Hadley Random Legacy: Gen. 2 Chapter 8

Oliver's POV

Now that things were finally getting back to normal, I decided it was time for a family outing to the spring festival. Even though I no longer work a beat or am directly involved in arresting any criminals, they still let me keep my old cruiser.

The kissing booth has long been a tradition at the spring festival. I'd never participated in it before, never had any interest in doing so. Was participating this year a little petty, especially considering Calliope and I had finally made up and I'd forgiven her? Yes, I won't deny that. I'm not perfect. But also maybe it helped me to see things from Calliope's perspective too. It was nice to realize that I'm not too old and decrepit yet and that other women might still find me attractive.

But I still made time to make it clear to Calliope that things really were good between us again and that she's still the only one I want.

Then she made time to demonstrate to me how she saves so many lives. I discovered that mouth-to-mouth resuscitation is not as sexy as it might sound. Although it was still a little sexy. A little. And that probably explains why everyone is always flirting with her after saving them.

Meanwhile, working my ass off at work for so long finally paid off. We were finally able to save up enough money to move into a much bigger, much nicer house.

I went out of my way to spend some time with my older half-brother Sam. I knew he probably didn't have a lot of time left. And soon enough I would be just as gray as he is now.

Sophie is a young adult now, which still blows my mind. It feels like just yesterday I was teaching her how to walk and talk.

Unfortunately, she has made it clear to me that she does not want to follow in my shoes. She does not want to be responsible for the future of our legacy and even confided that she doesn't really even like kids that much.

(Sophie gained the Dislikes Children trait and the Paranormal Profiteer LTW.)

"I think our problems might've affected Sophie more than we realize, Callie," I confided to my wife one night while we watched the stars. "She wants nothing to do with leading the family into the future. And she's obsessed with death and the afterlife for some reason."

"Well, we can't force her to be something she's not. This is her life. She gets to choose how she wants to live it."

Sophie graduated from high school with high honors. Her classmates voted her most likely to be a sports star, but even though she is athletic, that's not what she's most passionate about these days.

Sophie got a job as a paranormal investigator, which I didn't even realize was a real thing. She's literally a ghost buster. I wasn't sure how to feel about that really, but at least it seems to make her happy.

It also caters to her night owl tendencies. She stays up until four in the morning and doesn't roll out of bed until almost noon.

And she keeps bringing home these weird canisters which she says contain ghosts. I really don't know what to make of it all.

Meanwhile, we had a very eventful night recently. Not long after we moved into our new house a burglar took the opportunity to pay us a visit. It was only then that I remembered we hadn't yet purchased a new security system...

Being a light sleeper, I was the first one to hear the burglar break into the house. I ran downstairs to confront the thief and maybe even arrest them myself, but then I got distracted by a strange light outside...It was like I was in a trance. Ignoring the burglar, I went outside and stared up into the stars, but then I saw the strangest thing. It was a UFO!

Hazel and Sophie had been right all along. I'd been wrong to not believe them, but I was about to pay for that error...

While I was being abducted by aliens, Isabel ran downstairs in just her nightgown to confront the thief herself! She's not even the athletic one, but she still managed to apprehend the burglar all on her own. As a dad and a member of law enforcement, I couldn't have been any prouder.

Age has finally caught up to me, it seems. Ever since the abduction, I have been feeling rather strange, but I think it must just be all these new aches and pains. Getting old is not for the faint of heart, after all.

Sophie has her longtime friend Rufus, and Izzy has Eugene, Helli0n Sw0rd's son. He follows her around all the time. I still can't help but think of the time I found him lying on the ground in the park as a newborn, his parents nowhere to be found. Poor kid. No wonder he loves coming over to our house all the time.

My brother Sam passed away from old age. I knew it was coming, but that didn't make it hurt any less. It also reminded me of my own eventual mortality. Playing with Tiger helped comfort me though. He's our new cat that we eventually adopted after losing Snowball.

A rich, elderly bachelor invited Calliope over for a pool party. I think she's saved his life a few times. It's a testament to our rebuilt sense of trust that the invitation and her acceptance didn't even bother me. I trust that Calliope won't make the same mistake twice. And I couldn't begrudge her the opportunity to indulge in a little relaxation. It's not like we have a pool after all.

Henry came over to help console me, but, as usual, his remarks weren't exactly the most comforting...

"Holy shit, you got old. And you've put on a few pounds it looks like. Might be time to hit the gym, bro."

"Thanks, Henry..."

Meanwhile, one of Isabel's favorite hobbies is scaring everyone with her increasingly unhinged ghost stories.

Sophie: "Oh god, it's too scary. I don't think I can listen to the rest..."

Henry: "Aren't you like an actual ghost hunter, kid? Come on, it can't be that scary..."

I think Henry might actually be right, as much as I hate to admit it. I really have been packing on the pounds lately, and I don't understand why. I've always been in shape. If this is what getting old does to a person, I really can't recommend it.

Isabel: "...And the hunter fired the silver bullet straight through the werewolf's heart, killing him instantly!"

Henry: "Oh shit, it is scary!"

Meanwhile, Isabel attended prom. From what I heard afterwards, it was even more chaotic and filled with fights than Sophie's. Sometimes I do worry how my daughters are going to turn out. All the tension and fighting with their mother has no doubt left a lasting impact on them, and that will always be my biggest regret.

Henry: "So, a ghost hunter huh? At least you're not a werewolf hunter. That whole story your sister told was bullshit, right?"

Sophie: "Forget about werewolves, I'm on a journey to discover the secrets of death and the afterlife!"

Sophie: "Here. Let me show you...this is how I capture them."

Henry: "Actually, that is pretty badass."

Sophie: "By the way, did you know that my dad got abducted by aliens? I bet he believes me now!"

Henry: "Tell me everything."

While out and about recently, I ran into Julius and his younger daughter Jasmine. I couldn't help but think of Sam, but I know he would be very proud of his family. At least he got to meet his granddaughters Judith and Jasmine before he passed.

So all that weight I gained? It turns out that wasn't just from getting older. Apparently, the aliens that abducted me left me with a little surprise...

Her name is Luna. I love her just as much as my human daughters. My only regret is that I likely will not live long enough to see her grow up.
(Luna is a Heavy Sleeper and a Couch Potato. Her favorites are Purple, Falafel, and Rockabilly. She's a Scorpio.)

I never thought I'd be taking care of an infant again at my age, or at least not that it would be my infant and not a grandchild. Life sure takes funny twists and turns sometimes. But I don't regret anything. Izzy is poised to lead the family into the next chapter, and I can sit back and finally rest, content with all that my hard work has wrought, and watch my beloved daughters, including little Luna, make their mark in the world.

(I couldn't believe Oliver got abducted! And right before his Elder birthday. I wasn't sure if the pregnancy would still play out, but it did! I probably should've sent Luna back to live with her alien family since the number of children for this generation was only supposed to be two, but I just couldn't help myself. The game presented me with this drama, and I just had to roll with it, haha.)