"franka44021;c-18199964" wrote: Love this background story, very well written and can't wait to read more! I, too, have never finished the hundred baby challenge, so I am hoping your shared story will give me some help. Thanks for sharing.
It can be so tricky to do, especially when you have a full household (and ESPECIALLY when there are several toddlers!)
The next morning, Dante woke up with the sun, having been barely able to sleep the night before. He couldn’t stop thinking about Kalani, and wondering why he felt this way since he had never felt like this about a girl. He decided to go for an early morning swim to clear his head.
When Dante arrived back at their rented villa, his parents were awake and chatting in the living room. “Why are you up so early?” he questioned them; his parents were not early risers unless there was something important going on that day. “We are hosting our fundraiser event today, Dante. Don’t tell me you forgot,” his mother sighed with a mixture of aggravation and disappointment. He absolutely had forgotten, as Dante could not stand these stuffy formal events. “I had plans today mother!” Camilla raised an eyebrow at her son, and he quickly realized he did not want to share his actual plans with his family. “I was supposed to go free diving in Mua Pel’am with a couple of guys,” he lied. Although Dante was in his early 20’s, he was often treated like a teenager. His parents were very strict and very powerful, and this led to a family dynamic that meant he would be treated like a child until he moved out of their home. “Dante, I do not care what wild activities you had planned today. This is important. We cannot show up to a formal event missing someone from our family. How would that look?” Camilla scolded. Not wanting to put up too much of a fight for fear that his mother would catch on to what he was really doing, Dante nodded and retreated to his room to get dressed with a pit in his stomach.
Throughout the entire event, Dante anxiously watched the clock. He hated these fancy parties, and as his father schmoozed the guests and his mother gave a long speech, he drowned his boredom at the bar. The hours seemed to crawl by, and as it got later and later his anxiety grew. He felt something with Kalani, even after only spending a couple of hours with her, and did not want her to think he had bailed on their plans.
Finally around 5:00 the fundraiser was starting to wind down, and Dante was able to escape without anyone noticing. He ripped off his suit and threw it on the bathroom floor, revealing the swimsuit he’d been wearing underneath for hours. He hopped on his jet ski and headed straight for the address Kalani had given him, flying through the water.
Dante arrived at Kalani’s home by jet ski, and instantly became both relieved and nervous as he spotted her on the deck of her bungalow. The sun was setting now, and he half expected her to turn and walk away as soon as she spotted him. Making a girl wait for hours on the first date is not really a great start, he thought.
Kalani spotted Dante in the water, and a grin lit up her face. He swam over to the ladder on her deck and climbed up quickly, apologizing before he even reached the top. “I am so sorry that I didn’t show up for lunch…I’m here with my parents and they planned some dumb event and I didn’t have a choice…I didn’t want to tell them about this – thing – that we’re doing…lunch, I mean, although it’s far too late for lunch now…” Dante rambled on, tripping over his words as he watched her smile grow larger with each one. She began to giggle as he fumbled. When he finally gave up trying to explain, she let out a laugh and told him, “Its fine. I am not upset. We barely know each other, if you didn’t ever show up I wouldn’t have been mad.” His face fell with those last few words, so she added, “I am glad you are here now, though,” with a sweet smile.
The hours flew by as Dante and Kalani spent the night laughing and learning about each other. Dante offered to cook her dinner to make up for being so late. As he grilled she made a citrusy island drink from fresh fruit, and they chatted and joked. Sitting together on her lounge chairs overlooking the turquoise water, the only silence was when one of them was chewing. By the time they were done eating and talking the sun had completely set and the sky was a deep purple.
Dante was so intoxicated by this enamoured feeling that he completely forgot about the outside world. She offered to teach him how to do an island dance, and sparks flew as they twirled around her deck. Dante was lost for words in a situation in which he would normally have some suave pick-up line, but he leaned in for a kiss anyway. Kalani returned the favor, kissing him right back.
Dante reached behind his back and pulled a daisy out of nowhere, saying "I almost forgot to give you this." Her light-hearted chuckle as she playfully smelled the fragrant flower was music to his ears. After spending hours together out on the deck, Kalani pulled Dante down to the ground to show him the different star constellations that twinkled above the sea. The sky was clearer than he’d ever seen, but he could hardly focus on the stars.
Seemingly out of nowhere, a bolt of lightning struck the ocean in front of them, and seconds later rain came pouring down. Soaking wet, the pair laughed as they ran into her home to escape the storm. Kalani asked Dante to spend the night, and it was a very romantic evening indeed.
Thank you for the likes simmers! I hope you're enjoying the story so far.
Also, I hope that me leaving a few pictures without the spoiler isn't bothering you! I like showcasing the most important pictures for the story (but I take a LOT of screenshots so I like including them!) If anyone would rather me put them all in a spoiler, please let me know :smile:
The next morning, Kalani awoke alone in her bed. Disappointed, she dragged herself out of bed, upset with herself for having such strong feelings for a man she had just met. As she walked out into the main room of the bungalow she heard faint humming, and the scent of caramelized fruit wafted through the slits in her open-air windows.
Kalani walked outside to find Dante setting up the table. As she laid eyes on Dante, Kalani couldn’t wipe the grin off of her face. He sauntered up to her and lightly kissed her cheek. “Good morning Beautiful. I made breakfast.” Caught up in the romantic moment they’d been sharing since yesterday, Kalani and Dante flirted and laughed while they ate, as light raindrops from a sun shower dappled the turquoise water around them.
After sharing a long kiss, Dante’s face fell and his distress was evident. “What is it?” she asked. “I…have to leave soon.” Dante could barely get the words out. He explained that his parents would be waking soon and that they were heading back to Forgotten Hollow today.
“Well, before you leave Dante, I want to show you something,” Kalani whispered mysteriously. He followed her down the beach to the water’s edge, where she stopped. Kalani turned to face him. “There’s something you should know about me…” she said cautiously. He nodded curiously.
Kalani placed one foot into the shallow surf, then began slowly walking into the water. As she did so, water began to swirl around her legs mystically, a phenomenon Dante had never seen before. Kalani dove into the water elegantly, and as she did a bright green tail flipped out of the blue sea. He had to blink repeatedly to make sure what he was seeing was real. Kalani swam through the sea as quick and graceful as a fish.
She was terrified to turn around and see his reaction; before she found the courage to do so, he was in the water right behind her, lightly touching her shoulder. Kalani turned around slowly, completely unsure of how Dante felt. Kalani’s hair cascaded wildly down to her shoulders, and shimmering yellow scales ran down her face. As she saw the warm, understanding smile on his face her fears melted away. “You’re so magnificent,” he spoke softly. “You aren’t afraid? Or disgusted?” she asked cautiously. Dante’s grin grew wider, and he grabbed her hand through the warm ocean water. He pulled her in for a slow kiss, wrapping his arms around this new body that was somehow still so clearly hers. He splashed her and they played in the water for a moment, before heading ashore on a small atoll just off the coast.
Kalani magically transformed into the human-looking form he had known as she walked out of the water. Dante embraced her tightly for a long minute as grey clouds began to roll in. “I have a secret, too,” he whispered in her ear. Then he took a step back, closed his eyes and summoned his magic with a focused hand movement. As magical sparks flew around him, Kalani looked shocked. “Alakazam!” he shouted, pointing directly at her. As she jumped in surprise, Dante zapped a small bush behind her, laughing at his own prank. “You…have magic too?” Kalani asked, stunned. What were the chances that two completely different magical beings would meet and fall for one another? Dante chuckled, his free-spirited mindset not thinking much of this fact. “I’m a spellcaster. My whole family are spellcasters actually.” “I’ve never met anyone magical who wasn’t a mermaid like myself,” Kalani explained. They spent the next hour showing off their abilities and telling each other more about themselves, their true selves.
“Oh no, its really getting late now…” Dante’s brow wrinkled with worry as he noticed the sun rising higher into the sky. “You need to go,” Kalani said somberly. They swam back to her home in silence, both deeply saddened that this moment had to end. As they walked down the beach, Dante grabbed her hand urgently. “I will be back soon. I promise.” His eyes burned with sincerity, begging her to believe him. “It’s just that…my family can’t know about you,” he said very sternly. Kalani didn’t question why, just nodding with understanding. They came from very different worlds and she knew all about how people feared things that were different. “But I will be back,” he restated. She touched his face lightly, beaming with relief and joy. “You know where to find me; I’ll be waiting right here.” This time she pulled him in for one last kiss, and they lingered that way as long as they could. As Dante hopped on his jet ski to race back to his resort, Kalani watched longingly from the sand.
Back at home in Forgotten Hollow, the Luz’s go back to their normal life: Tobias and Camilla schmoozed other elitist spellcasters and practiced their magic. They were often found in the Magic Realm rubbing elbows with other powerful spellcasters in Magic Headquarters. Dante was expected to continue honing his abilities, and to socialize with young spellcasters of his age with the goal of finding a suitable match for marriage. Instead, however, he practiced magic in solitude while thinking of Kalani every single day. His parents had never asked where he was or what he did on their Sulani trip, but that vacation had changed his life and perspective entirely. Dante was too caught up in his daydreams about his island girl to notice that his parents had been spending a significant amount of time with one elitist family in particular: the Youngbloods. They often mentioned Ethalia, Edward and their beautiful and powerful daughter Kyera, but Dante brushed them off each time.
One evening a few weeks after their Sulani trip, Camilla informs Dante that they will be attending a dinner at the Youngblood’s home. “Attending a dinner” was a very formal event in their world; they would be dressed to the nines, chatting up other snobby spellcasters and bragging about how rich and powerful they all were. It was exactly the type of event that Dante despised. He knew he did not have a choice in such matters, however, and begrudgingly got ready for the stuffy affair.
The Youngbloods were gracious hosts, having an extravagant feast catered while they woo their guests. Dante had been stuck in his own head for weeks, fantasizing about going back to Sulani. He was very friendly toward the Youngbloods – as was his personality – and they seemed nice enough. Ethalia and Edward questioned him about his life plans and intentions, interests and goals, and he spouted the same nonsense he’d memorized by this point: to become a great and powerful spellcaster, to have a successful magical family, to continue his family’s legacy; all the things his parents wanted for him. He didn’t even have to try to pretend, as he’d been doing this his entire life.
While the parents all drank and chatted for hours, their young daughter Kyera was bubbly and friendly with Dante. He didn’t know this, but she had very little experience with men and was bursting at the seams to get to talk to a handsome man one-on-one. Dante engaged in fun conversation with her, the two of them laughing and joking. He thought absolutely nothing of it, this was just his role to play in his family’s schemes. Kyera, on the other hand, was completely and utterly smitten by the gorgeous and charismatic Dante.
After the night ended and the Luz’s were driven home in their private car, Camilla interoggated Dante on what he thought of Kyera. “Isn’t Kyera just stunning?” she pushed. “Oh, yes she is a beautiful girl,” Dante replied, barely listening. “Yes, indeed. She is also quite gifted with magic; her mother tells me she is even farther along in her training than you, Dante!” “Mhmm,” he replied, staring out the window at the dreary landscape they lived in. “Although she is not from a strong bloodline…but her raw power more than makes up for that…” Camilla continued. “She would make someone a very happy husband,” Camilla mused persistently. She then nudged her husband hard. Tobias stuttered and then quickly agreed with his calculating wife, “Oh, uh yes, Kyera would be a great match for a powerful spellcaster.” “Yes, I’m sure she would…” Dante mumbled, remembering the bright blue sky and vibrant foliage of Sulani, a perfect backdrop for his stunning Kalani.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Meanwhile, back in Sulani…
Kalani woke up early like she did every day, ready to tend to her garden and maybe sell some produce at the local market. Before she even made it outside, though, she felt a strong pang of nausea. Kalani ran into the bathroom, vomiting into her toilet. Had she eaten something bad? She strongly doubted it, given that her diet was made of the same island staples daily. Not thinking much of it, she continued about her day, wondering like she did every day if and when she might see the man she’d fallen in love with so quickly again.
Five weeks had passed since he first met Kalani, and Dante could not think of anything else. He had been looking for the perfect time to go back to Sulani, knowing he would have to hide why he was returning from his parents. Finally, an opportunity arose: his father had been mentioning the need to find unique plants and crystals to use in creating new potions. Dante corned his father in the kitchen one morning, while he was still half asleep and had not sipped his coffee yet. “When we were in Sulani, father, there was such an array of exotic plants. I’m sure there are fascinating finds in the waters as well…” Dante mused. Tobias nodded in agreement. “You’re right son, I hadn’t thought about searching those islands but they seem to be a wealth of resources.”
Camilla then walked into the kitchen curiously, not one to ever be left out of a conversation. “Which islands are you talking about my dear?” she said, kissing her husband on the cheek. “Dante was just reminding me that I may be able to find new plants and other ingredients for the new potions we are trying to create in Sulani,” he explained. “Sulani?” Camilla questioned, clearly not loving the idea. “It takes an entire day just to get there, dear. You can’t be gone for that long, especially not when we are getting so close to discovering these new recipes.” Dante had been staring down at his plate, not wanting to involve his mother in his plan. His father was not exactly the brightest of bulbs; he would never suspect an ulterior motive to Dante’s suggestion. His mother, on the other hand, was sharp as a tack and always on alert. Dante took a deep breath, wanting to be as convincing as possible with his next words. “Well, what if I go to Sulani to find these ingredients?” Both parents looked at him bewilderingly, as he typically showed absolutely no interest in these types of things. Playing on his mother’s emotions, he continued, “Mother, I know how badly you want me to be more involved in these matters. This is one way that I can begin to do that. I’ll take over the research for these ingredients, so you can both focus here at home on all of the things the Council asks of you.” Tobias just looked at Camilla, waiting for her decision. “Dante, I would love for you to take on more responsibility. This will require a lot of travel, though. You need to be serious about this if you’re going to take on this role.” Dante stood up from the table, not even bothering to finish his food. “I am very serious, mother. In fact, I will start my research today!” Before either parent could reply, Dante had sprinted up the stairs to begin packing for his “research trip.”
Dante couldn’t wait to return to Sulani, it was all he’d been thinking about for weeks. He arrived at the idyllic island archipelago in the afternoon and ran right to Kalani’s house. He knocked on her door and peeked through the window, but no one was there. Dante started walking down the beach a little way and found her combing for seashells along the shore.
He snuck up behind her carefully, and standing a few feet away said in a low voice, “I told you I’d be back.” Kalani jumped, startled, and then turned around excitedly. Dante wasn’t entirely sure how she would react, given that they had only met once before. But he had been replaying their parting in his head over and over as the weeks dragged along in Forgotten Hollow, and he couldn’t imagine her not feeling the same way. Kalani’s body lit up like electricity was running through her the moment she saw his face – not hesitating, she threw herself at Dante, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him for a long moment.
The pair spent the entire afternoon on the beach, giddy to be back together. They built sandcastles, playing in the ocean, and canoodled until the sun set over the sea, giving them a breathtakingly colorful show.
Dante spent 5 days in paradise with this woman he had fallen madly in love with, not even thinking about home. He finally realized that he would need to return home soon to keep up his charade of conducting research here. He spent some time collecting different plants and catching frogs but didn’t want to give his parents too much – he needed to have a reason to keep coming back. Before he left, he promised Kalani he would return again, hopefully sooner this time. Saying good-bye broke both of their hearts, the thought of being together again soon the only thing to keep them going.
Leaving Kalani was harder this time than it had been the first, and Dante had a feeling it would only get harder each time. He knew he couldn’t risk his parents finding out that he was in love with an island girl from Sulani, let alone a mermaid! Elite spellcasters in Forgotten Hollow only married other elite spellcasters; they were even forbidden from marrying humans, as this would muddy their spellcaster bloodlines. Dante had to be convincing about his “research” in order to be able to come and go from Sulani as he wished.
Once he arrived home, he was eager to show his parents his findings. Dante had brought back a new species of frog, as well as some herbs that did not grow here in Forgotten Hollow (as most plants cannot survive in this dark, gloomy place). His father was intrigued with his findings, asking all sorts of questions about where he found them and other flora and fauna he saw. His mother seemed satisfied with his results, only giving an approving nod as he showed everything to her. He convinced them both that he would need to return soon to collect more, and even managed to persuade them into believing he would return frequently to observe differences based on weather and season. Feeling relieved, he also longed for Kalani and the islands. He would have to tough it out here for at least a couple of weeks before returning, so he chose to fill his days practicing his magic and assisting his father with potions and spells using what he collected.
Meanwhile, back in Sulani, Kalani returned to her normal daily life. She missed Dante more now than she had the first time he left, and was continuously shocked by the strength of her feelings for him – she had never felt this way about anyone before, never having given much thought or effort to romance.
Her nausea had been coming in waves, on and off, but was now getting stronger. Even swimming through the blue island waters as a mermaid did not bring the relief and comfort it always had. Realizing that there was something clearly wrong, she sought out the help of the Chieftain of Sulani: Keala Hoapili. Keala had a strong connection to the island spirits and was considered by all Sulani residents to be extremely wise; they often went to her for council and help.
“I’ve had nausea on and off for weeks now,” Kalani explained to Keala after she welcomed her into her villa. She explained how didn’t think much of it at first but it had been getting worse lately. Keala first began by using her medical knowledge to perform a routine “check-up,” ruling out serious illness or infection. She then counseled Kalani the best she could, asking many questions and drawing on the wise teachings of the elders who had taught her.
One question Kalani could not answer truthfully, however – if it were possible that she might be pregnant. The thought had never even crossed her mind until now, and she tried to push back the growing feeling that she had figured out exactly what was wrong. When Keala could not give her an answer, she suggested that Kalani try communing with the Island Spirits for guidance. Kalani had only done this once before as a child with her mother, but she honored the spirits in her daily life and knew that they had helped countless other residents of Sulani.
Keala summoned the spirits for her, and then went back into her home, leaving Kalani alone with the ghost-like creatures floating before her. One spirit floated toward her, and Kalani bowed in respect. She explained her situation to the spirit, finding it strange to talk to this ethereal being like she would any old friend. After listening and pausing for what felt like a very long time to Kalani, the spirit nodded to signal he had determined the problem. Without speaking, he placed his hand on Kalani’s belly, then gestured to show her belly growing larger and larger. Feeling defeated, Kalani nodded in understanding and thanked the spirit.
As she walked home, all she could think about was how Dante would feel. She knew how vital it was to keep their romance a secret; if his family were to find out, he had stressed how dangerous the situation could become for both of them. This is why she had chosen to keep it a secret from everyone in Sulani too – there was no reason anyone needed to know. But now, with a baby on the way, keeping that secret got a lot more difficult.
Even through all of the stress, though, Kalani also found herself feeling joyful. She had always wanted children someday, and now she was pregnant with the love of her life. As scary as the situation was, she felt hopeful.
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