Chapter 2: Young and Old Love

Normalcy returned to Goth Manor for a couple of years.  Time passed by quicker than anyone had realized.  Cornelia planned and threw a joint birthday party for Mortimer and herself.  She had wanted this occasion to be special since she was watching her little boy become a young man.  Mortimer had always wanted brothers and sisters and he spent every childhood birthday wishing for some.  On the eve of his transition into a teen the only wish he had was for his parents to stay happy.

Looking down the Elderhood path, Cornelia’s only wish was to live long enough to see Mortimer become a man.  When she was first considering motherhood she didn’t think it would be too bad to have a pregnancy later in her life.  The only concerns that were mentioned were her increased risk of miscarriage or the baby having Down syndrome.  No one mentioned she may never see her son marry the woman of his dreams or that she may never hold a grandchild.  Blinking back a couple of tears Cornelia quickly buried her fears and enjoyed the party.

Mortimer felt great, but somewhat nerdy as a teen.  The party was a blast since his mom remembered to invite some people his own age.  His childhood was gone, the world was less innocent.  Mortimer knew what was to lie ahead of him as Gunther's only son.  That wasn’t going to stop him from shirking some of that responsibility while he could.

It didn’t take very long for Gunther to start encouraging Mortimer into learning business or taking part in the local politics, but Mortimer only listened briefly before he deflected the conversation.  He wasn't ready to settle down yet and he didn’t want a job.  He was more interested in his mother’s less restrictive life style.  The garden may have been next to the family graveyard but it was one of his favorite places to be.  Mortimer helped his mother harvest the fruits and vegetables every day after school.

Mortimer was starting to get the idea that maybe he didn’t want to go into business or politics at all.  He started thinking that maybe he would be the first Goth to go in a different direction.  He wanted something more scientific.  Each day he worked in the garden, his imagination and ideas went wild.  While plants were living things, what if they were truly alive, like a creature?  Mortimer knew enough to keep those ideas to himself and placate his father whenever they talked business or politics.

It was election season in Sunset Valley and Gunther was running for the position of Leader of the Free World.  He would have to win votes in all of the neighborhoods but the voters in his own Sunset Valley were the most important to him.  His Vice Presidency had been smooth and scandal free.  Nancy had taken his words to heart and didn’t start a controversy.  With such a good record he felt like he was a shoe in for Leader of the Free World.  He held the kick-off for the campaign in Central Park, fielding questions from the public.  His competitor had sponsored legislation to ban gossip, but Gunther was a staunch advocate for freedom of speech.

“Why is free speech so important to you?” asked a woman in the crowd.

“I’ll tell you why,” Gunther answered, getting the crowd revved up. “If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.”  The crowd cheered wildly at his response. The campaign stop in the park went very well and Gunther headed off to a formal fundraiser at the Art Museum.

Cornelia would have rather stayed home, but as a politicians wife it meant she must attend campaign functions to ensure that her husband’s character and reputation was upstanding.  While she was idly sipping punch Cornelia spotted her very pregnant sister in the group of people outside.

“Hello Agie!  How are you and the baby?” she asked with excitement.

“We are doing well.  Doctor Jolina said that the baby could be here any day now.”

“How exciting!  You make sure to call me when this little one comes into the world.  How is Christopher doing?”

“Well he isn’t too happy that I don’t want to get married, but after the last tragedy I don’t want to ruin such a good thing.  We could always use a new generation to carry on the Crumplebottom name anyway.”

“I’m sure he will come around once he gets to hold this baby.  Agie you could marry him you know.  Just because Erik’s accident happened on your honeymoon, doesn’t mean the same would happen to Christopher.”

“Like I said, it would be nice to not have the Crumplebottom name disappear.”  Cornelia noticed that Agnes was growing uncomfortable with the conversation so she hugged her and went back inside to mingle.

 On her way back to the ballroom Cornelia spotted Mortimer and Bella.  She could tell by the way they were looking at each other that Bella could be her future daughter-in-law, even if they had no clue.  Mortimer hated fundraisers.  He was often the only kid there.  Luckily he was allowed to bring one guest and Bella was always glad to go.  They both thought the art was okay, but the conversations were really boring.  Mostly they just complained about school or gossiped about their friends.  Mortimer and Bella were getting a little flirty and Mortimer almost reached out for Bella’s hand just so he could touch her.  They had grown up together and held hands all the time, but now he was afraid that he would make a fool of himself, as if it wasn’t okay to hold hands anymore because they were older.  Thoughts raced through his head as he tried to figure out if it would be okay to take her hand, but he was mostly scared that if he did take her hand then she would know his feelings were starting to change.

Bella started coming home with Mortimer after school almost every day after the fundraiser at the Art Museum.  He wanted her help with homework, but she usually just took over for him while he worked in the garden.  Mortimer enjoyed Bella’s company and felt like she already belonged here with him.  He still didn’t want to act on his feelings though and the thought of Bella having someone else for a boyfriend almost made him cross-eyed.  Mortimer liked having Bella over all the time because she couldn’t get a different boyfriend if she was at the Manor.  Given enough time he could work up the nerve to ask her on a date.

 

Unfortunately for Mortimer, Bella got a part-time job at the spa and she spent most of her evenings there.  He was really bummed that her absence meant he had to do his own homework.  One evening he was trying to write an essay when his mom sat down to read the paper.  Cornelia noticed out of the corner of her eye that Mortimer was fidgeting in his seat.  She knew that if she ignored him long enough he would finally spit out whatever was distracting him.

“Mom, I think I love Bella,” Mortimer blurted without looking up from his notebook.

“I know dear.  I think the two of you are lovely,” she responded without looking away from the paper.  Mortimer was relieved and slightly confused, how did she know?  Does Bella already know?

“Do you think Bella already knows too?” he asked.

“She might, or she might not.  You’ll never know unless you talk to her and tell her.”

“What if she hates me?”

“Mortimer, she is your best friend.  She doesn’t hate you and I imagine she’ll never hate you.”  Mortimer finished his essay in silence, could she never hate me?

Bella had been working a lot so she became less of a presence at the Manor.  Mortimer decided to surprise her and visit at her house.  On the way there he felt that now was the time to tell her that he was in love with her.  After dinner Bella’s parents went out leaving Bella and Mortimer to be watched over by Bella’s brother Michael.  He was a pretty cool guy so he left them alone for the most part.  He helped Bella clean up the dishes and in the middle of cleaning off the table Mortimer stopped because he could wait to tell her anymore.

“Bella, I love you.  Will you go to a movie with me?” he asked so quickly she almost couldn't understand what he was saying.  She stared at him for a minute.  Mortimer thought for sure she was about to tell him that she just wanted to be friends.

“Sure,” she said with a smile slowly forming on her lips.  “I love you too.  I was afraid you didn’t feel the same about me.”  Mortimer didn’t know what to say.

An awkward silence set over the room.  Michael’s typing grew louder and louder.  Mortimer sheepishly smiled at Bella.  He didn’t want things to be weird now.  A panic bubbled up inside of Mortimer, and he did the only thing he could think of.  With a rush of adrenaline Mortimer leaned in a quickly kissed Bella.  The both pulled away in a fit of giggles as the kiss broke the ice.

The next weekend Mortimer picked up Bella for their first date.  He took her to Pinochle Pond for a picnic dinner.  They stood together as the sun set behind the hills.  Mortimer brushed a strand of Bella’s hair out of her face.

“You are really pretty tonight Bella,” he whispered.  She blushed.

“Well I didn’t really do anything different.  You’re just being sweet.”

“No, it’s true and the sunset is making your eyes glow.”  Mortimer wanted to stay there the whole night so he wouldn’t lose the moment with Bella but they also wanted to see a movie so they cleaned up their picnic and headed back to town.

At the theater they decided to see Civil Twilight, the latest movie about vampire lawyers.  A short way into the movie Mortimer and Bella became more interested in each other than they were the movie.  They quietly snuck backstage to make-out with each other.

Mortimer and Bella were in various states of undress when a security guard happened upon them behind one of the large curtains.  They were both quickly escorted out of the building.  While the security guard was quickly ushering them out Mortimer and Bella were trying to quickly get their clothes back on.  Mortimer was beyond embarrassed.  He and Bella were going to be on so much trouble.  Mortimer knew that this would be a bump in his father’s campaign, but he was much more worried about Bella.  Her father was much more strict and traditional.  He probably wasn’t going to let them date anymore.

Gunther was working on his campaign late into the night  to put out the fires after the incident with Mortimer was leaked to the press.  Gunther honestly didn’t believe that it would be damaging to the campaign, but he was prepping some damage control none-the-less.  While he was editing his speech about teens needing to make mistakes to learn from them he heard a noise in the master bathroom.  He knew Cornelia was asleep and Mortimer wouldn’t be in there so he put his laptop away and went to check out the noise.  He could hardly believe after so many years Lolita was floating in front of him.  He had only seen her a handful of times since his wedding to Cornelia.  He almost believed she wasn’t really there.  Lolita’s yellow specter looked at him with a wistful longing.

“Are you truly here my love?” he asked, fearing that she would disappear the moment he spoke.  She still did not speak.  Gunther forgot all time or where he was, “Please stay,” he begged.

“You have missed so much my love,” Gunther lamented.  “Look at me I am an elder man.  We were so young and now I am old.  And you are still beautiful.”  Lolita still did not speak.  She listened on with a deep interest in Gunther’s life.  He spoke to her and recounted much of his life after her death.  At moments he talked with such excitement about the good in his life.  Then he recounted the mistakes that he made.  He worried that Lolita would be ashamed of him as a man but as he told her that he shouldn’t have rushed into a second marriage and that he shouldn’t have had an affair he noticed that she tried to reach out to him.  They may not have been able to touch one another but her gesture eased his mind of his past troubles.  He was starting to forgive himself.

Gunther talked to Lolita through the night.  Gunther didn’t even know that the dawn was upon them.  His conversation went from reflecting on his life to remembering the short time they shared together.  His memories transported him back in time.  The master bathroom all but disappeared around him and he forgot that Cornelia and Mortimer were even there.  He recounted their meeting, their romantic dates at the bistro, the moment he decided he wanted to marry her, their simple wedding at the manor, the first time they nervously shared their first woohoo, and he remembered that last time he told her that he loved her.

“I have only ever loved you my lovely Lolita,” Gunther admitted as Cornelia walked into the bathroom.

Cornelia stood rooted to the floor.  She couldn’t move her feet, her mouth couldn’t form the words she wanted to scream out.  She could barely believe her eyes.  Her heart dropped into her belly and she didn’t know whether she should stay and fight or run from the room and out of her marriage.  It took only a moment and her senses returned.  As Gunther turned to face Cornelia, Lolita disappeared into the morning light.

“How dare you Gunther,” Cornelia screamed.  She didn’t care if Mortimer could hear them or not.  “She is dead Gunther.  She was done loving you the moment she took her last breath.  This isn’t some trashy romance novel where the two of you are star-crossed soul mates that will find a way to be together as if death couldn’t stop you.  How dare you say that you never loved me!”

“I’m tired of this Cornelia,” he admitted. “She is my true love…”

“Was,” Cornelia interrupted, “was your true love, she isn’t alive.  You should have moved on.”

“I don’t want to move on Cornelia,” Gunther replied.  “She has shown me that she is here, now.  There is not much else I can say.  I’m sorry that you never had the husband you deserved.”

“I’m not divorcing you Gunther.  If you want to live with quitting then that is something you have to do.  I will not be driven out of my place by a ghost!”

A livable silence had fallen over Goth Manor yet again.  Cornelia kept her distance and said as little as possible to Gunther in passing.  She only made conversation for Mortimer’s sake in the rare occasions they were all home for dinner.  Cornelia spent more time in her garden, but was a bit lonely without Mortimer’s help.  He was spending most evenings at Bella’s house because that was the only way her father would let them see each other after their date at the theater.  She couldn’t really blame him, but she wanted to see her son and she enjoyed Bella’s company.

While Cornelia was in her garden Gunther spent his time at the office or in the house.  He and Cornelia put on an air of a happy couple in public and he easily won the election for Leader of the Free World.  Surprisingly, there was not much left for him to do in this job.  Gunther decided to fill his time by writing his Life Story.  The public would find out his marriage was a sham, they would know about his affair, but Mortimer may eventually understand who his father is.  Gunther realized that he would need to tell Cornelia and Mortimer about Nancy’s daughter Rosalyn.  Cornelia would probably brush off the admission and become even more silent, but Mortimer would feel betrayed.

Mortimer knew it couldn’t be good news if his father was calling a family dinner in the middle of the week.  He was not expecting to learn that his father had had an affair, and with his former best friend’s mother.  He had always wondered why Malcolm stopped talking to him and started to cause trouble with him.  Mortimer was stunned when his father admitted that Rosalyn was his half-sister.  He didn’t want to believe it.  Without a word to either of his parents Mortimer left the table in disgust.  He ran from the house and kept going without really thinking of the direction he was headed.  It wasn’t until he was at the Landgraab’s front gate that he needed to see and talk to Rosalyn.  Surprisingly he was allowed into the house.  Rosalyn was not a stranger because they went to the same school, but he never had any reason to talk to her.

“Hi Rosalyn, I came to help you with your homework,” Mortimer lied.

“Oh hi.  I don’t know why you would want to help.  I’m already done,” she said.

“That’s okay then.  What were you up to?”

“I’m going to go look at the stars in the telescope.  There is supposed to be a really neat comet passing by tonight.  I want to name it!” Rosalyn explained excitedly.  Mortimer talked to her for a bit longer while he studied her.  By the time she went off to her telescope he knew that his father was not lying, Rosalyn was Mortimer’s sister.

Rosalyn had the classic Landgraab features, but if anyone paid attention close enough they would know that Geoffrey was not her true father.  Rosalyn’s eyes were the giveaway.  She had Goth eyes.  Gunther had them, Mortimer had them, and looking at Rosalyn she had them too.  Mortimer didn’t know what to think or say.  He wanted to call after Rosalyn and tell her that he was her brother too, but he noticed Mrs. Landgraab out of the corner of his eye.  Her look told him that if he said anything he would be in more trouble than he ever asked for.  With nothing left to do he left the Landgraab Estate.  Mortimer didn’t feel like he could go home and he didn’t want to be alone.

Mortimer called Bella and told her everything.  He knew that she didn’t want to go against her dad, but he begged her to sneak out for the night.  They ran through the fields on the outskirts of town and headed to Boulderhenge on the hills where they knew no one would find them.

Mortimer turned to Bella breathlessly, “Everything is upside down.  All I ever wanted was a sister and now that I have one all I want to do it hate her.  I hate my father.  Why would my mother stay with him?”

“I don’t know.  You don’t know because it’s not your business to know,” Bella said with care.  “It’s going to be okay once everything settles a bit.”

“What am I supposed to do?  Just sit back and pretend this doesn’t change everything?”  Mortimer let out a breath, his anger subsiding into defeat.  Bella hated seeing Mortimer so hurt.

“Mort it will all work out, in whatever way,” she softly comforted.

“Nothing is what it is anymore.  They only thing I have that hasn’t changed is you,” Mortimer admitted.  He looked into Bella’s hazel eyes.  He wanted to be lost forever.

 

He reached over and pulled her into a kiss.  He held her hands, and then ran his fingers through her long hair.  He finally settled with wrapping his arms around her and held on like he was afraid he would lose her if he let go.

“Bella,” he mumbled between kisses, “I don’t want to stop kissing you.”  She wrapped her arms around his neck and they held each other tighter.  Each kiss grew longer and deeper.  Mortimer and Bella lost themselves in their kisses and they were forever changed by that night.