Chapter 1

"TWO HOUSEHOLDS, both alike in dignity," Vivienne's father muttered to himself during the drive to the diner. "In fair Verona, where we lay our scene."

"Dad," Vivienne moaned, laying her head against the cool glass of the car window. "Please, don't do this in front of Daniel."

"From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, where civil blood makes civil hands unclean."

"He's going to think you're crazy, just like everyone else," Vivienne said.

"He's just showing off his new job teaching middle school Shakespeare," Janun said with a roll of her eyes. "Unlike dad, I have a real job."

"Yeah, you're a town mascot for a tiny town," Vivienne said. "Call me when you have any actual power." That promptly quieted Janun. Funny, after not seeing her family for so long, they could still bicker like only sisters can. Vivienne was attending college far from home while her parents were still living in Remin. She had recently gotten engaged to a boy named Daniel Jones, much to the unhappiness of her very snobby father. Vivienne played with the small diamond engagement ring on her ring finger. Mrs. Jones, it sounded like the wrong name for a girl like herself.

Vivienne studied her reflection in the car window. She had done her stark black hair up in a bun. The baby fat in her cheeks had faded over the years and her cheekbones were becoming more pronounced. Her pale blue eyes stared back at her, reflected in the darkness beyond the window. She pressed her lips together in a thin line of aggravation. It was starting to rain.

"Tell us about Daniel," her mother said. "We want to hear all about him."

"He's studying accounting," Vivienne said. "And he likes to play video games. He's a warm body, and that's good enough on most nights."

Janun chuckled. "So cynical, Vivienne. I'm just dating again and I will not settle for anyone who is just a warm body."

"Whose misadventure piteous overthrows, do with their death bury their parents' strife," her father continued as he pulled into the diner parking lot yelling loudly out his opened car window. Vivienne quickly stepped out and slammed the car door behind her. Her parents were meeting Daniel for the first time, and Vivienne knew they were already off to a bad start.

Her father was, until recently, an unemployed gambler. Today, he was making a point not to put any effort into meeting her fiancé. Her sister was still nursing a broken heart from being jilted by a handsome boy who had tried to kill her. If things couldn't get worse, they bumped into Vivienne's childhood friend Allison Devon in the parking lot.

Allison was with her boyfriend, the boring quarterback. Vivienne wasn't sure why, but it annoyed her to see Allison so carefree and happy. "Whose parent's strife?" Allison asked with a laugh and she ran over to hug Vivienne's parents. Her mother stroked Allison's hair and remarked on how she had grown. Vivienne tried to usher her parents into the diner before the awkward encounter could continue.

"He's quoting Shakespeare," Vivienne said hastily. "He's just happy to be teaching again. God knows, he puts more effort into that than my love life."

"Dad used to teach Shakespeare in Manna City," Janun said. "It was the highlight of his life."

"Oh," Allison said with a bored expression on her face. "Vivienne told me about that. I've been there and there's nothing of value there."

"Vivienne found something of value," Janun giggled. "Did she ever tell you about a boy she used to pl—"

"Shut up," Vivienne cut her off with unrestrained anger. "Get inside, Janun, before I tell Allison about that handsome half-Japanese college student you dated."

"That's dirty," Janun snapped back.

Vivienne's father continued muttering to himself as he opened the door to the diner for his family. Vivienne rushed inside and waved to the Jones family. Daniel and his father were both dressed in matching greenish plaid shirts. Vivienne struggled to remember her fiancé's family situation. Was he the child of a single father? She was drawing a blank. Her mother and father both shook hands with Daniel's father and sat down. Vivienne saw her father warily eye Daniel's stubble, even though he himself was unshaven.

"I heard you tutor English," Mr. Jones said, man to man, to her father. "I work in the story-telling business too. I'm sure Daniel told you about our hobby store."

"Your comic book store?" Vivienne's father said with a derisive laugh. "I did my graduate degree at Harvard. I gave my children the very best. My daughters wanted for nothing while growing up. What does your boy have to offer?"

Vivienne rolled her eyes. "Okay dad, that's enough about your credentials. Next, you're going to be telling them about how you stole my eye color from a Monet painting."

"I had a couple of summer jobs at the library," Daniel suggested. "I've read a book now and then, sir."

"That's Professor Minthe to you, kid," her father corrected.

"Oh shut up, dad," Vivienne snapped. "No one has called you professor since..." Vivienne caught herself and swallowed her words. Her throat still closed up when she tried to say his name. Blake. But he was dead now.

"Since he taught at the Malgrave?" Janun offered. Vivienne was relieved Janun had spoken up. Her father taught the children at Malgrave Hall around the time Vivienne was born. She was too young at the time to remember that place, but Janun did. The halls there were filled with more artwork than the Lourve (at least this is what she gathered from her father's dining table boasting). "That place was beautiful," Janun said. "I remember there was a painting of a dragon fighting a griffin hanging above the main hall that always gave me nightmares."

"Sounds scary," Daniel said. "I'm playing a video game that's about a dragon."

Vivienne could see her father's disapproval showing in his eyes. Her father was such a snob. He might be a degenerate gambler, but he disliked the company of people with what he considered to have lower-class tastes.

Vivienne leaned over and planted a kiss on Daniel's prickly cheek as he continued to brag about his high-level video game character. She smiled back at her father, mockingly. She suddenly realized her favorite thing about Daniel was that her father absolutely hated him. Her father threw down his paper napkin and excused himself to the restroom. Embarrassed, Vivienne's mother asked Daniel's dad about the weather.

"Not every love story has to be filled with death, poison, and murder," Vivienne said. "Some love stories are just about two people who happen to be able to tolerate each other during holiday parties. A love life full of disaster and death is exhausting."

"Yeah," Janun agreed as she drew ketchup doodles on her plate with her soggy fries. "Though it's nice to experience genuine love, just once. Just so you know how it feels."

"No," Vivienne said, crossing her arms. "Speak for yourself, Janun. I wish I never experienced it. I wish I never met him."

"Let me go check on dad," Janun said and stood up. Clearly, everyone at that table wished they were somewhere else. Vivienne turned to Daniel and squeezed his hand. 

She noticed his fingers were vaguely sticky, probably from spilled soda, and his nails were dirty. Poor Daniel, he was so busy on his computer with his video games, he was so oblivious to everything else. It was what made their relationship work; he was barely present in it. As the years passed, Vivienne learned to be grateful for the small things. She didn't expect passion or gut-wrenching love. She learned to appreciate that she had someone to split a bowl of spaghetti with on a cold Friday night and someone to run to the drugstore to pick up Advil when she was sick.

Over time, Vivienne accepted his quirks. Daniel thought putting on a tie was the epitome of formal wear, and he thought the Opera was an internet browser. For Valentine's day, he bought her drug store chocolates, which inevitably arrived the weekend after the holiday. He never wanted to try new foods as mushrooms were terrifying to him. Drinking alcohol was a waste of money that could be spent on his mobile games. His greatest gift was his keen mathematical mind when it came time to split the check.

Vivienne didn't mind any of these things. The only time he actually made her lose her temper was when he had his gaming friends over and they played fight with a set of katanas. As Daniel pretended to stab his friend in the chest, the katana actually going under his friend's armpit, Vivienne started screaming for them to get out of her house.

"I should tell you this because you'll hear it eventually," Vivienne said. "When I was very young, my dad got a coveted teaching job being a tutor to a prestigious family in Manna City. There, I met a boy, Blake, who I thought had died. Turns out, he was alive, and he found me many years later." Vivienne took a sip of her Diet Coke and struggled to continue. After so many years, she still couldn't put the events of that night into words. "I loved... Blake. I didn't know how much I loved him until after he died, again. Thank you for never asking me about my past and I'm going to ask you never to speak his name to me again," Vivienne said and looked away before he could see the tears forming in her eyes.

"It's okay, sweetie," Daniel said. "You didn't ever have to tell me. I have my past too, I dated a waitress at Applebee's right before we started dating too. She was a single mom, and I still text her kid to help him with homework."

"That's fine," Vivienne said, absently. "I only told you this because my father always brings it up. He's obsessed with Manna City. I honestly think he loved his students more than he ever loved me or my sister. And among his students, Blake was the feather in his hat as a teacher."

"I'll just have to work extra hard to impress him," Daniel said. "Anyway, you don't care what your dad thinks, do you?"

"There are very few things I care about less than what my dad thinks," Vivienne said with an eye roll. "I think if anyone wins the award for the most out-of-touch father of the year, he would, many times in a row."