Lost in their Past

Chapter 8:- The Tree

Life literally laughed at Grace.

To her, life was anything but easy. Being born in the disgraceful house of Van Black, trouble always found its way to her. Being a part of the Ancient family of Van Black's wasn't her first choice, but no one got to choose from where they belonged, did they?

Nothing mattered to her, not her parents constant rambling nor their taunts or their abuse. The only thing which mattered to her was Diane.

She was fifteen years old when she joined the chamber. According to her parents, getting into that vile place was the only thing which she did, mattered. Being troublesome, it was difficult for her to make friends with people. But when she did, she showed them her side which Grace hides from the rest of the world.

But things changed when Diane married James, trying to fill her solitude, Grace started dating Mark, Mark Jorum. Then things changed when James died. They changed for worse. Diane cut herself from the rest of the world and disappeared with her son, never to be seen again.

Until then.

Seeing her best friend stand sternly in front of her, tears escaped Grace's eyes. She was exactly how Grace had remembered her to be. Auburn hair with uneven front cut and her almond-shaped eyes along with her caucasian skin. She seemed to be an inch taller than she had been the last time Grace saw her. She remembered that day like it was her present.

That was the day Grace introduced her daughter to her for the first time.

"Diane," Grace said as she approached Diane at the crossroads of Unova region, "y-you didn't contact for a year, I was afraid that you were-"

"Dead?" Diane continued with a sad smile, "how can I be dead? I have a son to take care off." She showed Grace the one-year-old boy who was cackling playfully in her lap, draped in a blue onesie with pokeballs all over it.

Grace sighed as she pulled her two month old daughter close to her chest. She then sat next to Diane on a wooden bench situated near the lamp post located just a little behind the roads.

"I've named her Serena," Grace said breaking the silence that prevailed. Diane smiled as she lovingly caressed the baby Serena's cheek.

"After my middle name?" Diane giggled, "you were always after my name as I recall. She's a real beauty, I reckon that she has your mother's hair, beautiful honey blonde."

"Don't ruin the fun of having a daughter, please." Grace said with dismay, "the last thing I want is for the old woman to appear again in my life."

Diane smiled as she glanced at the little baby who crawled up in her lap. Despite the fact that he was only a year old, Ash looked like James more than he did himself. He had the same raven black hair and Diane's auburn eyes and James's sly grin.

She missed James, she missed him more than she could ever imagine.

Diane slowly got up and hugged Ash close to her chest. Grace dramatically caught Diane's right hand and with an uneasy expression said, "Where are you going?"

"Don't know," she answered sadly, "someplace quiet, somewhere I can raise my son without any threats."

"But what if they come back?"  Grace asked with concern, "are you sure you can live without the chamber to protect you? Or me?"

"The chamber can't protect me," Diane replied with a sad smile, "as for you, are you sure it's not the other way around?"