Chapter 7 - Gen 2 - Blake

by Citrus Curd


I have some explaining to do - and fast!!!!

When my wife, Blueberry,  suggested we moved to this town I tried every which way to get out of it!!!  She thought I was being selfish because the only reason I could give her was that I did not want to move I was happy in Riverview and I didn't want to be uprooted and moved to another town - especially not this town.

She didn't know the real reason why and just hearing her speak the name of this town  Jugville filled me with dread.  I knew if we moved here I would not be able to avoid the secret I had been hiding all these years.

Blueberry had the chance to transfer threw work, there was an opening at the Old Trafford stadium, in Jugville, which she had been offered and really would have been mad to turn down, she would be jumping up a few rungs on the career ladder and had the opportunity of a higher profiled and better paid job.  If it had not been for that reason I never would have allowed us and our two children to move to this town.

It was inevitable this day would come.

Me and Blueberry was attending a party with our Son, Crimson.   It was his girlfriend Poppy's party and we had been dragged along because Crimson and Poppy were planning on getting engaged after graduation and they though it was about time we met her parents and family.

I hadn't really been concentrating - distracted by Poppy's parents who were divorced and having a slanging match for everyone to hear.  I was distracted by Poppy's Mother, she was beautiful, she had to be the most beautiful "berry"  I had ever seen and Poppy's Dad, well he was just plain "ugly" - how did that happen!!!!!   Then suddenly I saw her, she was stood not too far from me, she was too busy helping Poppy celebrate her birthday, obviously she hadn't spotted me yet, if she had she definitely wouldn't have been smiling like she was.

I panicked and turned so I was facing away from her, hoping she wouldn't spot me.  Like that was going to hide me, she would only have to see my hair colouring and she would know straight away it was me, but I wasn't really thinking straight, my head was swimming.  I needed to get out of here and fast, but I was frozed to the spot, my feet wouldn't move and how was I going to get out of here without attracting attention to myself?

I could hear loads of chattering behind me, including my wife and son.  I didn't have a clue that Rhubarb had already spotted me and was stood right behind me, but when she spoke to me I could tell how close she was without even turning round.

"Citrus is that you?"

I was not getting away with this, I did not want Rhubarb to confront me I wanted to speak to my wife and kids first before my secret was let out of the bag.

I didn't get to answer her because the next thing I noticed, my daughter, she was stood right there in front of me, only she wouldn't have a clue who I was, I was sandwiched in between them there was nowhere for me to run.  The one and only time I had seen my daughter was when she was a toddler, now she was a fully grown woman, but I knew who she was the instant I saw her, she had her mothers skin and hair but she had my eyes.  I was shocked not so much at seeing Lemon but at what she was holding in her arms - a baby with her skin colouring - suddenly I felt sick!!  The baby obviously distracted Rhubarb away from me and I could here the excitement in her voice.

"OMG - Lemon, look Blake look she's had the baby!!"

This gave me the chance to leg it - I was out of there before I knew it, travelling home alone, I had left Blueberry and Crimson there without saying a word.  Blueberry came home alone, Crimson was staying over at Poppy's and my wife was pretty confused as to why I had just disappeared without a word.  It was then I had to sit her down and tell her everything.

I was young and stupid and I never should have abandoned my daughter like I did!!!!  I had been working in Jugville when I met Rhubarb.  This was a strange town with the "uglies" and "berrys" and it was at a time when the two didn't really mix, well not romantically anyway.  I couldn't help but fall in love with Rhubarb, she was the sweetest and kindest person I had ever met.  We were way too young and when she found out she was pregnant, I don't know what happened to me I just panicked.  We had already been knocked for our relationship, the prejudice towards us was pretty bad, when they found out we were having a baby I imagined hell would break loose, too much of a coward to face what was coming and I somehow got it into my head that if I was not around Rhubarb and the baby wouldn't get any stick, they would be better off without me and I ran.  Lemon was born before I even met Blueberry, but when I did meet her I never mentioned to her that I had a daughter, I never told a sole and carried it around with me everyday.  My cross to bare and that cross has gotten heavier and heavier as the years have gone by.  I have thought about them every single day and if I could turn back the clock and do things differently I never would have just left them like I did.

I now had a new worry, what connection did Rhubarb and Lemon have to this family my son was marrying into?  Thankfully Blueberry didn't take the news too badly, this had all happened before I met her but she was very disappointed in me, cross even that I had just abandoned my child like I had.  We agreed to hold off telling Crimson and Leila about their half sister, we need to find out first if Poppy was blood related to Lemon in anyway.  If she was this was going to blow Crimsons world apart.

I was not surprised to see Rhubarb and Lemon again the very next day as Crimson and Poppy were graduating at the same time, but this time I was prepared for our meeting.  As soon as she set eyes on me she was over to speak to me.

"Why did you just run off like that last night when I spoke to you?"

"I'm sorry, I panicked I never expected to see you at that party."

"Mind you I was not really surprise, after all running off is your speciality isnt it, although I didn't expect to see you again for another twenty odd years!!"

"Rhubarb I am sorry!!!!"

We both clammed up as Poppy and the green haired guy walked past us, I noticed that he was carrying the yellow skinned baby that Lemon was holding the night before.

"That baby is my grandchild I take it?!"

"Yes and so is this one."

I had not really taken much notice of the child that she had been carrying in her arms until she pointed her out to me.

"What's her name?"

"This one is Larna and the baby is Lacey"

"So does Lemon know I am here?"

"No, I didn't want to upset her - so Citrus, why are you here and why was you at the twins party last night?"

"Do you know Crimson?"

"Yes."

"He is my son."

"OMG - Really!!!???"

"Please tell me Poppy is not blood related to Lemon or Crimson!!!"

"No, Lemon is married to Poppy's brother Blake"

"Thank God!!!!  Last night I was so scared

"So Blueberry she must be your wife,  does she know about Lemon?"

"Yes, but Crimson and Leila my son and daughter don't yet."

"Ruby is everything ok?"

I heard a voice behind me and when I turned round I noticed it was Poppy's Dad, Toby.

"Yes love, you know Crimsons Dad don't you."

"We are not actually acquainted yet but yes."

"Welll it just so happens this is also Lemon's Dad."

"What!?"

"You know the A***hole I was telling you about, the one that ran off and left me pregnant - well here he is."

"Oh!!"

The look Toby gave me was not good!!!  Rhubarb asked him to take Blueberry and the kids back to "ours" she had said, not to speak to Lemon or Crimson about this because they did not know yet, we would follow along when we had sorted a few things out.

"You said ours - back to ours"

"Yes I live with Toby now."

"So are you and Toby married."

"I am his girlfriend, listen Citrus, I need to know what you are planning, I don't want Lemon upsetting anymore than she already has been by you, if you don't plan on sticking around, I would rather she didn't know who you are."

"Don't worry I am sticking around this time, I am going nowhere."

"Better late than never I suppose, but how can I be sure you are not going to do a runner again."

"I am sorry Rhubarb, I want to put things right with my daughter, I promise I am not going anywhere, and I need to talk to you - I need you to understand - I did love you, we were just too young and I was stupid really stupid, if I could turn back time I would do it all differently."

"It doesn't matter about us, that is history, its Lemon I am worried about."

"I will never hurt her again - I promise!!"

When we got back to the house Crimson, Lemon and Blake were in the hallway talking.  When I walked in the look Blake gave me told me his Dad must have told him already.  Lemon was about to walk away.

"Hang on Lemon I need a word - you too Crimson."  They both looked at each other in confusion.

"Lemon I am going to put Lacey down, if you need me I'll only be in the living room."

She looked at Blake then back to me I could see this had confused Lemon even more

"What is going on Dad?" Crimson asked
I was struggling with how I was going to put this when Rhubarb walked in  "Have you told them yet?"

"Told us what, Dad will you just tell me what is going on, what do you want with Lemon you have never spoken to her before?"

"Ruby maybe I should talk to them individually."

"Just tell them Citrus, or do you want me to do it for you??"

"CITRUS - hang on, Mom you did just call him Citrus didn't you - OMG!!!  I know who you are - your eyes - I know who you are -  Mom it is isn't it - OMG!!!!"  Lemon went into a right flap I did not need to tell her who I was I think she knew already.
Crimson was getting frustrated  "Will somebody PLEASE tell me what is going on - DAD!!!!"

"Crimson, Lemon is your sister."

"WHAT!!!???"

"Lemon is my daughter, she is your sister."

"But Mom ...."

"Your Mom knows about Lemon, she was born before I even met your Mom."

Crimson and Lemon were now both stunned into silence.

Their silence did not last long - they were both, upset and angry with me, both for very different reasons, and really I suppose I couldn't blame them - Lemon wanted to know where I had been all her life and why now when she needed me when she was young.  Crimson wanted to know why I had never told him and Leila all this time that they had another sister.

I still had Leila to tell yet, she would not take it very well either, no doubt!!

But at least my secret was out now, I just had to fix all the damage I had done!!

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Chapter 8

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