marcie-pan‌:

Marcus suggested that we go there so it is on my list! There is a movie that I would like to take him to see before we explore, so we will be going soon. You know me as well, too, all of the beach things are already on there as we are both fond of the place.

Mostly we have just chosen a street a day and ventured down it to see what was interesting. I haven’t brought him anywhere specific.

WHEN I’M GONE

Upon returning to Los Angeles, Gia was thankful for all of the things that were returning to normal. She had gotten herself and her father moved into her old apartment, found homes for all of the things that they brought back together, and then she was ready to face what her life was at that point. She needed a job, and while ideally she would have liked to focus on her independent career, she couldn’t be too particular about what it was she was going to do. That was why a majority of the time she had was spent looking over anything she could get her hands on, because while the Institute was always an option she didn’t want to just waltz back in after having decided to leave. One could say it was her own stubbornness, the fact that she didn’t want to admit the failure she faced, but she also knew that the last thing she could do was focus on teaching potential artists of the future.

That was until she was given a gift. It was something her father had been holding onto, apparently, and had been waiting to give her. It seemed like whatever sense he had, had alerted him of the hopelessness Gia found herself taking a moment to wallow in. He always did have it, she remembered that much, but it had been a long time since she saw it in action. That was why when he had slid a box towards her silently one morning and stepped out for a coffee, she was unprepared. What was even more jarring was the contents of the box, the beautifully designed and hand printed letters addressed to her in her mother’s writing.

It was the little push she needed to allow herself the time she didn’t get to spend with her mother before she was gone. It had all happened so fast and she was so unaware of what was happening that she didn’t have the opportunity to say the things she wanted to. What she got, however, was what it was that her mother wanted to say to her, and it was devastating. All of the things she had missed out on while she was away, the things that her mother experienced but didn’t have the moment to share with, they were all in her hands and she couldn’t believe she didn’t get to be there to see it all herself. Then, on the other hand, it was cathartic to know that she had the pieces of her mother’s life towards the end. These letters allowed her to hold onto her mother’s memories and make them her own to remember, and while it was sad Gia couldn’t help but feel the relief she was seeking for months.

marcus-trilling-phd‌:

Added! My father has always been curious about and fascinated by the aurora borealis, so perhaps taking him to a showing of Light of the Valkyries would be a perfect way to spend an afternoon.

Thank you, Marcus! Would you like to join us?

river-morgan-peretz‌:

Congratulations, that is absolutely wonderful news! If I may ask and you don’t mind sharing, what was it that you were looking for?

genaya-salazar‌:

That’s right! I seemed to have forgotten you were also studying with everything that has been happening for you. I imagine you must be excited?

ayannahnolan‌:

marcie-pan‌:

I think I would like to take him to the beach. My love of them came from him, after all, and he’s been staring at the same coast for so long that I’d like for him to experience something different.

This is true, though I just feel like I’ve been waiting for this moment for so long that I’ve lost the ability to be patient. I wish it could all come together at once, you know?

thane-watson‌:

For me it means you are still the person I want by my side through everything. That didn’t ever change, I assure you.

What can I do? For you, I mean. I don’t want to overstep or make you feel as though you’ve been backed into a corner, but I want to help. We can work through this, I know that, but I want to do what I can for you.