Chapter 107 - Magical Bubble I know that Jerry was worried that becoming an elder would make me lose interest in him--as if! Sure, his muscles didn't hurt, but neither did his beautiful eyes or friendly smile or pretty hair. I look at him, and I don't see someone old, someone who I'm bored with or tired of. I just see Jerry.
I suppose that most immortals feel torn between spending time with their aging spouse and their growing child, but I'm a little different. The way I see it, Jerry, Nataliya and I are not three separate beings. We're a family, with energy of three colors flowing between us in a constant surge of connected consciousness. When I read with Liya, I feel Jerry's spirit over my shoulder reading along with us, and when I'm kissing Jerry it seems that our daughter is playing with her toy bunny over by the door.
Now that my lovely green bird of paradise can see the shadows of the Reaper in the distance, he has begun to express interest in the mechanics of the body that shelters his spirit.
He's also focusing more and more on his writing, which was always secondary to his career as a sports agent.
Always, his--
our--number one priority is Nataliya. She is our angel, our princess, the pink firework that lights the night sky. She has her own custom stroller, which either Jerry or I take her for a walk in every day, all the toys a child could dream of, and a platoon of grandparents overseeing her every need.
I love to sneak into her room while she's sleeping and just watch her for an hour, or two, or all night. Her little chest, moving softly up and down, and her tiny hands and feet moving just slightly as she dreams, with her little mouth curving into a little smile . . .
Every now and then Jerry and I discuss the fact that she might grow up spoiled, but then she does something even more adorable and we're wrapped around her perfect fingers all over again.
One night, I saw a familiar aura--dark, dark black with a trimming of red. He had come to claim a paparazzi, but did not leave, instead striding up to the house.
And into the nursery where my husband had just tucked my daughter into bed.
I don't know what the Reaper said to Jerry, and he refused to tell me, even though I could sense the sadness in his soul.
Deciding to drop the worrying incident and embrace the present instead of worrying of the future, I threw myself into my family. I had already completed all of my requirements and was a few days from my elder birthday and the trials of immortality--now was the time to celebrate.
Just as I had made this decision, the universe threw me another curveball as Jerry finally decided to tell me what the Reaper had said. "Mikayla," he said gently, taking my hands, "I'm not going to live to see Nataliya become a young adult."
I couldn't think of a way to confront this. I had been looking forward to Liya's birthday, but now I had to think of some way to prevent it--could toddlers eat ambrosia? Was that against the rules? Why couldn't I just live in this magical little bubble forever, Jerry and me and Nataliya?
Jer-bear found me staring at the television and brought me upstairs to the nursery, where we looked at Nataliya again and he told me, very carefully, that he didn't mind having to die. "
You only have to wait two generations, love. Can you wait two generations, for me?"
I didn't even have to say my answer aloud--he knows me too well.
"
So, what do you think of--" Kara glanced up and choked on her ambrosia. "
By the Watcher, Grandpa, can you please wear pants?"
"
Pants?" Nicholas answered distractedly, not seeming to see her. "
No, Brandon, I cannot wear pants. You know that if I wear pants you'll forget that you can't date my teenage daughter!"
"
He's been worse than usually all day," Iris Bianca remarked. "
Mostly rambling to Lolita, or Grandpa Brandon."
"
I think I know what he's talking about," Serena murmured. "
A very long time ago, Brandon aged up before Bree and they weren't allowed to date, even though Bree was trying her hardest to make her boyfriend forget the restrictions of age. My Nicky soon put a stop to that, however." She smiled fondly at her son.
"
Yes, Dad was the worst!" Bree groaned. "
He was against me and Brandon from the start, but it was more sweet and funny than anything. He stopped protesting after he saw that we were truly happy together. I don't know why he's acting so strange and out of it now."
"
Has Lolita come out yet?" Serena asked. No one answered. "
That's it. He misses her too much, so his mind is taking a vacation."
I held Nataliya up to the cake on the morning of her birthday, and together we blew as hard as we could to extinguish the candles.
Jerry cheered and whooped in the background--oops, screenshot limit! No, not really, but this is my last chapter until I eat my ambrosia, so why not end with a little suspense?
