Chasing Poppy
Synopsis: An opium addict named Toby Penderghast finally defeats the dragon that has been chasing him when he meets a lovely woman named Poppy.
Chapter 1--Where to Begin ?
My name is Tobias Penderghast, but most people call me Tony. For my entire life, I have been possessed by the dragon known as opium. I honestly don't know where the opium ends and I begin, or is it vice versa ? It's difficult to tell, since I'm typically after my next fix by any means necessary if need be. Despite being higher than a kite on a clear March day I can get my work done at the local computer repair shop. I'm a PC guy who hacks a little on the side. It may not be the most legitimate way to earn solid cash but my dealer Mraz gets what he wants; free porn. I, on the other hand, get the opium I desire and the fix I need to get me through the doldrums of another mundane, thankless, annoying job. I see people as cogs in a massive machine, each one manipulating the other to turn in whatever direction it wants to go. I, however, want to be the Watchkeeper someday. I'd much rather not be a dumb cog, turning and turning. Never really gaining ground or making any progress.
The day everything changed was a mid-September. The colors of autumn hadn't yet come and the weather was still warm. I had been dreaming of an Indian summer, but matters such as that were unpredictable in the Midwest, especially in Indiana. My dealer, Mraz, had been wanting to download some albums that had been hard to find over here in the States. I didn't even have to use software such as Napster since I knew backdoors in the Interwebs to access in order to get what I wanted. My IP was hard to trace and Mraz got the jams he was searching for. I got my sweet, delicious, trandscendant crystals. What I didn't know was that I was about to lose my life simply to gain it back.
Chapter 2--Dying to Live
The rush was inexplicable. I heard and saw colors that didn't exist in the human pallate. I felt such exhilleration that was indescribable. Then, it seemed that everything stopped. The room grew dark until I saw nothing. I felt as if I were floating in nothingness. Gravity was meaningless and I could hear slurred voices. None of the language I heard made any sense. I tried to constrew meaning from what I was hearing but everything was foreign. It was like everything was mushed into one big noise. Then there was nothing. Nothing at all. Just cold, hard, dark surface. I had no idea where I was.
Then, I was revived. There were tubes poking and proding from all directions out of my flesh. I heard the steady ping of an EKG reader. Apparently my heart rate was normal as was my oxygen intake and outgo. There was a nurse standing over me, telling me I had been lucky to have survived the night. My heart had stopped, and I was pronounced clinically dead. By some miracle, though, I was alive. I was dying though, for my next fix. The nurse, somehow, seemed to know that by the look of my needle peirced arm and sunken eyes. She said I looked like a zombie.
She said she'd take care of me, and damned if I was going to die on her watch. Her name was Poppy Bright. I wasn't certain what I was feeling at that moment, since all the different emotions were clouding my thought process. Nothing at all made sense, and everything was a jumble, just as it had been when I died. Momentarily, though, I wished that death would take me and I would no longer have to endure this horrible, terrible pain. Against my will, Poppy put me into rehabilitation and vowed to never leave my side while the toxins were being washed from my addled, poisoned body. It would take a long time and the pain was excruitiating. I prayed that sleep would come. Finally, it did and I closed my eyes, hoping that tomorrow would be brighter.
Chapter 3--Transformation
Somehow I heard that Mraz was found out. I was in no way implicated, which gave me a breath of fresh air. I was certain that I would have to go to jail for pariphenalia and illicit drug use but I was never discovered. Rehab was much different than I thought it would be. Everything in the building was calming, warm, friendly, congenial and magnificent. I even got to ride a horse named Midnight. Midnight was my favorite out of all the others, since I felt we were a lot alike. He was a black horse, strong, confident, and a bit headstrong. However, with the right direction, I used the reins to guide Midnight wherever I wanted and we were almost inseperable.
I met therapy animals all week and adored them. I learned through some fluke that my musical gift was indeed inherant as my parents had predicted. I had never known what my instrument would be until we had musical therapy one day. I picked up an oboe and began to play as if it had been apriory knowledge. Poppy was more than pleased. She played a merry clarinet to match my oboe and apparently she could also play a bassoon, which I thought was quite impressive. A dirty thought crossed my mind considering the playing of a double reed. Could she be a sensational smoocher ?, I mused. The idea blinked and flickered away like the end of a 33 mm film after the credits were rolled.
I wasn't really certain why Poppy cared for me as much as she did. I had no idea what love was really about. Sure, I knew about friendship, but never love. My parents were never really there for me growing up. I virtually raised myself. This doesn't mean I didn't respect them. I had oodles of respect for them keeping me disciplined but as far as affection, I don't even recall if I recieved any. I had never been touched the way Poppy had touched me. It felt alien, but welcoming. Part of me wanted her to continue patting my hand or stroking my shoulder. The colder half of me wanted to be left alone and not bothered. These two halves of me were warring between each other as I got to know Poppy more and rejoined the human race as a sophisticated, sentient, cognizant being.
Chapter 4--What Is Love ?
Less and less opium was erased and replaced with the joys of reading, fishing, camping, stargazing and other hobbies. I relished playing the oboe in the band at the rehabilitation center. I wondered if I would ever be able to play with her outside of the center. I asked if that was possible and she promised me that we would think of something.
I wanted to take her to the rooftop garden, away from all the hustle and bustle of the activity centers below. My heart was pounding through my chest as Poppy held my hand. My once hardened heart was now open, warm and receptive to what I was learning about; true love. I had always thought it was a silly notion. Something in children's faery tales, and therefore not real. Poppy had shown me otherwise and we had grown to be fond companions over the time I had been in Trafalgar Rehabilitation Center.
'The moment you came in here in that state where you were completely blank and apathetic I fell for you. I don't know how else to say it, but I love you.', she said. I wanted to do whatever I could to make her happy, but I knew all my former associations would have to be stricken from my social activities. The moment I would leave the premisis would be my new existence. I didn't know if I would ever see Poppy Bright again but I did cut a red rose for her from the garden (after I obtained permission of course). That moment, I had my first kiss and I felt something no drug would ever give me; unhindered euphoria. I knew what love was and knew I had to be patient in order to continue cultivating it in my life. Yet, I knew there was nothing more on this Earth I desired than to feel Poppy's lithe frame curled against mine and the curve of her mouth intwined in my own. That was the truest form of bliss I had ever experienced.
Chapter 5--A New Creation
I continued my job in PC repairs and learned how to develop video games in my spare time. I had always wanted to be a tester when I was growing up and now I was beginning to realize my dream. I suppose I had never really 'grown up' but I was taking more and more steps to try to woo my beloved Doctor Bright. Her name was apropos, assuredly. She was the most illuminating person I had ever had the pleasure of meeting. She worked with me explicitly and made certain that I was well taken care of. Every time I got to see her, I felt a thrill in my heart.
I had no idea that she was the one dating me all along until she told me herself. Technically she wasn't supposed to be having any sort of contact with a patient, but she violated the rules just to be close to me. The others at Trafalgar never once had any clue that she had been breaking curfew just to come and read the latest Jodi Picoult or whomever was the top author or authoress that particular month.
After persuing Poppy for months I steeled my courage to ask her if she wanted my hand in marriage. I was sweating, anxious, and barely able to form sentences in her beatific presense and I wasn't certain if she would accept my proposal. Taking a deep breath, I took a leap of faith and asked for her hand in the park where we usually picnicked, watched birds, people and dogs.
'I was wondering when you would get around to it.', she said, jokingly, nudging me in the ribcage. The sensation I had was like doing 1,000 backflips on a trampoline. I didn't know what lay ahead of us, but I couldn't help wondering why I had been so fortunate. Had I not met this woman, I probably would've been in an alley or a gutter somewhere wasting away. More than likely I would be rotting from the inside out, slowly and painfully dying. However, now I had my life back and oddly enough my body was healing. It was all due to love, I felt, as cliched as it sounded in my previously cynical brain. I had read love covers a multitude of sins but never once did I realize it's efficacy until the present. It was much more powerful than I had ever known.
Chapter 6--Love Will Keep Us Together
Poppy and I go everywhere since we have been married. It's been at least 5 years now and we're going on strong. I never thought I would ever be a father, though. It was something we had talked about in the past but when it actually happened, I thought I would cry billions of tears of joy. Since we've had Tyler, the world has become bigger, braver and sometimes more perilous than we could've ever imagined. He's at that age now where he's asking us questions. Most of them we know the answer to, but many of them are quite thorny. He's still innocent and has all the spirit of an adventurer. I wish I had decided to become a papa earlier but nothing would ever make me regret becoming a dad at the ripe age of 35.
Tyler was soon joined by a little baby sister in the Spring. We named her Mirabelle after my Aunt who often came to visit from time to time. Mirabelle Anne was the perfect, most precious little girl. Tyler had to adjust to being out of the limelight,but he adapted magnificently. He wanted to do everything he could to protect her and loved to teach her about nature and the outdoors. Mirabelle was already a tomboy and loved playing in the dirt, so the two of them were like peas in a pod; going here, going there and soujourning everywhere together.
Little ones tend to grow up fast, and Tyler learned responsibility quickly with Mirabelle taking his lead constantly. We were bribed into buying a dog due to Tyler's charm, but it was worth the experience. We got a Lab from a breeder and named it Juno just because we thought it suited the regality of the breed. Juno seemed to concur with our concensus.
Before either of us knew it, Tyler and Mirabelle were outgrowing childish games and becoming more adult. It was something I had read about time and time again. No book could ever preprare me for letting my child go on his first date. Poppy and I had taught him how to be a gentleman. Sadly, he had his heart broken and sulked for a few days. I knew what it was like to get shot down by the opposite sex, so I encouraged him. Sally just wasn't the right girl for him and there would be other fish. Better ones. He knew this as well as I did and he was still young, 18, after all. As for Mirabelle, she really wasn't going out on dates; yet. We could both breathe a collective sigh of relief knowing this.
Chapter 7--Summer Vacation
Summer officially became my favorite month to spend time on the beach with my family and become closer to nature. Sure, I enjoyed camping in the woods not far from where I lived with Poppy, but the beach; ah, yes, the poetry of the ocean in its ebb and flow. The ocean always had a way of lulling me to it. It was an inorexible pull I just couldn't escape. That summer though, my dad passed away due to old age. We all knew it was going to happen sooner or later since his health had begun to fail but mom took it especially hard. Thanks to that, we had to cut our vacation short but it made us even stronger as a family unit than before. Now mom lives close to us in the rural part of the Midwest and we're more content than ever.
We've even gone overseas for the holidays. I didn't know how we would pull it off, but thanks to our genius son, we're able to take vacations in Greece. His fiancee (I can't believe I am saying these words) is from Greece and she is the best thing that has ever happened to him. The two of them, Marina and Tyler are cut from the same cloth. It's really quite beautiful to see them together. Inevitably, Mirabelle has begun dating and like Tyler, she's saving herself for marriage as well. Neither of this care if this is an 'archiac' methodology or perception. We're just pleased our children honor their bodies, hearts and minds and won't join them with anyone else's until the right person comes into their existence to share thoughts, ideas, hopes and dreams together.
It was a summer in Athens that we particpated in Tyler and Marina's wedding. It was absolutely marvelous. Everything was gorgeous and the food was ambrosial. I hadn't had Greek food before, but it was delightful. Poppy liked it too and hoped that Marina would be able to share her family's recipies with her. She readily agreed. I looked forward to more domales and pitas in the future !
Chapter 8--Expansion
Before I knew it, I had become a grandfather. Neither I nor Poppy felt old enough to be grandparents, but we were eager to welcome our grandchildren, Phoebe and Adriadne into the world. They were the most perfect little girls and I could tell that Tyler was going to have his hands full with them when they became older. Presently, though, they were cuter than bugs in a rug and into absolutely everything just like Tyler had been as a baby. Some things never change. Mirabelle oohed and ahhed over the twins, hoping that someday she would be able to be a mother, but she was still in the process of dating and hadn't quite found the right guy yet. This recent fellow, Thomas, though, he seemed to be the best one she had dated and it was obvious that they both had a deep love and respect for one another. Thomas was also exceptional with kids and taught self defense class for youngsters, especially ones who had been troubled. Little did we know that Thomas would propose to her over the Christmas holiday and our already expanding family was about to become even bigger.
Epilogue
The proposal was a huge success and not long after that, it seemed that my little girl was settling down and soon to be expecting her first son, Nathan. Mom couldn't have been more delighted seeing new babies come into her world. They were spoiled beyond belief but not enough to make them unbarable. The twins, Phoebe and Adriadne were now toddlers and playing with little Nathan. Nathan had a hard time keeping up with them since he was still crawling and unable to walk as of yet, but the three got along like they were never seperated from heaven.
I had learned quite a bit having had become a father and a grandfather. My children were grown but still called their papa and mama for advice. I'll admit, Poppy nor I had all the answers, nor did we pretend to. It was certainly fun trying to figure out everything in the process. There was no need for psychadelic, mind-numbing drugs. Life, indeed, I had found, was its own high.
~*~*~Tobias Penderghast
Many years sober
Wiser and older
Bolder and kinder
And still in my prime, dear.
Chapter 1--Where to Begin ?
My name is Tobias Penderghast, but most people call me Tony. For my entire life, I have been possessed by the dragon known as opium. I honestly don't know where the opium ends and I begin, or is it vice versa ? It's difficult to tell, since I'm typically after my next fix by any means necessary if need be. Despite being higher than a kite on a clear March day I can get my work done at the local computer repair shop. I'm a PC guy who hacks a little on the side. It may not be the most legitimate way to earn solid cash but my dealer Mraz gets what he wants; free porn. I, on the other hand, get the opium I desire and the fix I need to get me through the doldrums of another mundane, thankless, annoying job. I see people as cogs in a massive machine, each one manipulating the other to turn in whatever direction it wants to go. I, however, want to be the Watchkeeper someday. I'd much rather not be a dumb cog, turning and turning. Never really gaining ground or making any progress.
The day everything changed was a mid-September. The colors of autumn hadn't yet come and the weather was still warm. I had been dreaming of an Indian summer, but matters such as that were unpredictable in the Midwest, especially in Indiana. My dealer, Mraz, had been wanting to download some albums that had been hard to find over here in the States. I didn't even have to use software such as Napster since I knew backdoors in the Interwebs to access in order to get what I wanted. My IP was hard to trace and Mraz got the jams he was searching for. I got my sweet, delicious, trandscendant crystals. What I didn't know was that I was about to lose my life simply to gain it back.
Chapter 2--Dying to Live
The rush was inexplicable. I heard and saw colors that didn't exist in the human pallate. I felt such exhilleration that was indescribable. Then, it seemed that everything stopped. The room grew dark until I saw nothing. I felt as if I were floating in nothingness. Gravity was meaningless and I could hear slurred voices. None of the language I heard made any sense. I tried to constrew meaning from what I was hearing but everything was foreign. It was like everything was mushed into one big noise. Then there was nothing. Nothing at all. Just cold, hard, dark surface. I had no idea where I was.
Then, I was revived. There were tubes poking and proding from all directions out of my flesh. I heard the steady ping of an EKG reader. Apparently my heart rate was normal as was my oxygen intake and outgo. There was a nurse standing over me, telling me I had been lucky to have survived the night. My heart had stopped, and I was pronounced clinically dead. By some miracle, though, I was alive. I was dying though, for my next fix. The nurse, somehow, seemed to know that by the look of my needle peirced arm and sunken eyes. She said I looked like a zombie.
She said she'd take care of me, and damned if I was going to die on her watch. Her name was Poppy Bright. I wasn't certain what I was feeling at that moment, since all the different emotions were clouding my thought process. Nothing at all made sense, and everything was a jumble, just as it had been when I died. Momentarily, though, I wished that death would take me and I would no longer have to endure this horrible, terrible pain. Against my will, Poppy put me into rehabilitation and vowed to never leave my side while the toxins were being washed from my addled, poisoned body. It would take a long time and the pain was excruitiating. I prayed that sleep would come. Finally, it did and I closed my eyes, hoping that tomorrow would be brighter.
Chapter 3--Transformation
Somehow I heard that Mraz was found out. I was in no way implicated, which gave me a breath of fresh air. I was certain that I would have to go to jail for pariphenalia and illicit drug use but I was never discovered. Rehab was much different than I thought it would be. Everything in the building was calming, warm, friendly, congenial and magnificent. I even got to ride a horse named Midnight. Midnight was my favorite out of all the others, since I felt we were a lot alike. He was a black horse, strong, confident, and a bit headstrong. However, with the right direction, I used the reins to guide Midnight wherever I wanted and we were almost inseperable.
I met therapy animals all week and adored them. I learned through some fluke that my musical gift was indeed inherant as my parents had predicted. I had never known what my instrument would be until we had musical therapy one day. I picked up an oboe and began to play as if it had been apriory knowledge. Poppy was more than pleased. She played a merry clarinet to match my oboe and apparently she could also play a bassoon, which I thought was quite impressive. A dirty thought crossed my mind considering the playing of a double reed. Could she be a sensational smoocher ?, I mused. The idea blinked and flickered away like the end of a 33 mm film after the credits were rolled.
I wasn't really certain why Poppy cared for me as much as she did. I had no idea what love was really about. Sure, I knew about friendship, but never love. My parents were never really there for me growing up. I virtually raised myself. This doesn't mean I didn't respect them. I had oodles of respect for them keeping me disciplined but as far as affection, I don't even recall if I recieved any. I had never been touched the way Poppy had touched me. It felt alien, but welcoming. Part of me wanted her to continue patting my hand or stroking my shoulder. The colder half of me wanted to be left alone and not bothered. These two halves of me were warring between each other as I got to know Poppy more and rejoined the human race as a sophisticated, sentient, cognizant being.
Chapter 4--What Is Love ?
Less and less opium was erased and replaced with the joys of reading, fishing, camping, stargazing and other hobbies. I relished playing the oboe in the band at the rehabilitation center. I wondered if I would ever be able to play with her outside of the center. I asked if that was possible and she promised me that we would think of something.
I wanted to take her to the rooftop garden, away from all the hustle and bustle of the activity centers below. My heart was pounding through my chest as Poppy held my hand. My once hardened heart was now open, warm and receptive to what I was learning about; true love. I had always thought it was a silly notion. Something in children's faery tales, and therefore not real. Poppy had shown me otherwise and we had grown to be fond companions over the time I had been in Trafalgar Rehabilitation Center.
'The moment you came in here in that state where you were completely blank and apathetic I fell for you. I don't know how else to say it, but I love you.', she said. I wanted to do whatever I could to make her happy, but I knew all my former associations would have to be stricken from my social activities. The moment I would leave the premisis would be my new existence. I didn't know if I would ever see Poppy Bright again but I did cut a red rose for her from the garden (after I obtained permission of course). That moment, I had my first kiss and I felt something no drug would ever give me; unhindered euphoria. I knew what love was and knew I had to be patient in order to continue cultivating it in my life. Yet, I knew there was nothing more on this Earth I desired than to feel Poppy's lithe frame curled against mine and the curve of her mouth intwined in my own. That was the truest form of bliss I had ever experienced.
Chapter 5--A New Creation
I continued my job in PC repairs and learned how to develop video games in my spare time. I had always wanted to be a tester when I was growing up and now I was beginning to realize my dream. I suppose I had never really 'grown up' but I was taking more and more steps to try to woo my beloved Doctor Bright. Her name was apropos, assuredly. She was the most illuminating person I had ever had the pleasure of meeting. She worked with me explicitly and made certain that I was well taken care of. Every time I got to see her, I felt a thrill in my heart.
I had no idea that she was the one dating me all along until she told me herself. Technically she wasn't supposed to be having any sort of contact with a patient, but she violated the rules just to be close to me. The others at Trafalgar never once had any clue that she had been breaking curfew just to come and read the latest Jodi Picoult or whomever was the top author or authoress that particular month.
After persuing Poppy for months I steeled my courage to ask her if she wanted my hand in marriage. I was sweating, anxious, and barely able to form sentences in her beatific presense and I wasn't certain if she would accept my proposal. Taking a deep breath, I took a leap of faith and asked for her hand in the park where we usually picnicked, watched birds, people and dogs.
'I was wondering when you would get around to it.', she said, jokingly, nudging me in the ribcage. The sensation I had was like doing 1,000 backflips on a trampoline. I didn't know what lay ahead of us, but I couldn't help wondering why I had been so fortunate. Had I not met this woman, I probably would've been in an alley or a gutter somewhere wasting away. More than likely I would be rotting from the inside out, slowly and painfully dying. However, now I had my life back and oddly enough my body was healing. It was all due to love, I felt, as cliched as it sounded in my previously cynical brain. I had read love covers a multitude of sins but never once did I realize it's efficacy until the present. It was much more powerful than I had ever known.
Chapter 6--Love Will Keep Us Together
Poppy and I go everywhere since we have been married. It's been at least 5 years now and we're going on strong. I never thought I would ever be a father, though. It was something we had talked about in the past but when it actually happened, I thought I would cry billions of tears of joy. Since we've had Tyler, the world has become bigger, braver and sometimes more perilous than we could've ever imagined. He's at that age now where he's asking us questions. Most of them we know the answer to, but many of them are quite thorny. He's still innocent and has all the spirit of an adventurer. I wish I had decided to become a papa earlier but nothing would ever make me regret becoming a dad at the ripe age of 35.
Tyler was soon joined by a little baby sister in the Spring. We named her Mirabelle after my Aunt who often came to visit from time to time. Mirabelle Anne was the perfect, most precious little girl. Tyler had to adjust to being out of the limelight,but he adapted magnificently. He wanted to do everything he could to protect her and loved to teach her about nature and the outdoors. Mirabelle was already a tomboy and loved playing in the dirt, so the two of them were like peas in a pod; going here, going there and soujourning everywhere together.
Little ones tend to grow up fast, and Tyler learned responsibility quickly with Mirabelle taking his lead constantly. We were bribed into buying a dog due to Tyler's charm, but it was worth the experience. We got a Lab from a breeder and named it Juno just because we thought it suited the regality of the breed. Juno seemed to concur with our concensus.
Before either of us knew it, Tyler and Mirabelle were outgrowing childish games and becoming more adult. It was something I had read about time and time again. No book could ever preprare me for letting my child go on his first date. Poppy and I had taught him how to be a gentleman. Sadly, he had his heart broken and sulked for a few days. I knew what it was like to get shot down by the opposite sex, so I encouraged him. Sally just wasn't the right girl for him and there would be other fish. Better ones. He knew this as well as I did and he was still young, 18, after all. As for Mirabelle, she really wasn't going out on dates; yet. We could both breathe a collective sigh of relief knowing this.
Chapter 7--Summer Vacation
Summer officially became my favorite month to spend time on the beach with my family and become closer to nature. Sure, I enjoyed camping in the woods not far from where I lived with Poppy, but the beach; ah, yes, the poetry of the ocean in its ebb and flow. The ocean always had a way of lulling me to it. It was an inorexible pull I just couldn't escape. That summer though, my dad passed away due to old age. We all knew it was going to happen sooner or later since his health had begun to fail but mom took it especially hard. Thanks to that, we had to cut our vacation short but it made us even stronger as a family unit than before. Now mom lives close to us in the rural part of the Midwest and we're more content than ever.
We've even gone overseas for the holidays. I didn't know how we would pull it off, but thanks to our genius son, we're able to take vacations in Greece. His fiancee (I can't believe I am saying these words) is from Greece and she is the best thing that has ever happened to him. The two of them, Marina and Tyler are cut from the same cloth. It's really quite beautiful to see them together. Inevitably, Mirabelle has begun dating and like Tyler, she's saving herself for marriage as well. Neither of this care if this is an 'archiac' methodology or perception. We're just pleased our children honor their bodies, hearts and minds and won't join them with anyone else's until the right person comes into their existence to share thoughts, ideas, hopes and dreams together.
It was a summer in Athens that we particpated in Tyler and Marina's wedding. It was absolutely marvelous. Everything was gorgeous and the food was ambrosial. I hadn't had Greek food before, but it was delightful. Poppy liked it too and hoped that Marina would be able to share her family's recipies with her. She readily agreed. I looked forward to more domales and pitas in the future !
Chapter 8--Expansion
Before I knew it, I had become a grandfather. Neither I nor Poppy felt old enough to be grandparents, but we were eager to welcome our grandchildren, Phoebe and Adriadne into the world. They were the most perfect little girls and I could tell that Tyler was going to have his hands full with them when they became older. Presently, though, they were cuter than bugs in a rug and into absolutely everything just like Tyler had been as a baby. Some things never change. Mirabelle oohed and ahhed over the twins, hoping that someday she would be able to be a mother, but she was still in the process of dating and hadn't quite found the right guy yet. This recent fellow, Thomas, though, he seemed to be the best one she had dated and it was obvious that they both had a deep love and respect for one another. Thomas was also exceptional with kids and taught self defense class for youngsters, especially ones who had been troubled. Little did we know that Thomas would propose to her over the Christmas holiday and our already expanding family was about to become even bigger.
Epilogue
The proposal was a huge success and not long after that, it seemed that my little girl was settling down and soon to be expecting her first son, Nathan. Mom couldn't have been more delighted seeing new babies come into her world. They were spoiled beyond belief but not enough to make them unbarable. The twins, Phoebe and Adriadne were now toddlers and playing with little Nathan. Nathan had a hard time keeping up with them since he was still crawling and unable to walk as of yet, but the three got along like they were never seperated from heaven.
I had learned quite a bit having had become a father and a grandfather. My children were grown but still called their papa and mama for advice. I'll admit, Poppy nor I had all the answers, nor did we pretend to. It was certainly fun trying to figure out everything in the process. There was no need for psychadelic, mind-numbing drugs. Life, indeed, I had found, was its own high.
~*~*~Tobias Penderghast
Many years sober
Wiser and older
Bolder and kinder
And still in my prime, dear.
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