STORM

-nineteen-

*this chapter contains mentions of abuse, trauma, cancer, and death. Nothing too in-depth, though*

Gabriella had met neither grandparents on her mom's side. She'd merely heard of them. None of it was good. Freya had been abused and neglected by them for a big chunk of her life. She eventually cut them off, along with her brother who stood by them. Elora and she had a rocky relationship, but in her twenties, they started to reconnect. Freya's childhood had been rough. So when Leona delivered the news of her grandma's death, she didn't know how to react.

"How?" She settled with asking.

"She had been severely ill for quite a few years now, it finally caught up to her and she passed yesterday."

"I didn't even know she was sick," Freya muttered, speaking for the first time since Gabriella had gotten there. It had been a good twenty years or more since Freya had last seen her mother.

"How are you feeling about it?" Leona asked her.

Freya rubbed her temples. "Fuck, I don't even know. I'm angry, I'm sad, I'm relieved and everything there is to be. She's been dead to me for years but now she actually is and I don't know, it's hard. It just reminded me how I'll never have those happy memories with my parents everyone else has. It's like I miss what I never had. But I'm also angry, angry that she was so fucked up she ripped away my childhood. At the same time I'm so happy she's gone, I don't know if that's messed up but I'm relieved, I'm just so relieved. Fuck that woman."

Tears were shed, Freya wiped them away and sniffled. Leona embraced her, holding onto her and whispering soothing words in her ear. Gabriella joined in on the hug too. Audrey placed down the cat and threw her arms around her mom too.

"I'm so grateful for all of you," Freya said through tears. "Thank you for giving me a family."

"I love you, Mom," Audrey said. The rest of them repeated the words, holding onto her even tighter.

After a while, when the tears had stopped, they pulled away. Leona handed her some tissues and waited.

"Will you be attending the funeral?"

Freya shook her head. "No. I don't want to see her ever again. Even if it's her casket. I'm betting that brother of mine will be there too. I have no interest in seeing Kalen either. Or any of my extended family that isn't Wren, for that matter."

"That's okay, you don't have to," Leona assured, kissing her forehead.

Breathing deeply, Freya nodded, trying to collect herself. She placed her interlocked hands in her lap and fiddled with her fingers. The others watched her. Penny had snuggled up next to Freya now.

Suddenly, Freya stood up. "I think I need some time alone. To gather my thoughts and all. I'm going for a little walk."

"Okay. You sure you don't want me to join you?" Leona asked, concerned for her wife.

"No, I need to be alone. Go to bed, I'll join you after. It's late."

"If that's what you need," Leona said in compliance.

Freya gave her a quick peck on the lips. "It's what I need."

Then she went outside. A lingering silence followed. Leona's eyebrows were drawn together, she looked tired and worried. Something ached within Gabriella. She was sure this all brought back memories. Leona glanced down at the locket around her neck and clutched onto it, closing her eyes for a few seconds.