3.26 Someone Watching Over You

The day following his grandmothers funeral, Rafe graduated from High School with the highest honor possible. He was selected Class Valedictorian and the speech he prepared moved everybody to tears. It had been inspired by his grandmothers life, who has always been accepting of everybody no matter what would happen or go wrong. After everybody dried their tears, his classmates had a surprise for him though. They had voted him to be Most Likely to Burn Down Their Own House. Rafe had always tried his best to hide his clumsiness, but apparently he was unlucky enough to be noticed anyway. All in all Rafe was pretty satisfied with the outcome of his graduation day.

Also graduating is Sidney, though Ryan noticed her among all the graduates, she didn't as much as look their way, he knew she was aware of them though. He can't understand why she didn't even attend to the funeral, he never understood why his mother tried to get this girl back together, to him she was a lost cause. Apparently she had no feel as to how to behave in certain situations, cause here she was, trying to talk to him as though nothing happened. "Sidney, my son loves you, I have no say in that, but if you ever hurt him..." Ryan has never ever thought he would act as cliche as that, but he really felt the need to make sure this girl would not hurt his son. If he would have had a say in it, he would not have allowed his son to date Sidney, but what can you do about it. At least he is happy that for now Rafe will go and live on his own, and not skip to living together right away.

When Rafe walked over, Sidney was just exchanging looks with Dennis Chesterfield. Ryan had a very bad feeling about this girl, he wasn't sure how to bring this up with Rafe though, or if he should bring it up.

His worries were brought down a bit though when Sidney was at least all eye for Rafe and she did not seemed embarrassed to show her affection for him.

Ryan let Rafe and Sidney figure out their own stuff, and turned around to his brother who's youngest daughter Mayra also graduated today. At the funeral there had been hardly any time to talk to each other, and he felt they needed to catch up. His brother had gotten old and it looked as though he was having a hard time with his mothers passing. "Do you know she helped me and Angel through our rough patch? If it wasn't for what she did for us Angel and I would have probably broken up after Michelle was born...then I wouldn't have been standing here today, Mayra would not have even been born!"
Ryan never realized how much every one of his siblings, including himself, were leaning on their mother.

When the day came to an end, Rafe had been been moved to his new home. Luke felt alone when he walked into what used to be "their" bedroom, so he turned on his feet and walked through the door next to his. Staring at his grandmothers bed, he couldn't grasp the thought of her never coming back again. He had never experienced a loss like this before, he had never known his grandfather. He crawled up into her bed, wishing she was still here to help him get through this.

Three weeks after his brother had moved out, his father sits with him while he is making his homework. "So how are you holding up kid..." Luke looks at his father, not sure what he wants to hear, "what do you mean dad?" "Well, with your grandmother no longer here, your brother moved out..."
Luke scratches his head, "I'm okay dad, I mean, I'm alone a lot, but I just go over to Sommer, or invite her here, or I just go and paint." Ryan raises an eyebrow, "you are aware that Sommer is family right?" Luke frowns, "yes dad...I know she is your cousin, but she's my friend, there's nothing wrong with that is it?" "No son, as long as you both are friends there is nothing wrong..." Luke rolls his eyes while trying to focus on his homework again. After a few minutes he gives up and drops his pencil, "dad, I don't want to go back to my own room again. It's so empty without Rafe."
Ryan finishes his plate, gets up from the table and walks towards Luke to ruffle through his hair, "I know kiddo, you can stay in your grandma's room, if you wan't you can make it all yours."

For three months they had been restricted access to what Luke called "his domain". Ryan was swimming in the pool when his youngest son came rushing outside to show him the results. He and Maddie had discussed the possible outcome of the redecoration would be violet, they agreed to give Luke free play anyway to make sure he would not want to move out when he'd turn into an adult. With his own "domain" they hoped he would want to stay with them, where they could keep an eye on him. Ryan still hoped this wouldn't freak Madeline out again, this might be to much violet for her taste, and he hadn't even been in the bathroom yet.

Madeline coped with the bedroom just perfectly, but it turns out the fact that even the toilet was purple was just to much for her.

When he suggested that they had to make sure the shower would function properly, you know, to keep their son from harm, she calmed down pretty quickly.

Luke is very happy with his room, he spends a lot of time behind the drawing table, enjoying the calm feeling the violet gives him. One night his grandmother comes to check out her old room, with a big smile she takes in the overwhelming color. She doesn't care how it looks, as long as Luke is happy with it, she's happy.

Without any of her family knowing it, she comes quite often to watch over Luke as he sleeps. She hasn't felt the need to protect any of her grandchildren like she does for Luke.

-----------------------------------------Notes---------------------------------------------

On with it! Lukes teenage years will rush by....I am quite anxious to start his generation now. So I might just do it all in one chapter :) I thought it was funny that Danya crawled into bed next to him :) She's quite the friendly ghost...I am starting to understand why most of you have stopped getting ghost on their lots...Madeline is more passed out then awake...one night I had Boy, Danya and Satya running around the house...I had to sent Madeline to bed to get through it all, she passed out 5 times on the way down!