Chapter 78: Getting A GripHarry had been great. He'd helped Leilani get one of her first goals of dancing for two hours. The two of them had danced and chatted away while I been attending to dad.
The next morning I woke up with a new determination. I had a legacy to run.
Before breakfast I told the girls about the changes.
Leah was full of questions about where she would live now. I understood her concerns but gently explained that this was her home forever if that's what she wanted.
Winston held her close and gave her a big cuddle.
"You know that we're family forever, right? I'll always be here for you and we'll always have each other princess."
"And mummy too?" asked Leah.
"Of course mummy too," Winston replied.
"Now give your old man a hug!"
"You're not old yet Dad, you've still got a few years yet before you get too old to know who you are."
"Thanks!" laughed Winston shaking his head.
Winston saw Leah of to school then decided to do a few laps in the pool.
I went to see if Leilani was doing her homework but found her mopping the bathroom. She was taking her place in the legacy very seriously.
I joined Winston for a few laps. I was still really sad about dad but was trying to stay busy.
Kennedy called me over for breakfast while Lelani finished up her extra credit work then went to school.
I spent the morning painting with Winston. He was great, chatting away and telling me jokes to keep my mind off things.
Kennedy spent some time with Cara. She was finding it pretty hard without dad around.
Later Winston grabbed Cara for a cuddle.
Some things never change. She pickpocketed him for $48. Winston was really disappointed and hurt so he chewed her out.
Cara fell back to her usual tricks.
She summoned Maya, who was an elder now. Not that this was going to stop Cara in getting her revenge from the park incident earlier that week.
I went to see what was going on.
Cara launched herself at me. I tried to push her away.
"Cara, there's no way I'm going to fight you," I started.
"But I'm not standing for your nonsense anymore. You will
not rip this family apart with your mean spirited and selfish behaviour."
"Yeah?" She jeered, "Well it's a good thing you're not the boss of me then."
She fought tooth and nail. Scratching and swearing her head off. In the end it was all I could do to push her away without seriously hurting her. I told her to go cool it and that we
would be talking about this later.
Both the girls returned home from school happy. Leah was now an A student and Leilani had enjoyed her first day and had been given a B.
I went to brew some calming tea to help me calm down after Cara's attack. The tea brewer broke. And then I remembered that it was my birthday today. I was becoming an adult. <sigh> It always all happens at once in this family.