Who: Joe Proudfoot (NPC) What: A Moment of Reflection When: Tuesday, June 25, 2019 Where: Brightstar Reserve, Exterior Warnings: Big Proudfoot Family Feels
"I don't know what to do about Thorne."
After a short silence, he continued. "The issue is what it's always been: I want to protect him, but he's also a grown man. He has to make his own way. His own mistakes. I worry about this path of self-destruction he can't seem to get off of, but I know it's his own life. I'm just afraid I didn't do enough—with any of them, really. But that's always the way it's been."
A heavy sigh rippled the air, but he pressed on with a wry smile. "Speaking of, Kimiko seems to be doing all right. I think she's made a new friend in one of our recent hires—well, in as much as she makes friends. You know how she is. How they all are. Fitz is moving to San Diego. He seems happy, but I have to admit that it seems impulsive, even for him. I think the change in location and a new job will do him some good, maybe let him find his feet again. And you'd like Alex. He's smart and funny, and completely gone on Fitz."
He cast about for something else, but it was exaggerated, affected. "There was something else… Oh! Ethan and Laura are expecting!" Joe laughed. "Sorry, sorry. I know I buried the lead there. We're going to be grandparents!"
His grin faded slowly, and he reached down to brush away a stray bit of grass from the words etched in stone. "I miss you, Mags. It's been twenty-five years—a quarter of a century now—and I've missed you every damn day. I wish you could've known our kids. You would have loved them to pieces. And you'd have been a much better parent, I'm sure. Sometimes I wonder if I was ever enough for them. If I was what they needed. I know you would have hugged them more. Made them cookies. Rocked them to sleep. I tried to sing that song you always loved to Ethan when he first came to me." A watery laugh left him. "Never made that mistake again. That was always your thing."
Head bowed, Joe pressed his hand to the cool stone, kept in shadow beneath a tree in arguably the quietest spot on the Reserve. "I got the family you always wanted. I think it would have made you happy. I wish you could have stayed. I wish—" he broke off, shoulders shaking, silent for several minutes. Finally he stood and swiped his knees, knocking away the dirt and grass and leaves. He smiled down at the little stone, even though his heart was breaking like it did every year. "Happy birthday, sweetheart."