Chapter 76 - Growing Up

The time for Victoria’s party was finally here. In the past few months leading up to it, Delia continued to fight depression and she hoped the party would help. She began the preparations hoping that it would also help Victoria realize she had family and friends that loved her and she would stop shutting us out. 

Delia looked forward to seeing Hope and Pierre but at the same time she worried because of how pale she had become. She knew they would think it was because of Vladimir’s death, which in part was true. The only thing that kept her going was the knowledge that soon the mushrooms would be fully mature and she would be able to prepare the potion that would cure all of them.  

The guests began to arrive and Valerie played for them. Hope got choked up. She and Vladimir had been very close. He had been like a father to her and she missed him as much as anyone else so when she heard Valerie playing as beautifully as he did, she began to cry. 

Sebastian pulled Hope into an embrace and kissed her, knowing that she was hurting. When Delia saw them she felt a stab of jealousy which she quickly pushed down. She was happy her daughter had found love and such an attentive husband.

When Hope recovered, Delia walked over and handed Hope a drink and they began to catch up. Hope immediately commented on her appearance. Delia was a bit disheveled and so pale. Hope told her to be sure to care of herself and asked if there was anything she could do to help. Delia told her just seeing the way she and Sebastian still loved each other was enough and thanked her for bringing Pierre’s kids to Victoria’s party since Pierre and Hannah couldn’t make it.  

Two of Pierre's three children came, Jill and Malcolm. Hope and Sebastian had two children, who accompanied them to the party, Chad and Emil. Chad was Valerie’s age and Emil was Victoria’s age. Pierre's oldest, Ben wasn't able to come either. It made Delia feel good to see her grandkids and her older children so well adjusted and happy. 

They all gathered around while Victoria blew out her candles.  Hope, Delia, Jill, Valerie and Emil cheered for her. Valerie and Delia probably cheered the most hoping this would help bring Victoria a little closer to them.

Victoria 

Victoria was blossoming into an intriguing, yet angry young woman. She reminded Delia so much of Vladimir - having inherited his dark hair and cheekbones even though she had her mother’s nose. She might even have Delia’s blue eyes, but until she was able to create the cure, she couldn’t be sure.

Victoria seemed to be embracing her vampiric tendencies even though they had not yet had the discussion about what she might someday become.  Delia hoped to never have to tell her.  She would simply cure her.   

Valerie grabbed a piece of cake and walked over to the table to sit down with her mother and sister.  She saw Delia pretending to eat the cake. It reminded of her of birthdays before as her father must have done the exact same thing.

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Now that both girls were in their teens, Victoria was beginning to assert herself more. She seemed determined to ruin what was left of the relationship she had with Valerie. They were so close before Vladimir died. Now it was like they were living in two different realities. Victoria would often refer to Valerie as princess or prom queen and said Valerie thought she was better than everyone else. 

Victoria had been secretly dating Glen Bijou. Valerie had seen them making out after school in the park. When Valerie asked her sister about her relationship with him, Victoria went off on her and told her to keep her nose out her business. She said Glen was the ONLY one that really understood her so back off. She threatened that if she told Mom she would spread rumors about her at school. 

  

Delia knew the girls were not getting along, but didn’t know the full extent of what was going on. When she saw them arguing, Victoria would pretend to apologize and then later, when Delia wasn’t looking would yell at her again like she delighted in making her sister miserable.  

Valerie refused to tell her mother what was going on because she didn’t want to put any more stress on her and she certainly didn’t want to argue with her sister anymore, so she kept Victoria's boyfriend a secret.

 

 

When Delia would ask Victoria about school or how things were going, Victoria just retorted back that they were fine and would storm off. 

Delia even resorted to giving her gifts to try to ease the tension between them.  At least she got a smile out of her sometimes and it seemed to help a little but not much. She would just begin to get sulky again.

Delia hoped that once they left Bridgeport and she had the cure that Victoria would understand how much she loved her daughter.

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Delia was excited. Things were finally coming together. Val’s birthday was soon and she knew that soon after, the mushrooms would be ready. She was happy for Valerie and Victoria. Valerie would get to graduate and her graduation present would be a cure and Victoria would never have to know how messed up her life really was.

As Delia sat drinking her plasma juice she couldn’t help but think that soon, she would no longer have to drink this disgusting stuff and she and her girls could be normal. That thought caused her to think back. That was something she was always chasing. To be normal...She had even conceded that she would never be normal and her love affair with Vladimir was her normal. She decided right then that there was no such thing as normal, at least not for her. 

Delia had began browsing for places to live and she had found a beautiful 4 bedroom home with a pool in the heart of Roaring Heights. She put a deposit down and when they got there, she would be able to pay cash for the balance. This is where they would soon call home and start their new life.

Delia and Valerie both decided they would not have a huge celebration for her birthday because they were not exactly sure what would happen when she became a full vampire. Delia apologized profusely to her daughter, but Valerie accepted it with grace. Delia did provide a cake for her, even though she may not be able to eat it after midnight. But maybe she could have one last piece of cake. Hopefully in only a couple of more months they could all eat cake.

 

Valerie looked up and said a silent “I love you” to her father before making a wish and blowing out her candles. Her wish was unselfishly for her mother and her sister. 

Delia bought Valerie a new outfit for her birthday so she ran upstairs to try it on.

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When Valerie opened the bedroom door, she was shocked at what she saw. Glen was standing there in his boxers and he and Victoria were wrapped around each other. They were so into each other, they didn’t hear Valerie so she quietly shut the door and ran out of the room. Things were getting out of hand and she knew she would have to tell her mother soon.

Victoria couldn’t get enough of being around Glen. He made her feel. She was so angry after her father died. Glen could make her forget for awhile. He said she was beautiful and his kisses made her insides melt. 

Glen had been coming home with her regularly now and it was easy to sneak him into her room.  Today was special. Today was going to be their first time. Victoria had thought it through. She and Glen would celebrate her stupid sister’s birthday in their own way. And it was kind of fun too, knowing that her mom and stuck-up sister were right downstairs with her mom too busy slathering praise all over Valerie to pay any attention to her. She didn’t need them anyway, she had Glen.

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Valerie went to her mom’s room and changed then went back downstairs and sat down at the piano and began to play. This helped her relax and she knew her mother loved listening to her. Indeed, Delia had become accustomed to hearing the piano and no longer expected to see her husband sitting there playing.  She knew it would be her beautiful Valerie.

Delia was upset that Victoria didn’t come downstairs to join them. Her youngest daughter had taken to locking herself in her room when she got home from school and not wanting to participate in family activities, coming down for dinner where she ate in silence or just took her plate back to her room.  Soon Victoria, she thought, we will have a new start, you can have a new start, just please hang in there.

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When Victoria heard the piano playing she knew that she and Glen had at least an hour before he would have to leave. She took Glen by the hand and they climbed into her bed. 

Victoria didn’t realize how nervous Glen was, but they managed to figure things out. It was anti-climatic to say the least and she was left wondering what the hype was all about. Perhaps they just needed more practice. He certainly seemed to enjoy it more than her but she didn't let him know that.

She told him she would see him at her sister’s graduation and it was time for him to go. He was genuinely worried about her when he left.  She thought that was funny.

She got dressed and figured she better make an appearance for the princess’s birthday. There was cake and she would at least enjoy that and keep her mom off her back.

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Valerie almost choked on her cake when she saw Victoria come downstairs. She wondered where her boyfriend had gone. Valerie figured he must have left the same way he came in. She was glad he was gone.

She was even more shocked when instead of taking the cake upstairs as she usually did, Victoria sat down next to her and told her Happy Birthday and actually complimented her new dress.  

Delia witnessed the communication between her daughters and was so happy to see that Victoria was at least trying to be nice to her sister.  Maybe there was hope after all. She smiled to herself and thought only a few more days.

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