Sanria ascended the stairs, leaving Maya and Colin behind. She would send Thasmudyan to Maya as soon as he arrived back at the cavern. First, she would talk to her daughter. She opened Leandra's door, her eyes locking on her daughter's. "Why did you guys have to tell her I was pregnant?"
"I didn't. Your father did," Sanria said and closed the door behind her.
"It's not fair," Leandra began, and Sanria felt the anger leave her limbs. She sat heavily in the rocking chair and stared into the room. "Mama?"
"Yes, Leandra?"
"Aren't you going to say something?"
"No. I don't believe I am."
There was nothing to say. There was nowhere left to go. It was her reality. "I'm sorry, Mama," Leandra whispered.
"You should never be sorry for uncovering the truth, Leandra. No matter how bad it may hurt."
"I was really mad at you but... I'm not mad anymore."
"Thank you, Leandra," Sanria said, her chest weighted.
"I... hope you're not mad at Papa."
Sanria sighed deeply and looked at Leandra. How could this child know that her words gouged Sanria's heart. Leandra had done everything to get Sanria back with Colin. How could she have assumed that it would stop? Somehow, the girl had found the key, and twisted it. Sanria closed her eyes and looked away. It was her reality, and she knew that this was merely the moment when life had decided to force her hand. She got up and walked over to Leandra, patting her affectionately on the shoulder. "I love you, Leandra."
Sanria walked from the room, down the hall, to the Observatory and sat in the chair. All hope for the end of this situation was gone. She knew Colin wouldn't want Thasmudyan around, and that meant Colin would not get healed. She knew that within hours, Colin would push her again to recommit him, and what would she say? There was no where left for her to go and knowing what Colin had in him, she couldn't go even if she wanted to. She slid down in the chair, feeling small, and stared out over the realms as they changed color with the setting sun. There were no other options. Not anymore.
Escher's Relativity
The sensation was most like falling, or perhaps it was like being punched in the gut and needing to vomit, or perhaps it was like nothing. Yes. If nothing had a feeling, it would be this. A void. But then again... no. Whatever it was, it was in Sanria as she opened her door and watched Maya walk in. The words came back to her in a roar, a distant conversation:
"You asked why I keep showing up in your life," Thasmudyan said, "Don't
you think that maybe, being with you was the happiest moment in my lives,
and that all I'm hoping for is another chance to have something like that
again?"
"What if Maya comes looking for you?" she asked.
"I'll deal with that if it happens. She hasn't been, though."
"If you want to be with her... if she does, I won't stop you. I've done
my fair share of... others."
"Fair enough. Still, I don't see myself choosing her if I could have you
instead."
Sanria felt her knees go weak. This was not supposed to happen. Not when she had just decided. Not when she had just told Colin that when Thasmudyan came back, she was going to be with him. No. Not this. Not now.
"So it is the right residence then. Evening to you Sanria," Maya said. No, no, this wasn't supposed to be. How did she know anything was going on? And then Sanria's questions were answered as her daughter hopped down the stairs calling out a hello. No.
"I... I see you've met my daughter, somehow. Colin... this is Maya. Maya, this is Colin, Leandra's father."
"The husband I presume," and the words seemed a slap in Sanria's face.
"No... not... exactly," Sanria said, ignored.
"I have heard your name before," Colin said.
"I'm an acquaintance of your wife's," another slap.
"We're, separated... actually,"
"Such a shame, true love really is something rare to be treasured. I'm sure you'll both find it some day," and Maya rested her eyes on Sanria.
This was not supposed to be happening. Leandra excused herself and ran back up the stairs, and Maya launched into a discussion - one to which Sanria found no choice but to sit down for. Leandra hated her, and was miserable, and needed to know the truth about Brin and Visha and- where had this come from? "Driven by a series of hates and hurts that filtered into the wrong hands will destroy your family," Maya said.
"Please, listen. There are no lies here. She knows her father and I love her, she knows that I'm not... exactly with her father. As far as Brin goes, she had issues within her that Leandra couldn't hope to compete with."
"In a world where so many children prepare to come to breathe.... should we not offer them a future worth living? Your daughter gives me hope towards my own, please do not misplace my intentions."
"...your own?"
"You didn't know? Oh of course not, it has been so long since that day you introduced us. I'm with child."
"With... wait... whose child?"
"Thasmudyan's of course."
Yes. Like falling and being punched and needing to vomit. Like cold that curls up at your feet, winding about them, nestling like a viper. Sanria felt herself turn away, blanching at the expression on Colin's face, the one he was trying to keep her from seeing. She had told Thasmudyan before that she was afraid this reality was permanent for her. Though he gave his assurances it was not... Sanria had merely to turn around to look on the face of the truth.
"You asked why I keep showing up in your life," Thasmudyan said, "Don't
you think that maybe, being with you was the happiest moment in my lives,
and that all I'm hoping for is another chance to have something like that
again?"
"What if Maya comes looking for you?" she asked.
"I'll deal with that if it happens. She hasn't been, though."
"If you want to be with her... if she does, I won't stop you. I've done
my fair share of... others."
"Fair enough. Still, I don't see myself choosing her if I could have you
instead."
Sanria felt her knees go weak. This was not supposed to happen. Not when she had just decided. Not when she had just told Colin that when Thasmudyan came back, she was going to be with him. No. Not this. Not now.
"So it is the right residence then. Evening to you Sanria," Maya said. No, no, this wasn't supposed to be. How did she know anything was going on? And then Sanria's questions were answered as her daughter hopped down the stairs calling out a hello. No.
"I... I see you've met my daughter, somehow. Colin... this is Maya. Maya, this is Colin, Leandra's father."
"The husband I presume," and the words seemed a slap in Sanria's face.
"No... not... exactly," Sanria said, ignored.
"I have heard your name before," Colin said.
"I'm an acquaintance of your wife's," another slap.
"We're, separated... actually,"
"Such a shame, true love really is something rare to be treasured. I'm sure you'll both find it some day," and Maya rested her eyes on Sanria.
This was not supposed to be happening. Leandra excused herself and ran back up the stairs, and Maya launched into a discussion - one to which Sanria found no choice but to sit down for. Leandra hated her, and was miserable, and needed to know the truth about Brin and Visha and- where had this come from? "Driven by a series of hates and hurts that filtered into the wrong hands will destroy your family," Maya said.
"Please, listen. There are no lies here. She knows her father and I love her, she knows that I'm not... exactly with her father. As far as Brin goes, she had issues within her that Leandra couldn't hope to compete with."
"In a world where so many children prepare to come to breathe.... should we not offer them a future worth living? Your daughter gives me hope towards my own, please do not misplace my intentions."
"...your own?"
"You didn't know? Oh of course not, it has been so long since that day you introduced us. I'm with child."
"With... wait... whose child?"
"Thasmudyan's of course."
Yes. Like falling and being punched and needing to vomit. Like cold that curls up at your feet, winding about them, nestling like a viper. Sanria felt herself turn away, blanching at the expression on Colin's face, the one he was trying to keep her from seeing. She had told Thasmudyan before that she was afraid this reality was permanent for her. Though he gave his assurances it was not... Sanria had merely to turn around to look on the face of the truth.
Adults Blow
Leandra called mentally for her father and waited, twiddling her thumbs and sighing. He was certainly taking his time, maybe he was just upset and didn't really want to see her - he still sounded upset by all of this. Still, she had to clarify things. As she left Maya, the woman had spoken into her mind, "Visha." She had mentioned that Visha was Brin's father, but if Visha was Brin's father, then that meant Visha was her father, too. Then Colin wasn't her dad at all, and that sent a little bit of panic into Leandra's body.
"Papa," she started once Colin had barely gotten into the room, "who is Visha?" She couldn't have anticipated the look of shock on his face.
"Visha...? Where did you hear that name?"
"I... you're my real dad, aren't you? Not Visha?"
"Of course I'm your dad. Now, Leandra, tell me, where did you hear this?"
"Promise you won't get mad at me?"
"Oh Leandra..."
So Leandra launched into the story of how she escaped the confines of the cavern and headed into Westbridge (what else was she supposed to do, actually stay here?) and her encounter with Maya. She told Colin how Maya was supposed to marry Thasmudyan and saw her father's eyes lighten a bit. "So anyways, I talked to her more about it and begged her to help me get rid of him, and she said she would. That all I had to do was tell Thasmudyan that I wanted a little time with my family before he got with Mama so he'd leave and go to Maya. Then she said she'd do the rest."
"Wait, wait... Leandra, you just met this woman and you're... plotting with her?"
"Not to kill him, she told me that she wasn't going to do that. Just to get him away from here so that you and mama can be together again. But... then she got this weird look on her face when I told her my name. She said, "Brin Stone?" and I was like yeah, and told her how gross... I mean, how you and Emalia had a baby and named her that."
"Leandra, be respectful."
"Well it is..." she muttered.
"Did she say anything about where Visha and Brin are now?" Colin asked.
"No. Nothing else. But she asked where we live and said maybe she'd come visit us."
And like magic, like, really - the doorbell rang. Ignoring her grounding, Leandra leapt up from her bed with a grin. "Maybe that's her!" And she zipped out the door.
"Leandra, wait!" Colin called after.
"Papa," she started once Colin had barely gotten into the room, "who is Visha?" She couldn't have anticipated the look of shock on his face.
"Visha...? Where did you hear that name?"
"I... you're my real dad, aren't you? Not Visha?"
"Of course I'm your dad. Now, Leandra, tell me, where did you hear this?"
"Promise you won't get mad at me?"
"Oh Leandra..."
So Leandra launched into the story of how she escaped the confines of the cavern and headed into Westbridge (what else was she supposed to do, actually stay here?) and her encounter with Maya. She told Colin how Maya was supposed to marry Thasmudyan and saw her father's eyes lighten a bit. "So anyways, I talked to her more about it and begged her to help me get rid of him, and she said she would. That all I had to do was tell Thasmudyan that I wanted a little time with my family before he got with Mama so he'd leave and go to Maya. Then she said she'd do the rest."
"Wait, wait... Leandra, you just met this woman and you're... plotting with her?"
"Not to kill him, she told me that she wasn't going to do that. Just to get him away from here so that you and mama can be together again. But... then she got this weird look on her face when I told her my name. She said, "Brin Stone?" and I was like yeah, and told her how gross... I mean, how you and Emalia had a baby and named her that."
"Leandra, be respectful."
"Well it is..." she muttered.
"Did she say anything about where Visha and Brin are now?" Colin asked.
"No. Nothing else. But she asked where we live and said maybe she'd come visit us."
And like magic, like, really - the doorbell rang. Ignoring her grounding, Leandra leapt up from her bed with a grin. "Maybe that's her!" And she zipped out the door.
"Leandra, wait!" Colin called after.
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