The Monroe Legacy - G.2. Chapter 25 - A Change of Scenery

The next few months rushed by and brought about a significant birthday that Hallie was not looking forward to. In an effort to ignore the date Hallie and Cai shared a cake with their children but as they looked in the mirror they had to admit that time was starting to take its toll on them.

Silver was beginning to streak through Hallie's long black hair and Cai was getting deep lines on his forehead. Age might be changing them physically but under it all they were still the same youngsters who fell in love all those years ago.

Once they were done with the festivities they sat all their children down for a talk, Hallie wanted to give them the information in the legacy and Cai had another announcement to make.

Once they were all settled Hallie fiddled with her hair, took a deep breath and began.

'I know I've kind of made this into a big deal by sitting you all down and demanding your attention but really I just want you to have time to think about what I'm about to tell you, it took me several years to process how I felt!'

Hallie went on to explain the concept of the legacy, the duties of the heir and how she would choose, seeing Sienna pull herself up tall and Jet sink in his chair. She finished with the words that she still remembered from her mother's announcement'

'My mother told us all this, that she wouldn't choose the smartest, the loudest or the highest achiever. The heir will be the one of you who most needs the opportunity. The one who will use it to change their life. It changed my life, it brought me all of you and this wonderful home. The financial inheritance is for each of you to spend as you wish. Please think about the legacy, tell me if you don't think you want the responsibility, I would never hold that against you. Your father I will let you all grow-up and to get to know you better before I make any decisions.'

Cai squeezed Hallie's hand, before continuing with the big announcements.

'Kids, I know this is coming from nowhere but how would you feel about moving to Lucky Palms? It would be this summer, I've been offered a job at the paper there that I'd like to take up, Vi you'll be done with school,  and you three will be between schools. Gray I know you'd be leaving mid-way through high-school. It's an hour away so we'll be close enough but what do you all think?'

Gray shrugged, 'I don't mind, school is school and there's loads of great restaurants in Lucky Palms where I could work part-time!'.

'And Sunset Film Studios!' Saffron interrupted. 'I could be an extra!'.

'Rocky wants to go' Jet agreed and Sienna shrugged, perhaps in a new town she would be the popular sister!

Violet was quiet and it looked like her eyes were a watering.

'What do you say Violet', Hallie asked softly.

Violet shook her head and forced a smile, 'Who am I to argue, there's nothing to keep me here.' Her voice cracked and she stood up and quickly left the room. As everyone got ready for bed, the triplets buzzing with excitement at the change of scenery Cai heard Violet sobbing into the phone.

The last few months in Appaloosa Plains were bittersweet. Hallie would miss having her extended family and friends  so close but Belle was already living in the suburbs of Lucky Palms and as Luna kept pointing out it was only an hour down the freeway.

Their last big family gathering was for Violet's graduation, she graduated with honours and her parents couldn't have been prouder. Cai even turned a blind eye to Chadd's presence, knowing that distance would likely out an end to whatever lingering flirtation his between his daughter and the older boy.

Gray finished his Sophomore Year and was voted Prom King to his great surprise. He hadn't even taken a date but apparently his good-natured charm had won the hearts of the student population. He thought maybe he'd try being a little more social at his new school, it could be fun!

Cai went out to Lucky Palms a few weeks early to oversee the building work. He was keeping it all very hush hush insisting that the new house be a surprise for everyone, Hallie included.

When moving day arrived they waved goodbye to their family and their home, Hallie wondering what her mother would make of them leaving the home they had built. Marlie had always insisted that the legacy was people, not things, but Hallie would miss the home they had raised their family in.

As they pulled up to the gate of their new house a collective gasp went out and Hallie was stunned into speechlessness.

'What the actual hell!' was all the usually reserved Sienna could muster as Cai walked out of the gates, a huge grin on his face.

'Welcome home baby' he said, hugging Hallie as she continued to stare over his shoulder.

'It's- it's- our house? Our house is in Lucky Palms?' Hallie finally managed.

Cai smiled. 'I knew the move would be hard on you, leaving your home and I was trying to think of what you'd like. I spoke to the architect who built our house back in Appaloosa and he recreated it for us! It's Casa Monroe, Lucky Palms edition!'

Hallie was overcome with happiness, it was exactly what she needed to feel at home in the new town.

They settled in quickly, forming new routines in the new old house and exploring their new surroundings.

Violet was taking a gap year before deciding about college and worked part time at the spa whilst she socialised her way through the new community. She couldn't believe that she was almost an adult and had no idea what she wanted to do with her life. Violet dabbled in many things, she joined a band, quit the band, worked out a bit, hung out in the local bars and schmoozed with local celebrities. She'd set her heart in one of the big houses by the lake and knew that she'd need a great job (or a wealthy husband) if she was going to afford it!

Gray had got a part time pot-washing job at the exclusive hill-top restaurant The Lone Cactus and was living his dream. He came home after every shift smelling of spices and dreaming of having his own restaurant. Romon Tanner, the head chef had taken a liking to the young lad and was helping him to learn the craft. In his spare time Gray was spending a lot of time with a girl from school, Aisha. He liked her and she was super hot but poor Gray was so unused to flirting that he wasn't really sure if she liked him or not!

Jet was making occasional visits to planet earth, his grades were terrible and he still spent too much time alone but he did seem to be making more of an effort. He even went to Homecoming with his sisters though he wore jeans and got in a fight with a guy who tried to pinch Saffron's ass. Hallie and Cai were seriously considering sending him to a special boarding school which claimed to have experience dealing with kids who struggled with focus but they hated the idea of sending him away. Hallie reasoned that as long as he didn't fail school and kept up his riding, his only social activity, then it would be okay.

Sienna was probably having the hardest time adjusting to the move. She had hoped that going into a new school she wouldn't always be seen as Saffron's sister hit the kids in Lucky palms were even more like her sister than those back home. The only saving graces were the gorgeous weather, she spent hour in the pool, and the Science club she joined. There was a cute guy named Ethan who she worked on labs with and he didn't seem interested in her sister at all! Sienna saved up her allowance and bought herself a home chemistry set so she could improve and maybe impress Ethan enough that he'd ask her out!

Saffron was loving life in Lucky Palms though she hadn't managed to sneak inside a film set yet! She was having a blast at school and was always exploring the neighbourhood with her new friends. When Laurence Tucker took her to the wishing well she kissed the coin and wished for a fairytale romance! Attention was one thing but she dreamed of having a boyfriend who understood all of her, not just the shiny, popular, fun bit. What she got was Laurence kissing her without her permission. She couldn't believe he'd stolen her first kiss and rushed home to try and forget it ever happened.

Hallie watched them all from behind her workbench, she had still to figure out both that elusive invention and the right choice for heir. As a cool wind broke through the desert heat, Cai called from upstairs.

Packing her tools away she trudged upstairs, her mind full of questions only to be greeted with a beautiful bunch of flowers and a kiss. She'd forgotten her wedding anniversary!

Hallie let Cai massage away all her stress, there would be a moment when she knew what she needed to do, she was sure of it.

------------------------------------------

The HEIR VOTE is closed but you can see the post at that link if you're curious.

Read the next chapter to find out the winner - G.2. Ch. 26 - There Can Only Be One

*Authors note - The neighbourhood move was sadly necessary - \With such a massive extended family Appaloosa Plains was full to bursting, lagging badly and with 4 spares to move out any day! I hope you'll enjoy the story as it continues in Lucky Palms - I chose this world because it best suits all the potential heirs. Classy restaurants for Gray, mansions for Violet, Film Studio for Saff, and plenty of room for Jet's horses and Sienna's whatever she decides!

The Monroe Legacy - G,2. Chapter Twenty-Four - Let It Be

Days sped by and became weeks, weeks became months and months years. Hallie watched as her children grew-up, often remarking to Cai that this precious time seemed to go past twice as quickly as the long months of potty training and night feeds!

 Cai could only agree, he could see it not only in his family but in himself, his joints were that bit stiffer and his hair a little greyer. The grey hairs were partly Violet's fault! The source of her mysterious texts had finally been discovered one evening when Hallie and Cai had returned from a gallery opening to discover their eldest daughter making out with the babysitter. Gray was at a cooking camp and Violet herself "had plans" and had recommended an acquaintance as a sitter.

Chadd was a college student who had come in to give a careers talk and been disarmed by Violet's big-eyed charm. Poor Chadd had no idea that Violet's parents didn't know about him OR their secret babysitting date. Cai let the terrified young man go home after some not very subtle threats as to what might become him if he behaved inappropriately or hurt Violet.

Violet did not get off so easily, she was smart enough that the extra project they assigned was not an issue but she did not like the two month grounding that accompanied it. Her blog posts that month were angry and infrequent, she was only allowed her phone to take to school and back.

While Violet was staging the teen drama to end all dramas, Gray was planning for his future. He was in and out of the bookstore looking for recipes, whipping up delicious meals in his free time. Hallie soon gave up on cooking meals altogether and retreated to her work bench, leaving her talented son to do as he wished.

As pleased as his parents were that he had found his calling they still worried that Gray didn't have much of a social life. He hung out with his siblings and occasionally did a group study at school but never seemed to have a good friend let alone a girlfriend. Hallie even spoke to Violet about Gray, Violet assured her mom that her brother was popular enough in school but never seemed interested in pursuing any relationships, preferring his own company.

Jet was another who preferred to be alone though he claimed that Rocky was always with him. Hallie and Cai had learned to tune the Rocky chat out, confronting Jet only seemed to make him angry as he tried to explain that only he could see Rocky. They didn't mind him having an imaginary friend as long as it wasn't his only friend, Jet had made friends with a little girl called Raylee at Scouts and the two often had play dates together.

Sienna was still the perfect child. She would always do her homework without being asked, she had no desire to stay up late and she mostly too, care of herself. She was a sweet, easy-going child, much to Hallie's relief, she had her hands full with the other four.

Sienna's only real vice was her inability to ignore her provocative little sister.

Saffron loved to ruffle Sienna's feathers, hiding her ballet kit, putting fake spiders in her bed, anything to break through the calm exterior. The two competed at everything, video games, playground games and especially ballet. Whenever a recital cam round the two sisters would battle for the lead role, the teacher switching between the two of them as they were so evenly matched.

Hallie wondered if Saffron was a little jealous of her sister, Sienna seemed to glide through life while Saffron was always tripping herself up. She was so hot-headed that it took a brave soul to be her best friend, she could be relied upon to drop whatever she was asked to carry, to somehow break any machine and to sulk when it all went wrong.

When it went right Saffron was a marvel. She was genuinely gifted in drama, she could put a smile on the most miserable parent's face in the school play and she was fiercely loyal to those she loved. When she caught a group of boys teasing Sienna about her short hair at recess she locked them in the girl's bathroom where they weren't found until lunch!

By the time the triplets had finished with elementary school Hallie knew she needed to start thinking more seriously about choosing an heir, she was beginning to slow down, to want to spend her evenings reminiscing with Cai rather than chasing Saffron round the garden or bribing Jet to do his homework.

She hoped that now they were becoming teenagers they'd all begin to find their ways, decide what they wanted to be so that she could make her impossible choice.

Jet was a good-looking young man but he was so absent-minded, making random plans and never seeing them through. His latest idea was to start a horse livery and become an equestrian. Hallie wondered if it would last and whether her mother's legacy would be secure with him at the helm.

Sienna was a calm and collected teen, positive about everything she could make the best of any season or situation. Hallie knew that Sienna would succeed in life regardless of her choice, she would be a great heiress, a responsible choice but did she really need the opportunity as much as the others?

Saffron was as wild as she was beautiful, she was passionate in her love and hate of things, determined to become an actress and a complete loose cannon. Hallie hoped that she would burn bright and achieve her dream but she knew the path of an actress could as easily make her wilful daughter burn out.

Perhaps Violet, flirtatious, frivolous Violet who hid her big heart under a big show of not caring.

Or maybe hardworking Gray, would he even want the responsibility or would his single-minded focus not allow him to make the family his first priority.

As the last cake plate was cleared and the family began to make it's way up to bed, Hallie sighed.

However would she choose?

-------------------------------------------

Read the next chapter of Hallie's story now - Ch 25 - A Change of Scenery

Or if your decision is made....

Help Hallie decide by voting in the Generation 3 heir vote - now live!

The Monroe Legacy - G.2. Chapter 7 - Tangled Up in Blue

Hallie's heart stopped. Was he really proposing to her? It was too soon! They'd only been together just over a year, though, now she said that, that was a pretty long time. 

In her panic over what to do after graduation she'd never even considered that Brian might want to get married now, someday in the future perhaps, but she was only 23.

At the most she'd thought they might discuss living together, seeing what their relationship was like without the distance. Hallie had been dreading that possibility, Brian didn't know about the legacy - another thing it had never been the right moment to discuss - and she wasn't sure how he'd react to her need to stay in Utah.

A gentle squeeze of her hand snapped her out of her private meltdown and drew her attention back to the man kneeling in front of her. Brian now looked slightly panicked and Hallie wondered how many seconds had passed since his question. Still processing she pulled him up to his feet, his panic now mixed with confusion as he asked her if she had heard him.

Pulling herself together Hallie replied, 

'I heard you. I'm so sorry but I can't give you an answer now, this was a total shock! I know it shouldn't have been but I really need to think about it. Just give me a little time. Do you think you can?'

Brian stepped back rather stiffly, dropping her hand and clearing his throat. He assumed the blank expression she knew he used to conceal his emotions muttering, 'Of course darling. Enjoy the rest of your graduation and I'll... Well I'll give you some space.'

Giving her a awkward peck he turned on his heel and speed walked away leaving Hallie to return to her family dazed by this unexpected turn of events.

As she waved off her family's cab later that evening and returned to her room to pack she was relieved to find Cai waiting in the corridor like a familiar shadow. Hallie's shoulders visibly slumped as the days events finally began to hit home.

Seeing the look on Hallie's face, Cai took her keys and let them in, pushing her to sit down before leaving the room and returning with a couple of beers. Hallie drank half of hers down in one before letting out a shuddering sigh and collapsing on the bed.

Cai went straight to the point, 'What did the asshole Professor do now Hallie?'

Hallie shoved him half-heartedly, 

'Don't call him that! He didn't do anything, well nothing wrong anyway. He proposed.'

Cai's mouth dropped open and he went visibly pale, his hand tightening on his beer until the knuckles were bright white. This time it was him who downed most of his drink before speaking.

'What did you say Hallie?' He asked, unable to meet her eyes.

'I said I didn't know. And I don't know Cai, I just don't know if I want that now. If I want that with him! What am I going to do?!' And with that she threw herself into his arms and sobbed.

After several hours of talking Hallie fell into a fitful sleep. They (well Hallie anyway) had finished the six-pack and had discussed the pros; Brian was mature, responsible, employed with great prospects, handsome, family oriented, well dressed, from a good family. And they loved each other. 

They had discussed the cons; the age difference, the distance, the legacy conflict, the uncertainty of whether or not they loved each other enough to make up for all those things.

Cai even tentatively offered a few thoughts of his own, that the professor didn't value art, that they'd never discussed whether their long term goals were compatible, though Hallie cut him off when he started ranting about what a judgmental ass Brian was.

As he watched Hallie sleep Cai began to feel that if he didn't admit to his true feelings now that he might never have another chance. He unwrapped Hallie's arms from around him and crept from the room to think through his own choice.

Hallie woke up alone the next working without any clearer idea of what to do. She began to pack up her boxes to move home and she mulled over her choices. She loved Brian, he brought out a side of her that she hadn't known she had before, a calmness, responsibility and a sense of peace but he also was at a different point in his life. He struggled to accept her youth and to allow her to make and learn from her own mistakes .

Hallie knew she needed to talk to him, there were too many unknown variables for her to choose just now, Brian couldn't expect her to accept without knowing where he saw their relationship going, not just emotionally but geographically. As she pulled out her phone to call him she heard one of the guys downstairs calling for her to come and meet a visitor.

Sighing as she jogged down the stairs she rounded the corner to see a stranger looking right at her. But as she got closer she realised it wasn't a stranger at all.

Hallie stopped in her tracks and stared. Standing in the hall, almost unrecognisable without the long blue hair and the scruffy clothes was Cai.

'Hi Hallie,' his voice was low and serious. 'Can we talk upstairs'.

The walk to her room had never seemed longer. 

Hallie couldn't begin to count how many times she and Cai had made the same journey but it was different this time. The silence was too meaningful, he was looking at her differently. It wasn't only his appearance that had changed.

She shut the door and collapsed in her usual place on the bed, feigning a casual pose even though her heart was in her throat. He took up his usual spot.

'Cai your hair-' she began but he cut her off, springing from the bed and pacing the room.

'Hallie you said last night that Brian was a good match because he was handsome, smart, family-minded, employed, well turned out etc etc. Those aren't good reasons to marry someone. 

If they were, then I was already most of those things. After a barber's appointment and a rummage through my housemate's wardrobe I fit the bill.

The points against him are things that you and I share, a love of art, youth, freedom. I don't mind living in Utah and I know all about the legacy. I'm definitely not a controlling, pretentious, judgmental ass.'

Hallie interrupted, walking over an placing a comforting hand on his arm, 

'Cai, I don't understand. We were never talking about you'.

He growled and stepped forward, forcing her back until she was pressed against the wall with his arms caging her in.

'I know we weren't talking about me. We've never discussed me that way. Discussed us that way. But now we are. 

Hallie you've been my best friend since almost the first day we met, I have stuck by you through every terrible choice and difficult moment, never judging you or asking you to change, as well as enjoying the good times. 

Hallie, I love you. I have for months. Years. And I think you've always known that. 

What's more I think if you're honest with yourself you'll admit that you love me too'.

Cai stopped, his breathing ragged, staring deep into her eyes, his nose was an inch from hers, his expression expectant. 

Hallie thought that if the wall hadn't been there she would probably have collapsed. Why would Cai ruin everything now, on their last day together? She drew in a stuttering breath and composed herself. Laying her hand gently on his chest she looked him in the eyes and said,

'Cai I do love you. I love you so, so much. But as a friend'.

She could see his heart breaking in his gaze as her turned from her and punched the bed over and over again.

'Cai please! Please stop!' She sobbed, tears beginning to flow as she stood frozen watching her friendship fall apart.

'God Hallie!' Cai choked out, 'I'm so sorry. I really thought... I didn't mean... I didn't want to ruin anything. I really thought you would choose me. I would have done anything for you to have chosen me.'

Hallie padded across the room to comfort him, 'I don't need you to do anything, I just need you Cai. I just need my best friend' she whispered, tentatively squeezing his shoulder.

She felt him stiffen and take a breath. Another breath.

Cai stood up and turned, gently taking her hand and pressing a kiss to her knuckles.

'Hallie, I love you. But that's the one thing I just can't be. Being just your friend will kill me'.

With that he turned and walked out of her life.

----------------------------

Everything is different as Hallie heads back to Utah with nothing but uncertainty.

Find out what happens next in Chapter 8 - You Can't Change the Past