Generation 2, Chapter 4 - Enough

Had Enough

Between studying for finals and preparing to go home, Windy tried to convince Adam to stay on campus for the summer.

"Don't you want the freedom to come and go as you please?" Windy asked "You know once we go home it won't be the same. We'll have to live by the house rules."

"Windy if you want to stay here for the summer go ahead," he suggested. "But I want to go home and spend time with my family." Adam hoped that Windy would stay so that he would have time to think about their relationship.

Sensing that Adam was having doubts, Windy didn't want to leave him alone for long. When they were together she could distract him. She knew once they went back to Appaloosa Plains things would be different. Sleeping in different rooms, twin beds, a chance that Peter would convince Adam that he was making a mistake. She had to keep up the appearance that she was working on improving their relationship. It had been months since Adam brought up her cheating. She wanted to keep it that way. She hated living this lie but for now she had no choice.

Looking at Adam she smiled sadly saying "No I'll come with you."

"Uh ok," Adam half-heartedly acknowledged. With a sinking heart Adam knew that Windy wasn't about to let him out of her sight the entire summer.

When they arrived at home they were just in time for Elliot's birthday party. Elliot was becoming a teenager and grew into a handsome young man but there was still a look in his eyes that showed his distrust for people, a legacy from the time he spent locked in the cellar at the mercy of Vallari.

Adam hoped one day that the trusting, outgoing boy he knew and loved was still there. But for now they had this guarded replica instead. Adam wondered if he was the only one who noticed the difference or if he was more sensitive from being gone. It saddened him knowing he was no longer part of the family dynamic and things were changing without him.

Even his parents were moving on and welcoming a new addition to the family. Adam smiled to himself, glad that his parents had decided to have another child. This child would grow up free from any influence from Vallari. Adam watched his father holding Jean and absently rubbing her baby belly. Adam couldn't help but wonder if he would ever be that happy, content with life. The more he was with Windy the more convinced he became that they weren't meant to be. He knew what it looked like when a couple was in love and happy. All he had to do was look at his parents and what he and Windy had wasn't it. He doubted they ever would. He felt that Windy was up to something and trying to distract him. He had to admit her distractions were pleasurable but unfulfilling. He longed for that kind of intimacy with someone who he could love and trust with his heart and who felt the same way about him. He finally realized what his father had been trying to tell him all along, he couldn't love someone just because he thought he should. He admitted to himself that love shouldn't be a duty, it wasn't fair to him or to Windy. His decision made, Adam glanced at his parents and felt a pang of jealousy for their obvious happiness, he made his way to his room.

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That night as Jean and Peter were getting ready for bed, Peter took a moment to talk to the baby. As he was leaning over he was overcome with vertigo and he reached out to steady himself as wave after wave of dizziness swept through him.

"Honey are you alright?" Jean asked in concern as Peter went white as a sheet. 

 

"I'm not sure," Peter said swallowing several times as he fought the need to throw up. "I don't feel well." He said as he rushed to the bathroom.

Fear knifed through Jean as she watched Peter violently heaving his insides out. She whispered to herself "this can't be happening. Not now, not again." Rubbing her growing belly she didn't want to raise this baby without Peter but her worst fears were becoming a reality.

"I'm sorry Jean," a familiar voice said behind her. She turned to find Emit standing there. "What's happening?" she asked in a frightened whisper unable to take her eyes from Emits' transparent form.

"I'm ceasing to exist," Emit replied "things have gone badly for Adam this past year and he's decided to break up with Windy."

"Oh no, he can't do that," Jean wailed knowing that everything she held dear was on the verge of disappearing.

Emit glanced sadly towards Peter who was weakly laying on the bathroom floor. "I'm sorry. I should never have gotten involved with my predecessors.  I tried to save Adam from a loveless marriage and because of that decision I'm being erased from existence. Time is resetting itself. I came to warn you so that you could prepare yourself. All the changes I made are undoing themselves."

"Isn't there anything we can do?" Jean asked wringing her hands.

"There's nothing that can be done except hope for a miracle." With that Emit faltered and swayed. "I'm sorry Jean I wish there was something I could do. I've exhausted all avenues in the vain hope of finding something I missed. But I can't undo my mistake. If I hadn't planted the seed of doubt Adam may have continued blind to Windy's vices." He grew weaker until he vanished altogether.

After staring at the spot where Emit disappeared, Jean went to check on Peter. He was leaning against the wall asking "Was that Emit?

"Yes."

"Some things wrong isn't there?" he asked trying to make sense of what he overheard and saw. Jean explained what she knew of the situation.

"So that's it," Peter said flatly giving into fate.

"Don't give up! Do anything, scream, holler anything just don't give up." Jean cried into his shoulder.

"Honey let's face facts. I'm already showing signs that the cancer is back and we don't have the future to fall back on. Yes I'll go through the treatments again and no I won't give up. But we have to make sure things are in place for the future so that the kids are provided for."

Jean nodded agreement. Looking at Peter she suggested "Maybe we should tell Adam. Ask him to give Windy a second chance. You know he would do anything for you."

"No absolutely not! I won't put him in that position. He needs to be free to make his own decisions. He deserves to have a happy, guilt free future whether I'm there or not. Jean promise me you won't tell him."

"I, I promise," Jean said kissing Peter as she cried. She knew he was right and she hoped Adam would forgive them for not telling him. She feared that if he ever found out he held the key to his fathers survival he would hate them.

As the summer progressed, Peter went to the doctor and started cancer treatments and after much discussion they decided not to tell the children until after Adam went back to college. They tried to carry on as normally as possible despite Peter's gradual and worsening health. The week before Adam was to go back to college Jean went into labor. To everyone's surprise Jean gave birth to twin girls they named Faith and Grace.