Chapter Eight
Dee hadn't believed it all to be true. She didn't think that the story was about her simply because she never thought her daughter would walk back into her life. It seemed that it was quite a small world after all. Dee grabbed a cup of tea and sat at her kitchen table, unable to process the image of her daughter now, thirty years older and not able to recognize her mother. Why would she? Dee looked old and carried herself like an ancient goddess, someone who had seen the beginning of time and felt an immense sense of pride. She had been timid last time she had seen Arabella.
She looked like her father, there was no doubt about that. The only thing Dee had given her was her pride, her gender, and her inability to forgive. Dee watched her tea evaporate and sighed. She wondered if she was angry or relieved. While the thought of having Arabella so close sickened her, the thought of her moving away made her blood run cold. Dee shook her head. No. She shouldn't care. Not after what had happened. But still...
Before she realized what she was doing, Dee stood up, pushed her chair back, and shuffled as quickly as she could toward the door. She opened it without a moment's hesitation and took a step out into her future. Arabella, Arabella, Arabella, her heart cried out. Tears stung her eyes as she found herself stopped in front of Donald's door. It was time. Her little girl was behind that door.
"Please, God," she whispered. "Please let her still love me." Her knuckles lightly tapped the door.
*****
Ariel and Ryan, with humongous smiles on their faces, reopened all the gifts and cards and found their minds at peace. How generous everyone had been!
"Do you see this?!" Ryan exclaimed and shoved a card close to Ariel's face. She giggled and kissed his cheek, and then kissed the $500. Ryan stood up and threw the money in the air, dancing. Ariel covered her mouth and started crying tears of joy.
"Oh, don't mind me, I'm just being pregnant," Ariel said when Ryan stopped dancing and looked at her. He laughed and picked the money up off the floor.
"Did you finish making the list of things we received?" Ryan asked. Ariel nodded and struggled to stand up. She cleared her throat.
"One pack of diapers, $500, two beautiful dresses, lotion, three thick blankets, a humongous stuffed animal..." Ariel continued and Ryan clapped after everything she said, his smile growing wider.
"We are rich!" Ryan yelled and started dancing again. Ariel joined him this time, which made for a hilarious scene. She began to grind on him, which surprised him and make him crack up even more.
"What the fuck?" he asked as Ariel plopped herself down on the couch, pleased.
"What? We didn't go to prom! I haven't had the chance to show you my dancing skills." Ryan smirked and began to put things back into their bags.
"You're silly," he said. "I'm surprised you aren't trying to talk about the book again. I mean, you got your answers. I assumed you would be pestering me about it."
"Do you want me to pester you? That can be arranged."
"No, no, please...but, ya know, it would be kind of cool to know more."
"Babe, I want to know what he knows, too. But if he isn't reachable, I'm not going to let it keep me awake at night. Besides, stress can send you into early labor." Ariel pretended to start having contractions and Ryan panicked. He stopped when he saw she was only joking.
"Don't do that, oh my gosh!" he breathed. She gave an evil laugh and went into the kitchen to get some food. "You are evil!" She didn't reply and Ryan sat onto the couch, suddenly exhausted. He shifted when he felt Darin Bloom's book and pulled it out from under him. He realized he had bent the cover and opened the first page to see if he damaged anything else. Eyes growing wide, he stood up suddenly and made his way to Ariel.
