New chapter of "Believe Billie"
Children grow up so fast. Young people are the hope of the world, but they don't have it easy in today's fast-paced world.
How well Valerie could remember when Billie was born. The first and so far only granddaughter. And how happy the little one's parents were and how proud Fagen was. The fact that Billie was not David's biological child was completely indifferent to everyone in the family. Cassandra was a wonderful woman and would certainly have been the best mother ever. It just wasn't meant to be...
Was it painful for her son to see his daughter so grown up tonight, Valerie wondered. As they dined in the posh restaurant, she kept glancing over at her youngest. David spoke almost not a single word the whole evening.
Billie was really beautiful and did not behave like a 15-year-old at all. Her mother's restrained grace was on full display today. Cassandra literally lived on in her daughter.
Fagen Trevelyan seemed more relaxed than ever. He laughed and appeared open and familiar. Everyone was eating Kobe steak, well, except David, he ordered a lovely-made vegetarian barbecue plate. And his father never once scoffed.
It was an unforgettable, really wonderful evening.
They had gone by Fagen's car. David offered to drive home, but his father gratefully declined.
Val sat next to her husband and Billie in the back next to her dad. The two held hands and were silent.
"It was a nice trip, wasn't it?" Laughed Fagen into the rear view mirror.
"A charming restaurant, the staff is diligent and the food is of the highest quality. Did you enjoy the steak, Billie dear?" Asked her grandma, turning to her loved ones.
"It was really delicious, insanely tender and almost a slightly touch too much to be honest. I wanted to steal some bites from pop's barbecue plate, you know... hihihihi" The little whirlwind giggled and snuggled up to her father.
Once home, they quickly got ready for bed. Tomorrow was Sunday, it was the last day before Billie got serious in highschool.
David was taking a final checking look at his emails. He lay contentedly on the couch and scrolled. Oh, someone had sent him a request asking for pictures.
There weren't many pictures of David alone. But wait! Billie had taken a picture of her dad right after they bought the new IPhones and sent it to him to show how easy it was to use and how brilliant the quality was.
This was the picture he would send.
No sooner said than done!
David was as excited as a horse!
Billie was lying in her cozy bed, with the magical bed linen and the really expensive mattress. She was still writing with Allison.
Here and there she giggled softly.
Before she wanted to put the smartphone aside to finally sleep, she changed her screensaver. She had photographed an old picture of her teenage mum and dad and it looked really cute. The two of them were a sweet couple, full of nineties, but so delightfully carefree and real.
At that very moment, she suddenly missed her mother so much that hot tears rolled down her cheeks.
Early in the morning, the whole flat smelled of fresh bread.
Fully automatic baking machines were pure witchcraft and David loved this little piece of magic that was able to conjure up real bread.
Cheese, sausages, jams, fruits and vegetables in slices were already waiting to be consumed. Tea, coffee, milk and fruit juice were also on the table. Colorful candles and nicely folded napkins stood among the plates, cups and glasses - it was simple yet cheerful.
Even before his loved ones came downstairs, David checked his smartphone.
Lo and behold, the person had replied.
"What kind of pervert are you? Sending me your ugly shitface instead of your coc...."
David was reading enough. He immediately deleted the message and blocked the user.
He trotted into the guest bathroom a little less elated than he would have liked and looked at himself very closely in the mirror. Then he took his cellphone out of his pocket and searched for his picture.
Again and again he alternately compared his reflection and the photograph.
"Shitface."
David shrugged his shoulders, shook his head and then said quietly to himself, "Thank God Billie takes after her mom..."
(OC Allison Rutherford by @tokutenshi )
