G III: Chapter 12

Charlie had been working very hard for his job. He was working on his articles day and night. If he was missing from family activities, it was probably because he fell asleep at the computer while he was writing. Daphne often walked in to a dozing Charlie and had to pull him off the computer so he could wake up.

Daphne knew that it was Charlie's life dream to be the top of the journalism career, but she hated to see him working so hard. Everyone had been working pretty hard at their jobs, or school, lately. The days that flew by seemed to be filled with all work and no play. The boys seemed happy at school, and always did their homework when they came home.

Dylan learned to study from his loving grandmother. She always had time to help both of the boys before she made dinner for the family.

Today is a special day. Isabel had already phoned her friends and invited them over for a birthday party. There would be two this week, one today for Charlie and two days later they would be celebrating for Daphne and Brian.

The guests started to arrive, and everyone gathered out back for the party. Two cakes were made for the occasion, one for Charlie and one for James. The two brothers were passing into the elder stage of life, most unwillingly. They were both enjoying their young years, and having the energy needed to get through the day.

Charlie was first, he blew out his candles and made a wish that his family remain as happy as they are today. Then it was James who made his wish, but his was a silent one. They blew out their candles and aged rather gracefully for older gentlemen.

When James aged, Isabel caught her breath. She knew her boys resembled their father in many ways, but James was almost the spitting image of Hayden in his elder years. Seeing this made her miss her husband very much. He had never left her thoughts, but she hadn't cried for him in a while. Fresh tears were brought to her eyes as she watched her sons, wishing Hayden were there to see too.










The next morning, Charlie ate breakfast with his boys before they left for school and him for work. Brian and Dylan got along really well, they loved talking to each other about random subjects, but Graveyards seemed to be Dylan's favorite topic.

The day passed by without complication. Charlie worked at the office, then came home to work a little more. Daphne spent the first half of the day in her garden, then did her job in the ghost hunting department. Her business seemed to be skyrocketing. Every night she had two or three jobs to attend to. She was getting very good at zapping those ghosts to the next plane, or saving them for donations.

Dylan and Brian came home and did their homework together. They had a little snack and went out to play in the yard. The two boys always spent time with each other, like they were in a club and no one else was invited in. Unless they were hungry.


The following day, Isabel jumped on the phone. She called all her friends and pulled them into a party again. It was time for her daughter in laws birthday and also Brian's. It was a big party day, but first - as usual - work.

The boys finished up all their work, as did Charlie. Daphne would be going to work after her party. The guests arrived right on time, and Isabel started to notice something. Most of her friends, old and new, had converted to vampirism. She briefly wondered if there was some benefit to this that she was missing. Isabel shrugged her shoulders and escorted everyone out back. She had a buffet table set out this time, but it seemed that no one wanted that food, only the cake.




Daphne aged well. She checked her self out, and appreciated the new look. She didn't see it as getting older, just more mature and experienced. Passing into this age was not going to slow her down, not one bit. Daphne had no intention of retiring from her job, nor her garden. Those two things alone could keep her busy forever. Then you add in Charlie, Brian, Dylan and even Isabel, and Daphne wouldn't stop moving one minute.




Brian was next, growing into his troublesome teenage years. Everyone says that the 'terrible twos' are the worst years of raising children, but that's not true. The teen years can be even more troublesome. Daphne and Charlie had been model teenagers, but not everyone was just like them. Their son might be a little different.

The rest of the night was filled with partying, and hot tubbing. Daphne went to work but the rest of the family stayed up late into the night sharing stories with neighbors and eating cake.

Brian got more interested in art, he was given a large sculpting station for his birthday and he loved working with it. His first sculpture was of course pretty simple and bland, but they would get better. He just needed practice, and he was happy to do it.


Brian didn't ignore Dylan because he was younger than him, not by any means. Actually the two of them hung out more than ever. At home anyway. At school they had a mutual agreement that teens and children shouldn't chill together, it was socially wrong. When school was over though, Brian always helped Dylan with his homework and they played many games together.



Isabel had plans today. She hadn't left the house in quite a while and was getting a little stir crazy. She needed some fresh air. She thought about it for a while, and came to the decision that she really didn't want to go anywhere, there was no place she'd like to be. Then she thought about James and chose to go see him. Isabel hadn't been to his house yet.

*James's House*
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~











James showed Isabel around his loft.

"I bought it fully furnished. I know. It's a little girly. My plans were to redo the place, little at a time, I just haven't gotten that far yet." James said.

Isabel laughed at her son, "It is a little... pink - in the kitchen. Yes, pretty girly everywhere but I'm sure you got used to it, and don't really see that anymore. At least you have a great place to live."

"I was thinking about leaving this place to my daughter when I pass on." James said. His face had gone blank, unreadable.

Isabel wasn't sure what he meant by that, he didn't have a daughter.

"Mom, I gotta tell you something."

Isabel looked confused, but willing to listen. "Okay, anything honey. What is it?"

"Well." James started, "An old friend came to me one night, not too long ago. She was heartbroken, and quite distressed over a relationship that had just ended. Mom, she was just looking for some comfort, so I offered for her to stay at my place for the night." James paused to look at his mother. She seemed to accept that part okay. "So we stayed up most of the night talking, I didn't ask details about her relationship, I wanted to make sure she was the one that brought it up, if she wanted. Anyway, eventually we did some things that - now - I think we shouldn't have done. She was gone by the time I woke up."

Isabel shook her head, but said "James that's okay, nothing to worry about there. I'm sure you just helped her move on a little bit. You let her know there were more fish in the sea, so to speak, you know?"

"I'm not done yet," James said. "A little while after our 'activities', she came back. She was pregnant." James gave another little pause, in which Isabel gasped. "Mom, it was Starr... and until recently I didn't know that her relationship had been marriage to my brother. A little while later she gave birth to a little girl. I haven't even seen her, mom. I'm a little upset about that, I've tried to call Starr but she won't take my calls anymore. The one that she did take was to tell me 'You're never to see her, I don't want you in her life.' " James frowned. "I know her name is Johanna. I don't know what to do. She lives with Starr in Cedric's old house."

"Oh James, I'm not sure what to tell you. Do you want to fight for her? I mean do you think you could take care of a little girl?"

They continued to debate for a little while about what James should do, and what was best. James ended the conversation saying he had to get ready for work. Isabel hugged her son and left him to do what he needed to. Before she left she assured him that his family would be there for him and support him in whatever he chose.

Isabel walked slowly off of James's porch. She knew she should do what she was about to, but that wasn't going to stop her.

Isabel went to Starr's house. Thankfully she wasn't home. There was a babysitter there. Isabel had no intention of knocking or anything of the sort. She did want to see what was inside though. She stepped silently up on the porch and peeked in the nearest window. What she saw took her breath for a moment, and tears started to form in her eyes.



There was the cutest little baby girl ever looking back at her. She had a small smile that lit up her face, she was adorable. At that moment, Isabel wanted nothing more than to hold that little girl. Johanna - James had said. Her pigtails were so cute.

"Johanna." Isabel whispered.




~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~