Michelle: *turns away* Ew, don’t tell me. I think I already know.
Alida: What? You know I had a tiny crush on him once upon a time?
Michelle: Yuck – not Raul. Now my appetite is gone.
Michelle turns back with a teasing smile on her face.
Michelle: Why tell me after all this time?
Alida: Because it was the reason why I went along with that stupid plan of his.
Michelle: When you met with Mama Nadine’s ex-fiancé?
Alida: Yeah. And I feel bad about it because I know how much Raul tormented you over the years.
Michelle: I always knew it had to be something like that. You were way too smart to fall for one of his dumb plans. But, where were your standards?
Alida: Well, when you grow up like we did, sometimes you don’t know how to have standards.
Michelle: *thinks about Roman* True that.
Michelle also thinks about her late husband Tamati and Alida’s husband, Q.
Michelle: At least we both figured it out in the end.
Alida: Or we just got incredibly lucky.
The waitress walks over to take their order. Michelle orders a garden salad and water.
Alida: Girl, I thought we were coming here to really eat.
Michelle: I would if it were Mama Nadine’s cooking.
Alida: You have a point there. I haven’t had food that good since she passed away.
I order roast chicken and sparkling apple juice. The waitress writes it all down and walks away.
Alida: I remember when I first moved to Strangerville. I practically starved for two days, and then you showed up like the queen you are with food from Mama Nadine. I was never so happy to see anyone in my life. You have always come to my rescue. I would never have survived out there if you hadn’t moved in with me.
Michelle is deeply touched.
Michelle: And here I am, thinking you were always the one doing the rescuing. You helped me become who I am, and I love you for that. I love you so much! Losing Tamati was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to deal with up to now. But if I ever lost you – *chokes up*
Alida: Hush, babe. I have no plans on going anywhere, anytime soon.
Michelle and Alida would love more than anything for that to be true. But they also realize that it’s only a matter of time before their clock runs out.
Michelle: Enough of that type of talk. My heart can’t take it. How are Peri and Kai doing?
Alida: Great. My grandson is a teen today. Crazy, right?
Michelle: You’re lucky that you’ll get to spend a whole weekend with him.
Alida: I’m looking forward to it.
Michelle: Is it just me, or did I pick up on some attraction between Merit and my Roni?
Alida: Right! It’s not just you. Q and I were just talking about that.
Michelle: I wonder what happened?
Alida: I don’t know.
Michelle: Roni was devastated when Merit left for college.
Alida: Maybe they’ll find their way back to each other.
The food arrives, and Alida and Michelle stop talking long enough to focus on their food for a while. There’s a group of paparazzi that have been standing off to the side taking pictures the whole time. Michelle finally glances at them. Paparazzi have been a part of her life for so long now that their constant calls for the perfect shot seem like background noise.
After their lunch, Michelle and Alida walk over to the house next door where they grew up, sharing hopes and dreams for the future.
Alida: We said we were going to get out of here, and we did it!
Michelle: Yeah, we did. But only physically.
Alida: What do you mean?
Michelle: This place will always be a part of us. And I’m okay with that. It makes us who we are.
Alida: I used to be so ashamed to say I was from here. I hid it from Q for a long time. But you always embraced it. I admire that in you.
Michelle: It’s not so hard when you think about it. If it weren’t for this place, I never would have met you.
Alida: And we wouldn’t be where we are now.
Michelle: Not at all.
Alida: This moment deserves a selfie.
Michelle: I agree.
Michelle pulls out her phone.
Michelle: Okay, ‘Mirage Park’ on three! One, two, three –
Alida and Michelle: *together* Mirage park! *snaps photo*
(Banks Dynasty Page) | (Generation 2 Chapter Summaries)
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