Mai Legacy
1.23 - The Third Generation
“Maverick, listen,” Leah said.
Maverick had come knocking. Leah hadn’t seen him in person since the park eight months ago. He’d texted her at one point, but she hadn’t replied. Their relationship had gone cold ever since. When James and Susan asked what happened to Maverick, Leah told them he’d gone on an extended vacation to visit his grandparents in Newcrest.
“It’s been nearly a year since we last talked, Leah,” Maverick frowned.
“I know, but I’ve been doing a lot of thinking, and now that I'm working on being a talk show host, and now that I've grown up so much as a person...“
“Just don’t Leah, okay? You left me sitting in that snowy park.”
“You know what, Maverick? Just shut up,” Leah said, reaching out and kissing him.
Maverick pulled away. “Leah, what is this?”
“I’ve got to live with my commitment issues, Maverick. Nothings going to change them, so I’m not going to let them get in the way of my life anymore. Let’s do this relationship again, you’re a great guy, and despite what I may have said in the past, now that I’m an adult, I can definitely see that there aren’t guys lined up around the block waiting to date me. And either way… I couldn’t see myself with anybody else.” Leah smiled.
Maverick leaned in for another kiss.
Within another month, the two couldn’t wait anymore, and were wed.
It was a lovely little ceremony James and Susan put together.
“Here we have Marissa, McKenna, and Cassidy…” Eliza told Leah, pointing to each one of her three triplets.
Bob talked to Maverick. “Uh… how long have you two been dating?”
“Off and on a couple of years now,” Maverick laughed. “It’s been a wild ride. I’m going to rescue Leah from your wife, if you don’t mind.”
“Not at all…” Bob said quietly as Maverick made an excuse and walked Leah away from Eliza and her triplets.
“Ah! Seth, there you are!” Lily said, spotting him from across the area. She grabbed the arm of the boy next to her and hurried over. “This is my son, Oscar. I feel like you two could become very good friends.”
Oscar snorted.
“Oscar,” Lily said, a warning in her tone.
Oscar sighed deeply, and held out his hand to Seth. “Hey, Seth. I’m Oscar. Nice to meet you.”
Seth took his hand and shook it carefully.
“You’re right Lily, this is a great idea!” James said, walking over with Susan.
“You two are what inspired Victor and I to finally have a child, so here we are,” Lily smiled. “Why not acquaint our two children?”
“I can’t look back on that day without frowning,” Susan admitted. “That’s the last time we saw Clara Bjergsen alive…”
Lily shrugged. “Life is quite the roller coaster.”
Lily walked back over to Victor, leaving Oscar alone with Seth, James, and Susan.
“I’ve gotta go see Jocelyn,” Seth grinned. “See ya later, Oscar.”
Seth headed over to Jocelyn, who was sitting at a table with Ivan and Ulrike, tears running down her face.
“Jocelyn! What’s wrong!” Seth exclaimed.
“I-I’m just remembering our wedding, Seth,” Jocelyn sobbed. “That… that was one of the last times I saw my parents alive!”
“Jocelyn, come here,” Seth said, holding out his arms. Jocelyn fell gratefully into them.
Ivan gave Seth a sad look, lacking all of the snarkiness that usually colored his face. “You should take her home…” he told Seth.
Jocelyn pulled herself out of Seth’s arm and whirled on Ivan. “I am not going home! I’m going to stay here for Leah’s wedding, I can’t just leave my sister-in-law’s wedding halfway through! I love and respect her!”
“Jocelyn…” Seth said carefully. “Ivan might just have a point. This event reminds you too much of your parents, Leah would understand that.”
“Are you sure?” Jocelyn asked.
“Positive,” Seth nodded. “I’ll go home with you, so you don’t have to be alone. Just let me go and wish Leah her best, alright?”
Jocelyn nodded, and Seth walked off.
“I’m sorry for your loss,” Ulrike said quietly.
Jocelyn smiled gratefully.
“But she also got the legacy boy out of it, so who’s the real winner here?” Ivan said bitterly.
Jocelyn didn’t have the energy to respond.
Seth came back a minute later. “Leah’s just sad you’ll miss the wedding cake. But overall, all she wants is for you to feel better. Come on, let’s go.”
As Seth and Jocelyn walked back home, Leah prepared to exchange vows with Maverick.
Everyone found a seat as Leah and Maverick turned to face each other, love in their eyes.
Back at home, Jocelyn stumbled as she walked up the front steps to the house. “Seth,” she said carefully. “I think the baby is coming.”
“Holy shit,” Seth swore. “It’s really is a good thing we came home, then. Let’s get you to the hospital.”
Leah and Maverick held hands as they recited ancient words to each other. James and Susan smiled at each other as they watched it happen. Both of their children were soon to be happily married. They’d done well.
Even though Leah felt nothing but dread entering a lasting relationship, she pushed the feeling deep inside her. She loved Maverick with all her heart, and she wasn’t going to let some hyperactive instinct destroy one of the best parts of her life.
At the hospital, Jocelyn held up a new born boy.
“Ronnie,” she said, and the baby smiled.
“That’s the one,” Seth grinned.
A week later, James and Susan stood on the newly built second floor, admiring the construction crews handiwork. Fearing the same events that occurred with baby Seth and Leah, they’d started construction not long after Jocelyn first got pregnant. Luckily, a room was finished for baby Ronnie not long before he was born.
“We’ve come so far since that one room shack I first moved into,” Susan told James.
James nodded, tearing up. “I came here what seems like such a long time ago to build a family, a legacy, that would stand generations. And, you know what? I don’t think I could have been more successful.”
"Thing have definitely changed a lot," Susan grinned.
"And now that I'm working on that legacy vault for our descendants..."
“Sshh, James, that's supposed to be a surprise for Seth and Leah. And... there’s one thing that will never change, karaoke boy,” Susan said, jerking her thumb to the karaoke machine behind her.
“They were getting a replacement one at Planet Honeypop, I had to buy the original one,” James shrugged.
“Come on, you dork,” Susan laughed.
The two booted up the old machine and selected the song James had won the karaoke competition with so many years before.
Some things truly never do change.