6/13 - Stand by me
It's the day of Nik and Micaela's wedding: they chose an intimate outdoor ceremony at Le Blancs' yard and everything matches the bride's favourite colour, purple.
Guests are starting to arrive and many are already chilling out by the pool, thanks to the sunny and hot day,
Niklaus too decides to relax before the big moment.
Florian talks with one of his grandkids, while keeping a watchful eye on Nik...it seems like he's already taken advantage of the free bar!
Finally the time has come, and everyone gathers around to attend Nik and Micaela's wedding!
A very simple yet touching ceremony and now.....everyone is ready to partyyyyyyyy!!!!
Isabella seems to have taken a liking on the chef Melinda hired for the wedding, Andrea, and she begins to have a little chat with him about food, recipes, and gourmet cuisine...
Andrea: "So you are telling me you know how to cook an herb-crusted salmon? But you're only a teenager!"
Bella: "Well, truth is I love cooking, it is my greatest passion and, since I cook every meal in the house, I have a lot of practice!
A: "You should apply for a coooking course, a friend of mine teaches at Oasis Spring University and I'd be happy to put in a good word for you!"
B: "Errr, thanks, but I really have no time right now to be attending a course...much less if it's in another city!"
A: "That's really a pity! You're talented, I am telling you. Well, should you change your mind, here's my number..."
(*author-entry*: love is in the air, tarararara, love is in the aaaaaaair)
A few days later, while packing up for the moving, Micaela makes a happy discovery: she's expecting!
Niklaus is of course over the moon and can't wait to meet his child!
Relatives begin to buzz around, anxiously waiting for the birth of Nik's first child.
Sibilla pays a visit, bringing a cute little cowboy dress for her nephew/niece.
Also Alberto, Penny's son, finds the time in his busy lessons schedule to say "hi" to his beloved grandma and family.
Such a cutie <3
Then, while everyone is enjoying the palpable joyful atmosphere, something dreadful happens...A scream from the entrance hall makes each family member in the house shiver and tremble. By the time they reach the place the scream was coming from, Florian is laying on the ground, motionless. Standing beside him, a dark and frightening figure is looking down at him....
Everyone is petrified: the dark figure is unmistakably the Grim Reaper, and it's come to take Florian's soul to the afterworld...
Only Melinda finds the courage to plead with the Angel of Death for her husband's life...
Mel: "Oh please, powerful Guardian of the afterlife! Please let my husband live! Just a few more days, so he can see his grandchild!"
Grim: "Dear woman, I can sense your heart is pure and good and full of love, and you surely know that I do not enjoy my task. Yet, someone has to do it, to keep the delicate balance of this world. A life for a life. That's the rule."
Melinda frowns. She knows the Grim Reaper is right, but she cannot bear the thought of her husband gone before seeing this grandchild, his only son's firstborn, THEIR only son's firstborn. She needs to think fast....Looking around, her beloved children are crying their eyes out and seem to be unaware of her conversation with Grim.
She silently says goodbye to each one of them: Penelope, her wonderful and strong eldest daughter; Lorelai, her beautiful and talented girl; Niklaus, her beloved and always smiling son; Virginia, her smart and goodhearted child; Sibilla, her wild and kind daughter; and then, Isabella, her gorgeous and loving little princess, who helped her so much during the difficult days of her illness.
Melinda can feel her heart breaking in tiny pieces which scatter around the room...she imagines to take those pieces and put them inside the hearts of her children.
"There you go, my beloved children. I leave you a little piece of me to comfort you when I'll be gone. I'd rather stay with you to watch you grow into amazing adults, but my time has come, even if a little sooner than expected. Be brave, my darlings. Be kind. And live every day with a smile and a song."
Then, she turns to face Grim and is able to utter just two words: "Take me"
The Grim Reaper seems confused.
G: "I am sorry, but this is not how it works. I can't and I shan't take your life instead of his."
M: "Yes, you can. You see, I am sick and my illness has no cure. I'll be leaving this world very soon anyway. It does not matter to me if it happens a little earlier than expected. Please, dear Angel, accept my request. The request of an old dying woman."
The Grim Reaper is startled by this odd request: it never happened to him that someone would be willing to exchange their own life for another.
"It cannot be done, it cannot be done. The rules are clear! But...if this woman is going to die anyway...."
After much thinking, he finally speaks:
"Very well, my lady, I will grant your wish. Your life for his."
Melinda's anxious look transforms into a happy and relieved face, as she watches the Grim Reaper bringing back to life Florian...
"Dear, dear husband, love of my life!" she thinks with joy "Thank you for always standing by me...Live! Live the life I could save to see your grandchild! Look after our wonderful children also for me...." Melinda thinks in tears.
The Grim Reaper solemnly turns towards Melinda: "There's no time for goodbyes, I am already late. Are you ready, my lady?"
Melinda finds the strength to whisper: "Yes, thank you"
The Grim Reaper starts the ritual and Melinda suddenly feels very tired and her eyes closing. Life is leaving her old and sick body to reach a peaceful state...
Melinda's children are in total shock. It seems the conversation between their mother and Grim took place on a psychic level, as they are not able to comprehend the situation in front of them.
Florian regains his consciousness and it takes him one second to understand what's going on: he listened to all the conversation his wife had with the Angel of Death.
Florian: "Great and powerful Guardian of the afterlife, please, please take MY life instead of my wife's! It is I who should die today!"
Grim: "I am truly sorry, old man, but the deal is done. And I cannot go back on my word"
Florian is devastated: how can he go on living without his beloved Melinda by his side.
"Melinda! Melinda if you hear me, please don't go! Please stand by me!"
"The time has come!" shouts Grim.
And then, in a purple smoke, Melinda's soul vanishes and leaves this world.
(*author is grabbing her knees and rolling down on the ground, while incontrollably crying and sobbing....: my poor feels!)
Melinda is gone. There's nothing anyone could do now.
Her seven children decide to bury her remains in a quiet spot in the backyard.
And there she shall rest forever.
Melinda's death has deeply scarred the Le Blanc bunch: she was their pillar, their role model, their beloved mother. Nothing will be the same from now on. Not for them, not for their father, who is devastated and haunts the house like a ghost.
He spends his time crying by his wife's tombstone and no one or nothing seem to comfort him.
Thus, my first generation princess is gone.
Stay tuned to find out what happens next!
Sulsul
xoxo
