chapter fourteen ━ a broken-hearted girl & her aunt
( original chapter )

❝ surprise? ❞

"𝐑𝐔𝐃𝐘, 𝐈 𝐊𝐍𝐎𝐖 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 to throw parties even though they rarely go well, but are you sure this is a good idea?" Kim asked, sitting on Jack's shoulders while they struggled to attach streamers to the ceiling. "Ronnie doesn't really seem like a party type—especially surprise parties."

"Oh, she'll love it," Rudy replied, waving off the blonde's concern. "Milton, help me set up this piñata that I got."

"A little busy, Rudy," Milton said and his friends looked over to see he was tangled in the balloon strings.

Kim walked over to him with a sigh while Jack looked at the piñata that Rudy was holding. "'Happy Sweet Sixteen'?" he read before frowning. "She's turning fifteen."

Rudy nodded. "That's why I got this marker," he said before crossing out 'sixteen' and replacing it with 'fifteen'. "See? She'll never know."

"'Happy Sweet Fifteen'," Kim said, rolling her eyes. "How could anyone notice that?" she asked sarcastically. "Now, what did you get her for a present."

"Why?" Rudy asked with a smile. "Worried you got her the wrong thing?"

She crossed her arms and smirked. "You got her comic books." He shrugged and went back to the sign. "So did I."

"Us, too," Milton said, gesturing between himself, Eddie, and Jerry. "What did you get her, Jack?"

"I—"

"Is there a party happening that I'm unaware of?" Everybody froze at Veronica's voice and she raised her eyebrows when they all looked at her. "What?"

Rudy shook his head. "You—You said you were gonna be at the library until four."

Veronica nodded slowly, her eyes traveling around the room. "It's 4:30," she replied when her gaze landed on the large banner that had been put in the corner. Happy Birthday, Ronnie! "It's a party for me?"

"Well, it was supposed to be a surprise," Jack said with a shrug. "We didn't take into account that we would lose track of time... Surprise?"

She smiled lightly. "Uh—thanks." She cleared her throat. "It was nice of you to plan this guys, but I think I'm just gonna head home. My dad said he was gonna try and call." She saw a small cake—vanilla—sitting on the bench and she pressed her lips together, walking out of the dojo.

"Surpr—" Bobby came out of Rudy's office and they looked at him. "Where's Veronica?"

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𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍 𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐎𝐍𝐈𝐂𝐀 𝐁𝐄𝐂𝐊𝐄𝐑 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐑, she always got very excited by her birthday. Her mother was an avid planner for any sort of event involving her daughter and would make every birthday special.

While each year was different, there were always three things that remained the same; a chocolate cake, a trip to the zoo—Veronica loved seeing the monkeys—and her parents being home. Her parents made everything much more fun.

Which was why she was not excited for her birthday this year. Her father's homemade chocolate cake was missing; her mother was gone; her father was gone. All of the things that made her birthday special were non-existent.

"There's my birthday girl!" Carlos exclaimed when the video call finally connected and she chuckled softly. "Did you get my present?"

She nodded with a smile. "Yeah. How did you know I needed a new computer?"

"I didn't," he replied with a shake of his head. "But it's the least I could do not being there for your birthday. And I added my chocolate cake recipe so that you could make it right."

She smiled softly. "I saw. Thank you."

"And there's another part to your present, sweetheart," he added and she furrowed her brows. "But it won't be there for another hour or so."

"Okay..." she added apprehensively. "You're making it sound so ominous."

"Good, that's my job." Veronica snorted and he smiled gently at her. "Are you doing anything fun today?"

She shrugged. "I haven't really been in the mood for anything," she admitted quietly. "Rudy and everyone threw me a party, but I kinda... left."

"Why?" he asked. "It seems like they care about you, Ronnie."

She nodded. "I know they do," she replied, letting out a breath. "But it just feels like... ever since they threw that party and interrupted our call, they've been doing so much to try and make it up to me. I don't know—it just feels like they're trying too hard. They suggest things that I don't like or want to do."

Carlos sighed. "Maybe you should tell them that, Ronnie. You have some good friends who messed up. And they're trying to fix that mistake."

"Yeah..." She glanced at the front door of Rudy's apartment and played with her fingers. "They might still be there..."

Carlos smiled, knowing what she was struggling to ask. "Go to your friends, Ronnie," he said softly and she glanced back at him. "Don't let me being gone keep you from being with them."

She nodded. "I love you."

"I love you more. Happy Birthday, sweetheart."

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𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐎𝐍𝐈𝐂𝐀 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐎𝐃 𝐎𝐔𝐓𝐒𝐈𝐃𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 dojo and found all of her friends, plus Bobby and Phil, sitting on mats on the floor. She bit her bottom lip before pushing open the door and all heads turned in her direction. "Hi." She pressed her lips into a firm line. "Am I too late?"

Rudy shook his head with a small smile. "Never." She returned the smile and melted into his hug. "Happy Birthday, Ronnie. Your mom would be so proud of you."

Veronica looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "You think?"

He nodded, wrapping an arm around her. "She was always proud of you."

Veronica smiled softly and looked at her friends. "She'd have loved you all," she said, leaning her head on Rudy's shoulder. "Don't you think, Uncle Rudy? She was smart... like Milton. And loyal like Eddie. Funny like Jerry."

"She'd love Kim the most," Rudy said and Veronica shook her head.

"No, she'd love them all in her own way," she contradicted with a soft smile. "She'd adopt them if she could."

Rudy chuckled softly. "Actually, that reminds me..." She looked over at her uncle, furrowing her brows. "This is for you. Happy Birthday."

Curiously, Veronica opened the velvet case and her eyes widened at the contents. "Rudy.." She pulled out the gold bracelet from inside and traced it with her thumb. "It's beautiful..."

"Look at the charms," he said softly and she looked back at him before turning the bracelet over and seeing the three initials. Two 'C's intertwined with a 'V'. "I know it's been a tough year for you, Ronnie, but believe me when I say how proud I am of you. And the person you're becoming."

Veronica wiped at the corners of her eyes. "I don't think I ever properly thanked you for taking me in with no hesitation when Dad got deployed."

"You know that I'd do anything for you, Ronnie."

She nodded. "I know, but... I still needed to say it. And, sometimes I do get a little jealous of you."

"Why?"

"Because you got her for so long and I didn't," she said, feeling tears well up in her eyes. "I only got her for fourteen years. There was so much we were supposed to do together. She was supposed to... to help me figure out my crushes and take me shopping. Hold me during my first heartbreak. And when my first heartbreak came, she wasn't there." Veronica looked around the room and saw her friends watching her. "Why her, Uncle Rudy?" She looked back at her uncle whose heart broke seeing her tears. "Why did it have to be her? She was the most giving person in the world. She was just..." Veronica covered her mouth as sobs filled her chest. "She was just getting me from school."

Her bottom lip trembled as she ran to the bathroom, locking the door behind her and sliding down the wall. She wiped away the tears that traveled thickly down her cheeks.

"Ronnie..." Veronica closed her eyes, hearing Kim's voice and a soft knock on the door. "Roni, please let us in."

She shook her head and buried her face in her hands. She just wanted her mom.

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"𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐋𝐎𝐒, 𝐈 𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐓'𝐒 healthy for her to get her emotions out, but she hasn't left the bathroom in an hour and a half," Rudy said, pacing while on the phone with his brother-in-law. "Well, because I gave her a charm bracelet that turned into a crying session about her mother passing away."

"No luck?" Jack asked when Kim came back and she shook her head. He let out a breath. "I just wish there was a way we could help her."

"I don't think we can, Jack," Milton said and he looked at the redhead. "Ronnie's going through something that none of us can relate to. We all have our parents alive and well waiting for us at home. She doesn't."

"My niece doesn't what?" The group of five turned when they heard a new voice and saw a woman in a red sweater standing in the doorway.

"I—" Rudy stopped pacing and glanced at his phone. "Was this what you meant when reinforcements were coming momentarily." He nodded, pursing his lips. "Alright, then. Yeah, I'll call soon." He hung up the phone and smiled at the woman. "Maria. It's been a while."

"Rudy, where's my niece?" Maria asked, dropping her bag on a chair and walking over to him. "I went to your apartment to surprise her, but nobody was there. And now I'm getting worried since I overheard them talking about Ronnie."

Rudy sighed and gestured to the locker room. "She hasn't come out in over an hour. She had... a bit of a breakdown coming to terms with Carrie's death."

Maria nodded. "Let me try," she said, patting him on the shoulder and walking over to the door. "Ronnie, sweetie, it's Aunt Maria. Can you open the door for me, honey?"

The group watched as Veronica slowly opened the door and her eyes widened at the sight of her aunt. "Aunt Maria?" Without waiting for an answer, she wrapped her arms tightly around the older woman and buried her face in her shoulder. "When did you get here?"

"Just now," Maria replied, pulling away from the embrace and cupping her niece's face. "Oh, my sweet Ronnie..." She motioned to the locker room. "We're long overdue for a heart-to-heart." Veronica nodded and Maria looked back at the group. "We'll be back. Might want to save some of that cake."

The door closed behind them and the teenagers looked at Rudy. "She has another aunt?"

He nodded. "Carlos' younger sister, Maria. She and Ronnie are very close."

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"𝐈𝐓 𝐉𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐇𝐔𝐑𝐓𝐒 𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐓𝐇𝐄 time," Veronica said, hugging her legs to her chest. "Some days are bad, some days are good. But lately, it just feels like every day is bad."

Maria rubbed her niece's shoulder comfortingly. "I know." Veronica looked at her. "Do you remember when I would tell you stories about your grandmother?" She nodded. "She died when I was sixteen. And I was in the same place as you right now. Everything was confusing and nothing made sense, right?"

Veronica nodded. "Was it sudden?" she asked her aunt. "Grandma's death?"

"It's always sudden," Maria said with a shrug. "Even if you know it's going to happen, it's still sudden when it actually does. But it wasn't as sudden as your mom's. Ronnie... what happened to your mom was horrible. There is no other word to describe what happened. But for as long as I knew your mom... the one thing she wanted for you was to be happy. That's all she ever wanted. For you and your dad. Now, you can cry and scream at the world at the top of your lungs. Nobody is going to stop you. Or..." Maria stood up and held out a hand. "You can enjoy your birthday with your friends and uncle who are really worried about you."

Veronica glanced at the outstretched hand. "Does it get easier, Aunt Maria?" she asked, looking up at her. "Or is it always going to hurt?"

"The pain turns to memories," she said softly. "There will always be a small little hole in your heart left by your mom's death. But the rest will be so full of love that it'll outweigh the pain. I promise you, little dove... it will get easier with time."

"I'm not sure if I'm ready to see them yet."

Maria nodded. "Then when you are... we'll be waiting." She smiled at her niece before walking toward the door.

"Aunt Maria?"

"Yes, dove?"

Veronica looked over at her. "Can you ask Jack to come in?"

Maria smiled and nodded, leaving the room. A short time later, the door opened and Veronica looked to see Jack walking in. Maria's head poked in the back. He's cute, she mouthed at her niece and Veronica rolled her eyes.

"Are you okay?" Jack asked, sitting on the bench. "You got everybody freaking out outside right now. And Bobby's confused."

Veronica chuckled lightly. "I will be," she replied quietly. "Just not ready for a party right now."

Jack nodded. "Well, it might be weird timing but... I got you something for your birthday." Veronica looked up at him. "It's not much, but... it made me think of you."

Veronica accepted the little box and undid the ribbon. She slid the top off to reveal a simple gold necklace with a book charm at the end. She smiled softly, tracing the design with her thumb. "A book..." she said before looking up at Jack. "It's perfect. Thank you." She pulled her hair away from her neck and secured the clasp. "And it matches the locket. You did good, Brewer." Jack returned the smile and she stood up, letting out a breath. "Okay... I'm ready."

"You sure?"

Veronica nodded and squeezed his hand softly before opening the door. "I'm sure."

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━ author's note:

I still don't know if I really like this chapter, but this marks the end of the already-written chapters, so onto act two and me actually writing it!