A/N: THIS IS OFFICIALLY THE LAST CHAPTER OF CATCH A FALLING STAR. IM SAD
TO END IT BUT IM ALSO HAPPY SINCE I CAN NOW START ON THE SEQUEL. YES,
THERE WILL BE A SEQUEL BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY THIS STORY DOESN'T HAVE THE
HAPPY FAIRY TALE ENDING. IM SORRY IF I DISAPPOINT SOME OF YOU BUT I WANTED
THIS TO BE AS REALISTIC AS I COULD POSSIBLY MAKE IT.
~*~
Lockhart Residence
"I hate you!" Mimi screamed at her mother for the third time. She was in the middle of her room with her clothes thrown all over her bed while she angrily packed everything into her suitcases.
Muttering to herself and occasionally glaring towards the door, Mimi hastily shoved her favorite pants into the suitcases.
A knock interrupted her. "What do you want!?" She shrieked.
Her brother, Connor, popped into her room looking cautious as if expecting her to throw something breakable in his direction.
"I heard mom and dad are sending you away." He said softly as he closed the door behind him.
Mimi smirked and then flopped down on the bed, sitting on most of her clothes. "Yeah." She said softly as she gave her eight year old brother an unhappy look.
"Are they mad because you're going to have a baby?" He asked curiously as he walked over to her and sat next to Mimi.
Mimi shook her head. "It's because we're poor Connor." She honestly replied with a heavy sigh.
Connor sat silently next to her, absorbing her words. "Are we going to have to give up the house again?" He asked fearfully.
Mimi shook her head. "No, I won't let that happen and neither will our parents." She smiled weakly. "I'm going to live in California with Uncle Thomas for a while."
"But why?" He demanded.
"Because Uncle Thomas wants to help. He can take care of me and the baby there while mom and dad work here and make more money." She explained.
"But I'll be all alone." Connor whispered sadly.
"No, you won't." Mimi reassured him as she put an arm around his small shoulders. "You have your friends and Mom and Dad. You'll have fun here. Besides, you get to have the house by yourself when I'm gone." She was fighting back the urge to cry and show weakness in front of her brother.
"Are you coming back?"
"Yes, but not for a while." Mimi replied hesitantly. She had a feeling that she wasn't coming back. That she was going to be stranded in California with their mysterious Uncle Thomas for the rest of her life but she wasn't going to tell her brother that and break his heart.
They had gotten so close when they went bankrupt and lost everything they owned. She sure was going to miss him.
"You'll visit me. Don't worry. We'll see each other. I promise." She said hugging him tightly.
"Do you hate mom and dad for sending you away?" He asked softly.
Mimi looked away for a moment and thought it through. "I don't hate them." She finally answered honestly. "I know that they're trying the best they can. I'm just disappointed. I'm going to miss my family and friends."
Connor nodded quietly.
"Let's make a deal." She said as enthusiastically as possible. "You get to use my room when I'm gone. There's the TV and my CD player. Just don't wreck anything." She smiled.
"But Mimi-"
"No buts, Connor. Let's just say you're holding the fort for me, okay?" She said. "Besides, I know that you love this room. You've always wanted to watch cartoons in bed, right? Well, now you get to."
"Cool." Connor said happily. "Wow, Meems, you're the best." He said as he gave her a grateful hug.
"My pleasure." She smiled as she gave him a kiss on the forehead. "How about this afternoon, I take you out for ice cream and video games before I go say good bye to my friends?"
Connor nodded eagerly as he leapt on his feet and trotted out of the room. "I love you, Meems. You're the best sister ever." He yelled in the hallway before going down the stairs.
"I'm the only sister you have!" She happily yelled back. She sighed and then resumed packing her clothes while she cried quietly.
************************************************************************
Black Residence-Belle's room
"This isn't happening." Belle whispered in disbelief as she Mimi and Chloe sat quietly in her room. "This is your home. We've been best friends since....since as far as I can remember. Your parents can't do this to you!" Belle said frantically.
"Belle, it's not like they have a choice." Mimi said as calmly as possible.
"I could ask my mom and dad. You could stay with us in the penthouse." She offered.
Mimi shook her head. "I'm not going to burden you, Belle or you Chloe." She said as she turned to her other friend. "So you two don't have to bother."
"But there has to be something we can do." Chloe insisted.
"Maybe but not thanks. My parents already asked my uncle so I'll have to stay with him for a while. Everything is set already. I can't turn back now." She explained.
"But Meems-" Chloe protested.
"Please, don't make it any harder." Mimi pleaded softly.
"I'm sorry." Chloe said not knowing what else to say and hugged Mimi tightly as she sobbed openly.
"I hate that you have to go. It isn't fair." Belle joined in.
"I know." Mimi whispered. The girls pulled away from their tearful hug and sighed. "I just wanted to thank both of you for being great friends."
"Mimi, don't act like we're never going to see each other again. We will and it'll be soon." Belle said trying to be as enthusiastic as possible.
"You never know Belle but that's beside the point." She said quietly. "I would never have made it to this point if it wasn't for both of you." Mimi was trying not to cry but as each word came so did a tear. "I'll always be grateful to have you in my life. Tell..tell Philip and Shawn that I said thanks and good bye." She added.
"We will." Chloe answered.
"Thank you for everything. I'll never forget what you did for me." Mimi said with a heavy sigh. "But I should go. I haven't finished packing and I'm leaving tomorrow." She said.
"Good bye, Meems." Belle whispered as she hugged her friend one last time.
"Yeah, bye." Chloe said as she took her turn.
Mimi nodded silently and then turned her back on them praying that she'd see them again.
************************************************************************
The next day
The somewhat soothing hum of the plane continued to drone on while Mimi sat quietly by her window seat. She was staring at the white puffs of clouds from her window while tears streamed down her cheeks.
It was already an hour since she said good bye to her family and friends. They had all stood with her by the airport with unhappy looks on their faces.
Her mother had hugged her tightly promising that it would be all over before Mimi knew it and that it would be fine in the end.
Her father had shed silent tears as he gave her a reassuring hug, apologizing for sending her away in her condition.
Connor looked unhappy but shed no tears. Instead he smiled at his older sister and told her to have fun at her vacation.
Mimi nodded sadly but silently as she realized that despite how tragic and horrible her situation was, she was going to be the only one who would fully understand its horror.
Not even Connor, who loved her and worshipped her, did not understand. In his mind her leaving was just a trip despite her efforts of explaining it to him and trying to make him understand.
Belle wept openly as she hugged Mimi and held on to Shawn for support.
Chloe was there too, crying in her own silent way while she gave her friend another hug and a small present to remember them by.
"Don't open it yet." Chloe had whispered when Mimi looked at the delicately wrapped blue box that Chloe had given her.
Mimi nodded and within a few minutes, their goodbyes and hugs were gone and she was on the plane, visibly pregnant and unfortunately alone again.
"Miss, are you okay?" A woman's voice interrupted Mimi's thoughts and she turned around to come face to face with one of the flight stewardesses giving her a sympathetic and concerned look.
Mimi nodded as she hastily wiped her tears away, somewhat ashamed for being caught in such an emotional outburst. "I'm fine." She croaked uncomfortably. "Can I have a glass of water?"
The stewardess nodded eagerly and gave her another worried look before rushing off to fetch Mimi's water. A few minutes later, she returned with a bottle of water and a stack of magazines. "I thought that it'd keep you occupied for a while." The stewardess explained as she handed Mimi the magazines. "If you need anything-"
"Thanks." Mimi replied, accepting the magazines and the water. She stared at the magazine for a few minutes having no urge at all to turn the page and see what was inside.
She knew what she'd find and that would be images of scantily clad beautiful, thin women. Women that she'd envy.
Putting the magazines to the empty seat beside her, Mimi pulled out a small picture that her mother had given her.
It was of her Uncle Thomas taken a few years back. Her mother had given it to her so that she would recognize him in the airport when he picks her up. She slightly frowned not knowing what to make of the man with the dark hair and bright smile that seemed too mysterious for Mimi's liking.
"I hope you know what you're getting into." She whispered at the picture. Shoving it back into her purse, she returned to staring out the window and thought of how unlucky she was that she was being shipped off to another state to some man she knew and cared nothing about.
Her mind drifted back to Salem and her family and friends, to Jason who was now in Europe probably having the time of his life and completely forgetting about her.
Her heart ached at the thought of him. She hadn't heard from him. Everything had happened too soon. They were together and then apart. Then she was pregnant and she knew that they would never be together. Then he was leaving and now so was she.
Mimi fought back a sob as she realized that she didn't even get the chance to hear his voice again and say good bye to him.
Wiping a stray tear from her cheek, she forced herself not to think of Jason anymore. There was nothing they could do now.
Their lives were so far from each other now, torn by circumstance and misfortune.
Taking a deep breath and thinking of her parents, friends and Jason, Mimi whispered, "Till we meet again."
THE END.....for now
~*~
A/N: I'D LIKE TO THANK ALL THE PEOPLE WHO READ AND COMMENTED ON THIS STORY. IF IT WASN'T FOR YOUR ENCOURAGEMENTS AND CONSTRUCTIVE CRITISMS, I DON'T THINK I WOULD HAVE FINISHED THIS. THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING.
ANYWAY, THE SEQUEL IS CALLED "TILL WE MEET AGAIN". IT'S SET IN CALIFORNIA AND THERE WILL BE SOME RECURRING CHARACTERS. THE SETTING WILL HOWEVER RETURN TO SALEM BUT THAT'S NOT DEFINITE YET.
ANYWAY, ILL EXPLAIN ALL THAT IN THE SEQUEL.
I'D APPRECIATE IT IF YOU GAVE ME IDEAS FOR THE BABY'S NAME. IM NOT SURE IF IT'S GOING TO BE A GIRL OR BOY. PLEASE MAKE AS MANY SUGGESTIONS AS YOU WANT. MAYBE IT'LL EVEN GIVE ME SOME IDEAS.
THANK YOU AND MORE REVIEWS PLEASE. THE FASTER YOU REVIEW THE FASTER I WRITE THE SEQUEL'S FIRST CHAPTER.
THANKS SO MUCH.
~*~
Lockhart Residence
"I hate you!" Mimi screamed at her mother for the third time. She was in the middle of her room with her clothes thrown all over her bed while she angrily packed everything into her suitcases.
Muttering to herself and occasionally glaring towards the door, Mimi hastily shoved her favorite pants into the suitcases.
A knock interrupted her. "What do you want!?" She shrieked.
Her brother, Connor, popped into her room looking cautious as if expecting her to throw something breakable in his direction.
"I heard mom and dad are sending you away." He said softly as he closed the door behind him.
Mimi smirked and then flopped down on the bed, sitting on most of her clothes. "Yeah." She said softly as she gave her eight year old brother an unhappy look.
"Are they mad because you're going to have a baby?" He asked curiously as he walked over to her and sat next to Mimi.
Mimi shook her head. "It's because we're poor Connor." She honestly replied with a heavy sigh.
Connor sat silently next to her, absorbing her words. "Are we going to have to give up the house again?" He asked fearfully.
Mimi shook her head. "No, I won't let that happen and neither will our parents." She smiled weakly. "I'm going to live in California with Uncle Thomas for a while."
"But why?" He demanded.
"Because Uncle Thomas wants to help. He can take care of me and the baby there while mom and dad work here and make more money." She explained.
"But I'll be all alone." Connor whispered sadly.
"No, you won't." Mimi reassured him as she put an arm around his small shoulders. "You have your friends and Mom and Dad. You'll have fun here. Besides, you get to have the house by yourself when I'm gone." She was fighting back the urge to cry and show weakness in front of her brother.
"Are you coming back?"
"Yes, but not for a while." Mimi replied hesitantly. She had a feeling that she wasn't coming back. That she was going to be stranded in California with their mysterious Uncle Thomas for the rest of her life but she wasn't going to tell her brother that and break his heart.
They had gotten so close when they went bankrupt and lost everything they owned. She sure was going to miss him.
"You'll visit me. Don't worry. We'll see each other. I promise." She said hugging him tightly.
"Do you hate mom and dad for sending you away?" He asked softly.
Mimi looked away for a moment and thought it through. "I don't hate them." She finally answered honestly. "I know that they're trying the best they can. I'm just disappointed. I'm going to miss my family and friends."
Connor nodded quietly.
"Let's make a deal." She said as enthusiastically as possible. "You get to use my room when I'm gone. There's the TV and my CD player. Just don't wreck anything." She smiled.
"But Mimi-"
"No buts, Connor. Let's just say you're holding the fort for me, okay?" She said. "Besides, I know that you love this room. You've always wanted to watch cartoons in bed, right? Well, now you get to."
"Cool." Connor said happily. "Wow, Meems, you're the best." He said as he gave her a grateful hug.
"My pleasure." She smiled as she gave him a kiss on the forehead. "How about this afternoon, I take you out for ice cream and video games before I go say good bye to my friends?"
Connor nodded eagerly as he leapt on his feet and trotted out of the room. "I love you, Meems. You're the best sister ever." He yelled in the hallway before going down the stairs.
"I'm the only sister you have!" She happily yelled back. She sighed and then resumed packing her clothes while she cried quietly.
************************************************************************
Black Residence-Belle's room
"This isn't happening." Belle whispered in disbelief as she Mimi and Chloe sat quietly in her room. "This is your home. We've been best friends since....since as far as I can remember. Your parents can't do this to you!" Belle said frantically.
"Belle, it's not like they have a choice." Mimi said as calmly as possible.
"I could ask my mom and dad. You could stay with us in the penthouse." She offered.
Mimi shook her head. "I'm not going to burden you, Belle or you Chloe." She said as she turned to her other friend. "So you two don't have to bother."
"But there has to be something we can do." Chloe insisted.
"Maybe but not thanks. My parents already asked my uncle so I'll have to stay with him for a while. Everything is set already. I can't turn back now." She explained.
"But Meems-" Chloe protested.
"Please, don't make it any harder." Mimi pleaded softly.
"I'm sorry." Chloe said not knowing what else to say and hugged Mimi tightly as she sobbed openly.
"I hate that you have to go. It isn't fair." Belle joined in.
"I know." Mimi whispered. The girls pulled away from their tearful hug and sighed. "I just wanted to thank both of you for being great friends."
"Mimi, don't act like we're never going to see each other again. We will and it'll be soon." Belle said trying to be as enthusiastic as possible.
"You never know Belle but that's beside the point." She said quietly. "I would never have made it to this point if it wasn't for both of you." Mimi was trying not to cry but as each word came so did a tear. "I'll always be grateful to have you in my life. Tell..tell Philip and Shawn that I said thanks and good bye." She added.
"We will." Chloe answered.
"Thank you for everything. I'll never forget what you did for me." Mimi said with a heavy sigh. "But I should go. I haven't finished packing and I'm leaving tomorrow." She said.
"Good bye, Meems." Belle whispered as she hugged her friend one last time.
"Yeah, bye." Chloe said as she took her turn.
Mimi nodded silently and then turned her back on them praying that she'd see them again.
************************************************************************
The next day
The somewhat soothing hum of the plane continued to drone on while Mimi sat quietly by her window seat. She was staring at the white puffs of clouds from her window while tears streamed down her cheeks.
It was already an hour since she said good bye to her family and friends. They had all stood with her by the airport with unhappy looks on their faces.
Her mother had hugged her tightly promising that it would be all over before Mimi knew it and that it would be fine in the end.
Her father had shed silent tears as he gave her a reassuring hug, apologizing for sending her away in her condition.
Connor looked unhappy but shed no tears. Instead he smiled at his older sister and told her to have fun at her vacation.
Mimi nodded sadly but silently as she realized that despite how tragic and horrible her situation was, she was going to be the only one who would fully understand its horror.
Not even Connor, who loved her and worshipped her, did not understand. In his mind her leaving was just a trip despite her efforts of explaining it to him and trying to make him understand.
Belle wept openly as she hugged Mimi and held on to Shawn for support.
Chloe was there too, crying in her own silent way while she gave her friend another hug and a small present to remember them by.
"Don't open it yet." Chloe had whispered when Mimi looked at the delicately wrapped blue box that Chloe had given her.
Mimi nodded and within a few minutes, their goodbyes and hugs were gone and she was on the plane, visibly pregnant and unfortunately alone again.
"Miss, are you okay?" A woman's voice interrupted Mimi's thoughts and she turned around to come face to face with one of the flight stewardesses giving her a sympathetic and concerned look.
Mimi nodded as she hastily wiped her tears away, somewhat ashamed for being caught in such an emotional outburst. "I'm fine." She croaked uncomfortably. "Can I have a glass of water?"
The stewardess nodded eagerly and gave her another worried look before rushing off to fetch Mimi's water. A few minutes later, she returned with a bottle of water and a stack of magazines. "I thought that it'd keep you occupied for a while." The stewardess explained as she handed Mimi the magazines. "If you need anything-"
"Thanks." Mimi replied, accepting the magazines and the water. She stared at the magazine for a few minutes having no urge at all to turn the page and see what was inside.
She knew what she'd find and that would be images of scantily clad beautiful, thin women. Women that she'd envy.
Putting the magazines to the empty seat beside her, Mimi pulled out a small picture that her mother had given her.
It was of her Uncle Thomas taken a few years back. Her mother had given it to her so that she would recognize him in the airport when he picks her up. She slightly frowned not knowing what to make of the man with the dark hair and bright smile that seemed too mysterious for Mimi's liking.
"I hope you know what you're getting into." She whispered at the picture. Shoving it back into her purse, she returned to staring out the window and thought of how unlucky she was that she was being shipped off to another state to some man she knew and cared nothing about.
Her mind drifted back to Salem and her family and friends, to Jason who was now in Europe probably having the time of his life and completely forgetting about her.
Her heart ached at the thought of him. She hadn't heard from him. Everything had happened too soon. They were together and then apart. Then she was pregnant and she knew that they would never be together. Then he was leaving and now so was she.
Mimi fought back a sob as she realized that she didn't even get the chance to hear his voice again and say good bye to him.
Wiping a stray tear from her cheek, she forced herself not to think of Jason anymore. There was nothing they could do now.
Their lives were so far from each other now, torn by circumstance and misfortune.
Taking a deep breath and thinking of her parents, friends and Jason, Mimi whispered, "Till we meet again."
THE END.....for now
~*~
A/N: I'D LIKE TO THANK ALL THE PEOPLE WHO READ AND COMMENTED ON THIS STORY. IF IT WASN'T FOR YOUR ENCOURAGEMENTS AND CONSTRUCTIVE CRITISMS, I DON'T THINK I WOULD HAVE FINISHED THIS. THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING.
ANYWAY, THE SEQUEL IS CALLED "TILL WE MEET AGAIN". IT'S SET IN CALIFORNIA AND THERE WILL BE SOME RECURRING CHARACTERS. THE SETTING WILL HOWEVER RETURN TO SALEM BUT THAT'S NOT DEFINITE YET.
ANYWAY, ILL EXPLAIN ALL THAT IN THE SEQUEL.
I'D APPRECIATE IT IF YOU GAVE ME IDEAS FOR THE BABY'S NAME. IM NOT SURE IF IT'S GOING TO BE A GIRL OR BOY. PLEASE MAKE AS MANY SUGGESTIONS AS YOU WANT. MAYBE IT'LL EVEN GIVE ME SOME IDEAS.
THANK YOU AND MORE REVIEWS PLEASE. THE FASTER YOU REVIEW THE FASTER I WRITE THE SEQUEL'S FIRST CHAPTER.
THANKS SO MUCH.