CHAPTER 22: IT’S OKAY! P2
~22.2~
*****
“What do you remember?”
“I remember it all. I hurt mommy, then... then you stopped me.”
Kye nodded. “That’s right. A long, long time ago, Suzuka Sakaguchi ended the life of one of her mothers, Sayaka Sakaguchi. Suzuka wanted to end her other mother’s life, too, but Shiori didn’t let her. I just want to make sure that you understand who each of these people are.”
Rei nodded, her tears finally under control. “Mommy Alethea is Sayaka, Mommy Kye is Shiori, and I am Suzuka.”
“Yes. Tell me exactly what I did to you.”
Alethea gasped. “Why would you ask that?”
Kye didn’t look away even slightly. Her eyes were locked on Rei’s. “If you remember the past, we can’t solve this as if you are a child. How much do you remember?”
“I remember you showed up after I... did the deed. And we spoke for a moment. Then my senses slowly faded as you casted a strange magic. It was silvery white.”
“Rei,” Kye said. She swallowed hard before finishing. “I used a type of magic that would rob you of your pain. Even in that moment, I never wanted you to hurt. That things got to that point means I failed. I...”
“I... I remember coughing up blood, and you said... you said...” she recalled the memory. Her eyes widened. “You promised! You promised me I would be your daughter again and that I wouldn’t grow up wanting for attention.”
Kye nodded with a light smile. “Yes. I promised you that, and Eve has finally allowed the three of us to be together again. But, since you remember... I have to ask...”
Rei shook her head, knowing what Kye wanted to say. “No, it’s okay. It’s okay. That evil is gone. I... I don’t understand why I ever wanted to hurt anyone, but that evil is gone. It’s okay now. I just want to be my mommies’ daughter now. I want to grow up and be a good girl this time! I promise, mommy!”
“Rei. Sweetie, are you sure? I... I killed you. My... own daughter.” Rei reached out and cleaned up a tear Kye didn’t know she had. Kye saw the smile on her daughter’s face. “Rei?”
“You used your magic to stop it. I don’t have any memory of pain. You kept me from being hurt.”
Kye shook her head. “But it doesn’t change all the mistakes I made. I neglected you and turned you into... that, and I...”
She suddenly felt a hand on her back, and both of them were pulled together in Alethea’s arm. “What matters is we’re together. We can make up for our mistakes now. We can do better... together.”
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Kye pulled Rei back and looked between her and Alethea. “Rei sweetie, I was weak. We made the world a better place, but I lost sight of so many things in the process. I promise you I will not let you go wanting for love. I promise everything will be better now.”
Meanwhile, outside the door, Layla was listening to the entire exchange. She had tears of her own, and was willing to step inside if she felt she needed to. But as she listened, they proved that they’d be okay. She smiled when Alethea said, “We can do better... together,” and walked away.
*****
“She remembers her past life?” Adele asked. She and Michelle exchanged glances, both surprised. The family, including all four parents, all six children, Liliana, Aliana, their three children, Astarte, and Astraia, were at the dinner table the night after Rei reconciled with her parents about their past life.
“That’s unheard of. No normal soul has ever carried memories of a past life to another life,” Michelle said, eyeing Rei, who nodded in response.
Kye shrugged. “I don’t know why, but apparently... she’s like us now. Immortal.”
“She’s what? That’s impossible! We can grant Radiance to mortals, but not immortality!”
“So, she’s... what... the hundredth?” Adele said, believing Kye right away.
Alethea shook her head. “I don’t think so. Eve didn’t change her...” She paused for a moment and thought back a few years to the time when they met Evelyn and their friends suddenly got an upgrade. “Come to think of it... some of us didn’t awaken as immortals until very recently.” She looked at Kye and exchanged glances, then eyed the Venturi and Atlantis sisters.
“Hmm...” Kye mumbled.
Alethea nodded. “Perhaps this was already in place?”
Lily suddenly stood up and headed for the door. “There is a visitor.” She came back a minute later with Evelyn in tow. “I present Lady Evelyn Barrett of Alcanus.”
“Greetings, young family,” she said with a smile. “I hope I’m not intruding.”
“I shall prepare a place for you at the table, Lady Evelyn,” Liliana said, and went to the other room to get what she needed.
Evelyn walked up to Kye and waited for her to speak.
“So... uh... what’s up?”
“This world is quite the place to live, Elysia. I’m very proud of you.”
Kye sighed. “Yeah, yeah, but you know I only created this world. I didn’t help its growth. It’s become what it is now without my influence.”
“Yes, but you did lay the foundation and made it all possible.” Evelyn eyed Rei. “Just like you made that possible.”
“Would you not refer to my child as ‘that’?”
“I’m referring to her immortality.”
Kye shrugged. “I figured that was why you suddenly visited. You were listening in, weren’t you?”
“Of course! I hear the thoughts and words of every soul in every world, after all. You could liken me to the ultimate voyeur.” She winked.
“Eh, I’ll pass.” At that point, Liliana had finished preparing a place for Evelyn at the dinner table. When Evelyn and Liliana were seated, Kye continued, “So, what do you want to talk about?”
“The very same topic you were already discussing. Little Rei here is indeed not the hundredth. No, there are only ninety-nine.”
“Then how did she gain immortality?”
Evelyn smiled. “You did that yourself.”
What? I did? I can do that? Is that something lost in my memories? Why did I seal my memories? Past me, you’re stupid!
“I wish you hadn’t done so either,” Evelyn said with a shrug before digging in to her meal. “Thank you for the food!” After a few bites, she looked around. Everyone else had stopped eating and was watching her. “What? Is there something on my face?”
*****
Revision: 2024-8-7