Willow Complex, Epilogue

Grandma's dead. She died while I was walking with Grandpa Parker to his hotel. That walk was...well, we talked a lot. He told me about his family, the eldest granddaughter being a girl named Cait, who absolutely adores science. The second--Oh, the second is sort of depressing. He's a very good grandson, he and Grandpa apparently have a very connected relationship. He loves dancing more than anything in the world, but is stuck in a wheelchair now, after a horrible car accident. The last two are twins, Pear and Penny. He talked a lot about how mischievous they were as children. They actually followed him and tied him up on many occasions!

I was happy for him, but I also couldn't help but wish that I could have grown up with him, or that Thalia could have or any of the other children.

He also talked about his son, the author of the series that my Grandma loves. loved? loves. He is a heart patient, but a very happy and successful man.

I really wanted him to tell his family about me...but at the same time, I didn't. So I just told him that it was his choice. He doesn't have to tell them about Grandma, Mom, and I. That could ruin his family life, I knew it could, and like I said before, I couldn't handle it if I was the reason he got divorced from his wife. He never told me what he was going to do, but I am perfectly fine if I can never see him again in order to save his family. My lord, that sounded horrible. I mean, I want him in my life and in my family's life, but if it's between me and my family, and his perfectly happy family, he should choose them.

After I talked to him, I walked back to the hospital. On my way back, I checked my phone. There were missed calls from the hospital, and I knew what had happened. I called them back as I ran, hoping that maybe she had survived, but she was gone. Grandma Prim had died, and I hadn't been by her side.

I could do nothing but try to stay strong for my children, then. We all took it hard, except Ginger Rue, who had hardly known Grandma at all. The twins fought with each other more than usual, Huckleberry was inconsolable. Juniper tried to stay strong but we could tell that, inside, he was hurting. Thalia...I love her, but she's been acting horribly, lately. She broke down one day, a few days after Grandma's funeral. She just stopped everything she was doing, started crying, and when we tried to help, she ran to her room. I went after her, hoping I could help.

The conversation looked something like this:

Me: Thalia, are you alright?

Thalia: Gramma is dead, what do you think?!

Me: Sweetie, everything will be alright. I promise.

Thalia: Not if I'm stuck here!

Then she continued to talk about how much she hated having such a large family. She hated having other kids always in her things, and that she could never get a moment alone. I still don't understand how she could hate having a family like ours. To me, our family is great! She even told me, she applied to a boarding school. It's expensive, but she is so desperate to get out...She wants to leave us, and I'm so scared. What do I do?

Well, Amber and I agreed that if she gets in, we'll think about it. But, honestly...I don't think I can handle losing her. I just lost my Grandma, I don't want to lose my first born daughter, too! And even if I can handle her being gone, it's very expensive. I don't think, even with Grandma's money, that we could afford something like that!

Still, though, I can't crush her dreams. She dreams of art, and dreams of escape, and if she can find a way to make that happen, then so be it.

I'm just so scared for her...