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If there was one thing Ryn knew better than a good stand up comedy, it was definitely, how to throw down in a kitchen. Cooking was one of her favorite past times and she was about to whip up a mean BLT. That is until Serena interrupted-

“RYN!” she screamed in horror as she scurried into the kitchen



“Yeah what’s up- HOLY CRAP SERENA, you know that Victoria Secret undergarments are cute but they make you look huge as hell.

And Ryn was partially right. It wasn’t Victoria's Secret that made Serena look huge, she was just huge period. As if she were carrying twins, even though her doctor informed her that she was indeed carrying a single baby girl. She and Dominic did not want a surprise baby, and were both excited to be anticipating the birth of their daughter.

“Ryn look I’m getting stretch marks” Serena whined, “what am I going to do my body is ruined.”



Ryn kneeled down to look at Serena’s growing belly, “aww look she’s kicking, do you mind if I touch?”

Serena nodded in assurance.

“Serena” Ryn said sternly, standing up. “Don’t worry about your body, you’re nourishing a whole human being.”

“So does that mean it will go back to normal?” Serena timidly asked with scrunched eyebrows

“Nope. Gigi WRECKED my body.”

“Oh man, Ryn, that’s not what I wanted to hear.” Serena stumped her foot in frustration

“Hey, I’m always honest.” Ryn shrugged as she went back to finishing her BLT. “And besides” she said placing a piece of lettuce into her mouth. “You’re as big as a house.”

“Thanks.” Serena was sarcastic with a blank expression

“Ya you’re welcome”

“I - I really appreciate that.”

“I know”

“From the bottom of my heart” Serena continued with a hand to her heart

“That’s why we’re besties” Ryn chimed in as she ate a sliced tomato

“Well, I’m going to go put these elephant ankles in a sitz bath” Serena looked down at her swollen feet.

“Make sure you get the water very warm” Ryn yelled as Serena exited the kitchen



Just as Ryn had finished making lunch and was about to sit down to enjoy it, did she get interrupted once again. This time by Dominic.

“Ree, can we talk for a second” he yelled from the kitchen

“God dammit” Ryn mumbled under her breath placing her plate down with a force

“Yeah what’s up my boy?” she said plopping down on the seat beside Dominic

“I just” Dominic balled his hands up, “do you think it was wrong of me to ask Serena’s hand in marriage before speaking to her parents?”

“Who Mr. and Mrs. P?” Ryn hoped Dominic could hear the growling of her stomach, begging for that crunchy bacon BLT

She twisted her mouth, “naaah”



Dominic shrugged half in frustration

“I mean, they always support Serena. And I’m sure they’d like you. But it would probably still be a good idea to meet them… ASAP” Ryn realized that it did seem a little absurd to marry someone who’s parents you haven’t met yet.

“Yeah I think so too” he agreed as he grabbed his BLT beside him

Ryn’s eyes widened as she stared at her half bitten BLT, “WHEN THE FUCK!? HOW THE FUCK!?!?” she yelled

“I mean she’s met my parents and they were never too fond of Moira.” Dominic continued as he chewed Ryn’s sandwich

“Are you like a silent ninja or somethin’” Ryn muttered under her breath as she watched his cheek full of the sandwich she had just made

“They’re just ‘happy I’m dating a black woman’” Dominic rolled his eyes at the petty comments his parents had made

“Half black woman.” Ryn corrected, “well not even half black” she began muttering to herself, “like a quarter black or like a-”

“Ryn” Dominic said trying to bring her back to the conversation

“What the hell is Mr. P anyway? Like Black and Cape Verdean or some shit”

“RYN” Dominic persisted

“What even is a Cape Verdean?” Ryn continued to herself

“RYN!”

“Sorry, what were you saying” Ryn stated after finishing her musings

“Do you think her parents will really like me?” Dominic’s eyes were full of hopeful fulfillment

“Yeah man. They’ll like you. Just be cool. Don’t try too hard. They’re very intuitive.”

“Okay. Thank you Ryn.”

“Anything else you need? I would like to go make myself another sandwich.” and Ryn’s gurgling stomach agreed

“Oh” Dominic said licking crumbs from the corner of his mouth and looking down at the stolen plate of food. “Yeah” he laughed, “sorry about tha-"

"Yeah” Ryn said with stinging eyes, “I hope you choke"

Dominic laughed nervously



All this talk about babies and marriage had gotten to Ryn, and since she had the morning open, she thought it would be the perfect time to spend it with her own kid. Gigi, was a good kid after all. Even as a baby, Ryn never had issues with her. She slept soundly through the night. And rarely ever cried.



“BLARGGGHH I AM THE MIGHTY SEA MONSTER MY NAME IS SEYMOUR AND I HAVE COME TO GOBBLE UP ALL OF THE LITTLE GIRLS IN THE WORLD! I HOPE THERE ISN’T SOME BRAVE CAPTAIN AROUND TO DEFEAT ME! BLARRGAAAH BLARGGGH”



“AAAAHHH! OH FUDGE IT’S SEYMORE THE SEA MONSTER!!!”



"QUICK MY MIGHTY PIRATES! TO THE CANNON! LIGHT THE FIRE! SAVE THE CHILDREN!”




After several hours of play, it was time for Gigi to do her homework.

“Ok Gi, remember our deal. I take you to the park, and you do all of your time tables by yourself."

"I know.” the young blonde haired girl said as she plopped down on the ground with her math book, “I’ve been practicing, I know all of my Nines times tables now. Look Mom"

And so Ryn watched as Gigi did her home work out loud so that her mother could see how smart she was.

"Wow you did ALL of that? With NO fingers?” Ryn acted surprised… until a young woman caught her eyes observing them from a bench



Ryn being quite the extrovert decided to strike up a casual conversation, “hey” she said approaching the teenage girl with a smile and wave, “mind if I sit here?”

“Not at all” the girl said, scooting over

The two women watched as Gigi sang a song she learned in school to remember her math equations

The girl laughed, “your daughter is so cute.”

“Yeah, she’s a good kid” Ryn agreed, “what’s your name? I’m Ryn, and that’s my daughter, Gigi”.

“Nice to meet you” the girl smiled, “I’m Morgan.”



Ryn squinted her eyebrows, there was something very familiar in Morgan’s appearance.

“Do you go to school in the area, Morgan?” Ryn investigated

“Oh no” Morgan laughed, “I live in in the northern part of Windenberg, almost closer to Veronaville. I just like this park, my dad used to take me and my sister here all the time.” Morgan sighed and looked back at Gigi, “you should cherish your daughter, I wish all the time my dad was here."

Ryn frowned, "I’m sorry to hear that. Yeah, Gigi’s dad isn’t in her life."

"Yeah well, sometimes I feel like mine was never there.” Morgan continued still staring at Gigi, she laughed lost in thought



“I hope you don’t mind me asking” Ryn replied, “did he pass?”

“No” Morgan laughed, “he actually left me, my mom and my sister for another woman.”

Finally, Ryn realized why Morgan seemed familiar, “you’re not one of Dominic Fyres daughters are you?”

Morgan met Ryn’s eyes, “yeah…” she scrunched her eyebrows as if slightly offended, “how do you know my father?”

Ryn couldn’t tell Morgan that “the other woman” was her best friend, Serena. Or that the home Dominic had left her family for, was one that he shared with her.

“I just” Ryn stumbled slightly, “I knew him a long time ago. And you favor him quite a lot.” she smiled

“Oh” Morgan said with a look showing she was skeptical of Ryn, “that’s the first time I heard that, most people say I look just like my mother.”

“Yeah” Ryn said slightly nervous and straightening her blouse as she stood from the bench, “well… it’s in the eyes”

It was getting late and Gigi had finished her homework and had gone back to playing. “GIGI” she called, “it’s time to go sweetheart.” She turned to Morgan, moving her wind blown hair from her face and behind her ear, she smiled, “it was nice meeting you Morgan, take care now.”

Morgan smiled with a slightly hidden expression of skepticism still on her face, “yeah… nice meeting you as well.”



Windenberg always had the most beautiful nights. The clouds were always thick over the mountains and the stars always glistened like jewels. The air was cool and the breeze was refreshing and the sound of the ocean surrounding the island-like town was a cascading white noise.


]
Whenever Ryn had time she loved to escape the hustle and bustle of daily life, with Gigi and take her out to lay in the splendors of grass and starwatch. It was one of Ryn’s favorite childhood memories. When she was Gigi’s age it was 1990 and her family had just moved to Windenburg. Ryn had been very emotional because she had to leave her Kindergarten friends and her grandparents behind in Oasis Springs. This was before her little brother Joel was born, and it was just her and her parents, and sometimes even her half-brother Dorian when he came over to visit. 1990 is also when she met Serena in Kindergarten, another girl from Oasis Springs who she had never met before, though her parents knew her parents from college years. As the years progressed, Ryn’s parents began getting a little older to lay outside with her and eventually it would always just be Ryn, Serena and Dorian. As pre-teens and teenagers they would always have sleepovers and just lay outside and watch the stars and talk about boys and laugh at silly pre-teen trivialness.

Ryn realized how the times have changed. After the three of them went their separate ways for college, their late night star watching days ended. But Ryn had become accustomed to doing it on her own. And then she had Gigi, and when Gigi was a baby she would always look up and laugh at the twinkling of the stars, and so whenever Ryn and Luca got into a fight, she would always take Gigi and just sit under the stars and think.

Ryn was happy to pass it on to her daughter.



“That’s the BIG DIPPER” Gigi said with excitement

“Yep.. that is the Big Dipper.” Ryn agreed

“And this one? That’s… the North Star?” Gigi pointed in confusion

“That’s actually Venus” Ryn raised an eyebrow anticipating Gigi’s excitement

“THAT’S A WHOLE PLANET MOMMY??” Gigi sat up looking at the bright dot in the sky

“Yep. That is the Goddess of Love.”

Gigi’s eyes were wide as she returned back to her lying place on the grass and she couldn’t look away

“Mommy?”

“Yes sweetheart?”

“Is that where daddy is?”



Ryn’s eyes become emotional, “Sweetie” she turned to face Gigi, “no sweetie, daddy is here on Earth just like me and you.”

Gigi’s eyebrows scrunched as she looked at her mother, “then how come we never see him? Margaret at school said that he was dead.”

Ryn knew that one day Gigi would ask about her father, Luca, but she had not anticipated that she would ask this soon. “Yeah well… Margaret has an old lady name” Ryn remarked

The two of them giggled.

“Gigi, you know I love you right?”

“Yes” Gigi said shuffling her feet like any child who has sat still for a long time.

“And you know Aunt Serena loves you? And Uncle Dorian? And Uncle Joel? And Uncle Sergio? And Grammy and Grandpa?”

“And Uncle Dominic?” Gigi responded

“Yes and Uncle Dominic and even Uncle Dominic and Aunt Serena’s baby, I’m sure she will need all the love when she comes into the world also.”

“Will she be like my little sister?” Gigi asked

Ryn laughed, “she’ll be like your little sister, you two are going to grow up together, just like me and Aunt Serena.”

The two girls were silent for a moment when Ryn realized that Gigi was falling asleep. And she had to get ready for her next comedy routine for the night.

“Come on sweetie, let’s get you to bed” she said helping her little girl up.