Paradise City - chapter two.
Pleasantview, Veronaville, Strangetown, SimCity... sin never tasted so good.
Since he was nine years old, Francois Monty - Grunt dreamed of big, unattainable things. Well, he didn't consider them unattainable, not really.
When he was nine years old and lost his mother, he swore he'd find a way to bring her back. Having her die in a car crash, the Capp family gained more they could even imagine. There was, of course, no doubt they were behind it. It was just too suspicious to be an accident.
But it was Veronaville - small, fucked up place. And when Tybalt Capp said things would go one way, they would go that way - no one dared to pose a question. Except for those little children Bianca Monty left behind - twins, boy and girl. They were the only ones who dared to ask, and the only orphans that weren't given to their closest relatives but to their father, much to his dismay.
And so, Francois swore he'd have his revenge, but not just that - he wanted to bring his mother back to living. And for the past seven years, he'd been working to achieve that.
But there was she.
Beautiful and striking, as always. Allesia Monty was everything he'd ever be able to love, in some things so similar to his mother. She was his kryptonite in a way because she always knew the right things to say to keep him at peace. He'd throw tantrums, crying and raging in the same time and she was the only one there.
So, because of all things she gave him, he would've done anything to make her smile. Her smiles weren't rare, it wasn't like that. She'd spread her mouth into a wide grin whenever something nice would happen; she even gave the change to street beggars with a sympathetic smile on her face. She never stopped smiling, and she would
smile the widest when she'd see Francois.
And, for all the love he had for Allesia, he decided to do things properly. He met her father on a pleasant lunch, talked about their future, prospects and plans, drank a few glasses of wine and parted from Romeo Monty with a smile on his face. Next day, she ran to him, informing him her father was absolutely enchanted with everything Francois had to say. There were no problems, the boy was from their family, distant distant cousin of some sorts, and they had Romeo's blessing even though they never talked openly about marriage and future.
"So, when we're done with university, it would be for the best to go to Strangetown", Francois proposed one day over lunch. The waiter hasn't come to serve them yet and he wouldn't have unbearable silence with a person he loved so much.
"Oh? Why is that?"
"I've told you about my mother. There are some clues there might be a way to bring her back. My uncle succeeded in doing so with his wife.."
Allesia sighed and crumpled her skirt a little more, becoming visibly nervous.
"Franc, she passed away... And dead should stay dead. My mom's dead, too, and that was destiny."
"I know it's not easy for you."
"I don't think you do."
Lunch was served; somewhere in the distance you could hear a train coming. Two more hours before Allesia would be on hers, back to Veronaville from SimCity where Francois lived. They'd see each other on weekends, two towns were no more than two hours of drive apart.
"That's just the thing we have to cope with. You still have your sister and your father, you should learn to live for them and with them."
"I'm sorry, Allesia.. I shouldn't have brought this up."
Rest of the lunch went by peacefully, in a comfortable little chatter. Allesia would talk about her classmates, giggly girls and romantic guys. That was Veronaville, Francois guessed. Everyone was a bit more poetic, dramatic, there. He wasn't so sure he'd get on well with all of them. But, after all, he was a part Veronavillean.
*****
"I'm so glad you could make it, sis."
"Don't be silly, of course I could."
Alvin put both hands around his sister and gave her a loud kiss on the cheek. He hadn't seen her for a while now, having her being a professor on the SimState Uni and everything. But she was also the only person he could confide in right now. The whole Angela's pregnancy situation got out of control and he simply had to collect his thoughts and do the right thing.
"Angela's pregnant!? Wait, that's good news, so why're you all glum and sad?"
"Because we're too old, Tiff. I'm 43, she's nearly 40... It's just not responsible."
"So, what, she'll just abort?"
He shrugged his shoulders, not sure what Angela originally even intended to do. Abortion was something both of them were trying not to even think of.
"Do you want that baby?"
"It's Angela's... What of Angela's wouldn't be perfect and lovable in every possible way?"
"Touche."
"I love you, Tiff. Y'know that?"
"Of course I do."
"Both of you should just be happy. Besides, I think the boys will be thrilled with the new baby."
"They'll be ecstatic, that's for sure."
They exchanged a hug as Tiffany said she has to go to another lecture. Alvin really didn't know what did he do in past life to deserve such a sister, but he was happy for it. Just as he was happy for the baby, and for all the good thins to come. Besides, him and Angela were never common, they always had their own way of doing things.
Later that day, in the evening, Angela came home from work. It was daily routine, she'd come around the time boys were also coming home from school, so Alvin was usually the one to make dinner. They never complained, though, he could cook real good.
Just laying in their backyard, after a swim, Alvin closed in for a hug with Angela. She was smiling, as always, her wrinkles not even visible but those from extensive smiling. That was Angela, after all, she wouldn't do anything without a smile on her face.
"So, I was thinking..." Alvin began, placing his gaze upon the skies above. It was clear, there weren't any clouds. Beautiful night, by all means.
"Yes?"
"I want you to keep the baby."
"Alvin..."
"No, hear me out."
She sighed and looked away which was usually the sign for listening closely. With all time that has passed, he knew every single one of her silly little habits which made him love her even more.
"We're not that old, women give birth in their fifties. So, you can't say that. And we're not poor either. But, most of all - we love each other and we love our children. What's one more to give our love to? So I want you to keep the baby because we'll be happy. It won't be easy, but it'll all turn out great."
"What if something happens? What if I get sick, if the baby gets sick?"
Her last pregnancy, the twins, was also a complicated one. She nearly lost them by the end of her first trimester, and she was a healthy thirty year old then. Ten years had passed, but she could still vividly remember being connected to the IVs and all those monitors.
"Then... then we'll make it through, like any other time."
She placed a kiss on his cheek and got up.
"I love you, Alvin. Thank you."
"It's been my pleasure, all of 17 years."