Thank you, ApplesApplesApples! He's been very fun to write for and play.
There's still more mystery though!
And thank you to my other readers, hard to believe I'm at 500is views! Questions, input, and comments are welcome either here or via PM, I am a big one for feedback. Especially if it'll help me make the story more interesting!
The song for this chapter is "Dream On" by Aerosmith.
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Oranos woke with a jolt the next morning, his head ringing with the echo of the voice he'd never thought to hear again. It wasn't just the sound that troubled him but what had been said.
"She's not meant for this world, any more than you are." Deep down he knew it was true. As he started to feel his mortality more heavily, he spent an increasing amount of time staring up at the sky, deep in thought. Romeo and Rafael, his two best friends, noted that he'd become a lot quieter since his daughter had become a child.
Would she be torn as he was, between two worlds? Or would she find peace and fulfillment? Not that he didn't love Bridgeport. He did. It was such a vibrant city and he'd met some amazing people. He had a job he loved, a comfortable home, a beautiful successful wife, and a precocious daughter. The unease he felt vanished when he looked out the bedroom window and saw the stunning vista of downtown.
(I just thought those shots were so cool!)
In the mornings he would wake up with a heart aching for the home he'd left behind. Only then did regret cast its long shadow over his life. Memories of the fights he'd been having with Marina lately were always freshest in his mind when he looked at her as he got up to prepare for work. They weren't talking much, maybe that was for the best. It meant less fighting and more energy to concentrate on work.
The paparazzi snapped this shot of Oranos grabbing a quick bite to eat before heading to work one day.
Rhea, quiet well-behaved girl that she was, didn't cause any trouble for her parents. She didn't try to pull any pranks and did her homework diligently every evening. Lately she'd taken to reading the newspaper, to see if she was the only one who had sighted anything strange.
To her relief (and Oranos's chagrin) it turned out she wasn't the only one. Wolves had been sighted around Bridgeport- but they had never been native to the area. It was getting to the point where the weirdness that was suffusing Bridgeport (not a normal town to begin with) could no longer be dismissed as coincidence or strange reaction to the strong drinks served at the bars in town.
Marina and Oranos were both their for the recital. They both applauded thunderously and started a standing ovation of course. Both glowing with pride at how mature and lovely their child was turning out to be, they glanced at each other, smiling brightly. For the moment their differences were forgotten.
She received a lovely award she displayed on her dresser.
And she wasn't the only one! Marina, still a beautiful woman even if she wasn't as young as she'd used to be, had the talent as well as the looks and also earned herself an award.
Rhea's birthday crept up on them. They hadn't had time to plan a party or even go shopping for birthday presents!
The cross-eyed look that signifies life is going to get a lot more interesting...
Oranos embraced his daughter, promising that he'd make up for his absent-mindedness in the very near future. Was she really a teenager already?
I've got do reports on all teenagers in town, he thought to himself. No need to tip Rhea off that he was going to be keeping a very very close eye on her from now on. There were benefits to being in Law Enforcement...
That evening, after Rhea had fallen asleep, he went into check on her. She was sleeping soundly, her dreams apparently quite peaceful. For the moment anyway. Soon he would have to tell her. She had every right to now what her future might hold.
And now for some shots of the teenaged Rhea!
Here is her headshot.
Her new Everyday wear...
Formalwear...
Her new Athletic outfit...
And Sleepwear...
And Swimwear.
