The Ryman LegacyChapter 10C

By Mzyra

Mamma Mia, Here We Go Again…

Calvin!

Lyle

Lottie

Sound wafted into Mia’s consciousness from a distance…

“Mia…? Mia, wake up!”

No, she wanted to sleep… Not have to face all the things from when she was awake…

“Mia!”

“Urrrgh, alright, alright…” She managed to just about open her eyes and adjust them to the bright disco lights, seeing the silhouette of someone crouched over her, and managed to shakily force herself vertical, off the cold, hard (and slightly sticky) floor.

“Calvin…?”

“Oh God, Mia, what happened to you? You’ve got bruises all over…”

“Really? I can’t feel them…”

“I can believe that – how much did you drink?!”

“Erm… I don’t know. I think I lost count. What time is it? Who’s home with Lyle?”

“I left to look for you once Gina and Allen got home from school, they’ll be taking care of him I’m sure. But still Mia, you have a kid, you can’t go off and do things like this!”

“I know. I know, but… But when- When Zack- I couldn’t-” And she burst into tears for the first time since Zack’s outburst.

“Oh, come here…”

“I’m a terrible mother – a terrible person – aren’t I?”

“No! Given what’s happened to you… It’s just a slip. You shouldn’t let what happens in your love life affect you in relation to your family though. Lyle will always love and need you, regardless what any other man might say.”

She sniffed. “Thank you.”

“Now, go home, get yourself some food and water to help you feel better and sober up, and spend some time with your son instead. I’m sure he’ll be happy for it.”

So Mia wandered home through the rain (from clear skies to rain, how long had she been unconscious?) sucking a bruised finger anxiously. She’d kept wondering why her life seemed to always be going wrong around her, but just then… it’d been all her own doing. How much of the other things had been? Was she trying to blame other people or things for problems she was creating herself?

As if that wasn’t bad enough, she couldn’t shake off a troubling feeling she had about a dream she’d had but couldn’t quite remember… Orange, cold and fear. That’s all she could think of. And possibly something about a cow, but that didn’t make any sense - that was probably just the alcohol.

When she got back she was slightly disappointed to see that most of the guests were still there – she’d hoped that she could just slink off to bed and not face anybody…

A: “Mia! They told us what happened when we got home from school – if I see that git again, I’m going to punch him in his bumpy nose!”

M: “Heh-heh, yeah… Looks like there’s nothing left for everyone to stick around for now…!” She said, raising her voice so everyone would get the message, which they mostly did (Gina’s girlfriend didn’t seem to be listening, being slightly distracted).

As soon as they’d left, Mia burst into tears, much to Allen’s dismay.

A: “Was it what I said? I guess you at least used to love that bumpy nose and everything, I should have been more sensitive…”

M: “N- no, it isn’t you Al, it’s just- it’s just everything…”

A: “Oh. Is there anything I can, like, do?”

M: “N-no. I- I’m sure I’ll be fine after a good night’s sleep and everything…”

A: “Well okay, if you’re sure…”

But as Mia walked towards the house she felt a sudden jolt in her lower stomach – she was pregnant. Again. Without a father. Again. Why?!

But she was too exhausted emotionally to break down again, she’d just have to deal with it all tomorrow…

But she was stopped from hiding under her covers for the rest of her life by Lyle, looking for some attention from her after some hours.

“Mama! Mama, where Dada?”

Oh, god…

Mia picked Lyle up and snuggled him up against her shoulder.

“Don’t worry about that Lyle, Mama’s here…”

Lyle always made her feel a little better, though she couldn’t help but wryly smile at the fact that her first mental reaction to the question of where Lyle’s father was “Which one?” Her life would have been hilarious, if it weren’t real and massively depressing.

Still, maybe she should give Lyle something to make up for his second loss of a father figure…

Which was how they came to adopt a little kitten who didn’t have any parents, so had been marginally worse off than Lyle was. Mia hoped Lyle might appreciate that fact one day, but most children took their parents for granted.

Not that Mia wouldn’t appreciate something small, soft and fuzzy herself.

“Hello there, cutie. What shall we call you? Well, you’re a girl kitten, so how about… Lottie?”

Lottie just purred her general approval to everything.

And Lyle adored her just as much as Mia hoped he would, though Lottie looked a little scared of the creature that was bigger than her, but almost as fuzzy.

“Kitty!”

Mia did feel significantly better the next day, enough that she could even greet passersby, especially when she recognised her aunt Marina who was taking her dog for a walk.

Mar: “Mia! It’s been too long- And I see you have another child on the way! Congratulations!”

Marina was aware of Mia’s situation, but her family-orientated brain naturally thought of every pregnancy as a cause for celebration and Mia guessed she was right.

Mia: “Well, it wasn’t exactly planned, but then neither was Lyle and I wouldn’t give him up for the world… I just wish I had a solid father figure for him like your kids had Nery.”

Mar: “Tch! If you say so! I do love Nery and have done since we were children, but when it came to our own children… He could barely get out to work fast enough!”

Mia: “Huh, really? Yeah, I think I remember my Dad always being busy when we were little before we lost Mum… Huh.”

Mar: “See? You don’t have to have a man there to be a good mum. Admittedly it is nice – your uncle Sean doted on his daughters, but you’ll survive.”

Mia: “It’d be pretty difficult to get a new husband when I’m the size of a cruise liner anyway…”

Mar: “Nonsense my dear, you look radiant. But make sure that, if you get one, the next guy’s reliable!”

With Mia greatly cheered up, it was time for Lyle’s birthday. Gina would have fought to be the one to bring Lyle to the cake, so everyone stepped back to let her do so.

L: “Pretty cake!”

G: “Yup, but you have to blow out the candles before you can have the yummy cake!”

L: “Pretty candles!”

G: “Nooo, no candles for children, you just blow at them.”

L: “…Pretty Gina.”

G: “Awwwwwww – Miiia, can I keep him?”

L: “Pretty Mummy!”

Once they finally made Lyle concentrate on the task in hand, there was soon a child running eagerly around.

L: “Look how big I am now! Or did you all get smaller?”

Rick: “Trust us, kid, you got bigger.”

L: “But how do you know you’re not the ones shrinking?”

R: “… Because the tooth fairy told us so.”

L: “Really?!”

Mia: “Rick!”

L: “I thought the tooth fairy only knew about teeth! She must be very clever!”

Yes, Lyle was more than a little gullible – or overly trusting, perhaps. Unfortunately this probably wouldn’t help him with his older cousin Wally.

L: “Hey cool! We have matching haircuts!”

W: “… Maybe, but it looks better on me.”

L: “Oh. How do you know?”

W: “Because the tooth fairy told me so.” He responded sarcastically.

L: “Really? I want to meet the tooth fairy!”

W: “Oh no, she only talks to cool people. And Uncle Rick apparently. Not you.”

Calvin: “Wally, stop being mean to your cousin!”

W: “Ugh, Daaaaad, do you have to be so embarrassing all the time?”

G: “Of course he does! It’s half the fun of being a parent, Wally!”

W: “I don’t need parents anyway…”

C: “Oh? Who would check your wardrobe for monsters then?”

W: “I wasn’t scared! I just wanted to know!”

C: “Uhuh. And what about that time you had a nightmare and wanted to come and sleep with me and your mother?”

W: “Uh…Hey Lyle, do you want to play some chess?”

L: “Sure!”

After that the two children were able to play together pretty well for a while, but after Lyle won the first game (his favourite toy as a toddler had been the blocks), Wally quickly resorted to cheating.

W: “Oh my god Lyle, look! It’s the tooth fairy- and she wants to talk to you!”

L: “What? Where? Am I cool now?! I want to know how they switch the moon and stars on at night!”

W: “Aw, you just missed her… Guess there was someone cooler to attend to…”

L: “Awwww…. I wanted to ask how to get a Daddy likes yours, too…”

It wasn’t just Lyle’s birthday that night though, Allen was finally going to become an adult and be able to leave home. He had hoped that his long-term girlfriend Audrey could have turned up, but in the end she couldn’t – by which time it was so late that nearly everyone headed straight off home or to bed.

Speaking of which, they had no separate bed yet for Lyle (planning that he could have Allen’s once he moved out), but Mia’s bed was conspicuously empty once again and Lyle seemed happier to share one than have a room and bed of his own – especially once he’d heard that Wally had done the same, if only once. And Mia didn’t feel half as alone as she had the night before.

The next morning Allen was eventually able to get Audrey – who had also become an adult over night – over, especially as he had a rather pressing question…

Al: “Marry me!”

Or rather, a pressing statement rather than question.

Aud: “What’s the magic word?”

Al: “Please marry me?”

Aud: “Well, when you put it like that… Yes!”

And the wedding was set for later that same day.

Lottie also had a birthday that morning, a lot sooner than any of her owners had been expecting. She certainly looked a lot more like a stern than a happy cat.

But Lyle knew different, and she was always partial to hugs.

Lyle started a tradition of starting every morning playing with his pet cat, which was good because there was another, less fun, tradition to start…

BL: “Hey, getting on the bus for school for the first time?”

L: “… Do I have to?”

BL: “I don’t think your teachers or your parents would be very happy if you didn’t…!”

L: “Well… Okay then…”

This did mean that Lyle (and Gina) missed Allen and Audrey’s wedding though, not that they made a big show of it…

In fact Mia was the only one who sat and watched it (there were other guests, but they seemed more interested in the contents of the fridge), luckily having gotten past her aversion to seeing happy married couples – at least if they were her relatives, anyway.

M: “Congratulations on getting successfully married Al, I guess somebody has to!”

A: “Heh, yeah… Look Mia, I know I’m moving out, but if you ever need anything-”

M: “Yes, yes, I know. Don’t you worry about me. You’ve got your wife and your future, focus on that and be happy for yourself. I’ll be fine.”

A: “Okay…”

And so the two of them headed off to their own bright little future elsewhere. Mia just looked forward to a new niece or nephew sooner or later from the pair.

But in the meantime there were other issues.

L: “Hehe! Wheeeeee!”

Of course, there was nothing wrong with a child playing with a child’s toy, except:

M: “Lyle! It’s not even 2pm! What are you doing home already?”

L: “I’m not sure. I was sat in geography, but it was really, really boring and I was staring out of the window wishing I wasn’t there, and then I wasn’t. I was at home. So I started playing-”

M: “You suddenly disappeared out of school and appeared here?”

L: “Yes. I think so. Is that okay?”

M: “Well, no! If you miss school your grades drop!”

L: “And that’s bad?”

M: “Yes! If you get an F-!”

Mia zoned out a little at that point. What if Lyle got an F? Social services would come for sure. They’d blame her and take him away from her. No. No way.

L: “Momma?”

M: “Hm? Oh. Right, well if anything like that ever happens again you have to run straight back to school and apologise, alright? And maybe if you don’t let yourself get so bored…” Might Lyle have… teleported himself home? Was that so crazy? Crazier than sometimes seeing things before they happen? Maybe it was sleepwalking or something…

L: “Oh. Okay. I would have done that anyway, but I wanted to be at home in case the new baby comes while I’m away!”

M: “Well, there’s not much harm done for now. But you’re really that excited for your new little brother or sister?”

L: “Yeah! Wally has a little brother, he says it’s annoying, but I think it sounds nice. Can I talk to the baby?”

M: “Sure, maybe it’ll hear you.”

L: “Hiya baby, I’m your big brother Lyle! You’re in Mummy right now, but soon you’ll be out here and you’ll get to meet me and auntie Gina – she’ll buy you sweets and stuff!”

M: “Haha. You’re sweet Lyle, but you needn’t have worried about missing the birth, you’d have been home anyway.”

L: “Oh, okay. But it’s too late for me to go back now, so I’m gonna go find Lottie…”

But it wasn’t much after 3pm that Mia’s contractions started. Perhaps it would have been better for Lyle if he hadn’t been home to see his mother screaming in pain, she mused, but it would probably put him off getting into an adult relationship while he was still a teenager, anyway…

And in the height of the pain an image appeared behind her eyes once more – a group of people dancing, having a party or something… At least somebody was having fun…

And then there was a new baby in Mia’s arms – a baby boy who, unlike Lyle, had all of Mia’s colouring; hair, eyes and skin tone.

“Hello there, little one. What do you think about the name… Jose. Jose Ryman. I like it. Sounds kind of exotic and unusual.”

Gina was naturally drawn to Jose like she had been to his older relatives – like a moth to a flame. Mia had to say she would be shocked if Gina never had any children of her own, despite what Gina might claim. She was a natural!

After discovering that he wasn’t old enough to hold the baby on his own, and that Jose mostly just slept, ate and smelled, Lyle changed his focus to the older, distant, relatives he came across – in this case Lola Cormier (Marina -> Haley -> Lola) and Roxanne Raymond (Sean -> May -> Roxanne) – and they had a water balloon fight until they were all tired out and more than slightly cold, if very happy about it all.

The next day was a Saturday and Mia was awake bright and early. Lyle was still asleep after being up late with the water fight and Gina was having a standard teenage lie-in, but she’d assured Mia the night before that any time she wanted a baby sitter she would be more than happy to fill in that role.

So Mia decided to spend the morning out of the house for the first time since… that time, a beautiful morning in the park.

They had some beautiful parks downtown too, though she’d never taken the chance to explore those places before. She found an empty chess table and sat down for a game in the sun, where she was soon joined by another woman who seemed keen to do some man-hating of her own.

Jan: “Oh, don’t get me started – they’re all just shallow, self-centred idiots who are after one thing and one thing only!”

M: “You think so? Don’t you have any nice male relatives?”

Jan: “Pfft, well there’s my cousin Komei, but he’s only not so bad because he can’t be – barely any woman would take him. Nah, if guys are going to be shallow and self-serving to us, I say be the same right back.”

Jan: “See, like that guy who’s just turned up behind you. He’s kind of cute, so I would, but he’s blatantly just staring at you-”

M: “What?! Huh? That’s my brother! What’s he doing in the park at 8am on a Saturday without his family…?”

Jan: “Oh, so he’s not single then? Shame…”

M: “Excuse me, I think I’m going to have to go have a word with him…”

J: “Tell him if things don’t work out with his wife he can call me!”

Mia took a sip of coffee (Calvin had declined one himself) “You’re following me, aren’t you?”

C: “Well, it’s a very nice day and this is a beautiful park-”

M: “Look Calvin, I’m glad and thankful that you were there last time, but it was different then. That was alcohol in a bar, this is coffee in the park. This is perfectly healthy. I know you’re only doing it because you care, but I don’t need you to be permanently watching me.”

C: “But I’m just worried-”

M: “I know, but I’m a grown woman and I’m in control. I’ll be okay. And you have a pregnant wife and two children to be looking after, not me. Okay?” And so she left.

Mia felt a little bad for being so forth-right with Calvin when he clearly meant well, but she resented being treated like a child who couldn’t go anywhere without an adult to look after her. Hopefully another, different, park would take her mind off of things.

She pretty quickly started a conversation with somebody new and she was always open to an opportunity to make friends, though the conversation took an odd turn:

“Hey, you know, I reckon you’d get on really with someone else I know. How’d you like to meet him?”

M: “Like a blind date? Um… Okay?” After all, what did she have to lose?

The blind date turned out to be a university cow mascot. For a moment Mia wondered whether this guy was making fun of her, but hey, cow mascots were people too - underneath the costume, anyway – it was worth a shot, even if it felt silly asking a cow out on a date.

She was about half way through the proposition when the first guy cut back in:

“Excuse me.”

Mia turned around “Hm?”

The man – still essentially a stranger – grabbed her around the waist and pressed his lips to hers. And the odd thing was, Mia wanted him to. Somehow there was nothing wrong about the situation. If he hadn’t kissed her she would have surely kissed him soon enough in any case.

Cow: “Sooo… My friend calls me all the way over here to show off that he can get a hot girl even when she’s meant to be on a date with me? Some friend he is…!”

Mia just about managed to pull herself out of the passionate embrace to apologise – she hardly needed a blind date now.

“Pfft, whatever. Like I care. Personally I’m waaay more interested in your cousin… Hey you could make it up to me by giving him my number maybe?”

M: “He has an alien daughter, apparently.”

C: “Honey, I’m a grown man dressed as a cow. I really don’t care. Unless you’re telling me he’s straight? Darn it, all the good ones are straight…”

After that increasingly surreal interlude, Mia was soon back in her love’s arms. It was so right. They just couldn’t get close enough…

But they did manage to get closer, as everybody else seemed to notice.

Diane: “Ugh, I’m supposed to be the romancer here! And I’m dressed like I could be on Baywatch! Where’s my hot guy in the photo booth?! Grr…”

But things went wrong as Mrs Crumplebottom had apparently come on to the lot at some point.

MC: “Oh, it’s you! I’ve told you how I feel about these things! How dare you go against an old woman’s sensibilities?! You should be ashamed of yourself, you young hussy!”

M: “But we’re in love-!”

MC: “Love?! Pah! It’s all just an excuse to do bad things in public!”

It took Mia some minutes to escape Crumplebottom’s wrath, but she finally did and tried to relocate her new man… But he was nowhere to be found.

He’d left, just like that.

Her head felt fuzzy. She still loved him, wished she knew where he’d gone so she could follow… She loved him too much to be angry. Maybe he would call. Or stand under her balcony like Romeo and Juliet… Her Romeo…

She’d just have to go home and wait.

She just wished she could get her head clear, she was getting a headache.

Somehow facing her actual children something felt odd about it though. Maybe it was best kept to herself…

L: “Hey Mummy! Where did you go this morning?”

M: “Erm, I met your Uncle Calvin at the park. It’s a really nice day.”

L: “Auntie Gina said she couldn’t get hold of you on your mobile.”

M: “Maybe I didn’t hear it, I was… quite distracted.”

L: “Doing what?”

M: “…Being outside… Like you should be! Go enjoy the day!”

L: “Um… okay!”

~~~ End of Chapter 10C~~~

From Left to Right: James Verse

(Calvin + DJ), Ivan and Joey Wong (Rick + Celeste) and Michael Cormier’s death (Haley’s husband).

Also: James and Lyle have already made good friends – and look how similar they look!

• Will Mia ever be happy?

• Will we ever see ‘Romeo’ (alive) again?

• Who’s been celebrating and why?

• Will we ever find out what’s going on…?

Find out the answers to these and more (relatively) soon! (Provided you

return…)