Part Four
A couple of minutes later, I�m on my way towards Chris again. But I�m stopped by Beth and Jesse. The Rabbits, we used to call them. Beth is the sweetest lady to ever grace all our lives. She�s a wonderful mother. No wonder she has so many kids. She has nine altogether, and sometimes it�s hard to believe. Beth and Jesse have an �open house� policy, which I learned while growing up. More often than not it was at their house we often caught up with the other members of the DX family. It was huge, to house all their kids, and everybody else�s.
�Ciera, honey,� Beth says, hugging me tightly. �I�m so very sorry.�
�Me, too,� Jesse says, hugging me at the same time as Beth.
�We were truly shocked to hear about what had happened,� Beth tells me, shaking her head.
�You weren�t the only one.�
�Steph was�� Beth trails off, a thoughtful look coming over her face.
�She was a wonderful woman, Ciera,� Jesse finishes. �She was always-�
�Ciera,� I hear a voice call out, and I turn towards it.
I smile in greeting as Beth and Jesse�s youngest daughter, fifteen year old Kael, comes towards me. She�s a sweet kid, and extremely mature. Sometimes it feels like she�s older than me. She hugs me tightly. I feel another pair of arms wrap around me, and I turn and see Kael�s sister, eighteen year old Astrea.
�Thanks for coming you guys,� I say, pulling away from both girls.
�Hey, I got the day off school,� Kael replies with a small grin.
�And my boring day of lectures,� Astrea adds.
I laugh, not at all insulted. I stay with them for awhile, catching up on everything. And there is a lot to catch up on, considering the number of Beth�s children. But I don�t mind, because I always love hearing about their achievements. Besides, in a way, they are all part of my extended family.
Billy and Claire, Jesse and Beth�s bestfriends, join us a couple of minutes later with hugs and kisses, and we continue to talk and reminisce. As it usually does during large gatherings, the topic shifts to twenty years ago and everyone proceeds to explain their version of what had happened between Mom, Dad and Chris. I don�t mind talking about it. Actually, I never tire of hearing the story. It was bittersweet � my family breaking apart, but Mom finally reuniting with her soulmate.
Marnie and Scott also join us, with more hugs and kisses, just as Kael, probably sick of all the �adult talk�, quietly slips away. I was wrong. Mom wasn�t the first one out of �everyone� to pass away. Sean, Marnie�s first husband, died about fifteen years ago in a freak storm accident. She married Scott Knight, a very successful doctor, twelve years ago. For awhile he had been a little uncomfortable during DX reunions, but was soon accepted into the fold as an honorary member. He is an extremely charming guy. No wonder Marnie fell in love with him the second they met.
But I don�t forget Chris. As graciously as I can, I excuse myself and continue to make my way towards my father.
