Note: Ah, finally, I have decided to bless you all with chapter 2...even though it's been up on AO3 for a couple of months now.

-end note-

Spring 3

The bell rang for the end of the school day as Yuri and I packed up our school supplies. Nana walked into the classroom with a smile on her face.

"Are you ready to go, Yuri?" Nana asked as Yuri sighed.

"I guess dad's walking with Cadence again?" Yuri asked in irritation.

"Yes. Your father and Cadence are going to the farm house." Nana said with a small sigh, turning her attention towards opa.

"Tell Clara happy birthday from me. I'll try to be by later." Nana said as Yuri scoffed.

"Why don't you two just move into the farmhouse with Cadence." Yuri spat.

"That's enough out of you, young lady!" Nana scolded, pulling my aunt out of the classroom.

"I just can't wait until Cadence leaves Alvarna." Yuri mumbled loudly enough for me to hear. I wish we could get along; my aunt has always been my biggest bully ever since she learned how to walk.

"Are you ready, Cadence?" Opa asked, placing his hand on my shoulder as I looked up at him, nodding my head. We left the academy, the rain of cherry blossom petals landing on our clothes and hair. I looked over at a petal getting stuck in opa's braid.

"Hey, opa?" I asked, a 'Hm?' escaped his lips.

"Mom told me that your hair used to be shorter when she was my age. Was it?" I asked as I saw him smile from the corner of my eye.

"It was." He replied as I crossed my arms, pondering.

"Why did you grow it out?" I asked.

"Oh, do you not like my hair long?" He asked as I became nervous.

"Ah! N-no! I do like your hair! I-I'm just curious." I said as he smiled, sighing slightly.

"I don't know if you know this part of the story of your birth…but your mom wasn't fit to take care of you after you were born." He began as my eyes widened.

"Wait, what? Why?" I asked as he sighed.

"Your mother went into a coma after you were born and was very weak when she became conscious again, so your nana and I took care of you until she recovered well enough to be able to take care of you again." Opa said as I looked down in guilt. He noticed my expression and stopped in his tracks, bending down to my height.

"Hey, why do you have that look?" He asked as I felt tears forming in my eyes.

"Would…mom have been better off if I wasn't here?" I asked.

"What? No! No, mein honigbienchen! You mean the world to your mother! To all of us! There is more to that story. However…I'm afraid that it's not my place to tell you that part of the story." He said in a comforting way, wiping my tears with his thumbs. It was silent for a moment.

"We love you very much, Cadence! I don't want you to ever think that you are not loved." He said in a somber way as I looked up at his face, noticing a faraway expression in his eyes, as if he were remembering something. But why did he say that? Did opa misunderstand why I asked that question?

"I-I know." I replied as he embraced me tightly. I sensed that he was crying due to him shaking and the sound of his sniffling.

"Opa?" I asked in concern.

"I'm…I'm fine." Opa said in a slight lie, standing up again, wiping his eyes.

"Let's get you home, Cadence." He said with a fake smile, grabbing my hand, leading me to the farmhouse. The rest of the trip was silent. I probably shouldn't have asked about his braid.

I opened the front door of the farmhouse as grandpa looked towards us from the table. A glass of lemonade sitting in front of him.

"W-what happened?" He asked in concern, obviously noticing our somber expressions.

"I-it's nothing…" Opa said, grandpa giving him a stern look.

"Talk later?" Grandpa asked as opa nodded. I felt tears welling in my eyes.

"I-I'm sorry, opa." I said as he grabbed my shoulders, turning me to face him.

"You have nothing to apologize for, Cadence! So don't cry, okay?" He said compassionately, but sternly as well. Mom was trudging down the stairs, carrying a box.

"Hi ba-! Cadence, what happened?" Mom asked worriedly when she noticed I was crying.

"I-I made opa cry." I said in anguish.

"No, Cadence! You did not make me cry! I made myself cry." Opa said as grandpa stood from his seat.

"C'mon, Barrett. I think we really need to talk." Grandpa began to lead opa outside, turning to mom.

"Clara." He said as mom nodded.

"Come on, Cadence. I'd like for you to help me pick some portraits to bring with us." Mom began to lead me upstairs.

"Happy birthday by the way, Clara." Opa said as mom smiled.

"Thanks, Barrett." She replied as grandpa and opa went outside and mom and I went upstairs.

Mom was smiling at old portraits of grandmama, grandpa, and herself from when she was a little girl as she picked up a portrait, hugging it tightly. A portrait of my father and her as toddlers, sleeping with piles of toys around them.

"You should take that one." I said as she smiled slightly.

"You think so?" She asked as I nodded before our heads turned to the sound of high heels clip clopping as grandmama entered mom's bedroom. A small, yet sad smile on her face.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" She asked as mom nodded at her.

"Yeah." Mom began, placing her hands on her hips in certainty. "I'm 23 years old as of today! So, I think it's about time I left the nest to start a nest of my own with Cadence!"

"I see..." grandmama began looking down with sadness as mom gave her a hug.

"We'll visit! Every chance we get!" Mom exclaimed as grandmama returned her hug.

"I know you will, Clara. Ah, just a heads up, I've asked my cousin, Porcoline, to keep an eye on you two." Grandmama said as mom and I blinked in confusion

"Porco-line?" I asked, looking up at mom who shrugged her shoulders.

"I…didn't know we had any family outside of Alvarna! Well, I mean minus Leann, Orland, and Madeleine of course." Mom said, crossing her arms as grandmama blushed.

"Ah, yes…the last time you saw him, Clara, you were just a baby." Grandmama said.

"He's a strange one." Another voice said with a sigh as I looked over towards grandpa at the doorway.

"Jack!" Grandmama scolded, as grandpa raised his hands in defense.

"Just stating the facts, Rosalind. All of your cousins are strange!" Grandpa said as I blinked, processing what grandpa just said. Besides Leann and her family, how many de Sainte-Coquille family members do we have?

"Uh, well...what about the other cousins? What makes them strange?" Mom asked, as grandpa sighed.

"One speaks in opposites, so he's very confusing. Yes means no and no means yes! One of his daughters and his grandson are the same way. And the other one…is just weird in general."

"Wow…uh, have I…met them as well?" Mom asked.

Ah, yes and no...Last time my cousin Sherman and his family were here, you were just a baby! And my cousin Palmo was the day your father and I got married." Grandmama said.

"Yeah, you're gonna be in for a surprise when you meet Porcoline, Cadence." Grandpa said as grandmama glared at him, causing him to become nervous.

"Ah, n-not that I don't love your weird family! I-I mean I did marry into…"

"Are you done?" Grandmama asked, annoyed as grandpa began sweating.

"Please don't have your brother squawk at me like he did to Barrett. I still have nightmares about that story and I wasn't even around when it happened." Grandpa squeaked.

"Uh, Max did what to Barrett?" Mom asked as grandmama sighed.

"We were young and stupid as teenagers." Grandmama said, shaking her head.

"Well, at least you remember your childhood." Grandpa said, with a sincere smile.

"Who knows what kind of stupid stuff I did in my youth." He finished, chuckling slightly.

"Grandpa?" I asked as he looked at me, bending slightly, his hands on his knees.

"Yes, Cadence?"

"Have you ever wondered about your life before coming here?" I asked as grandpa stood up, placing his hand on his chin, pondering.

"I have…but the life I have now and the new memories that I've made make up for it." He replied as I sighed.

"I wish I could help in some way." I said.

"We all did at one point." Mom said.

"But I'm really not worried about it anymore. I have my new life, and my girls. It would take a miracle of some sort for someone to find out about my past." Grandpa said, chuckling. Mom blushed slightly, shifting discreetly; her expression looked as if she knew something.

"But, let's not worry about me. Are you excited for your new life in Selphia, Cadence?" Grandpa asked as I nodded.

"And our new home too!" I exclaimed.

"Well, it's not really going to be our house. We're staying at the hotel, remember? Which means I want you to keep our room nice looking…but I guess I don't have to worry about that." Mom said with a sigh as I looked at her questioningly.

"Will we be getting our own home, though?" I asked.

"Maybe. Whenever I can get enough money saved up from my new job." She replied.

Mom had accepted a part-time job at the local general store in Selphia. According to mom, the woman who owned it seemed very sweet in her letters. She told mom she could start whenever we got settled in.

"Well, if you ever need money, Clara, you know that's not an issue for us." Grandmama said as mom smiled nervously at her.

"I know…but, I need to learn to be more independent. However, if things get tight, I'll ask…but please try not to over do it." Mom said as grandmama smiled.

"I'll try." Grandmama said while giggling as grandpa cleared his throat.

"Anyway, I think it's time for a break from packing to celebrate a very big occasion!" Grandpa exclaimed as mom snickered.

"I don't think my birthdays should be a big deal anymore." She said while giggling.

"They're always going to be a big deal to your mother and me, no matter how old you get." Grandpa said as grandmama nodded.

"It's the perk of being a parent! I'm sure you'll understand when Cadence gets to that age." Grandmama said as mom nodded.

"I really didn't understand a lot of things you two did until I had Cadence." Mom said, picking me up, snuggling my face, causing me to laugh.

"So, who wants cake?" Grandpa asked excitedly as I raised my hand.

"Me! Me! I want cake!" I exclaimed, climbing out of my mother's arms, rushing out of her room and down the stairs. My family's laughter could be heard as they slowly made their way down the stairs.

I sat at my desk, finishing the last bit of my homework as a knock from my door caused me to jump a bit in my seat.

"Ye-yes?" I asked as mom entered my room.

"Are you almost done? It's time for bed, sweetie." She said as I nodded.

"Yeah. I just need to finish answering one more question." I replied.

"You can do that in the morning before school. I want to talk to you about something." She said in a slightly distant tone.

"O-okay." I said, as mom entered my bedroom fully, taking a seat on my bed as I sat next to her. She wrapped her arms around me as I laid my head on her.

"There were some…complicated things going on around the time of your birth. I can't say what, but…" Mom's eyes started welling with tears.

"Me being unconscious was not your fault, Cadence. It was mine…" She began to sob as I wrapped my arms around her. I wanted to ask more, but I felt that it would be best if I didn't ask, at least not yet.

"I love you, mom." I said softly as she embraced me tighter.

"I love you, Cadence. More than you can imagine."