Chapter 5: Expectations

The Goth family welcomed home little Cassandra a couple days later.  Cornelia got to work submitting the birth announcement to the paper and scheduling the newborn photo shoot with the family photographer.  Bella was happy to let Cornelia worry about the details so she could spend her time cuddling her baby girl.  Bella's parent's had been waiting at the hospital while the baby was being born.  Then, Jocasta was visiting the manor everyday.  Bella appreciated the company, but if Cassandra wasn't being held Bella she was being held by either of her grandmothers.  Bella wanted very much to establish a schedule for Cassandra; with Cornelia and Jocasta helping out Cassandra was going to be spoiled.

Mortimer started working on the baby's room while they were still in the hospital.  Now that he actual knew they had a baby girl, he was eager to fix up the room.  Mortimer and Bella went a couple rounds trying to decide on the appropriate decor for a Goth baby.  Bella wanted Cassandra's room to be bright and cheery; Mortimer wanted to keep with tradition, especially so it wouldn't upset his parents.  In the end, they both got what they wanted.  The room was finished by the time Cassandra was big enough to be moved from her cradle to her crib.  Bella had decided to use the heirloom crib and freshened up the look with new sheets.  It was going to be hard to let Cassandra sleep in her own room but she couldn't stay in Mortimer and Bella's bedroom anymore.

Bella was worried about the transition though she should have known that Cassandra was still going to get spoiled.  She didn't have to cry for long before one of her grandparents came into the room to whisk her out of bed.  Mortimer was surprised that his father had bonded so well with Cassandra.  At times it would seem that Cornelia and Jocasta would race to Cassandra's room only to find Gunther with the baby already in his arms.  When he was home Gunther would make his way to Cassandra.  He held her and talked to her about being World Leader, shared the recent stock exchange news, and told her stories about the family.  He knew that she just a baby but as he spoke she just looked at him innocently and without judgement.

Before they knew it Cassandra was six months old.  Bella had returned to work full-time since Cornelia and Gunther were around the house.  Bella was having a difficult time losing the weight she put on during her pregancy.  She heard that some women were able to fit in their pre-pregnancy pants after a couple of months but she wasn't one of the lucky women.  Bella felt calmed walking through the park when she was pregnant so she thought that jogging the the park would be a good place to start.

On her third lap around the park Bella was greeted by Nancy Landgraab.  Ever since her teen years, and especially after she married Mortimer, she had tried to stay away from the Landgraab family.  She wanted to stay away from the family feud as much as she could but with Nancy standing right there she couldn't just run the other way.
"Why hello Bella," Nancy greeted in a saccharin sweet voice.
"Hello Nancy, it's a nice day isn't it?" Bella replied, trying to keep the conversation simple and short.
"Yes, a nice day for the park and a jog I see.  I imagine it must be difficult to keep the weight down while working at the restaurant."
"Oh, the restaurant isn't too bad.  I'm just working on losing some of the baby weight."
"Isn't your sweet Cassandra six months old now?  I've heard that if don't lose baby weight in the first three months you don't really have a chance at losing the weight at all, such a shame.  You, know I was able to get back into my normal clothes after four weeks."
"I'll manage even if it takes some extra work."
"That's nice Bella.  Have a good day now....and tell Gunther I said hello."  Nancy headed to her limo.  Bella stood, rooted in her spot trying to work up the energy to do another lap around the park.  Instead she called it a day and headed home.

Bella took the short-cut through the cemetery to get back to the manor.  She found it somewhat odd the Goths found it so peaceful among the dead, though she came to understand the knowing silence, which permeated the grounds.  Bella's blood was boiling after her encounter with Nancy.  She couldn't go home just yet because she would explode about what a mean, nasty viper Nancy was.  Last thing she wanted to do was stir up old wounds especially since she considered Cornelia to be her mother, too.  On a whim Bella detoured to the Mausoleum on the way home and decided to explore the catacombs.  She hadn't known about the malevolent spirits held captive by the damp darkness below.  They ripped at her clothes and tore out her hair.  They tried to burn her alive.  Bella barely 

 escaped with her life.

Bella quickly cleaned herself up and straightened up her hair.  It was significantly shorter and noticeable.  She supposed she was going to have to tell Mortimer that she went into the catacombs at some point.  That, of course, is going to lead to her encounter with Nancy in the park and the family will be out of sorts about it.  There was nothing she could do about it now.  Studying her reflection in the mirror Bella hoped that her hair would grow back quickly.  She felt that her long hair had overshadowed her weight gain, but with the shorter hair she felt bigger than ever.

 Though she told no one, Cornelia felt as if her life were fully complete.  She raised her boy into a man, watched him as he married the love of his life, and welcomed her grandchild into the world.  She was thankful that she was able to experience and witness so much before the end came.  Late one night, Cornelia crept into Cassandra's room to watch the baby as she slept only to find Cassandra looking up at her with dark innocent eyes.  Cornelia decided to let Mortimer and Bella get some much needed sleep and prepared a bottle.  She quietly fed her sweet granddaughter, gave her a snuggle, and laid her back in the crib.  Cornelia ran her finger along Cassandra's soft cheek and kissed her forehead.  Then she went to draw herself a bath.

Cornelia soaked in the warm water.  She felt warm but somewhat faded.  This new feeling should have worried her but she felt serene instead.  As she stepped from the tub she felt herself float above floor; her body changed from solid to spectral as a warm breeze seemed to grow from her core and spread to the tips of her fingers and toes.  Cornelia met her end with calm closure.  She grew up with her best friend and sister Agnes.  Her marriage was not the love story she had dreamed about as a girl, but the union gave her a son and some fond memories.  She could pass knowing her son and his family was strong.

Cornelia did not have to wait long before Death came to claim her.  Many people begged, others left with indifference.  Cornelia stared at the cloaked figure before her.  She didn't feel the need to beg for her life nor was she indifferent in leaving.  She relished the opportunity for something new without the guilt of leaving her loved ones behind.  Now was the time.

Death reached out for her.  Cornelia took his hand and smiled.  Despite his sinister appearance she felt as if she was being welcomed by an old friend.  His skeleton hand felt smooth like polished stone, but warm instead of deathly cold.  All was final.  Cornelia became fully enveloped by the breeze she felt emanating from her before.  She was lifted higher off the ground and in a swirl she crossed over to the afterlife.

Mortimer found his mother's urn the next morning.  He hadn't expected his mother to die so soon.  She wasn't even sick or frail.  A distraught Mortimer found his way to his wife.  Bella had been his constant all these years and he knew he could count on her as his grief took control.  It was difficult for Bella to watch Mortimer cry.  She had only seen him cry three times in their life; she held his hand as he fumed when he found out about his sister, she wiped a tear from his cheek during a private moment during their wedding reception, and they shared tears of joy when they gazed upon their daughter for the first time.  Now she held him while he felt the loss of his mother.  Words failed Bella she only held him hoping her presence would be enough to comfort him.

Mortimer had spent the day making all the funeral arrangements.  Since his mother urn was to be placed in the family graveyard it was only necessary to plan a small wake at the house.  By the end of the day he was absolutely exhausted.  Six hours of phone calls felt like two weeks of strain from work.  His father had wanted to help, but Mortimer didn't feel it was necessary for him to help since their relationship had been anything but loving in the end.  Mortimer headed up to Cassandra's room because Bella was still preparing dishes for the funeral.  He snuggled his baby girl close, breathing in her soft baby smell.  He felt the weight of his mothers death lift slowly as Cassandra cooed at him.

Late in the night Gunther could not sleep.  Mortimer was shutting him out and it was pissing him off.  Cornelia was his wife and he was responsible for getting her final affairs in order.  Who was Mortimer to judge that it wasn't his job?  He didn't hate or loathe Cornelia.  Gunther hefted himself out of bed and took a walk out to the graveyard.  Earlier, Mortimer had a small gravestone delivered to the house.  Gunther would have chosen something much large, as befitting a Goth matriarch, but he supposed Mortimer knew her tastes better than he did.  Gunther suddenly became overwhelmed with guilt and sadness.  Cornelia had deserved so much more, yet he had loved her in a way.  He wanted to believe that he would have loved her fully if he had known her first.  That wasn't the way of it though and he was truly sorry that he had hurt her so much over the years.  He would take that to his grave.

The day of the funeral came before they knew it.  Mortimer wasn't ready to say his final good-bye.  Again, he felt the need to see Cassandra.  He was spending more and more time with her.  Her sweetness had a way of overcoming sadness.  She didn't know that her grandmother was gone.  She wouldn't grow up with her either.  Mortimer would have to make sure to tell her all about her grandmother.  Cornelia's passion had been the garden.  Mortimer had learned that from her.  He decided to explore other career options after spending time in his mother's garden and he was truly thankful for that.  Mortimer hoped that one day he would be able to pass that love to Cassandra.

As the funeral was underway Mortimer met his Aunt Agnes.  She, too, was devastated by the loss of her older sister.  Cornelia always ragged on her for not remarrying, but now that she was gone Agnes felt the loss since her sister would not be there if she chose to marry Christopher.  Agnes' daughter Aileen talked to Bella about Cornelia's garden.  She shared that most people in town loved the garden because it brought life to the seemingly dead manor.

After the services Agnes went to Cornelia's gravestone to say her final good-bye to her older sister.  Cornelia's death reminded Agnes that she wasn't going to live forever.  She too would pass into the afterlife someday.  At that moment Agnes promised the air around her, speaking to Cornelia, that she would marry her long time love Christopher.  She was going to give their childhood home to her daughter and live out the rest of her life feeling loved and complete.

Daily life didn't return back to normal right away.  Everyone went through their daily routines just fine, but they all felt Cornelia's non-presence.  It was only upon Cassandra becoming a toddler that some sense of happy normalcy seemed possible.  The family wasn't ready for a large birthday celebration so they decided to just have a quiet, special evening for the birthday girl.  Gunther had become Cassandra's caregiver when Mortimer and Bella's schedule overlapped.  It was obvious that she had become very attached to him.  In hopes that it would help make him happy, Mortimer offered to let his father help Cassandra blow out her birthday candles.

Bella could not believe how quickly the time went by.  Her baby was now a toddler.  They had gone all out for her birthday and bought her, a xylophone, peg box, an activity table, and teddy bear.  Bella had wanted to buy a new high chair as well, but Mortimer insisted on cleaning up the old one.  Bella looked into Cassandra's eyes and felt like she was looking right at her husband.  Cassandra had inherited the Goth eyes.  Bella was pleased, though, that she could see some of her own features in her daughter.  She was the perfect blend of Mortimer and Bella.  It was too often that children resembled one parent or the other, but not both.

Bella found herself having more time with Cassandra since she was home during the day and Mortimer was at work.  At first it was such a joy to be spending so much time with Cassandra but after awhile Bella felt as if she was working two full-time jobs instead of one.  So many parents talk about their joy of teaching their toddlers to walk, talk, and potty train.  All of the magazines and books only had positive examples of the experiences.  Bella hated it.  Cassandra was the most deviant and stubborn child.  She didn't want to learn to walk, she wasn't saying a word, and when Bella tried to put her on her potty she just screamed that she didn't have to go.  Then, not ten minutes later, Bella would find her off in a corner somewhere with a messy diaper.

Feeding Cassandra wasn't easy either.  She threw her food off the tray several times and giggled hysterically as Bella fought to keep her patience.  When Cassandra was finally tired of tossing her food everywhere she threw a temper tantrum because she didn't like the food that she was given.  Bella was one the the best cooks, yet she couldn't get her own toddler to eat anything she made.  Cassandra wanted hotdogs and mac & cheese all the time.  Bella didn't mind making it once or twice a week, but she felt that Cassandra needed more nutritious options as well and Cassandra wasn't cooperating.

Bella's patience was growing thin.  Cassandra was giving her trouble every moment she could.  Bella was, at least, thankful that she could go to work in the evenings and get a break from the day at home.  Some days it was just easier to hold Cassandra and give her what ever she wanted.  Bella was tired.  Mortimer was starting to hint at trying for another baby to have a sibling for Cassandra.  Bella definitely did not think it was such a good idea.  She remembered how awful she felt during the pregnancy.  Bella also felt overwhelmed with Cassandra in her toddler stage.  She was behind when it came to talking, walking, and potty training and Bella knew it wasn't anything wrong with Cassandra.  Cassandra was just being difficult.

Cassandra's saving grace was that she slept through the night.  Bella probably would have snapped ages ago if Cassandra was one of those toddlers that still woke up two or three times a night.  Bella would often sneak into Cassandra's room when she got home from the diner.  Watching her daughter sleep so peacefully reminded Bella that Cassandra was just a toddler and toddlers were challenging.  Sometimes Bella felt awful about being frustrated with Cassandra.  She decided to ask Mortimer if he would be willing to teach Cassandra the basics in the evenings and during the day she would just relax, play, and take Cassandra to different parks around town.  Bella hoped that would help Cassandra calm down a bit.