Chapter Eight

Crys proved herself to be a bright child. She was constantly playing with the block set that we bought her for her birthday. She wanted it set up in the living room rather than her own room. She loved to make little buildings, only to knock them down. She seemed a little too gleeful about that part sometimes.

She also enjoyed baking her own meals. I worried about her eating muffins for all her meals but she insisted. I found it hard to say no so I let it go. Plus Cinder seemed to think it was a good thing and though Cinder could be pretty insane, he always seemed to know what to do.

I sure never baked anything that looked that good when I was her age. I suppose there was nothing to do but be proud of my little girl. She was so grown up and serious though! I really did worry about her. I suppose there was nothing to really worry about though, she seemed to ignore it if I tried to talk to her about it anyway.

Well one day, we all got invited to a party. It was a friend of mine from work who invited me. Cinder came with me. It was a costume party, he chose to dress up as a clown. Crystal didn't want to come so we left her at home to play with the telescope.

I thought I looked pretty good as a military woman. All serious and what not! Maybe this should have been my career path?

First things Cinder did was start telling fortunes. This guy, also dressed as a clown, was his first victim. He allowed Cinder to read his fortune and I listened, curiously. I never let Cinder tell me mine.

"You're going to do something pretty great soon. Maybe a new wife? A new baby perhaps? Or maybe you'll win big at the Fall Fair!" He sounded so sure and excited as he told the man. The man looked disappointed but then thoughtful.

"I have been thinking of proposing to my girlfriend...Maybe...Maybe it's time!" Cinder nodded encouragingly  I had to admit, I was proud of him.

Next he found his way inside, I went for the food and he went for the Crumplebottom sister dressed as mermaid.

"Don't you want to hear your future?" He asked her, practically begging.

"Um...No" She shook her head.

"But I'm good at my job!"

"You seem like a nutjob to me buddy. No" Then she walked away. Cinder seemed really upset. I wish she would have just let him tell her fortune. Surely it couldn't be that bad right?

He also asked this firefighter but he too said no to Cinder. I think he's related to the mermaid somehow but I didn't catch his name. Poor Cinder was so disheartened by then though.

So when this woman finally let him tell her fortune he was so over joyed I heard him stuttering a little when he thanked her. I watched, a little curious, as he concentrated, putting together her future in his mind.

"Good luck is coming your way" He told her. I thought it sounded a little fortune cookie-ish. She started to complain but he went on "But be careful, it comes at a price. You will loose something dear to you. Don't fret though, you will find yourself happier once it is all over"

Pretty good eh? Cinder must be doing well at work.

He then turned and bothered the mermaid once more.

"What do you want? I don't want to hear your lame fortune, clown boy"

"I don't need to touch you to see your future!" He yelled at her. I didn't hear what else he had to say, another person started talking to me and I was across the room but I could see him waving his arms and looking quite...un-Cinder like.

Finally I grabbed him, stuttering half-formed apologizes at the other guests and dragged my lunatic husband out the door. I loved him, but jeeze! He needs to take a chill pill! I wondered what set him off. Maybe his career choice is a bad one for him?

When we got home, he set about fixing our TV which has been broken for about a month. No one got around to fixing it and quite frankly I've been so busy with work and Crystal to worry about it. Speaking of Crystal, I had sat on the couch to read a book next to her but when we came in she got up and quietly skipped off to her room. That girl likes to be alone a little too much. She's a very private, serious person, even at such a young age. It worries me.

Every night when she came home, she would do her homework straight away at the little desk I bought for her in her room.

Then she would generally paint the rest of the day away. On weekends, this was mainly what she did.

I brought it up to Cinder that night. We were still in our costumes and we were finishing off the cake from Crystal's birthday a while back.

"I'm worried about Crystal. She seems to keep to herself. She doesn't have any friends at school"

"She'll make friends, Lefia. Calm down" He smiled, looking calm and as Cinder as ever. "Maybe she doesn't like anybody at school. This isn't like back home, you know everyone because you've grown up with them your whole life. This is different. Give her time"

I had to admit he was probably right, as always. Who ever heard of the man always being right? I was losing my edge.

But at least now that Crys was a little older, we had time for some fun now. I have to admit, we were trying for another baby, but I knew I wouldn't get one. It depressed me in ways I can't even explain. With Crystal being older, I wanted another baby so bad. It seems I was not meant to have one though.

We tried though and I was happy that Cinder was always ready to try, though his looks grew more and more sad every time I asked.

I often wandered the house after such episodes and after one, I saw some strange lights outside. I wandered outside and looked at the rainbow of colors dancing above me. Was it a sign?

I suddenly had a bad feeling about the lights. They were not a good sign. I decided to run but before I knew it I was being sucked up into the air. I screamed and shouted, but no one seemed to hear me.

And away into the spaceship I went. I can't tell you what happened up there, I don't think I want to know. I just know it felt like I was gone for a very long time.

Next thing I knew, I was on the sidewalk in front of my house and an alien was next to me. They gave me a wave and a handshake and then jumped into their ship and were gone. Confused and startled I stared into space as I tried to line up the pieces of what happened to me. Seems like Cinder was right again. Aliens were dangerous.

And they apparently gave you stomach aches because my stomach hurt. I didn't remember it even hurting this much when I got sick when I was carrying Crystal.

To make myself feel better, I went back inside, changed into my PJs and then ate some jellybeans. Those always made me feel better one way or another. I loved that bush.

Well the next morning after telling Cinder about what happened and watching him go running to the hills to find where the Aliens went, I approached Crystal about her upcoming birthday. She didn't speak to us much. It worried me. She didn't seem to have any friends.

"Crystal honey, are you busy?"

"Nah Mom, what do you need?" She didn't look up from painting though.

"Well, its just your birthday is coming up. I figured you might want to invite a friend"

"No. Everyone at school thinks I'm a freak. I rather not" She dipped her brush into the paint and began painting once more, softly humming to herself. I figured that was her sign for me to go away. I sighed and trotted right back out the open door. I worried about her, but I had no idea what to do.

Well later that week, Crystal went to the pool and she met a friend, not that I'd know about it right away.

They took to each other quickly, talking about painting and many other subjects. I just noticed Crystal coming home from school every day with a grin on her face. I figured she had found a friend, but I didn't want to pry.

"Hey mom" Crystal started, plopping on the couch after school one day.

"Yes baby girl?"

"Remember you asked if I wanted to invite a friend for my birthday? I found one. Her name is Sheri Ivy. Can she come?"

Ivy...Probably related to that Annalove woman I met when I first came here. I wondered if she would be rude like that woman. Of course, I didn't want to deny my daughter having a friend over. That would be mean and it was so many years ago now. I bet that woman didn't even remember me.

"I already asked her to come. But I figured I better make sure its okay too"

"Of course honey. We were still throwing you a party, we were just going to invite our bosses over" Which was true. I needed to become better friends with my boss and so did Cinder. We knew it was Crystal's party, but we knew she was going to take off once she could. She didn't like people very much. That was why it was such a surprise to hear about Sheri. I was happy though. Proud of my little girl.

Then it was her birthday. Her father is just out of frame but don't fret, he's there! The brown haired teen is Sheri. She looks nothing like the woman I fought with. Huh. The woman at the table is my boss. She brought hot wings and was too into eating them to celebrate.

Wow she looks like me.

A change of style later and she looks...beautiful. I guess. Must be a phase she's going through but she looks happy. Sheri had to go to work though and she ended up leaving early. Oh well, she was a sweet girl though.

Crys caught me in my bedroom after the party. "Mom, mom! I have exciting news."

"What is it?"

"I decided what I want to do with my life. I got a part time job that'll help me out and everything. I can't wait to start."

"Well what is it? Are you going to tell me or keep me guessing?"

"Mom....I'm joining the military!"

"Oh that's so good...You're doing what?!"