Don't Forget About Me

I am Damen Auguste Fiore. By day, I happily work at the Neverglade Police Station beside my sister, Ever Bloom Fiore.

During those long, sun-filled hours after work, nothing gives me more joy than to match wits with her at chess. Though I am clearly the brighter of us two, she has become an exceptionally talented opponent. As well as I can read her, she can read me.

But at night, when darkness has fallen over Neverglade, I take on a new identity. They call me “Ghost,” which is more apt than they realize. I hunt the criminals the police do not dare touch. The ones that I cannot hunt during the day, I hunt in the darkness of night.

Sometimes, I have a quarry in mind, but when I do not, I invariably end up here, at this “warehouse.”

The fingerprint scanner alone reveals that it is no ordinary warehouse for shipping. Any idiot could tell that something goes on behind those walls that is kept hidden.

As if that as not enough, the fools have searchlights and security cameras. How utterly idiotic. If they wish to remain incongruous, the first thing they ought to do is remove those.

I want so badly to enter the warehouse, but I cannot pass through these walls the way I pass through most. In order to enter, I will have to become what I hunt. I will not do that.

So, every night, I turn away and leave, my ghostly self undetected by their security systems.

Most nights, I return home to the small cottage I share with my sister to find her peacefully asleep and everything alright.

But this night, something was wrong. Ever had likely not noticed, but I notice everything. I noticed that missing from our home was a pair of vases, silly decorative relics that had been left behind by the previous owners. With that large observation, I turned to make other, smaller ones. Damage to items, objects strewn around the floor, other things missing.

Our home had been broken into. Someone was going to pay dearly for this.

My name is Ever Fiore. Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve wanted to be a cop and chase down bad guys. Me and my twin brother, Damen, just bought a house together and have put our applications in to the Neverglade Police Department.

I can’t really remember a time before my second mom, Alysia, though unlike my sisters, I’m not genetically related to her, just to Melody. I have no idea who my father is, and honestly? I, erm, don’t really care. I’ve been raised by two mothers, and while I took some bullying for it in school, I gave the bullies the old what-for and they never messed with me or my brother again.

That’s my brother, Damen. We’re twins, and we’re also the oldest kids in the family.

My ghostly little sisters are Riley (top) and Sabine (bottom).

My third little sister is Haven, and she, like me, is a normal human.

And that’s me. Ever Fiore. I know I don’t look like much, but I’ve been inspired by my doctor mom, Alysia. She always taught us that the best we can do for the world is to help someone else. I want to fight crime. I want to clean up Neverglade.

I want to be an International Super Spy.

Alysia’s baby was born first, a little ghost-girl named Riley.

Then, we welcomed the child I had carried. She was a ghost-girl too. We named her Sabine.

But we had one more precious gift on the way. Alysia was carrying twins, and this youngest child of ours was a little girl. Haven.

Yes, that’s right, three precious baby girls.

Before either of us knew it, a year had gone by, and our babies were growing up.

Little Riley was just precious, with her poofy hair that neither Alysia nor I could tame…and after a while, we stopped trying.

Haven was our precious dark-haired angel. She looked so much like Alysia it was almost frightening!

And my little Sabine? An absolute joy, always laughing or giggling.

I had finally achieved the happiness I had always sought.

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There actually was a naming theme this generation, namely Alyson Nöel’s Immortals series. I find Riley’s name amusingly appropriate, as she’s a ghost in the books too.

So, this concludes Generation Nine of Don’t Forget About Me. I’m thrilled to say that I have big plans for Gen 10, so watch for the first chapter of that…um…eventually. I have a lot of playtime to get thorugh before I get to it.

“Melody, Melody!” I don’t think I’ve ever heard Alysia as excited as she was that day. She came running in, wearing a huge smile on her face. It had been about a month since our wedding, and she had been slowly moving up at work. “My boss was at our wedding, and…they’ve developed an experimental treatment to allow same-sex couples to have biological children…he wants us to be the test subjects! Mel, we’ll be able to have each other’s babies!”

“T-that’s amazing!” I said, my eyes wide. “B-but…my ghostliness…” I felt guilty bringing it up, but it really should have been an obstacle.

“There are some guys from the Science Facility working with them, and they’re experts on ghosts. They can figure it out, Mel.”

We showed up to our first appointment for evaluation, and they decided that yes, we would be their test candidates. I think Alysia understood the procedure better than I did, but whatever it was, we went back a few weeks later and they performed it.

We had elected to be pregnant together, and when we both ended up emptying our stomachs into the toilet…well, I remembered being pregnant with my twins, and this was one of the first signs.

A few simple tests confirmed it. Alysia and I were both pregnant. The procedure had been a success.

Of course, the twins’ birthdays were coming up, and we gave them plenty of love. My precious babies were growing up!

Finally, the magical day came when my little ones would become school-aged children. I didn’t want to let them go, but I knew I had to. Had my parents felt the same way about Iain and I? I honestly couldn’t be sure…

They were both such beautiful children, I could hardly stand it.

Alysia and I always made sure to spend a few hours every day with the twins, just to make sure they knew that we weren’t forgetting about them. They had all kinds of questions about how two women could have a baby, and we tried to be frank when we explained it, though I’ll admit I did a terrible job because I really don’t entirely know how it works myself…

Finally, the magical day came…and just like everything during our pregnancies, Alysia and I went into labor together. Our little miracles were coming into the world.

Alysia and I settled into a happy life of coordinated toddler-teaching and the occasional stolen hug or kiss. We hadn’t really been romantic in a while, but we were just so busy with the twins, we didn’t have time!

So, when Alysia said she had something she wanted to ask me, you’ll forgive me for assuming it was about the kids.

That is, until she got down on one knee and produced a ring box.

“Melody Fiore, will you marry me?” She asked.

For a minute, I couldn’t even think I was so happy. I think she was scared, since her face fell briefly before I finally squealed my answer.

“Yes! Yes, yes, yes!”

Though neither Alysia nor I had made many friends yet in Neverglade, we decided to get married in the park so whoever wanted to witness, could witness. I felt like I paled in comparison to Alysia in her dress, but she said I was the more beautiful one. Beauty really is in the eye of the beholder, I suppose.

And there were plenty of witnesses. I don’t know if it was the novelty of two women being marrie,d if it was that I was a ghost, or that it was so impromptu, but plenty of people showed up, made happy sighs, and threw rice. It really was beautiful.

Neverglade. It was the town Alysia’s family was from, and it was gloriously beautiful. After my fight with my father, I decided that I ought to leave Sunset Valley. Clearly, I was just a hindrance to his political ambition. Or, at least, that was how I felt. Besides, if he was going to behave in such an abhorrent way, I had no reason to stay near where he lived and provide him with access to his grandchildren!

We purchased a small, brightly-colored two-bedroom Tudor-style home and moved in. It was perfect for our little family. Deep down, I wanted more children, but I was content with my beautiful twins for now.

Alysia got a job at the local hospital so she could pursue her dream of being a World-Renowned Surgeon.

That first night, Alysia and I cuddled close to each other, just enjoying being together.

“Alysia, do you know what this really means?” I asked quietly.

“We’re free.” She said. “No more pretending, no more hiding. We can just…be.”

“My thoughts exactly.”

We exchanged an innocent kiss.

That innocent one quickly became much less innocent!

I’ll say, my ­second WooHoo experience was infinitely better than my first.

I fell asleep in Alysia’s arms, feeling content.

At least for that night, everything was at peace.

It was time. Time for my brother and I to become full adults and go out into the world. I hadn’t spoken to my parents since I had told Dad I was pregnant. Neither of them had so much as looked at me. Iain had practically had to bully them into getting me a cake for my birthday.

Regardless of slight parental jackassness, both of us turned eighteen lookin’ pretty sharp. Y’know, if I do say so myself.

Clarly, Iain felt it, because the first thing he did was walk over to Winter Landgraab and sweep her into a passionate kiss. I took confidence from my twin.

I had my parents seated on the couch after begging with them to let me speak.

Thank goodness Alysia was there with me, otherwise, I never would have been able to get through it.

“Mom, Dad, there’s something you should know about me. I-I’m a lesbian. This is my girlfriend, Alysia.” I said.

Dad flew up off the couch.

“Melody, what is wrong with you? First a pregnant teenager, now a lesbian? You seem absolutely determined to disappoint me, don’t you?” He snapped.

I went to respond, but my hot-headed girlfriend beat me to it.

“I cannot believe what I just heard you say!” Alysia snapped. “Melody is your daughter! You should be supporting her, not making her feel guilty for who she is! You’re the worst parents I’ve ever seen in my life!”

“You stay out of this!” Dad snapped. “You have no part in this discussion!”

Alysia fumed, but I reached over and gently took her hand. I didn’t want this to end with another fight with my parents!

“Dante, don’t you think you could try to be reasonable?” My stepmom asked.

“Reasonable?” Dad said the word like it was a curse. “Natalie, I have an image to consider, and Melody just cannot seem to keep herself in line! I am being reasonable!”

“Well, Dad,” I said, feeling my heart ice over, “I’m glad to know you feel that your ‘image’ is more important than your daughter. I’m leaving, and I’m taking Damen and Ever with me, and there’s nothing you can do about it.”

I meant it. I left with my children that night, and moved into a small apartment with Alysia. I love my family. They’re always number one in my mind. But if my father can’t even pretend to care about me, then I don’t need to be near them anymore.

While I was dealing with being a pregnant junior in high school, Iain was getting close to the hottest senior girl in the school, Winter Landgraab. She was the daughter of one of the most prominent surgeons in town and his businesswoman wife. I could practically hear my dad praying for them to start dating. It was actually a little pathetic.

I spent more time out of the house than in it. I was at the park with Alysia when my water finally broke and I knew the baby was coming, whether I was ready or not.

Alysia brought me to the hospital, but they wouldn’t let her stay for long. I had to go through the long, excruciating labor on my own. Finally, the doctors let me go, vaguely horrified by my ghostly condition, with my twins in a basket.

One was a little ghost boy, Damen Fiore.

I named his less-ghostly sister Ever.

My sister Isra had her birthday the same night I brought the twins home. Because of that, Mom gave me her old crib to use for one of my babies.

She grew into a beautiful girl, almost a little replica of my stepmom.

With my kids under the watchful eyes of my brother and stepmom, I was able to get out every once in a while to go on a little…well, I’ll be honest, they were dates.

The dynamic between Alysia and I had changed, for the better. We were no longer pretending that we were just friends. I had realized, in all the time I spent with her during my pregnancy, that what I felt for Alysia…it was love, pure and simple. It probably had been all along, I had just refused to realize it.

When we shared our first kiss, it was sweet, innocent, and brief, but it was wonderful. I can’t believe how much better kissing her felt, especially when compared to my last kissing experience.

Oh, yeah, I was hopelessly in love with my best friend.

Before I knew it, my little ones weren’t so little anymore. Damen and Ever were growing up…and that meant that I would be growing up soon too…

Alysia was the first person I told after I officially found out I was pregnant. I called her out to the park, unable to stop patting my belly the whole time.

“Alysia,” I said quietly, “I’m going to have a baby…”

“You’re what?” She asked, whisper-yelling. If I didn’t know her as well as I did, I would have thought I saw tears welling up in her eyes…but it was dark, so I must’ve been mistaken.

“I’m pregnant. I, um, slept with our man-maid…” I felt sad and humiliated.

“Oh, Melody…” Alysia said.

“But afterwards…Aly, it was the most horrible experience I’ve ever had. Thinking about doing it again makes me sick.” I confessed. “It’s-it’s hard to put into words…But…but I feel like…I feel like being with a girl…would be different…Aly, I think you were right…maybe…maybe I like girls…”

“Mel,” Aly sighed and pulled me into a friendly, but warm, embrace. Once again, I felt the warm electric tingle from her touch. “I hope, for your sake, that’s true…but whatever happens, know that I’ll always be here for you.”

I avoided telling my parents until I was showing and could no longer put it off. I decided to tell my dad first. My stepmom was ridiculously hot-headed, but my dad was normally better about stuff.

“Um, dad, I have something ot tell you…” I said.

“What is it, Mel?” He asked, though his eyes were drawn inexorably towards my belly. I felt like…like he knew without me telling him.

“Dad, please don’t be angry,” I pleaded, “but…but I slept with the maid and now I’m pregnant.” I felt tears pricking in the corners of my eyes.

“YOU’RE WHAT?!” Dad roared. I was blown back. Normally, Dad wasn’t the one who got angry… “Melody, I can’t believe you! I thought you were more responsible than this…I suppose not!”

“Dad, please, don’t be angry!” I pleaded, my eyes tearing up even further. I was glad I was a ghost, because no one would ever see me cry.

“Too late, I’m angry,” Dad said sharply. I turned and ran away.

I glanced back long enough to see him having a minor panic attack, and felt guilty. Stressing my dad was not a good idea. He had enough to deal with, being President and all!

But even that wasn’t enough to keep me from crying myself to sleep as I lay down in bed that night.