Do You Remember Us?

Chapter 26

A new chapter is up for your reading eyes.

vote. comment. like.

Chapter 26

Two years later...(June 26th, 2009- one of the girls just turned 15; the other just turned 13 in case you were confused)

Louise gets released from her special treatment center. The girls go up and visit to see her via train. They arrive to see her, and both of the girls are excited to see her. But she legally can't take them back yet. After they all get back on the train, the girls' head back to the  apartment and Louise gets dropped off at a hotel for a few nights.

"Hi, mama." says Juliet. "Hi sweetie. Did you ride back with Louise?"says Elizabeth. "Yes. She was happy to see us." says Juliet. "You don't seem as excited to see her." says Elizabeth. "Me and Isabella enjoy being here. We don't want to leave you and Mitchell." says Juliet. "I know how happy you are here with us. You don't have to go back yet. You've got time to think about it with Isabella." says Elizabeth. "I know I do. I don't think I'm quite ready yet. Are you, Isabella?" says Juliet. "Not really. I've settled in nicely with Elizabeth and Mitchell." says Isabella. "Okay well that settles that. You girls want to celebrate your birthday today? We don't have to do much." says Elizabeth. "A dinner and some cake in at the apartment would be nice." says Juliet. "I think so, too." says Isabella. "Okay, I'll run out and pick up things for tonight. You girls go make yourself look pretty. If you want to that is." says Elizabeth.

The girls go gussy up some, and Elizabeth runs out to the train to take to go to Whole Foods. She runs in and grabs a cake mix, ingredients for homemade buttercream icing, flowers + cards for the girls, and whatever else for dinner. Elizabeth comes back, and tells the girls to stay in their rooms for a few minutes. The girls wait, and Elizabeth tells them now to come downstairs. Juliet and Isabella notice some flowers, and a card for each of them. Dinner is being made, and the girls brew a coffee and sip on it while Elizabeth cooks. Mitchell arrives back home earlier than usual, and grabs the girls something on his way home. He grabbed them some gift cards to a local coffee shop near where they live for their birthday. The girls' both hug Mitchell and thank him for it. They continue to sip their coffee, and Mitchell sets the table.

"Girls, dinner's ready!" says Elizabeth. "Mom this looks delicious!"says Juliet. "It does." says Isabella. "I have one more surprise. Chris, Holly and Allison come on in." says Elizabeth."Hi, baby! Nice to see you." says Chris, to Juliet. "Happy to see you." says Juliet, to Chris. "Hi, there." says Isabella to Allison. "Hello, happy birthday! Missed you, babe." says Allison to Isabella. "You too." says Isabella to Allison. "Hi, nice to see you again!" says Holly to Elizabeth. "I see you brought Allison. Chris walk here?" says Elizabeth. "It turned out that Chris was given into a foster family when he was young and I was that person that took him in. Allison likes having a big brother." says Holly to Elizabeth. "How nice." says Elizabeth to Holly. "Dig in everyone. Food's getting cold." says Elizabeth to everyone there.

Everyone eats, converses, and Mitchell and Elizabeth clean up dinner. Holly helps make the cake for the girls'; Allison helps make the icing for the cake. Juliet sits with Chris, and Isabella waits for Allison to finish up so that they can sit together. The cake just finished up,and icing is on; everyone sings Happy Birthday  to the girls and they dig into cake. Holly makes some coffee for everyone while they cut the cake. Everyone grabs a cup and then eats the cake. Chris, Holly and Allison head back to their apartment afterwards.

"Girls, that was so much fun!" says Elizabeth. "It was, mom. Thank you."says Juliet. "You're welcome, dear." says Elizabeth. "Today was such a good day." says Isabella. "I know it was." says Juliet."Well, girls; anything else you want to do?" says Mitchell. "Nope, I think we are both good." says Juliet. "Yup, all good." says Isabella. "Okay." says Mitchell.

The girls head up, refresh themselves, and head off to bed. Elizabeth and Mitchell follow suit as well.

I can't believe the girls may be leaving us. I don't want them to leave. They've practically become my own children, now teenagers. It'll kill me the day they go back to Louise. I don't want them to go at all. My life is finally where it needs to be. It all clicked in this exact moment.- Elizabeth thought.

Two months later on August 22nd, 2009- first day of school.

Elizabeth awakes the girls, gets them ready for school, and brews some coffee for them and makes a quick breakfast before they all head out for the morning. Mitchell already had left prior to them waking up.

The girls' leave, and walk to go to school. Juliet eyes Chris, and walks in with him; Isabella follows suit with Allison. They have their normal classes, and leave in the afternoon and wait for Elizabeth to finish her last class up for the day. They all walk back to the apartment, change into comfy clothes, make some coffee and do some school-related tasks before dinner starts later.

The doorbell rings, and surprisingly, it's Louise. Why now? Why later? Why her? I don't know anymore.- Elizabeth thought.

"Hi, Louise; nice to see you." says Elizabeth. "You too. Is being a teacher fun?" says Louise. "It's not all its perked up to be. Coffee?" says Elizabeth. "No, I'm good. I just wanted to come by and bring the girls their presents for their 14th and 16th birthday." says Louise. "Okay. Girls? Louise has your birthday gifts." says Elizabeth.

The girls open up their gifts, and Louise got them each a hardbound journal to begin their own journaling journey. Louise hugs the girls and they head up to finish their schoolwork. She leaves after this happens.

"Louise, before you leave?" says Elizabeth. "Yes?" says Louise. "I'm sorry if I was mean to you before." says Elizabeth. "You're fine. Don't worry about it." says Louise. "Okay, well see you sometime." says Elizabeth. "Bye, now." says Louise.

She leaves, and Elizabeth continues to grading papers; the girls finish up their homework and head downstairs.

"Hey, mom; you okay?" says Juliet. "I'm fine. Never better." says Elizabeth. "You look stressed again." says Juliet. "I am. This teaching thing has gotten to my breaking point." says Elizabeth. "It's not that. It's us going back to Louise and Kent, isn't it?" says Juliet. "Okay it is. I don't want you girls to leave me." says Elizabeth. "I know you don't mom. You've done such a good job at what you do everyday." says Juliet. "I do, don't I?" says Elizabeth. "I think you do, too." says Isabella."I don't want you to be stressed out. It's not good on you. Don't let this get to you so much. I'm still thinking about it." says Juliet. "Okay, okay; you girls are my life. I don't want this to end." says Elizabeth. "I know you don't. But hey, I've gotten you to do yoga, and you aren't going back to old habits. You've become a new person right before me, mom. I love you." says Juliet. "I love you, too, mom." says Isabella. "You girls are too much. Thank you. I love you." says Elizabeth, crying as she hugs the girls'.

The girls make a cup of coffee, and Juliet asks, "Mom, take a break and sit with us." Elizabeth wipes the tears from her face, and says, "Okay, I'll come and sit with you girls." Coffee is being poured into each of the mugs, and the girls' sip and savor this moment.

I can't overthink this anymore. I need to be with them more. They are the light of my life (besides Mitchell of course). But I want them to know that. Being with them now, sipping coffee, as the sun sets is truly making my heart feel so full. The love they bring me everyday, is a love I never want to let go of. -Elizabeth thought.