January
*******

"Mommy."

Marie looked around. She was back in the house she grew up in. She tried to find the door so she could escape.

"Mommy."

She paused when she heard a woman's voice. She almost thought it was her mother, but she didn't have an accent. She looked to the left and saw a young woman wearing a yellow dress. She couldn't stare at her for long. She looked like her father.

"Mommy, hi. It's me, Lilith." She smiled at her.

She felt her lip trembling. She turned away, much to Lilith's dismay.

"You're not her. She died a long time ago."

"But mommy, I'm grown up now. I've seen Uncle Ho."

She turned back to her, slowly walking towards her. Lilith did look like a child of hers. She had her grandfather's blue-eyed and pale face. She had his bow-lip. She had her brown hair.

"Uncle Ho is very sweet. He misses you all very much." She saw Marie getting closer to her. "He asks about daddy and Luna a lot."

She jumped when Marie grabbed her and embraced her, falling down to her knees and crying. She expected this, but it doesn't make it any easier to see that.

"Don't cry, Mommy. He's okay now." She stroked her gray hair. This was actually her mother. Her living, breathing mother. "Have you seen Lloyd?"

"No!" She sobbed, making her daughter sigh. "I miss him so much, I miss all of you so much! I'm sorry for not being a good mother!"

"No, you are a good mother!" She kneed down and touched her face.

Marie touched her cheeks. She couldn't believe it. She could touch her, smell her, look into her eyes. It wasn't a headstone. It was a person.

"Mommy, you're going to be okay. I promise you will."

"Do you see your other siblings?" Marie touched her hands. They weren't red and tiny. They were long and soft. She even had them painted yellow. It was so funny to see her alive. She could wear clothes and paint her nails. She had things she liked.

She frowned. "...yes, I do. We all love you very much..."

"And I love you all very much." She kept staring at her. She had wavy long hair, dimples, and big eyes. She looked like Beom in some ways, but she got her mother's genes.

Lilith didn't know what to say to her. She couldn't tell her the truth. Lloyd's still missing, Aurora knows nothing about her, and Jo. She didn't get the answer she wanted from her, but it was so nice to see her. She's seen her before, but never in person. Lloyd was very lucky to be with her.

Marie woke up, grasping on the blanket. She sat up and looked around for her daughter, only to realize she was gone. She laid back down, facing the wall.

Beom and her recently got the vaccine. It was hard for them. Ho could've gotten it. Her husband says that he sees him in his dreams. He looks so happy to see him. He looks healthy again. He always asks him about the others, and just before he can answer, he wakes up. It didn't help that today was Ho's birthday and his mother's death date.

She's been very worried about him. He doesn't do anything anymore. He stares at his parents' portraits, smells Ho's clothes, or stares at Lloyd's blanket. He even started smoking the same brand his son smoked. She tried to get him to stop because of his heart and high cholesterol, but he didn't care.

Not to say this hasn't affected her either. She listens to his voice all the time on her phone. She holds his sword and breathing machine. She even started to bundle the machine in blankets and sing to it as she rocked it. She makes his favorite dishes sometimes and eats it despite hating strawberries.

Meanwhile, the siblings were all anxious for an answer. Lily has been staring at her hand, grasping onto air. She could still hear her voice.

"She hasn't seen him either." They groaned. "She says she loves us." She eyed Aurora's door that she herself never got to see. "All of us."

Da shook her head. "This isn't making any sense! Nobody's telling us anything!"

As Étoile was going to say something, Ho came in and dragged them to his room. They stared at the train moving past the window as he yapped about who made it and how much weight it could carry. Étoile was the only one who cared. It loves him, he's so interesting! He knows all these cool things and loves sharing things with anyone who would listen.

Lily looked over at him. Maybe he could help them.

******

"Left! Left! Oh my God, are you stupid! I said, "Left!"

White should've gone home eight months ago, but due to Covid, he's been stuck here. It's a miracle that he hadn't gotten it yet. It's been spreading like wildfire.

He thought about Lloyd. If he were alive, Covid would've destroyed him. He hasn't heard from François at all. Valentino called him a few months ago. He's not handling the loss of her dad very well. He wished he could be there, but the military never rests.

He allowed his dumbass soldiers to rest. None of them wanted to be here, and it showed.

He took a few extra minutes to catch his breath. He's been feeling so sick recently, but the vaccines should be coming soon.

"General! General!" Oh great, one of the dumbasses wanted him. "We need you!"

He groaned as he stood up, then fell to the ground.

*

He woke up in the back of an airplane, feeling like he was drowning. He tried to ask questions, but it came out as coughs instead.

"Relax, boy. You're heading to the hospital. You got Covid."

Once he was there, he was put on a breathing tube and in bed. Damn, no wonder why Lloyd hated this. It felt like there was a worm in his nose. He got his phone back, though.

The first thing he sees is a breakup text.

"Hey, Angel, I can't do this anymore. We're too far apart, and I'm not getting support I really need. I'm sorry."

He stared at it for a few seconds, debating on what to say to that. It was sent a few months ago. He swiped it away and called his mother.

"Hey, mom, can you pick me up once I'm better?"

---

February
♡♡♡♡♡

"Do you remember your parents?"

Lloyd loved this little girl. She made him little flowers and drawings. They sang and danced together. It made him feel like a true father.

She was playing with flowers again. "Yeah! My mommy was very beautiful and she liked playing with her hair! We were supposed to go to the South together!"

"Wo, that sounds fun!" He sat next to her. "What about appa?"

She stopped playing around and instead looked at the grass. "He was very angry all the time. I didn't like him. He made mommy cry a lot."

"Oh, I'm so sorry about that."

She drew in the mud. Lloyd saw her make a woman a beautiful, happy princess. Then she drew herself with the woman and a big heart around them. Then, in the corner, there was a big scary monster with a beard. It has horns and a tail as it frowned.

She pointed to the fat monster. "That's appa. Appa's a monsterrrr!!!" She playfully attacked him, making him laugh.

Lloyd grabbed a stick and drew his parents. He drew his father stupidly tall and smiling as he drew himself handsome and holding his hand. He drew his mother looking very beautiful.

"These are my parents."

She giggled and pointed to the tall stick figure. "Why is your appa so big!"

"I don't know!"

She grabbed the stick and crossed out the monster. She then drew an arrow to Lloyd and led him to her and her mother.

"I wish you were my appa. You've very nice and not fat."

He smiled gently at her. "Me too."

He looked at the picture. He didn't realize that he drew his mother slightly away from him and his father.

♡♡♡♡♡

"Uncle Ho, grandma wants to see you!" Da walked in his room.

Ho was looking at himself in the mirror. "I'm coming."

He walked into his mother's room. His parents both have separate rooms, old fashioned. She was waiting for him on the bed. He sat next to her and she hugged him.

"Mommy loves you very much." She kissed his cheek. "But, I think it's time you know the truth."

"About what?"

She looked at him. She couldn't believe she wasted fifthy-four years without him. He was so handsome and tall.

"When you were being born, I got very ill." Ho looked at her, confused. "When you finally out of my stomach, Ho, um-"

He stopped her. "-Is that why you had the accident?"

She looked down. She didn't know that he still believed that. He was told that one day, she was driving, and a tree hit her on the head, killing her. She never even learned how to drive.

"There was no accident, Ho." She saw him raise his eyebrow. "My body was very sick. When you came out, I fell asleep. I never woke up."

Ho was quiet and motionless. He thought about everything in his childhood, then in all made sense. His father never wished him happy birthday. Beom rarely talked about her around him. All those years, nobody told him.

"So why did you have me?" He didn't know his tone sounded cold.

She was taken back. "Ho, I don't regret having you. I'm happy I did so."

She tried to touch him, but he moved back. "That was a very selfish decision, mom. Appa was very sad for lots of years, and Big Brother was upset, too. That wasn't fair!"

"Aren't you happy I had you? I'm-"

"No! I'm very unhappy you did that!"

Da-Eun stared at him, her mouth open. She wanted a second baby so badly. Giving birth to Beom was very difficult. Su-Yeong didn't sleep with her for years in fear of her getting pregnant again and making her sick. She was the one who convinced him that it'll be okay. She wanted him so badly, and she was happy seeing him grow up.

"Ho, don't say that." Her voice was firm.

She knew that Ho couldn't control his facial expressions, but seeing him look at her with such disappointment and anger was very hard for her. "I'm very angry with you! I would've never wanted to be born if I knew that would happen! You made appa sad, you made big brother sad, and now you made me very sad!"

Thankfully, Su-Yeong walked in at just the right time. He overheard the conversation and sat on the other side of his son.

"Ho, I know you're very sad and mad with your mother, but you can't talk to her like that." He rubbed his back and patted his wife's shoulders. "We love you very much. We're very happy that we had you."

He was kicking his feet. "But I took away mom! You never liked my birthday, and now I don't like it either!"

He couldn't argue with that. He's very ashamed to admit that he hated that day. He didn't celebrate it, he didn't mention it, the only person that celebrated was Beom.

"Ho, I love you." Da-Eun went to touch him again but stopped when he saw his face. "It's not your fault."

"It's your fault then."

"Ho, don't talk to her like that! She's your mother!"

"But she was big brother's mother first, and I took it away!" He started crying, embarrassing himself. "I think he hates me too!"

Da-Eun remained quiet as Su-Yeong led him back into his room to let him relax. He came back and closed the door.

"Well, that was better than I expected."

"He had a point. I was selfish." She shook her head. "Now he hates himself, and it's all my fault."

He rubbed her back. "Things happens, it's nobody's fault."

♡♡♡♡♡

Beom was in his childhood home. There was no warmth, but there never was. He went up the stairs. He heard Ho crying and flew up the flight of stairs. He saw him on their mother's bed, crying harder than he's ever seen him do.

"What's wrong, little brother?" He was quick to kneel down, seeing tears falling from his face to the pillow he was holding.

"I took away mom!" He exclaimed through tears. "I'm so sorry! I'm a monster!"

He almost sounded like Lloyd. He hugged him. How did he find out?

"It's not your fault! You can't help it!"

"I wish I was never born, so you could've had mom with you!"

He woke up and exclaimed, "Don't say it!" Marie jumped and woke up as well. "Ho? Little brother?"

She gently pushed him back into his bed. "Go to sleep, Beom. Ho isn't here."

He silently let her put him back in his bed. He looked at the corner and then began to cry.

--

March
♧♧♧

Today was supposed to be special. It was going to be their wedding anniversary.

Today, he truly wanted to be alone. He put his phone on mute, put the animals in the living room, and clung to Lloyd's favorite squishmellow.

"Franny!!"

He didn't look up. "Leave."

"But sweetheart, it's our anniversary! Aren't you happy?"

"You're not real! You're just trying to make me crazy!" He clung to the toy tighter and looked up. He could tell this wasn't Lloyd. He would never look that dead and still be speaking. "Go away!"

"But-"

"LEAVE!" He threw the toy at him, making him disappear.

He didn't look up, instead crying as Jr was able to get in and curl up next to him. He didn't understand why François acts like this, screaming at air and making himself cry. He still misses Lloyd, but it lessen. His ears still go up when his name is mentioned. He tried to bring his toys to Papa, toys make everyone happy.

"It's your fault."

François' whole body started shaking. "Lloyd-"

"It's your fault! You did this to me!" His voice got angrier. "Look at me right now."

"I can't..."

"Look at me, pussy!"

He peaked at him through the gaps in his fingers. He saw a black-haired, black-eyed man wearing a cut up uniform. His head was bleeding and his intestine was poking out.

"I hate you! It's your fault! If you were there, it would've never happened!" He didn't move closer to him. He stood by the light-switch, eyeing him. "I should've known you would do this again!"

"D-don't say that! I love you!" He tried to stand up, but his legs were shaking too much.

"No you don't! You haven't opened my gifts, you haven't listened to my tape, you haven't gone to see me! You hate me!"

"No!" Jr looked at him with wide eyes. He was screaming at the wall. "Lloyd, please come back!"

He vanished when he blinked. He truly was crazy, he had to be. Jr made biscuits with his thigh and meowed, trying to understand what just happened. François hugged him tight and cried. He wished things could go back to they were. When Lloyd was alive.

"Franny, are you okay, love?" His husband angrily looked up. Lloyd was back, brown-eyed and wearing his favorite dress.

"Leave me alone! You're not real! You're dead!"

"François!"

He yelled and picked up his pocket knife. "You're not coming back! Stop bothering me!" He threw it at him.

When he vanished, François gasped. The knife landed in their wedding photo.

"No. No. No. No." He ran up to it, Jr following him. "No. No. No."

It landed on the center of Lloyd's smiling face. He shook as he pulled it out. The picture was ruined. He expected the voices again, and it came.

"François, you made him leave." He jumped and spun around. It was his grandfather. "He's never coming back."

"Wait no! Grandpa, tell him to come back!" He looked up for only a second then saw him leave.

He rushed over to his blanket. He hasn't washed it since that night in January. He wanted everything back. He wanted his grandpa, his brother, his grandma, Lloyd, and mommy.

"Lloyd come back! Please!" He sobbed, his nose dripping. "Please! Please, God, where is he?! Bring him to me!"

Jr didn't know what to do other than lay next to him and allow him to cry on him.

♧♧♧♧

The giant popped up again. She saw Ye-eun trying to teach the sleepy dogs how to hunt as Lloyd and Jeannette were playing around. She picked him up.

"Lloyd, it's time for the three of you to meet the final Doh. You will discover your power there."

He smiled as she picked up the others and put them somewhere else. This was very different. They were put in a skating ring that was full of lights and smelled like birthday cake.

"What are you doing here?!"

They all turned around, and were very surprised by the final Doh. She had big pink hair, thick eye makeup that made her eyes look bigger, and she wore very shiny clothes and jewelry.

"Um, hello?!" Her accent also threw them off. She spoke in a bratty Californian accent. "I don't know you people!"

Ye-eun had his eyebrow raised. "...no, this can't be the other one."

"What are you talking about, grandpa!" She moved back when Lloyd came up to her.

"Hey, so we're all Dohs, which means we're related-"

She huffed. "No, I'm not! I don't smell like kimchi! I don't have small eyes! I'm nothing like you, dog eater!"

Lloyd grabbed her arm and looked her in her eyes. He could see the fear in them. "Listen, bitch, you are a Doh! You're Korean, rather you like it or not! How could you be so racist to your own people? Have you learned no class nor compassion?!" He let go of her. He could see his red fingerprints on her bleached skin. "You're just like us!"

She turned away. Lloyd could see her shoulders moving. "Fine! I'm Korean, but I don't want to be! Asian people aren't cool! We eat dogs and have stupid eyes and weird teeth!"

"Where did you hear all that?" Ye-eun was looking at the birthday cake.

"Ye-eun!" Jeannette was pulling on his chosŏn. "I want cake!"

He took her over to it as the other Doh spoke, sobs escaping her throat. "That's what everyone says! I've been told my eyes look like little bugs and I've been called a lemon and chin-chog! I want to be American, but nobody likes me!"

He patted her shoulder. "I understand exactly where you're coming from. I grew up in France, and I was bullied a lot. Kids used to pull their eyes back and say, 'Look, I'm just like you!'"

"They did that to me too.." She looked at him, her makeup running down her face. "So I learned how to put on makeup and bleach my skin. I dyed my hair pink. Everyone wanted to be my friend."

"Those aren't real friends. You shouldn't have to change yourself." He passed her a napkin to wipe her eyes. "Your eyes look very pretty, it's rare for Asians to have hazel eyes."

She laughed slightly. "You have red eyes, that's really cool!" She then looked down. "I'm sorry about all that stupid stuff I said before. I don't really think we do all that, but that's what my friends say and I really wanted to fit in."

"It's okay, I understand." He walked with her back to the table next to the water fountain. The other two were eating cake. "My name is Lloyd, what's yours?"

"My American one is Jennifer, but my real name is Ji-hye."

---
May
♤♤♤

Beom stared at Lloyd's baby binky. He would've been twenty-one today. It's crazy to think that he wasn't even an adult when he passed away.

He has all these things to remember him. Jewelry, photos, and baby things. That's more than what he has for his other children. He still has a tiny blue sports jersey and tiny Jean shorts that Jo would've worn. He has nothing for the other three babies, and he has a little summer dress for Lily.

He closed his eyes and held the binky to his chest. He would've made Lloyd a cake, given him gifts, he would've been so happy. Instead, he's stuck in a dark room with memories that he plays over and over again. He remembered last year. He was so depressed, and he had the nerve to yell at Ho for mentioning Lloyd. That was his loved one as well. He regrets it, especially because he died two months later.

Marie walked in, dressed in black and holding a photo album. She gave Beom a kiss before turning the vinyl on. She played The Beatles. Lloyd used to love them.

She sat next to him and held his big hand. He looked at her before going back to looking at the binky. She opened the book and passed it over to him. He looked at a picture of Lloyd's first Christmas.

"Do you remember that, Beom?" She spoke softly to him, rubbing his knuckles. "Ho made him a trainset."

He chuckled and nodded, feeling warm tears swelling up in his eyes. She flipped the page to Lloyd's first birthday. She remembers how depressed she felt. Nobody really knew what postpartum depression was back then.

"I remember-" He paused, feeling his throat tighten. "-that when we did the doljabi, he chose the pencil and tried to eat it."

She rubbed his back. "I remember that too. I'm very happy we're talking about this."

He looked at her. He saw tears in her beautiful green eyes. She looked much older. She had wrinkles and all her beautiful brown hair turned sliver. He used to think about growing old with her all the time. He used to think that they'll have a bunch of children and grandchildren and how they'll be so happy. Now that they're old, they have none of that. It also made him think of Lloyd. He must've had the same desires as well, but unlike his father, he never get to have it.

Marie turned on another page. It was him and Sarah dancing at a party. He was three, and she was seven. Hunter was also in the picture on the side, but they cut him out a long time ago.

"I wasn't there that day, can you tell what happened?" She was too depressed to leave her bed, but she remembers Lloyd giving her kisses before he left. She touched her cheek.

Beom touched Lloyd's face. "It was Sarah's birthday party. They wanted to dance. I think Ho took that picture." He stopped. His baby brother was gone, and so was his son. A big brother should never outlive his baby brother.

She turned to a different page, and that was the one that finally made Beom cry. It was of Lloyd and Ho. They were goofing around, both making a silly face at the camera.

"They're gone." He covered his eyes. "They're gone, Marie."

She didn't close the book. She wrapped her arm around him. "I know. They may be gone in our lives, but if we share memories, they'll never be gone in our hearts."

He hugged her, crying into her shoulders. She's all he has left, and he's all she has left.

They spent the rest of the day crying and looking at pictures. It felt so good to cry on each other today.

♤♤♤

Ho and Da-Eun spoke again, this time much softer. She explained to him that it wasn't his fault and how she's so glad to have had him. He apologized for calling her selfish. It was nice talking to his mother. He never did that before.

"I don't think Jo would've liked you very much." Étoile told him one day as they played with Legos.

"Why not? I'm very awesome."

"Jo didn't like my sister because she made mom very sick." It's gotten easier to talk about her, though it still missed her.

"I remember Jo. Your father was very sad when he-" A piece of very important Lego fell off the edge and into the dark. "No!!!!"

"We can get it, come with me."

It led him into the dark. It turned on the sun so they could see. The red Lego was shining in the sunlight.

"Found it!" It picked it up and turned to Ho, who was slowly walking away.

"Come here, I see something."

It followed him, then froze in place. It was a snake like creature with eight eyes staring back at them. Mistaking Ho for its father, the creature cried out and tried to move, only to be held back by the chains.

"Étoile, don't be afraid!" He stood in front of it as it looked at the monster with wide eyes. "My name is Ho Tae Doh. What's yours?"

The creature couldn't speak, only being able to make strange sounds. It cried blood.

"That's okay, sometimes I don't like speaking either." He turned his head. "You kinda look like a Titanoboa. Do you know that Titanoboas are the biggest snake that ever lived?"

The snake kept crying. It wanted desperately to speak to him. It hasn't seen anyone in over a year.

"Are the chains hurting you? They look painful." The chains were black and covered in spikes. The monster tried to nod. "Let me get you out. I could show you my trains!"

Étoile shook as his fearless uncle happily got closer to the monster.

"DON'T DO IT, BOY!"

Ho covered his ears and spun around to see his father flying over to him. He picked him and Étoile up as he screamed at the beast that he's lucky that he wasn't killing it for being with his son. The monster cried as the lights were shut off, and the three went back up, Ho waving goodbye to it.

"Did he hurt you?!" Su-Yeong cradled Ho as Da-Eun came up to them, shaking and kissing her grandchild and child.

"No, he was really nice! He doesn't talk much." He was put down as his mother finished checking on the other. "Who was that?"

"That's Jo."

Étoile felt sick as Ho asked a million questions. "Why does he look so different? Why is he there? Why-"

"Ho, listen to me." Da-Eun touched his shoulders. "Jo is very, very, very bad. He's very dangerous. I won't allow you to go back there for any reason. It's for the best."

He nodded. "Okay."

♤♤♤

White was finally back home, fully recovered. It hurt him that Valentino didn't even call him once to make sure he was okay, but he didn't have time to think about that. His siblings and mother were all over him, bringing him soup and making sure all was well.

"Angel, I want you to get married." His eyes widened as she sat next to him, playing with his curls. "There's this very lovely girl from the church that seems perfect for you."

"Mom-" he stopped when he saw her smiling. She's lucky to be alive. Cancer almost ate her up. She was healthy now. He takes every opportunity to make her happy. "Alright, I'll meet her."

"Ah, my boy!" She kissed him on his face, making him blush.

Two days later, he was at a random woman's house to meet a random girl. She was very beautiful, yet so quiet. She didn't want to be there. He didn't either. They do have a lot in common. They play guitar, they read, and they like the same shows.

"Hey." He whispered to her. "I don't like having sex, and to be honest, I've dated men."

This was a huge risk. What if he broke her heart and she told his mother? His mother doesn't like gays. He would give her a heart attack.

Surprisingly, she sighed. "Oh, thank God." White was a little offended. He's not the best looking, but damn he isn't shit. She noticed. "I'm sorry. I'm lesbian, and I actually have a girlfriend. My parents don't know, that's why I'm here."

They both laughed, feeling relieved.

"I have an idea. You don't like men, and I don't like sex nor you. No offense."

"None taken."

"So, what if we get married, but we don't have to do anything. You can still be with her, and I'll probably see someone else too. It's just for our mothers to be happy."

She nodded and took out her hand. "Deal?"

He grinned and shook it. "Deal."

They came back into the dining room, where their parents were anxiously. White took her hand.

"I can't see myself marrying anyone but her!" His mother jumped up and cheered. "She's the one, mom!"

The other dramatically wrapped him in a hug. "We must get married immediately! I can't live another second without him!"

Their parents were overjoyed, celebrating and hugging them. They didn't see them smirking at each other and winking.

---
June
☆☆☆

Valentina stood alone in the studio. He couldn't come up with any music. Ever since his father died, she's been empty. He couldn't believe it's nearly been a year.

He looked at their phone. He saw that White got married to the most beautiful girl he's ever seen. They turned off the phone and sat down in silence. She couldn't be angry. They dumped him through text and hadn't picked up his calls, but now that he's married, it sucked.

☆☆☆

Only a few people came to Tae's very first birthday party. It was mostly his wife's family, but Susu showed up. She picked up her nephew. He liked touching faces.

"He's so cute, Haruki." She sighed. "He reminds me of Daddy."

He nodded. "He's silly like him."

"He would've loved him."

He took the baby back. "I know."

They did doljabi. Tae looked at everything, the others shouting for him to choose the bandaids or the book. He chose the cookie and started eating it.

"Aw, a little baker!" His mother kissed her son.

☆☆☆

Bella and Beau finally decided to do something. François slept through his own birthday. They thought he just needed time, but it's been a year, and nothing has changed.

When they saw François, they couldn't believe it was actually him. He had a full beard and long hair. He had pimples and eyebags.

Beau cut to the point. "François, we're really worried about you. You barely speak to us, and nobody knows how you're doing."

"I'm fine." His voice was dry.

"No." The pets were excited, zooming around as she spoke. The lights were on, and there were people over for the first time. "I understand that Lloyd's death was very hard for you, but I'm sure he wouldn't want you to be suffering like this."

"You don't understand!" He shouted at her. Bella frowned at him. "Nobody understands what we had!"

Beau had his arm around her. "Don't you yell at her! Just because you're sad doesn't mean you can be a dick!"

He suddenly burst into tears. "I know! I'm so sorry! I'm terrible!"

Bella walked over to him and hugged him. "Hey, hey, it's okay. I'm not angry."

He sucked his tongue. "You're being too soft with him. He needs a push."

She rolled her eyes. "I'm not doing that. He needs support."

"But he's not getting better!" François cried more as he shouted. "He needs tough love! Crying for the rest of his life won't do him any good!"

"Stop it! He needs love!"

They started arguing, shouting at each other and talking about François like he wasn't there.

"He needs a kick in the ass!"

"I'm going to kick your ass in a minute!"

"Leave." François spoke up, both of them stopping. "Please."

Beau huffed and slammed the door. Bella hugged him again.

"I'm sorry that happened. He's an asshole." She saw him shut down. There was no use talking to a wall. "I'm going now. I'll call you later tonight. You don't have to pick up if you don't want to."

She closed the door. She felt her face getting hot. Why would Beau do that? This could've helped him, but they pushed him back instead. She began to walk to her car as she heard Beau crying in a corner. She went over to him. He was smoking a vape.

"I wasn't trying to be mean to him! I was trying to help him!" He put his vape in his pocket. "It sucks to see him like that, but he isn't going to get better if we pussyfoot around him!"

"What you don't get is that he doesn't need someone in his ear telling him what he's doing wrong! He already does that to himself. What he needs is a friend."

"I hate Lloyd!" He cried harder. "Look at what he's done to him! I wish they never met. He wouldn't be sad if that happened!"

Bella hugged him, feeling him shake and cry into her arms. "I understand what you're saying, but this isn't Lloyd's fault. He didn't ask for cancer. He would've never wanted this to happen."

"I wish we had the old François back! I don't think he's ever going to come back!"

"I think he can. He just needs help. We can help him."

-----

July
◇◇

As Charles finally got married, Lloyd enjoyed time with the other Dohs. It felt so weird to realize that he was related to all these people.

"Ok, let's discover your power, Lloyd."

They all stood in the center of the skating ring. Ji-hye showed everyone hers. She could move things around with her mind. She was able to move a drink to her without even moving her finger.

Lloyd tried that, nothing. He tried a lot of things. Singing, jumping-jacks, flying, nothing.

"Maybe I don't have one."

His little girl gasped. "Everyone has one!"

Suddenly, Benjamin cried and ran to him. There was a rat the size of a cat running around. Ji-hye screamed and jumped on the table. Ye-eun picked up the screaming little girl as he thought about how to kill it. The rat started to chase Apple. She was barking and running.

Lloyd raised his second left hand. "Don't touch my dog!"

Suddenly, a shot of ice came out and hit the rat. Everyone gasped, including himself. The rat fell dead, pale blue. Apple ran over to kiss him.

"That's your power, Lloyd!" Ji got down. "Can you make my drink cold?"

"Sure!" He touched the coke bottle. He formed tiny ice crystals around it.

"Sweet."

Benjamin was sniffling the rat, trying to find some way to eat it. Lloyd went over and picked it up by its tall. He's becoming more snakelike. He could only see the colors blue, green, white, brown, gray, and black. He's began to drag out the s sound when he speaks. He likes to be huddled in boxes. He unhinged his jaw and ate it in one go. Ji-hye gagged.

"Yum." He took out a piece of gum and chewed it. "I wanna make more ice rats!"

--

October
¤¤¤¤¤¤

Laddie's first birthday was today. She's grown so much. She's starting to walk and talk. She loves spending time with her moms. She likes princesses and the color purple.

"Here, my heart." Jóhanna held a cupcake to her. The baby took it and ate it. "Aw, you have chocolate all over you!"

Aurora sighed and wiped her face. "Can you believe it's been a year?"

"Not really. It seems like she was born yesterday." They watched her play with new toys.

Aurora loved motherhood. She enjoyed changing diapers and breastfeeding. The baby didn't cry often. She always seemed happy.

"I love her so much."

---

Lloyd was working on his new power when he heard the clock ring. It's been two hours. He hopes he wakes up soon so he can celebrate with François. He tired himself out eventually. He cuddled up with his dogs and fell asleep.

---

Jane Fritz
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