Twilight found Elinor right where she expected her; kneeling in front of the old tree in the garden. It was getting late and the setting sun caused long shadows to form. The light pink sky created a solem atmosphere.
Twilight gently approached the old woman, along with Ursa while the others stayed a few feet behind.
"Elinor..."
"I should've known." Elinor said without looking up.
"Huh?"
"I knew she would never let that go. I knew she would continue to haunt me...after what I did. That's why she sent you here, to make sure I was punished."
Twilight looked at Ursa, who shrugged before she knelt beside the old woman. "Elinor, what I read in the article...it wasn't the full story was it?"
Elinor finally looked at Twilight, her green eyes now full of sadness....and guilt.
"The police said it was an accident; it was no accident."
"What do you mean?"
Elinor took a deep breath as she struggled to keep her voice steady. "The night she...died. She was supposed to meet an old schoolgirl friend of hers to go to a movie. But I didn't like her going into the big and dangerous city. I didn't like that friend of hers, always traveling and getting her so excited about leaving here, telling her stories about places far away from here. So I played sick so she would have to stay here."
Ursa's eyes widened and she took a slow breath.
"I don't understand." Twilight said.
"The pool is old, so you have to clean it manually. We've been meaning to replace it with a modern one. The ledges can get very slippery, you have to know where to walk to avoid the wet spots. That was why I never let her or the girls do that part." Elinor frowned at herself at this. "But I wasn't thinking about that. I was too selfish. I only cared about what I wanted." She dropped her head in shame as her next word came out heavily. "She drowned that night, in the pool. It should have been me down there....and she knows that."
"You can't blame yourself." Twilight put a hand on the woman's shoulder.
Elinor glared at her. "You don't understand. I didn't want her to leave the Inn......and she never did."
"I do, accidents happen, no matter how much we wish we didn't. My own Grandmother once told me that no matter how often we wished we could, we can't keep everyone safe."
"She's right."
Elinor looked up in surprise, finally noticing her granddaughters approaching them.
"It's not your fault Grandmother. I should have gone with her to help when she asked." Cloud said sadly.
"No! I should've gone down with her. I'm the oldest! I should have at least gone down to check on her sooner!" Lyanna argued.
"Please! Make them stop!" Ursa begged.
"Everyone, please, you're upsetting Ursa!" Twilight shouted ending any argument they had.
"It's not any of their faults! There's no way any of them could have known that would've happened!"
"She says she doesn't blame any of you! She says there's know way you could've known she would die." Twilight said, repeated Ursa's words.
"But I was her mother!" Elinor cried out. "It was my job to keep her safe! I should have taken care of everything like I was supposed to!"
"Please mother! It's alright! It's not your fault. Please....just take care of the girls." Ursa argued.
"Ursa says it's not your fault, she just wants you to help the girls."
"How?" Elinor asked desperately.
"By listening to them." Twilight didn't need Ursa's help to know to say that. "You heard her letter, she doesn't care who runs the Inn, all that matters is that you love and support one another, whatever you decide to do."
"I-I was just so scared...." Elinor was trembling now. "I had already lost my daughter, then it looked like I was about to lose the Inn....I can't lose you girls either." She turned to her granddaughters.
"Grandma..." Lyanna started tearing up as she sat down next to her.
"Maybe it's time for a few changes." Twilight suggested.
"You're right." Elinor stood up and turned to the girls. "Lyanna, if you want to continue driving around in that truck of yours...go ahead."
Lyanna's eyes widened in surprise.
"And Cloud....if you want to leave too, that's alright."
"But I don't want to leave!" Cloud shouted, causing her grandmother to step back in surprise. "I love this Inn Grandmother, just like you do! If Lyanna doesn't want to run it, that's fine. But I do!"
Elinor, wiping tears from her eyes. "R-really?"
"Yes!" Cloud stood her ground.
"If that is what you desire too.....then alright." Elinor nodded.
Cloud, for the first time since Twilight arrived, smiled. A real smile before she reached out and pulled her grandmother into a hug along with Lyanna.
"Oh, look at them..." Ursa smiled sadly. "Thank you so much for giving me this Twilight."
"Nice job." Spike whispered.
Twilight, looking at the unbroken family, smiled too.
After a quick drive, everyone arrived at the cemetery just as the sun was about to set.
"Thank you, Twilight." Elinor smiled. "The God's gave you your gift for a reason. Today, you have certainly put it to good use."
"I hope so." Twilight smiled softly.
"You did." Cloud pulled her into a hug. "Thank you."
After Cloud let her go, Twilight say Lyanna approach, holding a paper bag.
"More gyros?"
"Actually...I baked up some pan dulce bread, for your family's ofrenda, to thank you too."
Twilight took the bag, opened it, and smiled as a wonderful scent of baked goods filled her nostrils. "This looks delicious! Thank you so much!"
"If you need anything, just ask us ok?"
"I will."
"And feel free to visit whenever you get the chance!" Cloud offered.
"I'll be sure to do that, bye!" Twilight and Spike waved as the family went to fully decorate, Elinor's ofrenda.
"Well, I say that went pretty well!" Spike said.
"Yeah..." Twilight smiled as she looked around as she saw everyone, living or dead, celebrating together.
"C'mon Spike, out own family's probably worried about us-"
"Um, excuse us?"
Twilight sighed and turned around, coming face-to-face with a pair of ghosts. "Yes?"
The man took off his hat. "We...heard about you helping that lady's family, and...."
"...we wondering if you could do the same for us. If you don't mind of course." The woman finished.
Twilight took a closer look at the couple. The woman was very pretty, with long, curly orange hair and teal eyes with scattering of freckles. The man was tall and large, with bright red hair and yellow skin. For some reason Twilight found them very familiar.
"Alright then. So what;s the problem?"