Banks Dynasty – Day 48.4 (Part 2)

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Dad and I decide to take Tami into the Banks Family Mausoleum. She looks around at all the pictures on the wall.

Tambara: Pop-Pop, who are all these people?

Kai: These are your people—your great and great-great-grandparents.

Tambara: Great, like superheroes?

Kai: *smiles* They were, in my opinion. But, they are your great-grandparents, because that’s my ma and my grandparents. Which means they lived a long time before you were born…

I listen with as much interest as Tami as Dad talks about the family that passed before us. Of course, I remember my Grand-Peri. But I never met my great-grandparents, Alida and Quincy Jr.

Tambara: Did they live in ancient times, like kings and queens?

Kai: Not quite that far back. But just like kings and queens, they laid the foundation for where you and I are right now. My grandmother Alida grew up in foster care because her parents weren’t around to take care of her. But an incredible lady named Mama Nadine made sure she grew up with love. Then, when she was a young adult, she married my grandfather. After that, my mother was born, me, your father, and you! And then you grow up and have children, the legacy will continue.

Tambara: I want my picture on the wall, too!

Kai: It will be one day—but not for a very long time.

While Kai gives an abridged version of their family history, Me-Me and Maia chat outside.

Melisa: How are you holding up?

Maia: It varies. Sometimes I feel tough, like I can conquer this thing… and then a moment later—I feel like I’m falling apart.

Melisa: There’s strength in that, you know? It’s almost like taking those first few steps as a baby. You walk a bit, then you fall again. But over time, those single steps get easier, and before you know it, you’re running!

Maia: I wish the process didn’t take so long. It’s hard trying to stay strong for Tami.

Melisa: I understand. And as mothers, we focus on the ‘being strong’ part. But one thing I learned after all these years—those times when we can’t be strong teach our children the most.

Maia: Yeah, I can see that. But I think it’s true for fathers, too. I never saw my father cry when my mother died. I think it would have helped to see him break down sometimes.

Melisa: That’s exactly what I mean. Tami needs to see both sides of your grief.

Dad continues his stories.

Kai: Let me tell you – you came from a long line of strong women. Both of your grandmothers faced things that would have broken most people. Your Gran Alida aged out of foster care without a dollar to her name but taught herself programming and rose to the top of her career. And then your Gran Peri, my mother… raised me all by herself while attending college full time. I don’t think I could have done that.

I’m sure my dad already told me about Gran Peri, but I probably wasn’t paying attention because, when I was younger, I didn’t understand how difficult that must have been. Now I do.

Wade: Me neither. I didn’t even finish my degree.

Kai: Well, not only did she finish, but she converted an old factory building into a home for us. And when she retired at the top of her career and joined us on the farm in Henford—she converted that place to an art center where she taught art classes.

Wade: Yeah, I remember that place. I need to take Tami.

Kai: Definitely! And then there was my grandfather’s side of the family. There are a lot of stories to tell there as well. But it’s getting late, so we’ll have to save that for another time.

Tambara: No! I want to know Pop-Pop!

Kai: *chuckles* Okay, okay. But I’ll have to keep it short. My grandfather’s father was the hero of Strangerville…

Dad begins a story that even I don’t recall hearing before.

Our time at the cemetery is winding down, but I have one last thing to show Tami. I lead her to the part of the cemetery dedicated to pets and point out a grave.

Tambara: Is this another family member, Daddy?

Wade: It is. Can you read what it says?

Tambara: It says, ‘Rest in peace, Luna.’ Is it our Luna?

Wade: Yes. I figured she deserved a place here with the rest of our family. And you can visit here whenever you want to.

Tami surprises me with a big hug.

Tambara: Thank you, Daddy!

I hug her back, hoping this makes up for my previous mistakes.

Not quite ready to say goodbye, Ma, Dad, and Drake accompany us back to Chestnut Ridge and join us for dinner at a restaurant in town. We’re seated at a large table on the heated patio.

While Tami colors on her placemat, the rest of us start conversations around the table.

Wade: How are things going with that girl from Ciudad Enamorada?

Drake: Her name is Mariana. We still talk, but the distance is killing us. I’m seriously thinking about moving there to be closer.

Wade: I hope you’re brushing up on your Spanish.

Drake: She’s teaching me everything I need to know.

Wade: I bet she is.

I want to ask more questions, but we have to keep things PG with Tami and my parents here.

Maia tries to hang in on the other conversations around the table, but soon, thoughts of how she wishes her father was here overwhelm her. Me-Me is the only one who notices.

Melisa: Oh, honey. I promise it’ll get better.

Maia: I know. I just…I know I’m here with all of you, but sometimes I still feel alone without my father here. With him and my mother gone–this must be what it feels like to be an orphan.

Melisa: I understand what you mean. Both of my parents are gone as well. And I recently lost my siblings.

Maia: I’m so sorry.

Melisa: And unfortunately, the older you get—the more alone you feel because the time comes when almost everyone you used to know is gone. I forget sometimes and pick up the phone to dial Lia’s number, then remember that I’ll never hear from her again.

Maia: Yeah, I almost did that this morning. I thought about deleting Father from my contacts to avoid making a mistake again, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it.

Melisa: If you ever get the urge to call him, remember that you can call me. My line is always open. I know it’s not the same as talking to him, but I meant it when I said we’re here for you! We love you as one of our own. Okay?

Maia: *tears up* Thank you! That means everything to me.

The food arrives, and the conversations around the table get livelier. Maia finally feels upbeat enough to join in.

Maia: So, Drake, when do we get to meet Mariana?

Kai: Yeah, we’ve heard so much about this mystery girl. It’s time to introduce her to your family.

Drake: Visit me in CE when I finally move, and you can see her whenever you want to.

Tambara: Did you know I can ride horses now, Pop-Pop?

Kai: You can? I’d love to see that.

Tambara: I want to do it again, but Father Winter failed because he didn’t bring me a horse for Winterfest.

Kai: Oh, I’m sure he did the best he could. But I understand the disappointment.

Wade: *to Drake* You know what we should do—start a podcast.

Drake: I’m down, but what would we talk about?

Wade: Finding love, making money and just life in general.

Kai: I hear there’s a lot of money in podcasts. Maybe y’all could include Mase, too.

Drake: If he wants to do it.

Wade: We could call it the ‘Banks Boys’, mainly if we focus on finances.

Drake: We should keep it broad. I’d love to do a segment on fashion.

Wade: That’s more of a SimTube thing, but it could work.

Drake: It doesn’t matter because as busy as we are, we’ll never get around to doing it.

Wade: You’re right. I barely have time to put new videos up on my SimTube.

It was a good idea while it lasted.

As much as we’d love to sit and talk forever, it’s eventually time for Ma, Dad, and Drake to head back home. We hug one another and say our goodbyes, dragging them out for as long as possible. Then they start their long drives back, and we return to our rental.