AGAINST THE TIDE Book #2

Chapter Fifty Three: Love Me Forever Part 1

Marcelle's POV
Looking at the stars at night is something my brothers and I used to do when we're kids. After dinner, while the adults talked, we would come out here and try to make out constellations. Miki is good at it. Matt is the extreme opposite. I'm only good at spotting two. Orion and the big dipper.

"I still don't get it." Matt complained.

"Are you wearing women's perfume?" Miki asked him.

"It's just perfume. If you are referring to a male sce t then it's cologne." Matt responded.

"Whatever dude. You smell like fucking flowers." Miki told him.

"He's right." I agreed.

"And flowers smell good." He chuckled.

"So... tomorrow is the big day and we are lying here at two in the morning looking at the sky. Why?"

"Because we are too old to be partying like teenagers." I answered Matt.

"When I get high, the next day is a nightmare! I no longer in process hangovers like I used to." Miki complained.

"You two speak for yourselves." He laughed. "But this is cool too! Hey! I saw one! I saw one!"

"Which one?" Miki asked him.

"It's just a shooting star." Matt sighed. "Let's make a wish."

Matt can be such a child sometimes.

"It's not a shooting star. It's a meteorite." I told him.

"Don't tell my daughter that. She loves shooting stars." Matt informed me.

"Scooch over boys!" Maddie, Bella and Charlotte lay on the grass. Maia spread a blanket that she shared with Ella. Lili lay next to me with a smile on her face. She sneaked her pinky over mine. Marcella lay on my other side.

"Remember when Marcella caught mom dressed in a pink tutu?" Maddie brought up one of my funniest memories. They burst out laughing.

"She started screaming "toof fairy! toof fairy!" I informed them.

"I was trying to say tooth fairy! I was missing some teeth!" She defended herself.

"Mom ran so fast down the hallway. What she carrying? A tiara?" Maddie asked.

"It was a wand with a star. I remember coming out of my room and wondering what is wrong." I answered her. "I ran snack into her and she threw money at me telling me not to say anything."

"I still believed in tbe tooth fairy for another year before dad spoilt it for me." Marcella sighed.

"Dad spoilt Christmas for me." Bella chipped in. "Remember that Christmas he said we won't get any gifts because we had been naughty all year?"

"Yes!" We all answered.

"I left cookies and milk for Santa. I was determined to see if he will come. Ella had her eyes glued to the window looking out for a sledge. I came downstairs when I heard movement and I found dad dressed in a Santa suit complete with the stomach and beard..."

"Eating gelato!" We all said at the same time.

"When I called him dad, he answered. Then he realized it and cursed. He promised me gifts every week for six months if I didn't tell Ella, Matt, Miki and Maia that Santa wasn't real. What did you do the next morning Madeline?"

"I was having a shitty morning! Try stabbing your little toe because your siblings shoved you out of the way to reach their presents!"

Maddie told the younger kids that Santa doesn't exist and that dad dresses in a Santa suite every eve of the 25th and hides gifts under the tree. That Christmas nonesense went to hell after that. I told my kids early on that Santa doesn't exist. That didn't go so well when they told their whole class and the school summoned me. Yikes!