A/N: OMG FINALLY WTF SO BUSY. Yeah, not much else to say here. Just a huge thank you for your patience. I hope you enjoy =) This will be the second to last chapter for Reed.
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“Say ‘rabbit.’ Rab-bit.”
“I would really prefer not to, mother.”
“…Reed, is that you?
“No, this is Andrew speaking. I am extraordinarily talented. Now fetch me my pacifier at once!
“Wabbit!”
“Aww, yay sweetie! Now that’s my little boy talking!”
“That was me humoring you. I am actually telepathic and am talking to you in your brain. You are the only one who can hear me now.”
“Reed…are you in the toy box?”
“No, of course not. …..maybe. I can’t breathe. Also…pretty sure I dislocated something. A little help?”
“Sayyyy ‘stupid!’. As in ‘Daddy is really stupid!’”
“Awwww….”
“Come to daddy! Come on sweetie! You can do it!”
“I do! I do!”
“YAY!! That was amazing, Laura! You did it! Who’s daddy’s awesome little girl? You’re daddy’s awesome little girl!”
“I is awesome gurl, dada!”
“Exceptionally so! Let’s go show off to mama now. She hasn’t gotten your brother to walk yet, heh heh heh.”
“Eee eee eee!” Laura imitated gleefully.
Man I loved being a dad.
As you might imagine, having twin toddlers took up a lot of our free time, so the days sped by and soon we were once again celebrating birthdays. But of course you could probably tell because hey, it’s dark, we’re cheering, and there’s people standing awkwardly everywhere…it must be a birthday party! On that note, damn it! Why can’t we ever get things going when the sun is up!? Certainly made swimming less appealing…although it still got Marina into her swimsuit, heh heh heh.
What was I saying? Oh right! A birthday party held at the local public pool! But also…the birthday party that I was most dreading. My little girls were going to be…were going to be…oh god, I can’t- I can’t write it!
“Yay! I’m finally going to be a teenager!”
Oh god.
I’m not even a very intimidating guy, so how am I supposed to be the dad that scares off unsavory teenage boys? Then again, I don’t think teenage daughters very much appreciate dads who chase their suitors off their lawns with baseball bats and rifles. ….wait, what the fuck had I been watching recently?
At least I had connections. Yes…yes…connections get you far in life. And though I wasn’t physically imposing…my status was pretty intimidating….yes…..
“Honey, are you watching our daughters blow out their candles?”
“Of course I am! YAY!!”
…..>.>
…..
*cries internally*
“Reed…I’m sure they’ll be able to handle themselves just fine,” Marina murmured, placing her hand gently on my arm. How was it that she always seemed to know what was on my mind? Was my face that transparent? Still, the simple words reassured me. My girls weren’t stupid. No, far from it actually.
…but the thing was, not being stupid would only go so far to protect you….
“Whoa! You look…bright,” I remarked, taking a sip from my coffee as Tamara got herself some cereal.
“Uh, thanks…I think…” she said with a slight frown, sitting down at the table now with her cereal.
“So…er, face paint wouldn’t come off from the party?”
“….I don’t want the face paint off. I like it. It’s my way of fighting against monotony and doing something original…something, I don’t know, adventurous.” She took a bite of her cereal, shrugging her shoulders some.
“I see….”
Catherine walked into the kitchen before Tamara could respond, and I couldn’t help but notice that the twins both dressed a lot alike…and yet not at all. How had they managed to pull that off?
“Hey Dad,” Catherine said cheerfully as she grabbed some cereal of her own. “The babies are up. I think Nana Ginger is up there with them, but I heard Andrew screaming for you. So, you know, just a heads up that you might be summoned.”
“Is that cereal organic?” Daniel asked, appearing in the kitchen with bleary eyes.
“Dude, it’s cereal,” Tamara said, looking up at Daniel incredulously.
“Your face paint wasn’t tested on animals…was it?”
Hrmm. Here’s the part where you debate…did you give your kids too much free reign to be themselves and establish their own identities, or did you do just right? I watched them as they chatted, sipping the rest of my coffee slowly (to avoid being in the same room as Ginger…awful, I know, but…I can’t help it) and thinking. Daniel patted Tamara on the head and she rolled her eyes, shoving him away, but she laughed and so did Daniel, Catherine following suit. They looked so happy.
Hmmm.
I guess here’s the part where you decide…hey, you did just right.
“Hi…Andrew has been screaming for you,” I suddenly heard behind me. I jumped, nearly spilling my coffee, and then turned around to see Ginger holding Andrew and looking at me in surprise. ….as were the twins and Daniel. Ughhhhh, fucking shit.
“Sorry, I was deep in thought,” I said, clearing my throat and getting up from the table. I made my way over to Ginger and took Andrew from her, trying to ignore how her hand grazed my arm as she passed him over. An accident, surely. “Thanks. You summoned, little man?” I asked Andrew with a smile.
“Dada,” he said with a frown, his chubby cheeks wet with tears. I held him close and he snuggled up to me, causing me to momentarily forget the tension that blossomed in the room whenever Ginger was in it. “No go work! Pway with me!” he cried, holding me tighter.
Before I could answer, Catherine came up and playfully poked Andrew in the stomach. “Silly goose!” she said, much to his delight as he burst out into laughter. “Dada has to go to work so he can buy you awesome toys!”
“I like toys,” he admitted, looking down. “But miss dada.”
“We do too,” Tamara chimed in, coming up on Andrew’s other side. “But don’t worry, he’s always there when you need him most!” she said. “Isn’t that right, dad?”
“Uh, yeah,” I said, slightly thrown off by all of this. “Of course,” I continued, now addressing solely Andrew. “I’ll always be here for you.” I wasn’t entirely sure how much the little guy understood, but he did smile and give me a kiss on the cheek, if anything. Man, despite their tantrums and the yelling and the frustration and the, er, interesting clothing choices…I really had the best kids in the world.
I looked up then as I heard a creak and noticed Ginger ambling back up the stairs, averting her gaze at all costs. Was it just me, or did she look…sad? I fought the urge to go after her and ask what was wrong though.
I knew a bad idea when I saw it.
~*~Ginger’s Point of View~*~
God, you’re so stupid, Ginger! What are you, fifteen again? The man is married. Married! With FIVE beautiful children and a wife so stunning that, let’s be honest, she puts you to shame, sweetheart. And even if she didn’t look that way, he loves her. He loves her more than you’ve ever seen a man love a woman…but that just makes your heart ache for him more…doesn’t it?
“Yes…”
“Nana, pway!” Laura cried gleefully, tapping away at the little xylophone in front of her.
“I am! So what color is that one?” I asked, trying to shake the thoughts out of my head.
Laura seemed to think for a moment, gnawing on her mallet, and then looked up at me excitedly. “Boo!”
“Blue, yes, very good! And this one?”
“Wed!”
“Yes, red! You’re so smart! Can you play me a song now? Just a little song?” Laura giggled and began tapping away again…and my thoughts reverted back to myself.
I really was stupid. I even had a boyfriend. And I don’t think he was thrilled that I was living here and not with him, but I needed the money and this job really did pay well. Plus, I loved children, so this arrangement really was perfect. I still remember seeing that ad in the newspaper like it was yesterday- I’d just gotten so excited. I was even looking forward to seeing my old friend again! I wondered if he still had the crane. I wondered if he’d remember me. I wondered if it would be like old times together, and we could just laugh and joke together and catch up on each others’ lives….
But then I saw him. Oh god I saw him. His jet black hair, his shockingly green eyes, the sweet, yet slightly awkward way he held himself, and those surprisingly flattering, bright yellow glasses. It was just like the last time I saw him. Just like the guy that never failed to put butterflies in my stomach and a smile on my face. I knew that if he hadn’t have left…I would have given him another chance. But he did leave. And here he was now! Just like before…only older. And with something…different. An air of…success. The triumph of…victory. A bit more confidence, a bit more…charisma. A bit more…godIwantedhim. So. badly.
UGHHHH I AM SO STUPID!
“Like song, nana?” Laura asked, stopping for a moment to get my opinion.
“Yes! It was beautiful, darling. Could you play me another?” An enthusiastic nod, and then the tinging of high-pitched metallic notes…and I’m back in my own thoughts again.
I should tell him. I took in a sharp breath, my heart suddenly hammering. I should tell him everything. Surely he felt it too? I could see it when he left any room I entered, mumbling some excuse or other; I could see it in the chance glances I caught; I could feel it when he caught me in his arms after I very nearly toppled over bumping into him. So embarrassing…but I’ll never forget how warm he felt. How…safe. I should tell him.
And then what? You stupid, stupid girl! He has a FAMILY. A beautiful goddamn FAMILY!
“Nana cwy?” Laura suddenly asked, looking up at me worriedly, her little mallet suspended in the air as she paused her song. I pressed my lips together and wiped my eyes, shaking my head.
“No. I think…I think something got in Nana’s eye. I’ll be right back, okay?” Laura nodded and I got up, making my way into the bathroom, turning on the shower, and just…crying.
And crying. What was I trying to achieve here, really? Despite everything, the last thing I wanted to do was break up this family. Although I knew that I couldn’t, even if I wanted to. Reed was devoted to…to her. To Marina. I couldn’t even hate her though, because she was so nice and funny, and damn it! No wonder he loved her. ….so then, again, what was I trying to achieve?
Peace.
I covered my face with my hands and stifled a sob. That’s all I wanted. I couldn’t keep this bottled up any longer, and that’s why I wanted to tell him. That’s why I would tell him. Right before I left perhaps, just to get it off my chest. I knew that he would probably just brush me off, but I didn’t even care. I just needed him to know. I just needed to say it. I just needed…peace.
Please just let me have that.
~*~End of Ginger’s POV~*~
Time continued to pass by quickly, as it tends to do when you have kids, and soon enough our last little babies were growing up. It was the most bittersweet birthday of them all. Marina couldn’t even bear to bring the babies to their cakes to blow out the candles, so I helped them each blow out their candles while Marina watched and tried not to cry. I couldn’t blame her. I was sad too.
First up was our little man, Andrew. He eagerly leaned forward to blow out the candles, giggling as I tried to keep a safe distance away. It looked like we might have a little daredevil on our hands….
Next up was our precious Laura, who was also extremely excited that it was her birthday.
“I big girl now?” Laura asked me with a smile before I helped her blow out her candles.
“Yup. And you’ll even be able to go to school, like your older brother and sisters do!”
Laura tried to stick her hand in the cake and grab some icing, which made everyone laugh, and then she blew out her candles too and my youngest were now old enough to start school. Where had the years gone?
Though twins, the two didn’t look a lot alike, but they were pretty similar in personalities, both really energetic and just excited about life in general. They were like two never-extinguishing sparklers and we loved it.
But I knew that soon enough, they too would go to high school, and my three eldest would grow up and move out and…wow, I was getting ahead of myself. And yet…I couldn’t help but remember that Daniel’s birthday was right around the corner.
My kids really were growing up…and on that note….so was I.
“You know, it’s so weird,” I suddenly heard from behind me one evening. I jumped, nearly breaking the dish that I had been washing. “Oh, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to scare you. Are you okay?” I took a deep breath, knowing exactly who it was. Of course it was her.
“I’m fine,” I said steadily, turning around. “What’s weird?”
“Hmm?” Ginger said, looking at me in confusion for a moment. “Oh! Right! Sorry. I was just saying that it’s weird. You’re, well…” Ginger stopped for a moment and took a breath, no longer looking directly at me. “You’re so different, and yet you’re the same. Does that make sense?”
“Not exactly,” I admitted with a bit of a nervous chuckle. Please just let me go to bed. What are you even getting at anyway? It would be so much better if we simply stayed away from each other.
“You’ve changed in so many ways, but you feel like the same person,” Ginger explained. She licked her lips and then finally met my gaze, giving me a half-smile and completely changing the conversation. “You truly have a beautiful family, Reed. Marina is wonderful and your kids are just so sweet.”
“Er…thanks….”
“I’ve been wanting a family too,” Ginger continued, her eyes unexpectedly welling up with tears. “But I don’t think my boyfriend’s much interested in them. Or any more of a commitment, really, and I’m afraid it’s getting too late.”
“I’m sorry,” I said quietly, not knowing what else to say. I fought the urge to comfort her, putting my hands in my pockets and staring down at my feet.
“Do you ever wonder if your life could have been different?” I stayed quiet, hoping that she would say more and that she wasn’t actually asking, but after an uncomfortably long silence I was forced to look up, only to find her looking at me expectantly.
“Er…not really, actually,” I said honestly, suddenly feeling a bit guilty. “I mean…when it really comes down to it…I’m more than happy with this life.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah.”
“Do you ever…? Never mind.”
“…do I ever?”
“Think about what we could have been?” Ginger finally blurted out, her cheeks wet with tears I hadn’t even seen fall. “What we could have had?” I sucked in a breath, my heart pounding harder. We shouldn’t have been having this conversation at all. This felt so wrong. And yet images of an alternative life flashed unbidden through my head, images that I had not conjured in so very long.
“I used to,” I admitted in spite of myself, staring at a point next to Ginger’s shoe. “I used to think about asking you to join me in Bridgeport. I used to think about running back to Neverglade to find you again. I used to think about folding one thousand paper cranes myself and visiting you and giving you the 1000th and saying that my wish would be that we’d be together again, for good. But…” I trailed off, waving my hand half-heartedly.
“But you didn’t.”
“No.”
“And I didn’t either.”
“Nope.”
“Sometimes I regret that,” Ginger whispered tearfully. “But most of all, I regret not giving you a second chance.”
“Gin’ don’t. It was so long ago. We were teenagers for goodness sake. Just d-”
“I should have given you a second chance.” I fell silent and swallowed hard as Ginger took a step toward me, a step that was much too big. My heart pounded harder. “We could have been something great,” she continued softly, looking up to meet my eyes. Please stop. Please don’t do this to me. God her warm brown eyes still twinkled in the light. Did her lips still taste like butterscotch? My heart clenched painfully in my chest at the thought. “We could have had something…something magical,” Ginger finished in a whisper, leaning toward me. I froze in place, my mind screaming at me to get away. Come on, Reed, go, go, why are your eyes falling shut, don’t, don’t! Her fingertips grazed my cheek—
And that’s when I backed up with a jerk, smacking into the counter as I hadn’t realized how close I was to it. “I can’t,” I finally managed to get out hoarsely, edging along the counter and jumping away from her. “I can’t, I can’t. Jesus, Gin’, I can’t!”
“I’m sorry!” Ginger cried, her hands covering her mouth and her eyes wide with shock and embarrassment. “I’m sorry! I wasn’t going to do that! It’s just, we wer-”
“Stop.”
“But I didn’t m-”
“STOP!” I finally snapped angrily. “You can’t fucking do this, Ginger! I can’t fucking do this and I don’t WANT to do this!” I cried, surprising myself when hot, angry tears filled my eyes. Damn it, damn it, DAMN IT! I didn’t want to feel anything for Ginger, I didn’t want to hurt my family, and most of all, I didn’t want to betray Marina. God, no, no, no. I loved her so much. So goddamn much, and I hated that this, whatever the fuck THIS was, seemed to be attempting to encroach on that.
“I wasn’t asking you to!” Ginger cried out. “I didn’t mean to do that! I wasn’t thinking! Look, I don’t even know how all of this happened. I’m so, so stupid! I just wanted to tell you that I was leaving, but I got so stupidly caught up in everything! I thought I could handle the job, I thought I was over you, but there’s still something there, something that drives me absolutely insane! I just, I want…I need, to move on now.”
I paused, looking at Ginger for a moment in surprise. “W-w-when are you leaving?” I asked, caught off-guard.
“Tonight,” Ginger whispered. “I already told your wife I was going. It was part of the plan anyway—you guys don’t need me anymore. ….I just…I just thought I’d say goodbye,” she mumbled. “Clearly it wasn’t my brightest plan.”
“Maybe not,” I said weakly, rubbing my neck and feeling awkward all of a sudden.
“Yeah,” Ginger said, looking awkward herself now. “Yeah. Right, well, goodbye then, I guess.”
“Bye,” I said quietly. “I guess.” Ginger managed a half-smile, shrugging her shoulders slightly and heading for the door, but my heart was suddenly clenching painfully again and my breath was caught and my blood was running cold and I cursed viciously before bounding forward, pulling Ginger against me, and then capturing her lips with mine in a hard, desperate kiss.
The kiss was aggression and frustration and anger and desperation and above all, a release. A release from the tension, from the what ifs, from the could have beens, from everything…because the one thing that this kiss was missing…was actual love. Or at least, the kind of love that binds two souls together. The kind of love that intertwines destinies. The kind of love that I felt for my wife….
I pulled away from Ginger and caught her eyes, and with that gaze I could tell that she was coming to the same realization—this was not the love of fairytales. Instead of feeling relief though, like I did, it looked like her world had been shattered.
“I guess we really did meet under vastly different circumstances,” Ginger whispered, hiding her face from mine as she wiped her eyes. I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t know if there was anything I could say. “I guess I should go now,” she sniffed, taking a deep breath. “Well, until next time, Reed,” she said, trying to pull herself together.
“Until next time,” I echoed quietly. She gave me a small smile, shrugged her shoulders, and then made a bee-line for the door once again. “Hold on,” I said then, and she froze in place, not turning around. “…are you going to be okay?”
Ginger took a deep, shuddering breath and then turned around, a real smile on her face now. “Yeah. I’ll be fine. You’re not that great, Reed,” she joked despite her tear-filled eyes.
“No. I’m really not,” I acquiesced. And with another soft laugh and a smile, Ginger turned around for the third time, picked her bag up off the ground, and left. Only this time, I didn’t stop her. Our story was not the fairytale.
I felt bad about turning away Ginger, but above all, I felt so completely, 100% relieved. No more tension, no more wondering, no more awkwardness, nothing! I had finally, finally gotten closure for that part of my life, and my relief was so tangible that I’m sure anyone around could have seen it on my face. I felt loads lighter as I made my way up the stairs, practically skipping back into my bedroom to see my beautiful, beloved wife.
….but unfortunately, when I opened that bedroom door, I saw a scene far different than what I had been expecting.
“Marina…?” I said cautiously, seeing her laying on the bed, her shoulders shaking as she covered her eyes. Was she…crying? “Marina, what happened?” I immediately asked, crossing the room into two large steps as I rushed toward her. “Baby, are you okay?”
“Get away from me!” Marina shrieked in return, turning away from me.
“…what?” I asked, my veins suddenly rushing with the cold bite of fear. “Are you hurt? Is…is everything okay?” I asked in a smaller voice, intensely concerned.
“Is everything okay? Is everything okay!? HMM well let’s see if everything is okay,” Marina began bitterly, staring up at the ceiling as she refused to look in my direction. “I walk downstairs to find the husband that I love with all of my heart and soul kissing another woman, and you ask if everything is okay!?”
I opened my mouth to speak, but I couldn’t find any words. I swore the room had gotten ten degrees colder, and my throat felt so tight all of a sudden that I doubt I could have spoken even if I had thought of what to say. “How could you?” she repeated through her tears, getting out of bed and glowering at me. “How could you!?”
“It-it didn’t mean anything,” I said hoarsely, the excuse sounding incredibly weak. Marina must have thought so too, because she began breaking down into sobs, unable to look at me any longer. “Marina, sweetheart, I-I swear. I love you and only you. Ginger left. There’s nothing left between us. I-I’m so sorry,” I began to babble, my voice cracking and my eyes filling up with hot tears in my distress. “Please-”
“Shut up!”
“Marina…”
“I said shut up! Shut up and get out of this room! I don’t want to see your face ever again!”
“Marina! You don’t mean that…I love you. Y-y-you love me. Marina, you can’t do this.”
“Please, Reed, just get out. No puedo hacer esto. No puedo, no puedo,” Marina began mumbling in Spanish so I suddenly couldn’t understand anything that she was saying.
“What?” I asked quietly, unable to move from my spot.
“Véte!” she shrieked. “Fuera! GET OUT!” I opened my mouth to argue, to beg, to plead, to lay my very life on the line, but Marina chose that moment to lean down and grab her shoe, threatening to throw it at me, and that’s when I finally fled the room, closing the door behind me and wincing when I heard a loud THUD and then the horrifying sound of Marina sobbing. I completely lost it at that point, breaking down into tears myself as I slid down the door and collapsed onto the floor, unable to think clearly enough to do anything else.
What had I done?
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Different Winters 
Reed, you idiot! OMG this was sooo good though! I can’t help but feel for Reed, he really didn’t mean much by the kiss. I mean, at least he found the truth out about Ginger rather than having any such regrets over her. But poor Marina. I’d be exactly like her, but I’m still rooting for them and for Reed.
*flails* Noooooooooooooooooo. Reed, you silly man. One kiss can ruin everything. D:
I hope Marina forgives him. But I know I wouldn’t be able to forgive him if I were her. After all, she only has his word for the fact it didn’t mean anything.
Great chapter, though. I’m going to miss Reed’s voice when his gen is finished. ❤
Fuuuuuuu–
Just what I was hoping WOULDN’T happen. D: Well, I guess it could have been worse. He could have realized he was in love with them both. They could have done more than just kiss.
I hope Marina forgives him, but I’d have a hard time if I were in her place.
On another note, all the kids are just awesome. I’m thinking you hinted that Tamara might be heir. Can’t wait to find out for sure!
Oh god, I was reading this at the kitchen table and I felt like a hole had been ripped in my chest. My cousin actually asked me if I was okay.
Just beautifully written, but I feel broken. I know the feeling of being cheated on, so frankly I just want to smack him. I was romantically involved with a boy who got and lost another girlfriend every time in between seeing me.
I’m so mad at him, and yet I know his pain. God, you are such an amazing writer! You need to rub off on me!
I don’t see how she can ever forgive him. I might be able to get past that, but it would take a long time and a lot of suffering.
This was terrible and wonderful at the same time. I love the children. I liked Ginger’s POV even though I was rooting against her and hoping she wouldn’t do what she did. I thought there might be two possible heirs. Daredevil and adventurous are both possible for the traveling gen. I can’t wait to see what you do.
OMG. Intense stuff…you better update soon.
I saw Reed in callierose’s update, and I was wondering who it was so I clicked the link and read all of generation 1 and up to here.
And let’s just say, it was totally worth it 🙂
You’re a great writer!! PLEASE UPDATE SOON!!
http://trufflelegacy.wordpress.com
Peace always comes at a cost, I suppose. Poor Reed! I hope Marina and he are able to work it out. It’d be terrible for him to have achieved everything only to have the perfect family ripped apart like that. What an intense chapter.
I’ll miss his narrative so much when the next generation takes the reins, as wonderful as the children are. Absolutely stunning chapter, as always!
I don’t even LIKE Ginger! REED + MARINA 4EVERZZ!
Plus, their kids are GORGEOUS!
Oh man. This chapter was just full of tension. I had a feeling that something like this would happen. If I were Marina, I wouldn’t ever forgive Reed. I’ve been cheated on before (with five different girls… while I was dying in a hospital!) so it’s not in my nature to forgive cheaters. I still love Reed though because we know that for him, it was just closure. Unfortunately I don’t think Marina will ever see it that way. I just hope she doesn’t take the kids and leave Reed all alone. He doesn’t fully deserve it although he *made* the choice to grab Ginger and kiss her. He could have let her walk out when she turned to leave. *sigh* So much conflict! I really hope that Reed at least gets an okay ending because it was such a delight to read about him. I, as many others, am going to miss his voice when it’s time to hand the reins over to the next heir(ess).
Amazing job!
they say that you shouldn’t get a cuban woman mad because she will burn you alive. i’m a humanitarian and for one would not enjoy burning someone alivebut if i were marina i would’ve done what my people do and burn that cheater alive. but that’s only because i wouldn’t have known his story
reeeeeeddd omg he was so stupid to kiss ginger. how could he have not even thought about getting caught by marina. i love these two so much together, i hope that their marriage isn’t over 😦 i couldn’t help but laugh when marina started to go off in spanish. that totally reminded me of my great grandma. she used to start speaking in italian when she got angry 🙂
*facepalm* You are such an idiot, Reed! I was actually yelling out “Nooo” when that screenshot popped up. He was doing so well, in telling her “stop” and then he just fails! Argh, and was it worth it Reed?
I do hope that after Marina lets him boil in oil for a while that they will work things out. She should have come down the stairs, stand behind Reed and grab his you know what and make him understand that he is hers. She’s more fire than just cussing him out in Spanish, which was hilarious by the way.
The kids are all cute. Andrew is adorable. Prob my favorite.Loved that scene where the kids tell Reed they miss him when he’s working. That right there should have set him straight!
Heyy I just started your legacy, and it is AMAZING!!!
Ginger! You are a butt. Don’t get in the way of Reed and Marina’s love!! Stupid Stupid Stupid! I want to slap her now…
Marina! It didn’t meen anything!
T.T sad chapter 😦
if you have any time, could you check out my legacy? http://www.yousseflegacy.wordpress.com
thnx!!
P.S. I added you to my links 🙂
OMG! Ginger ruined it all! She could have told Reed she still liked him and left! KEEP IT SIMPLE! But now since she kissed him, it ruined Reeds live! Poor guy, This is an amazing update btw, when do you think you will have the next one out?
I can’t actually give a good time estimate…but my guess would be that in a week or two, Reed’s final chapter should definitely be up. That’s when things start calming down a bit in the program I’m doing, so I’m hoping to have time then! I actually have the chapter written, but haven’t had any time to actually play the game and get my pictures =( It’ll come though-week or two I think =)
Thats good, cause its been a while! 🙂
WHEN.IS.A.NEW.CHAPTER.COMING.OUT???!!
oops nevermind i just read the above comment 🙂
I love your little picture thing there 🙂
*unpopular opinion here*
In a way, I think it was good that Ginger and Reed kissed. Because otherwise, they could have lived their lives wondering whether they would still feel the same way. Clearly, it would have been better if Marina hadn’t of seen but I do want her to forgive him. It was cheating and it wasn’t good but they are an excellent couple and love eachother
I second your unpopular opinion >.>
Hehehe 😉
So I know this is an old post, but I just started reading your legacy & i love it but MAN.! When Ginger was about to kiss Reed i was like NOOOOOOOO.!! D=
then he said he couldnt & i actually jumped up & started cheering (glad no one was around o.O) & then the inevitable happened & he did it & all i could do was virtually slap the crap out of him over & over… Marina finding out was the worst part. I just hope Reed comes clean about why he did it & she understands
You’ll have to keep reading to find out! hehe. Also, welcome!! I’m so glad you like my story ^_^ …well, besides Reed’s little, er, mistake, heh =P He had good reason!! ….not that that makes it right =/
I have to say… he deserves it. I was so proud of him when he told her no the first time and then he did it. I could strangle his little Harry Potter face!
Oh, I know 😥 He made such a stupid decision, but the “what ifs” had just gotten the better of him. Of course, he knows now for sure that Marina is the only one for him, BUT AT WHAT COST?
I noticed you “liked” the next chapter though, so you already know, lol. I hope you can forgive him! …after strangling him a bit of course 😛 Goodness knows he’d deserve that!
I don’t think I’ll ever fully forgive him but as long as his wife is happy that is all that matters.
O.O……..
That about sums it up!! =O
haha no kidding! I’m trying to catch up :p
Hehe, hope you’re enjoying doing so ^.^
AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!
Reed you IDIOT!!!!
*Screams, cries and wants to break something* This can’t be happening! Life was just starting to pick back up for him! Beautiful family btw!
Now off to keep reading!
Hahaha! Yup, that sounds about right. This is, without a doubt, the dumbest moment of Reed’s life. It was impulsive and stupid…and yet….dang, it was the “and yet” that brought this on, wasn’t it? He just had to know for sure….*sighs heavily* So very dumb.
Oh dude, love the drama. LOL. In this case, though, haha, Reed repeated his teenage mistake, but he knew better this time around. Now it seems he’s in the same scenario again, Ginger gone, Marina possibly going to be gone… Yikes. What indeed, was he thinking? Perhaps he wasn’t thinking. I think his and Ginger’s talk would have been sufficient for him to find closure, but maybe he thought he needed a kiss for closure? Hmm… and then they both came to the conclusion that Ginger is not his fairy tale ending… but if Marina leaves, will he go find Ginger again? She’s clearly not the happiest in her relationship with her boyfriend. Hmm… =o
LOL yessssss drama *rubs hands together sinisterly* lmao.
Reed has indeed repeated the events of his past. He really wasn’t thinking at all! Maybe if he’d been thinking logically, maybe if he hadn’t been so caught up in the useless sea of “what if’s” he would have realized that the talk had been sufficient; that the kiss wasn’t necessary; and yet, was it? Hmm, perhaps it was the fact that he still felt this ounce of uncertainty that he went and did it anyway. Not that that’s a good reason, of course, but since when does any always act with good reason really? Emotions are both a saving grace and a crux……
REED, HOW COULD YOU?! Once again, history repeats itself because people don’t learn from their mistakes. I love the drama and my little fangirl heart is feeling all the feels because, as I said on the previous chapter (perhaps this time my reiteration will be a bit less eloquent) DUDE, YOU’RE FUC- *takes deep breath* Reed, you’re married, you have a beautiful family who loves you very much and who you love very much. You had a chance with Ginger, you messed things up, now you’re possibly going to lose both ladies, AGAIN.
I’m angry with Reed and I don’t want the children top have to suffer through mommy and daddy’s divorce because daddy was making out with the nanny, but Ginger, man. Ginger. I feel horrible for her, it must be awful helping raise your incredibly successful ex-almost-flame’s children, especially because there was so many unresolved issues… *sighs*
I hope things work themselves out.
I know 😦 This was, without a doubt, the dumbest effing mistake Reed ever made. I mean yes he’s had some (VERY SIMILAR #COMEONREED) mistakes in the past, but this one just takes the cake. He has an absolutely wonderful and adoring family and yet….*sigh* Uncertainty and “What ifs” are a bitch.
It’s a very difficult situation, but it’ll certainly be worked out one way or another……
Ooops… 😦
Well, that was awkward. However he should have thought of that before he gave into passion with the wife at home. Sad times. 😦
It was probably hard having Ginger around. Should have stopped that in the beginning.
Right? As soon as I felt any of those confusing feelings I’d have been like “Yeah, this is not going to work out.” Still, Reed didn’t want to admit that. He wanted to believe that he was past all that…even when it was clear that he wasn’t entirely. A clean-cut case of denial. The outcome? Being bitten right in the ass. Ugh.
He definitely should have thought twice…or perhaps thrice…or like…seven times…..heh.
REED YOU GREAT LUMPING PLUMBOB OF A MAN! The NEXT time you cheat on your wife, make sure she ISN’T HOME! *throws up hands* *mutters about men being neanderthals*
LOL. I would probably extend that to, “The next time you cheat on your wife DON’T!!!!!” Hahahaha. But “What ifs” are a bitch and clearly they got the better of him in that moment….even though it should have been obvious to him WITHOUT the kiss that Marina was the one for him. Of course now that he’s positive Marina’s the only one for him, she’s rightfully doubting whether she still wants him to be the one for her!
EVERYTHING WAS GOING SO WELL. I nearly jumped in joy when he rejected Ginger…and then HE KISSED HER. And I lost it. First the facepalm, a little bit of yelling at Reed, and then a sigh of defeat as I continued to read.
Daaaammmnnn ittt Reed!
I KNOW. He was so freaking close, but then that little tendril of “What if?” came up and bit him in the ass and suddenly…..NOOOO! Stupid, stupid, stupid.”Damn it, Reed!” indeed! Argh!
oh no… he just doesn’t learn does he? 😀 (even the real harry potter made better decisions in his love life and he was pretty clumsy there :P)
Hahaha, nope, apparently not. He was so close too, but then…well, the pull of curiosity plus an unhealthy dose of impulse led him right back to making the same mistakes all over again. *heavy sigh* Of course, the real Harry Potter made irrational, impulsive decisions too (DEPARTMENT OF MYSTERIES MUCH!?!), lmao XD
I mean, at least Reed knows for sure now I guess, but at what cost? *shakes head sadly*
hahaha department of mysteries definitely, but pretty much the entire order of the phoenix book too , I was so annoyed with him from the start of the book 😀 I still hope everything goes well with Reed and Marina but I can’t bring myself to read further yet in case it doesn’t 😦 plus it’s Reed’s last chapter 😦
Ah yeah, truth. I mean to some extent I understood, because he was frustrated and essentially forced into isolation and afraid, but at some point it was just like, omg. It’s a rough book. I swear I feel keyed up the entire time I’m reading it o_o
As for Reed and Marina, my lips are sealed, so you really will just have to venture further to see what happens 😉
That was sooooo stupid from both of them! I liked Ginger very much and Reed too but not after this. They were both so thoughtless that I can only shake my head! Why must people always want what they don’t have? And don’t understand that, if they get it, they will loose what they already have? Well, I won’t pity Reed! Whatever what comes he deserves it! Wait … he doesn’t deserve if Marina will forgive him … too soon!
Oh, definitely =( They were thoughtless and impulsive and now Marina is so hurt. She doesn’t even know whether she can trust him anymore. Witnessing that kiss was the last thing she ever wanted to see.
I don’t understand it either, and now Reed might lose Marina because of his stupidity. I can’t see her forgiving him anytime soon…and if she does, he’ll be a very lucky man because she has every right to never want to see him again!
I HAVE SO MANY FEELINGS. GAAAAAAAAAAAAAH NOOOO BUT AT THE SAME TIMEEEE EEEEE…. OOOOOOO…. IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII….
I guess I’ll be *that* guy and say… maybe it was for the better. I mean, I don’t know. It’s so hard. In these kinds of situations there’s just… not an easy way about it. Maybe he needed that kiss to realize he didn’t want this, and no, he shouldn’t require that but that’s just it. We’re human. If Marina hadn’t seen and been none the wiser, I guess it would be easier to justify, even if it is terrible. It’s really so frustrating. I can’t say that in her place I wouldn’t do the exact same thing or feel the exact same way as Marina, but since I’m not I can say these things easily. He just seemed to be struggling so much and talking with her about it probably would have resulted in the same ending if not even MORE hurt feelings? I don’t know! It’s so hard to make a point here, I’m just babbling… I understand that cheating is bad and it’s always bad… but I don’t demonize Reed, either. He isn’t a bad guy and he loves his wife… It’s all just COMPLICATED.
Yeah, I mean…yeah, lol. It really is so hard, and I can honestly think of arguments in defense of both choices, even though one of those choices was clearly stupid sfhdjhfskjfsk. I mean, yeah, totally, maybe he didn’t need that kiss to come to this realization, but as you said, we’re human and it was impulsive and yes, dumb, but he did it anyway, and ughhhh. Like, he really shouldn’t have done it, but he did, and he regretted that, but also it did lead him to having the revelation that this wasn’t what he wanted, so I don’t know. I’m kind of in the same boat as you where it’s like, yeah this sucks and it shouldn’t have happened, cheating SUCKS, but at the same time I don’t demonize Reed either? It just really is complicated and damn it, feelings are hard T____T
We don’t always go the right way about things, and neither did Reed here, but he really does love his wife and doesn’t want to lose her. Of course, because of these ill-advised decisions, he might anyway because obviously Marina is extremely hurt and it’s like, how can you possibly say you love me when you’re off kissing another woman!??!?! But as you said, it is more complicated than that…..Idk dhfsjfhksfhskdhfjdsfsj what a mess.