Stiles Legacy, Chapter 8: Loved Ones

The boys headed off to the school formal, Joshua up front with his date, Mendy Powell, and Liam in back, alone.

I returned from work with a promotion and a custom ordered new fridge. It uses some fancy new technology, I'm told, such that food stored in it never goes off. I'm doubtful, but I still can't help admiring it every time I walk past. It's certainly no worse than our old fridge, I suppose.

It seems Liam met a young girl at the formal, and they seem quite smitten with each other.

Quite smitten.

"Nice house you have here." 'Hrm, who's this, then?'

"You're just a kid, what do you know about houses?" "Umm..."

Mother wasn't sure about this girl, at first. But she came around.

"Oh, hey, I haven't told you about my grandchildren yet!"

"This is Carol, isn't she gorgeous? That's Joshua, and here's Liam being potty trained. And this..."

 
She talked the poor girl's ear half off, I'm afraid. Finally, someone who would listen to her natter on about her grandchildren!

"What, here? Now?"

"But I'm not done yet!"

"OH, I ASSURE YOU, YOU ARE."

"Oh." "MY CONDOLENCES." "Oh dear."

We made sure to give her a proper burial, but we barely had enough scraped together for a headstone, so she has to make do with a few flowers and a plaque. It didn't seem like enough, but I'm not sure anything could have.

On my way back to the house, I ran into the ghost of my father, and I stopped. I don't know why. I just stopped, and stared at him. He just stood there, waiting for something. For me to make a move, I suppose.

I made a move. Impulsive, and driven by grief, but, right then, I would've taken any comfort. That one moment, though, it opened the floodgates. Suddenly all I could think was what a terrible son I'd been to my poor dead father.

"I- I'm sorry, I've been avoiding you, and it's not right." "It's okay, son. It's okay."

"I feel so ashamed." "No, son, don't. I wasn't there for you, either. What matters is the future."

"Yes, yes! The future! I promise, I promise I'll make it up to you. Somehow. ...Dad."

---

I blanked on Liam's girlfriend's name, whoops. I'll make a note of it next time I play.

Adriana died of old age, while upgrading a toilet. She was 95 the last time I checked.

She completed her goals, mixed single parent, two children, her career was Education, and her goal was a perfect career. This meant maxing charisma and logic, which she did. She also maxed handiness (just before the big rebuild) and gardening. Her misc fun was tattoo addict, and she gained at least one tattoo a week, stopping when the heir became a young adult. (She amassed several in the tattoo failure of chapter two.)

There may be a slightly longer wait until the next post. I know what has to happen next, but, after the sad ending here, I need a bit of a break. I will be back with another chapter in a few days, within a week, certainly.