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Post by starletinwaiting on Jul 18, 2019 11:40:11 GMT -8
June 25, 2019
After running into him at the employment center, Marina Barlow has spent some time getting to know Kai Andrieux. They hit it off when they went to brunch and have exchanged emails and calls and texts from time to time, especially when she was overseas or in different states. When Kai invited her to meet his kids, Marina accepted on one condition. "I have to actually be home!" she laughed. "I'll be back and have some time off in a couple days. Can we do it then?"
When he agreed, they continued to make arrangements, setting time and date and specifics for where.
And those time and date and specifics for where happen to be today and now and at his place, where she stands on the doorsteps. Marina lifts her hand and knocks on the door, subconsciously holding her breath as she awaits an answer to her knock.
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Post by Josephine on Jul 19, 2019 15:57:11 GMT -8
Just before she arrived Violet had arrived with Luke and Phoebe.
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Post by Joelle on Jul 19, 2019 16:03:07 GMT -8
Christian answers the door, though not without kissing Violet on the cheek. "Thanks for being here," he tells her. "Dad is...he doesn't do this a lot!"
Kai is dressed in a clean shirt and jeans. Both he and Christian invite Marina inside and take a seat in the living room.
"Hi. I'm Christian, and these are Violet, Luke, and Phoebe."
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Post by starletinwaiting on Jul 19, 2019 22:21:11 GMT -8
Marina settles into the seat, smiling at the small band of kids. "It's nice to meet you guys. I'm Marina. I'm one of your dad's friends."
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Post by Joelle on Jul 20, 2019 18:46:05 GMT -8
"You must be pretty special to have gotten Dad to open up." Christian comments. "He doesn't to a lot of people." "Right on both counts, son," Kai says."I don't, and she is."
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Post by starletinwaiting on Jul 20, 2019 22:30:25 GMT -8
"Well... Golly, sir, thanks!" Marina chuckles, putting on her 'child from an old film' voice. "It's basically called being at the right place at the right time ans being willing to sit and listen. Nothing that your average Joe couldn't pick up on and learn to succeed at."
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Post by Joelle on Jul 21, 2019 16:32:11 GMT -8
"True, but not many people are so honest about themselves in return on a first meeting," Kai says. Knowing that she has given up a child for adoption, it's not the same situation, but similar enough that he knowz she understands a little of his feelings on seeing Luke and Phoebe again.
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Post by starletinwaiting on Jul 21, 2019 18:42:13 GMT -8
"True. I figure that someone bares their soul, might as well return the favor, am I right?" Marina smiles.
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Post by Joelle on Jul 22, 2019 7:03:52 GMT -8
"For sure!" Kai smiles. "So. These are my kids. What would you like to know about them?"
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Post by starletinwaiting on Jul 22, 2019 8:20:40 GMT -8
"Remind me of names and ages, for starters," Marina chuckles. "And then what are your interests, guys? What do you like to do in your free time? It's summer, so you probably have a little more of that right now, right?"
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Post by Josephine on Jul 22, 2019 10:48:20 GMT -8
"I'm Phoebe and I'm eight. I like to draw and play with my brothers and little sisters. I also love swimming."
"I'm Violet and will be 18 in 6 days. Interests ore reading and hanging out with friends. Free time is spent doing anything that involves being outside."
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Post by Joelle on Jul 23, 2019 18:06:31 GMT -8
"I'm Luke and I'm eight. I like to play with my brothers and little sisters, and I have lots of model airplanes. I like to ride my bike, too."
"I'm Christian and I'm 20 and I'm studying environmental science. I like to hang out with my friends and also hike and do things outside like camping."
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Post by starletinwaiting on Jul 23, 2019 19:13:27 GMT -8
"Wow. There's quite the age gap with you kiddos," Marina chuckles. "Wish I had kids to introduce you guys to. Unfortunately, I only ever had one but that's a story for another day perhaps."
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Post by Josephine on Jul 23, 2019 20:56:02 GMT -8
"I'm actually Dad's step daughter but he was and is the only dad I know ."
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Post by Joelle on Jul 24, 2019 17:56:28 GMT -8
"Yeah," says Christian. "I think Dad met her mom when I was 8? We were so young! But we were each other's best friend pretty quickly. Her mom is the only mom I know, too. My bio mom died when I was 3."
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Post by starletinwaiting on Jul 24, 2019 21:00:03 GMT -8
"Wow. Mixed families." Marina chuckles slightly. "My older sister has one of those. She had kids with her ex, her current husband had kids with his, they got married, and so now they're all one big happy family. It can be tough with those kinds of situations, though. I take it things worked out okay for you guys."
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Post by Joelle on Jul 25, 2019 12:17:29 GMT -8
"It seemed to, until the year after Luke and Phoebe were born, at least," comments Kai. "Then her parents got sick, and..." he shrugs. "They were away so long. I was concerned about uprooting Christian, but I was in preparation to go with them. Then...I don't know. Do you remember, Violet?"
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Post by Josephine on Jul 25, 2019 13:15:20 GMT -8
"not really." She says.
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Post by Joelle on Jul 30, 2019 11:12:48 GMT -8
"Anyway," Kai continues, "By the time I found them, it had been almost a year, and they showed no signs of coming home soon, so... there you have it. I don't think either of us really wanted the divorce- but it seemed like we were trying to make things easier on each other," Kai explains to Marina.
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Post by starletinwaiting on Jul 30, 2019 12:05:05 GMT -8
"Well, it seems like things kinda separated you guys and sent you down your different paths. That's got to be hard. Especially if you're trying to keep up a relationship."
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Post by Joelle on Jul 30, 2019 16:46:05 GMT -8
"It is, and now we're all dealing with the loss." says Christian sadly.
Luke crawls into his big brother's lap. "At least we're with each other." he says. "I missed Daddy. Well, knowing that I had one, even though I like Uncle Spencer."
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Post by starletinwaiting on Jul 30, 2019 17:15:20 GMT -8
"Was that... especially hard?" Marina asks the boy, thinking of her daughter. "You kinda grew up for a bit without one, right?"
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Post by Joelle on Jul 31, 2019 15:40:36 GMT -8
"Yeah. It was. I wanted to know why things were that way," he says. "If Daddy still loved us and why didn't he come with us?"
"I don't understand either, buddy," says Christian. "Here's what I know. Grown-ups make decisions that don't make any sense sometimes. but I'm sure my dad was trying to protect me, just like your mommy and Uncle Spencer did you."
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Post by starletinwaiting on Jul 31, 2019 15:52:40 GMT -8
Marina nods. "That's exactly what happens in these situations. I had a daughter when I was younger but I gave her up for adoption. Another family raised her. I know that I did that to make sure she'd have a better life than I could give her."
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Post by Joelle on Aug 2, 2019 15:54:02 GMT -8
"It's just hard because the argument seems to have been over where the best life could be lived," Kai comments. "But we're together now, and I hope I'll do well making up for lost time," he says. It is clear he has missed the children he didn't know he still had.
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Post by starletinwaiting on Aug 2, 2019 16:25:04 GMT -8
"I guess that's all you can really hope for, right? That you'll be able to fix what got broken?"
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Post by Joelle on Aug 3, 2019 9:48:20 GMT -8
"That's all any of us can hope for," he says softly. "But I don't really think either of us wanted anything to break. When they stayed so long...I think they had to. Her parents were sick for a long time. And that's what makes it sad, that- I think- neither of us thought anything could change. I wish now that things had been different- that she had insisted I come with her. But...that's what love is, real love, thinking of the other person more than yourself." He sighs. It makes him ache. He doesn't quite know how to find a balance between agape and his need to be with his family- which had been a very real need despite the preparations that had needed to be made first. "But nothing is broken now, right?" asks Luke. "Mommy is gone and I will miss her forever, but we have you now." Kai smiles, even though he knows Luke probably doesn't know big words like restoration just yet. Restoration amid loss is a beautiful thing.
"Is this how it was for you- emotional- seeing your daughter?" Kai asks Marina.
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Post by starletinwaiting on Aug 3, 2019 10:03:05 GMT -8
"Yes and no," Marina replies. "I think it's a little different when you didn't get any time with them at all. It was strange for me to meet her and realize that she had grown into such a strong, beautiful young woman without my involvement at all. It... made me sad that I couldn't have been there for her through more of it, but it also made me proud that I'd made the right decision for her. If I'd raised her on my own, she wouldn't be half the woman she is today."
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Post by Joelle on Aug 20, 2019 10:50:03 GMT -8
"Somehow I doubt that," says Christian. "Dad raised me on my own most of my life except for the time they were married. This stuff stinks, but it makes us stronger in the end."
"Right!" Luke is a little confused, but wants to agree with his big brother.
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Post by starletinwaiting on Aug 20, 2019 12:51:40 GMT -8
Marina chuckles, "Thanks for being nice, but you don't know the whole story. If you did, you'd probably agree with me. Situations like mine are... complicated at best. If you catch my drift."
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2 new BG babies! (for real)
