want to take advantage of you and Mom just because I'm your daughter. I'm your client. I want to pay."
"Well, if you insist on paying, then please let us give you a family discount--"
"No, I will pay you five thousand dollars for all the services you and Mom will provide. Dad, when you gave me all my money, you also gave me a huge responsibility on how to use that money. I've saved the majority of it. I've only spent a little bit on that vacation we all took when Ryan graduated high school. I'm choosing to pay you for services because I am a client, not just your daughter."
My dad chuckled.
"You are a tough negotiator," he replied with a smile.
We shook hands.
"Alright. You've got yourself a chapel."
I laughed.
"Thanks, Dad, for helping me out with this."
"Anytime! At least you get an extra month of planning. We had to be quick about planning ours since we only had a month to do that."
"I've already thought about what song I want to play when I walk down the aisle with you."
"What's that?"
"Remember Me. You know, the song you danced to with Karena?"
"Really?" Dad replied with some surprise in his voice. "That's an interesting choice."
"It stuck with me ever since you helped me and Mom practice for Karena's wedding. And I also think it's appropriate for us. I'm thinking we could walk down the aisle to the third verse. I'm this child who has been asked to remember her father, or to remember God, when I'm old enough to lead. You are asking this of me and you're the one giving me away."
"That's an interesting interpretation of it. I'm sure Mom and I can work out the details there."
"Thanks, Dad."
"We'll have to meet with Uncle Mikey regarding the rest of the music."
"Oh, of course!"
I let out a sigh.
"I need help with something not related to the wedding."
"Sure. What's up?"
"I want to visit Wilbur since it's his birthday today. I know he's staying in Connecticut with his boss and her family, but I don't know exactly where in Connecticut."
Dad pondered this information.
"I think I know," he replied. "Auntie Renet talked about how Wilbur was staying in Westport with the Crane family."
It all clicked. I had a grin on my face.
"Dad, didn't you do research on a Dr. Russell Crane from Connecticut?"
"Yes! Are you thinking this is the same guy?"
"Exactly. Wilbur told me his boss and her husband were from Pacific Bay and I remember you talking about it when you gave Bo her exams. Did you ever find an address?"
"No, but you can. You can't get into Wilbur's mind, but you can get into Russell's."
I shook my head.
"I don't want to get in a criminal profiler's mind, as fascinating as that would be. I'll just text Wilbur."
Westport, Connecticut, USA
I knocked on the door to the Crane house. A man in his prime, wearing a green shirt with black suspenders connected to black plants and a brown belt, still donning neck-lengthened layered blonde hair, answered the door. He had a look of surprise in his green eyes, hidden behind brown frames.
"Hi, I'm Lilianna Hamato and this is my dad Donatello," I introduced ourselves. "We're friends of Wilbur's and he texted me your address. Is he around?"
"You're Donatello?" the man asked my dad. "Are you sure you're not a man in a Turtle costume?"
"It's a long story," Dad answered. "But I assure you, I am the real deal."
"And this is evidence," I chimed in, holding up my three-fingered hands. "I'm a mutant, just like my father. Only I'm more human than Turtle."
"That... is..."
The man paused, breaking into a huge grin.
"AMAZING! Come on in!"
Dad and I both blew sighs of relief before following the man into his home. We were both in awe at the living room, painted a fall-orange with a brown couch and two brown recliners. There was a piano off to one side of the room.
"Please, please sit!" the man eagerly told us. "May I get you something to drink?"
"Just water, thank you," Dad answered.
"Do you have peach tea, by any chance?" I asked.
"I do! I'll be right back. Iced or hot?"
"Oh, iced, please."
The man left the room as we sat down on the couch.
"He's more hospitable than the Robinsons!" I whispered to my dad.
"He's very eager, too," Dad whispered back. "I guess we'll wait."
"Here's your water, Donatello," the man said, walking back into the living room with a glass of water. "Is there another name you go by?"
"My friends and family call me Donnie."
"Alright, Donnie, and... Lilianna, right?"
"Yes," I answered. "I go by Lily."
"Lily, alright. Your tea is just about done. I'll be back."
The man hurried back into the kitchen. And as quickly as he went in, he came back out with a nice glass of iced tea.
"Thank you!" I said, looking forward to drinking my tea.
"It's my pleasure! Please allow me to introduce myself. It's not often I get to interact with someone like the two of you. I'm Russell Crane, PhD and LPC."
"You're a licensed counselor?" Dad asked.
"Indeed. Lily, how's the tea?"
I took a sip and my eyes widened.
"This is the best tea I've ever tasted!"
"My wife Amy grows peach trees in the backyard," Russell explained. "That is real peach juice in that tea, along with one squeeze of Stevia to make it just right."
"Is that how Amy likes it?"
"No, but one squeeze is how I start off. Some people prefer their tea and coffee unsweetened. Others want more sweetener. So, Donnie, Lily, you two are friends of Wilbur's? How did you all meet?"
"Mine's a long story," Dad started to explain.
Russell glanced at his watch on his right wrist.
"We've got time. My two kids are in school and Amy's still at work. Wilbur's probably there, too."
"It actually starts with Wilbur's wife Karena. She was from another dimension when she accidentally transported herself into mine in 2013. She was being chased around by a criminal named the Magician, who ended up separating my brothers. Mikey, my younger brother, ended up in Wilbur's dimension, which is how Karena and Wilbur met. Karena fell in love with Wilbur and decided to move to his dimension as well as to the future. Our worlds merged together as a result."
"And because of that, my parents got married and gave birth to me," I chimed in. "My meeting Wilbur happened because I was kidnapped by the Magician when I was fourteen."
Russell's smile turned into a frown.
"I'm sorry you had to go through that," he said with a solemn voice. "How did you escape?"
"I started hearing my kidnappers' thoughts, remembered my ninjutsu training, and used it to kick myself out of the car. I tried to travel on foot back to New York, but I ended up in Todayland instead. And that's how I met Wilbur and how I initiated a reunion between Karena and my family. We have remained good friends with Wilbur."
"Wilbur has told us about you two," Russell replied with a grin. "And he told me you recently got engaged, Lily. Congratulations!"
"Thank you so much! My fiancé and I are planning a wedding just two months away and then we're moving to Pacific Bay for school."
"That reminds me," Dad chimed in. "What did you do in Pacific Bay and what prompted you and Amy to move here?"
"Amy and I are both natives of Pacific Bay," Russell explained, taking off his glasses. "Amy was born in the White Peaks district while I was raised through the Utopian Cult in Ivywood Hills."
"You were in a cult?" Dad asked with a surprised voice.
"Yes, and I hated it. I hated my dad more because of it. My mom, on the other hand, had always taught me to be kind to others and to be understanding. My mom passed away when I was sixteen."
"I'm sorry for your loss," I said with a solemn voice.
"Thank you. My dad and I weren't on speaking terms for about twelve years when I ran away from the cult and from Ivywood. I ended up, at sixteen, finding a home at Pacific Bay University and studied to become a criminal profiler. I was the finest profiler the Pacific Bay Police Department ever had, and Amy turned out to be the best detective there. Amy discovered an opportunity to enhance her career at T.I.M.E. and applied to be the team coordinator. She was interviewed and she got the job. But I couldn't imagine my life without her, especially after we dated for ten years."
"TEN YEARS?" Dad and I shouted at the same time.
"Hey, Amy and I had to know each other as a couple and then we lived together for some time. But anyway, when I learned of Amy moving, I wanted to be with her, even if it meant sacrificing my dreams for her. So I proposed, she said yes, and we got married a month later. We had our honeymoon on Route 66 and then moved to Connecticut together. Amy loves her job, so it was worth it for me. Especially since we have two kids together. Jasper, our son, just turned eighteen back in March and Jessi, our daughter, is our fifteen-year-old."
"Good for you!" Dad commended him with a grin. "What all have you done since you moved?"
"I got a job as the profiler for the Boston Police Department," Russell explained. "But that proved to be too far a train ride for me. So I ended up renewing my counselor's license and opening my own business in this home after Jasper was born. My practice ended up being my remote job while being a stay-at-home dad."
"I did the same thing before and after Lily was born," Dad replied. "I was hired to work remotely as a professor at Todayland University. I actually teach on campus after over 25 years of teaching."
"Now that is an accomplishment! Congratulations. I've actually read all of your papers, Donnie."
"Really? You've actually read them all?"
"Yes. I've never read such fine work other than my own books. Lily, what are you going to school for?"
"That's actually one reason why we're here, Dr. Crane," I answered. "I've been wanting to be a criminal psychologist ever since I've learned to read minds."
Russell raised an eyebrow, skeptical of what I said.
"Are you talking about telepathy, or are you talking about reading facial expressions?"
"My powers are telepathic, sir. I can read minds if I'm not wearing my contacts. My parents have trained me to expand my powers to do other things. I'm also Aumanil of the Justice League."
Russell's eyes widened as if he saw a vision unfolding before him.
"I have met the Donatello Hamato and the Aumanil? I feel like a little boy meeting his heroes!"
We all laughed. We continued our conversation getting to know each other and talking about what we do with our lives. And then the discussion went to my first trial of 2045.
"Pacific Bay University was the only school that would accept Lily for admission," Dad explained. "I did some investigating into the other four schools and it turns out Lily was rejected for being a mutant."
Russell suddenly looked angry.
"Now that's not right! That law clearly states that humanoid mutants cannot be refused services, especially that of services provided by the government."
Russell turned to look at me.
"Lily, how far do you plan to go with school? Are you wanting a master's degree or will you take it all the way?"
"I plan to go all the way."
Russell got off his chair, walked towards me, knelt in front of me, and put my hands in his.
"These next five years will be the toughest years of your life. It will be mentally draining. But when the time comes for you to have a supervisor on your dissertation and no one is offering to watch over you, then I will."
"Don't you have to be a staff at the university to do that?" Dad asked.
"If it's the right thing to do, then by all means, I'll do it. I can already tell just from our first meeting that you have a brilliant mind, Lily. Don't let someone take advantage of you because you're in the minority. Here."
Russell grabbed a piece of paper from a table nearby and wrote something down. He handed the paper to me. Russell had written his cell phone number down.
"If you ever have any questions about the field of criminal psychology, just shoot me a text or give me a call."
"I will," I replied. "Thank you, Dr. Crane."
"Please, call me Russell. You're in my home. I'd say we're friends already."
"No complaints here," Dad replied.
Suddenly, we heard a door opening.
"Honey, I'm home!" I heard a woman's voice.
"We're in the living room!" Russell yelled back.
"We?"
I smiled as Amy, wearing a red shirt underneath black jeans and navy blue jacket and having her long blonde hair in a ponytail, and Wilbur walked into the living room. Wilbur had a look of surprise on his face.
"Lily? Donnie?"
Wilbur laughed.
"What are you two doing here?" he asked excitedly.
"We came to wish you a happy birthday!" I answered.
"I didn't know it was your birthday!" Amy replied happily. "Oh!"
Amy set the bag of groceries down on the table before walking over to us. She held out her hand for us to shake it.
"I'm Russell's wife, Amy Young. I'm Wilbur's boss at T.I.M.E. He's been wonderful so far."
"I'm happy to hear it!" I replied. "I'm Lilianna, Lily for short. This is my father Donatello, Donnie for short."
"Pleased to meet you!" Amy replied happily.
"You have a normal reaction to our appearances, Amy," Dad said with a smile. "I actually find that pleasant."
"I have dealt with a mutant clone with three arms and an alien before, so seeing a man-sized turtle is nothing new."
"By alien, do you mean someone from another planet or someone from another country?" I asked.
"Another planet. Krep-9, as a matter of fact."
"I believe it," Dad replied. "My brothers, my wife, and a family friend have traveled to all different kinds of planets in the universe many years ago."
Amy blew an excited sigh of relief.
"I am so glad there is actually someone I can talk to about this stuff!"
"Amy, Donnie's the one who wrote all those papers I have enjoyed reading," Russell reminded his wife.
"Really? Then I must insist you stay for dinner. After all, today is Wilbur's birthday."
"I won't say no to that," I replied.
"Same here," Dad said. "April's over at Channel 6, so she won't be off for a while."
"Perfect!" Russell replied happily. "I'll start making dinner for us and for the kids."
"Amy, do you know my aunt Renet?" I asked out of curiosity. "Or are you not around her often enough?"
"Both. Renet is actually the one who trained me on time travel, and she was my Latin teacher. Knowing Latin is required to work at T.I.M.E."
"I didn't know Renet knew Latin!" Dad replied. "Then again, it makes sense, considering she's taken us through time before."
We continued to discuss how our day went while we waited for Jasper and Jessi to come home so we could enjoy a hearty dinner with our new friends.
Todayland, North Montana, USA
APRIL'S POV
I was gathered in a room full of women at Tallulah's dress shop in Todayland. Mona Lisa, Renet, Karai, Venus, and Athena were also with me.
"I want to thank all of you for coming on short notice," Tallulah announced. "This gathering was actually Justine's idea. Earlier today, Justine invited Lily over to her home in Oklahoma because she wanted to make Lily's wedding dress. Lily found the dress she wanted us to make."
"Us?" Karai asked.
"Why are all of us involved, Tallulah?" Franny asked.
"We will show you."
Justine passed around a picture. Karai gave me the picture and I let out a gasp. The dress was so beautiful with both white and green lace with roses attached to it.
"I can see why Lily picked this one," I told her as I passed the picture to Karena.
"Oh my gosh!" Karena gasped. "This is beautiful! But may I suggest something?"
"Sure!" Justine replied.
"The bride's name is Lily, not Rose."
"I'm not sure I'm following you," Tallulah replied with confusion.
"I think I understand," Venus chimed in. "The dress has roses on it, right? Lilies are another type of flower. In fact... Aunt April, you said the wedding was going to be at the farmhouse, right?"
"Yes, that's right," I answered.
"Tallulah, what if the bottom of the dress had purple lilies sewn onto the hem?" Venus suggested. "I say purple because that is Lily's second favorite color."
"Venus..."
Tallulah paused and then broke into a grin.
"That is genius! Lily won't even have to worry about her dress touching the ground because these lilies are of the ground."
"And then lily of the valley is the birth flower for May, when Lily's birthday is," Venus continued. "I can easily make her a bouquet--"
"I thought Lily's favorite flower was the white rose?" Karena interrupted her.
"That's yours, Karena," Franny chimed in with a chuckle.
"Actually, Lily's favorite flower is the lily," I replied. "So the lilies in the wedding dress idea makes sense. Like the purples ones at the hem at the bottom. Maybe we can replace the roses in the picture with different colored lilies."
"What about this white and blue one?" Venus suggested, holding up her phone with a picture of it.
"Something blue!" All of us shouted with happiness.
"Why don't we do a mixture of purple, blue, and white lilies all over the dress?" Justine suggested.
"Lily will love that!" I replied.
"And of course, we'll keep the green lace," Tallulah said. "Lily loves nature."
"That's exactly why she picked out this dress," Justine replied.
"But in order to pull this off in two months, we have to work together," Tallulah said with a stern voice. "The good news is, I already have a dress of this style. I just have to find that particular dress in Lily's size and then we'll work together to add the green lace and lilies."
"I, unfortunately, do not have lilies in the greenhouse," Venus chimed in. "But Uncle Donnie did plant roses that I could use for the bouquet I plan on making for her."
"The lilies is no big deal, Venus," Justine replied. Aunt Jessie and I can travel to a Hobby Lobby and find some lilies to put on the dress. These flowers should not be the real deal, anyway. They're decorative."
"You could knock out the green lace while you're there, too," Franny suggested. "White lace is easy to find."
"Guys!" Athena chimed in. "Do you know who else needs dresses? Mareena and Diana! Diana's the flower girl."
"That is true," Tallulah replied. "Diana's dress will need to be a miniature version of Lily's."
"I'd make sure her dress is a size up," Karena suggested. "Diana's been growing like crazy ever since she's been born!"
"But instead of having the lilies be on the skirt, let's have them on the bodice," Billie suggested. "Diana's a baby. She's a cute baby!"
"That does seem to be the trend for young girls," Tallulah replied. "Alright, we'll do it! Now, the tuxes for the men will be easy."
"On Wilbur's behalf, he said that James wanted to wear a grey suit and that Wilbur and Randy would also wear grey suits," Karena chimed in.
"Okay, interesting. But we still need something to distinguish James from his groomsmen."
"I might have a suggestion," Renet chimed in. "Lily's dress will have three different colors, right? Why not have Jame's lily boutonnière be white, Wilbur's blue, and Randy's purple?"
"That's a good idea," Venus replied. "James is the groom after all. And all four will have green leaves with it, which will also match Lily's dress."
"But now wait, there's four of us bridesmaids," Karena chimed in. "None of us can wear white because Lily already fills that role."
"Why don't you and Athena wear blue, Karena?" Justine suggested. "But you wear the darker blue while Athena wears the lighter blue. And then Venus and I will wear purple. Venus will wear the darker shade while I'll wear the lighter shade."
"I like that idea," Tallulah replied. "But I take it we're going with the same style for the dresses? And what kind of dresses?"
"I think I have an idea," Karena replied, pulling out her phone. "Venus and Justine can have their dresses with spaghetti straps and they can also have lilies added to them if they choose. Athena and I can wear lace on the bodice with the lilies on the skirt to signify that we're maids of honor."
"I disagree," Venus replied. "The colors are enough representation between the maids of honor and the bridesmaids. If anything, and if Justine is willing to help me, our bouquets can be made of white lilies. We just need a simple dress."
"I think we should do what we did with Karena's wedding: have your own style of dress," Tallulah suggested. "With that said, Venus, what is your preferred style of dress?"
"I prefer dresses with an open leg and one shoulder, like the jumpsuit Aumanil has."
"Okay..."
I watched Tallulah make some quick sketches on her iPad.
"Justine?"
"I like those bridesmaid dresses with the flutter sleeve."
"You can take the girl out of the country," Tallulah replied, jotting down notes. "But you can't take the country out of the girl. Athena?"
"May I have the spaghetti straps similar to Lily's dress?"
Tallulah jotted more ideas down.
"Karena?"
"Could you do mine with lace sleeves below the elbow?"
"April?"
I jolted to alertness at the mention of my name.
"You're making a dress for me?"
"Hey, you all are helping me, so I'm helping you," Tallulah explained. "What color would you like, would you like lace, and is there a style you prefer?"
"Lavender-purple, no, and strapless with a jacket with sleeves down below the elbow."
"Interesting options. Is there anyone I'm missing?"
"I think you've just about covered everybody," Mona Lisa answered.
"Well, thank you all so much for your help," Tallulah said with a smile. "Wanna meet here at the same time next week?"
"It would give me a time to properly say goodbye to all of you," Karena replied solemnly.
"Goodbye?" Justine asked. "What on earth for?"
"Diana and I are moving to Connecticut next Friday after my last day of teaching. Wilbur's already there training."
"Is he doing okay? I know he was really nervous about moving."
"He's doing great today," Karena replied. "Lily and Donnie surprised him with a visit for his birthday."
"That was sweet of them!" Franny said with a heartfelt smile, which turned into a frown. "I haven't spoken to him since he moved."
"Have you called him?" I asked.
"I have, but I always get his voicemail. Probably busy with training."
"Donatello didn't call Leo for a month after he moved out of the lair," Karai chimed in. "It turned out Donatello was so stressed over Leo's bossing around that he just needed to be away. They made up, of course."
Franny let out a sigh.
"I wasn't the best mother to Wilbur. I trained him to defend himself. I raised him to be an independent man. I showed him tough love."
"Maybe you showed him too much tough love?" Billie suggested. "I remember he was mad at both you and Cornelius for a while."
"Because we grounded him from seeing Karena and we told him he was grounded until the time lab was all cleaned up," Franny replied.
She let out a shaky sigh.
"Excuse me."
Franny ran out of the room. We all exchanged sad and awkward glances. One by one, we left to head home.
May 19, 2045 - New York City, New York, USA
DONATELLO'S POV
"Thank you for meeting with us, Mikey."
"No problemo. Are we ready to discuss wedding business?"
"We are," April replied with a smile.
"Lily has already figured out what song she wants to use for us to walk down the aisle," I explained. "Do you remember the song Remember Me? I mean, the song Karena and I danced to at her wedding?"
"Let me see..."
I watched Mikey do research on the song... or at least, he tried to.
"Who's the artist again?"
"Ginny Owens," April answered.
"Okay, I found it," Mikey replied. "The song is a little over four minutes long. Let's give it a listen."
We listened to the song. I hummed through the first half of the song. And then, the third verse came.
"Remember me when the children leave their Sunday school with smiles," I sang with a smile. "Remember me..."
"When they're old enough to teach," April and I sang in harmony. "Old enough to preach. Old enough to lead. And age to age and heart to heart, bound by grace and peace. Child of wonder, child of God, I've remembered you."
"Remember me," I sang.
"Age to age and heart to heart," April sang. "Child of wonder, child of God."
"Remember me."
"Age to age and heart to heart, child of wonder, child of God."
Then the song ended.
"I have a feeling we've found the part where you and Lily walk down the aisle, D," Mikey said. "The moment was at two minutes and thirty seconds."
"Wow!" April exclaimed. "Right on the minute! I'm impressed. But what's going to happen the first two and a half minutes?"
"I think we can figure this out," I explained. "We have four groups walking down the aisle."
"Huh?" April asked. "Who?"
"I'll be walking down the aisle with Lily after these four groups. Since I can't escort you, why not have James' father escort the two mothers?"
"I'm liking this plan already," Mikey replied. "And then the bridesmaids and groomsmen walk down the aisle, right?"
"Yes. Randy will escort Venus and Justine down the aisle and then Wilbur will escort Karena and Athena. That's groups two and three."
"So who's the fourth group?" April asked.
"Mareena and Diana, the ringbearer and flower girl. Diana will ride on a toy that is yet to be revealed because I haven't made it yet. And then I'll escort Lily. But we need to time this perfectly."
"We need to give a little break between the last two groups so that everyone can stand when you and Lily enter the church," April replied. "We cannot have each of the four groups walk down the aisle in... how many seconds? Clearly not thirty seconds. That only makes up two minutes."
"I don't even think we need two minutes. Mikey, could you play the song again?"
Mikey started the song again. And then...
"Okay, stop."
"That was quick," April said.
"How far are we into the song, Mikey?"
"Eight seconds."
"Then that's where you start, April."
"We need two minutes," Mikey replied.
"We can try the thirty-minute intervals," April suggested.
"April, that's easy. Mikey, keep on playing the song."
The song resumed playing. After some time, the chorus played again and I decided to sing along.
"And age to age and heart to heart, bound by grace and peace. Child of wonder, child--"
The song suddenly paused.
"Wait, what just happened?" April asked.
"That was two minutes and eight seconds, dude," Mikey explained.
"Mikey, please finish the chorus and tell me the time there," I told him.
"Two minutes and twenty-four seconds."
"Six seconds is not enough," April replied. "Why don't I prompt the guests to stand at that last remember me?"
"That is at two minutes and sixteen seconds," Mikey announced.
"Does fourteen seconds sound better?" I asked.
"Much better," April answered with confidence.
"So it sounds like we have two minutes and eight seconds for the parents, the bridesmaids, groomsmen, and Mareena and Diana to walk down the aisle before Lily and I do," I explained.
"So what is that divided by four?" April asked.
"Let's try playing the entire song again, Mikey," I prompted my brother. "We'll pause at eight seconds first."
Mikey started the song over and followed direction, pausing it just before the first piano note played.
"Okay, so that's when I'm escorted with James' mother by James' father, right?" April asked.
"Correct," I replied. "Now, Mikey, keep playing the song for another 42 seconds. We'll see if that works."
"Okey-dokey!"
The song continued playing and I sang along. I started to sing the chorus.
"And age to age--"
The song paused.
"That's fifty seconds," Mikey said.
"Okay, so after line, Randy starts to escort Venus and Justine," April said.
"Right. Mikey, let's go another 42 seconds."
The song resumed playing, and I resumed singing. We eventually reached the second verse.
"Remember me when the color of--"
"That's now one minute and 32 seconds," Mikey announced.
"Now wait a minute," April chimed in. "If Wilbur starts escorting Karena and Athena at that point, then Diana would be escorted at two minutes and fourteen seconds."
"Oops!" I exclaimed.
"Yeah, let's take it way back," Mikey suggested. "I'll start at eight seconds. Shall we try 34 seconds?"
"Yeah, let's try it."
Mikey started the song over again.
"Remember me," I sang. "In a Bible cracked and faded by the years. Remember me in a sanctuary filled--"
"That's 42 seconds," Mikey announced. "I'm going to continue for another 34 seconds."
The music resumed playing. Just as I had finished the chorus the first time, Mikey paused it.
"It is at a minute and sixteen seconds."
"That sounds promising," April said.
"Yes, a lot more promising," I replied in agreement. "Let's go another 34 seconds."
The song played again. I had just finished singing the second verse when the song stopped again.
"Are we on track for Diana or are we behind again?" Mikey asked.
"The next 34 seconds will fall at the tail end of the second chorus," April answered. "Let's maybe try thirty-two seconds?"
I let out a frustrated sigh.
"Let's go again, Mikey."
Mikey ended up pausing at the words filled with, just before the remember me at the end of the first chorus, the word tears, and right before the remember me at the end of the second chorus. The three of us cheered when Mikey paused the song at the right moment.
"We got it!" April exclaimed excitedly.
"Great!" I replied enthusiastically. "Now we just need to figure out how we want to rehearse this the day before the wedding."
"We also need to decide the prelude music," Mikey chimed in.
"We'll leave that up to Lily and James," April replied with a cheeky smile. "I'm just excited we figured the processional out!"
"Same! Let's go grab some pizza."
McAlester, Oklahoma, USA
JUSTINE'S POV
"The flowers should be down this way," Aunt Jessie said with her Western accent.
I followed my fiery-haired aunt around the store until we reached the flowers section.
"I am so excited to help y'all make this dress," Aunt Jessie said excitedly. "I've never been part of a weddin' before."
"We all want to do our best to make this the best day for Lily," I replied.
I scrunched up, realizing what she just said.
"Aunt Jessie, you've been a part of a wedding before: yours! You were Uncle Buzz's bride! And what about my parents' wedding?"
Aunt Jessie froze.
"Ya have a good point. Can ya believe I've been married fer twenty years now?"
"Time flies when you're having fun," I replied. "Here we are!"
We approached the flower section of the stores.
"What flowers are we lookin' fer again?" Aunt Jessie asked.
"Lilies. White, blue, and purple. All of us are going to sew them onto Lily's dress. And make sure to get a bunch of purple lilies because those will be the bottom of the dress."
"Flowers fer when the dress touches the ground... that's genius!"
"Venus came up with that idea. Now let's start looking."
"Well, what about them peonies?" Aunt Jessie suggested. "They'd go better on the dress."
"Yeah, but this is Lily's dress. Her name is not Peony or Rose."
"Ah, gotcha!"
We continued looking until we realized the flowers were grouped by color.
"Justine, ya try to find those purple and blue ones," Aunt Jessie said. "I'll stay here and gather as many white ones as I can."
We separated. I was able to find small purple lilies that would be perfect. However, I was unable to find the blue lilies. I grabbed as many of the purple ones as possible, as the hem of the dress would be purple. Aunt Jessie and I eventually met back up.
"Where er the blue ones?" Aunt Jessie asked with an alarmed voice.
"I couldn't find them," I answered with a frown.
"Oh dear," Aunt Jessie replied with a frown. "There's gotta be someplace else. Do ya have a phone on ya?"
"Yes!"
I did some research on where to shop for blue lilies.
"There's a Michael's in Broken Arrow. But it's by Tulsa."
"That's a long drive, sister," Aunt Jessie replied. "Fer now, I'd give these flowers to Sister Tallulah so that the ladies can start on the dress. We'll go to Broken Arrow instead of McAlester next week fer mer supplies."
May 26, 2045 - Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, USA
"Let's just dart to the blue flowers," Aunt Jessie suggested.
We walked around the store until we found the blue flowers. I looked quickly and carefully for blue lilies, but my efforts were in vain. I let out a sigh as I walked back over to my aunt, who was examining purple flowers.
"Ya couldn't find them?"
I let out another sigh.
"No. This is hopeless!"
"Well, I found mer white lilies," Aunt Jessie explained. "No purple lilies though."
"I had thought about grabbing the blue roses because they were beautiful," I replied. "But I didn't. It's a purple, blue, and white wedding."
Aunt Jessie put her hands on her hips with a glare on her face.
"Are ya hearin' yerself right now? Go grab those roses! Maybe grab some hydrangeas, too. We can work those into the decorations."
We walked out of the store with the flowers and supplies. We got into the car and I let out a huge sigh.
"This is hopeless!" I exclaimed. "It seems that blue lilies are rare."
"Why don't ya call Sister Tallulah?" Aunt Jessie suggested. "She's a seamstress. She must have creativity in places ya don't think about."
"That's true. Alright."
I called Tallulah on my cell phone.
"Hello?"
"Hi, Tallulah, it's Justine."
"Hi! How are you?"
"I need your help. Aunt Jessie and I have shopped for flowers the past two weeks. We found white and purple lilies, but not blue ones. Would you know of any place to find them?"
"Let me see."
There was a pause as Tallulah did her own research.
"I found blue calla lilies on Walmart that I could easily use to make petals for Diana to toss. But let's see..."
"That's better than nothing," I replied.
"What did she find?" Aunt Jessie whispered.
"She found flowers for Diana," I whispered in reply.
"Well, I can understand why you're frustrated, Justine," Tallulah said. "I'm finding blue in all the flowers but lilies. I have some ideas I could pitch to Venus for bouquets, though. Oh, wait! I found them!"
"Yes!" Aunt Jessie and I exclaimed at the same time.
"Hooray for Walmart!" Aunt Jessie said with laughter.
"It looks like Walmart has both the darker blue and the light blue," Tallulah explained. "I'll buy both of them. We'll use the lighter ones for Lily's dress and then maybe I can use the darker ones for the bouquets or something."
"Tallulah, you are a lifesaver!" I replied happily. "Aunt Jessie and I drove all the way up to Broken Arrow to try to find them. It's right next to Tulsa."
"Oh wow! That's a bit of a drive. I will let you get back to it. And Justine, thank you for the distraction. It helped me forget that Karena and Diana moved to Connecticut today."
"So Karena won't be helping you with the dress?"
"She's the matron of honor, so she'll spend the next month planning Lily's bachelorette party!"
"Oh, cool! That's something to look forward to!"
May 29, 2045 - New York City, New York, USA
LILIANNA'S POV
My dad and I dueled with our bo staffs the last hour. I wore my brown contacts, so I was not able to use my psychic powers. And that was okay. Today was my 21st birthday, and all I wanted to do today was have fun. And this was the total definition of fun.
My dad and I both had our gap-toothed grins on our faces as we dueled. We've learned a lot from each other since I was born. My dad had become a much more skilled warrior over time.
"You're a good fighter, Lily Mae," Dad complimented me in between strikes.
"Just good, Father?" I asked with a smirk.
"Uh, I mean--"
I took his hesitation to my advantage. I disarmed him and then knocked him to the ground with my knee and my elbow. I pinned him down with my foot. We smiled at each other.
"I must not have prayed hard enough," I said with a chuckle. "I thought you would actually beat me someday."
My dad suddenly made a move with his feet. He kicked me in the leg, but I was able to flip sideways to avoid the fall. He was able to get up with no problems by flipping himself up.
"Keep praying, Lily," Dad told me. "Keep praying."
"Knock knock!"
Dad and I turned, with surprise, to the doorway to see Karena leaning against the frame with Diana on her hip.
"Karena, hi!" Dad greeted her. "Did you use the portal to get here? New York City is quite the drive from Westport."
Karena blew a small raspberry.
"Just an hour-long drive, right, Diana?"
Diana giggled happily, her black hair already getting longer.
"Aww!" Dad and I cooed together.
"There wasn't a scheduled appointment today, right?" Dad asked.
"Right," Karena replied. "I'm here for the birthday girl, the bride-to-be."
I blushed.
"Thank you for coming all this way, Karena," I replied.
"Okay, come on. Connecticut is not that far from here."
"Karena, you're here!"
Dad and I followed Karena out of the dojo to find Venus and Athena running out from their rooms.
"So we just need Justine to join us," Athena said with a smile.
"She's already here," Karena replied, kissing Diana and handing her to my dad. "Wilbur gave the portal to me when we moved here. I used the portal to go to Oklahoma to retrieve Justine and assure her parents we'd watch over her. She's exploring the 9/11 Memorial right now. She says she has a duty as an Oklahoman to respect the dead."
"She sounds Native American to me," Venus replied. "Is there a reason why she would do this?"
"Oklahoma City was where a bombing happened shortly before 9/11," I explained. "Her father taught her what happened in 1995 and she felt it was her duty to share what happened so something like that would never happen again."
"But they're still happening around the world," Athena replied. "I mean the terrorist attacks in 2001 happened here. Then the attacks in Boston, Paris. Will we ever learn?"
"Apparently not in the Middle East," I answered. "All religion supposedly teaches us to not harm anyone because of our beliefs and most of these attacks happened because the Islamists believe they are the only religion that is true."
"Do they have a savior that defeated death?" Venus asked.
"Amen!" every one of us yelled with relief in our voices.
"Okay, that's enough talk about the deepest questions of the world when we have the most exciting thing to talk about," Karena replied happily. "Lily's bachelorette party! Let's greet Justine at the memorial."
"Will anyone else be with us?" Athena asked.
"Be safe, girls!" Dad yelled behind us as we left the lair.
"April will be joining us eventually," Karena explained. "She's going to watch for us in case we get drunk."
"Karena, Athena and I are only nineteen years old," Venus chimed in. "We can't drink."
"Oh! Lily, can Justine drink?"
"She just turned 21 this past February," I answered.
"Oh good! I was worried we'd have to do something else."
"To be fair, the lair is right underneath the World Trade Center," Venus explained. "So if anything happens, Athena and I can help you all get back to the lair safely."
"It is?" Karena asked in alarm. "So, your fathers were all impacted by 9/11?"
"So much that they moved to Philadelphia for a year," I explained. "According to my dad, Splinter heard the first plane hit the towers and he knew they had to evacuate. The collapsing of the towers made things worse in the sewers, so they couldn't go back until everything was cleared out."
"Splinter was glued to the TV if he wasn't training our fathers in ninjutsu," Athena chimed in. "He wouldn't let my dad watch TV because of it."
"My dad, meanwhile, understood what was going on and tried to invent something to help clear away the toxic dust in the lair," I explained. "Needless to say, it worked. Unfortunately, it scarred them enough to not share with us. But one day, my dad took me to the 9/11 Memorial and explained everything that happened."
"And we're here," Venus said. "I will admit, I've never seen the memorial before."
"Me neither," Athena replied. "I guess we'll get to see glimpses of it today."
"So Amy, Wilbur's boss, helped me arrange this party," Karena explained. "She is paying for everything."
"Amy is a sweet woman!" I replied, remembering my first meeting with her.
"So what all did two plan?" Athena asked. "Because I'm the maid of honor and I'm about to be surprised."
"You'll see!" Karena replied in a singsong voice.
We went topside and took the short trek to the 9/11 Memorial. We easily found Justine, the only woman in New York who would wear cowgirl boots and a cowgirl hat. I approached her cautiously and simply stood next to her.
"You know, when you weren't born when something like this happens, your parents tell you what happened," Justine said with solemn in her voice. "It was history, a legend. I wasn't even aware of the Oklahoma City bombing until I was sixteen. And now, this. My dad lived through 9/11, seeing how Jennifer, Andy, and Molly all reacted to the news. Now that I'm seeing this for the first time... I can just... hear the panic of those passengers who had no choice but to die. I heard the fear of those citizens who were trapped in those two towers. I heard screams from those falling to their deaths. I heard... silence, when the last victims were silenced in the fall of the two towers."
I couldn't help but hug my best friend. Justine and I both came from a state where a terrorist attack happened, and our parents lived to tell the tales.
"I was just talking about this with my family," I finally spoke. "Athena and Venus have never seen this place before either. I don't even think Ryan has seen this."
"And this is my first time seeing it, too," Karena chimed in. "I came from the past, so I was alive when 9/11 happened. But the strange thing is, I have no memory of where I was when it happened. All I remember... is my mother crying. And shortly after that, she died in a car accident. The terrorism attacks immediately faded away from my mind. Grieving for my mother came first."
"You weren't alone, Karena," I heard Mom say, coming right behind us. "I lost my mother around the same time you did. And I remember her telling me exactly what had happened that fateful day before she went missing. I remember her asking me to promise her something: always search for the truth in all things, no matter how crazy they sound."
The six of us created a line at the memorial at the south reflecting pool. I stood between my mom and Karena. We hugged each other as we stood in silence, remembering all that had happened on September 11, 2001, and remembering that we were all here together not just to celebrate my upcoming marriage, but that we were alive and together today. We prayed silently together.
"AMEN!" all six of us yelled.
"Okay, come on," Karena suggested with a smile on her face. "Amy made reservations for us and I don't think this was part of the plan. Follow me!"
We followed Karena into the One World Trade Center and I was immediately impressed and afraid at the same time. There were so many people in one big room with the most unique architecture I had ever seen! Athena, Venus, and Justine were just as terrified as I was. My mom had a big smile on her face as if she's been here before.
"Come on, girls!" Karena yelled. "I think Amy told me the ticket booth is this way."
"I'll come with you," Mom replied. "I've been here before."
"Thank heavens! This is overwhelming! I'm actually really glad I didn't take Diana with me."
Now my mom was the leader as we navigated our way to the ticket desk.
"Karena, what name are we under?" Mom asked.
"We're the Hamato Bachelorette Party," Karena answered.
"Ah, yes!" the lady at the desk replied happily.
After a few more words, I followed Karena and my mom to an elevator. Thankfully, we didn't have to wait long to enter. We walked in. My cousins and I were terrified right away because it felt so dark at first. Then we started going up.
"Oh, this is so cold!" Athena exclaimed as the number 1500 appeared.
The number rapidly changed and buildings started to appear as we went up.
"Athena, this is New York City's history!" I said excitedly. "This is, hands down, the coolest elevator I've ever been on."
"Whoa!" we all exclaimed.
We turned to our right when one of the towers appeared at some point in the 1970s and then immediately disappeared when the 2000s hit. Then we reached the top: floor 102.
The doors opened and things were bustling here also.
"Okay, so we need to find One Dining," Karena told us.
"Lily, how do your ears not hurt?" Venus asked, holding her ears. "We never patrolled this high off the ground."
"I can fly, remember?"
"You lucky duck," Athena replied, rolling her eyes.
"Whoa!" I exclaimed, looking out the window.
It was sunset at New York City, and there were shades of red, purple, and pink with the orange colors belonging to the sun. I saw the entire city in view, but nothing compared without the sunset.
"That is the most beautiful sunset I have ever seen," Venus said in awe.
"Wow!" Justine exclaimed. "We don't get many sunsets like this in Oklahoma. Our tallest tower is in Oklahoma City, but it's not as tall as this one."
"I feel like I'm at the top of the world right now," I said in awe.
"Hey, girls!" I heard Mom say. "Turn around!"
We turned around to find my mom holding up her phone ready to take a picture of us. We grinned.
"Karena, get in there," Mom said. "You're the matron of honor!"
Karena joined us. I stood in between Karena and Athena. Venus stood next to Athena while Justine stood next to Karena. We grinned again, and Mom snapped the photo.
"Amazing! Now, we have dinner reservations, so let's go!"
We found One Dining and introduced ourselves. The hostess led us to a table where another woman was waiting for us.
"Amy?" I asked with surprise in my voice. "What are you doing here?"
"I wanted to make sure you all got here safely," Amy explained, giving me a hug. "Happy 21st birthday, Lily. I hope today will be a day to remember."
"It is so far! Thanks!"
"Okay, so Venus and Athena can't drink," Karena explained.
"I'm sure there are other options for you," Amy replied.
We ordered our drinks. Venus and Athena simply ordered water. The rest of us ordered different cocktails. I decided to try the White Raspberry Sangria while Amy ordered the Strawberry Apple Sangria. My mom ordered the Sunset cocktail. Karena opted for the Central Park Ramble cocktail and Justine ordered the New World Fashion. All of us ordered the same thing for our dinner: a 16-ounce steaks with roasted carrots and a small salad.
"Okay, so Athena and I have come up with two games to play," Karena explained. "The first one is Who Knows the Bride Best?"
Karena handed each of us a piece of paper with thirteen questions on it.
"We'll answer these questions. Amy, since you're not part of the bridal party, you get to ask the questions and Lily will confirm the answer. If you're correct, the bride drinks. If not, then we drink. Whoever has the most correct wins a prize!"
We jotted down our answers. Five minutes went by when we finished. Amy prepared herself to go down the list.
"Alright, question one: How long has she been engaged? Lily?"
"Only 24 days!"
"Raise your hand if you got that," Amy told us.
Everyone raised their hand.
"Fair enough," I said, taking a drink of my sangria.
"Your graduation and engagement day are the same day," Athena explained. "That's probably the easiest question on here."
"Actually, hold on," Amy chimed in, taking a drink of her sangria. "I just met you, Lily. I thought you were engaged for longer than that."
I laughed.
"Hey, it's okay! Next question?"
"Where did she meet the groom?" Amy asked.
"I met James at the winter ball at Robinson Industries in 2039," I answered.
Every single person except for me took a drink. I cracked up laughing.
"What all did you write down?" I asked.
"School," everyone answered at the same time.
"Mom, I'm surprised you got it wrong. I could have sworn I told you."
"You never did!" Mom replied. "You just said you liked him!"
I rolled my eyes.
"Okay, next question."
"What is her favorite restaurant?" Amy asked.
"Michelangelo's!" I answered.
"Yes!" Venus and Athena exclaimed, giving each other a high five.
"I'm not surprised," Mom replied. "Mikey really made a living out of it."
"So who all is drinking besides me?" I asked.
When I took a sip, I noticed Amy, Karena, and Justine taking drinks also.
"What is Michelangelo's?" Justine asked.
"My dad's restaurant!" Athena answered enthusiastically. "You've gotta try it next time you come to New York! It's a pizzeria."
"Okay, next question," Amy announced. "What is the wedding date?"
"I will be very sad if you don't get this," I said. "July 29, 2045."
"Yep," everyone replied.
"I guess I take the shot," I said, sipping my sangria. "This is good! Go ahead, Amy."
"What is her favorite thing about the groom?"
"That he's willing to follow me and my dreams," I answered.
"So clearly I'm taking the drink," Amy said. "Anyone else?"
Justine, Karena, and my mom did not drink.
"So who's winning so far, Amy?" I asked.
"April has answered more correctly than anyone else here. Next question: How did the groom propose?"
"James made a path for me at the arboretum. I walked the path and met him at our special place. He told me he withdrew his admission to a school in New York and asked me to marry him."
"So the key words are at the arboretum," Amy explained, taking a drink. "I'm pretty sure Lily has to drink. Anyone else?"
"Amy, we all knew," Justine replied. "Wilbur let us all in on it."
"Well, alright then. What is her middle name?"
"Mae," I answered. "My dad's always called me Lily Mae. And that's M-A-E. If you spelled it like the month of May, then take a drink."
Amy, Karena, and Justine took drinks along with me.
"April's still on top!" Amy said excitedly. "What is her biggest pet peeve?"
"Bad drivers," I answered.
"Seriously?" Mom asked in reply, taking a drink.
Karena and Amy also took drinks.
"Ooh, it looks like Venus and Athena caught up to April!" Amy said excitedly. "Alright, next question: where is the honeymoon?"
"Route 66!"
"And for once, I knew!" Amy replied.
"I think you're the only one who knew, Amy," I said, taking a drink with everyone else.
"Got inspired by our second honeymoon?" Mom asked.
"In a way," I explained.
"My husband and I did our honeymoon on Route 66," Amy explained. "It was the best honeymoon I could ever ask for while moving here from California. Alrighty, next question: What is her shoe size?"
"This will be very interesting," I replied with a grin. "I am a size eight."
Karena and Amy took drinks with me.
"Who is her celebrity crush?"
"Okay, so I do not have a celebrity crush," I explained. "So I wrote down my all-time favorite celebrity instead: Christina Grimmie."
"YES!" my peers exclaimed, giving each other high-fives.
"Who didn't know that one?" Karena asked.
"Me," Amy answered, taking a drink with me. "How many siblings does she have?"
"You all should know this one," I said, taking a sip.
"None," everyone answered.
"Okay, last question: How many kids does she want?" Amy asked.
"None," I answered.
"WHAT?!" everyone exclaimed, taking drinks.
"Oh dear," Amy replied with a frown. "Lily, are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," I answered bluntly. "I just don't want kids. Is there a problem with that?"
"No, not at all. It just seemed like a touchy subject to you. Let me see if I can find another question to ask. Your cousins and mom are tied and we can only have one winner."
Amy looked through her phone for another question.
"What word best describes her? Only April, Venus, and Athena can answer. Lily, you get to pick who your favorite is. April?"
"The word I'd use to best describe Lily is compassionate," Mom explained. "She's always put others before herself and is always willing to listen."
"Athena?"
"Strong. Lily not only has physical strength, but she has mental and emotional strength, too. She's always encouraging me to do something I enjoy to make me feel better."
"Venus?"
"Talented. Lily is very intelligent but she's also a fantastic singer. She can also build things from scratch and she adapts very well to her surroundings."
"Alright, Lily, who wins the game?" Karena asked.
I pondered. All three members of my family gave great answers but I can only choose one.
"The winner is... Athena."
Athena squealed. Just as dinner came, we hugged each other. Once dinner was served, we started to eat and enjoy each other's company in the tallest building of the western hemisphere.
TO BE CONTINUED...