As My Heart Dies-Chp4

[meanwhile, in the vast galaxy, Wander n Sylvia had just recently arrived onto Planet Janet, with Wander carrying a big bouquet of flowers]

Wander: Hi, Aunt Janet, I'm home~

Janet: [pops out in her rose form] Ooh Wandy-poo, ur home. Oh, n hey, Sylvia [said it in a bored tone]

Sylvia: :^) What's with you?

Janet: Whatever |-( [decides to ignore Sylvia in favour of Wander] Wat r the flowers for, Wandy-poo?

Wander: It's for my dad to, well, u know...

Janet: Oh, it's tht time of year already, huh?

Sylvia: Yeah... (pets Wander's shoulder)

Wander: How's my dad?

Janet: Oh, same old, same old. Come, lemme take u to him [produces a carriage]

Wander: Much obliged :) [got on the carriage]

Sylvia: (got into the carraige with him)

[the duo rode the carriage, past the small town n up towards the hills where Wander's childhood home is]

Wander: [sees Angel out in the porch n got off as soon as the carriage stopped] Hi, Papa~ :D

Angel: (looked up) Oh, son... you've made it... (sounded tired)

Wander: Wouldn't miss it for the world [gave Angel half the bouquet] Here, ur share

Angel: (took it) Thank you, son... :(

Sylvia: :( We're real sorry about what happened with Wildflower...

Wander: Even if it's been 5 yrs, it still hurts sometimes...

Janet: I still blame myself for it. I should've noticed wen that weird species came onto me. I should've noticed that he was sick, carrying some sort of plague on him. Bt wen he infected half the town, n with Wildflower along with it, it was too late...

Wander: N only Dad n Firefly managed to survive in the family... :(

Angel: Indeed... (puts a hand on Wander's shoulder) And no need to worry about me, it might already be too late for me to find someone else...

Wander: I won't force u, Dad, tho it pains me to see u alone here all these yrs since Mama's gone... [sighed n tried to smile] Shall we bring the flowers to Mama now?

Angel: (nod) Of course.

[they both went to the gravesite, which was abt half a mile dwn the hill. There was a big stone sign bearing the words FOR THOSE PERISHED DURING THE CRIMSON PLAGUE at the entrance of the gravesite, n at the far end facing the view of the beach was Wildflower's grave along with Wander's 4 siblings' graves as well]

Wander: Hi Mama, I'm home. Hi, bros. U taking good care of Mama? [lays the flowers on their graves]

Angel: (also lay down the flowers) You take good care of them, Wildflower... you children do the same for your mother...

Sylvia: (stood by silently) :(

Janet: [whispered to Sylvia] I'm just glad that Wandy-poo wasn't here wen it happened, that he was out adventuring with u. In a way, u saved him

Sylvia: Yeah... I suppose...

Wander: [bowed his head in silence for a moment, holding his father's hand]

Angel: (also hanged his head in silence)

Wander: [finally broke the ice] How's Firefly doing? Is she coming this time?

Angel: She's been busy... I'm sure she would've love to.

Wander: [sighed] More like she's avoiding this place n not want to face the grief. I think she hasn't gotten over her survivor's guilt or something

Angel: Seems so...

Wander: R u sure ur gonna be OK here on Janet? There's always room for u to travel with us :(

Angel: I'll be fine... really. :)

Wander: [sighed] If u say so [takes one last look at the graves before taking his hand again] Come, lets go home now. I miss ur famous gooseberry stew. Make some for me? :)

Angel: (nod)

Sylvia: :) Me too.

Wander: :D Let's go, I'm starved [led the way bk to their home]