Chapter 59 - Hope and Pierre

Hope was no longer a baby and already in school. Pierre was a teenager and in High School. Delia's little 2 bedroom house that had been fine for so long suddenly became way too small. No teenage boy wants to share a room with his kid sister.  It was time to expand.  

Delia needed to add another bedroom and another bathroom. She was just managing to pay the bills as it was and adding on to the house required money she didn't have. In order to pay for the expansion, Delia wound up back in the basement late in the evenings after her kids were asleep making elixirs. 

With the first batch, she was able to get the bedrooms done, but only the shell for the bathroom. Once more batch would do it. Eventually she had it all completed along with paint and furniture suitable for the a teenager and a pre-teen.  

Now that Delia had her energy and youth back, she wanted to devote more time to her kids and try to keep her mind off of Vladimir; although the latter was proving to be a difficult task. Delia watched as Hope cleaned up her breakfast plate and thought how proud she was of her little girl.  How could her father have not wanted to be a part of her life?  

When Hope was finished, Delia told her that she was taking her and her brother to the summer festival to run up and change clothes.  Hope had been wanting to go and was so excited she gave her mother a huge hug.  

Delia hoped that Vladimir could come with them.  He had said he wanted to get to know the kids.  Delia called him and he told her he wouldn’t be able to go with them but he would like to make it up to her and would pick her up later that night to go dancing. Delia was puzzled by his response. She thought he wanted to ‘get to know’ her kids. Well, they would have fun and it certainly gave her something to look forward to that night.

Delia and Francisco with their three boys

Delia piled Hope, now 10 and Pierre, 17 into the magic car and they took off for the festival. As soon as they arrived, Hope ran straight for the snow cones. When she was done, the three of them had a family picture made at the photo tent. Delia became nostalgic as she always does when she does something that reminds her of days long ago in another lifetime.  She immediately thought about Francisco and her boys and the picture following the pie eating contest and laughed silently to herself.  At least it didn’t make her sad this time.   She figured time must indeed heal wounds.      

After that Hope saw the water balloon court.  It was on!  Hope wanted so badly to win a game against her big brother to prove she was as good as he was.   Delia finally agreed that it would be the girls against the ‘guy’.  Pierre thought it was unfair that it was 2 against one, but he was clearly outnumbered.  Hope scored the first take down.  They played for a couple of hours before giving out. 

But Hope wasn’t done.  She insisted she try roller skating.  Delia told her okay, but they had to leave afterwards, it was getting late and she had a date.  There was a pro in the rink and she offered to give Hope a lesson.  Delia was all too happy to let her teach Hope since she was pooped and wet from the water balloon contest. Delia finally had to drag them home wet and exhausted. 

Vladimir picked Delia up at 8:00.  Why always so late Delia wondered?  They were going to the Plasma Bar to go dancing and she was quite happy that they were going at all regardless of the time.  She just needed to be near Vladimir.  

When they arrived at the nightclub, they were alone in the elevator and Vladimir took advantage of that short ride to the top of the skyscraper to the club. He told her she looked ravishing and smelled delicious. Well kissing is one thing…nothing more thought Delia.  Soon the ride to the top was over and she had to reluctantly break away from his embrace.  

Once inside the club, Vladimir sat Delia down at the bar and bought her a drink. Then he said he had some business to take care of and would be back in 10 minutes.

What Delia didn’t know is that he went to get a drink of his own sort. He had to.  He almost bit her on the elevator on the way up.

Vladimir and Delia danced and laughed until the club closed down.  That night he decided that as soon as her youngest brat was in high school, he would make her his, but in the mean time, he put her in a taxi and sent her home, he didn’t trust himself around her unless they were in a public place.  Every time he was close to her, his fangs would come out simply from smelling her. He had to be so careful if he wanted this woman to be his forever and he had forever to wait didn't he. What was a couple of more years to wait for the best thing he has ever found. He knew she must be a fairy or at least have some fairy blood. That thought made him even more excited.

Pierre didn’t understand what his mother saw in Vladimir.  Personally, Vladimir gave him the creeps. He was so pale and always wore sunglasses indoors. Tonight, however, he was glad she was out with the Creepster because he could invite Hannah to come over. Pierre had known Hannah Smyth since grade school and they were good friends, but he wanted more.  He had a serious crush on her.  He called and asked her if she would come over and help him ‘study’ and was very nervous and excited when she agreed. 

Pierre thought Hannah was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen with her emerald eyes, raven hair and caramel colored skin.  He was going to make his move tonight and let her know how he felt.  He hoped she felt the same way.   

When she arrived he got his nerve up and they started to talk, but then he heard Hope giggling.  Hope stood in the corner of the room watching her big brother making eyes at Hannah and began sing-songing, “Pierre and Hannah sitting in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n g.”  “Get out of here Hope!  Go to bed!”  he yelled.  Hope made some kissing noises and ran out of the room giggling saying, “I’m going to tell Mommy!”

After Hope ran off Pierre took Hannah’s hands and told her he really liked her more than as a friend and wanted to go steady. Hannah said yes and they sealed it with a kiss.  Hannah left before Delia got home and both kids were already sleeping.

The next morning, in order to make peace with his little sister, Pierre sat with Hope on the school bus. He told her if she would agree not say anything to mom then he would install a ballet bar for her in her room. She wanted it really bad so they had a pact. 

Hope loved the ballet bar and practiced often.  She never said a word to her mother when Hannah become a frequent guest at their house every evening when Delia went to work. 

Sometimes Pierre and Hannah just watched TV together on the couch but other times they got a bit friskier on the couch. Pierre would just tell Hope to go practice and off she would go affording them a bit of privacy.

One evening, Delia arrived home unexpectedly and Pierre and Hannah had some explaining to do.  He was surprised when his mom wasn’t too upset.   She just said to let her know next time.   Delia talked to Hannah and asked her a few questions about herself and decided she quite liked Hannah.  Delia could tell by the way Pierre looked at Hannah that he only had eyes for this exotic young girl.  And it appeared the feeling was definitely mutual. Her little French Souvenir was no longer little. He was becoming a young man. 

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