LXIX.                                          Heartbreak Weather

      Thalia was sitting in the living room when Odessa and Christian came into the house. Her daughter had a bright expression and her smile stretched from ear to ear. "Mom, mom, mom, oh my god!" She squealed and ran to her. "You're never going to believe it."

"What, what, what? How did the fight go?" Thalia immediately questioned.

Odessa sat beside her on the couch. "I won my fight!"

Her eyes widened. "You did?"

"I did!"

"She did." Christin laughed, also smiling widely.

"That's incredibly honey!" The mother praised and immediately hugged her daughter, feeling her excited jitters. "Wait, does that mean you guys qualified for the Sekai Taikai?"

"We did. . .and Cobra Kai."

Thalia furrowed her brows and pulled away. "Cobra Kai?" She looked at Christian.

"They said we both had great qualities and thought having both teams would be the best option." He explained.

She scoffed. "Jesus, it can never be just one or the other."

Odessa was still smiling. "At this point, I really don't care. I won!" She stood from the couch. "I gotta get ready for Miguel's party." She announced and ran around the table. She passed by her dad and flashed him a smile, making him smile back.

Thalia waited until she was completely out of sight and ear shot. As much as she wanted to be excited, she couldn't be, because her mind was full of something else. She looked at Christian and he smiled at her. Thalia stood from the couch and started going to the kitchen. "I bet you're really proud." She stated.

"Of course I am." He laughed and followed her. "You should've seen her, Tal. She was incredible." He praised with a proud smile. "I mean, it was like going back in time, y'know?"

Christian watched her grab a water from the fridge. She smiled tightly. "Yeah, I bet." She responded and looked away from him.

He furrowed his brows, confused on her reaction. "I thought you'd be more happy."

"I am, Christian. Or I really wanna be."

Thalia walked by him and slid open the back door. He stood there still confused, and she stood on the back porch staring at the sky, having yet to drink the water she grabbed. Christian followed her out and slid the door closed. "Hey, what's wrong?" He gently asked.

Thalia shook her head and glanced down at the bottle of water, her hands seemingly tightening around it. "Why are you, Chris?"

Christian slipped out a scoffed laugh. "You and Dess really love asking me that."

"I'm serious, Christian." She spoke sternly and looked him in the eyes. "Why are you back?"

"I-I," he stuttered. "I came back for you. For Odessa. You know this."

She licked her lips, them suddenly feeling dry. She opened the cap of the bottle with shaky hands and brought it to her lips. The cold feeling stung her burning throat.

"Thalia, what's the matter?" Christian asked again when he noticed her fidgeting.

Thalia closed the bottle again and walked over to the table, sitting it on the glass. She almost felt like she was going to fall over and her stomach began to twist in knots. "Do you remember when you left your phone here the other day?" She brought up.

He nodded his head. "Yeah."

Slowly, Thalia turned around and faced him again. She leaned back on the table and held the edge of it tightly to keep herself steady. "You got a call from the hospital. Then a voicemail." She informed with a shaking voice. "I listened to it."

Christian's face collapsed.

"How long have you known?" Thalia's voice broke.

"I don't know what you're—"

"Don't you dare stand there and lie to me." She snapped and pointed her finger at him, her gaze darkening.

A shaky breath passed his lips and Christian looked away, popping his fingers with anxiety. "I-I. . ." He stammered and licked his lips as well. "Thalia—"

Her eyes began to water. He looked ashamed. "Please, Christian." She whispered.

He closed his eyes and lowered his head. "I got sick my last month or two in rehab." Christian quietly began to explain. "I was throwing up all the time. I could hardly move. I just thought it was withdraws, y'know? That I wanted the drugs so badly that my body was fighting me. So I just trudged through it, took as much of what they gave me to keep the pain away." Christian paused and lifted his head to reveal his glossy eyes. He put his shaking hands into the pockets of his jacket. "Before I came looking for you guys, I got real sick again, and I had to be rushed to the hospital. I was in so much pain. It wasn't just surface level pain, it was. . .it was like deep inside pain. Like my body was on fire." He paused again and Thalia watched as he swallowed harshly. "They did an MRI on me, and. . ." Sucking in a deep breath, Christian shamefully stared at her. "It's cancer, Tal."

Thalia's chin wobbled and her eyes turned red. "When were you going to tell me?" Her voice broke again.

He shook his head. "I couldn't."

"So you were just gonna waltz back into our lives, hoping we'd be a family again, knowing that you were dying?"

"It's not that simple, Thalia."

Taking a step closer to him, Thalia's glare darkened but her eyes watered even more. "That little girl in there has been through the worst kinds of trauma, and all she's ever wanted is her father back. And you were just going to let her think you would come back forever?" She accused him, the betrayal in her voice clear. "You were gonna let me think that?"

"I love you and Odessa so much, Tal." Christian said somberly.

So many emotions suddenly flooded her at one time. Thalia lifted her hands and ran them through her hair, every muscle in her body going numb. "I-I-I don't understand." She started stuttering. "W-Why now?"

"Thalia—"

When he reached out to her, she pulled back. "No. Why now, Chris? Were you hoping to gain our trust back first then break the news? You came in here like a tornado and now you're just leaving?" Her voice gradually got louder the more upset she felt.

Christian licked his lips again and stared at her, feeling completely defeated.

"I have cried myself to sleep for years, forced to watch my daughter grow up and be picked apart by society, and she's cried for her daddy to come back and make everything okay again. I've hated you for so long for leaving us and I have prayed for you to come back so many times, and I felt like a damn idiot every single time." Thalia cried. "But you came back. You came back and now you're dying on me. You damn son of a bitch."

Christian hugged her. He fought against her resistance and her cries muffled as she pressed her face to his clothed chest.

"We were supposed to grow old together."

"I'll love you until my very last breath, Thalia Beaumont." He promised and kissed the top of her head, her cries breaking his heart. He pressed his hand to the back of her head. "I love you in any life."

Leave it to Moon and Hailey to tell everybody in the Valley about the house party at Miguel's, Odessa thought when she arrived at the apartment complex with Hailey. It was filled with people and her eyes went wide when she stepped out of the vehicle. "Jesus, Hailey, how many people did you tell?"

"Uhhh, unknown. But a lot." She confirmed and fixed her hair in the car window. "But come on, you should know people always do what I say."

"I don't even recognize some of these people."

"Moon invited kids from East Valley. Gray said he and Oliver are already here, and that they brought beer."

"And Miguel's okay with that?" She raised her brows.

Hailey hummed to herself. "Guess he'll have to be cause they're getting drunk either way."

Odessa chuckled and the girls smiled at the people they walked by. The music was blaring and she walked into Miguel's apartment, immediately seeing Grayson and Oliver dancing in the middle of the living room with cups of beer in their hands and flashing sunglasses on. "Well, we didn't have to look hard."

Hailey immediately smiled. "Gray!" She ran to him.

Grayson stopped dancing and opened his arms. "Hey, baby." He smiled and she hugged him tightly.

"Ollie, where's Demetri?" Odessa asked over the music.

"He's working. I'm about getting tired of it. I'll have to drag his skinny ass out of there one day." Oliver answered and drank from his cup.

She laughed. "He'll get fired if you do that."

"Oh well, he gets more time with me then. Lucky guy."

Odessa grinned and she spotted Eli standing with Miguel and Robby by the kitchen. Carefully pushing past people, she smiled at them. "Hey, guys."

"There's my girl." Eli smiled big and went to her side. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and kissed her quickly. "Dess, we need a girl's opinion."

She gave an odd stare. "Okay?"

"No, no, no we don't. Don't worry about it, Des." Miguel laughed nervously and shot Eli a glare.

"Just, just," Eli held up his hand, shushing him. He looked at his girlfriend again. "Miguel's still worked up about Sam, and we—" he motioned between him and Robby. "Are trying to get him to let loose. Any ideas?"

"You don't have to answer!" Miguel quickly said back.

Odessa titled her head. "Does Sam know how you feel?" She asked, her voice gentle like it always was.

He sighed. "I-I don't know. I think so." Miguel was unsure. "I just. . ." He paused and groaned.

"Mig, all you have to do is communicate with her."

"I've been trying! But I know how hard of a time she's had snd I don't want to interfere."

Half smiling, Odessa titled her head. "If you want her back, then don't be afraid to get her back. But in the mean time, don't spend all your time going crazy on if she'll show up or not. Just have fun. It is your party."

Eli smirked. "See? I knew she'd have the right answer." He removed his arm from her and walked up to Miguel, replacing her shoulder with his. "C'mon, let's go look for some fun."

Miguel objected but Eli pulled him away anyway. Odessa laughed and she looked to Robby, him sitting on the counter. "You having fun?" She asked him while smiling.

Robby smiled back but it was small. "If you say so."

She could see there was something on his mind. Odessa walked around his legs and hopped on the counter with him, adjusting her jeans. "You're thinking about Tory, aren't you?"

He looked her way and his smile turned into a fight frown. There was no use in hiding it. "I don't know how not to." He admitted.

The corner of her mouth turned up slightly. "Have you tried talking to her?"

"I keep wanting to but she doesn't listen. She doesn't know that Cobra Kai's bad for her." Robby explained. "I'm just afraid it's gonna get to the point where she gets hurt."

That's what's Odessa loved the most about Robby. His heart was always in the right place. Even after everything that happened, he ultimately wanted to be good. He wanted to help people. It started with Kenny and now he wanted to help Tory. "I talked to her before the girl's fight," she told him. "She was really upset but tried acting like she wasn't."

Robby hummed.

"I think she does know the situation she's in but something's keeping her from getting out. I also think she's so far in that she feels like she can't leave at all." Odessa declared. "I tried talking to her, but, she doesn't hear anybody out. But I think she'd hear you out."

He shook his head. "I tried—"

"Try again," she interrupted him, not raising her voice. "Everybody needs a little push in the right direction. Tory needs somebody who cares about her, and I know you do."

Slowly, Robby started to smile, and his eyes twinkled. "Y'know, despite all that's happened, I'm really happy we're friends."

With a soft grin in return, Odessa nodded. "I'm happy too."

Eli came back and leaned himself between her legs, during loudly. "What are we talking about?" He asked while leaning his head back.

The two of them glanced at each other. "Karate stuff." Odessa replied and put her hands on his shoulders. "Where's Miguel?"

"GO MIGUEL!" They heard Grayson cheer from across the room.

They looked over and saw Miguel making out with a girl from East Valley on the couch, her body practically on top of his. "Eli." She scoffed and looked down at him.

"What? You said it yourself. He needs to have fun."

"I didn't mean that way!"

Robby laughed. "I'm going to get another drink." He hopped off the counter and went into the kitchen.

Eli turned around, still between her legs, snd he smirked. "Smile, Dess."

She narrowed her eyes, making him smirk wider. "You're annoying."

"And you're beautiful, two things can be true at once."

That got her to smile. She rolled her eyes and leaned in to kiss him. Eli's hand rested on the back of her neck and their eyes closed.

Thalia sat at the kitchen table, the house an eery quiet, and she stared at the place mat in front of her, spaced out. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying, and she felt completely drained. She felt miserable. Christian came in with a cup of tea in his hands. He sat at the end of the table and placed it in front of her. They were still silent.

They were so young when they met. So young when they fell in love, and Thalia had never loved anybody else. Their lives had fallen apart, and she managed to piece hers back together. Now, she felt everything she worked to fix crumble around her again. "Are you in pain?" She uttered.

"Sometimes," Christian nodded. His fingers tapped the wooden table. "It comes and goes, but when it does hurt, it hurts."

"What kind of cancer?"

"Chondrosarcoma. Bone cancer."

Thalia winced. She picked up the tea cup and held it to her lips, but her hands were shaking so bad that she was she didn't drop it. She sat it back down and gulped harshly. "Why didn't you tell me sooner, Chris?"

"If I'm being honest, at the beginning, I didn't think you'd care." Christian responded with a slight laugh.

Thalia looked at him with a hurt expression.

"B-But I was wrong!" He quickly continued. "I was wrong to think that. "I didn't want you to think I came back for pity, or that I wanted something. I came back for you."

Her eyes began to water again. "You have to tell Odessa."

Immediately, Christian shook his head. "No. No."

"What do you mean no?"

He stood from the table. "I can't tell her, Tal."

With wide eyes, Thalia stood as well. "You're going to keep it a secret from her? She said in disbelief.

"We're finally on good terms, Thalia. What do you think's gonna happen when I tell her I have cancer?"

"She's going to be crushed but at least she'll know!"

"All she's known for the past four years is that her father abandoned her!" Christian raised his voice, making her go silent. "And I've worked so hard to get better. I've been doing everything by the book. I'm back now. Odessa knows how sorry I am. H-How am I going to be explain that one day, I'll be gone again?"

His voice broke, and so did. The tears in Thalia's eyes fell down her face. "Don't think like that." She said with a voice crack.

"It's all I can think about." Christian cried and rubbed the back of his neck. He sniffled. "And it hurts so fucking bad, Tal." He walked up to her and cupped the side of her face, and Thalia made a whimpering sound as her eyes watered even more. "Leaving you was the worst mistake of my life. And I'll forever live with that regret. I love you so much. I don't want to leave you again."

Thalia was a smart woman. She was a strong woman. She always had to be. She had a daughter to raise. She'd been through so much with Christian. His life was rough even when he was a teenager, his father never making it easy on him. He was defeated, always thinking the worst was going to happen. But he had her. Thalia was the light in his life. Christian was her rock. But even the brightest of lights are bound to dim and heavy rocks sink until they disappear, no longer to be seen.

Life got in the way of them. Life hurt them, but they reacted in different ways. Thalia chose to suck it up for her daughter, but Christian was slowly sinking until he couldn't control his own life anymore. But even then, he found his way back to them.

He was the love of her life. "Then don't." Thalia whispered.

With tears running down their faces and years of feelings being kept bottled inside, Christian kissed her and Thalia held him close, afraid that he'd slip through her fingers if she let go. Suddenly, she wasn't Thalia Reid. She wasn't that melancholic woman who hid her feelings for her daughter's sake, or the woman who resented him for disappearing the way he did. She was Thalia Beaumont, a woman completely in love with her high school boyfriend, her husband, and the father of their child.

I love you, too.