Chapter Nine: Kitee's Life at the Clavells'
Xander and Gilberto are great with the kids. Both of them help out a ton; I don't know how I'd manage without them, especially since I need time to myself occasionally.
Bessie and Buster are best friends. They always play together. They're wonderful little kids, but I can't help seeing Ransom when I look at Bessie, and it makes me sad sometimes.
I've resumed my quest for thirteen different species of perfect fish. Robot fish are interesting characters. I found them in the pond behind the science research facility. It reminds me of when I brought Ransom back from the netherworld. But really, what doesn't remind me of Ransom?
Xander is an odd man. I've spotted him giving himself a sponge bath in the sink more than once.
And even though I barely know him, he's tried to kiss me more than once.
But after much work and dedication, I am proud to say I have thirteen perfect fish! I named them all after ghosts. I miss the graveyard, although I have to admit that Xander and Gilberto's house is a much better place to raise kids, and these names remind me a little bit of home. Here, I'll run down the list:
Upper-left corner picture, from left to right: Kermit the rainbow trout, Lewis Stu the Siamese catfish, Anabelle the shark, and Tragic Clown the minnow. Upper-right picture, from left to right: Queenie the red herring and Gaylord the salmon. Lower left: Gertrude the jellyfish, Erdrick the alley catfish, Opal Suarley the black goldfish, and Big Steve the goldfish. Lower right: Jennie the piranha, and Basil Flores the robot fish. (The fact that piranhas are scary, ugly fish has nothing to do with why I called mine Jennie, honest!)
And finally, Ransom the angelfish.
Well, time flies, doesn't it? My babies are children now. Bessie is so smart, she beats everyone at chess. Buster is a great older brother, always ready to play with her and help her with her homework.
I keep expecting Bessie to do something odd, but she's just like any other little girl. I know the kids at school tease her a little bit, probably because they're afraid of her. Buster stands up for her, though.
It's nighttime that worries me. Bessie tosses and turns all the time while she sleeps, and I hear screams that don't seem to come from her mouth, but from somewhere around her. Sometimes they wake up Buster, too. We've asked her about them, but she says she doesn't remember. I don't know if she really doesn't or if she's just too scared and confused to tell us.
Xander's an elder now, and retired. I'm glad he's not a thug anymore; his job made me nervous. I kept expecting the police to show up at our house! But Xander with loads of free time on his hands is a force to be reckoned with. He's brought countless women to the house. All younger than him, of course. And I know that when he goes out "jogging" he's going to see others. I have no idea which one, if any, is Gilberto's mom. None of them seem very maternal toward him. Or even old enough to be his mother.
Apart from fishing, I've also been doing a little cooking. It's embarrassing how bad I am. I've got three skill points, and I still burn absolutely everything. Even Xander, who knows less, cooks better.
I'm still trying to get a perfect deathfish, so I haven't stopped fishing. It's nice to get out to the graveyard once in a while and remember old times. Once the kids are grown I'll come back to live here. I like Xander's house, but things get a little monotonous, and I can never feel truly alone the way I like to be. The ghosts are still active every night.
I didn't expect to see Ransom appear, but one night he does. I can feel my heart thumping louder than the shrieks and cackles of the other ghosts as I walk over to him, half expecting him to disappear.
"Ransom?" I say.
"Ransom Clavell," he says, holding out his hand. "Nice to meet you."
I clasp his hand. "Ransom, why didn't you tell me you could appear? I would have come every night to see you!"
He looks me over quizzically. "Why?"
"Because...! What do you mean, 'why'? Because I miss you!"
"I don't understand," he says. The confusion's evident in his voice and manner.
"You... don't remember me?" I feel like the world stops when I say those words, even though I see the other ghosts jumping around and levitating objects. "Kitee Bones, who lived in a graveyard? Buster and Bessie's mom?"
"Buster?" says Ransom, really confused now. "No, no. Buster's mom is dead. Buster's dead, too. Long dead."
"Buster the Second. We named him after your other son, remember?" I try to touch his face but he pulls away. "We were married, Ransom. Don't you remember any of it?"
"I died a hundred years ago. How could I have married you? It's impossible. I've never seen you before." He steps back and shakes his head. "Goodbye. I have to go back now."
"Ransom, don't go!"
But he's gone. Puff-of-blue-smoke gone. Snap-of-the-fingers and he's vanished. And I'm here, remembering what Jennie said the first time I met her. "On this side of life, things like that don't matter anymore." And me: "You mean love doesn't conquer death?" "Maybe. Not ours." I've never really paid attention to what she said before. I always assumed that they didn't love each other that much. Just a mild infatuation that vanished when they drowned and went to the netherworld. But a love like Ransom and I had, that would survive death, easy.
At least that's what I thought.
I don't understand. If love doesn't survive death, why do ghosts exist? What's the point of life beyond death if the most important thing you had before doesn't matter anymore? Ransom said he'd wait for me. I've been living my life to its fullest, trying to make it on my own, depending on his promise that we'll be together again after I die.
Instead of crying, I run home. I can't stand it. I need something to take my mind off things. A distraction. I'll face it tomorrow, but now I just can't.
Everyone's asleep at home. I go upstairs, into the room Xander and Gilberto share. Xander's asleep in his bed. I approach him.
"Xander?" I say.
He stirs and sits up sleepily. "Kitee? What's the matter?"
"I was just wondering if you actually had a girlfriend. You're always with some girl, but is there anyone you're actually committed to?"
"No," he says, standing up, watching me warily. "I can't commit to anyone. You know that. It's why I didn't marry Gil's mother."
"So... just a little kiss is nothing to you, right?" I ask, leaning close to him. "Since you're not committed, it's all play."
"Um... Kitee," he says, shrugging almost apologetically as he backs up from my lame come-on. "Are you feeling okay?"
"Sure. Why?"
"Because I've got a little bit of experience with women, and I'm pretty sure you've never found me attractive, and are just trying to seduce me because you're upset. Am I wrong?"
"No," I grumble.
"I know you were in love with Ransom, and it must be hard losing him. Don't you find it a little creepy that I'm his grandson?"
"A little," I admit.
"So, let's go downstairs and make breakfast for the kids, okay?"
"But you tried to kiss me before," I say, catching him before he can leave. "Why does it matter to you why I want to do it now?"
"Breakfast," he says firmly. "Us. Fix it."
I can't believe it. Xander Clavell, who flirts with road signs and is chasing half of Sunset Valley's female population, turned me down? This Xander?
Now I'm just depressed. I change into my nightclothes, since it's almost morning anyway and I'm yawning my head off in spite of myself. All of my fish have died because I've been too busy to feed them, and I notice their absence now more than before as I walk past the empty fish bowls. Only one fish is still alive and well.
Ransom the angelfish.
"You'll stay with me, won't you, Ransom?" I ask. "Not like the other Ransom." I dry my eyes and climb into bed for a long sleep full of nightmares.
Gilberto's becoming a young adult today, and he loses no time. After his birthday party he immediately proposes to his high school girlfriend, Maritza Ursine. In no time at all, they're getting married. Ah, young love. It makes me nostalgic, although I can certainly use a little cheerful news.
Gilberto and Maritza have a lot of trouble conceiving a child. They both want one, and Xander is anxious for grandchildren. Gilberto even gets a fertility treatment to help. Finally Maritza starts experiencing morning sickness, and we're all cheering while she vomits in the toilet. Unless it's because she just ate my burnt pancakes.
But no, she starts showing before too long, and boy, let me tell you, she gets huge. I don't think I got so fat with Buster and Bessie! Did I?
It turns out Maritza has good reason for that big belly. At ten in the morning she gives birth after a long labor. I'm pretty amazed at how calm and collected Gilberto is during the experience.
And out pop two little girls!
So cute. Too bad about the names. Oh, didn't I mention it? Gil and Maritza decide to use names of female ancestors of both sides of the family. Maritza doesn't go too far back in hers. One of the little girls is called Claire, after Maritza's mom.
The other one is called Jennie.
Just... strangle me with jellyfish. Seriously, someone; please.
Ransom, I miss you.
Thank you for reading, and for being so patient waiting for this chapter. I apologize for the slowness, but for some reason the Kitee Bones file is full of bugs, and it's very hard to play, especially since I need to cover so much ground, with the kids growing up and so much time passing and everything. I'll try to have the next chapter out at least by the weekend, but I can't promise much. Again, thanks for the support! You make it worthwhile.
