24 | The Queens Almeida [T/M] Chapter 3
THE QUEENS ALMEIDA by moonie - Chapter 3
Sequel to IN THE LIVING YEARS
YEAR 2. APRIL 17.
7:00am
Elizabeth was born in January, about five months after that day they went to visit Liz in the hospital. At the very least, her birth was nowhere near as stressful as her big sister's. Still, the emotions had run high.
By then, Liz' condition had progressed down to devastation. They knew it was only a matter of time before they lost her. So to be handed this perfect, beautiful, healthy baby girl and to give her the name of this friend they held so dear...
They had gotten the call two days ago that Liz had finally passed. It was strange yet never doubted that they knew it - felt it - just as the phone rang. They knew what they'd find out. Michelle couldn't will herself to pick it up, so Tony had done it. Jeff had both sadness and relief in his voice. He had lost the one he loved, but her suffering had ended. The call was brief, so Jeff could get on with his calls and get back to his kids.
After that, the two of them went along with the day as best they could. They held the girls, played with them. It was needed, to make sure that the past months had prepared them well enough for this. They knew well though that the true impact would be the funeral.
They'd driven to Los Angeles the night before, staying with Anna so they wouldn't have to make the long drive in on that day. It felt good to be back there on a day like this. True, San Diego had become home in the past couple of years, but it could never compare to what they had in Los Angeles.
Victoria, at two years old, was naturally oblivious to what was happening. All she knew was that she was visiting her aunts, her uncles, and her grandparents. She squealed happily as she saw Anna, ran into her arms. Anna had long said she wouldn't marry again, though she was now living with someone. Clara had gotten married the year before. She and her husband were expecting twin boys. James and Amanda welcomed a brother to their two girls. Matt was Victoria's age now and her favorite cousin. Then there was Michelle's brother Danny, his second wife Fiona, and daughter Sadie. Everyone there had known Liz Whitley and her family as dear friends, part of their extended family. It was only natural to go and pay their respects.
As Michelle woke up, she saw Tony was also awake at her side. "Waiting for me?" she smiled.
"Just enjoying the view," he took her hand. "Did you sleep okay?" She looked up to the ceiling.
"I dreamt she was alive, and we were all at CTU." She paused. "Monkeys had commandeered a wrecking ball and were out crashing about town," she frowned in sudden amusement. He laughed, and so did she. "It didn't make a whole lot of sense but it kind of made me feel better."
"How are you doing?"
"I'll be okay. You're here," she smiled. He nodded. A moment later, they heard the sounds of three-month-old Elizabeth moving about. Michelle stood, walking to the crib Anna had set up there. "Hey Lizzy-Bee," she whispered, picking her up.
Like there had been challenges when they'd first had Victoria, there were new ones with Elizabeth. Taking care of both girls without short changing either of them was the main point of attention. They couldn't very well expect Victoria to just understand all of this. She remained a not so patient child. It wasn't of a 'brat' magnitude, but she'd pout you into regret in two seconds flat.
Michelle returned to sit on the bed with Elizabeth. Liz had met her once, and the two of them had instantly bonded. Liz had been deeply touched to discover her part in the naming of the new Almeida.
It was Liz, upon a sudden realization, who had given the two of them a collective nickname. Victoria, Elizabeth - The Queens Almeida.
Her request to Tony had been carried out a lot more swiftly than he would have thought. The simple confirmation that they would have their Elizabeth had seemingly worked to straighten Michelle's focus and strength in the face of what was to come. Sadness and frustration over her inability to save Liz still existed though, and Tony was there to see her through each instance.
"Morning," he greeted his younger daughter as Michelle handed her over to go check on Victoria. She'd slept in cousin Nicholas' bed as its regular occupant slept on an inflatable mattress on the ground.
10:10am
The service had begun, and as expected it was a very emotional event. There were massive amounts of people present, a true testament to who Liz was and what she meant to those who knew her.
Jeff had asked Michelle if she would like to speak during the service. It was a no brainer. Of course she would do it. She knew there wasn't even need to think about this, the words had been running rampant in her head for weeks.
Her turn came, and she handed Elizabeth to her mother. As she stoodat the microphone, she found Jeff and the three children up front.
"I met Liz a week before arriving at CTU. We became friends... almost instantly. She made what could have been a difficult transition into a time of ease. That's who Liz was. she made you feel good. Most of you here today are here to honor those very qualities. And if you knew her, you know what a loss the world has suffered."
2:20pm
"It was Ellie's fourth birthday. For some reason, we'd decided to hire a clown for the party. Well, the kids were terrified. They started screaming, running. We didn't know what to do. But then, Liz grabbed a hat, put a blanket on her back like a cape... and she chased the clown away. The kids laughed, and the party went on like nothing had happened," Jeff was retelling as he sat with Tony, Michelle, and a few others. They laughed. The lot of them had come to sharing stories about Liz.
As Victoria started getting restless just sitting there with her parents, Tony stood. "I'll take her around for a while." Michelle nodded, and Tony went on with the two-year-old.
Watching them go, Michelle could only smile. Their lives were a dream come true, to be cherished and never taken for granted - the years leading to where they were now made it hard to forget. So many times they had and had almost lost each other, there was always fear for the day they might lose each other and not have the ability to reunite as they'd done before. It was paralyzing. Maybe it was being here, with one who had lost the one he loved, but every look, every touch, every word and every kiss was heightened with reassurance - I'm here, we're okay.
As Tony watched Victoria run about, smiling, laughing, he smiled along. Of all the duties he'd had, being a husband and a father stood in a separate category, because nothing ever came as high. His girls were his life, simple as that.
Nearby, he could see Chloe standing by the table with the sandwiches and veggies, Elizabeth resting in her arms. As agreed upon, she was her godmother. The idea had seemed almost too odd to imagine. Yet to look at them together, they couldn't see anyone else in that position. There was no awkwardness, not much if any, as she held the baby girl. The stranger part was to see her demeanor change as she turned her focus from Elizabeth to other people and back.
"Na!" Victoria exclaimed, her name for her grandmother Almeida, as she spotted her and ran over. The gag was always to wonder where the second 'na' had disappeared to, a great hoot for Victoria.
"Hi there," Tony's mother hugged her granddaughter, kissing her rosy cheeks. She turned to her son. "What are you four doing tonight?"
"We're going back to Anna's for a while, then we're having dinner with the Desslers, staying at Danny's. We drive home in the morning."
"Right," she nodded.
"Coming back to Anna's with us?" he asked. She smiled and nodded again.
6:30pm
"Is she sleeping?" Tony asked Michelle as she came to join him, Danny and Fiona in the kitchen.
"Yeah," she nodded. "Really tired herself out this afternoon..."
"That IS her specialty," Tony pointed out.
"That it is," Michelle laughed. After Danny insisted his sister and brother-in-law go into the living room to relax while he and Fiona worked on the dinner, they went to sit on the couch. Tony reached over to the back of her neck, sensing a hint of stress in her.
"Tired?" She squeezedd her eyes shut a moment with a sigh.
"I just want this day to end. It's all just too... heavy," she looked to him.
"If you want, we can just drive home after dinner," he suggested.
"Maybe, yeah... You don't mind?"
"Not at all." She smiled, kissed him.
"Thank you." They lingered there, faces mere inches apart from each other.
He sort of understood what she was feeling at the moment, more so than their families and former co-workers did. There was a feeling of powerlessness about this whole situation, of helplessness. There was something broken she couldn't fix - she was broken too, couldn't be fixed either. She still had so much strength in her, but it wasn't helping her here.
10:10pm
As they got home, they knew the period these last few weeks had been was finally over. They'd made the drive back and forth at least five times in the last month. They knew the end was coming for Liz, knew it frightened her more than she'd admit, and they wanted to be there for her. They'd leave the girls with 'Na' Almeida or 'Grama' Dessler and go to the hospital. In the last week, the last visit, Liz had been home. She wanted to be there when she went, and she got her wish.
But now Liz was gone, respects had been paid. It was done. Now they had to go back to their lives. It was the best way there was to honor what she had been to them. They would go on living, go on loving. They would raise their daughters and look out for them, let them know every day how much they cared for them and the fact that they were a part of their lives.
They went to bed almost as soon as they'd gotten Victoria and Elizabeth in their beds. As they'd done since that day in August where they'd first visited Liz in the hospital, they fell asleep resting close together.
He was there, she was there.
They were okay.
TBC
Sequel to IN THE LIVING YEARS
YEAR 2. APRIL 17.
7:00am
Elizabeth was born in January, about five months after that day they went to visit Liz in the hospital. At the very least, her birth was nowhere near as stressful as her big sister's. Still, the emotions had run high.
By then, Liz' condition had progressed down to devastation. They knew it was only a matter of time before they lost her. So to be handed this perfect, beautiful, healthy baby girl and to give her the name of this friend they held so dear...
They had gotten the call two days ago that Liz had finally passed. It was strange yet never doubted that they knew it - felt it - just as the phone rang. They knew what they'd find out. Michelle couldn't will herself to pick it up, so Tony had done it. Jeff had both sadness and relief in his voice. He had lost the one he loved, but her suffering had ended. The call was brief, so Jeff could get on with his calls and get back to his kids.
After that, the two of them went along with the day as best they could. They held the girls, played with them. It was needed, to make sure that the past months had prepared them well enough for this. They knew well though that the true impact would be the funeral.
They'd driven to Los Angeles the night before, staying with Anna so they wouldn't have to make the long drive in on that day. It felt good to be back there on a day like this. True, San Diego had become home in the past couple of years, but it could never compare to what they had in Los Angeles.
Victoria, at two years old, was naturally oblivious to what was happening. All she knew was that she was visiting her aunts, her uncles, and her grandparents. She squealed happily as she saw Anna, ran into her arms. Anna had long said she wouldn't marry again, though she was now living with someone. Clara had gotten married the year before. She and her husband were expecting twin boys. James and Amanda welcomed a brother to their two girls. Matt was Victoria's age now and her favorite cousin. Then there was Michelle's brother Danny, his second wife Fiona, and daughter Sadie. Everyone there had known Liz Whitley and her family as dear friends, part of their extended family. It was only natural to go and pay their respects.
As Michelle woke up, she saw Tony was also awake at her side. "Waiting for me?" she smiled.
"Just enjoying the view," he took her hand. "Did you sleep okay?" She looked up to the ceiling.
"I dreamt she was alive, and we were all at CTU." She paused. "Monkeys had commandeered a wrecking ball and were out crashing about town," she frowned in sudden amusement. He laughed, and so did she. "It didn't make a whole lot of sense but it kind of made me feel better."
"How are you doing?"
"I'll be okay. You're here," she smiled. He nodded. A moment later, they heard the sounds of three-month-old Elizabeth moving about. Michelle stood, walking to the crib Anna had set up there. "Hey Lizzy-Bee," she whispered, picking her up.
Like there had been challenges when they'd first had Victoria, there were new ones with Elizabeth. Taking care of both girls without short changing either of them was the main point of attention. They couldn't very well expect Victoria to just understand all of this. She remained a not so patient child. It wasn't of a 'brat' magnitude, but she'd pout you into regret in two seconds flat.
Michelle returned to sit on the bed with Elizabeth. Liz had met her once, and the two of them had instantly bonded. Liz had been deeply touched to discover her part in the naming of the new Almeida.
It was Liz, upon a sudden realization, who had given the two of them a collective nickname. Victoria, Elizabeth - The Queens Almeida.
Her request to Tony had been carried out a lot more swiftly than he would have thought. The simple confirmation that they would have their Elizabeth had seemingly worked to straighten Michelle's focus and strength in the face of what was to come. Sadness and frustration over her inability to save Liz still existed though, and Tony was there to see her through each instance.
"Morning," he greeted his younger daughter as Michelle handed her over to go check on Victoria. She'd slept in cousin Nicholas' bed as its regular occupant slept on an inflatable mattress on the ground.
10:10am
The service had begun, and as expected it was a very emotional event. There were massive amounts of people present, a true testament to who Liz was and what she meant to those who knew her.
Jeff had asked Michelle if she would like to speak during the service. It was a no brainer. Of course she would do it. She knew there wasn't even need to think about this, the words had been running rampant in her head for weeks.
Her turn came, and she handed Elizabeth to her mother. As she stoodat the microphone, she found Jeff and the three children up front.
"I met Liz a week before arriving at CTU. We became friends... almost instantly. She made what could have been a difficult transition into a time of ease. That's who Liz was. she made you feel good. Most of you here today are here to honor those very qualities. And if you knew her, you know what a loss the world has suffered."
2:20pm
"It was Ellie's fourth birthday. For some reason, we'd decided to hire a clown for the party. Well, the kids were terrified. They started screaming, running. We didn't know what to do. But then, Liz grabbed a hat, put a blanket on her back like a cape... and she chased the clown away. The kids laughed, and the party went on like nothing had happened," Jeff was retelling as he sat with Tony, Michelle, and a few others. They laughed. The lot of them had come to sharing stories about Liz.
As Victoria started getting restless just sitting there with her parents, Tony stood. "I'll take her around for a while." Michelle nodded, and Tony went on with the two-year-old.
Watching them go, Michelle could only smile. Their lives were a dream come true, to be cherished and never taken for granted - the years leading to where they were now made it hard to forget. So many times they had and had almost lost each other, there was always fear for the day they might lose each other and not have the ability to reunite as they'd done before. It was paralyzing. Maybe it was being here, with one who had lost the one he loved, but every look, every touch, every word and every kiss was heightened with reassurance - I'm here, we're okay.
As Tony watched Victoria run about, smiling, laughing, he smiled along. Of all the duties he'd had, being a husband and a father stood in a separate category, because nothing ever came as high. His girls were his life, simple as that.
Nearby, he could see Chloe standing by the table with the sandwiches and veggies, Elizabeth resting in her arms. As agreed upon, she was her godmother. The idea had seemed almost too odd to imagine. Yet to look at them together, they couldn't see anyone else in that position. There was no awkwardness, not much if any, as she held the baby girl. The stranger part was to see her demeanor change as she turned her focus from Elizabeth to other people and back.
"Na!" Victoria exclaimed, her name for her grandmother Almeida, as she spotted her and ran over. The gag was always to wonder where the second 'na' had disappeared to, a great hoot for Victoria.
"Hi there," Tony's mother hugged her granddaughter, kissing her rosy cheeks. She turned to her son. "What are you four doing tonight?"
"We're going back to Anna's for a while, then we're having dinner with the Desslers, staying at Danny's. We drive home in the morning."
"Right," she nodded.
"Coming back to Anna's with us?" he asked. She smiled and nodded again.
6:30pm
"Is she sleeping?" Tony asked Michelle as she came to join him, Danny and Fiona in the kitchen.
"Yeah," she nodded. "Really tired herself out this afternoon..."
"That IS her specialty," Tony pointed out.
"That it is," Michelle laughed. After Danny insisted his sister and brother-in-law go into the living room to relax while he and Fiona worked on the dinner, they went to sit on the couch. Tony reached over to the back of her neck, sensing a hint of stress in her.
"Tired?" She squeezedd her eyes shut a moment with a sigh.
"I just want this day to end. It's all just too... heavy," she looked to him.
"If you want, we can just drive home after dinner," he suggested.
"Maybe, yeah... You don't mind?"
"Not at all." She smiled, kissed him.
"Thank you." They lingered there, faces mere inches apart from each other.
He sort of understood what she was feeling at the moment, more so than their families and former co-workers did. There was a feeling of powerlessness about this whole situation, of helplessness. There was something broken she couldn't fix - she was broken too, couldn't be fixed either. She still had so much strength in her, but it wasn't helping her here.
10:10pm
As they got home, they knew the period these last few weeks had been was finally over. They'd made the drive back and forth at least five times in the last month. They knew the end was coming for Liz, knew it frightened her more than she'd admit, and they wanted to be there for her. They'd leave the girls with 'Na' Almeida or 'Grama' Dessler and go to the hospital. In the last week, the last visit, Liz had been home. She wanted to be there when she went, and she got her wish.
But now Liz was gone, respects had been paid. It was done. Now they had to go back to their lives. It was the best way there was to honor what she had been to them. They would go on living, go on loving. They would raise their daughters and look out for them, let them know every day how much they cared for them and the fact that they were a part of their lives.
They went to bed almost as soon as they'd gotten Victoria and Elizabeth in their beds. As they'd done since that day in August where they'd first visited Liz in the hospital, they fell asleep resting close together.
He was there, she was there.
They were okay.
TBC