Just around the corner

Chapter 26

Misty POV

Today is a hard day all around. It is dad's two year anniversary of his death. The mood in the house is sombre, which is to be expected. Mum is trying to be strong for us girls, but I know that it is killing her more than ever. I think that is because of her love for Jason. I feel that mum believes she is forgetting dad, but we all know that she isn't.

Lacy is taking today surprisingly well. She hasn't lashed out on anyone yet which is a shock to us all. I pull her aside to ask her what is going on. "Lace, how are you holding up?" "I'm actually ok Mis. I know he has been gone for two years today, but I am at peace with it now. He is resting peacefully now. What happened, happened. I can't keep wishing he would walk back through that front door. I think having Jason around has made the world of difference" she says to me.

Lacy grabs a hold of my hands "Mis, I am truly ok. I promise you. Yeah, somedays are still hard, but I am finding it easier to cope having Jason around. He is trying to pick up the pieces of this family and I know I didn't make it easy for him at the start but I love that guy. He is amazing for us and especially for mum"

Tyson and I had spoken in depth about today. He thought it would be a good idea to have a special dinner in dad's memory. So that is what we did. I searched the internet for recipes to his favourite meal. I never realized how many elements went into lasagne until I searched the recipe. I'm going to be in the kitchen all day at this rate.

Tyson takes me shopping for all the ingredients. "Babe, do I use fresh pasta sheets or the dry ones off the shelf?" I ask Tyson. "If you use the dry ones you have to make it up and let it sit for a bit before you put it in the oven. Just so the juices can start cooking the pasta sheets. If you go for the fresh ones, you can put it all together and put it straight in the over. Your choice?" Tyson replies.

"I am not cut out to be in the kitchen" I say to the universe. Tyson laughs from beside me "You're gonna have to learn babe. This baby will need real food eventually" he says and walks away from me. I just stand in the middle of the aisle, stewing on his words. Looks like I have some growing up to do.

Getting home from the store, Tyson took the bags in. I waddled my way to the front porch and sat down on the bench chair. Mum and Dad would sit out here most nights with a wine and a whiskey and just talk about their days and the future. Sometimes I would bring out an apple juice that mum would put in a plastic wine glass and I would sit with them.

It is hard knowing that my 18th birthday is coming up and my dad isn't here to help me celebrate it in style. Oh man, just thinking about what he would have done at my party to embarrass me. He was the biggest prankster around and Lacy was his little sidekick. I miss him so much and today just proves to us, that our lives will never be the same.

"Babe, we have to get started on the meat sauce for dinner, come on" Tyson says to me. "Help a pregnant woman out" I say to him. He comes out and grabs my hands. Helping me to my feet, I fall into his chest and start sobbing. Tyson just holds me. He doesn't try to say anything comforting. He just holds me as he knows this is what I need.

We slowly make our way into the kitchen after my little emotional episode on the front porch. Tyson grabs out the pots and pans that we need for dinner and I start reading the instructions on how to cook it. The front door opens, the only noise coming from there are the heels click clacking on the floor. I can feel the colour drain from my face knowing mum is home and I am no where near ready to tell her what is for dinner.

"Misty, Lacy, Tyson. Is someone home?" Mum yells out from the entry way. I can feel my stomach twist in knots. Tyson doesn't take any notice of me and goes out to mum. "Hey Laura. How was work?" I can hear him ask her. I can't hear anything else from them so I know they are whispering.

I am hunched over the sink, I don't know whether I want to vomit or shit my pants. Hands come from behind me and rub my belly. "Thank you baby girl" is whispered into my ear. I slowly stand up straight and turn into my mums embrace. "I'm home now and I will help you with dinner" she says to me, rubbing my back.

Mum and I spend the next couple of hours together in the kitchen making dad's favourite meal. Lacy joined us when she got home from school, helping out where she could. Mum pulled out a bottle of wine and poured herself a glass. She had also grabbed the apple juice and poured Lacy and I a glass each. We raised our glasses in a silent toast to dad.

I felt us all being in the kitchen, brought us all together more. We have had a pretty shitty year, we have all battled our own inner demons and battled each other at one point or another. But just this time right here, right now, is what we needed to heal. After our silent toast to dad. We sang with the radio, we danced around the kitchen. We laughed and we cried. But we did it all together.

I look at the time and notice that the lasagne has been in the over for nearly an hour. "Oh shit Oh shit. Oh shit!" I yell out. I run to the oven and open it up. Thankfully, mum had put the oven on low to melt the cheese on top. Golden brown melted cheese. "Oh thank god for mum" I say. I grab the oven mitts and pull the lasagne out. "Dinner is ready" I call out to the troops in the lounge room.

Mum, Lacy, Jason, Tyson, Chelsea and Wayne all make their way into the kitchen to sit at the table. "Is no one going to help the fat pregnant lady with the dishes?" I ask the room. They all look at me, then look at each other, then back to me. Lacy is the first to start laughing. "Uh, Misty, do you want to maybe look at the table?" I look towards the table and everything had been moved. The lasagne is sitting in the middle and all side dishes are with it.

My face must represent a tomato right now. I never realized that they had grabbed everything when they walked in and all that was left on the counter top was my drink and the spatula to dish up the lasagne with. "Oh Misty baby. Come on. Come sit next to mumma. I will give you a big cuddle" Mum laughs out. "Oh yeah everyone get stuck into the pregnant lady" I cry back.

I know they are just trying to have a chuckle but these bloody hormones are killing me. The tears are falling from my eyes. Tyson quickly jumps out of his chair and comes round to me, pulling me to his chest. "Babe, it is ok. You just let everything out" Tyson whispers into my ear. Just being in his arms is comforting. I can feel my breathing start to calm down. My sobbing is settling. Everyone at the table didn't pay us any mind. They know if the attention is on me, it'll make everything worse.

Once I had calmed down, Tyson helped me into my chair. He went back and grabbed my drink and bought it to me at the table. Jason clears his throat and we all listen to him.

"I know I never met Alex, so I don't know if me doing this is right. But I just wanted to say that, he was an amazing man. I can just see how amazing he was in the way his girls are. He would be so proud of both of you. I can tell Laura was his whole world. The love you girls exude towards each other is something that most of us wish for. So if you all will raise your glasses with me as we raise a toast...... To Alex"

We raise our glasses along with Jason. "To Alex" we all chorus together.