Not So Happy News

Writers: Chelle, Jelena, Paula, Suzee
Date Posted: 8th October 2014

Characters: Naton, Milga, Jylanya, Veerona
Description: The happy news isn't so happy for a little girl.
Location: Dolphin Hall
Date: month 7, day 12 of Turn 7

Jylanya

Leaving their little boat in the care of one of the dockworkers, Naton
offered Jylanya his arm as they walked back to her quarters. "I take
it you want to be the one to tell Veerona?" he asked, his face still
glowing with pride.

"If you don't mind," she said hugging his arm. She was still coming
down from a cloud of happiness and she wasn't even certain she
_wanted_ to come down. Of course she had no way to know how Vee was
going to take the news.

Sitting crossways from Milga, Veerona was in their quarters, eating cookies.
There was milk as well and it was clear she was enjoying the treat. She didn't
know where Lany was but Milga often watched her so it wasn't out of the ordinary
as long as it wasn't for too long. Humming a harper tune, she shook
her head from side to side.

"Milga, Veerona," Naton said, glowing with enthusiasm as he swung into
Jylanya's quarters. He pulled up a chair and sat down with a flourish.

"I see you found the cookies," Jylanya smiled down at the pair. Then
she slid into the chair next to Naton. "Did you have a nice afternoon?"

"Yes, we had," Milga replied. It was a very minuscule movement but she
did instinctively shift her body away from Naton.

Vee ignored Naton and didn't speak since Milga had. Instead, she
gulped down the rest of the milk and set the cup down on the table.
Maybe now she could go play with her doll. She was dying to change her
hairstyle. "It was okay."

"Well I have some exciting news," Jylanya smiled at the two girls.
"Naton has just asked me to marry him, and I said yes." She leaned in
to give Naton a kiss.

Veerona didn't understand at first and she was quiet, watching them.
And then she put it all together. Marrying would mean Lany wouldn't
belong to her. Marrying would mean Naton would take her away. She didn't
want him! She didn't want anyone else! Lany would go away just like
her mother and her father! Jumping down from her seat with a frown on
her face, she whirled on Naton, yelling. "I thought you just wanted to
be friends! I thought you said friends! You're a liar!" And then she
ran. She ran from the room, crying.

**She doesn't want me anymore. She wants him. She wants to have babies
with him. She'll forget about me. She'll leave me.** Her body heaved as she
flew, almost tripping once along the floor. She picked herself up
though and she went through the doorway, heading out into the Hall.
Lany couldn't leave her if she left first. Running as fast as her legs
could carry her, she continued, headlong, ignoring concerned adults
she passed.

Jylanya was a heartbeat behind her as she ran "Vee," she called
knowing the little girl was upset. "Vee please honey stop."

"Congr..." Milga started but then Vee run off. She hopped to her feet,
but seening that Jylanya was already after the little girl, stayed
where she now stood. "...ratulations, I'm happy for you two," she
finished her sentance rather sheepishly. But the smile she gave to
Naton was genuine. She liked them both and wished the happiness. "Vee
didn't seem to take that too well," she sighed.

Naton felt his stomach drop at Vee's anger and the hurt in her eyes.
He'd checked! He'd been so sure she was okay with it! As she dashed
of, for a moment he wanted to go after her. But he knew he shouldn't.
Jylanya would have a better chance of getting through to her if he
wasn't there. So instead he turned to Milga.

"Thank you Milga, that means a lot to me," he replied softly. "And no,
she didn't. I had figured she might freak out a little, but then I
talked to her and she seemed totally fine with me being around so
much.. I figured it would all be alright."

"I suppose she doesn't really understand what it means," Milga replied.

She didn't want to stop and she had a lot more energy than Jylanya
had, thanks to her turns. The crying didn't help, however, blurring
her version so that she had to slow down and wipe her eyes. Turning a
corner, she saw the way out, wondering, for just a moment, who would
take her now? Her mama was gone. Her father had never come for her.
There was no one else. That thought scared her and slowed her legs
down as terror, hurt, disappointment, and anger warred within her.

And that was when Jylanya caught up with her adrenaline pumping. She
didn't think she'd ever chased anyone like that before in her life and
while it started with concern by the time her arm went around Veerona's
waist she was also angry. She picked the girl up off her feet facing
away from her and began walking back toward their quarters oblivious
to any kicks at her skirts or looks from Hall personnel.

"When I tell you to stop Veerona, you _stop_. You don't know why I'm
saying it or what is out there."

She struggled for just a moment but then the crying turned into hiccups and
her body shook as each one of them came. She didn't have anywhere else
to go and now she was being taken back to where Naton had just turned
her life upside down-the second time it had happened in recent turns.
Her heart cried out **Mama!** but she didn't voice the word. Her mama
wasn't coming. Her mama was never coming. All she had was Lany and she
was going to be taken away.

Jylanya marched back into her rooms with Veerona on her hip and then
sat her in the big armchair and placing her hands on the arms crouched
down. "Just where were you planning on going?" She hadn't had time to
think about how this whole scene had ruined her joy in the event of
her engagement or how it might affect their future. That would come
later. "You don't go anywhere without me, and I don't go anywhere
without you. That is the deal we made when we decided to become a
family."

She was very quiet, watching Jylanya and assimilating all of this information.
There were so many emotions bubbling around in her just then that instead
of reacting, she just stared back quietly. And then she heard the one word that
mattered. "But you want to be Naton's family, not mine. You changed." Tears
threatened again, but she tried to hold them back. This was important.

"But I haven't changed," she said quietly. "Why do I have to choose
one or the other, you or him. Why can't we be a family, the three of
us? You, me, _and_ Naton."

It was hard for her to find the right words for her feelings. She wasn't old
enough to understand what it was that she wanted or felt and to put it into
words. Frustrated that she couldn't, she sincerely wanted to escape, but she
couldn't. "Cause..my Da never wanted me. He never came. I don't want a Da
ever. Mama went away too but she didn't want to. I just..I just want you to stay
with me forever, just you. No one else. No leaving." Just the possibility of it, of
being left alone again was enough to cause her panic and the signs were already
there. Her eyes were wide, searching. Her hands had grabbed onto Jylanya's skirt,
threatening to tear it.

Jylanya's arms went around her in a close hug but she tipped up the
girl's chin. "Vee, look at me," she said seriously. "I'll always be
your Lany. But no one gets to keep one person to themselves for
always. That's selfish." She knew children were selfish but most
especially an only child who didn't have to share her parent's
attention with siblings. "I love you and I always will. But I also
love Naton and I know he loves you. That doesn't mean he's your Da or
ever will be." Her eyes slid to the man she loved sadly. "But _if_ we
have a baby together that baby will be your sister or brother _and_
Naton will be its Da. He's not going away Vee, and neither am I. But
our family is going to grow whether or not you want it to." She knew
the basic thing that Vee did not. There would come a day when it was
Veerona that left but never Jylanya. That was just the way of parents
and children.

**Selfish?** There had been so many grownups that had made
promises to her and she could count on one hand the ones that had
been kept. And now, Jylanya was saying she had to accept Naton.
She had _no_ choice. And there would be babies. She wanted babies!

**I'm right. I know it!** She tried to think through her choices but it wasn't
enough time. And her panic level was rising. It didn't matter that Naton said
he loved her. **If Lany loved me she wouldn't do this! She wouldn't!**

Shaking her head, she didn't hold the tears in but she did let go of the
skirt. "I think you want a new family." Words ran around in circles in her
head, but it hurt to think about some of them. "You said lying is bad. He
lied to me. Don't pick him, Lany. Don't pick him. Pick me, please! Pick me,
Lany! I love you forever and forever and ever. Not him!"

Her tone of voice became higher pitched and she did cry then. The little girl,
as she felt her life threaten to drown her, started to shake with her cries.
And then she begged. She begged for what she wanted, what she needed.
"Please don't pick him. I need you." It was a heartfelt plea, powered by the
fear of loss. He was ripping her second mother from her after she'd lost the
first one. He couldn't be trusted since he was a man, like her father had been.
He had never come for her-never. "Don't do it, Lany." She was quiet then,
glancing over at the man who had caused this rift in her life so easily like it
didn't matter.

If Lany chose him and a new family, what would her future be? That was a
terrifying thought to a small child who had nothing of her own except for maybe
clothing and a few toys.

Naton felt his heart tear at the grief in the little girl's voice. Why
did she think so badly of him all of a sudden? He couldn't fathom and
he couldn't find the words to express his bewilderment. So he let
Jylanya handle it, for as far as it could be handled and left quietly
after a wordless exchange with his beloved. This wasn't how he'd
expected this day to turn out. It wasn't by far.

Last updated on the November 16th 2014

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Not So Happy News