Young Guardian Trilogy by Lady Adellandra Dratianos (the lemonade war series .TXT) 📖

stared at her outstretched arm with a scowl. He took a deep breath, looking first to me, then to Aimee, Derrick, and finally Kelly herself.
To my surprise, he took it. “Clean slate for me, too, I guess.”
Aimee giggled.
For the first time in a long time, everything was back to normal.

II

It wasn’t always happy in my little world. There were sad times as well, like when Mother Parker passed away. Caroline and I attended the funeral.
I escorted her in my Jeep, which gave me haunting memories of the person who gave it to me. She sat in the passenger’s seat, with the children in back. For once, Kelly and her friends were quiet. Bradley, Kelly, Kymm and Carrie insisted on riding with Caroline and me. I had the three-year-old twins, Mark Antony and Andrew in the very backseat with their cousins, Caleb and baby Meredith. Derrick was in his own Jeep with Luna and Shane, who were so supportive.
“Crusaders have to stick together, no matter what.” Luna announced. Since Meredith had been born, she sounded so much more adult.
“We’re here for you, Caroline.” My husband hugged her as we unloaded the Jeep.
“Thanks, Derrick.” Caroline sniffed. “I really appreciate this.”
“Hey,” Luna replied softly, hugging her as well. “You’re family now, like it or not.”
This got Caroline to smile. “You don’t know me that well, so how can you call me family?”
“It gives us a chance to know you.” Shane put in, carrying his baby daughter.
“You’re still my adopted sister, you know.” I told her, arm around her shoulder. “And Diane was my adopted mother.”
“Didn’t she know you weren’t Bonnie Marie?” Caroline asked, dabbing her tears. Her bright red hair was up in a sophisticated bun, and she looked wonderful. She may have been in black, as we all were, but it made her look older, and more astute.
Now, when I first met Caroline Parker, I thought of her as a snob, and another challenge in my ever-changing life. She was only sixteen, I was eighteen, when we first met, but she didn’t know my real age. We were so far apart from each other; it was as if we were from two separate worlds. We were, really, but we shared one common bond – Mark’s death.
Caroline never really knew the truth of how he died. For her, he just died. She never knew the Magic I’d had to use to bring her back from an almost long-gone spell Sabrina had placed on her. She never knew the truth about my Magic until that fateful night at the Hill View Cemetery.
Goddess, to live those moments again would be fatal to my own healing soul.
“Ariana?” It was Caroline’s voice interrupting my thoughts.
I snapped out of my depressive daze to find we’d already reached Mother Parker’s grave-site.
“Sorry Caroline.” I looked down at the closed casket as the preacher prepared to say the final words of prayer to her.
She repeated her question. “Didn’t she know you weren’t Bonnie Marie?”
I nodded my head. “Oddly enough, she did. Unfortunately, Mark had us confused.”
“Why do you say that?” Caroline sniffed.
“Whenever we kissed, his heart and mind were on her. Not me.” I told her. “I began to feel sorry for him, but ended up falling in love. Before too long, the Crusades were happening, with him in the middle of a battle for my affections.”
“It was a wonder why he always stuck by her.” Caroline began to cry again. I placed a comforting arm around her shoulders, immediately sensing something amiss.
“Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.” The preacher mumbled.
“Here lies a woman whom no one could trust.” I heard whispered in my other ear.
I turn to none other than the faint visionary whisper of Mark Grey. Caroline was still staring at her mother’s coffin, watching intently. I wonder if she could see or hear him.
“I’ll explain later.” Mark whispered in my ear. “The Crusaders are the only ones to see or hear me.”
How did you get Earthbound? I asked him in my mind.
“I’m buried right next to her.” Mark announced. “That’s why I’m so clear to you now. As I said, I’ll explain later. Time to bury the meanest woman in Hill View.”
Mother Parker wasn’t mean, she was just...
How could I explain it to him?
“Admit it, she was mean.” Mark teased. He gestured to the gravestone. “On with the show.”
I returned to the scene, and the feelings of him disappeared from beside me.
“If anyone has anything else to say to the departed, say it now.”
There was a tense silence until Caroline nearly threw herself on the newly-covered grave. “Mother, I am so sorry. I didn’t mean to kill Daddy; you know that. I was under a spell, an evil spell. My dreams were haunting me, and I had nowhere to run to.”
“I didn’t mean all the mean things I said to you, or to Daddy, or even to Bonnie. I know I was a mean, spoiled brat. You were right about that, Mother.”
“You were always right.” Caroline stood, dabbing her eyes with a tissue. “I’m sorry for the hell I’ve caused you, and only hope you can forgive me on the other side, Mother.”
She looked to me, tears in her eyes. “Thanks to Ariana Moon Woods, who you brought to the house after Bonnie Marie died, my dreams became much more peaceful. She helped me, even when I hurt her and her friends. I thank you both for that.” Caroline summed.
She was going to cry again, I could tell. I was, too.
Faint, in the distance, I thought I heard a soft, “I forgive you” as the wind blew through the air.
Caroline and I looked at each other. She heard it, too.
It didn’t seem as if anyone else did, so when we went home, all was silent. I drove the children home before Caroline. Kelly, Kymm, and Carrie were the only ones left. It was silent as I drove to the Parker Mansion, until I heard Caroline’s little voice peep.
“Ariana?”
“Yeah.”
“I’m sorry I treated you the way I did.” Caroline said. “I didn’t mean to.”
I smiled at her, despite my depressive mood. “It wasn’t your fault. All is forgiven.”
She didn’t say anything, so I continued.
“There’s one thing you’ll learn about me, and that’s the fact I’m a very forgiving person.” I told her quietly. “Sometimes too forgiving.”
“Isn’t there anyone you don’t forgive when they do something wrong to you?” She asked me.
I had to think about that one. “Caroline, forgiveness is Divine. Treat others as you wish yourself to be treated.”
“Where did you learn that?” She asked softly.
“Throughout the years of orphanage hell and Mrs. Gertrude, I learned a lot of things.” I told her. “Like the fact you have to learn to forgive others who treat you wrongly.” I stopped the Jeep so the twins in the back could hop out.
I touched her chin and kissed her cheeks. “You must also learn to forgive yourself for things you cannot control.”
We hugged, this time Caroline held on tighter.
“Thank you, Ariana.” She whispered in my ear. “I appreciate the advice.”
“Its okay, Caroline.” I said. “Listen, anytime you need help with anything – anything at all – I want you to call me, or come over. Understand?”
She looked at me, her big eyes red from crying. “You sound like Mother.” She announced softly, and then cried once again in my embrace.
“It’s okay, calm down.” I whispered, feeling like a mother to her. She seemed so young and fragile still. “I want you to do something for me.”
She looked back at me, rubbing her eyes (her mascara running down her face like water). “What?”
“I want you to go in there and show your twins you can be strong in a time of mourning.” I said. “Remember my advice and follow it. Okay?” She didn’t say anything for a moment. “I want you to promise me, Caroline Parker.”
She looked into my eyes and nodded. “I promise.”
“Good, now go in there and be a mother to your own twins.” I playfully commanded her.
When I left her, I found Kelly already waiting for me in the Jeep.
“Is she okay, Momma?” She asked me.
I nodded, hugging her. “Everything’s fine, my darling. Everything’s perfect once again.”
That’s when she said the magic words, making my depressive mood disappear.
“I love you, Momma.” Kelly announced, hugging me tighter. “Let’s go home.”
And that we did.
Part Four:
Birth of a New Love

Prologue:
Dream Memories

Alas, my story isn’t over, yet. The best is yet to come. Two weeks after Diane Parker’s funeral, I found out I was pregnant once again. I would find this wouldn’t be an ordinary pregnancy, but a strange one to tell the truth.
As with nearly every adventure as a Crusader and the Young Guardian, it began with dreams.

Goddess Ocarina stood at her Futurian Mirror, frowning at the sight. What she saw made her sigh. “If only the Mystics would learn to harness their powers in full, then the Dream Realm would be peaceful once again.” She ticked.
Her arms unfolded, Ocarina raised her hands to the Mirror, calling out the chant.

“Fort night should be thy birth
“The day should be thy death
“The Mystic with the most of youth
“Reincarnate with the rest.
“I call upon the Mystic Melody
“Earthbound Daughter of Dorianne.
“Come unto me, and do thy bidding!”

In moments, a figure appeared in front of her.
The woman with rainbow-colored hair and Mystic eyes of silver-blue bowed down to her Goddess. She was dressed in a black gown with golden musical notes and symbols covering it. She took off the hood, not daring to meet her Goddess’ eyes. “Yes, my Goddess. What does thou wish of thee?”
“It is time, my sweet Melody. Time for your second reincarnation.”
“Where shall I go this time, my Goddess?” Melody whispered.
“You are to be the second daughter of the Young Guardian.”
Melody looked up. “Young Guardian? Why? Whatever for?”
Goddess Ocarina turned to her, silently telling the girl to rise. “Do you remember your first reincarnation?”
“As Melody Crawford?”
“Where you bore your own daughters, and had a brother, Matthew.”
Melody remembered the twin brother she’d lost at their high school graduation. “Aye, Goddess.”
“Well, the destination the Mistress Enchantra, your grandmother, has given to me is actually a plea for help.”
“A plea?”
“Aye. The Mistress saw a vision in her Mirror. In the years to come, Young Guardian and her family will need help from a more-powerful Mystic. Until then, you must live as both Melody Applebee and Melody Reading.”
“How is that possible, my Goddess?” Melody shook her head. “One soul to two bodies? I don’t understand. It isn’t possible! It’s not true!”
“It is true, my dear, but the plea will make Young Guardian happy again.”
“How?”
“The answer shall come in time.” Ocarina’s eyes sparkled, and Melody smiled.
Melody faded away in a Mystic rainbow cloud, preparing herself for the long journey to the Outer Realm.

I didn’t know who Melody Crawford was, but I could have sworn she was identical to Luna and me. The long, golden reddish-blond hair, silver-blue eyes, and a younger Mystic twin’s aura. The next dream led me further into the mind of Melody Crawford-Applebee.

She was driving with her husband, Michael, to join their daughters at a local party.
Michael Applebee was driving, but Melody was the one to feel the terror.
The car sped on the highway a little faster than she’d liked.
“Michael,” Melody’s voice was soft, and her hand touched his leg.
“What’s wrong,