Thalia and Esme

[Esme Russel]

Esme absolutely hated all of this organic flavorless healthy crap that she was putting into her family's diet. She missed sugar and bacon! She hadn't had a slice of bacon since she was pregnant! Something snapped after Cici was born, she just stopped. She couldn't do it and be unhealthy anymore and risk losing the only child that she may ever have. She had unresolved issues with her miscarriage that kept her from giving up on their diet. It wasn't just their diet that she monitored carefully: Cici had been to the doctor and the dentist more times in her five years than the average ninety year old! She went to the emergency room for every sniffle, cough, and cut. They actually joked that she should have a room reserved at the hospital just in case.

So, she was at the store with her hand tightly clasped with Cici's who was happily enjoying an organic apple juice and a cookie because she had no idea what she was missing on. Esme wasn't really paying attention to that though, she was thinking about sugar. Would it be wrong to sneak a box of fruit loops in? Or cookie crips? She didn't want to risk it if Hudson saw and complained because she was denying him cheeseburgers.

At least she still put out! Speaking of.... they needed condoms since she wasn't on the pill.

[Thaliana Manson]

Thaliana walked down the isle as she had her cell phone to her ear, and and pushing a cart half filled with her other hand. "I know, I know. I'll have his paper work in tomorrow for his testing of how he's improving with his speech and how he's talking"she said into the phone before accidently bumping into someone. "Oh, I'm sorry"she said to the lady before she started walking a little bit more. "Hey, I have to go. I'll call you back"she said before handing up and turning around. Her blonde hair was still long, and to the arch of her back. She had it curled and had a water fall braid going through the left side of it. She wore a black cross over back top, with a pair of dark wash skinny jeans, and black platform pumps. She had a silver cross necklace around her neck, and a silver bracelet with a heart charm around her wrist. Her make up was done with a light sparkly eye shadow with mascara, and a thin coat of eye liner. She had a black coach purse on her shoulder also. "Esme Reynolds?"she said in a questioning tone as she raised her eye brow at the girl. "How are you? Oh my gosh. I haven't seen you in forever Es!"she said with a smile.

She walked over to the girl and hugged her before looking down at Cici. "Hi Cici, I remember you from when you were a little baby"she said smiling at the little girl before looking about at Esme. "How's modeling doing? And you and Hudson?"she asked. She honestly hoped Esme wouldn't ask about Kegan. That would just be a... Sad talk. I mean, a lot of people expected her and Kegan to be the couple that wouldn't break up. Yes three years later, they're over. Going on their own paths, doing their own things now...

[Esme Russel]

Esme was surprised to see Thalia here; she always expected that miss Manson would shop at the grocery store in the city. "Thalia! Yes! Hudson and I are officially married. Look!" She showed off her left hand with a bright smile, "Cici, say hi to Thalia; she and I went to high school together along with a boy named Kegan Conley." Cici looked up at her with widened eyes, "Cockzilla?" "You've been spending too much time with your uncle Cooper!" She laughed nervously and hoped that Thalia didn't catch that because a child who talked like that was probably considered unacceptable. She adjusted her blazer and lifted her daughter up so she could put her in the cart so she could just chill out.

"Did you and Kegan end up getting married?" She glanced over to Thalia's hand and frowned, "Oh.... I'm sure he'll propose soon!" She couldn't imagine Kegan and Thalia not staying together after high school! How could they break up? Granted she never imagined that Elizabeth and Andrew would break up so maybe she was wrong about all of this. "We have a lot to catch up on!"

[Thaliana Manson]

Thalia bit her bottom lip and rubbed her hands together. Shit. The one thing I didn't want to talk about of course got brought up... But I should have known better then to assume it wouldn't. Key and I were in love. Everyone knew it... "Kegan and I broke up a few months into college... We haven't talked or seen each other in five years. I'm sure he's already married or has a girlfriend of some type"she said with a shy smile. She looked at Esme's hand which she was showing off, "It's gorgeous... So, you and Hudson are going strong... Have you heard from Jon at all? Is he still seeing Cici?"she asked with a smile. She missed getting jewelry that had a meaning behind it... Like the promise ring Kegan got her: I just wanted you to know that I'll always be here for you. I'll always support you, and be a rock when you need one. You'll never be alone or be lacking anything when I'm around. And I promise to be faithful to you, as long as you'll have me. Yeah, bull shit Kegan.

[Esme Russel]

Shit, they broke up?

Esme felt guilty so she decided to lie and make her feel better, what were the chances that she would ever see Thalia again? "Hudson and I don't have a good marriage.... He um cheats and drinks! He cheats and drinks all of the time." She was speaking in a calm controlled voice like she was actually telling the truth about all of this. She didn't want to lie and make Hudson an alcoholic unfaithful bastard but it slipped out. "Yeah, he cheats and drinks so I strip to keep us from losing our apartment." She didn't really want to say this..... Hudson would never to that to her or Cici! "And Jon is um..... He um married Avery and he stopped paying child support and he never sees her." She would never let Jonathan drop out of Cici's life but Thalia wouldn't know that.

[Thaliana Manson]

Thalia couldn't help but laugh... She's known this girl for seven years? She knows when she's lying and when she's not. "Esme Phelps. Don't you dare lie to me"she said in a joking voice. "You don't have to lie because you feel guilty. We both know Hudson would never cheat or become an alcoholic. And Jon would never leave and stop paying child support for Cici"she said. She knew Hudson and Jon. And they both would never do that. Ever. Especially not to Esme or Cici. "Look, I've come to face the fact team Conson was never meant to be. No matter how in love we thought we were, or how much it seemed like we were. Kegan and I... We weren't going to last. I'll find someone else soon. I'm just focusing on myself for right now. And Kegan... God knows where he's at. Probably doing something with film school or whatever. But I hope he's doing well, and to be honest. I still love him. I was in love with him for three years, plus the year before we started dating that we just slept together. I was crazy about him... Things just happen to a reason"she shrugged. There was no way in hell she was going to act like the whole situation bothered her or break down crying in front of Esme. She was past crying. She was just numb. She hasn't slept with anyone or dated anyone since Kegan and she has no plans of being with anyone anymore.

[Esme Russel]

"Marriage isn't perfect, you know? Marriage and children.... It changes everything and maybe you and Kegan would have ended up divorced or in a custody battle for your kids and trust me, it really sucks to drop your baby off with their daddy and watch them cry because they want you or to watch them cry for their daddy because they don't want to leave and don't understand why they can't have both. Cici loves Hudson and I love Hudson but it breaks my heart that to not have her all of the time to myself." Esme explained with a frown before she looked over to Cici who was enjoying her animal cookie things and juice still. "Cici, why don't you tell Thalia what we call Hudson?" "Daddy H!" Cassidy announced happily before taking a bite out of a cookie so the head was off, "Look! It's headless, mommy!" She had interesting habits.

[Thaliana Manson]

Thalia nodded, "I get it... I'm still in a open adoption with Emily and every time I leave she cries because she can't come home with me... Ya know, since she does have her own adoptive family... She's ten years old now, she's gotten so big!"she said with a smile. She took out her cell phone from her back pocket and pulled out her pictures. She found a picture of a blondish-brunette ten year old girl in a gymnastics leotard, she handed the phone to Esme. "She does gymnastics now, and i'm helping her four times a week. She's taking right after her mommy"she said with a smile. After Esme got a good look at the picture she put her phone back in her pocket and looked at Cici. "Cici has grown up fast too"she said. She remembered back when Cici was first born just a little baby girl.

(Emily- wheretruthlies.com/drupal/sites/default/files/images/Shawn%20Johnson%20(C)%20of%20the%20US2.jpg )

[Esme Russel]

"Cici is involved in ballet for her age group and her school has everything imaginable for the kindergartners." Esme was so going to start bragging and it was obvious by the proud tone that she suddenly had, "She's the smartest girl in her class according to her teacher." She was actually not telling Thalia any of the bad things that was included like Cici doesn't play well with others, Cici hits other students, Cici called a classmate a bitch. Normal stuff for a five year old!

Well she thought that it was normal. "I want another baby! I miss having my snuggle bug!" She was really upset not to have her cute little baby anymore.