Twin Image: Family, Before Anything

Chapter 19

~Three days later~

~July 1st, Wednesday~

~Natalie's POV~

'Drop our kids off at my moms and come to Amity's dome. ~ Tobias' I read off a sticky note that was stuck onto the fridge. I tell my eldest three to go get dressed after eating the cereal I made them, and they all nod and ask why. "Because, today you're going to see your grammie." I tell them, and they all get excited, and start destroying their cereal. I laugh a bit, but the same feeling I woke up with this morning returns. Loneliness.

I went from waking up every morning to Alex, and now, he's nowhere to be found. I mean, I understand the anniversary for the death of his first child with Vanessa passed last month but, I'd figured he'd come tell me they were gonna be mourning a little longer than expected. I roll my eyes and forget about it for now. I head back upstairs, shower, and when I hop out to dry off, I notice a gem of a dress hanging on the back of my bathroom door. It was red, thin strapped, knee length and tight.

I see a note on it and I read it, 'Wear this. ~ Tobias <3' And I smile, take it off the hanger, and slip into it. And I adore how he still remembers my size. I do my hair, my makeup, and I slip on some black heels, since it seems like that's the required attire. I step down the stairs, and I see all of my babies dressed, and I catch my eldest son, doing his sisters hair, just like I taught him. "Mommy you wook pwetty!" My Jameson tells me, tackling my knees, and I hug him back.

"Thank you son." I tell him, and I see my eldest finish his sisters ponytail. "Why are you all dressed up for mommy?" He asks me, setting down the brush, just as my daughter runs to the nearest mirror to go see her actually decent ponytail. "Because my love, I think your daddy has a surprise for me over where your papa and granny live." I tell him, and his eyes light up. "And we have to go with grammie so you can leave and go see what daddies surprise is?" He asks, and I nod. "What's daddy's surprise mommy?" My James asks me, and I laugh, "I don't know yet buddy, I gotta go see first." I tell him, and that's when my daughter comes skipping out the downstairs bathroom.

"I know what it is!" She yells, and I raise my eyebrows at her, "I caught daddy making your surprise with aunt Chrissy and uncle Billy." She says, referring to Christina and Will. Making my surprise? "What is it sissy?" My eldest asks her, and she smiles and shakes her head. "I can't tell you, mommy will hear, den daddy will be sad if she's not surprised." She tells her brother, and I'm a bit upset my six-year-old little girl knows more information than I do. My eldest makes his fathers 'Ooh' face, before nodding vigorously, "You're right, don't tell me." He says, making me giggle. "Alright, let's go to Grammies now so daddy can surprise you already mommy, and sissy can tell us." My Jameson says, pulling me towards the door as my eldest and his sister push me from behind.

***

I soar through the sky, and once I spot the forest that surrounds it, I lower down and land onto my heels with ease. I walk towards the wood and glass dome I grew up seeing, everyday of my life. I walk through the main entrance, and the sound of a guitar fills my ears. And that's when I see him. Sitting on a high stool, strumming a guitar, hitting it after every strum, making this beautiful tune.

His hair was as curly as ever still, and he has on this silk maroon button up shirt, with a gold chain around his neck. When did he learn how to play the guitar? I spot other people in the room, and I recognize them all. I see Chris, Will, Miles, Liam, Lauren, and Grace. I clasp a hand over my mouth as he gazes at me, and I make my way in front of him.

Just then, someone taps my shoulder, and I turn. And I see Christina handing me a familiar pink journal. My pink journal. And I look to see it was opened to the page I wrote my anniversary song on. I gasp, and take it as she points to the very first line, and she squeezes my arm a bit with a smile. I look back up at my husband as he continued strumming and hitting, and I clear my throat, counting down in my head, seeing exactly where I should jump in, and start singing.