Allison felt moderately better after a shower. She looked between the leggings and t-shirt and dress she’d laid out. Was she going to be comfortable or was she going to make her mom happy. That was the actual question. She sighed and picked up the dress. It was in the African style. Multicolored with a complicated pattern. Her mother had bought it for this occasion on Allison’s behalf. Her mother was treating this party like it was a work event.
Her mother had been insufferable earlier in the day, because she was trying to get things ready, Eyre had to keep shooing her out of the kitchen. Allison sighed one last time and pulled the dress on. She looked at herself in the dressing mirror. In the distant past in the age holo-logging amateur historians would call, ‘Meto’, she could have been accused of cultural appropriation by someone. It would have been a baseless accusation, she was African, at least in the sense she was raised in the culture by her parents. Not that such things bothered anyone in the thirtieth century. Humanity was now a homogenous mishmash of its previous cultures. Alliance Standard wasn’t English any longer, it had thousands of words from other languages that just described things better. She smoothed the dress out and shook her head. She was far too pale to look even close to good in the dress. Her mother would look amazing with her dark skin. Allison just faded into the background and the dress took over. She shrugged at her reflection.
“Well, whatever makes you happy mom.”
She left her dressing room behind and opened her master bedroom door. The silence of her room gave way to a cacophony of voices. Several guests had arrived in her absence. So far, Mitena, Numari, Isis, Kennedy, Kennedy’s mother Bee, Kennedy’s brother, Kennedy’s sister, their children, and Violet. Of course, Eyre had already been there, she’d been working remotely while she had been cooking in the kitchen. Apiyo was being a social butterfly, trying to be the hostess in her daughter’s place. Allison didn’t mind. She felt out of place. Aryna was sitting on the couch with a glass of wine, talking to Kennedy who was drinking water. Allison joined the pair that were as close to her age, or at least maturity level as she could find in this crowd. Kennedy hugged her tightly.
“Hey Allie!”
Allison hugged her back. Aryna smiled at the pair. After the hug broke, Kennedy and Aryna went back to their discussion, which was surrounding the Dark Mother, of all things. Apiyo noticed Allison had come out of her room and moved towards her. Her mother leaned down and spoke quietly.
“You look so beautiful in that dress.”
Allison rolled her eyes at her mother, but instead of complaining about the dress she then just smiled and patted her mother’s hand.
“Thanks mom.”
Apiyo smiled at her and wandered off. Allison looked around for Oozie. She found the nargle soaking up cuddles from the children in the room. She shook her head. Oozie seemed in her element as she gently nudged one of Kennedy’s nieces out of the way as a sharp knife fell to the floor. Maria arrived. Much like everyone else besides Allison, Apiyo and Aryna, she was dressed casually. Well for her. She was wearing a black lace covered dress instead of her usual presidential power suit. It made Maria look even more pale. Like she’d just walked out of a Victorian death photo. This was Maria as she was, the blue tinge to her lips. The sallow cheeks. The blue tinged nails. A walking dead woman. Allison had never seen her like this. Her aunt was usually in make up that hid her actual appearance from the citizens of the System’s Alliance. It was disconcerting. Worrisome almost, as if Maria could collapse dead at any moment.
Maria hugged her way through those gathered at the apartment. Her last stop was Allison. Allison wasn’t expecting her aunt to be so strong. In honesty, like this she looked small, maybe even younger than Allison.
“Thank you for spending your Christmas with us. It means more then you know.”
Allison blushed.
“Thanks for inviting us. I feel kind of out of place…”
Maria patted Allison’s back before releasing her from the hug.
“You belong here, it’s your apartment. You’re part of the family, so is Apiyo, you both belong here. I love your dress.”
Allison straightened the dress out.
“My mother picked it. I don’t think it’s me, but if it makes her happy.”
Allison shrugged.
“I like yours. It suits you.”
Maria laughed.
“I like it a lot too. I miss wearing them. It is nice to be me, even if it is only once per year these days.”
An incoming call indicator beeped. Allison held up her finger and excused herself to check and see who was at the front door of the building. The beep was the one that indicated someone was at the security desk. She moved away from the crowd and tapped the command to answer on her AR HUD. Her building’s security officer, an older woman spoke.
“Miss Aurelius, there is a man named Miles here, did not give his last name. He is saying he received an invitation, I confirmed, I just wanted to make sure… He looks sketchy.”
Allison narrowed her eyes. She didn’t know who invited him. She wasn’t sure if she was going to use the opportunity, they presented her with to punch him in the face or not after the mess he made when he ordered the motorcycle on her. Either way, he was going to get an earful the moment she could get him alone.
“He’s fine. Send him up.”
She went to the elevator and had her fists closed. When the door opened Miles was standing there in what probably amounted to his best set of clothes. He was holding a container with homemade cookies and a bottle of wine. Allison didn’t move to take any of it.
“Hello Miles. Please put the wine and cookies down so I can punch you in the face.”
Miles shook his head.
“I’d rather not, you know, uh, so, Merry Christmas? Uh… did you invite me so you could er punch me?”
Allison shook her head.
“No, I would like to believe it was my present after the bike thing! Gah, how could you?”
Miles shrugged.
“You looked like you needed the nudge. So, I nudged.”
Allison glared at him.
“Do you know how much trouble I got in from Eyre and my mom? Or how much it costs to insure the stupid thing? More than I make in a month!”
Her raised voice drew attention to them. Olga came over and held Allison back before she could take the swing she was winding up for.
“I get it, kid, he has a punchable face, but uh, Eyre asked me to stop you from clocking him. Maria invited him. Hit him later, I’ll swear under oath to anything you say. In the meantime, please, come in Miles.”
Miles moved quickly to escape Olga’s menacing glare. Allison couldn’t help but feel there was more to it than Olga just disliking him. She sighed and spoke quietly.
“Thanks. Mom would have killed me if I started a brawl.”
Olga nodded.
“Sure, what’d he do anyway? You still mad about getting dragged into that Titan thing?”
Allison threw up her hands.
“He ordered a three hundred thousand credit motorcycle on my account, and it got delivered to my house. My mom was not happy. It costs more to insure than I make in a month! I’m lucky I’m not grounded until my twenty-first birthday.”
Olga laughed.
This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.
“Well, get him back later. This is a big deal to Eyre and Maria. They have been celebrating it every year as a family in some form for a few thousand years. So, for their sake, just smile and try not to throw him off the building huh?”
Allison nodded and they wandered back into the party. Apiyo was asking Miles about the cookies and trying one. Allison collapsed back into her spot on the couch after she glared at Miles one last time. Oozie bounded at him shortly afterwards and started growl-hissing at him. Her razor sharp claws were out. Allison had never seen the nargle behave like that. Allison was forced to get up and intervene. She put her hand on Oozie’s head.
“Please stop Oozie. He’s allowed here.”
Oozie growled and took a nip at Miles but didn’t connect. Allison pointed at the children.
“Go, keep the kids out of trouble.”
Oozie turned away, gave Miles a death glare and then went back to the children. Miles watched the nargle walk away.
“What the hell is that thing?”
Allison smiled.
“My bodyguard. Apparently, she thinks what you did sucks too. You’re just lucky she’s still a kitten.”
Allison walked away and resumed her spot on her couch. Maria stood in front of the large display in Allison’s living room and cleared her throat. She motioned for everyone to gather around. Once everyone was settled, she addressed the group.
“My father would start these gatherings with a speech about family and how love is the strongest force in the universe. He was a bit of a romantic at heart. He was not wrong. I firmly believe love is how we defeated the Black Son, I believe love is what allowed my sister to save reality from collapsing. I believe it is love that will bring her and Hazel back to us.”
She smiled.
“Our family has changed over the millennia, people have come, and people have gone. Family isn’t about blood; It is about finding one another. Everyone here is family. The Aurelius name may not be legally attached to everyone here, but you are part of the Aurelius family. The name came from my mother, Aurelia. My father took it to honor her. Allow me to reminisce about her, she was a kind, gentle but strong woman. A bright shining light, taken from us too soon. Like Amee. Our friend and my sister-in-law. Also, a visionary. She sacrificed more for our people than anyone will ever know, and she asked for nothing in return. What she wanted most was a daughter of her own. She did not live to see her daughter born, but I know she would be very proud of her.”
She paused briefly.
“Enough about our losses, look what we have gained. Bee, has had five grandchildren and Kennedy, a late blessing. Isis, you have always been here in spirit, but it is my shame you have never been directly invited. I apologize. Numari is practically my grandniece to hear Hazel tell the story. Mitena and Violet, we are so glad you joined our family. Eyre, my niece your mother would be so proud of you. Miles, you are probably wondering why you were invited. You and Hazel were so close, we should have done this years ago. You are practically my nephew. I am sorry. Olga, I know you miss your family sometimes, I am glad you have chosen us as a new family. Helen, this must all be very strange to you. Thank you for coming, it gets better, I promise. Aryna, I appreciate you joining us. You went and made Allison your sister, so now you are stuck with all of us. Apiyo, thank you so much for joining us. I know the last few months have been a rollercoaster for you. I am sorry for that. This must be very strange for you. Finding out everything you knew about your daughter’s origins to be… wrong. I know this is a hard time of year for you because of your own losses. We are a pale shadow of what you have lost, but we are here with you.”
Maria’s eyes drifted to Allison.
“Allison, my youngest niece. What can I say to you? We have spent so long trying to hide you away and keep you safe. We should have been spending it showering you with our love. I am glad Apiyo could give you so much. I made a grave error in judgment. To Isis and I, you were the last vestiges of my sister. Something we thought needed to be preserved at all costs. We wanted you to have an ordinary life, to have what your mothers never had. Because we thought that is what they would want. We made a mistake, because there is nothing ordinary about you. We did it out of love and we will spend the rest of our lives trying to make it up to you. I am glad we are finally able to include you and your parents in this family tradition. Your other mothers would be very proud of everything you have accomplished.”
Allison wasn’t sure how to feel. Maria was moving to sit down. Eyre cleared her throat.
“You’re forgetting something, Aunt Maria.”
Maria shook her head.
“You’ve heard it hundreds of times before.”
Eyre smirked.
“Yes, but the newcomers haven’t. You’re not going to rob the children and Allison of your Christmas story are you?”
Maria shook her head. A call interrupted everyone. It was coming directly to the apartment. Allison wrinkled her nose.
“I’m so sorry, I’ll get rid of them.”
She walked up to the wall panel and before she could respond the big display came to life. It took a few moments for whatever recorded the message to focus but then Enid Aurelius, the Dark Mother appeared on the screen. She was wearing a blue hoodie, a Nirvana t-shirt, a pair of leggings and a black baseball cap that kept her unruly mass of red curls contained. Honestly Allison thought the girl on the screen could have been a student at her school. She looked so small. She’d expected her biological mother to be beautiful, divine. She just looked plain. Average. Non-threatening. Behind Enid was a mall food court, it was decorated for Christmas. Anyone from the twentieth century would recognize the décor as nineteen nineties American mall. At a large round table nearby sat Helen, a tall muscular teenage girl Allison could pick out as Hazel, there was a young girl as well who was easily identifiable as a child of Enid. Enid addressed the camera. Likely one in a cell phone.
“Sis, move your fat ass so everyone can see me.”
Maria quickly moved to the side.
“Thanks sis. Hello everyone. Took a while to get you all together in one place. Merry Christmas. Before some of you think this is going to be some universe shattering message from a goddess, it’s not. Just me, sending a message to my family. So, you can see behind me, I picked up a few stragglers. The young one is Matilda, named after her paternal grandmother. She’s six. She was born in the twelfth century. Then there is Helen. I adopted her. You already know that though because she’s there with you scratching the back of her head in confusion. They’ll be there relatively soon, though that part I’m not sure about. Anyway…”
She smiled.
“Oh, I wish I could be there. That turkey smells great Eyre. So, first off, where am I? Well right now I’m in a mall in New Jersey so Matilda could meet Santa for the first time. She loved his beard by the way. That’s not the where you wanted to know. I am sorry to say, that’s one thing I don’t know. What I am about to do is making things very cloudy where I’m concerned. So, I have no idea where I might be when you’re watching this. What I do know is that one day, I’ll be home, because I’m not going to surrender myself to the fate I saw. I have a plan. It’s probably a terrible plan, but I need to believe it’s going to work. Hope it works. We will come back, Hazel, Matilda, Mom, Dad, Miko, Allison’s twin brother, Amee, we will be back.”
Enid laughed when Matilda ran up to her and hugged her leg. Matilda asked.
“When are you coming back to the table mommy, can we get more ice cream?”
Enid ruffled Matilda’s hair.
“Go back to your sisters. I’m just leaving a message for your other sisters, munchkin. And yes, we can get as much ice cream as you want. Just give me a few minutes.”
Matilda waved at the phone before running off.
“Where was I? Ah, I was about to give a grand speech about family, but I know Maria’s already done that. A very bad one, but she’s new. So, I’ll just pass my messages along before I go get ice cream for the little monster. Helen, sorry it took so long to get you free. Things had to play out in a certain way. Maria, sis, I am laughing just thinking of you stuck as president. Karma’s a beautiful thing. Olga, Hazel misses you very much, sorry about the cancer, but you are happy with your new body, so I’m glad for that. Bee and company, keep being awesome. Isis, thanks for carrying the twins. I appreciate the strength it took to let Allison go. Numari, be better to your mother. She’s old. Mitena please tone down the rhetoric, for my sake? Go buy a planet and let the Earth be what it is. Ah, Miles, the juvenile delinquent turned mercenary. The beard looks good on you, Hazel misses you a lot, and she has another message just for you. You’ll get a call later on tonight after you get home. Answer it alone. Welcome to the family and if you ever pull my daughter into another one of your hairbrained schemes again… Remember, I can alter reality… Isis, I have your son safely tucked away. You don’t remember this, but you begged me to keep him safe. When we come back, you’ll get to meet him all over again. I suppose nature abhors a vacuum, so it filled the void with Numari. I’m sorry it’s going to take so long for us to get back.”
She looked specifically towards Allison, Aryna and Apiyo.
“Aryna, you do not know this yet, but I was very much like you. My people have faded away. I was taken in by Maria’s parents when I was twelve years old. We were instant friends and eventually we were like sisters. You have found that in Allison and she has found that in you. I’m sorry for everything that has happened to you and for what is to come but trust in her and this family and you will come out on the other side.”
Her eyes drifted to Apiyo who was staring at the screen with wide eyes.
“Apiyo, you are the best mother I could hope to raise our daughter. She is who she is today because of you and your husband. Her life is not going to be easy, because of you she is going to have the heart and resilience to handle whatever is thrown at her with compassion and grace.”
Enid touched her chest.
“If I could return your family to you, I would, in a beat of my heart but it is not within my power. Time must run its course in some cases. Your family is one of those cases. I tried so hard to bring your twin back to you to repay you for the raising of our daughter, but it was a time-locked event. No matter what I did, it always ended the same way. I want to be clear. Even though I hope to get back there, I will never try to replace you in Allison’s life. She already has the perfect mother. She doesn’t need me messing things up.”
Apiyo fanned herself, tears dripped from her eyes. Enid spared a sad smile in her direction before her eyes focused on where Allison was seated.
“Hello, kiddo. I know there is a lot of crazy things going through that beautiful head of yours. I’m not what you expected. Sorry. I’m just a plain, freckled Scottish red-headed girl. There is so much I want to say to you. So much I wish I could have done for you. The fact is you don’t need me. You have amazing parents. You are ready for what the world is going to throw at you. That is the best a parent can hope for. I love you. If I manage to get back there, and if you want, we can have a relationship, and if you don’t, I understand. Keep your chin up. You got this.”
Enid glanced towards Maria.
“Love you sis.”
The message ended and the screen went black. Everyone sat in a stunned silence for several minutes. The silence was interrupted by the alarm going off indicating it was time to pull the turkey out of the oven.