Topic: Just Another New Year's Eve

PrlUnicorn

Date: 2018-01-21 17:20 EST
31 Dec. 2017

New Year's Eve was a time for dreams and hopes for the future. The party guests had left mother and daughters to welcome the new year as they saw fit. The tree in the front room sparkled with tinsel and fairy lights. Ornaments that had been collected over the years from various travels were mixed with those made by the children and grandchildren over the years. Each one had a special meaning. Collie pointed out several of the treasures to the youngest pair in her brood. Everything from the tiny paper Pegasus that Rhiannon had made in a school art class to fabric picture pillows that the Harker children had tucked in her stocking this year.

Outside, it had begun to snow; a chilly winter wind blew the snowflakes around. They seemed to dance much like the winter fairies that dwelled in evergreen trees. Clad in fleece footed pajamas, Abby and Madison knelt on the window seat to watch the show Mother Nature and Jack Frost were putting on. As they watched, the girls enjoyed hot chocolate and sugar cookies. Trebor had risen higher in the sky as the midnight hour got closer. Colleen made her nightly rounds to make sure the doors and windows were secured. Afterward, she settled on sofa with a large illustrated book in her lap.

Giggling came from the girls as they left their perch and ducked down behind the sofa. If Collie knew what they were up to, she didn't let on. She turned the pages of the book to a story that explained why candles were often left burning in the windows of people's homes. Two heads popped up and peered over her shoulder.

"What's that?" Abby gestured to the book in her mother's lap.

Madison gave her sister a bemused look that seemed to ask Are you for real". "It's a book, Abby! Don't you know that?"

"Of course I know it's a book, silly!" Abby shook her head. "I want to know what Mama's reading!"

"Ohhhhhhhhh." Madison nodded and climbed up to sit next to her mother. "It's almost bedtime, huh?"

Abby shuffled over and sat on the opposite side of their mother. "Gotta be. It's nighttime and a storybook is coming out."

"Almost, my girls, almost." Collie smiled contentedly and started to read aloud. The girls had started to nod off as they listened.

PrlUnicorn

Date: 2018-01-21 17:26 EST
After reading a few stories, Colleen closed the book. It was when the questions started that she realized the girls weren't really sleeping just in snuggling mode. It was Abby that spoke first. "Mama, why does the prince or knight guy almost always ride a big white horse when he comes to the rescue?"

After being silent for a few moments, Collie finally answered. "I'm not really sure, but I think it has something to do with how strong he is or how strong the writer wants him to appear."

"But Mama," Madison said, "you don't have to be big or strong to get a horse to go where you want."

"I know that, you and your sister knows that, but not everyone does." Collie couldn't help but smile.

"They don't ride then, do they?" Abby grinned.

"No, they don't, my girl." A little laugh escaped her as she hugged both of the twins.

Madison pursed her lips. "Maggie says that sometimes you gotta rescue yourself."

"Nuh uh!" Abby shook her head. "Maggie said sometimes the princess has to rescue herself! You know, like Mulan."

Colleen listened as the girls bantered back and forth on their way up the stairs.

"Well, yeah, but she also said it's nice to have somebody that wants to rescue you even if you don't need the help." Maddie grinned as she gathered up her cat.

"Mama?" Abby climbed into her bed. "Did Da ever rescue you?"

Colleen was still quiet as she tucked Madison into her bed. Maddie's hand curled around her mother's as she asked, "Did you ever rescue Daddy?" The girls looked at their mother with expressions that were a mix of curiosity and concern.

"Yes." The answer came out as a hoarse whisper. "To both." She bent to kiss Madison's cheek then tucked Abby in.

"Well?" Abby peered at her mother. "You gonna tell us?"

She kissed Abby's cheek. She shook her head. "No."

Maddie chimed in. "Why not?"

"There are people that do bad things. And I ..." She took a deep breath. "I don't want to talk about it. Some memories are painful."

"Oh." Madison nodded and snuggled under the covers. Muffin was stretched out beside her.

"Mama," Abby murmured, "thanks."

"For what, Lovey?"

"For not sayin' Maddie and me won't understand."

Colleen nodded and let Max into the room before heading back down the stairs. She lit a candle and placed it in the front room window as she had done for the last few years. She still held out hope that Darien would come home. Collie curled up on the sofa to enjoy a cup of hot tea and the remains of the fire as it slowly died down.

PrlUnicorn

Date: 2018-10-14 08:29 EST
It might have been ten minutes later, or it might have been hours, when she heard the knock at the front door. Slowly, she roused herself from the couch. The once blazing fire was embers now, but a few stirs with the fireplace poker could easily bring it roaring back to life. Again, the knocker thudded against the heavy oak door.

Colleen complained, "Hold yer horses, I'm gettin' there!"

An annoyed answer came from the other side. "I'm freezin' out heah!"

She knew that voice, that accent. Collie opened the heavy door and blinked a few times. The man standing on the doorstep was nearly covered in snow. Unable to speak, the current Governor of Rhydin held the door open and waved the man in with an overly exaggerated gesture. When the door was shut and the storm closed out, she stared at Darien Fenner. "Are ya real 'r am I dreamin' again?"

He looked gobsmacked at her question. Silence was finally broken with, "Does it matter?"

"Yes," she murmured, "of course it matters." Tears began to well as the answer finally came. "If it's a dream, I'd rather not waken."

"What a load of horseshit," he muttered, slurring the words.

"Did you just call me a whore?" She snarled at him.

"How can you be deaf with those ears?" He hissed at her.

The pained and horrified expression on her face spoke volumes. The words had cut deep and were tearing the fight out of her. Collie was lost in her own grief and guilt as her gaze turned toward the stairs. Just a bit ago, she'd taken their children up to bed. Even after all this time, she still blamed herself for Madison's hearing loss. She'd been over it a thousand times. If she had done something, anything, differently. How had she been exposed to that disease during her pregnancy' She'd been careful, but it wasn't enough. Her eyes narrowed and through gritted teeth she delivered words that shattered his cocky attitude. "Maddie has these ears, too."

Silence. In the absence of voices, the grandfather clock in the hall ticked. Their hearts beat and every breath was a whisper like the soft pattering of snowflakes against the windows. The wind outside was howling, but it was muffled by the solid door and walls of the old house. Voices were still silenced when hands touched and tender embraces were exchanged. Moments, maybe hours, had passed when she found herself alone on the couch once again. In that moment between dreams and waking, she wondered if they'd been walking in each other's dreams.