When Fire Meets Coffee

Epilogue I

"Gotta love Auntie Apollo."

"Yeah, we both need to speak to you, actually. I'll wait until she comes over."

"Is she gonna bring Auntie Evan and the cousins?"

"I can put in a request." Mama shrugged.

"Yes please." I grin.

"I think you love those kids more than their own mothers do."

"Maybe." I looked around the room as if trying to not act guilty.

"That's why you got the lead role." Mama pointed a pen at me. I just simply smiled at her. She saw me perform, without me knowing she was there, again. The first time was when I was six, Mom said she had a dream about that specific event when she was younger.

"Is there anything else you wanna tell me or are you just gonna stand there and smile like a dork?" Mama joked.

"I am a dork. I get it from you."

"You should have seen me on my wedding day."

"Ew, stop. I'm cringing just thinking about it."

"Whatever. I love you, you know that?"

"I love you, too. I think Mom wants us for dinner."

"What's for dinner?"

"McDonald's."

"Say less."

Mama and I head downstairs where all of the food is, on the dining room table. I know that every time Mama sees the table, she's taken back to when she first moved in here, putting up the table when Mom was out shopping. She also likes to add in the fact that it happened a few weeks before I was conceived, a fact that I cringe at every time. There are just some things you don't tell a kid.

"Oh, memories." Mama said to herself.

Mom chuckles as she hands out everyone's orders. I'm glad we have a relatively small family. Though, I'm sure a big one like Auntie Apollo's wouldn't be too bad.

"Oh, Apollo and her family are coming over later." Mama tells Mom.

"Why?"

"Apollo and I saw Link's performance. She said she wants to talk to Link about something and the both of us need to talk to her too." Mama explains.

"Okay. I missed Evan anyway."

"Aw, best friends."

"Something like that." Mom said quietly. She seemed sad. I don't blame her, Auntie Evan and her grew close when Mama and Auntie Apollo got called to duty. Those were probably the most painful months of my life. Mom couldn't stop crying and I was in a depression, the twins were the morale of the house.

Mama noticed but shrugged it off. We tend not to talk about what happened. It's painful for all of us.

"How was school, girls?" Mama asked the twins.

"You should've seen it, Mama. Some guy was tryna act all cool and stuff and fell flat on his face! It was hilarious." Harley tells her.

"Yeah, and then his girlfriend broke up with him because he was cheating on her! I mean, come on, we're thirteen! Why are we worrying about relationships?" Harry continued.

"Love comes whenever it wants to. My parents got together when they were nine. Are you two interested in anyone?"

"Not really. Most of the girls are not to my taste. They lack personality." Harley answers honestly.

"Yeah, same." Harry answered, but the blush on her cheeks said otherwise.

"You're lying!" I grin at my sister.