Chapter 59: The Curse of Teenhood

For the most part, my childhood was filled with science and math. There was an upstairs chemistry lab table that was stocked full of various chemicals and ingredients (almost all of them were expired, but that rarely stopped me from using them). I was attending a different high school from Leah, as mine was IB. I had also taken some AP tests, for a fee, and had studied to write my SATs in case I wanted to go to university in the States. I had been shocked to discover that in the last four generations of my family, only two members had gone to university—Uncle Harry, who was a surgeon, and Great-Aunt Sandy, who went for the creative arts.
    The family certainly had a history with politics, and my father's expectations were for me to go into business or political science. I had no desires to follow such a route, but I understood that a safe, comfortable, and wealthy life would lie before me if I heeded his request.

Despite the fact that William was born a ghost, he appeared to age and grow in a manner comparable to normal infants. Or so I believed. I wasn't fond of young children and tried to avoid him when I could. Even Charles could be bothersome at times. He was in elementary school, and acted with such a cocksure attitude that I was certain he would get in trouble when he was older. Leah's legacy of cold popularity created the walkway for Charles. While the rest of us shunned paparazzi and the attention attached to our names, Charles lived for it. Although not particularly skilled in STEM subjects, he excelled at communication classes, picking up languages easily and engaging in debate club. His focus, however, was on making as many friends as possible. Equipped with a golden-tongue and passive parents, there was nothing Charles couldn't get away with.
    Despite being extremely spoiled, even I could admit that Charles was not selfish. He was particularly affectionate with William, happily accepted baby-sitting duties, and always put William first. Begrudgingly, I could admit that Charles was a far better elder brother than I.

I preferred to occupy my time with other activities. Fishing, conducting science experiments, looking out the scope of a telescope... They all appealed to me far more than interacting with others. The leniency of my parents drove me to make decisions by myself of morality and what was right and wrong. Which led me into trouble on more than one occasion.
    For some reason, our town enforces a curfew. This is a law I've begged my father to change, but which he has insisted lies outside his jurisdiction.
    I could come up with exactly two reasons for a curfew: in order to prevent teenage crime, and in order to prevent teenagers from being a victim of a crime.
    In order to avoid these things, I decided to enjoy my nighttime activities close to the house, where I knew I would be safe.
    Unfortunately, even fifty feet off my property was considered to be breaking curfew in the eyes of the man who cuffed me and returned me to my parents.

"This is completely unnecessary," I fumed, pushing my glasses further up my nose.
    The cop chuckled. "Really? This is for your own safety. You know the rules. Don't break them."
    "I can handle myself."
    "You're covered in soot, for some reason. Clearly you can't."
    "I'm not going to follow illogical laws. Laws forbidding stealing and unethical acts are sensible. Laws forbidding someone from exiting their home at a certain time are dystopian."
    He didn't say anything more, simply dropping me off and informing my parents that next time, it wouldn't be a warning. For once, my parents actually tried to discipline me, and 'grounded' me. I put the word grounded in quotations because the times they restricted me from exiting the house were the same that curfew was enforced.
    Needless to say, I didn't care enough to abide by such a trifling matter.

Somehow, between the lines and math and the space between the stars, I had discovered something tangible that grounded me on the earth.
    Sailing. Ever since our travels to Egypt, I had begged my parents to enrol me in windsurfing and sailing classes, and had placed various pieces of fishing equipment on my Christmas wishlists.
    There was something about being on the water that made my mind clear and an inexplicable sense of happiness overwhelm me. Every morning, I rose before dawn to fish, bringing home my catches for breakfast. My parents hadn't minded me getting up before curfew for that.
    In the evening, I would attend debate club after class, go home, do my homework, eat, and then head out on the water until I was surrounded by nothing but the glassy ocean. That's when I would begin my dives, collecting seashells and swimming alongside the fish.
    I was lucky my family was rich, because all the oxygen I bought for my scuba tank cost a pretty penny.

I managed to successfully sneak out for a few days. One night, I returned home a bit later than usual and climbed upstairs to work on some experiments. Unfortunately, my purple father was waiting for me. Yes, purple.
    "Dad, are you okay?"
    "Oh, I'm perfectly fine! Don't I look fine, son?"
    "I don't understand... were you outside? You must be freezing! Should I call the hospital?"
    "Phillip. I know you've been sneaking out. I've spent the last two hours searching every nook and cranny for you—including outside! The surfing equipment was gone from the garage, but even when I swam in the water, I couldn't find you!"
    I was a bit baffled that he would swim in an attempt to look for me. "Dad, I don't really understand the situation, but I don't want you to be mad at me. I'll clean the whole house if that's what it takes for you to forgive me."
    He blinked twice. "Okay, that sounds reasonable."
    I hid my smirk when he turned his back. That man had no idea how to discipline.

    I felt a reassuring hand on my shoulder and put on my best pouty face as I turned to face my mother. "Mom, I don't understand why he was like that..."
    She smiled. "Don't worry about him. He was just stressed. Listen, Phil, he went into the water looking for you and turned blue within ten minutes. He was getting frantic thinking about how cold you would be."
    "That's why I have a wet suit!"
    "Still, you're not invincible."
    I shrugged and gave her a hug. Truth be told, despite my lanky frame, I withstood the elements far better than the average person, and even the frosty winters didn't deter me. I looked like a fool while wearing the full body wetsuit, but I had no qualms looking like a fool if that allowed me to pursue my passion.

Although I had found a passion, something to direct all of my energies towards, Leah was still looking for hers. She mastered the piano easily, yet didn't challenge herself further with her pursuits. Instead, she wanted to feel validated through other means. Namely, by flaunting her body in an attempt to woo others her way.
    I shouldn't be too discrediting. After all, Leah was struggling with discovering who she was. The crux of her self discovery happened during a daytime bikini beach party put on by the most popular teenagers. Needless to say, it wasn't a crowd I mingled with. Leah was kind enough to extend an invitation, despite knowing I would decline. Her stories afterwards made me glad I had missed the drama.

Around school, Leah had gained the nickname "Iron Keys" as a play on"Ivory Keys". She claimed that this was because she was either ice or fire depending on her mood. I held my tongue in mentioning that the temperatures of metals do not change "because of their mood".
    She was a flirt, to summarize my findings, and was known to make out with at least one new boy at every party she went to. Since she was only a second year in high school, not many people were venturing further than that.
    At this bikini beach party whatever event, Leah had made sure to wear the most revealing bikini she could possibly find to compliment her spray-tanned skin and minuscule physique. After seeing her in it, I considered burning my eyes with bleach, but decided against it since the last image imprinted into my brain would be an utterly horrifying one of my sister.
    After choosing her prey, someone else drew Leah's attention.

It was fitting, truly. The equation suddenly made sense. The only other person who could match Leah's flirtatious, attention-seeking, confident personality was that of another girl. The girl's name was Jo (a bit contrarian in my opinion), and she was cool as a cucumber and as nasty as cat claws.
    Feeling irresistible, Leah didn't wait long before attacking her prey.

There were plenty of eyewitnesses to report back on the event. The show was something the male (and female, apparently) onlookers greatly enjoyed.
   Leah told me that from this moment, she knew that she was gay. That throwing away any preconceived notion, accepting that she would never be heiress anyway, and embracing her desires allowed her to feel comfortable in assessing her attractions.
    Unfortunately, this moment was not quite as enlightening for Jo.

"What the hell did you do that for?" Jo had screamed, causing the onlookers to avert their eyes.
    Leah had been repentant, apologizing profusely and promising not to do it again. And, just to push her luck, she asked if they could start over.
    "I'm not thrilled at the idea of dating someone who lunges at me like that," she had responded.
    Leah had promised her that if she ever did something even remotely unwanted again, she would allow Jo to reject her without putting up a fight. After many minutes of promises and flattery, Jo agreed to try things out.
    And that was how Jo started coming over to our house every single day, at first, to do homework, but considering Leah's intellect, that usually left them plenty of time to swap spit.

I had hoped that when Charles got older, he would have acted as an ally to me. Alas, he was even more rambunctious and difficult to handle than either Leah or I. I broke rules, Leah partied hard, and Charles did both. Tensions quickly rose between him and my father. The breaking point was when my father prohibited Charles from babysitting William. Despite his many flaws, Charles had an enduring love for our youngest sibling, and immediately resented my father for this decision. Father told him that if he wanted to be a good brother, he would have to start by being a good role model. This led into a tumultuous argument that I evaded, using the opportunity to sneak outside.
    It was exhausting to listen to them. I still wasn't sure of the details of their relationship. All I knew is that to this day, my father and Charles never saw eye to eye. Most parents grow more lenient with the more children they have. With my parents, it was quite the opposite. I was the golden child, and almost all rules were let slip when I was the one breaking them.

The most brotherly act I've ever done was one that, at its heart, was selfish. I was fascinated with the challenge of creating the famous metamorphium potion, and offered it to my sister to test its effects on her imaginary friend. When I saw what her friend turned into—a pudgy, trashy girl with a nasty sense of humour, I couldn't help but feel that I had done something wrong. After all, why would Leah ever imagine someone so despicable?
    To my relief, Leah seemed happy at this transformation, and thanked me rather than reprimanding me.

Her friend, Francina, made her introduction to the family by approaching Charles and immediately ensnaring him in her grasp, feasting her lips on his. Leah was thoroughly amused, especially when she explained the situation to Charles and added in additional details, such the fact that when Francina was invisible, she would hide in his room to watch him change.
    Leah later told me that this story wasn't true at all and Francina always stayed close to Leah's side growing up. One can imagine the great relief this information was to me.
    Charles, of course, immediately despised Francina and warned her never to approach him again. Francina's obvious mirth seemed evidence against any attraction she claimed to have for him.

    The largest issue with this growing number of teenagers was all of the other teenagers they brought into the house. I made sure I was scarce every evening, shutting myself away in my room to do my homework and escaping to the outdoors as quickly as possible. My parents' loose control on my siblings meant there were no restrictions on the frequency of their parties and hangouts.

    Leah's motivation was Jo, who she claimed to be 'completely obsessed' with. Sometimes, I wondered if Leah was simply stoking her own ego. Jo was, without needing to dwell on the subject, hot. Leah enjoyed many public displays of affection, especially during school hours. Avoiding my siblings was my favourite activity while trying to attend class. Leah paraded around her relationship (if one could call it that), and laughed about how she and Jo were the exact same size and could swap outfits at any point in time. To which many boys usually requested an example viewing.

    The only point I ever defended Leah on was her motivation to be so public with her interests. Many self-indulgent males claimed that she and Jo acted for the satisfaction of the boys rather than their own hormonal desires. I simply told them that if they wanted to attract any attention, it would be that of the other girls. 

    As for Charles, his intentions were purely unethical. He proudly informed me that his goal was to sleep with as many people as possible, male or female. Personally, I thought he was way too young to be thinking about such things, but that didn't stop him from inviting over muscular men and busty ladies. He was really a simple minded guy. 

    He never admitted it to me, but I was fairly certain that Francina was his first kiss. Maybe she was the ignition to his desires. However, sleeping with her was certainly never going to be an option.

    That didn't mean that having brawny friends around helped deter her interest, however. Francina may have been aware of her unattractive personality and appearance, but that certainly wasn't an obstacle in her quest for... well, whatever it was that she sought.

    Her latest victim was one of Charles' friends, Marion. He was nice, kind to Francina, and instantly regretful in his behaviour towards her.

    Marion gave her an inch and she took a mile. Er—that is to say, her advances towards him were certainly not reciprocated. And once more, this reaction apparently caused her little distress. If anything, Francina's ultimate goal was to make others as uncomfortable as possible. I can affirm that I've been locking my door for a very long time now.

    On this particular night, Charles had succeeded in convincing his friend Jon to join him privately... outdoors in our front yard on a bench, despite the five centimetres of snow we had received that evening.

    This information I can share confidently as being accurate, as, unfortunately, I had been caught once more for being out after curfew. The cop was only lenient because it was half an hour after curfew and I was making my way back to shore. Frankly, it would have been amusing if he had tried to wait for me all night. I could have windsurfed to the other end of the island and simply gone to school the next morning.

    However, I didn't have the energy to deal with such an ordeal, and submitted to returning home. Unfortunately. Maybe if I had acted as a rebel, I wouldn't have had to see Jon and Charles canoodling. I also wouldn't have had to witness Francina's jubilant expression upon seeing this display, nor how she stood there watching them. I busied myself by taking care of mother's horse, given the cold, to earn myself a few brownie points with my parents. And to avoid going back inside with all the sweaty teenagers. Eventually, I used the trampoline to launch myself onto the balcony, then I snuck back through Leah's room into my own.

    Okay, fine, I didn't actually do that. But it would have been better than seeing Leah's tongue making circles on Jo's chest, with her hand down her pants. Honestly, our house had seven locked rooms and they chose to conduct their business in the living room with the lights on. Nothing could deter me more from the thought of engaging in such activities than having to witness my younger siblings fornicating with their partners everywhere.

    Thankfully, the ambiguous man in the sky must have heard my desperate calls for help, because he bestowed upon me a joyous gift that alleviated my grief and even brought a dash of excitement to my heart: father was cursed by a mummy.

    To clarify, it was not the curse itself that brought me joy, but the consequences of this curse—a return trip to Egypt. It also explained why I had frequently seen father trying to learn snake charming. Charming a snake could apparently also mend the curse, but he was running out of time and hadn't made any progress.

    Honestly, I had just accepted my family's peculiarities and assumed he wanted to learn snake charming for personal growth and leisure. 

    A week without Francina, William, or other nuisances/responsibilities. A week without seeing my siblings shove their tongues down someone's throat, of worrying about our idiotic curfew, or the mundanities of school. Finally, a week where I could just relax. Surely nothing would interfere with that!

Chapter 58: Diligent Devising

Life was never ordinary in the house of a Casmin. From the moment I was born, I was surrounded by peculiarities. Ghostly great-grandparents that roamed the house freely, blue blood running through my veins, the heir of a title, and belonging to a family that possessed ninety percent of the wealth in my city—I stood out from the start. My parents had named me after my father's maternal grandfather, Phillip.

None of that compared to the fact that my mother was a ghost. Yes, a living, br—er, a living ghost. The story my parents had told me was that my Uncle's girlfriend had jealously killed my mother in an attempt for the throne. In an act of pure love, my father persisted until he managed to revive her—according to my mother, it was with a kiss.
    Dubious to the story, I simply amused my fanciful parents by accepting their tale as truthful. One thing I certainly couldn't deny, however, was my parents' love for each other. As a result of that, I had two younger siblings—Leah and Charles.

My mother was the youngest of four, and my father a single child, so neither could relate to my situation. The one person who could was long gone. My grandfather, known as 'Andy', had had a younger brother and sister. Unfortunately, he died not long after the birth of Leah. According to the testimony of my Cousin Bashful (a ridiculous name if I ever did hear one), he had accepted Death like the embrace of an old friend. I simply scoffed and informed her that she was reading too many Harry Potter books.

Before the birth of my younger brother, however, Leah and I were inseparable. We would play in the pen together, amusing ourselves when our parents were otherwise occupied. I have many memories of days when mother would carry us upstairs and let us play while she painted. Her painting was no doubt a way to grieve for her father's passing, but the hobby eventually turned into another way to make money for her. After all, as she aged, riding jockey in competitions became more difficult and she turned to breeding and raising horses rather than strictly equestrian jobs.

    Nevertheless, her method of coping with grief allowed Leah and I time to explore our imaginations. She chose crayons and blocks while I preferred the dollhouse. Perhaps, looking back, one might equate such a choice as being feminine, but toddlers have no perceived notion of gender and I simply liked creating stories with characters.

One of my fondest memories growing up was when my parents permitted me to keep a squirrel I had befriended. It had taken several minutes of reasoning with them, but it was not long before they were convinced. If I was to be quite frank, my parents preferred the permissive style of parenting. They were fortunate that I had no interest in deviance, as I doubt they would have been able to control any misbehaving. And, fortunately for me, this casual relationship I had with my parents allowed me to pursue my own interests. Besides, I took good care of my squirrel. I fed him regularly, cleaned his habitat, and set aside time to bond with him by petting him.

 Despite my parents' interest in acting more as a friendly figure to me rather than an authoritative one, I often felt a disconnect from the rest of my family. Before I was very good at reading, I used to ask my father to read to me from philosophical books as well as tactical chess books. Childhood cognitive learning is essential for later development, thus I wanted to have a head start in life. Hard work as a child would surely lead to success later in my life, and I hoped that this early realization would allow me to live comfortably after securing a stable career.

A person can only improve if they recognize their faults. Without a doubt, mine would have to be jealousy. Independent children have little need to cling onto their parents' arms. When their parents extends a hand to help them stand when they have fallen, these children stand on their own. Every child must arrive at this point eventually. I simply regret how early I reached this point.

    I was, then, jealous of how my parents interacted with Leah. I was jealous of how she relied on our parents for survival. A ridiculous thing to be jealous of, given the fact that I too, required my parents for survival—the need was simply more indirect. 

Being aware of this fault did not mean that I had the capacity to change myself, however. Instead, I dedicated myself to a constant pursuit of knowledge. Even in the dead of winter, nothing brought me greater thrill than exploring the night sky from the balcony of my own home. My curious nature did not impede my sense of self-protection, however, and I made sure to be properly dressed for any nighttime excursions. 

    Every night, after my mother and father had kissed me goodnight, I would slip out of bed and reclaim my winter coat and gloves from beneath my bed, then retreat to the world of wonder found within the stars.

A great mind would be nothing without imagination. The ability to disappear into a different world hinted at further creative abilities. A genius could use the formulas of the men who came before him to solve the same problems they had solved, but an innovator would discover new formulas and pursue all possibilities without question.

    It was this in mind that I allowed myself to dress up in costumes and explore the life of another. A less astute person might simply arrive at the assumption that I liked to play dress-up and make-believe, but it was all in my plan for the future.

How one presents themselves is fundamental to how they will be perceived. It is simple logic. In that regard, I understood that my father, a prominent politician and leader in our community, renowned for his charm and ease, would be an excellent role model. Although he dressed comfortably at home, he always wore a suit to work. In mimicry, I made sure to dress accordingly, especially given the fact that I would go on to inherit the title of king. I received mocking comments at school on occasion, but for the most part, it was regarded as a simple character quirk that others were accustomed to. I wanted to be perceived as a serious, hard-driven student, and my appearance easily conveyed that to others.

    There were a few quandaries that I had with my father, but the most prominent one was the length at which he kept his hair trimmed. It was unsightly for a man to have hair the same length of his wife, and I made sure to always keep mine cut short and neat. I saved time styling it and it was never greasy. I was a model example of professionalism. 

My sister, on the other hand, could only be described as 'sassy.' She could only be described that way because she would snarl at anyone who suggested differently. Particularly at older, knowledgeable brothers who only wanted the best for their sister. She was smart, creative, musically inclined, and incredibly popular at school. Yet she had a disinterest in others that was altogether not too different from myself. In my case, however, my lack of interest in others stemmed from my keen interest in exploration, both that of the world and of sciences. Leah, regrettably, was simply self-centered.

This self-love may have been fueled by her ever-adoring imaginary friend. Among all the fables my parents had spread, the imaginary friend was one that I believed to be true. My Great-Uncle Buzz had written notes documenting potions required to alter the form of an imaginary friend. My family's words may not have convinced me, but science certainly did.

    For that matter, whenever Leah and I played together, her imaginary friend was never far off. She referred to the friend as 'Peanut.' The whole situation was a bit ridiculous, and having to address a living, sentient creature by the foolish name of 'Peanut' hardly made the situation any easier.

Despite my sister's many faults, I loved her and couldn't help but admire her tenacity and keen business mind. We had both tried our hand at baking and making treats, and Leah had discovered that Peanut had an extraordinary knack for following her directions. So, employing Peanut as a loyal servant, Leah sold the baked goods at a considerable profit. She would often make day trips to the park to attract a larger crowd of customers. Given her apparently sweet looks, Leah certainly knew how to worm her way into other's hearts through insincere smiles.

My youngest brother, William, shocked the family with his birth. He was planned, but the form he took was not. Somehow, he had inherited mother's spectral qualities. There were some things that even science could not explain. Not long after his birth, my parents had enlisted the help of my Uncle Harry. He apparently owed my mother lots of favours, and they entrusted my young brother in his care. With the babysitting duties taken care of, we traveled to Egypt. Egypt, however, had many strict policies in place about supernatural types. There was a mountain of paperwork required in order for supernatural types to travel to Egypt. Instead of worrying about that, Uncle Harry revealed something his lab had been working on. Great Uncle Buzz had invented a potion which could given the user a ghost-like appearance for a period of time. Using this, Uncle Harry had donated the potion to his hospital for research, and been rewarded with a prototype of the reverse potion.

    In short, the potion gave mother a physical presence. Although she could still pass through walls, and often took to hovering above the ground, by all appearances, she was perfectly human. It was the first time I could truly see what my mother looked like. 

My siblings and I didn't care much for touring the catacombs. Mother and father used this to their advantage and went off on their own. By the end of the trip, father had contracted a strange illness, and he told us all that we would have to return before too long. He claimed to be cursed, but I suspected he simply wanted to return to the desert sands.

    During our vacation time, however, Leah, Charles and I immersed ourselves in the warm waters. Charles had somehow learnt how to windsurfing, and graciously offered me lessons. Before long, I found myself easily spending hours on the water, enjoying the peace of the sea. On the water, I allowed my mind to wander until I was thinking of nothing at all. It was an unexpected form a meditation.

I had never really considered myself to be athletic, however, and the days on the water quickly tired me out. When I wasn't windsurfing or snorkeling, I allowed the tranquility of fishing to take its place. At the end of each night, I brought home the largest fish I had caught during the day and we would prepare it for supper. The others, I simply let go. There was no need to waste food, and among my family, a large fish was sufficient.

As I said, my parents were permissive and did not stress over my excursions. Occasionally, I couldn't help but wonder if it was affecting my growth negatively. Where was the line between permissive and detachment? Allowance and neglect? True, my parents fed me, clothed me, and verified my achievements. They had enrolled me in Scouts and I learnt valuable skills there. I could not neglect to admit, however, that my interpersonal skills were rather lacking. One day, staring at my father, the politician, the charmer, the one whose golden words led our nation, I couldn't help but feel as if I had plenty more work to do than I had anticipated. With my birthday approaching, I set a goal for myself:

By the end of high school, I wanted to make my first friend.

Chapter 57: Bachelor(ette) and Bride(groom)

The timing of Stefan's proposal was quite fortunate, as all of our family was gathered inside our house for the Christmas celebration. It allowed us to easily share the good news with everyone.
    I started off by greeting Stefan's mother—one of the people who first suggested the wedding, in fact, when Stefan and I were just children.
    "After everything that's happened, what with Stefan losing his father when he was young, you losing your mother when you were a child, and the horrible circumstances surrounding your death, it's wonderful that you two have found love in each other," she said.
    I hadn't really thought about it like that. It was true, though that our circumstances were similar. Neither of us had ever had any close friends, but at the end of the day, it didn't really matter so long as we had each other.

While I was telling Daddy the good news, Cousin Ami was near enough to overhear our conversation.
    "Oh my goodness! That's wonderful!" she gushed, glancing back and forth between Daddy and I.
    There was something about Cousin Ami—the way she wore her hair, the coat she wore, the colour of eyes—that reminded me of my mother, no matter how ridiculous it seemed. The thought that my mother approved of the marriage, even in spirit, comforted me.

It wasn't long before the bachelorette party. Seppen Hiver was the only one I felt close enough with to ask to be in my wedding party. The wedding wouldn't be big enough to actually mandate having bridesmaids, but she constituted any role that would be required.
    Somewhat humorously, since I lacked female friends, my bachelorette party comprised mostly of family members I was close to. Harry and Bert both showed up, thankfully. Although Seppen was my sister, Harry was still the sibling I felt closest to. We were twins, after all.
    Cousin Ami, Cousin Sydney, Cousin Andrew, Doc, and Dopey were all in attendance.

"Congratulations, baby sister!" Bert declared, giving me a hug.
    "Thanks, Bert. That's an... interesting outfit choice."
    "Seppen made me wear it. She'd figure you'd get a laugh. So, Yuki... The last one of us to finally get married, eh? Does that mean I should expect another niece or nephew soon?"
    I shrugged. "Bert, look at me. I'm a ghost. I don't even think that's possible."
    "Well, I don't want to inquire about your love life, but you should probably have an idea by now."
    I couldn't help but blush, even if Bert wasn't able to see that. "Hey, my wedding dress will be white for a reason."
    Bert raised an eyebrow. "So traditional, Yuki! I guess as your brother that comes as a relief to me. Well, if you need a babysitter, Alvin will be happy to help out."
    I thanked him, but considering Alvin's history of being a troublemaker, I figured that I had plenty more nieces and nephews to choose from.

    To my surprise, the party had barely even begun when Seppen strolled in with two shirtless cops in tow. It wasn't until they started dancing that I realized they were here to put on a show. They were surprised to see me—they probably didn't attend many dead girls' bachelorette parties.
    I clapped along and cheered to them, but I didn't even have any money to offer since I hadn't expected this turn of events. Most of the guests hadn't even arrived yet, so Dopey filled in as my female friend and cheered along next to me. It made me miss Doc's company. We had grown apart over the years, which was admittedly a strange turn of events given that he had begun as a figment of my imagination.

I was letting loose the best I could sober—alcohol was never my thing—and stepped up to the karaoke machine. It wasn't long before Harry joined me. I couldn't help but scoff at his outfit which made him look much younger than he was. The truth was, we were both getting old. Starting a family in your late thirties was no easy task, but I was determined to make it work. If we had to adopt, then Stefan and I would. It just meant that I would lose the inheritance. Harry would probably be the most eligible after me since he would easily be able to move back in but—well, it didn't really matter. If I got pregnant, I would, otherwise, there were more important things in life than money.
    Harry and I sang a few country sets as a nod to our childhood spent in front of western television shows.

"Yuki, I really need to talk to you," he said as the last song died down. "I need to apologize. Shauni aside, I should have never tried to deter you from being with Stefan. Clearly he's better at protecting you than I ever was, despite the fact that I'm your older brother. I used to dislike him but... he's the reason that you're here now. And I would be the reason that you're not. I don't know how to explain to you all the guilt I've felt, and I don't want to be a downer on your celebratory day, but—"
    "Then don't," I said with a smile. "Harry, I never blamed you. And if it's forgiveness you need, then you have it. I love you, Harry, and you being blinded by love wasn't something you could control. Besides, you have a daughter from the situation. Please don't feel badly. You got the short end of the stick and you have to deal with the repercussions every day. Don't beat yourself up, okay? Let yourself fall in love again. You owe that much to yourself."

"Wow. Well, thank you, Yuki. I just wish there was some way I could really show you how sorry I am."
    I chuckled. "Well..."
    "What is it? I'll do anything!"
    "Go kiss that stripper."
    Harry smiled. "You've got it!" A few seconds later, the truth seemed to dawn on him. "Oh. Right. The strippers are men." He dejectedly walked over to the one I had pointed at.

"Hey, there," Harry said, nerves jumbling his voice in a way that never happened around women.
    The dancer leaned away from him. "Hey, I don't jive that way, man. And even if I did, I don't want people to think that's on the job description. I can give you my friend's number, if you want?" He gestured to the other stripper.
    Harry shook his head vehemently. "I'm good, thanks!" he squeaked. I couldn't help but laugh. Well, he had proven that he was willing to embarrass himself, that was for sure.

I challenged Bert, Doc, and Dopey to a game of pool. I was confident that I would lose, but didn't mind since it gave me a chance to talk to the group of guys I grew up around.
    "Doc, how's life at home?"
    Doc sighed. "I feel like the primary caretaker sometimes. I love all of our kids to pieces, but sometimes they're a bit much for one person to handle."
    "Oh, don't exaggerate, I help out as well," Dopey interjected. "Seppen is the one who brings home the bacon, so she has an excuse."
    I pocketed the eleven ball. "I know that you guys both have a relationship with Seppen, but do you have one with each other?"
    They both glanced at Bert, who was focused on making use of the foul Dopey racked up.
    "I mean..." Doc stuttered, face growing red.
    Dopey smirked. "It depends on the night."
    My face glowed to match Doc's and I quickly changed the subject.

In all, the night was a blast, and at the end we all went skinny dipping in the pool in the back. Yes, even me, the prude! Thankfully, the water and outside darkness obscured any nudity. Swimming felt a bit strange for me, but I won every breath-holding contest by an incredible margin.

I told Stefan the details of the night with bated breath, hoping without asking that he would tell me about the events of his own bachelor party. Harry had volunteered to host that one (to make for his previous indiscretions, no doubt), so I couldn't help but worry about any events that may have transpired.
    "Honey, I'm sure you're wondering if there were strippers," Stefan began. Not the best start.
    "Were there?"
    "There were... exotic dancers. No stripping actually happened."
    "You seem disappointed." I tried to keep the jealousy to a minimum.
    Stefan chuckled. "There's only one person I'd want to strip for me."
    I tried to hide my blush. "Maybe if you're good..."
    Stefan's eyes widened at my uncharacteristic words and turned red as well. "An—anyway..."

"I can't help but think that Harry invited them for his own benefit," Stefan laughed. "He was... really into the performance. I'm sure the paparazzi got a picture."
    "There were paparazzi?"
    Stefan sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "After missing out on yours, they made sure to find out when mine was. I had work colleagues at mine so I'm not surprised that word leaked."
    "I'm just surprised they still care. We're barely relevant."
    "I mean, your dad owns most of the town. Combined, we're the wealthiest family for thousands of kilometers. We've both got royal blood. You're a ghost. One of your brothers is a surgeon, the other is in the armed forces. I'm sure they've got plenty of gossip-worthy material there."

    "I wasn't exactly dressed up for the event," Stefan continued. "I was a bit tired from work and didn't really want to a bachelor party in the first place. I just wanted to appease Harry. He and I have never really gotten along."
    "Did you guys talk?"
    "Yeah. I thanked him for hosting the event and asked if he wanted to have a special role in the wedding. He said that being there was enough for him. I think he was a bit tipsy—it's not often that the hospital's top surgeon gets to unwind."
    "And did you drink?"
    "With all the paparazzi? No. I still have a public image to maintain. Besides, I was surrounded by coworkers and my in-laws. Not exactly prime drinking environment."

    "So nothing eventful happened, then?"
    Stefan smiled sheepishly. "Well, I wouldn't say that... Ariella, my coworker, has always had a thing for our boss. I guess I might have... encouraged her... a little..."
    "Stefan!" I gasped, covering my mouth to hide my smile. "She could risk her job for that!"
    "They had both had a lot to drink! And I really thought that he would reciprocate her advances. After, she's young, beautiful, intelligent—"
    "Hey, do I need to remind you who you're marrying?"
    Stefan smiled and gave me a peck on the cheek. "No one holds a candle to you, Yuki. Anyway, let's just say that her advances were rebuffed. He said that it would be a scandal, and especially horrible as they were surrounded by paparazzi."

Stefan sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "It seemed reasonable enough, until he turned around and started swapping spit with one of the dancers. Yeah, because that looks really good in any political circle. Ariella was pretty devastated. I spent the rest of the night treating her to drinks."

    "Did she get home okay?"

    "I asked Harry to take her home in a taxi. I thought it would look bad if I left with her."

    I frowned. "You care so much about reputation—what effect does it actually have?"

    "I don't know, but I'd rather not find out. Better safe than sorry. Speaking of which..." Stefan glanced at the time. "It's almost midnight. And I shouldn't see you on our wedding day until you walk down the aisle, right?"

    I nodded. "I mean, we've followed tradition thus far. Where are you sleeping tonight?"

    "Your Uncle Buzz offered his place, and the guys will meet me there in the morning."

    He stood up to leave. I couldn't help but reach out and hold his hand. "I'll miss you."

    He smiled and placed a gentle kiss atop my knuckles. "I'll see you soon, love."

    I woke up with a bundle of nerves the next morning. The nice thing about being a ghost was that any blemishes were impossible to see. It also made doing my hair a bit harder, though. Seppen helped me, and I couldn't help but feel a pang of regret in my heart that my mother wasn't there. Daddy managed to keep it together when he saw me, and it all felt worth it when I saw the look of happiness of Stefan's face.
    Flame had been with me since the beginning, so I saw it fitting to have him with me on my wedding day as my ring-bearer.

When we said our vows, I couldn't stop giggling.
    "I know that I'm a funny guy, but I'm not joking when I say I love you," Stefan whispered.
    I choked out another giggle. "I'm sorry. I love you too. I'm just nervous. I'm excited to start our life together, but I'm nervous."
    Stefan lifted up the ring. "I'm nervous too, Yuki. But let's go on this journey together."

With that, Stefan slid the ring onto my finger. We had no minister, but Daddy was officiating the marriage. He looked away, and with a quavering voice, said, "I declare you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride."
    Our kiss was soft, sweet, chaste, and one I would remember for a long time. It didn't hurt that we had practiced a lot beforehand.

We had chosen to marry in the park for a few reasons. Money, for one, and it was also a place where we shared a lot of memories together. However, as we cut the cake, I couldn't help but think of a much better reason—it was susceptible to the weather. As rain started to drizzle, Stefan and I, clutching each others hands, smiled at the crowd.
    "I guess we'll have to cut the wedding short," I said bashfully. If there was one thing that people didn't mind, it was a short wedding.
    For Stefan and I, however, we had more indecent reasons to want to leave.

    Stefan and I were all over each other from the moment we got home. Daddy was still at the wedding taking care of procedures and talking to guests, so we knew that we'd have plenty of time alone.

Stefan pulled back for a moment and looked into my eyes. The expression on his face made my heart melt.
    "You know that you are the most wonderful woman, right? How did I ever get so lucky to have you... my darling wife?"
    I giggled again. "Well, my dear husband, it doesn't hurt that you brought me back to life. You really made it impossible for me to doubt your love after that, didn't you?"

    "Do you know how much I appreciate you?" I asked softly, pressing my face into his.
    "Do I?" he teased.
    I trailed my lips along his jaw. "Let me show you," I breathed.
    He scooped me up in his arms. "Don't need to tell me twice!"

    As we settled into bed, my nerves were starting to jumble in my stomach.
    "Hey, that dress looks hard to get out of. Do you need some help?" Stefan smiled.
    I laughed, but nudged him with my elbow. "Hey, listen, Stefan. Have you ever... been intimate with another woman?"
    He shook his head. "I've kissed a few other girls, but never anything else. Have you?"
    "Yep, seven or eight ladies, all at once, in fact."
    He blinked twice, then laughed. "Okay, I'll take that as a no."
    "Stefan, you're the only one I've ever even kissed."
    "Then that makes this easier. If we both don't know what we're doing then we can hardly judge. Although I have to say..."
    I took his hand in mine. "What's that?"
    He squeezed my hand and chuckled. "The thought of you and seven or eight other ladies is kind of hot."

I shook my head and pulled him closer to me. We laid like this for a few minutes, simply enjoying each other's company. The tension between us rose, however, and Stefan began to trace a hand lightly down my my arm, sending shivers down my spine. My head turned to him and we began kissing again, more passionately this time. His hand caressed my side, then along the side of my breast, until I remembered that getting out of my dress without ruining it would be a challenge.
    I made him stand up and help me out of the dress while I simultaneously shed his clothing, until we were both down to our underwear.

I lay beneath Stefan, thankful for the size of the bed. I recalled the time Stefan had fallen asleep in my bed in his underwear. Back then, we were really only kids. We had both changed a lot, and... well, I certainly wasn't complaining about the physical changes. Stefan had filled out a lot, and my hands sought out his arms, his shoulder, even his back to touch. He had more hair now, too. My hand traced his well-defined abs, then followed the trail of hair beneath his belly button.

Afterwards, we held hands and gazed at each other, fitting every honeymoon stereotype. "I love you," I whispered.
    Stefan smiled slowly. "I love you too, Yuki."

We dozed off for a little while. When we woke up, Stefan pulled my closer to him. I snuggled in the warmth of his embrace.
    "You know..."I murmured, leaning my head against his, "If we keep going at it like this, it might not be long until we see if we can have a child yet or not."
    Stefan was silent for a few moments. "Are we ready for a child?"
    I laughed. "Maybe we should have discussed that before having sex without protection."
    "We both want children. We want to have a family. I'm not getting any younger, and I want to see my children marry. Are you ready?"
    I kissed his cheek. "Yes, but I wouldn't mind having a long honeymoon period with you."

    "Well, let's wait and see what happens. Okay, love?"
    I nodded, then smiled fiendishly. "Now that we have that settled... do you have any more energy?"
    Stefan responded with a kiss.
    It was to be sure that would find out about my fertility fairly soon.

I just wasn't aware of how soon that truly was.