The Goth Legacy - Chapter Two
Content warning: This story contains mature themes and is not suitable for minors. For this chapter, sexual references and references to infertility and miscarriage.
If Alexander was honest with himself, the sight of the large and empty lot was rather intimidating; especially when he reminded himself that he had less than §5000 to build something that was actually able to be lived in. He loved nature, and would have, despite the discomfort, survived living in a tent until he had the funds necessary to build a proper house; but it wasn’t only himself he had to think of.
There was his fiancé too.
Tosha had been sympathetic and understanding when he explained to her his current situation, respecting that under no circumstances was he able to live with Dina and the bastard she was calling his late father’s son.
As he took her hands in his, he couldn’t help but wonder if seeing the vast vacant land would be too much for her. There was no certainty in this future, no safety net of a family fortune to fall back on or a guaranteed roof over their heads. He wondered if he could really even blame her if she decided it was too hard, he knew this was a far cry from the life he had imagined for them.
Preparing for the worse, he began counting off the reasons he believed it wouldn’t take long for their living conditions to improve. “One, as college graduates, it should be much easier for us to find well paying positions,” he started.
“I’m not worried Alex,” she assured him. “Besides, I’m actually a fan of the outdoors; we can always pitch a tent.”
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As it turned out, they didn’t have to resort to camping. With Tosha’s savings of §6000, the couple were able to build a very modest, but comfortable, house.
As they reached the front porch Alexander paused blocking Tosha’s entrance, this was the first time she had seen their new home, and he was more than a little apprehensive.
“It certainly isn’t the Taj Mahal, but it has paint on the walls, and carpet on the floors. And plumbing and electricity, which is more than your average tent,” Alexander joked feebly.
“If you don’t let me in to see our new home this instant I’m never going to sleep with you again,” she playfully threatened.
He knew she was joking, but just in case, he opened the front door without further ado.
“I know there isn’t much in the way of furnishings,” he began before being interrupted by Tosha.
“It’s perfect Alex, it’s ours,” she said happily as she moved to explore the space.
Alexander found he couldn’t help but be caught up in Tosha’s enthusiasm, “yes, that it is,” he replied with a smile.
Turning back from admiring the view of neighbouring Woodland Park, Tosha beamed at him. “You know there’s only one thing left to do now,” she told him.
“Christen the bed?”
“Okay, two things,” she laughed. “I think we should get married. Look out that window, I can’t think of a more beautiful setting for us to exchange our vows.”
“You want to get married right now?” he questioned. They had briefly discussed plans for their wedding, as they had planned to have one, but then that had been before his circumstances had changed so dramatically.
“Why not?” she asked in response, “it’s the marriage I care about, not the wedding.”
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If you had have asked him what he wanted to do when he grew up, a young Alexander Goth would have proudly told you he was going to be a brilliant scientist like his father. Unfortunately his father’s rushed retirement, and the distracted behaviour that had called for it, had left the family name tarnished in the scientific community. But with Alexander’s passion for nature, a position in Natural Science seemed perfect, and he quickly found a position as a Clam Wrangler.
Tosha, on the other hand, had never really had an idea of a perfect career, and only found herself feeling completely unsuited or disinterested in the positions available. Eventually, after discussing it with her husband, she chose to stay home. She’d never imagined herself as a stay at home wife, but she reasoned that when they had children, she’d have wanted to stay at home with them anyway.
As she wasn’t working, she did feel the least she could do was keep the house clean, but it certainly wasn’t all she did. She read, especially cook books, as she enjoyed trying new recipes. She made plans for the house and the garden, including the vegetable garden both she and Alexander wanted to plant. She went for walks and caught up with friends she’d made at university. She joked that for someone with nothing but free time she was certainly busy.
Her favourite part of the day though, without a doubt, was greeting her husband when he arrived home from work.
This was Alexander’s favourite part of the day too.
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Leaving for work on the other hand brought up completely different emotions for Alexander, emotions that had nothing to do with his career. He found himself gradually becoming more and more incensed each morning as he looked down Sim Lane while waiting for his carpool, looking at the house he had grown up in, the house which rightfully, he and Tosha should have been living in.
One morning Tosha joined him as he waited and he confessed to her that he felt he had let them down by not putting up a fight for the Goth Manor. Especially as he had no doubt that Dina’s child was not his father’s progeny and a simple DNA test would have proved it.
Taking his hands in hers, she firmly told him that in no way had he let them down. There was a roof over their heads, food on the table, and they were together, she was happy with all they had. She assured him though, that if it was important enough to him to go down the path of courts and lawyers, she would support him however she could.
Alexander did speak to a lawyer, but didn’t take immediate action, especially after she explained to him how lengthy and expensive the process of petitioning for a DNA test would be.
He couldn’t help but think of how earnest Tosha had been when she told him she was happy with what they had. Maybe he should be too, after all, hadn’t he wanted a fresh start for the Goth name?
He decided, at least for the time being, not to concern himself with the matter of his father’s estate.
After all, he had the much more enjoyable task of being a newlywed to focus on.
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Career wise, Alexander was very successful, quickly being promoted to more challenging and rewarding positions. The only drawback to this was it seemed he would just be approaching his rostered days off when he would begin a new schedule, leaving few days that he and Tosha could spend entirely together. The young couple always found ways to spend time together though, even if it meant Tosha awoke early to join him for breakfast before he set out to work in some far flung place.
The days they did have together they embraced fully, indulging in their mutual love of nature by camping or hiking. It was in these carefree days, surrounded by wilderness, that they learnt how alike they truly were. Not only were they of a similar temperament, and both considered family to be of the utmost importance, but they even both had the same dream of having three children graduate from college.
The children they both so very much wanted.
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For the first couple of years it was a blessing in disguise, allowing them to build up their savings and make preparations to expand the house. But as time went on, and Tosha still hadn’t conceived, it begun to play on both their minds, although it was her growing despondence that concerned Alexander most.
It was what prompted him to suggest that maybe she’d like to start working.
“What’s changed? I thought you were okay with me not working,” she replied, surprised by the comment.
“I am. I just thought perhaps you might be bored, that maybe you would enjoy getting out of the house.” He thought that if she had something to occupy her that perhaps the thoughts of their childlessness wouldn’t be so consuming.
Unfortunately, as it had already becoming all consuming for Tosha, her immediate response was defensive. “Because I don’t have children to look after?” she asked briskly.
“No,” he responded quickly, before reluctantly adding, “maybe. I just don’t want it to be all you think about.”
Tosha knew her husband meant well and felt bad for her outburst, “I’m sorry Alex. I know what you’re saying and I have thought about it, but it just feels like beginning work now would be like saying I give up.”
Alexander opened his mouth to speak, but closed it again when he realised he simply didn’t know what to say. He had known it had been on Tosha’s mind, but not to such an extent.
They ate the rest of their breakfast in silence.
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It was barely a month after that very conversation that Tosha awoke, moments after Alexander had walked out the front door, to painful stomach cramps.
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She’d stopped crying. There were no more tears left. And for that she was glad. If she could hide her grief, she would, if it was at all possible, she didn’t want Alex to know.
It wasn’t that she thought the miscarriage was her fault in some way. She knew it wasn’t, even without the well meaning doctors at the hospital with their statistics. And it certainly wasn’t because she was worried about how her husband would react. She knew he would be nothing but supportive and loving.
It was because she knew he would feel every ounce of pain she was feeling. Her hopes were his hopes, her dreams were his dreams. If she could, why wouldn’t she prevent him from having to suffer this misery?
She was pulled from her thoughts by the sound of a car. It occurred to her it was dark, Alex was late home. It must have been what his missed calls were about. She hadn’t been able to bring herself to answer the phone. She had needed to cry, scream, get it out of her system, only then did she feel she could face him and lie to save him from this suffering.
She steeled herself in preparation for the turn of Alex’s key, for his strong presence to fill the room, but it didn’t happen. Instead she heard him call out to her, asking for her to open the door.
Despite being so focused on steadying her breathing as she made her way to the front door, her breath still caught in her throat at the sight that greeted her at the front door.
She heard him say something about having his arms full, but she couldn’t really focus on his words; her mind was too busy trying to understand what was happening.
But all she could find herself thinking was that that baby was not theirs.
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Tosha’s statistics:
Tosha Goth (née Go)
Personality: 4/4/4/7/6
Aspiration: Family
LTW: Graduate three children from college
OTH: Nature