Chapter 70 - A New Arrival I woke up in tears, but Bubba hugged me close under the blankets and, after I quieted down, asked if I wanted to see something funny. This is Eddie Riddick, Bianca's latest client.
He must have informed my parents, because Bianca left that afternoon and returned with the latest member of our household, Cleo Elysi.
I'm not exactly the most emotional person, but Cleo is simply adorable. Between her floppy little ears, patchwork fur, and excited little tail--I just want to ingest her!
My fiancé is also trying to cheer me up in his own way. I believe we're the first people to use this hot tub in years! In any case, we've had a few wonderful evenings making out and cuddling, and we might have taken it a bit further . . .
. . . if not for the multitude of eager chaperones. I'm irritated, but also the tiniest bit grateful, because I am determined to wait until after the wedding, but I'm not entirely sure that I'm strong enough to resist the temptation without a little support.
Aunt Rosalia took this photograph of us that everyone else finds quite amusing, for some reason. Including Bubba.
Mother and Bianca hung back until after everyone else left. I wonder why?
After a few evenings, Bubba and I decided to return to flirting and kissing in our bathroom. It's far more private, and my fiancé really likes ambushing me right when I'm about to go to bed.
He wouldn't mind being in his sleepwear too during our makeouts, but I like his hat and leather jacket. And let's face it--we wouldn't be able to handle waiting for the wedding.
The next morning was Mother's elder birthday. She did her best to be excited, for the sake of her sanity and mine. I had only seen her as a beautiful young adult and adult, and knowing that my mother would be an elder in only a few hours, and I was several weeks from adult myself, was a little traumatizing.
Even in elderhood, my mother refuses to have gray hair or even get rid of the green highlights! She went to work with a bottle of hair dye and eyeliner, and looked her old self (key word here being
old) in no time.
The family artists immediately got to work immortalizing Mother in ice and paint.
She stole away as quickly as possible, however, to celebrate her birthday with her wife.
To lighten the mood a little, why don't we see a few makeovers? You all know my best friend and half-sister Juana Hart. Well, she's always been a knockout but I finally convinced her to let Bianca play around with her hair and wardrobe.
She is seriously gorgeous, right? Bianca swears that we're practically twins, besides the eyes, but I think Juana is far more exotic.
This is Ms. Quiana Hatch, Grandfather Nick's teenage daughter with Emma Hatch. She's a fairy, just like her mother, who's quite the daredevil. Grandmother Bree's considering taking her under her wing as a karate student.
Cynthia, her twin sister, is more of a party girl. I think she's the prettier of the two, with a nice combination of Hatch and Elysi.
I know that, someday, I will be the one descending the stairs into the mysterious Hall of Memory. But, for now, I am grateful for the knowledge that my own ambrosia is far, far away.
