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Post by Corona on May 14, 2010 12:28:49 GMT -5
Corona had never thought it was possible to feel nervous and calm at the same time. But that was how she felt right now. It was finally time to tell him. Maybe this would work. Lyra didn't seem to like Evangeline much, in fact, she seemed to be quite terrified of the lady. Hopefully, Shames would understand. If he would ever show up. She had to try at least. She had left a message on his phone as well as texted him, and they had agreed to meet here.
Meanwhile, she sat happily with a smile on her face, admiring what she was wearing. Nicolas had bought a few of the items, including the dog-shaped purse. Everything seemed more than perfect with that man...it seemed to make all her times with Shames a dazed memory. Corona gazed upward catching view of someone who appeared to be Shames. Okay Cor, you can do this....just tell him you've found someone and you would like to make a proposition.
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Post by Shames on May 15, 2010 19:52:17 GMT -5
The call alone had confused him. Out of nowhere Corona wanted to talk to him? See him? Even think about him? Whatever compelled her to call and text--that had completely blown him out of the water--must have been important and very influencial, so naturally Shames was intrigued. He ticked his way down the street, swinging open the Starbucks door and glancing up at the menu subconsciously before scanning the area for her. The overwhleming smell of mixed flavors of coffee (why were there flavors? why couldn't it just be coffee flavored coffee?) sending him back a step or two. People on laptops, eating finger sandwiches--wasn't this a coffeehouse, not a cafe? Corona came into view soon enough, and he couldn't help the urge to smile. Already he--though he wasn't overly intuitive--could tell that she was quite nervous about something. "Hello. Drah! How are you?" That was a light way to ask what in the world she'd asked him here for. |
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Post by Corona on May 15, 2010 20:08:52 GMT -5
As soon as she saw him, Corona stood to her feet and smiled. She waited until he had reached the table entirely to reach out her hand with the freshly manicured & rather decorative nails just as bright red as her dress. Her clean white arm warmers matched well. She shook Shames's hand before sitting down again. That's right; she shook it. A hug seemed too improper. "Hello Shames, very nice to see you again. I hope I was not interrupting anything and that it wasn't too much trouble for you to come all the way here, but I need to talk to you." She stated rather quickly.
She looked nervous and calm; still at the same time. Cor tucked the dog-shaped purse under her arm a bit more and then her smile disappeared. "She's told me...things....well not on purpose...mostly...but yesterday...she asked me something and I became rather concerned." She paused for a moment and then cleared her throat. "She asked me if, I quote, 'Daddy still wants around her' as well as if 'The lady will bring daddy back too'. I...I didn't know what to say. I didn't know Evangeline was around that much to give Lyra that kind of impression."
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Post by Shames on May 15, 2010 20:43:04 GMT -5
Taking her hand, he shook it tenderly, regretting when a tic ruined his rhythm and he accidentally flung her hand in a different direction. Cheeks enflaming with a bright rosy color, he tucked his chin to his chest, hoping that she wouldn't take it the wrong way. After two years of living together, he hoped she still understood that they were like sneezes. Loud enough to be noticed but uncontrollable enough to be excused. Hopefully. Unless they got debris everywhere. "You weren't interrupting anything, don't--rah!--even think about it." Her paranoia caught him off guard, but he tried to seem casual.
Sitting down opposite her at the table, he crossed his legs before she started talking in that eerily serious tone. His smile faded, brows knitting together. "'She'?" he echoed. "You mean Lyra?" If he knew his daughter, which he did, he knew she didn't say things that weren't on purpose. Lyra seldom just blurted things out. That girl was smart. Not quite understanding, Shames leaned forward.
"I'm not sure what to say either. Does she mean Evangeline?" He'd thought the two had started to adjust to each other, after that day at the park. Evan adored cute little Lyra; he couldn't imagine how a toddler could be so stubborn. Most young ones were so open to people, wanting to know more about their world that was made up by their elders. Clearing his throat, he replied, "Well, she kind of has been around a lot. I mean, relationships progress, you know? I'm sure you can understand."
He hated not thinking this was his wife, but she'd died, and...
"I'm afraid I don't quite follow. Was there something you needed to tell me about this? I haven't noticed Evan giving Lyra too many troubles."
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Post by Corona on May 15, 2010 21:14:26 GMT -5
"Shames, did you ever really introduce her into Lyra's life. From what I've seen, the relationship between you and Evan was "progressing" without Lyra's knowledge of it. It makes her nervous. She's only four years old...soon to be five, and already she doesn't know what is going on." Corona pointed out gently, placing a hand upon his without even thinking twice about her actions. "Her birth was hard enough, you know. She's not like just any other four year old and with what she's been through...you had a duty to tell her about you and Evan, before you two even became 'a thing'. Did you think she wouldn't mind? Put yourself in her shoes."
Clearing her throat again, she apologized and withdrew her hands to her lap. A small smile and a blush ran onto her face and she said with happiness in her voice. "I've...met...someone...a nice, caring man named Nicolas Reed. And I introduced him to Lyra and they got along quite...smashingly together. And it made me wonder if...you'd let me...take care of Lyra; full time. You'd still get to see her...sometimes. And you and Evan could start your own family without having to worry about how Lyra might react to things." She suggested with a grin.
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Post by Shames on May 15, 2010 21:22:45 GMT -5
"You're not being serious, are you?" he laughed hautily, shaking his head and leaning back in his seat again. "I've told Lyra everything. I've stayed with her every minute of every day. I make sure she gets time with me alone. I'm sorry, but you can't rely on what you see. You're not around anymore, Corona. Like you've said, you met a nice, caring man. Apparently exactly what I wasn't, according to you when you came back to life. I'd just forgotten, I didn't care about your feelings, I was heartless--right? Least, that's what I heard." He corrected himself, knowing it wasn't the time to take shots at her. But now that he knew she was stable and having a good life, it felt nice just to get it out of his system knowing there'd be few retaliations.
Shames's face fell the moment she introduced this new idea. "Are--drah!--you fucking--wah!--kidding me?" he cried, bringing himself to his feet, digging his fingers into his hair, unaware that his tics were now out of control. He could barely get a full breath, let alone speak. He couldn't see; his head was jerking too fast, tears were coming from his eyes as he blinked rapidly. The sounds coming from his outbursts began to fill the cafe.
"I've taken--drah!--care--drah!--of her this--wah! rah!--this entire time, and--drah! wah!" He couldn't finish his own sentences, drowning, drowning...
The nerve!
He threw over his chair, covering his face, but he wasn't sure whether it was out of shame or fury.
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Post by Corona on May 15, 2010 21:55:59 GMT -5
Alright, so Corona knew Shames would be upset, But she had not expected it'd be to that extreme. The moment he threw over his chair, she stumbled backwards, trembling with fear. The memories from that place...they were all flashing through her mind. She held up her hands and then stammered fearfully, "Shames...I know...you're a little upset...but...t-t-that was...inappropriate. Now...j-j-ust...sit back down...and let's talk this out."
She carefully reached out to grasp his hand and then said, "Just think about it...Lyra...probably sees Evan the center of your attention, and the little girl misses being in that spot. Setting time aside to spend time with Lyra isn't gonna fix everything. That just separates them more." She explained.
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Post by Shames on May 15, 2010 22:08:55 GMT -5
Neurotic, that's what he was, and she was telling him to calm down? Shames wanted to crumple onto the ground and seal himself away in an airtight, suffocatingly tiny space and just hold his head in his hands as if that would tear away the torture. She couldn't take his daughter away. But how could he deny a mother her child? He'd taken care of that girl, done everything for her, tried to make a good life for her... And she was just going to take her away? Maybe visit sometimes? No, unacceptable, no, no, no...
Unable to speak through the tics, Shames couldn't make up a reply. The commotion he was causing was picking up heads and stirring a low hum around the place and he was embarrassed. So scared of the people around him; what they were saying, what they were thinking--and she was taking his Lyra away from him!--that his hands shook as they gripped his hair.
"Am--drah!--I un--wah!--fit?" he demanded through his tremoring, tearful voice. "Look! Look at me! I'm--drah!--I'm--wah! wah!--I'm a freak! What--drah, rah!--what am--wah!--am--wah!--am I?"
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Post by Corona on May 15, 2010 23:05:44 GMT -5
"Shames! PLEASE! Calm down!!" She shouted at him with frustration. "God! Are you TRYING to embarrass yourself?!" She started muttering something entirely in French rather angrily before grabbing his arm and pulling him out of Starbucks.
Corona slapped his face before grabbing his shoulders. "You are not a freak! You are just overreacting a bit much. You're not unfit at all, you just made the mistake of getting involved and not introducing Evan early enough for Lyra to understand and accept it. You could come over anytime to visit...as long as Evan is not coming along. Lyra needs time to just get used to life before dealing with Evan. Okay?" She explained gently to him, loosening up a bit as she spoke her words.
"Besides...then you wouldn't have to worry about them getting along and all. I mean, if it makes you feel any better, you could meet Nicolas and maybe that would make things friendly?" She suggested with a smile.
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Post by Shames on May 15, 2010 23:16:07 GMT -5
He wanted to sob more when she started to scream at him. He wanted to be locked in a tightly enclosed space and rock himself to sleep. Hands molded into the shape of his skull, he removed them, as if reaching out to her. His voice had dimmed, hoarse, but he was still jerking around, out of control. "D-don't you--drah!--under--drah!--un--wah! wah!--stand?--wah!--I th-though you...you of--rah rah!--all--people--!" The inability to talk was tearing away at his brain. There was nothing he could do to sedate himself, and now he was causing a scene, and he just wanted to go home and cuddle with his daughter and his girlfriend.
She slapped him and he didn't stop ticking. He was confused. Why had she hit him? Why? He looked at her, like a shell-shocked little boy, perplexed at his punishment. "You...you know I--drah!--little--drah!--things--wah!--little things--wah!--new--rah!--things make me--drah! bah! wah!--do th-this." He heard someone behind him threaten to call the police and he wanted to rip around and punch their ignorant little face in, but he could barely move. His muscles had tightened so that he was like a badly-oiled mannequin.
Not introducing her early enough?! "H-how--rah--how wouldjjj--rah!"--words slurred by unmatched movements in his tongue and teeth--"joo know, h-h--drah!--huh? Y-you've never--wah! rah!--s-seen... I've done--wah!--good!" He could feel his congition depleting. He was acting like a child. He couldn't breathe, Jesus, he couldn't breathe.
"Y-yerr-err," he stammered, trying to sound bold, confident; he failed, "n-not--drah! wah!--gonna take her fr--bah! bah!--from me."
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Post by Corona on May 15, 2010 23:35:11 GMT -5
"Alright then.... Alright Shames....never-mind...It was just a suggestion. I won't...I won't take her from you. But you...you need to fix this Lyra vs Evan thing then. Cause I'm tired of seeing Lyra so upset! I just can't bear it anymore!!" Corona said and then glared at the person threatening to call the police. She wrapped her arms around Shames and sighed. "I'm sorry, I don't know what you do. But she does speak rather well when she tries...and she doesn't lie, and all she's been talking about is how much you're with Evangeline and how much she wishes she had mom's on both sides and not just me."
She let go of his body and looked to the side, slightly breathing shakily as if she was going to cry. "Shames. You're the one who chose Evan, and Evan is going to have to get used to the fact that she can't just sit and wait for Lyra to come to her. Evan's going to have to put some effort into this as well as you, and I'll try to reason with Lyra."
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Post by Shames on May 22, 2010 19:59:30 GMT -5
"You can't b-bear it?" he sputtered out, fingers shaking and jerking in spontaneous twinges. "You haven't seen her. H-haven't--drah!--seen her in the longest...l-longestime. So I don'wanna hearit." With that, he sank gradually into a seat, hands covering his heavily breathing mouth, teary eyes, clogged nose. This was so embarrassing, downright humiliating. He wished he didn't have to deal with this. This curse. This friend and enemy. This thing that would never go away, that could be triggered at an instant.
Unknowingly, Shames sank into her arms, his boyish crying becoming rough. He was a bad father, a bad father... He was neglecting the one thing that made him the happiest, luckiest man in the world. The apple of his eye, the light of his life. He shook a few times, wishing that would remove the guilt.
"B-but she does," he defended weakly.
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Post by Corona on May 22, 2010 20:24:50 GMT -5
"Haven't seen Lyra?! I've taken her on outings many times this week! All this time, you've been with your precious Evangeline." Corona hissed in reply to his insult. She was then unexpectedly leaned upon by sobbing Shames. Sighing, she wrapped her arms loosely around him and didn't say anything for a moment. She did? How could Cor even attempt to believe him when she always found Lyra sniffling about the subject?!
Cor frowned and then propped his head up to look at her. "Shames....I'm sure she's nice to Lyra, but other than that, I doubt she does much else. Lyra enjoyed spending time with you, but now, you hardly have any time where Evan isn't the center of attention. If Evan really loves you, then she should know that Lyra has the right to be smothered with adoration when you three are together. It's odd to Lyra to see an other woman in my place....a woman that she doesn't know very well and one that doesn't seem to want to know her. I don't know in what way Evangeline is trying, but whatever it is, it's not working. You know that stuffed dog Lyra carries around all the time lately? Nicolas gave her that when I first introduced her to him...and he did it before he even addressed me. He made her feel important. Tell me, how does Evan go about treating Lyra like she's an important person?"
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Post by Shames on May 22, 2010 20:30:13 GMT -5
"You can't...talk about her like that," he tried to have his hand at this argument, but it was futile. He was emotionally drained, and in serious need of some sleep to recuperate and regain his masculinity. He felt like a goddamn pussy, breaking down in front of a couple dozen people and Corona, no doubt. "You can't doubt her, you don't even know her." His words were still dazed and slurred from the near deterioration of his brain. Gripping his head from the massive throbbing, he sniffed a few times. "Any man--Nicolas--any man--drah!--who butters up a child before asking to--wah!--date the mother is...is--wah!--creepy." Staggering to his feet, he found himself desperately in need of the small space again--the small space, and Evangeline. Something to calm him down, something to get him out of this boyish phase. He hated succumbing to his curse, but what could be done about it?
Shames continued to shake his head, as if nothing she was saying would ever, ever make sense. Because right now, it didn't. It was burbled words. Hollow, empty words. He wanted to go home.
"My head hurts," he blurted sadly. "Can we--drah!--talk about this later?"
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Post by Corona on May 22, 2010 20:59:40 GMT -5
"Shames, it is parents duty to put your child first. I told you when I died to take care of her. If you can't do that, if you and Evan can't do that, then it is my duty as a mother to do what is best for my child. Even if that means.....taking her away from you for a while." Corona stated gently but with seriousness hinted in her tone. She was not going to put up with Shames's excuses anymore. This was her daughter. And her daughter deserved the right to be loved...and clearly, Evangeline didn't feel that way. Sure Evan might adore Lyra, but certainly not love her as a parent loves their child.
Corona then stood to her feet and turned from him. "I'm sorry, Shames. But I can't stand to see you act as if this isn't very serious. This is in fact, a VERY serious problem that needs to be resolved before it gets worse. I don't want her ending up to be someone like Loreli. I really will take custody if she keeps crying to me, Shames. I'm not joking. I want the best for Lyra. If you feel the same way, then you will talk to Evangeline try to fix this. If not, well...I think you get what will happen." She then took a step forward without a second thought.
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Post by Shames on May 22, 2010 21:45:47 GMT -5
"I-I do!" he began to sob again. "Don't d-do this to...don't! Stop! Don't talk! I'm not doing anything wrong..." His eyes darted in all different directions, and he felt everything start to become a gray haze. Why was she pushing him? Couldn't she see he was acting childish? Any adult maturity had melted away. He was crumbling under her very words, as if they were the final verdicts, as if his opinions and his actions didn't matter. He was under her thumb, and she wasn't letting up, there was no escape no air no nothing and he was panicked panicked panicking.
Lyra just couldn't leave. Corona was her mother, but she couldn't be taken away from him. He wasn't a bad man. He wasn't a bad man, he wasn't bad. He was trying his best. He was trying to split his time evenly between the people he loved. Why was that not okay? Why was his best not acceptable? Why was he being punished? What had he done wrong? What; why; why, why, why?
Serious? what? Chewing on his bottom lip, he scraped at his hair, eyes still on the ground. "I want to go home," he announced with a shaky breath. "I don't want to hear you tell me things anymore. I want to go home. Take me home, right now. Right now, take me home." He wasn't sure if he could find his way, but he started walking anyway. "I'm going home."
He had tried to work this out with Evangeline--so, so many times. She wouldn't believe that. He knew she wouldn't. Nothing was wrong with their relationship. Nothing at all.
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Post by Corona on Jun 18, 2010 14:56:57 GMT -5
Corona sized and then walked after him, quickly catching up and putting her hand on his arm. She stopped him right before he got to the curb. "Shames! You could have gotten hit buy a car! Don't walk out into moving traffic. Look at me....Look at me." She put her hands on his cheeks, staring into his eyes. Her eyes showed guilt, fear, and traces of sheer concern. "I'm sorry. Okay? If I knew you were going to get this upset, I wouldn't have ever mentioned it. I just thought we could work this out. I mean, yes, I'm sure you're doing your best...but Lyra's....she's a little girl. She needs a family...on both sides. Two people she can consider as motherly and two she can consider as fatherly. You know? If you could talk to Evangeline about this, it'd help a lot."
She swallowed hard and then reached into her dog-shaped purse. Pulling out a handkerchief, she began to dab Shames's eyes and wipe away any stray tears. It was so like Corona to be motherly; no matter where their relationship stood. She sighed and carefully placed it back into the purse. With hesitant smile, she took his hand. "Now...Let's get you home. I worry too much when you're in this state."
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Post by Shames on Jun 18, 2010 16:26:23 GMT -5
Beginning to ease back into normality, he let go of the vice grips he had on his hair and sleeve, a thoughtful sigh releasing from his mouth as his face was taken by her hands. Her demands, though soft, to look at her were harder than he imagined. He didn't like losing control like that. It was embarrassing, for him and for those around him. "I...try not to do that anymore," he pleaded, innerly begging her to understand that it was unintentional and unavoidable; those things were like sneezes. "I didn't want to do it, but...but I'm not in control when I do."
Stammers continuing, his body let go of the majority of the tension in his muscles. Pointing a shaking finger, voice unstable, he made sure his eyes never left hers. "N-no one...is her father...but me." And she wasn't going to have to be torn between two fatherly figures. Only one was her father--him. Only one was capable of being her father--him. And since she didn't have a good reason to take her away, he wasn't going to allow anyone else to implement their "fatherly force" on her. Never.
He wiped at his own tears, too, though her handkerchief helped. "Yeah," he agreed with an uneven nod. "Yeah, let's go home."
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Post by Corona on Jun 18, 2010 17:05:10 GMT -5
She smiled softly a bit. "Of course. I know you don't mean for it to happen. Remember our first date? At the restaurant? Oh! And on the bench outside?" She giggled a bit, the cheerful smile still on her face and her eyes sparkling with delight of the memory. Ahhh...those were the good days. I miss that Shames. Why can't he be the same? Why must he change just because we've grown apart? Why did he choose to forget...me? Slowly, the smile faded and she looked down at the smooth pavement. "I.....I used to be the one who made them go away. Apparently, I don't have...that effect on you...anymore." Looking back up, she gave a quick fake half smile. It was his next words that took her aback. He pointed a finger at her and his gaze was dreadfully stern. Her eyes widened.
"N-no one...is her father...but me.
"I-I....I, uh......Y-Yes, you are her biological father...and you're the one she calls daddy...but, Nicholas...and I are very happy together and if things go as things go then we could get married and with that comes him adopting Lyra..which in turn, would also make him legally her father. But that's only a possibility. What I meant was that she kind of looks up to Nicolas as if he were her 'daddy'. Shames," She paused and then cleared her throat. "I'm not going to punish her for looking up to him, if that is what you want me to do. And I'm not going to tell Nicolas to be less fatherly to her either. They have done nothing wrong." Just bonded. That was all. It wasn't Cor's fault that Evangeline hadn't bothered to bond with Lyra. She was stupid to think it would've happened automatically without trying.
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