The Broke Legacy (Part 2)
The moment I held my son in my arms for the first time, I knew that my life wouldn't be the same ever again.
Things couldn't stay the way they were, and I had to work harder than ever to give Cosmo a better life than the one I had.
But how?
The first thing I realized was that a baby couldn't grow up in a shack like mine.
It was even worse than the trailer I had lived all my life in.
So, with the last of my savings, I built a small room for Cosmo. With carpet and painted walls. Even a light bulb.
Sure, it only had a crib, but at least it was a safe and warm place for my baby.
I had no experience with babies (last time I had been in contact with one was when I was a kid, with David), but I was sure that Cosmo was the quiet kind.
He spent hours in his crib, smiling, never crying.
With such a sweet baby, it was easy for me to get used to my role as a Dad.
And I enjoyed it very much.
I had to leave him with a nanny for a few hours everyday for my job.
Of course, once I returned from my trainings, first thing I did was to hold and play with Cosmo.
I often interrupted my studies and work out to bathe, play or feed the baby.
My job was on second place now.
And girls... well, I hadn't thought about them for a long time.
Cosmo was born on the first night of the winter. I expected the climate to be a little colder... but I never expected snow!
Or to actually see a penguin out of my window!
Of course, compared to my baby alien, it was a normal thing.
Strangetown was a place in which everything could happen.
Jenny and P.T. were worried about me. I had become a loner who barely spoke to anyone else besides my co-workers and my child.
So, one day, they arranged a blind date with one of P.T.'s coworkers, Renee Andrews.
During our first date, we spent a long time just talking. I was impressed by how easy it was to tell her everything, from my childhood at Pleasantview to my abduction and my experience as Cosmo's father. She was a great listener and never judged anything I told her.
She was thrilled to meet Cosmo too.
I still got letters from Lilith frequently.
She was now working at an important company as a business woman.
She had also married her high school sweetheart, Dirk Dreamer, and given birth to her son, Henry, a couple months before Cosmo's birth.
She knew about my abduction and Cosmo, of course, and frequently told me that she'd travel one day to Strangetown to meet him.
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The months went by, and soon it was time for Cosmo's first birthday.
It was incredible how fast he grew up.
One moment he was a tiny baby...
... and the next one he was an adorable toddler.
Cosmo was as sweet and smiley as he had been as a baby.
It was a joy to spend time with him.
Except for the moments in which he'd cry and whine to no end...
The shack was a complete mess!
Between my trainings and my hyperactive toddler, I felt so tired that I usually forgot to dispose his old bottles.
Which somehow he always found!
Ugh... and the whole potty training deal.
I wasn't sure if he'd ever get the idea or if he'd need to wear diapers for the rest of his life.
Seriously, I was always relieved when he played with his rabbit toy.
Those were the precious moments in which I could study... or sleep!
Because the rest of the time he was calling out for me. He was never quiet!
Mom called frequently to give me advice. I now admired her more than ever.
How was she able to raise the three of us all by herself?
P.T. visited often too. He was some kind of spiritual leader for all of us men who had been abducted by aliens.
And there was also Reneé , who one day made me an unusual proposal.
"This shack is not safe place for Cosmo. You need a real home, with secure doors and windows"
"Yeah, but I can hardly afford that. I'm not getting a raise until I finish my training... and taking care of Cosmo requires all my time, so I can't study or work out."
"Well, what about we join forces? I'd move in with you and help with the expenses and Cosmo. I've lived by myself for so long... I need the company."
"You'd really do that for us? I... I don't know what to say..."
"Just say that you want me as your roommate, Beau."
"Well... OK."
"Then it's a deal!"
With the help of Reneé's savings and her salary as a judge, we destroyed our shack and built a small, decent house.
I was thrilled, I now had a real room for the first time in my life!
Sure, the house was almost empty and we lacked a lot of stuff, but I didn't mind.
Well... Reneé did.
It was bit difficult for her to live the first few months without many of the luxuries she had at her apartment... like hot water or nice plants.
She was always saving money and looking for ways to earn more.
For her, money was the key to happiness.
Cosmo didn't accept her at first. When I left for training, she'd spend hours trying to calm my son to no avail.
But as the months went by, they quickly became friends and spent a lot of time playing together.
And now that I had time to study, I soon was promoted to Drill Sergeant.
I didn't enjoy my job at the Army, but Reneé said we needed the money.
One day, Jenny gave a strange machine.
She said it was alien technology from P.T.'s planet that would help me with Cosmo's education as long as I was in a good mood.
It freaked me out to see my baby actually glow as soon as he finished his bottle. But that formula, whatever it has, really improved his learning abilities.
I soon was able to teach him to talk and walk.
Reneé cheered the both us. Every step and new word from Cosmo was a victory for our peculiar family.
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One day, I approached Reneé and said,
"Cosmo is such a happy boy thanks to your help. He loves you as if you were his mom. You are the best friend a man could wish for."
I was really grateful to my friend, but I soon realized that Reneé felt different for me.
"Cosmo is a very important part of my life. But so are you, Beau. I wish we could form a real family one day. I know you're not ready to love but... could you leave the past behind? You always talk about the future... don't you see I'm the woman you need? The mother Cosmo needs?"
I loved Reneé, but not in that way.
But as she kissed me, I felt obliged to kiss her back.
Perhaps with time I'd learn to love her.
She was Cosmo's mother figure, and I had to put my son's interests before mine.
It was time to leave the past... to do this for my future.
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Three years went by.
Three years filled with happy moments with my son.
Three years I tried so hard to love Reneé as much as she loved me.
Three years in which my son went from a little toddler...
... to a young boy.
He was still as active as always.
He didn't have many toys, but just like me, found great pleasure in jumping on the bed.
Also, just like his Dad, he also enjoyed reading and learning new things.
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A few days after Cosmo's fifth birthday, I got a phone call from Lilith.
She was crying.
She said that her husband, Dirk, had died in a car accident.
I felt so bad... I was so far away and I couldn't be there to comfort her.
She had always been some kind of big sister for me.
For the first time in the almost 13 years I'd been away, I felt the need to move back to Pleasantview.
But my life was already here.
I had work in the Army.
I had to stay with Reneé.
I had to look after my son.
Sure, it wasn't the future I had planned, but that's life.
But one morning, just after Renee had left for work and Cosmo was at school.
Lilith showed up.
"Lilith! How glad I am to see you! Wh... what are you doing here?"
"After I talked to you, I felt the need to escape from Pleasantview for a little while. And Strangetown was the only place I could think about"
"You can stay here all the time you want to... I don't have much but..."
"It's OK, Beau, I'm already staying at a hotel. But we've got a lot to talk about."
"But not before you say hello to me as well..."- a soft, familiar voice said.
Shocked, I turned around a lost my breath as soon as I saw her.
It was Lucy Burb.
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"Lu... Lucy?"
"The one and only! Aren't you going to give me a hug or something?"
Still in shock, I embraced her.
"It's so nice to see you, Lucy! Why...?"
"When Cousin Lilith told me she was visiting Strangetown, I asked her if I could come along.
After all, it's been more than ten years since I last saw my best friend."
Yeah... best friend...
"Anyway! Lilith told me about your son. How is he? What does he look like? I'd love to meet him!"
Lucy and I spent the following hour or two talking on the sideway, just like we used to do as kids.
It was a weird feeling... as if time had just stopped in that moment in the past.
Nothing else mattered... not our relationship or our feelings...
And that made me wonder about the feelings I still had for Lucy.
After everything that happened between us, I still thought about how nice would be if she were by my side.
I could hardly take my eyes of from her.
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Reneé arrived from her job an hour later. She was a bit weirded out by my visitors.
I quickly introduced her to them.
"Oh, so you are the famous Lucy Burb. Beau has told me a lot of interesting things about you!"
I don't know if Lucy noticed the poison in Reneé's voice, but she didn't look like it.
"I'm Reneé, Beau's roommate and girlfriend"
It was obvious that Reneé felt threatened by Lucy's presence, therefore that strange behavior in someone as self-confident as her.
But I guess that threat was right... because it wasn't Reneé who I thought about as she kissed me.
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Cosmo came back from school at the same time as Reneé. Unlike my girlfriend, he was thrilled to meet Lucy.
He was even happier to meet a boy of his age.
He wasted no time teaching Henry his neat catching skills.
Lilith and Reneé... didn't get along so well.
I didn't know Reneé was so jealous... for she also felt threatened by Lilith!
"You must be Lilith Pleasant... Beau's special friend..."
Of course, Lilith was no pushover,
"Yes, I am. And you must be Reneé, the woman Beau hardly mentions in his letters. I wonder why?"
Fearing a huge fight between them, I quickly said goodbye to my visitors.
"We need to get together soon, Lilith. I miss talking to you..."
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Reneé remained silent the rest of the afternoon. I knew Lilith's word hit a chord inside her and I feared a huge discussion was coming up.
But Reneé didn't want Cosmo to see us fight, so she didn't say anything at all.
But once Cosmo was asleep in his bed, Reneé approached me in the bathroom and kissed me.
"Hey, handsome! Why don't we make things different tonight?"
"What kind of... different?"
"Why don't I spend the night in your room. It's still chilly these days and..."
Reneé and I had been together for three years, but we had never spent a night in the same room.
"I'm sorry, Reneé, but I don't feel like it..."
"When, Beau? When are you going to act like my boyfriend? You are... such a child sometimes!"
"Reneé! Wait!"
But as I heard her door slam shut, I knew there wouldn't be no explanations that night.
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A few weeks went by, and the tension at home was still palpable.
Lucy and Lilith visited often, always when Renee was around.
But one day, just after I had arrived home but before Renee and Cosmo were there, Lucy showed up.
Alone.
"You look great!"-she said as she hugged me-"That new haircut suits you."
"Err... thanks..."
Lucy and I spent the whole afternoon catching up. Since her arrival to Strangetown, we hadn't have much time alone.
"Yeah, I studied Psychology at College and right now I'm working as a cop back at Plesantview. Don't worry; I'm keeping a good eye on your brother."
"Well... sometimes it's hard to me to tell Cosmo about his Uncle's job. It's not exactly a good example..."
"Tell him that Dustin is some kind of local hero. He steals banks, but it's well known that he donates part of the booty to help poor teens go to College. He says you'd approve that."
And of course I did! Although it was hilarious to imagine Dustin as some kind of Robin Hood.
We talked about everything: Our old classmates, my brothers, and her family. Our favorite books and movies. I told her everything I'd done since I left Pleasantview up to Cosmo's birth and my relationship with Renée.
But eventually we ran out of topics...
Lucy looked at me and said- "Beau? Are you happy?"
Her smile was gone... I didn't know what to say...
"Well... I think I am. Of course, there are lots of things I'd like to be different, but I guess I fine just the way I am..."
Lucy stood up. I followed suit.
"And by different..."-she whispered, raising her hand-"Do you mean like this...?"
And she tried to kiss me.
But this time, it was me the one who pushed away.
"Beau? What's wrong?"
"How dare you ask that, Lucy? You know very well what's wrong! What makes you think you can just... break my heart like that and then return to me like nothing happened? Do you know how hurt I was? It was your rejection what made me leave Pleasantview! I couldn't stand living there and knowing that one day I'd look at you walk past my house with another guy! I wanted to prove you and everyone back home that there's more in me than the trailer I grew up in!
And look what I've done! I finally have a job! A son! And a woman who loves me just the way I am! Everything was fine until you came here, Lucy! Don't you dare try to destroy everything I've worked so hard for!"
"Everything you've done? Wake up, Beau! You hate your job and the only reason you are still with Reneé is because you are afraid of being alone! You are still not living your life the way you want to! What happened to the Beau from the past? The one who wanted to change the system so everyone could have an education? The one who wanted to find the right woman and marry her? What happened to your dreams?
Look! I know what I did was wrong but... I just want you to give me one more chance. After you left, I couldn't stop thinking about you! I know I told you there was no future with you... but now I know it's the opposite! I'm sorry I hurt you!"
Everything was surreal: Here she was, asking for my forgiveness. My first love. The girl whose face haunted my dreams for years. If I returned to her, everything would be back to normal. Back to the days when I was a carefree teen...
"It's OK, Lucy. I forgive you..."
Her smile was radiant- "Does that mean you..."
"That means I forgive you, Lucy. And that I still consider you my friend. But I'm not so sure about the way I feel about you anymore..."
"Beau... wait.
Let me try this one last time..."
And she kissed me.
And I was suddenly back in my trailer, kissing my first girlfriend.
The past was back, in my arms.
In that moment, the truth hit me: I was still in love with Lucy, but not the woman who was now kissing me.
I was in love with the memory of the girl she used to be.
And I was still in love with the memory of the boy I used to be.
What I felt for Lucy was not love anymore.
Just the feeling of being with someone. Of not being alone.
But I wasn't alone anymore.
I had Cosmo, and I swore I'd do everything to make him happy.
But now I knew that the only way to make him happy was to be happy first myself.
I couldn't wish for a past that was long gone.
Too many things had happened between us.
It was time to let it go...
"Lucy..."- I whispered as I broke away- "I..."
But in that moment the door was opened.
Reneé had arrived from work.
And she had seen everything.
"How dare you! How dare you, Beau Broke! And with her?!"
"It was nothing, Reneé."
"Nothing?!"
"Nothing..."
"Well, for me it is something! Your eyes! They never looked like that when you kissed me!"
"..."
"I get it. There's no need to explain anymore, because I..."
In that moment, Cosmo arrived from school with his first report card. He was so excited because he had an A+.
Reneé and I stopped our fight. We didn't want him to see it.
As for Lucy... she was gone.
Once again, we spent another afternoon in silence, for the sake of my son.
Cosmo didn't suspect that things were so bad between us.
But I guess pretending wasn't in Reneé's plans, for she left our house (and our lives) the following day.
She waited until we were at school and work, packed her suitcases and left.
She left me a note, saying that we both deserved to be with someone who truly loved us.
And I should open my eyes and find someone who would make our family happy, for Cosmo’s sake.
She promised she'd visit frequently, but that for now she wanted to move away from Strangetown.
She moved to her aunt's farm at Riverblossom Hills.
Cosmo was crushed, of course. Reneé was the closest thing he had for a mom.
I'd never seen him so sad... and it broke my heart.
"I'm sorry Cosmo, but Reneé is right. She deserves better and I wasn't the right one for her. But she'll visit soon. And we are going to be all right."
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Lilith visited us that night and once again, she acted as the kind, wise girl I'd always known.
"Lucy returned to Pleasantview. She realized that things between you two were over as soon as you told Reneé that your kiss was nothing."
"I... I'm sorry. I didn't want to hurt her..."
"It's OK. She was ready for that possibility when she asked me to come with us. Remember what I told you all those years ago? Lucy finally grew up. She's mature enough to face the consequences of what she did to you. That's why I let her come here."
"I'm so confused, Lilith. And I feel so guilty... for both Lucy and Reneé. I screwed things up, badly. And now I'm back to where I started when I arrived to Strangetown. Alone again."
But Lilith didn't agree...
"Point number one: You are not alone, you've got Cosmo.
Point number two: If you are back at the beginning, it's an opportunity to make things right this time. I think Lucy had a point when she said that you weren't following your dreams? You were always so good at school and I remember how much time you spent teaching Math to David. You even told me you wanted to become a teacher some day..."
"Well... that's true. I did want to become a teacher. But it doesn't pay as much as being in the army and..."
"And you already have enough savings and a house to take that risk. Sure, money would be tight at the beginning, but I think Cosmo and you would handle it well. Besides, if you work while Cosmo goes to school, you won't need to hire a Nanny anymore. You'd be able to spend more time with him."
"You know what, Lilith? I'm going to do it! It's time I do what I want for a change!"
"Excellent! I'd love you to one day become my son's teacher!"
"What are you talking about? I'm not moving back to Pleasantview..."- I smiled as I realized what she meant-"Are you saying...?"
"Yep, I like it here. After spending these last two weeks at Strangetown, I've felt better than I had in months. I want to give this place a chance, and with you here, it's going to be easier. Besides, I've seen that this town doesn't even have a Mayor and it needs a lot of work. Someone to protect the alien's rights and to avoid the insane experimentation you've told me about."
"I didn't know you were into Politics..."
"Now you do!"
"Well then, welcome to Strangetown, Lilith Pleasant!"
"You are such a sap, Beau."
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Lilith moved to the house across the road.
And the months passed by.
Life without Reneé was a bit hard at the beginning, but soon Cosmo and I learned to live by ourselves.
I quit the Army and found a job as a Playground Monitor. The pay was low, but I already had some savings.
And I loved watching Cosmo and Henry playing together at recess.
Soon enough I was promoted to Substitute Teacher.
Lilith visited often.
In some sense, things felt a little like how they were when I lived back at Pleasantview. We still played silly games all the time.
And Lilith... well... she enjoyed telling Cosmo embarrassing stories from my teenage years.
Despite living on opposite sides of the road, the four of us were like a family.
Everything was perfect... or so I thought.
One night, just after Cosmo's bedtime, Lilith visited me alone. She was crying.
It felt surreal to watch someone as strong as her so... vulnerable.
"I feel so lonely, Beau."-she cried-"It's been three years since I moved to Strangetown and I just can't... move on."
"I... I wish I knew what to say to make you feel better, Lilith. But I'm aware that no words will ever erase what you feel for him. And it's all right. You should always remember him. But... I don't want you to be lonely... just like my mother. She never let go the past and now she lives all alone back in our trailer. She won't move with Dustin or come here. I wish..."
"It's OK. Just being right here with you makes me feel better. I'm so glad to have you here, Beau."
Lilith and I had hugged plenty of times in the past.
But there was something different in that embrace, that made a part of my heart just, "click".
Everything became strange, like if I were dreaming.
Then, my heart told me what to do.
And I obeyed it.
"Beau?"
"I... I'm sorry, Lilith. I shouldn't do this but... it just... feels right..."
"You know what? It feels right to me too."
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Lilith and I dated for almost two years.
Thankfully, both Cosmo and Henry understood our relationship and were even thrilled at the possibility of becoming brothers one day.
And one night, I took out a small box from my pocket.
"Will you marry me?"
My hands shook as I watched her open the box.
She remained silent.
"So... will you?"
She grinned- "What do you think?"
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We got married one hot, summer morning in my backyard.
As we exchanged our vows and rings, I could help it but think at how odd life was.
I never imagined that I'd end marrying Lilith Pleasant. That wasn't the future I imagined.
But I wouldn't change it.
It was a joy to see my family together after so many years apart.
Cosmo was thrilled to meet his grandmother.
My mother, Brandi, still lived in our old trailer, unable to leave my father's grave alone.
She had retired from the police forces and was still working with her flower business.
David said that she was often visited by a sweet, charming widow named Komei Tellerman.
As for David, he was a successful photographer. He had finished his studies at Académie Le Tour with excellent grades.
His work was currently displayed at the "Dina Goth Gallery" back at Pleasantview.
He was still single.
When I asked Dustin about his job, he just grinned and said he was Pleasantview's Criminal Mastermind.
I'm not sure I want to ever know the details.
He was still married to Angela and found hilarious how us Broke brothers conquered the Pleasant twins.
During the toast, I raised my cup and thanked my family, for the love that still kept us together despite the distance and for a great future for our children.
But then, something unexpected happened.
Lucy raised her cup and said,
"For my best friend, Beau. For the happiness he deserves and for proving everyone that there's more in a man than just a name or prestige. Take good care of my cousin, buddy."
"Now go and kiss your wife!"
Of course, there was cake and the tradition of cutting and feeding your spouse with it.
And then, courtesy of the stereo Dustin gave me as a wedding present, Lilith and I had our first dance as a married couple.
"Ask her out, Beau. You two need to talk"- she said as we danced.
My wife was smart, so I followed her advice.
"Shall we dance?"
"Lucy, about what you said back at the toast..."
"I mean it. Everything I said. I'm just glad to finally see you so happy."
"Thanks... and I hope you also find someone..."
"I sure will... and then you'll have to say a speech as sappy as mine!"
"Just remember one thing, Beau. I'll always be your best friend."
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One year after our wedding, life in the Broke household had become quiet and... normal.
Well, as normal as it can be with an alien kid in the family.
Both Henry and Cosmo were in the verge of teenage hood, so they spent most of their time talking about the neat things they'd do when they grew up.
I adopted Henry a couple weeks after the Wedding. He'd never call me his father (that was a title reserved for Dirk only), but I guess we loved each other as if we were related by then.
Of course, Lilith adopted Cosmo too. After the Reneé fiasco, Cosmo wasn't ready to open himself to another girl the way he did in the past.
Nonetheless, he recently started calling Lilith "Mom", now and then.
He still was as nice as he had always been, and a bit of a bookworm.
Lilith was not only an excellent mother, for she was also a respected politician at Strangetown.
The elections for Mayor were just around the corner, and she was a strong candidate for that spot.
We had spent most of the year helping in her campaign and her speeches about protecting the alien population of this town won her many supporters.
In the end, we had adjusted to our new life as a family.
And we did the kind of stuff all normal families did.
So in general, life was stable.
But things weren't destined to stay that way.
For some huge changes were approaching our family in the neat future.
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The largest change being the imminent arrival of a new baby.
We were worried that the boys wouldn't like the idea of a new brother or sister.
We were glad to see that wasn't the case.
Cosmo and Henry were thrilled.
The next change arrived when Lilith was 46 hours pregnant.
Henry became a teenager.
After his difficult childhood and his father's death, he had realized that life was too short to waste it worrying for everything.
He vowed to enjoy his life to the max and to seek pleasure everywhere.
Cosmo was also getting ready for his transition into teenage hood in a few months.
He had been taking frequent naps lately, which had me worried.
When I asked P.T. if that was normal, he told me that when Graslaxian children were close to adulthood, they needed to sleep a lot.
They needed to save energy for the huge effort from the sudden grown they experienced at their 168th Full Moon would be.
Lilith and I were excited for having our first son together.
Lilith bought an easel during her pregnancy.
Due to her maternity leave, she spent a lot of time at home, but she wasn't the kind of woman who sat down to knit baby socks.
No Sir, she always wanted to learn more things, to improve herself in order to reach the top as sooner as possible.
Therefore she decided to learn to paint.
She discovered that she actually had talent for that.
And for my 40th birthday, she was preparing a surprise.
I confess it was a bit odd to see myself in a canvas, but Lilith said that it could be the beginning of a tradition.
"The Pleasant Legacy works like that. We had portraits of past Pleasants back at home. Wouldn't be neat if this was the start of a Broke Legacy?"
Me? Starting a Legacy? Please!
Angela called everyday to check on her sister's pregnancy.
Remember the big news she had for my brother?
Well, she had given birth to their second son, Skip, a few months ago.
For a while, both sisters talked to each other to complain about pregnancy issues every day.
Lilith had a difficult pregnancy, especially during her last trimester.
She barely had energy to eat, and often fell asleep on her plate.
I used to do that right before Cosmo's birth...
Of course I remember how tiring and difficult a pregnancy can be.
Lilith often said that it was hilarious to have a husband who perfectly understood what she was feeling.
I was just glad that this time it wasn't me the one who had to endure that.
I had enough back then and, despite the joy that Cosmo represented in my life, I wouldn't do that ever again.