#lala holmes

[ellevieu]

Remy: I doubt Nico is forcing Manny. He’s got ideas for him, I bet that’s all it is. Same way I have ideas for him. Manny’s got no direction- he said it himself- and so maybe Nico-

Lala frustrated: You see? THIS is why I wanted to confront Nico myself! Because you can’t ever say no to your brother, you follow along with whatever arrogant plan comes into Nico’s head!

Remy: Lala. Chill. I’ll talk to him when I see him. Okay? I will. I promise. Trust me.

Lala wraps her arms around his neck.

Remy soft: You trust me?

Lala grumbles: Sort of.

Remy: Sort of? Whatchu mean, sort of? *Lala shrugs* Come here to me. Let me convince you.

Lala smiles: Convince me, huh?

Remy: Let me whisper in your ear, how I’m going to convince you...

Juno annoyed: Oh no! No kissing! Mommy and Daddy kiss too much and it take too long when you kiss! I got a ‘naventure to go on! 

[suepixels]

San My City Memorial Park, 10:48 am

Lala stood frozen beside her husband, her face streaked with silent tears. She wanted—needed—to reach for RJ, but after he refused her touch earlier, she didn’t dare move closer.

And then, he broke.

A strangled sob tore from RJ’s throat as his knees buckled. Remy caught him, his grip firm, unwavering. “Son, come on. Get up. Stay strong for her—for your kids.”

RJ shook his head violently, his voice cracking. “Dad, please... just leave me alone. They’re gone. They’re really gone, right?” His breath hitched, his entire body trembling. “God doesn’t exist. And if he does, he’s a fucking bastard.”

Remy’s chest tightened, but he didn’t let go. “I’m not leaving your side. Yes, firstborn... they’re gone.”

RJ’s fingers dug into the earth beneath him. “Why them? Why not me?”

Remy’s voice turned sharp, a raw edge of pain cutting through it. “Remy Junior Holmes, don’t you ever say that again.” He cupped the back of his son’s head, forcing RJ to look at him. “I know this pain is tearing you apart, but you are still here. And we need you. Do you hear me?”

RJ’s breath came in ragged gasps. “I can’t do this, Dad. I’m not as strong as I thought—I’m weak. I’m sorry.”

Remy’s grip tightened. “You are strong. Dammit, you’re my son. And I will hold you up if I have to. One day, we’ll see them again. I swear it”

Something in RJ shifted—maybe just enough. He staggered to his feet, but Remy wasn’t sure if it was because his words reached him or because RJ knew his father couldn't bear to see him like this. If Remy had been in his son’s shoes, he wouldn’t have survived. He’d have burned the world down in blind rage.

A lump crawled up his throat. Be tough. It was the only lesson he'd ever known, the one he'd drilled into RJ since childhood. But now? It was useless. The weight of his son's brokenness crushed him. If he could take RJ’s pain and carry it himself, he would.

Maxine stood off to the side, lost in thought. Nicky was with his sister, doing what she couldn’t. How does someone survive losing the people they love? She wondered. 

The pastor’s voice rang out. “Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.”

RJ barely heard him. The words meant nothing.

His family had already been through the fire, turned to dust. All that remained of Diosa, Alex, and Christina were the urns before him—everything he had ever loved, reduced to ashes.

Tears blurred his vision as he stared at their pictures on the tombstones. The pain surged again, relentless, crawling into his skull like a living thing. He clenched his jaw, shut his eyes, and forced himself to breathe.

Find it. Crush it. Kill it.

But grief didn’t work that way. It consumed him, no matter how hard he fought.

And RJ was drownin.

[josiesimblr]

Lala: He’s holding her so tight. Is there anything more beautiful than young love?

Remy: Not many things, no.

Lala wistful: Look at them. How can they expect to stay so pure?

Remy: I don’t think they expect to. Young love is pure, mature love is patient. It’s a nice trade off and they’ll learn that.

Lala soft: He reminds me so much of you, Remy. He’s the most like you, you know. How you should have been, if it weren’t for your father hurting you. You should have had his easy smile and his hopeful eyes and his genuine charm- none of the pain. And so- I always felt closer to Manny. Because I feel like he was all the wrongs made right.

Remy: I understand that. But he’s not me. He’s his own person. And he deserves for you to make room for his wife in your heart.

Lala sad: I don’t want to give them false hope. If Nico decides they can’t be? They won’t be. 

Remy: Yeah? Tell that to RJ and Diosa. You can’t stop a force like true love. Or the Holmes curse for that matter. 

Lala laughs: This is true.  *sighs* I’m embarrassed to make things right with Ladybug. God, I can be a witch. Ava must be terrified of me. Sometimes I think Allie and I are more like our evil mother than we realize. 

Remy: Maybe Allie. But not you. Never you. You’re all things love, Lala.

Lala: Let’s keep spying on them for a little longer? Unless they start to get - you know- how teens get all sexy and uninhibited. But I like to peek on this sweet romance for a tiny bit. Watch them watching the stars.

Remy: Nah. They got their thing. We ‘bout to make our own romance. I’ll show you sexy and uninhibited. 

Lala laughs: Do not drop me! Oh my God, I’m two people for right now, Remy!

Remy seductive: I won’t drop you. But I’m gone remind you how you became two people for right now...

[ellevieu]

Allison stunned: I’m baffled. Why would you refuse to help, Lala?

Lala: Considering my niece has been battling an eating disorder for several years- since she was barely in her teens- it makes me very uncomfortable to think about meal planning with her, especially meal planning on this level. I don’t believe she should, not without some therapeutic guidance in place to ensure she can handle it. I can’t think of anything more triggering for her. 

Allison stutters: She’s in therapy, she’s been very successful with her goals and her-

Lala: And also considering this is an arranged marriage that you and Nico came up with for her- with no thought or care or feeling as to what she truly wants- I feel very uncomfortable participating in this. It gives the impression that I’m on board with this when I’m not. At all. I’m not helping with any part of this wedding. I’m not even going to attend. I don’t know how to save my niece from this... this uncaring, selfish and self-seeking plot of yours. But one thing I can do is show  her my support by not playing along with you.

[ellevieu]

Allison: So I got a call from Manny? He was concerned for Nicky, said Nicky was devastated. Nicky told him about a huge fight he had with Neely.

Lala surprised: Oh no. Nicky and Neely had a fight? The twins rarely fight, what happened?

Allison: Manny didn’t know all the details, only that Neely accused Nicky of being my favorite. Said she hated him because of it. Can you IMAGINE, Lala? What a horrible, wicked thing for her to say to her poor brother!

Lala quiet: He is your favorite, Allie. You favor Nicky and you have since the twins were born.

Allison angry: You of all people should know how much I dreamed and longed for my twins, for my babies. How it killed me that I couldn’t even carry them myself. I love both Nico Jr and Nialla with all of my being! I live for them, I have since the moment they were placed in my arms.

Lala: I don’t doubt that you love them dearly. Of course you do. I love all of my children. Still, we need to be honest as mothers of multiple children. We have to admit some of them warm our hearts more than the others.

Allison sneers: Of course you say that. Manny is your absolute favorite, your “papito”.

Lala: Manny is not my absolute favorite. I’d describe it as his being a little closer to my heart. And I recognize why. He reminds me of his father, he reminds me of what Remy might have been. And so I feel more tenderness toward him. Still, since I know this about myself, I’m cautious not to make any of my other children feel any less favored. It’s not fair to them, or even to Manny himself. They all get equal parts of me, they all have my respect and dedication. You have never bothered to be cautious about favoring Nicky over Neely. Maybe because you don’t even know why you do. You’re in denial about how much attention you’ve lavished on Nicky, while Neely has always been in the shadows of your love. It was eventually going to come to this between them.

[ellevieu]

Allison: I want you to help her with her wedding cakes, help her come up with a unique design and flavor. As well as help with the menu planning. I think once she becomes more involved in her wedding plans, she’ll have something to focus on and quit picking on her brother. She adores you and I know working on this with you will cheer her up. I’m going to have Ava help her too and-

Lala: No.

Allison: Do you feel awkward designing a cake this early? Because honestly you don’t have to be- Nasir and Nialla are going to have a short engagement. They want to get married as soon as possible. So, I don’t think it’s too early to start working on her cakes and menu-

Lala: No.

Allison confused: No?  Excuse me? What do you mean, no?

Lala: What I said. No. I’m not helping with her cake or her menu or with anything to do with her marriage to Nasir Choudry. I refuse to be a part of this at all, Allison.

[ellevieu]

Remy: I said I was gonna talk to him about it. But does it have to be just now? I’m thinking figuring out who almost killed my nephew is a bigger priority.

Lala firm: It is a big priority but so is forcing Manny into something he’s not prepared for. You told me you were going to talk to him. Right? Or else I will.

Remy sighs: It’s a time and place for certain conversations, Lala. 

Lala: And the time and place is today. When you meet with your brother. You’re going to tell him Manny isn’t running for any political office. And you’re going to make sure you keep his and Ava’s pregnancy to just us until they’re ready to tell him themselves.

Remy: I won’t say a word about it. It’s Manny and Ava’s news to share.

Lala: It is. And if you were to slip up and tell Nico he’d force Ava out of Holmes Corp. Same way he’s trying to force Manny into some stupid political scheme.

[ellevieu]

“You can’t. You won’t.”

Deep down, Lala feared her sister was right. Lala had spent years repairing all of the damage Nico and Allison inflicted on the family- the family that was entirely at their mercy. Nico had them all in his iron grip. He’d done it with his massive fortune, but also by warping values like loyalty and love and commitment into something darker, something manipulative and controlling. Lala had once had the energy to bandage up the wounds Nico and Allison caused- all the family secretly came to her for comfort.

But she was tired. So tired.

Years ago, when their children had been very young, she’d asked Remy if they could move somewhere far away- maybe see the family on holidays, on special occasions. The look of horror on his face at the suggestion caused her never to ask again. And so they’d stayed close to Nico, circling him like planets around the sun, fully dependent upon him.

And now there was a new generation coming up- Juno, Anais, Alexander, Christina, Manny’s new baby-and all of them would be subject to the cult-ish Holmes way of doing things too. It was honestly too much to think about.

Lala: And I’m really so tired.

She didn’t know how to change things, and really- she was too exhausted to fully try anymore.

 It felt like screaming in an empty room.