Apocalyptic Rebirth: With a repairman system space, she rises again. - Chapter 372

Chapter 372: The tragedy
Castiel’s outburst stunned her. Sunshine let go of the suitcase and she picked him up. His hands were already stretched anyway, begging for her to embrace him. His fragile sobs broke her heart. She patted his back, whispering words of assuring to him.

“What happened?” She asked Ariel as she turned, walking to the living room. “Was my baby bullied by someone.”

Ariel waited until she was seated before pointing to the suitcase that Hades was holding firmly, knuckles white as he gripped it like someone was about to rip it away. “Why do you have a suitcase mommy, are you leaving us?”

“I…” Sunshine started but failed to continue as Castiel’s small hands almost choked her.

“I said sorry mommy, I already promised to be good. Don’t you want me anymore?” He bawled.

“You can’t leave.” Ariel said, clearly distraught.

Earl was just standing there, frozen like a forlorn landscape. As for Hades, he was blinking like a lost sheep in the wild, searching for safety.

Sunshine managed to pull Castiel’s hands away and she exhaled. She was certain that he had left marks on her neck and he was still trying to grasp any part of her his hands could access. If he was a baby kangaroo, he would be climbing back into her pouch, never to come out.

“Everyone needs to calm down.” She raised her voice, saying calmly. “If I was leaving, it would not be with just one suitcase. I would need at least ten to fit you all. Your aunt Nimo is sick, I just packed some fruits, snacks and other things for her.”

She could see the relief on their faces. Earl even collapsed to the floor.

“You are not leaving.” Ariel whispered in relief.

Sunshine nodded. “That’s right, I am not leaving. Why would you even think that?”

“Because everyone on the base is saying so.” Earl blurted out.

“You went to the bar and cried.” Ariel told her. His voice held a slight accusation. “Mrs. Harold said that when women cry in the bar, they are about to get divorced.”

Sunshine looked at Hades. “Who is Mrs. Harold?”

“Jon’s housekeeper.” He told her. “I think I saw her talking to Cathy in the market today morning. The boys were not far from them.” He groaned. “No wonder everyone was whispering and looking at me with pity when we were shopping.”

Castiel sniffed.

“Where is White?” Sunshine asked, patting his back.

“Mother took him to the spa.” Hades shared. He raised the suitcase and lowered it. “Aren’t you going to see Nimo anymore? We would like to go with you. The frost stones are still falling, most people are home. There is nothing much to do in the base.”

She pushed herself up, Castiel attached to her hip like a spider monkey. “Let’s go.”

Hades led the way out and they followed, Sunshine being the last one out the door. She followed Ariel, waiting for him to ask how many beers she had drunk. It wasn’t like him to keep such judgement to himself.

“Ariel, sweetie, do you have anything to say to me?” She asked curiously.

Ariel shook his head. “No,” He slipped one hand into hers in the elevator, smiling at her like all was well in the world.

His nonchalance made Sunshine uncomfortable. It was like she had a blade swinging above her head and it could fall at any moment, decapitating her. “It was just five beers.” she said defensively.

“I know mommy.” he replied, still smiling.

Everyone shuddered. The smile was even more worrisome than his usual vocal rebuking.

“I am sorry I broke our promise.” She squeezed his hand.

Ariel maintained his smile. “You had a bad day mommy and daddy said you were injured while saving others. If it helped you feel better, I have no problem.”

“And she didn’t break any televisions.” Earl pointed out.

Sunshine nodded. “That’s right, I did not break any tv’s or create trouble. I was good.”

Ariel nodded. “And I passed the trust test,” he said proudly.

Hades drove them personally to Nimo’s house and sunshine opened the door because she knew the password. The house was dark like a sleazy tavern, curtains drawn. Only one room had a dim light and sound; the bedroom where Nimo was hiding, sobbing by the sounds that were coming from it.

Without hesitation, Sunshine marched over and pushed that door open. Nimo was on the bed, head resting on a pillow, watching a movie in which a heroine was sobbing just like her. The difference between them was that the heroine was standing under a tree in the rain.

There were a dozen white tissues on the bed and Nimo was clutching another in her hand.

“Oh Neems.” Sunshine said, shaking her head. She was familiar with this routine. It was Nimo’s broken heart package. Stay in bed all day, watching tragic romance movies and losing weight because food lost all appeal during such times.

“Suni,” Nimo wailed, “he drove me home and we almost kissed. Then he said it would be wrong to love me. I feel so stupid.”

Sunshine sighed, sitting down on the bed. Ariel searched for gloves to get rid of the tissues and Hades opened the suitcase.

“Neems, what you need is to train and kill some mutants and mutated beasts, not cry on behalf of some fictional heroine whose problems will be fixed by the time credits roll.” Sunshine said, gesturing at the suitcase. “I brought more special fruits, crackers, the black hole donuts you love. I even brought vitamins and fluids.”

“Crying can cause dehydration.” Earl pitched in.

Castiel handed Nimo his toy octopus. “Octi makes everything better.”

Ariel was inspecting Nimo’s DVD collection, frowning because he found her taste in entertainment appalling. “Aunt Nimo, are they all romantic tragedies? Perhaps you should consider changing your taste in movies because these will make you cry. It is written on the back of the cover of this one…” he raised one, like a teacher making a point. “Look, it says one hundred twenty minutes of tear jerking….”

Hades snatched the DVD from Ariel’s hands and pointed at the dust accumulating on Nimo’s dressing table.

Ariel gasped. “It is a dumpster in here. You need Tank or Cathy.” Muttering under his breath, he added, “Or good hygiene.”

Meanwhile, Castiel had climbed onto the bed, and he was patting Nimo’s arm. He offered her a dollar. “Do you want some money? Mommy said money makes everything better.”

Sunshine shook her head. “He is misrepresenting what I said.”

“Aunt Lisha says, if someone doesn’t love you, just get a Bob.” Earl shared.

Nimo gave a watery laugh. “Oh sweetheart, if only life was that simple.”

Sunshine handed Nimo a fresh set of clothes from the suitcase. “Take a bath and change out of your clothes. This is what you were wearing yesterday. You still reek of beer and onions. You even have ketchup stains on your shirt.”

Ariel stepped back like something about to explode.

Nimo laid down again, wailing tragically, “Of what use is it to bathe? My life feels like it is over. I am staying here and never coming out of my house. Wake me up when the apocalypse is over.”

Sunshine rolled her eyes. “Neems, you are being ridiculous. You are not dying. This is not one of your movies.”

Suddenly, the conversation was interrupted by the flash of something which fell on the bed, hissing loudly.

“Snake.” Ariel screamed.