The Siren of the Titanic

Chapter 32: Family and Friends

The four of us sat at the dining table, I explained my story to the oldest of the three siblings. Much like his sister, Daniel asked me many questions, and I was only too happy to answer. Daniel, Ethan, and Natalie all told me stories of their family adventures. Daniel made us all meat sandwiches, which were absolutely delicious.

"I hope I'm not touching on a sensitive subject, but what happened to your mother?" I asked taking a bite out of my sandwich.

"She, uh, died a few years ago, cancer." Natalie looked into her soda can. I swallowed before apologized. "It's ok, I didn't mean for you to apologize. It's just I miss her sometimes." I gently reached over and grabbed her hand.

"You know I don't even know what my son looks like. You wouldn't have a picture would you." I hoped the change of subject would lighten the mood. Ethan jumped up with a 'yup' before going over to a bookshelf and pulling out a large red book. He ran over with a smile, plopping the book into my lap. I looked between the three of them as I opened the, what I quickly figured out to be a photo album. There were colored pictures of all sorts of things.

We spent a whole hour searching through the album. Turns out my son looked like an older me with a permanent scowl or, at best, a slight lift of the lips in a smirk. He liked camping and fishing and would, in his younger days, go and run marathons. He also had a soft spot for little kids, veterans, and, most surprising, cats.

One picture showed him at a hospital during Christmas reading a book to little kids. Another showed him serving food to older people, some with veteran caps. Yet another showed him in a room full of little kittens. There were several pictures of the whole family in front of a tent or on a boat or near a fire. Many were during different holidays with other members of the family. My eyes widened when I saw a picture of my Emma, her caramel-colored hair turned silver. Her face was cracked with wrinkles but her chocolate colored eyes still had the fire that I had loved.

A tear trailed down my cheek and fell to the table as an icy crystal. "To think," I said wiping my cheek. "that I'm only sitting here in front of you because my beloved is gone. She replaced my very existence." I sniffed as the icy tears fell freely down my cheeks. Daniel came around and pulled me out of my chair only to pull me into a bone-crushing hug. I sighed happily as I hugged him back. Ethan and Natalie joined in on our group hug, causing me to be squished. We were all hugging it out when we heard a knock at the door. Daniel grunted as he released us to open the door.

"Excuse me sir, but you wouldn't happen to know someone with the name Frost, would you?" I couldn't see their face but I knew that voice.

"Depends on who's asking?" Daniel's expression turned stern, his voice just as cold.

"It's alright Daniel," I said, tapping the boy on the shoulder as I turned to face the visitor with a smile. "these guys are cool. Although," My voice becoming stern. "What the hell are you idiots doing here?" Talon only chuckled as he grabbed my shoulder, Alto smiled from behind him.