Tigerfish Another December twenty-fifth found a gathering in the home of Martin Crosby II and wife Veronika, generations of Crosbys--some in name, some in lineage, others in marriage--strewn about the house. The majority of them were in the expansive parlor, but others occupied different rooms of the first floor. Martin II himself was currently taking a shift in the playroom, his keen but aged eyes watching over the grandchildren and great-grandchildren who grew bored of adult company and played with their new toys. He loved the little ones and was glad they were once again numerous, even as they kept him on his feet. In a strange way, playing with the blurring generations made him feel young again, but also very old.
And the family would soon be welcoming another member, it was discovered as Catherine Cohen nee Crosby arrived with news on her tongue and a hand on her belly. Another great-grandchild to welcome. And Cohen or not in name, that child was a Crosby. Everyone here was. Almost.
Veronika smiled upon the adults and teenagers, glancing about to check in on each of her loved ones. Everyone seemed content enough with their surroundings, save Martin IV and his wife Tawny, neither of whom ever seemed too thrilled which anything except each other and their son. She always enjoyed the interesting dynamics of who interacted with whom at these things, which cousins were closest, which siblings shared stories. Overall, everyone was quite close-knit.
She noticed, to her slight surprise, that Sally currently sat alone. Veronika looked around, finding Braxton chatting with Sophie and Lilac, an interesting combination indeed. Finding opportunity in this, Veronika rose from her position and headed over to Sally. “Why are you alone? May I join you?” she asked softly.
Sally glanced up at her grandmother, resisting the urge to sigh. Given their conversation at Catherine’s wedding, she had an idea where this was going. “I’m only alone because Jake went to the restroom, but sure,” the Aladren alumna answered a bit distantly, preparing herself to shut her grandmother out.
Veronika seemed to disregard the first half of the response; at least, she said nothing to attest to it registering with her. She sat beside Sally, leaning back against the couch. For a moment, she said nothing. But then she ever so casually happened to glance at Catherine and Warner where they sat, Caty’s parents fawning over them. “Mr. and Mrs. Cohen seem happy,” she commented idly before continuing to glance around. Veronika found Marcus with his fiancee Melanie. They seemed to be involved in a conversation with Arnold and Ryan, but no matter who spoke, Marcus kept his gaze firmly on Melanie, a small but powerful smile on his face. “Look at them,” she grinned. “That’s how every girl wants to be looked at, isn’t it?”
“Grandmother, can you please-”
“Why are you so resistant to marriage?”
Sally’s head snapped to the side, staring at her grandmother incredulously, angrily. “You wouldn’t let me marry him if I wanted to, and we both know it, so just stop.” A pang of guilt burned in her chest for the way she spoke to her, but she was completely done with these conversations. “Can’t you just let me live my life and be happy? Stop trying to force me into something I don’t want.”
“What don’t you want? Respect? Good standing? A normal life?” Her tone was flat, but she raged internally, taken aback and a bit offended by her granddaughter’s tone, but also frustrated and hurt that any of this was necessary. “Sally, you have to understand something. Our type and his type… It will not work. You have to find someone…. like us.” And even then there were no guarantees, a terror she had seen through Jamie’s experiences. How could she have never seen? Not that every case would be that way, but even for moderate reasons, divorce was so dreadfully unfavorable. “You need to find a good wizard.”
“You need to let me breathe,” Sally returned, doing her best to hide her frustration. She didn’t want to cause a scene in front of the whole family. “Maybe my life is not holding up to your impossible standards, but I am happy. I love my life exactly how it is. Is it up to societal standards? Probably not. Is it permanent? Who knows? But I like it, and I’m living it for me.”
For a moment, Veronika was silent. She averted her eyes from her granddaughter and returned them to her grandson and his fiancee. “I’d like you to find someone respectable before Marcus and Melanie get married,” she stated, her voice strangely weighted despite its emptiness. There was a seriousness and desperation, infecting Sally as well. “Or else there may have to be… consequences.”
“Grandmother.... Are you threatening me?” Sally’s voice had matched her grandmother’s, low and serious, yet full of pride despite the indignance.
Veronika stood, giving a smile and a wave where Jake approached. “That’s just it, dear,” she said through her smile, her tone anything but matching. “I’m trying to protect you.”