#teo erickson

"Had fun last night?"

Camille, fresh out of bed and into her leotard, stared at Jonas in a mixture of perplexment and horror. "What do you mean?" Reg and she had enjoyed themselves during the WooHoo, but they weren't THAT loud. At least, she hoped they were not.

"Hannah told me you and Reg were up all night giggling about stuff."

That bitch. "We were just talking."

"Hope you had a fun 'talk' then!" Jonas cackled.

Camille turned red. She knew who she was going to be having a word with in a few minutes.

"What did I DO to you, Hannah?" Camille was furious, confronting Hannah not long after. "I don't understand! Why are you spilling my tea to everyone now??!"

"Do you know how long I've WORKED for this opportunity?! My family lives in a trailer, for fuck's sake. We don't even have a HOUSE, let alone money to pay for ballet school; Sadie and I are here on SCHOLARSHIPS."

Camille paused; her eyes sunk with remorse. She had never knew this about Hannah.

"I've worked my ASS off ever since I knew how to walk just to provide for MYSELF, FOR MY FAMILY, and people like you who aren't even that good can just swoop on in and take that all away!"

"So you've decided to ruin my life because of that...? How did you even know Reg and I were hanging out in the first place?! Don't use your sob story to make me pity you."

Hannah grinned, a wild look in her eyes.

"...maybe next time, Camille, think twice before you try to sneak into my room after having sex."

The light went out of Camille's own. She hadn't even remembered stumbling into the wrong room after the WooHoo; she was too tired that night to.

She left without a word.

After some quick drills that morning, Ms. Myra gathered everyone together for a talk. Camille tried her best to shake off Hannah's comments. She had to be more careful now more than ever; eyes were constantly on her.

"On behalf of the entire Global Ballet Project staff," Ms. Myra began. "I would like to thank each and every one of you for such an amazing week together. I've said this before, but I'll say it again: this has been one of the best classes I have ever taught."

"Whether it be Sadie's kindness, Hannah's determination, Jonas's spirit, Reg's serenity, or Camille's generosity, whether you decide to go pro, stay on a local level, or simply pursue ballet as a hobby in the future, you all will go on to do amazing things."

"Let's make the most of this final day, all! Pack your bags, say your goodbyes, and we'll head out to one last trip together!"

Camille went to clear her head by doing the very thing she had done the night before: going on a walk. She passed by the Eiffel Tower one last time, wishing she could stay for a little bit longer. France had taught her so much.

"Camille, wait!"

"Jonas?"

Jonas ran after her, panting. "I- where are you going?"

"Nowhere much. Just..." Camille looked away. "Walking. Thinking. I'm gonna miss this place."

"My parents used to take my older sister and I to France all the time back when our family was smaller." Jonas closed his eyes and inhaled. "This is the first time I've been since I was a toddler. I missed this air."

Camille copied Jonas and closed her eyes, taking in the sweet scent. "It's... amazing." She had never truly noticed how crisp the atmosphere was.

"I wanted to thank you for that pick-me-up you have to me yesterday." Jonas smiled. "It may have seemed lame, but it really did mean a lot to me."

"Aww, no problem, Jojo."

"Jojo?" Jonas raised an eyebrow playfully. "we're doing nicknames now, Cammy?"

Camille laughed. "That's what my mom calls me!" Jonas laughed too. Then, things went silent for a few moments.

"I better go pack my stuff." Jonas turned around, starting to jog back to the hotel. I'm super behind on it."

"Jonas, wait."

Jonas turned around, confused. "Yeah, what's poppi-"

She couldn't help herself. "Love you, Jojo."

Camille's time in France ended with her going roller-skating with the rest of the students. She felt at peace rolling around, even if she wasn't that good at it. Being in France had given her everything she needed: new friends, a newfound sense of confidence, even a boyfriend (or two?) It was complicated.

It wasn't perfect one hundred percent of the time, but it was still an experience she would not forget, nor did she regret.

She caught the flight home just a few hours later.

...

"CAMILLE! YOU'RE HOME!"

It was late at night that the flight landed in Brindleton Bay, and when the taxi drove Camille from there back to Newcrest, Teo was right there waiting for her. "Dad!" Camille embraced her father. "I've missed you so much!"

"How was it? Did you bring any souvenirs?"

"Let me unpack first, Daddy! And where's Peaches? I have to say hi to my fur baby!"

"Aww, Peaches, my cutie-patootie, I've missed you! Wait until I tell you all about my adventures!"

"Cam, they posted you on Simstagram with the other dancers! Check it out!"

"Since when have you had Simstagram, Zhuri? And since when have you been so... TALL? You're taller than me now!"

In the midst of all of the hugs and all of the "Welcome back!" greetings, Camille swore to herself not to tell them about the two boys, the mean girl, and certainly not the WooHoo. All things considered, to them, she had left as Camille and came back as the same Camille- just way better at ballet.

The day after the funeral, Lance woke up, still in his tuxedo, to find Everett all suited up and reasy to go out. "Everett? Where are you headed?"

"Today's Emmet's little sister's birthday, and his family invited me to go to the orchard with him!"

Lance frowned. "I thought you'd want to take today do yourself after how tiring last night wa-"

"I'm not tired at ALL, Dad!" Everett assured. "Now, Donald will be here in five, so can I PLEASE get ready?"

Donald. The police chief who Lancelot had yelled at was coming over. Shit.

"Fine." Lancelot rubbed his temples. "Just come back by the time the Super Bowl comes on. We watch it together every year."

"Got it, Dad!"

"You come here often?"

Everett shook his head. The boys had been discussing lots of things together, from Everett's upcoming baseball game to Emmett's performance of Grease. "I've never been here before; my parents used to take me to the zoo all the time as a kid, though."

"We were going to go there, but my mom insisted on picking some more fresh fruit." Emmett smirked. "You're looking pretty cut-"

"Emmett?"

"AAH!" Both of the boys jumped. "LUCY!"

Emmett's little sister Lucy peeked from the orchard, confused. "Stop standing around and come pick some fruit!"

"Coming!"

"Sorry about that." Emmet rolled his eyes. "My sister's really nosy."

Everett laughed nervously. "It's no issue. Ready for the orchards? I heard they have amazing fruit here."

"Definitely. But before that..."

"...I found this for you."

Everett's face turned beet red.

"My mom and I went to the florist, and they gave us a free rose." He tucked the rose into Everett's shirt. "Here you go, Rosebud."

"T-thanks..." Everett's voice shook with gratitude. He felt like he was going to faint in the best way possible.

Meanwhile, while the boys were at the orchard, the 5k team was beginning to prepare for their race coming up, running outside on trails and working out at the gym.

"Come on, Teo!" Aurora panted, jogging her third mile. "We've got to do this- for Mom!"

"Yeah... for Emilie." Teo wheezed behind her, his face full of exhaustion.

And Everett came back just in time to watch the Super Bowl with his family, still red from what happened with Emmett, the rose still hidden in his pocket.

He went to bed in a daze, and Lancelot was more worried than ever. "Tones, do you think that Rett is... okay?"

"Okay? What do you mean, is there something up with him?"

"He's not spending as much time at home lately, he's always up in his head, he's been working out more and hanging out with Donald's family more..." Lancelot's face turned white.

"...Toni. Do you think Everett knows something about my mom that we don't...?"

Toni stared at Lancelot as if he had grown two heads. "Lancelot. Come on now."

"I'm SERIOUS! What if he has info?"

"He barely KNEW his grandmother, let alone a thing about her death. Maybe old age really is getting to you." Toni's face softened. "You're letting this whole incident get to you, Lancelot. Fitness Fest is on Monday- why don't you take a day to yourself and relax a bit?"

"But Everett's baseball game-" His final one a a teenager."

"You really need to calm down. Aurora just lost her mom- she can't lose you next."

"Yeah. Maybe." But despite Toni's assurance, Lancelot was still concerned.

Adhering to Toni's demands advice, Lancelot was off to the lake to swim the following day, and despite the peace he got while working out, he was still feeling anxious about Everett.

He would have loved being here, in the water on this nice, warm day. I really need to have a true conversation with him when he gets back from the game.

While his father was at Gibbi Point, Everett had his final baseball game as a teenager- his senior night.

"Everett!" Everett's friend Sebastian, also on the same baseball ream, ran over to him. "Congrats on senior night, man! WE DID IT!"

"Thanks, Seb." Everett smiled.

"Where's Emmett? I thought he'd be cheering you on."

"He has practice for Grease tomorrow. Hey, Sebastian?" An idea came to Everett. "Do you know where I could get any flowers? Because Emmett gave me a rose and-"

Whoops.

"He gave you WHAT?!"

"SHHHHH!" Everett shoved Sebastian away. "Not in front of the others!"

"Wait, wait, wait." Sebastian was processing this revelation. "So if he gave you a rose, and roses are the flower of love, does that mean you two are..."

"It's not official!" That was true, but it was starting to feel like a lie the way Emmett acted around him.

"It's okay to be gay, you know."

"I'm not gay!"

"Well, you clearly aren't straight. Are you bi?"

"NO! Well, I don't know."

"Pan?"

"No...?"

"Omnisexual?"

"I DON'T-" Everett went silent. "I don't know what I am, Sebastian. THAT'S the problem. And I can't tell my parents about this, I just can't-"

"Well, they're going to know eventually, so why not rip the band-aid now?"

Everett felt himself turning red again. "I have to go."

"Everett, wait, I'm sorry-"

But Everett was already gone.

"Hey, Dad." Everett slumped on the couch, exhausted. It was pitch dark outside.

"Happy senior night, Ev!" Lancelot was alone in the house; Toni had gone out with friends. "Did you all win your game?"

"Yeah- it was a blowout." Everett grinned. "I got 4 runs."

"Congrats! I'm sorry I couldn't make it- I had a gig." Lancelot lied.

"I was hoping we could do something special tomorrow night- just the two of us. We could go to the zo- you used to love that place as a toddler! Or, the ice cream shop I took you to as a kiddo."

Everett shook his head no. "Sorry, Dad. I have to watch Grease, remember? I need to go back to the school."

Lancelot looked at Everett suspiciously. "You're going out again?" He scowled. "Okay, that's it. We need to talk."

"What is me having a life a problem now?"

"It's not that you have a life, it's that you've been so aloof from us lately." Lancelot's voice lowered. "Is this about the murder?"

"The MURDER? It's not THAT! I just want to live, OKAY?!"

"Everett, I need you to tell me the truth-"

"Wha? So you don't believe me?"

Lancelot's voice strained; he was TRYING to keep his cool. "Everett, don't make this more difficult than it needs to be."

"I'm just reiterating what YOU said! YOU think I'M a LIAR!"

"I never said I thought you were a liar, I just need you to say what's on your mind for Christ's sake-"

"Well, what if what was on my mind was that I'M GAY?"

Lancelot's heart dropped.

"I'm not straight, Dad. I might be bi, I might be gay, pan, whatever, I don't KNOW WHAT I AM. And I've been talking to Emmett and he's nice and I might have a crush on him and I don't know what to do and THA'S why I've been ignoring you. Not because I HATE you or KNOW what happened to Grandma but because I-"

Everett paused. He grabbed his chest. Pure terror filled his eyes.

"Everett?" Lancelot sat up in fear. "Are you-"

"I..." Everett inhaled, catching his breath. "I-" He inhaled again. "I- I can't- breathe-"

He fell to the floor, wheezing. "Dad- help- I- I'm dying-"

"You're having a panic attack." Lance had learned to recognize them ever since the incident with Teo on the boat last winter. He started moving fast. "Come here- just breathe."

"You- you hate me-" The anxiety had clouded his brain. Everett couldn't think straight.

"I don't hate you, Ev. I don't."

Everett sobbed into his dad's arms, all of the stress of coming out, the worry about the murder, the anxiety about his relationship with Emmett, all of it flowing.

Lancelot was scared. He had unleashed this. It was his words that let this out. It was his fault Everett was struggling for so long and he didn't have the nerve to check in until it was too late.

"Dear Lancelot Morris-Dupant,

On behalf of all of us in Del Sol Valley, we are happy to announce to you that your recent song, Ballad of a Bad Dad, has been nominated for Best New Record at the Starlight Accolades!

You are humbly invited to the next award ceremony, taking place Sunday at 7:00 PM. Bring a friend or two if you'd like- we hope to see you there!"

Sunday? That was TODAY!

As Lancelot got ready for the award ceremony, he was very proud. He had finally done it. He had gotten his big break. Now, Lancelot could get an award and become famous, a dream he never knew he wanted.

At the same time, it was Teo's birthday. One of Lancelot's best friends was becoming an elder.

It was scary to think about. They were all getting older now. Soon, Toni and Aurora would both be eligible for retirement. Everett and Camille were in college, and soon the twin girls would be too.

Life was moving too fast. Hopefully the release of the song helped to slow things down again.

"Wow." Toni said, taken aback by Lancelot's kiss. "What's got you in a good mood?"

"Remember that song I wrote the other day? It got nominated for a Starlight Accolade! I'm going to be famous!"

"Lance, that's amazing! Congratulations!" Toni grinned. "But..."

"But...?"

"But... what will Everett think? You now they road cast every Starlight Accolade on TV. He's gonna see it and be upset."

"Eh, he'll be fine." Lance shrugged it off. "If anything, I think he'd be happy that I got an award in honor of him. What's the worst that could happen?"

That afternoon, the whole family came over, and Teo blew out his birthday candles.

Later, gathered together at the table, Lance announced his news to the rest of the family: "I've been nominated for a Starlight Accolade for a song I wrote the other day!"

"Woah, congrats, dad." Everett tried his best to smile. Camille had forced him to come over. "You've always been a beast at the piano."

Something inside of Lance's heart stung. His little boy, going from a son to a subject.

"That's awesome, Uncle Lance!" said Zhuri. "What song was it? I can send it to my friends for them to listen to."

"Ohh... just a little ballad." Lancelot said, starting to have regrets. "I have to go." He stood up. "The drive to Del Sol Valley is pretty long!"

He stepped out of the house abruptly, much to everyone's confusion.

"Why is Uncle Lance acting so weird?" Camille frowned after Lancelot had left. "I thought he'd be more excited after being nominated for something so huge."

"I'm sure he's fine, Camille. It's just Lance being Lance." Aurora replied.

"I know, Mom, but..." She shook her head. :"I don't know. I think there's something he's not telling us."

...

"Welcome everyone to tonight's Starlight Accolades! It's a delight to be standing with some of the world's most renowned celebrities and creators. I hope you all are as proud of yourselves as I am of you."

"We'll start off our ceremony with Best Actor or Actress in a Television Show. The nominees are..."

Lancelot watched the show, bored out of his mind. He couldn't wait for the time that they'd announce HIS name, and HE'D go up to receive an award of his own.

"Congratulations once again to Judith Ward for her tenth consecutive Starlight Accolade!" The host announced. "And now, time for our final category of the night: Best New Original Record! The three nominees are..."

"'Stillness in Blue'" by Samantha Blackwood,

"'Dirk it Off'" by Dirk Dreamer

"And 'Ballad of a Bad Dad' by Lancelot Morris-Dupant!"

Lancelot's heart was pounding. It was finally time. He could envision Aurora, Camille, Toni, Everett, everyone watching him on the big screen. Almost as if he was a celebrity of his own.

"And the winner of the Starlight Accolade is...

Lancelot held his breath.

...

"'Dirk it Off' by Dirk Dreamer! Congratulations!"

"Since Dirk was sadly not able to stay for the whole show tonight, his friend will be accepting the Accolade on behalf of him."

Lancelot was in disbelief. His beautiful, heart-wrenching, soulful ballad had been rubbed over by a cheap Taylor Swift copy? That was so unfair.

He returned home in a bad mood. "I can't believe it, Rory. I LOST? Over freaking DIRK DREAMER?!"

"I'm sorry, Lance. We were all watching on the TV. We were rooting for you!"

"Wait." Lancelot's heart stopped. "You were ALL watching on the TV? Even Everett?"

"Yeah, about that..." Aurora winced "Lance, why would you write a song about him and not tell him?"

"I was GOING to tell him, but life-"

"That doesn't matter. Your kid's well-being needs to be your priority. Now random strangers all over the world could know about his struggles without his consent." Aurora shook her head. "He left when Toni told him the truth about the song. You owe him an apology."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize to me. Say sorry to HIM,"

From left to right clockwise:

Camille Erickson (T; ~ 15 yrs)

Teo Erickson (A; ~ 42-44 yrs)

Anouk Erickson (C; ~ 11-12 yrs)

Toni Payton (A; ~ 39 yrs)

Lancelot Morris-Dupant (A; ~ 40 yrs)

Zhuri Erickson (C; ~ 11-12 yrs)

Aurora Erickson (née Morris-Dupant; A; ~ 40 yrs)

Everett Dupant (T; ~ 17-18 yrs)

With Camille about to head up to France, Emilie's memorial 5K taking place soon, and the rest of the kids' birthdays coming up, it's about time for another catch-up post (with new family photos to jazz things up)! This time, we'll solely be focusing on our main characters to really get in-depth on things.

Lancelot Morris-Dupant and Toni Payton:

Lancelot is the older twin brother of Aurora, a freelance digital artist and professional pianist. His fiancé and high school sweetheart, Toni, currently works in retail. Together, they are the parents of Everett, the oldest of the legacy's children and the product of a Love Day fling that ended with Toni pregnant and barely out of high school.

Lancelot has ADHD, a diagnosis that has impacted him for as long as he can remember. Toni, his wife, is equally as energetic and impulsive as he is, and the two scuffle a lot. However, not once has the thought of breaking up ever crossed their mind; both Lance and Toni come from homes of divorce/separation, and the last thing they want to do is to put Everett through their experiences.

Everett Duke Dupant: Everett's birth was unexpected- and unwelcome from people such as his grandmother Jodi and, initially, his grandpa Dante. Everett's life has been far from stable; he has moved houses three times- living with his aunt first as a baby, then in the city until he became a teen and his parents finally purchased a house in San Myshuno. Not to mention, he's dealt with his father literally not wanting to be a father, family members dying, a murder investigation, and his own exploration with his sexuality via the introduction of his-crush Emmett into his life.

Rett has learned to mask that underlying anxiety with confidence and skill in athletics. Just like his parents, Everett always speaks his mind and lacks a filter. He plays three sports- soccer, basketball, and baseball, and he keeps himself busy to avoid the family drama. Not because he doesn't love them, of course, but because he just needs to breathe.

Aurora and Teo Erickson: Aurora started off the legacy as Lancelot's quieter, more rational twin. Since then, however, she has evolved into an ambitious woman who wants nothing more than success for her family and herself. Now a charity organizer for the public health sector in San Myshuno, Aurora lives in Newcrest, and although the commute to the city every day is a lot, she never gets tired of it.

Teo is a painter and stay-at-home-dad. Like Aurora, Teo used to be shy, struggling with special interactions. That all changed after his parents' death and his autism diagnosis. He no longer feels restrained from truly thriving and is happier than ever.

Teo and Aurora have been lifelong friends, but after Teo's parents' death, they got closer and united with their shared grief. Not long after the funeral, Aurora got pregnant with their oldest daughter Camille, and they tied the knot soon after.

Camille Eleanor Erickson: Camille, the product of a post-funeral hookup between Aurora and Teo, is the 'Renaissance girl' of the legacy, obsessed with both ballet and animal care. Cammy has witnessed a lot this legacy, from the marriage of her parents to the death of her grandparents. She's sensible, smart, and maybe a tad bit spoiled from her loving parents, getting to go on a cruise AND on a trip to Paris. Regardless, Camille's genuine sweetness manages to win everyone over at the end of the day. She has two pets- a rat named Bluebell and a Whippet dog named Peaches.

Zhuri Brennan and Anouk Madeline Erickson: After Aurora gave birth to Camille, she realized that although her pregnancy was difficult, Teo and her still wanted to expand their family. So, they went the science baby route, and the twins were born. Zhuri is on the school's swim team (just like her mom was!) and the softball team in the spring, and Anouk does theater. Both of the twins are rambunctious little scamps and are always somehow getting themselves into trouble, but everyone loves them anyways.

Camille got back from that day's ballet practice in a flurry of excitement: "DAD! DAD! COME SEE WHAT MS. MYRA TOLD US ABOUT!"

Ms. Myra had been Camille's ballet teacher ever since she was a toddler, and now she was giving her an opportunity more special than ever before.

"It's called the Global Ballet Project- helping young aspiring dancers explore their options not just locally, but all over the world! They're going to choose only FIVE dancers from all over the nation to travel to France for a weekend to train, and Ms. Myra said she'd recommend ME!" Camille threw her hands up in excitement. "I'm going to get to go to FRANCE, Dad!"

"Wow, Cam, that's awesome!" Teo grinned. "But... what's the catch?"

Camille lowered her hands. "Not anything big- there's only a small fee involved!"

"How much?"

"Oh, you know, just 3000 Simoleons."

Teo short-circuited. "..."

"Dad? Are you okay?"

"...we'll talk more when your mom gets home."

"3000 Simoleons?" Aurora looked agahst. "Camille, that's a fortune."

"And you're going to miss your sisters' birthdays." Teo frowned. "I know you're excited, but you need to think about how this will affect all of US too."

"But we HAVE the funds! And I'll buy souvenirs for the twins! And this is a once in a lifetime opportunity for me!" Camille begged desperately. "PLEASE, Mom, please, Dad!"

Aurora and Teo exchanged glances with each other.

"PLEASE!"

Before Teo could refute, Aurora answered in a sudden change of heart: "Well, sure."

Teo closed his mouth and stared at his wife like she had just given birth to a chicken.

"REALLY? YESSS!" Camille didn't wait for her father's answer. She leapt in the air and ran to hug the both of them. "THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU! This has been the BEST BIRTHDAY EVER!"

She ran upstairs to call her cousin, Everett. "Hello? Guess WHAT, Everett?! I'm going to FRANCE next week!"

"Bluebell, have you heard the news? I'm the luckiest girl in this whole wide world. I have the best parents ever."

Back downstairs, Teo was still confused. "Rory, why did you say yes? You know that the funeral's tomorrow; sending Camille on a trip around the world is going to kill our funds."

Aurora explained gently, feeling a bit guilty for answering Camille so bluntly. "My dad always tried to give Lance and I a good childhood, even when things were tough. Besides, I just got the promotion- we'll be just fine."

"She went on a CRUISE!" Teo lowered his voice, catching himself. "I... I just don't want her to be spoiled, you know. She has to learn how to work for what she wants."

"Trust me, Teo, I know what spoiled is. And Camille? She's not, nor will she ever be. She's already worked so hard in school and ballet and taking care of Peaches and Bluebell and her sisters. Her mother raised her right."

Now that was true.

"Speaking of mother," Aurora started. "I've been working with the San Myshuno Public Health Committee- the one I was assigned to after my promotion."

"And?"

"And we're planning a 5k. In honor of suicide prevention awareness. In honor of my mom."

"And......?"

"And...... I was wondering if you wanted to run it."

"ME?!" Teo cackled sarcastically. "Aurora, I'm NOT a runner. I only run when I take Peaches out for a walk and even then, I can barely make it away from the driveway without panting."

"I'll run it with you! We can train together. It's for a good cause."

His father-in-law's funeral was tomorrow. In a week, his eldest would be on a plane to a continent thousands of miles away. His twins' birthday was in a week, and now his wife was making him run a marathon (well, only 3 miles, but it FELT like a marathon).

This was a lot.

And yet, somehow, Teo still found it in him to go on a run the next morning. Maybe it was the memory of Dante, or the need to prove himself to Aurora and Camille. Whatever it was, he didn't know.

Dante's funeral was that night. Camille offered to stay home with the girls while the rest of the family proceeded to the cemetery. He was buried next to a garden of herbs.

Just as she had done for the Ericksons, Aurora gave the eulogy:

"Maya Angelou once said that nothing will work unless you do. That's exactly how my father lived. Even after all that he went through with his move, the divorce, and the death of his best friend, he wanted nothing more than for my twin brother and I to have a good life. He enrolled us into preschool despite barely having money for a car for himself. He took us on vacations, shielding us from the woes of his career. He worked his butt off for his success as a chef, and I'm so, so happy he got it. Although he's gone, I can still sense his determination and sheer love everywhere."

"Until we meet again, Daddy. Rest well, and rest knowing that your hard work paid off."

When everyone around her had left, Aurora lost her facade. She collapsed to her knees and broke down into tears.

"Ugh... who is it at 4AM in the morning...?"

"Tiffy? What's up?"

"Toni, hi, it's... it's not good. Mom, yesterday, she was feeling great and then, and then, I-"

"Woah, woah- pause. What happened??" Toni's voice rose with worry.

"She... she had a stroke right before midnight."

Toni's heart stopped. "She WHAT?"

"We took her into the hospital, but she was DOA. I'm so sorry, Toni, I should have told you earlier, but Alexander was being weird and Octavia was pestering me and-"

"..."

"Little sis? You there?"

This day was going to be perfect. It was Everett's birthday; it HAD to be perfect. And, of course, Mom had to use her demise to give one final 'Screw you' to her and Lance's family.

Toni woke Lance up not long after, sobbing.

"Aw, Tones." Lance wrapped his arms around his fiancé, rubbing her arms gently. "I'm so, so sorry."

"I..." Toni sniffed. "I never got to apologize. We never got to say sorry. Everett never got to meet his grandmother..."

"It's okay, it's okay..." He kissed her.

But deep down, Lancelot knew that this WASN'T okay. He was actually able to make amends with his father- Toni would never get that with her own mother. Their relationship had ended the moment she had been kicked out of the house. "I'll try to get Everett out of the house- you take today for yourself."

"But, his party..."

"Isn't until the afternoon. Use this morning to relax. I've got everything under control with him."

Even Everett could tell something had happened. He had never knew of his grandma's existence, but he knew that when Mama was crying, things weren't good.

Nevertheless, even through the unexpected passing, Lancelot promised himself that he would give Everett a perfect birthday party. He had rented out the local Chuck E. Cheese for it! He made a strawberry cake (Ev's favorite flavor), and he even took Everett to the local barber (Henry- Sage's husband) to get his hair braided for his party.

"My hair!" Everett squealed excitedly. "It's SOOOO cool!"

"Henry, Everett's hair looks outstanding." Lancelot handed Henry a few Simoleons. "How could I ever thank you enough?"

"You could get me a slice of that yummy pizza at the birthday party." Henry chuckled. "I love me some Chuck E. Cheese!"

"Noted."

"Dada?" Everett bugged his dad on the way to Chuck E. Cheese. "Why is Mama all frowny? It's my birthday!"

"Well, Mama's own mama got really sick and passed away last night." Lancelot chose his words carefully. "So, she's taking time to feel better while we go and get your hair done."

"Can't we just bring BACK her mama? Then, Mama would be happy again, right?"

Lancelot was silent. "I wish we could, Eddie. I really wish we could."

"Happy birthday, sweetheart!" Everyone had showed up to the party- even Emilie! "Aren't you excited to be growing up?"

"Yes, Mémère!" Everett grinned.

"You doing okay, Toni?" The kids had gone off to play, and the guests were talking amongst themselves, leaving Lance and Toni with their own free time together.

"I've... I don't know."

"You ca leave if you need to. Everyone will understand."

"No, I can't. This is his day. He doesn't deserve to have to miss his mama because of a woman who denied his birth in the first place."

Joyeux anniversaire,

Joyeux anniversaire,

Joyeux anniversaire,

Joyeux anniversaire!

Lancelot was impressed. "Who taught YOU how to sing in French, Toni? I can barely speak French, let alone sing in it!"

"Your mom at the fair!" Toni's hobby of singing was the only way she could get over the death of her mother.

"CAKE, CAKE!" Everett giggled in his dad's arms, blowing out the candles!

Everett didn't even wait for cake- his first mission as a child was to play space explorers with his best friend Sebastian. "Seb, watch me go down that cool slide!"

"Be careful, Rett!" Sebastian warned. "My mom told me that slide's really slippery!"

Everett ignored him; he whooped as he barreled down the structure of the treehouse.

"That was so much fun!" He cheered, whipping his hands in the air. "Ouch!"

Something felt off. His arm, the wrist area of it, felt sore. Whatever- he probably landed on it wrong. The pain would go away in due time- right?

Right?

Everett tried to use the computer. He felt something in his bones crack. He screamed.

"OOOW! DADA- MY ARM HURTS!"

Lancelot came barreling upstairs. He could hear his son screaming from the bottom. "EVERETT!"

"S-Sebastian and I, we w-were playing on the treehouse, and I slid down and I think I landed on my arm wrong and everything HURTS and now my party's RUINED and-"

"Hey, hey, relax, Ever-bear, take a breath." Lancelot hugged his son, hos own body heating up with panic. "It's okay- we'll go to the ER and find out what happened. You probably sprained it."

"This is the worst birthday ever..."

"It's not a great one, but we can make things work out."

"Dad?" Everett wrinkled his nose. "Why do you smell like pee?"

"Why do I... oh. Umm... it's a long story."

One full of interoception issues, missed body cues, and Alexander Goth doing... whatever the hell that is.

Despite his unfortunate accident, Lancelot rushed Everett to the emergency room before he could change into cleaner clothes. The party had to be cut short. The ER was almost completely empty- as it should be. It was a beautiful Sunday night- NO ONE was getting hurt in this weather.

Except Everett. "Worst birthday EVER!" He continued to wail.

"Crying isn't going to make the pain go away, you know..." muttered Lance sarcastically.

"Lancelot, be nice." Toni warned.

"It's pretty hard to do that when we're all having such sucky days today, you know."

Dr. Chen, the same doctor who delivered Camille at the hospital a few days ago, was the pediatrician who treated Everett. The tests took hours: "We did an X-ray and a CT scan, and Everett looks to have fractured his wrist."

Lancelot replied. "By fracture, you mean just a sprain, right?"

Dr. Chen slowly shook his head. "He broke it. Thankfully it's only a simple distal radius fracture- a week should be ample time for his wrist to fully recover with a cast holding the bones in place."

"But what about soccer? And basketball- Dada said he was gonna sign me up..." Everett's voice was tiny behind the group; his eyelids were growing heavier. All he wanted was to go home.

"Soccer and basketball will have to wait until you're feeling better. You wouldn't want your wrist to feel worse, would you?"

Everett could feel more tears forming in his eyes again. Worst. Birthday. Ever.

"This is so unfair, Dada."

"I know. Today's been a pretty unfair day."

"And I have my first day of school tomorrow, and everyone's going to see me in a cast. I won't be able to do recess or play soccer or-"

"How about we do something fun after school together? Just you and I. We could get some fro-yo at a place nearby."

"We can?"

"Of course we can. We can get some for Mama too, so she feels a bit better. And if I don't follow up on my promise, then you have every right to be angry at me- I promise."

Everett scooched closer to his dad for a snuggle. "I love you, Dada."

"I love you too, Everett. Happy birthday."

"You still smell like pee."