The Three of Us

Part 2 - A Break with Tradition

"Lili!"

"Yeah, Mom?"

"Don't forget to take your homework with you!"

"But Mo-om!"

"Don't you say that to me, young lady. You're going to visit your grandparents and it's going to be a nice visit but I still expect you to do your homework."

"But I don't understand it." Nine-year-old Lili O'Day came out of her room, clutching a child's version of a PADD.

"Grand-mama and Grand-papa will help you," said her mother, Marie Helêne. "Now make sure to take the cake with you."

"Yes, Mom."

"And give me a kiss! Honestly, child." Her mother bent down and Lili kissed her on the cheek. "Why don't you want to see your Ducasse grandparents?"

"I dunno. I thought Daddy and I would go fishing or something."

"Well, maybe when you get back, all right? Go on, he's waiting for you in the car."

"Bye!" Lili ran out, making sure to keep the cake carefully balanced on its plate as she tucked the PADD under an arm.

"That child," Marie Helêne chuckled to herself and turned to get lunch started.

In the car, Peter O'Day turned to his daughter. "Now I don't want to hear you complaining. Your Ducasse grandparents are nice people."

"Yes, Daddy."

"And then next weekend you'll see your O'Day grandparents." He had a Massachusetts accent, and dropped most of his Rs.

"Next weekend?"

"Remember? Your mother and I are going to see a show in New France. We'll be out late."

"Oh. I thought we were going fishing."

"We can do both," he said. "Here we are." He pulled into the driveway at his in-laws' house. "Bye my little ghost," he said, referring to her light-blonde hair and crystal blue eyes.

"Bye, Daddy."

She skipped into the house.

Then the dream jump-cut, and it turned from a memory to something she had never actually witnessed, but had thought of for over three and a half decades.

It was a kitchen fire. The old-fashioned gas stove had flames shooting out of all four burners and even the knobs, making it impossible to turn off the gas and extinguish the flames. Marie Helêne was trying to put it out to no avail. Peter ran in and grabbed a pot. He filled it with water from the sink and threw the water onto the flames but it didn't matter; the flames just jumped over and onto the curtains.

There was a loud cracking sound and a beam split and fell on them. Peter fell upon his wife, one last ditch effort to protect her.

And Lili stood there and watched, dumbfounded, suddenly no longer nine, but forty-six. She felt her chest heat up and looked down. She, too, was in flames. She yelled, "Fire!"

And awoke.

=/\=

Susie Money, a MACO, was Lili's current roommate. "You okay?"

"Huh?"

"You yelled 'Fire!'"

"Oh, yes, that nightmare again. Uh, Deb should've told you that I talk in my sleep. Sorry I woke you up."