Chapter Ten

So, I know this is supposed to be my story. I am the heir and all. But this really doesn't start with me. I mean, when my older sister Rosemary moved out I was still sleeping in a crib and having my diapers changed. I'd like to say I was sad she left... but to be honest, I didn't care at all.



This is my only brother, Sage. We're pretty close now, but back then I mainly knew him as the crazy-guy-who-liked-to-dance-to-the-funny music. I think he used to have some strange obsession with yoga dance moves... Sage has always been an interesting guy to have around.



I have vague memories of the day Dad died, though I don't remember him very well now. I know I was sad. Cammie told me that his phone was ringing even as he passed away. I guess it's good to know your dad's popular even in the afterlife...



Mom took it really hard. I think she expected to grow old with Dad, even though she knew he was so much older than her. She didn't think it was possible that he might die while she was still an adult.



It wasn't long before Mom moved from sadness to anger. She saw his death as entirely unfair, and wasn't afraid to shout about it. Even though I was young back then, I can still picture her face when she was in one of her moods. It wasn't pretty, and for awhile I know my siblings feared that she might need serious help.



Mom started to feel better when she buried herself in her writing. She decided to write a book about Rosemary, who she was really missing. It let her think of the times when her and Dad were newlyweds and life was great. I think the writing was what brought her back into herself.



The rest of the family was sad too. I know Sage really missed Dad for a while. His friendship with Serenity Langerak was the thing that kept him together. She comforted him when Mom was in no shape to comfort anyone but herself.



I was still a toddler when Grandpa passed away, but Grandpa had always gone out of his way to spend time with me, so I felt his loss bitterly.

I didn't see Grandpa die, but Sage tells me he was at peace and ready for death. Sage told me once that Grandpa even said, "I make such a spiffy ghost!" I'm not sure if Sage is joking or not. Except that I can completely imagine Grandpa using the word spiffy.



Grandpa must've had a really great life, because he got a gigantic, beautiful grave. It still makes me happy to know he died so fulfilled. Dad's grave looks so plain in comparison. I know that his biggest goal was to raise all of his children, and it was only his death that prevented him from achieving it.



Sage still swears that the Grim Reaper hung around afterward to help with the dishes. That story I don't believe!



Once again, the whole family reacted differently. Sage went around for a while bursting into tears.



Cammie, on the other hand, buried herself in her homework for the first time in her life. She's not a very studious girl most of the time. But she's even worse at talking about her feelings, and I think she wanted to avoid talking to the rest of the family at all costs.



Yes, this is me, Curry Savory, circa my toddler years. I'm afraid this is what I was doing while the family drama occurred: being a whiny (though cute, if I do say so myself) toddler.

This shot was taken right before my birthday. At last I was going to be a child!



My birthday gave some much needed happiness the family. I like to say that it was what really brought us all together again after the deaths. As Mom held me in her arms for the last time, she understood that everyone ages and that she had to live for the kids she had to make the most of life while she could.

Sage would be laughing so hard if he could hear me now. He always says that I'm too dramatic about things like this, but I can't help it. I tend to dramatize everything.



This is me after Mom insisted on combing down my hair. It was a little embarrassing, to tell you the truth, but she really wanted to, and I wasn't going to say no...



I started off the chain of birthdays. Next up was Mom, who aged up in the middle of the day when no one was home. She didn't factor in the maid though. I was happy to hear someone was there to cheer her on as she became an elder.



Mom groaned a lot about being old, but I thought she aged up very nicely. She's a rather pretty old lady, in my opinion. Though she pretended to smack me when I told her that. Who knew that moms don't like being called old ladies?



Next up was Cammie's birthday. She was actually excited for once, so I acted extra happy.



It rubbed off on the rest of the family too. Ambrosia was cheering. Mom held her nose and joked that we "stank" of excitement, and we all laughed at her bad joke. I imagined that it felt like the old days, when the family was whole.



I looked around at the smiling faces of my family members and realized that no matter what else I did with my life, I wanted to have a family and to make them happy. A bit of a corny, dramatic realization for a child to make, right? Maybe, but it was a pretty worthy goal for the future.



This is me, Curry Savory. I may be young now, but I know that my life will be a roller coaster ride of love, happiness, and drama, of course! This is the continuation of my family's story... and the beginning of my own.