Chapter 30 - Everyday Things

Things began to settle into a predictable pace.  Delia worked and cared for little Aiden, Nicholas worked the garden and cared for Aiden and Francie went to school and cared for Aiden! 

Francie and Aiden were bonding. Francie loved having a little brother. She didn't mind taking care of him. She thought it was fun as long as they didn't take advantage of her. 

Aiden was growing up quickly as it seemed all of her children had. His birthday was another bittersweet moment for Delia. As she held her son and helped him blow out his candles, she was reminded of her other three boys and their birthdays. She thought about the 'birthday fire' where she almost lost Francisco. Her heart broke with the thought that she would never see them again. 

But she had her sweet little Aiden and he had blossomed into a hauntingly beautiful boy with Delia’s blonde hair and his grandmother’s eerie green eyes and that gave her some peace. He reminded her much of his half-brother Darius with those eyes.

Delia was starting to get to know the town’s people and they were finally beginning to trust her. They saw that she and Nicholas were actually happy and they all thought that little Aiden was a cutie. 

Delia was getting invited to parties and was generally accepted - probably because she married a local. Regardless, it was what Delia desperately needed. And if they trusted her, maybe she could find out more about her past – in secret of course. They even let her tell fortunes while holding their children – how much more trusting can one be?  

This got her to start to think about the basement again.  The first time in a really long time. Maybe she would be able to venture back there soon and read her mom's journals. She wasn't sure why she kept putting that off except she was simply happy for now and felt no need to dig up the past. 

Francie continued to help care for Aiden.  She had come to adore him and bath time was a favorite activity for the two of them.  

But time continued to fly by and Aiden was soon in school and too big for bath time with his big sister.  He looked even more eerily like Delia’s mom with his little boy glasses, blonde hair and piercing green eyes. It brought back wonderful memories for Delia. She loved him even more for that. 

Aiden wasn’t the only one growing up.  Francie was almost ready to graduate high school.  Her 18^th birthday was upon them.  Nicholas helped her plan her party. Francie really had embraced having Nicholas as a step-father and had grown to love him. She saw what he did for her mom. She had never seen her happier.  

They celebrated Francie’s birthday with many of her friends from school, including her current steady boyfriend, Nate Johnson, as well as some of the town’s people they had come to know.  

Delia was so happy that Francie was so well adjusted with friends and not alone like she was when she graduated from high school, well, except for Francisco. She had to stop that.  Thinking about Francisco always made Delia tear up but she quickly brushed away the memories. Things were good and he would want this. This was his daughter after all. She shouldn't be sad. She looked at Nicholas and just smiled. 

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