Second Chance

Chapter Five

A/N: Above is Eden, when she was alive and well. I could not AI Generate an image of her with the veil that actually fit the description

Claire Broker

I jumped awake as my buzzing phone hit the floor. It took me a moment to realize I was sitting at Eden's desk in her study. Once I processed this I leaned down to pick up my phone. My mom was calling me, so I quickly answered. "Claire, where are you? I came to get you for breakfast and you weren't in your room," She was obviously worried, which wasn't entirely shocking since I was never awake before her. "I uh, I'm in the garden," I half lied, trying to find an excuse. Even at twenty years old my mom was up my ass. "Why are you in the garden?" She asked me, and I rolled my eyes. "I'm exploring, mom," I sighed, and then promised to be in soon to eat to get her to let me get off of the phone. I laid my almost dead phone on the desk, picking the letters up. I'd read through quite a few of them last night, but I couldn't remember any of it. I debated bringing the letters with me, but it just felt... disrespectful. I didn't know how else to describe it. So, I started putting the letters back in order. As soon as I was done I headed back out into the garden, just ready to get something in my system so I could think straight. As I went around the water fountain I saw Ignis sitting on the ledge, inspecting a locket. The air around him gave off a chill, so I hurried past him, I really didn't have time to see any of his memories right now. A hand grabbed mine and everything flashed white. I turned behind me to find Ignis, and he looked so sad and desperate. Violins were playing behind me, and when I turned around Ignis was standing against the back wall of Eden's study. Her desk was pushed to the side with her sewing machine, which looked brand new. I could barely see him from outside, but Ignis pulled me inside, and I saw flowers all over the walls; aster, babies breath, bachelor's button, white camellia, and violets. The picnic table that was sat in the middle of the room was nowhere to be found, but there were some chairs in the room. There weren't very many chairs, only four of them. Ignis and I stood in the corner as the younger Ignis stood proudly up front. Two people with violins were sat by the doorway, one on each side. Up front in one of the two chairs sat Eden's mother. The door opened again, and Eden stood there with her dad. She was in a floor length wedding dress, with the period typical lace designs and puffs. You could almost make out her baby bump from the side as she passed by with her bouquet in hand. I looked over at the Ignis holding my hand, and I tried to plead with him to let me out of this memory, but I found I couldn't speak. When I truly looked at him all I could see was hope and desperation in his expressions as he bit his lip and watched me intently. I wasn't sure what his goal was, but when he saw my confusion he just let go of my hand and everything went back to normal. I just shook my head and took off towards the house in a speed walk. Did he think I was Eden? I wondered to myself, fiddling with the chain turned bracelet. As I'm coming through the backyard I question who thought it would be a good idea to put stairs to the outside in a bedroom. It would definitely make my late night escapades easier since they were in my room, but still. I come up the steps to the wrap around porch, smiling faintly as I spot Ellis sleeping soundly in her bassinet by the window. I come inside, still smiling at Ellis as I pass her. I go around the couch and pass the coffee table as I head towards the doorway. The door frame looked as though it was missing a door, as if one once stood here. I stop for a moment, trying to imagine Grandma Ivy and Grandpa Hicks sitting in here with their coffee. Grandpa Hicks once showed me a photo he kept in his wallet of grandma Ivy when she was a little older than me. She was holding mom, staring out of the window as she drank her coffee. You could see Uncle Jeff playing outside as a toddler. Grandma was half turned, so you could only see part of her face, but she was young and beautiful and happy. I smile as I think back on it all, I miss my grandparents. I turn back around, going around the magnificent staircase. A flash of white hits me, and suddenly I see the house in all of its glory. The staircase was shiny and new, with a younger looking Eden in a blue dress and a belt around the waist being chased down the stairs by Ignis. They were laughing and care free. Her face was a little plump, much like in the previous memory where she told her family she was pregnant. They stop at the bottom of the stairs, Ignis' tall frame towering over her as he gently grasps her face to kiss her forehead, and then he kneels down to kiss where her baby bump would form. "Do you remember this, Eden?" A soft voice whispers behind me. I snap my head in its direction, finding Ignis tentatively holding my elbow. I try to speak, but I couldn't get the words to come out. Ignis thinks I'm Eden, he'd officially confirmed my suspicion. I mouth out the words, fighting to tell him the truth, 'I'm not Eden.' Ignis rips his hand away, leaving me unsteady as the world around me ages and in the happy couple's place was my mother. She wasn't scared or upset, instead she seemed like she was expecting... something. "They're showing you the memories, aren't they?" She asked, and I hesitate before nodding my head yes. "Look, David doesn't believe in the supernatural, so why don't we have breakfast in Eden's garden?" Mom offers, and I smile at her.

Ellis was doing tummy time on the edge of the blanket, taking in the scenery while mom and I ate our biscuits. "I don't remember when Ignis and Eden started visiting me, but it was kind of sad. Eden couldn't speak, I think it was because of the way she died. I don't know what she was trying to communicate. Ignis, though? It's like he just wanted Eden back," Mom explained, and I just listened at first. When she was done and I didn't have a mouth full of food I asked her, "Did Ignis think you were Eden?" She seemed shocked, but shook her head no. "Ignis just kept asking me to help find her," Mom explains, which left me confused. "Someone left a picture on my bed of Eden, I look just like her," I tell her, reaching into my pocket. I hand her the picture, and she gasps. "The two of you look look identical, aside from your hair," Mom was in shock. "I never brought you here because I didn't want you to be frightened by them the way I was as a kid," Mom explained, handing me the picture back, "but seeing the way you just took right to the place proves that you belong here." I smile at her, drawing my knees to my chest. "It's barely been twenty four hours, but I feel like I've been here for forever," I explain, as I spot a red bird in the tree nearby.  "I saw the ancestry logs in the library," I start, which had mom sputtering on her tea. "I promised mom I'd keep up with that," She curses herself, but I just giggled a little. "I can do that if you don't want to," I offer, and she nods as she grabs a napkin to wipe her face. "I've always been bad with dates, so if you don't mind," Mom accepts, and then I get back to my point. "There weren't that many generations between me and Eden. I took pictures of the log, and I was old enough to meet every single one of them except a handful of people," I start, and mom shifts. "You want to know about my Great Great Grandma V," She asks, and I wasn't entirely certain we were talking about the same person. "Violet Broker?" I ask, and she nodded. "You called her Gee Gee V," Mom explained, which shocked me that I was old enough to talk before she died. "You loved her, and she loved you. She was the one who gave you Ignis' chain," I look down at the chain, both horrified and amazed that I was wearing a fallen angel's... what would this be? His grace? His wings? His magic? "I had the same reaction when Grandma V, which is what I always called her, gave it to you. I mean, who gives a toddler a magical item?" Mom rambles, smiling as she remembers her. "Anyways, the magic ended with her. Ignis gave up over half of his history for Eden, and then their daughter married another human and had mostly human children. Grandma V didn't have much magic, she could speak to all of the dead and she could read the hearts of those alive. When Grandma V had kids they could speak to the dead, but that was it. Then, as each generation passed, the ability became less and less. I can only speak to the dead I'm related to, and only if they seek me out," Mom finishes, which answers most of my questions. "Did Grandma V know about her parents?" I ask, hoping she knew what I meant. Mom began to laugh hard, "Not only did she know about them she used to fight with them! Her grandparents were technically supposed to be raising her, but her parents ended up doing it even in death!" I began to laugh with her. It was such an odd concept, being raised by ghosts while still being alive. "Grandma V was an oddball, but she loved all of us. She promised not to haunt us, because she knew we were all tired of ghosts, except you. She promised to haunt you only when the time was right," Mom finished, and I wasn't sure if I had more questions or not. Then I realized something. "Do you think David looks like Ignis?" I ask before I even get the chance to stop myself. "I find that Ignis looks like a lot of people. His eyes change color, that is the only thing that any of us have every agreed on when it comes to his looks. We all take after Eden for that very reason. We don't have a very large family because so many spouses didn't believe the fact that we have a fallen angel in our family tree, so a lot of marriages suffered," Mom explains, which makes me question how others see him. "I see a tall, tan man with shiny black hair and most of the time his eyes are icy blue. They do change colors, but only when others aren't around. I've also seen them as a gold color," I explain, and mom nods slowly. "Ignis, to me, has never settled on an eye color. His hair is a dark blonde, almost brown, color. He's tall and lanky, and very tan. He looks like he's from California," Mom smiles this distant smile, like she was remembering someone she misses deeply. "Have I ever told you about your father?" She asks, still looking off into the distance.