9.11: Meet the Parents

   "You know, we're eventually going to have to pick a destination." I said, glancing over at Xavier, who was driving.
   "I know..."
   "I wish it wasn't true. I wish I could run away from all my responsibilities and travel the world with you."
   "Yeah." He let out a chuckle. "Welcome to adulthood, Pho." After we left the consignment store, we traveled back to Xavier's apartment, grabbed some cash, a few granola bars, water bottles, personal hygiene products, a blanket, and two changes of clothes, I'd split my wardrobe in between Delilah's home and his, for each of us. We'd been driving almost fourteen hours, stopping at shops that appeared to be quirky or promising, gas stations when the car needed to be refueled, or we needed a restroom break. So far we'd bought a piggybank covered in cupcakes, had sex in a national forest, and stumbled upon a crime scene where cops were busting two convenience store owners for selling meth.
   "Are you tired?" I asked, noticing that he was stifling a yawn. "We can switch; you've driven the past two hundred miles."
   "Sure... Provided you're willing to let me give you directions; I think I know a place we could visit."
   "Ooh, where?" I asked curiously, as he pulled over to the side of the rode so we could switch spots.
   "You'll see." He murmured, as he leaned forward, kissing me.

________________

   "We're here!" Xavier exclaimed, pointing towards large homely looking house. The flowers, the matching shutters- everything screamed stereotypical, middle class, American family.
   "Whose home is this?"
   "Pho, do you remember where I said my rode trips always end?" He asked, looking at me with hope. Hope that I wouldn't get angry? Or was it a different kind of hope?
   "Your... Your parents?"
   "I thought... Well, you've never met them, so... It's a surprise for them, too."
   "This is wonderful!" I smiled, kissing his cheek. "You've met my family, Delilah, Anderson, maybe it is time for me to meet yours."
   "I'm glad you think that." We opened the car's door, stepping outside. He took my hand, as we began walking towards the cheerily painted front door. I took a deep breath, as Xavier knocked on the door. I'd never had a relationship serious enough to warrant meeting the parents; this was a huge deal to me.

   "Hello!" A graying woman, who'd thrown open the front door, exclaimed. "Xavier, dear?"
   "Hi, mom. I thought I'd surprise you and dad with a visit. Is that alright? I'm sorry for not calling ahead-"
   "Oh, nonsense, nonsense. I'm just happy to see you. Once a year was never enough. Now, why don't you two come inside, introduce Christopher and me to your friend." She ushered us inside, to the living room, telling us to sit, she'd bring us tea or coffee.
   "Christopher! Come say hi to our visitors." She called, from the kitchen.
   "Your mother seems nice." I smiled.
   "She is. She can be a tad smothering at times, but it's all meant with lovingness."
   "I wish my mother was like that..." I quietly said, glancing down at my hands. He knew that my family dynamics didn't match up with the norm; it was odd to me just to have a mother who accepted you, lovingly, into her home, no questions asked.

   "Hello." A gray, slightly chubby man said, smiling, as he stuck out his hand for Xavier to shake. He stood up, shook his father's hand, then they hugged. "Good to see you, son."
   "Good to see you, dad. How's the office been?"
   "They're managing without me." He chuckled. "Can you believe I've been retired three years, now? I still drop by occasionally, see how things are going. It's funny, when I'm there, I'm the boss, not that yuppie kid."
   "Good, good. Now that we're all here, let's pour some tea and begin the introductions." Ms. Tenant said, as Mr. Tenant took the tray from her, passing out the mugs.
   "Cream and sugar?"
   "No thank you, sir." I smiled, taking a sip of the tea. Lingering traces of vanilla and cinnamon enlightened my taste buds; I'd never been one to drink tea, but this was delicious.
   "Sir? Please, call me Christopher- not Chris- doll."
   "Alright, si- Christopher."
   "Now Xavier, please introduce us to your rather pretty, polite friend." His mother said, sitting down upon the cozy furniture.
   "Thank you." I beamed. His parents were so wonderful; was this how most parents acted?
   "This is Phoebe Janes, she's my..." he paused, I could tell he didn't know what to call me. We hadn't bothered discussing his proposal any; we where so caught up in escaping our responsibilities in LA.
   "I'm his fiancee." I looked at him for a moment, as he sat in shock, his mouth hanging open.
   "Y-yeah. Fiancee." He nodded, sipping his tea.
   "Oh my goodness! Well welcome to the family, dearie."
   "Thank you, Ms. Tenant."
   "Oh, honey, if you're going to be my daughter, call me Isadora, or mom."
   "Alright, Isadora."
   "Now, tell us about yourself." Christopher said.

   "Well, I use to live in Isla Paradiso, in the Virgin Islands." I began telling them my history.

________________

   "Is that okay?" I asked, standing at the foot of Xavier's bed. Isadora and Christopher had insisted that we stay at their home. even though we offered to go to a hotel; we arrived with no warning, it wasn't fair to force them to offer us lodging. Even though we'd announced our engagement, his parents still separated us.
   "That you agreed to be my fiancee? to marry me? Are you insane; of course it is!" He moved off the bed, hugging me. "I love you, Phoebe."
   "I love you, too, Xavier. Just... One thing. Is it alright if I don't change my last name? It's... My parents, they died; it's the only connection I have left... Other then Anderson."
   "Can I change my last name?"
   "Pardon?"
   "To Janes? Phoebe, if your last name means that much to you, I, I want to share it with you, is that alright?"
   "Of course!" I exclaimed, kissing him. "Phoebe and Xavier Janes... It has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?"
   "God, you don't know how bad I want to..."
   "We could..." I said, running my fingers through his hair.
   "We're at my parents house."
   "True." I sighed. "Perhaps... Perhaps tomorrow, we could somewhere, celebrate the engagement?"
   "I cannot wait." And with that, I left his room, anxious for tomorrow to arrive.

NOTE: Christopher is actually a sim (that you can download HERE) designed by the lovely SeriphinaFyie, that I've altered slightly.

9.10 Part Two: I Love You

   "Xavier, what is this?" I laughed, looking at the outdated consignment store. He'd promised that something special was going to happen tonight, yet the storefront appeared to be the epitome of aged normality. 

   "Just, c'mon. You'll see." He smiled, taking my hand as we walked up to the enterance. 

   "Alright." I smiled, giving him a peck on his cheek, trusting him. He said tonight would be special; I'm sure it would be.

   As we stepped inside, I glanced around at the paintings, relics, vintage hat boxes, dried flowers, books, loving the history the place contained. "This place use to be the place to be. Artists would come here with paintings, sculptures, anything really, try and sell them or put them on display so art dealers and quaint museum curators would see them." He took my hand and led me to the far wall.

   "This painting is more recent." I observed, looking at the mixed media swirls of oranges and faint pinks, outlining hte question mark. "Very stylistic."

   "It's named Will."

   "Who's the painter?"

   "X. T."

   "I haven't heard of her or him before, though the work is very unique; I appreciate it."

   "I'm glad." He beamed, leading me to the next painting. Chaotic striped of blues, teals, and magentas covered the canvas, a sloppily drawn berry red heart covering the feathered face of someone wil blonde hair and mint eyes. "Entitled You, same artist."

   "Ah." Will, You. The collection was intriguing; it either bordered on utterly ameatuer, almost horrible, or was genius, showing a side of unattainable perfection, created by someone who was too apt to experiencing violent, extreme emotions. 

   The next painting was cheerier, an upside down landscape with a golden ring and two hearts. Perhaps the upside sky and grass represented how, when the two hearts collided, the artist's world was turned upside down. 

   "Marry, by X. T."

   "Will, You, Marry-" I paused, stealing a glance at the next painting. There was, against a black and white backdrop, a face, with a childish resemblance to Xavier. "Is that named Me? By X. T., Xavier Tentant."

   "Yes." He blushed, slowly lowering himself down, onto one knee. "Phoebe, ever since I met you, I knew you were special. You'd gone through so much at such a young age, you were worldly and naive, cautious and careless, you were a shining, gorgeous, mess and I knew that I had to get to know you better. Now that I have, I've realized something... I don't ever want to be without you. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife? Will you marry me?"

   "Marry..." I took a deep breath, looking down at the ring. I loved him so much, I wanted to jump up and down, exclaiming yes, yes, yes! Yet he didn't know I'd just met with Asher, who I use to sleep with. A sudden wave of guilt washed over me, as I urged it to go away. I loved Xavier. I want to marry him. Our love made me happy, it felt good, but we didn't have tear off each others clothes and ravage each other on the floor chemistry. Then again, I knew I had no interest in actually dating Asher or anyone like him. Why did he have to come to LA? I was happy, now I was filling with self doubt and guilt.

   "Phoebe?" He looked into my eyes with such hope, as I tried to avoid breaking down into tears. "Do you..."

   "I love you." I simply said. My words weighed heavily in the air, as he waited for a yes or a no. He slowly closed the ring box, realising that I was going to follow with a but, slipped the box back into his pocket, and stood up. 

   "What, why, Phoebe?"

   "I met with a friend today."

   "I know."

   "And... I use to sleep with him." He inhaled sharply; we both knew that neither one of us were virgins, yet the people who we use to intertwine were no longer in our lives, they posed no threats. "And he told me that he still has feelings for me."

   "Do... Do you?"

   "No, Xavier! I said I love you and it is true, I love you, and only you."

   "I love you. Just tell me, am I rushing ahead?"

   "No, you aren't! I do want to marry you, I don't know when, but I do."

   "You hesitated. Pho, if you feel the tiniest bit of hesitation, if you have the smallest lingering feelings about another man, maybe-"

   "Don't!" I gasped, tears welling up in my eyes. He couldn't be doing this; he was just on one knee proposing, know he was leading into a spiel that was bound to end with we need to talk, a phrase that meant one perilous doom was ahead.

   "I wasn't going to break up with you- I could never do that- maybe, though, we need to take some time, evaluate where were this this is going. We can't live in blissful ignorance forever, we have a business together, you practically live with me, eventually we'll either make it final or we won't."

   "I want to make it final!"

   "So do I, but... What if you're going to regret marrying a man a decade older than you? Your youth was stolen by tragedy, perhaps you... I don't know. I love you. I want you and only you Pho."

   "I only hesitated because I was thinking. Xavier, that man and I, there was no emotional connection. It was sex, just sex. I never felt anything but lust for him, I feel so much more for you. I don't know what else I can say without sounding like a broken record."

   "Let's escape."

   "Pardon?"

   "We're stressed, emotional, and I just want to get away. You said you've never been on a road trip; I can take you on one." He had to delirious. He was the responsible, level headed one, who knew what a 401k was, who shopped at organic grocer's. I was a homebody who joked about taking the first flight to Paris to see a new art exhibit. I thought sweatpants and Netflix were an acceptable social activity.

   "Alright." I said, smiling, ignoring the consequences. "Were to?"

   "Anywhere. As long as I'm with you." 

9.10 Part One: Old Flames

   "Thanks for meeting me." Asher smiled, as I glanced down at my hands. We hadn't seen each other in four years, nor had we left on the best terms.

   "No problem." I smiled. "Do you want to get lunch or…" I trailed off, not sure what else we could do. Xavier's words kept running through my head: I have a big surprise planned, Pho. When he said the words, his eyes shone and he winked. Now I was out with my ex-study buddy with benefits. 

   I couldn't help but feel guilty; I had admitted to Delilah that I'd had a casual hookup guy at college, but I never told her his name. Or that he had quit college to go to the military and the night before he had to leave for the training facility, he asked me if I would ever consider a real relationship, because he didn't want to have to go into combat not knowing if our nights together had actually meant something or not. He was a kind, generous man, but I didn't like him in a romantic way; it was simply list and I knew that if I gave him the smallest glimmer of hope, I might crush him later on when I turned him down, or worse- when the relationship failed miserably.

   "I was thinking the beach; it has been a rather long time since I've seen you in a bikini and we never put the beach or water on our list." He said light heartedly, glancing down at my flimsy summer dress. 

   "I-I, um..." I gulped, thinking of the list of places where we'd been horny in college.

   "I'm joking."

   "Good, because I don't have a swimsuit. So lunch? I know a good diner; its local and everyone's weirdly friendly."

   "Oh, no." He shook his head, smiling. "I was joking about the list, the swimming I'm serious about. I mean, we can do whatever you want, though."

   "Do you want to swim?" I hadn't seen him in so long; we were so comfortable together than, now I just felt awkward.

   "If you want." 

   "Sure. The beach is a short jaunt from here."

   "Do you need to get a swimsuit?

   "My apartment's like forty five minutes from here in this traffic, it isn't worth it." I shrugged. I agreed to go swimming now; I couldn't back out and I didn't want to risk going back to the apartment and seeing Xavier. He probably wouldn't care, he trusted me, I had no reason to feel guilty or embarrassed, yet I did. "I've got my bra and panties, as long as you swear to not stare."

   "Stare?" He chuckled. "Phoebe, compared to the other things we've done, I think that's the least of your worries."

   "Asher, I know what we've done in the past, but... Part of me wants to stay a college kid, the other part is telling me that I'm twenty-five and need to get my life in order. I barely am alright with being in a bra I front of you, please just... I'm different then what you think. I, not a wild, crazy party girl; that's what I loved about our thing. I didn't know you, so I didn't feel bad that we were using each other, and you didn't know me, so I could try weird stuff or be alright with lying down on the bar and you doing shots from my belly button. With friends, I'm quieter. I don't party, I don't hit up the gym, or yuppie grocery stores, cafes, or boutiques. I'm your standard, studious, artistic, homebody who would rather stay at home curled up with a blanket and a chai tea latte while while playing cards or have a movie marathon all night."

   "Really?" He paled, looking embarrassed. "Phoebe, from the time we spent together you came off as a crazy and wild and hot gal. Not this adorable, quaint, cultured lady."

   "Sorry, it's who I am. If you want to try and find a girl who is really like that, maybe.... I dunno."

   "No; no! I want to spend time with you, get to know you." 

   "Do you still want to go to the beach?"

   "Sure." I gestured for him to follow me as I began walking towards it. I felt his fingers intertwine with mine as he came closer.

   "I when I was in combat, I didn't know if I'd make it, sometimes, when I had to shoot people, I didn't know if I wanted to make it. Then I thought of you... You told me you'd never date me and I felt horrible. I wanted you to love me, or at least like my personality, and then I realised something. I was alright with not having a relationship; as long as I got to have my moments with you, have tiny memories and secrets that only we shared, I didn't care. I mean you could hate me after everything, for leaving for destroying what we had, but it would be okay, because I had those sentiments."

   "Ashe-"

   "Shh, it's fine. Do you remember the photo you took of yourself? The one where you surprised me Halloween night by lying in my dorm room with lace tights and garters and those feathers and combs in your hair? You had that heavy makeup and that smudgy stuff around your eyes, with red lip paint and long nails and stripper heels. When I walked in you where completely naked, only your were covering your... Lady areas with that silk fan?"

   "We're in public!" I exclaimed. "Don't remind me, please." I felt my cheeks flushing. I had been horridly unentertained  that afternoon, with my only class being an eight pm night one, so I decided to visit an eighteen and older Halloween couples shop. Needless to say, I bought myself a few role playing dress up items and a few less savoury unmentionables.

   "Sorry. I just wanted to say... That photo, you were the only woman... I, well, I haven't been with or seen... Forget it."

   "I get what you mean, it's fine."

   "For what it's worth, my bunk mates went through my possessions, found the photo and think you're an eight in it."

   "Is eight good?"

   "Well, ten is the highest on the shallow, vanity based, looks only scale and usually plastic surgery, hair dye, and over the top skimpy clothes are involved."

   "Ah." I replied, stepping onto the barren beach, not sure how to feel concerning the scale. I turned away, slipping out of my dress and sandals, as he slipped off his shirt, slipping into a life jacket that was lying on the sand, leaving his shorts on, thankfully. I was nervous about being in my underwear, if we both were I probably wouldn't be able to stay calm and pretend like this was a perfectly average thing to do, without telling your boyfriend. "A life jacket?" I questioned.

   "What can I say, safety is sexy, baby doll." I smiled, as I thought back to the Halloween party were he'd used that line to woo me.

   We both began wading into the chilly water, as my body reacted to the temperature, Asher kept stealing glances, before hurriedly looking away. 

   "Want to race me to the bobber?" He asked. I nodded, before plunging myself underneath the water to firmly douse myself, the. I popped back up and began paddling before he declared that it was go time. "Hey!" He exclaimed, teasingly upset. "No care, you cheated, plus you've got less clothes weighing you down."

   "What can I say? I make my own rules, occasionally."

   "That how you justify being cheater, cheater, pumpkin eater?"

   "Pumpkin eater?"

   "When you were a kid, didn't you have that rhyme?"

   "Nope." He was a quick swimmer; I received a head start, yet he was closer to the bobber. "Course I'm from the Virgin Islands, maybe the slang is different."

    "You're not American?"

   "I am a citizen, my dad was born and raised in the USA, I just grew up in a U.S. territory."

   "I win!" Sure enough, he was touching the bobber, he had beat me.

   "Well I," I said, while pushing water at him, so he was now thoroughly drenched, "was distracted by your chit chat."

   "Sure you were, had nothing to do with you being a slow swimmer." He shot back, pushing the water back towards me.

   "I'm," I splashed him, "not slow." I splashed him once more, just to emphasise my point.

   "You're pretty."

   "Thank you?"

   "You're welcome. You know, you don't have to act surprised or dubious, it's a fact. You're pretty."

   "I... Thank you." Was all I find myself able to say. If he was calling me pretty, I wonder what he'd call Marlo. Beautiful, probably. When she was healthy, she honestly was, but after her illness took over, she want herself. She'd changed and it scared me, thinking how all these people suffered, yet were able to go undetected. Her daughter would be seven, going into second grade as Anderson went into fifth, he was a bright ten year old who loved animals and the ocean and was probably going to work at the aquarium while studying to be a marine biologist. I wonder if she'd, whatever her name would be, would get along well with Uncle Andy. I wonder if my niece's father would have come fourth and taken responsibility for what he and Marlo did together.

   "You got quiet." Asher interrupted, ripping me out of my mind.

   "I was simply thinking."

   "You can be dangerous when you do that."

   "I suppose so..." I wanted to drift off to memory lane, continue remembering mom and daddy and Marlo. If I kept remembering, though, I'd probably start bawling. I loved LA and couldn't imagine not living here after only being a resident for seven years, yet sometimes I hit a phase where I wanted to fly to my hometown, visit the graves, with the old home, the ballet studio, everything from my childhood. If I ever have children, and I wanted to, so I suppose it was more of a when then if, I was going to take them to the local ballet studio, tell them how auntie loved it so, when they were older I'd tell them that she died for her potential career and how if they ever felt like they needed help or that something wasn't like they thought it should be like, they could tell me, we'd find help. They didn't need to be ashamed, they didn't need to suffer silently.

   I would take them to the boat dock next, rent a sailboat and pack a picnic basket, while telling them how granddaddy loved the water ad loved boating. Lastly, I'd teach them to value education over appearances and how you should always marry for love, not looks, which is how I felt about my mother and her apparent marriage to my father. I had a complicated relationship with my mother, she was far from perfect or even good, but towards the end she started trying harder and she tried making things right. I wasn't going to hail her as a saint just because she was gone, yet I wasn't going to bash her to smitherins, either.

   "You look upset." He murmured, coming closer, placing a hand on each of my shoulders.

   "I'm not..."

   "I hope you aren't. I just want you to be happy." I felt his arms embrace me, as my heart sped up.

   "You're a good hugger."

   "Thanks." He whispered in my ear, as I felt his lips begin to tickle my ear, slowly moving down my cheek to my lips. I wasn't sure what to do; if I said I wasn't enjoying it, I'd be lying. There was an odd passion, regret, despair, neediness, that's his kisses possessed that Xavier's didn't. I took my hands and placed them on his bulging biceps. He was so ripped, Xavier was fit, he was active, but not nearly to the extent that Asher was. I needed to stop comparing them, I loved Xavier now, but I use to lust for Asher, the circumstances where different, I couldn't compare an apple to a pineapple.

   "Asher." I mumbled, as I felt his hands creep lowers own my back.

   "What?" He abruptly stopped his lips, but his hands were still firmly attached to my lower back, feeling me up and down.

   "We were just swimming. I just wanted to go swimming... Why are you-?

   "Am I doing poorly?"

   "No, but, Asher, I thought I made myself clear. I don't want this anymore. I'm not that girl, I just want to let that part of my past sink away into my ocean of memories. I don't want to add another memory to that part of my life in the ocean."

   "But you seemed sad, whenever you were sad or stressed in the past, we... Phoebe, I don't know how to handle woman. I wish I did, but I don't, so I'm sorry. I was trying to be a good friend and comfort you, regardless of how misguided my attempts were, I want you to know that I care for you and will always try to make you feel better."

   "As a friend?"

   "I'll try my best. Being friends with someone as attractive as you-"

   "No!" I exclaimed, pulling away from him. "Asher, I'm happy, alright? I have a boyfriend, who I love very much and deserves to know that I am in love and lust with him and only him. You're making me feel guilty and confused and nostalgic and my emotions are so mixed concerning you, I'm not sure how to explain them. The point is," I took a large, deep breath, "I don't want whatever you have to offer. I use to love being around you, you made me feel a swirl of great things, but now those things are bad and I was finally happy. 

   I was diagnosed as someone who borderline the description of clinical depression after my parents and sister died, I felt guilty that I didn't have enough resources to provide for Anderson, I felt guilty that sometimes I just wanted to let loose and be a teenager, and I felt sad that I'd never get to meet my niece. Then, Delilah came and I was upset that I had to leave, guilty over being upset, then I felt horrid because I thought she might think I was abusing her kindness. When I met Xavier I thought he was too good to be true, when I went to college I felt guilty, my roommate confused me, and you were this tiny bit of wonderful who also confused me.

   When you left I wasn't sure how to feel, but after I went home for winter break, and everyone was excited that next May I'd graduate and told me how they were proud and I was strong, I felt happy. Not fleeting happy, not teeny tiny, short lasting moments of bliss or adrenaline, happiness. Because I had a family who supported me and loved me unconditionally, even if they were Delilah's friends. Anderson told me he thought I was a brave genius and mom and sissy and daddy would say that they thought so too, it made my heart almost melt. Then, Xavier told me how he found himself missing me and how he thought I was an intelligent, kind woman and how me being around made him happier and how that confused him, I was the step-child of his friend after all, I knew that I was finally in a good place and that after all my years of feeling bad as my primary emotion, I had good feelings as my primary emotions."

   "That's... That's certainly a monologue... But things are cleared up." He sighed. "Just tell me one thing, is the Xavier guy your boyfriend?" I nodded. "When did you start dating?"

   "Well, at home we decided mutually that I was a twenty-one year old college kid who needed to focus on finishing the last three semesters of college. On my twenty-third birthday, a year and half later, three and a half weeks after I'd graduated college with my bachelor's degree and had accepted a position at a design firm, he gave my a heart shaped necklace that was encrusted in emeralds and diamonds and pearls. He said the gems reminded him of my eyes. Everything sorta fell into place then, we started dating, we have been for two years, last year I got fed up with my job and Xavier got fed up with his so we both quit and opened up our own interior design firm together. He does the tech stuff, I decorate, we hired one of Delilah's friends to handle the money, Delilah creates custom sculptures for the clients and also uses her connections to help get the firm discounts on this we need. See, my life is good. I'm happy, Asher I want you to find someone who will give you a good life. A happy life. I wish I could, but..."

   I'm a goddamn idiot." He sighed. "Dammit, Pho. Dammit. I didn't need the monologue; I get that you're happy, I just thought maybe one last time som I don't know. I wanted to end things better. Leave with happier memories."

   "I'm sorry." I paled. I hadn't meant to go off on a tangent about how great my life was; I just felt so joyful living, I wanted to share my joy with everything, give them light. Obviously my efforts had the opposite effect. "Goodbyes... Goodbyes are overrated." I simply said, as I watched him swim away, melodramatically. I looked down at my simple cotton bra, blushing. Perhaps this idea wasn't one of my brightest; either way, what was done was done, I needed to stay positive. Xavier had something special planned tonight, why wallow in what could have been when I had true love not just lust?

My new theme + Bloopers

   I love it so, SO much! Isn't it pretty? I got the background from shabbyblogs.com, as well as the header picture, then I just added the names of all the heirs. I've spastically changed my blog's appearance so much, however I don't believe that I will again... Sadly, I only have one generation left before the Janes' journey ends. I could keep going to eleven, twelve, or even twenty generations, but I think that would grow cumbersome on both you, the readers, as well as me, the author.
   I don't know why I'm posting this now; this legacy is still going to go on until I end generation ten, I was just feeling sentimental, since in January it'll be my blogger's accounts two year anniversary. My goal is to have 84 posts in 2014 (currently there are 75, 76 counting this one), like I did in 2013. My computer's been horrid, plus school and all, but I WILL post more chapters. Thank you so much to everyone who has stuck with this legacy and will continue sticking with it until the very end.

-xo

P.S. Here are four bonus pics from generation nine, before I release the next three/four/five chapters of generation nine.

The ex-firehouse where Delilah, Anderson, and Phoebe live.

Pho's dorm caught on fire, I thought that the fireman's facial expression was funny.

Maya and Anderson... I dunno what she's doing, haha

Phoebe's dashing to class

9.9: Xavier and Winter, Xavier and College, Xavier and Gifts

Thud.  

   What was that? I glanced up from the computer and, having seen nothing through the frosty window pane, glanced back down. I had to write an essay for a business class I barely understood and didn’t want to take, I was probably looking for a distraction when there wasn’t one.

Thud.

   There it was again. I saved my essay and exited out of the program, before shutting down the computer. I wasn't going to get any work done, might as well conserve electricity. I stood up, shivering slightly; the thermostat had been turned down a few degrees to help the university save money over the break.

Thud.

   I turned my head, just in time to see a snowball hitting the frosty window pane. Who was throwing that? The school was on winter break and the campus was abandoned. Luna had decided to take what little money she had and jet off to Paris, while figuring out whether or not to keep the fetus, Asher decided to go see his parents, Claire was kicked out of study group so I hadn't bothered keeping contact with her, Yasmin and Ross were off at some couples retreat presumably acting like bunnies in bed all day. Delilah and Anderson seemed content and I had tons of work to do, so I decided I'd stay. I glided over to the window, peeking through it. 

   “Who is that?” I mumbled to myself, seeing a man, bundled up in winter gear, standing  in the snow, constructing another snowball. He looked freezing, even in the gear; the wind was blowing rather fiercely, snow was being whipped around the face. I struggled to push the frozen window up, but succeeded. “Hey!” I called out.

   “Phoebe!” The man cried out, smiling and waving. “I’ve been trying to get your attention for the past ten minutes.”

   “Wh- Xavier?” I knew I was sleep deprived, so I could be imaging him, I also knew that I hadn’t made any plans to meet up with him. We'd chatted on the phone every week or so, I knew that he took Anderson to the zoo once a week, most of all I knew that Xavier Tenant was not supposed to be at NDSU. “What are you doing here?” I asked, befuddled, but still glad to see him, the smile that spread across my face showing it. I missed Xavier more then I cared to admit and with my thing with Asher, I was trying to ignore the old feelings that lingered before I left for college.

   “I was- May I come in? It’s three degrees out here.”

   “Oh, yeah, yeah! I’m sorry, sure.” I gushed, rushing to the backdoor to allow him to enter the dorms. “It’s been awhile, a full semester, my first semester, ago.” I smiled, as I rushed him into the kitchen, so he could warm up and I could maybe find him something warm to drink.

   “I haven’t seen you since I helped you move in.” He replied, slipping off his snow covered winter coat. “You know what else I haven't done in so long?”

   “What?” I asked, an even wider smile spreading across my face; Xavier was wonderful, I could confide in him, he could confide in my, he helped me whenever I needed it, and, from what I could tell from the three times a week phone calls I received from Anderson and Delilah, was helping Delilah make sure Anderson was doing all sorts of entertaining things.

   “Hugged you.”

   “Aww.” I blushed, as he pulled me into a hug. “You’re freezing! How long were you outside?”

   “Not long, see I drive up each year to see my parents each year and I thought, hey, Phoebe’s close and since you aren’t going home for the holidays and I... I miss you, Pho. I love Delilah and Hannah and all our friends, but, I can’t talk to them like I can to you.”

   “I... I feel the same.” 

   “Well, er,” I looked up at his face and saw him blushing, as he pulled away, “enough of this sappy stuff! Sorry, so, uh, yeah. I decided to drop bye, I hope that’s okay. I was tossing the snowballs because I couldn’t reach you on your cell and you have to have a student ID to get in the dorms, which I didn’t realize.”

   “Thank you, for coming. How long’s the drive?”

   “About a fifteen hour drive.”

   “And you drive there every year?” I exclaimed. I knew how to drive, I’d just never driven anywhere farther then twenty miles away from Delilah’s apartment.

   “I like getting to travel halfway across the country, see the sites, see the small towns.” He shrugged. 

   “That’s really interesting. Other then Isla Paradiso, LA, and here I haven’t seen or traveled to many places. So, do your parents live in Fargo, Dilworth, Horace, Mapleton, or somewhere?” I asked, listing off the city NDSU was in and a few other relatively close cites. 

   “Not exactly. They’re in Denver.”

   “Colorado! That’s what, ten hours away? Xavier, that’s insane!”

   “Erhm, thirteen, and it wasn’t too far. Not for you.”

   “Thank you.” I simply said, still in shock. He drove an extra half a day just to see me? That was insane... Insanely, generously, sweet of him. “Do you want something to drink? There’s,”
   I began rifling through the fridge and pantry, “water, what looks like water, but I’m fairly certain is vodka, root beer, and prune juice.”

   “Not that those choices don’t sound wonderful, but are there any diners or anything open?”

   “There’s this small place. The food’s terrible, but cheap and it’s probably warmer there then here. Plus they have hot coffee and don’t mind people loitering there.”

   “Sounds good. Honestly, Pho, I don’t care if you take me to a gas station or truck stop for food, as long as I’m with you.” Before I could melt to the ground, he was still as charming as ever, we were both bundled up in our warm, winter clothes, ready to brave the storm for some cruddy coffee with glorious company.

____________________

   “Can you believe I only have three semesters of college left?” I asked Delilah, forcing a smile onto my face.

   “No.” She admitted, standing up from the couch. “This is such a cliche, but it seems like only yesterday you were a nineteen year old telling me you wanted to earn your bachelor’s, now you’re twenty-one.”

   “I know...” I sighed, staring off at the television. “Thanks for putting up with me. And Anderson.”

   “Phoebe, you guys are family, no matter what and I love you and Andy, just like I do any other family member. Now, speaking of Andy, there’s a special exhibit at the aquarium. I swear, all the other six year olds love dump trucks and mud and he’s obsessing over aquatic life. It’s all those zoo trips Xavier took him on.”

   “Have fun.”

   “We will. Are you okay with being left in such a... Fragile state? I texted Xavier to stop by, see you.”

   “Xavier?” I hopefully asked, as I heard Andy bound down the stairs.

   “Phoebe, Delilah, it’s time for the aquarium! Yeah, we gotta go.”

   “Don’t worry, we will.” Delilah smiled. “Don’t forget your jacket, it is November.” She called out to him, before following him out the door. Minutes later, I heard a knock at the door. I presumed they were back for Andy’s jacket, so instead of getting up, I simply said:

   “The door’s unlocked. C’mon.”

   “‘Ello.”

   “Xavier, hey. I didn’t think you’d be here so soon.” I stood up, straightening my crumpled clothing. “You didn’t have to come.”

   “Delilah said you rushed home, you were sad because a friend left to join the military with no notice. I figured that an emergency visit. How are you?”

   “Better. I was in shock.” I wanted to avoid going into details; Asher had decided to end the thing we’d had for nearly two and a half years the night before he had to report to a military base and then be deployed. He hadn’t told me much, his family had financial problems, so he was dropping out of college, and he hadn’t left me with much warning. I’d told him I hated him, that we’d had a friends with benefits relationship that actually worked and he’d ruined it. “I can’t believe you rushed over.”

   “Phoebe, I want you to know that I will always rush over for you, even if it’s the middle of the night, even if there’s a tornado, even if you tell me not to. I’ve been struggling with these feelings for a while, you’re the step-child of Delilah and all, being around you confuses me, it makes me happier, and you’re such a kind, intelligent woman, being you’re friend is one of the best things to happen to me, but- and it took me longer then it should of- now I realize that I don’t just want to be you’re friend.”

   “Really?” Hope gleamed in my eyes, as the feeling of hurt slowly melted away, still lingering. “Xavier, I feel the same, but, but...”

   “But?” Hurt filled his eyes. “I knew it wasn’t a good time, I’m sorry. I just, it took, I mean, I had such a difficult time holding everything in.”

   “No, no, don’t be hurt. I’m the one that should be apologizing. You’re amazing and I want to date you, gawd, I want to date you so bad, but...”

   “College.”

   “Yes!” I shouted, too enthusiastically. I wanted to date Xavier so bad, I cared for him as deeply as he cared for me, but after Asher, even though he never held my heart, I only lust after him, I didn’t love him, it felt too soon. “I have three semesters and...”

   “Then?”

   “Then.” I agreed.

________________

   “Why’d you bring me out here?” I smiled at Xavier, as we stood on the fire escape together.

   “I wanted to give you a present.” He replied.

   “You didn’t!” I giggled, as I looked down at my gorgeous dress that I was wearing to my twenty-third birthday party Delilah had thrown for me. She’d invited her friends, a few of my coworkers from the design firm where I’d been hired at, Ross and Yasmin, who’d recently had a shot gun wedding I’d attended, Yasmin was expecting, even Luna, who’d, after her travels across the globe and the termination of her pregnancy, had decided to start working for a woman’s rights advocacy group, and everyone had shown up.

   “I had to. After that unbelievable gift you’d gotten me for my birthday.”

   “It was nothing.” I shrugged, even though I knew it wasn’t to him. I’d bought him a top of the line computer that was ideal for his programming pursuits.

   “Still, I saw this and it made me think of your eyes. I couldn’t resist.” He pulled out a small box, with a generous sized bow atop it, and handed it to me. I slowly opened it, gasping when I saw the contents. He’d purchased a silver necklace with an emerald and pearl encrusted pendent. “I love it.”

   “Really?”

   “Yes... Remember, when we agreed on then.”

   “Then?”

   “Then. Now. Three semesters.”

   “I’d never forgotten.”

   “It’s then now. I... It may be too early, but I love you. If you’re still, you know, into me, we could...”

   “Phoebe Janes, I will never not be into you.”

   “So you’ll be my boyfriend?” I asked, teasingly, knowing what the answer would be.

   “If you’ll be my girlfriend.”

   “Then I suppose the answer is yes.”