A Not So Simple Discussion
You walked with slow but determined steps. Your chest felt heavy, like an iron ball
and chain that was wrapped around it, and got heavier the closer you got to your
destination. The more you pushed on, the more doubts entered your mind, trying to
convince yourself that this was a horrible idea, and to give credit to your mind, it
probably was. But you weren't going to stop this time. This conversation had several
decades in the making.
As you crossed the streets, you were able to see how well of a job the Kaiser did.
Houses and establishments that were only rubble before were repaired as if nothing
ever happened. People went about their lives normally, like if the Dome incident was
now a far way dream, the remaining vestiges of the act now foregone. You wished
you could just forget something like this, but your mind still keeps lingering on that,
the catalyst to your new life.
And as you arrived at your destination you took a moment to compose yourself, and
with a deep breath, marched forward. The target in clear view.
Mona was sitting in one of the benches of one of the reconstructed parks, she was
intermittently feeding some birds with some bird food taken from a bag at her side,
while watching a family having a picnic. As you followed her gaze and stared at the
family, you found your eyes glued to them, as they laughed while eating, having a
good time enjoying each other's company, a feeling you couldn't quite place yet
worming inside your heart.
With a heavy sigh you pushed it to the side, you couldn't allow yourself to be
distracted now. And without further ado, you continued your walk, a few seconds
later, your ex-wife gaze landing on you, her relaxed posture not changing, but your
old war veteran instincts could tell she was surprised and wary of seeing you.
"Hello…Mona" You said with the friendliest tone you could muster, giving a smile to
her. As you approached her bench, the birds that were gathering around her
suddenly flew away.
Mona just stared at the birds fleeing for a second before smiling back at you. "Hello
Abe, it's nice to see you again." She motioned to the empty side of the bench. "Want
to take a seat?"
You just nodded and took the seat, and for a while neither of you said nothing, just
continuing watching that family picnic. You weren't sure what Mona felt at seeing them, but for you, it reminded you of simpler times, if there were simpler times in
your life.
It didn't take much time for the birds to return, pestering Mona for more food, and
she happily complied, grabbing a handful of seeds from a bag and throwing it in front
of you both, the chirping of the birds were the only sound that could be heard here.
"What brings you here Abe?" Mona asks, breaking the silence, you turn to look at
her, but she isn't looking at you, instead her eyes are still on her family, and the birds
around you. "I would think you have more important things to do. How are you liking
Burns' job so far?" She asks with a teasing tone.
You could only let out a groan at hearing that. You cover your face with your hands
as you let out a sound of pure agony. "It's a mess, let me tell you! That slippery jerk
couldn't have let me with more job if he wished." You for the umpteenth curse Burn's
and his greed.
According to Flanders and Frink, the power plant was going to need some heavy
changes and upgrades if you wanted the business to expand. "The guy literally just
used tape to fix most of the machinery! Can't you believe that?" You throw your
hands out of exasperation.
"And not only that, I have my main scientist having a crisis because apparently,
zombie German cowboys are actually a magic thing!" You turn your head to look at
her, and you see her having a lost expression on her face. "Don't…Don't ask, please,
it's a long story." If someone is going to explain that mess, it's Flanders, he brought
that mess to you, he will do the exposition everytime.
"And the worst of all, that son of a gun, Burns is still out there, plotting like he always
does!" You let out a sigh as you finish your rant, and a moment later, you felt
ashamed, you didn't come here to unload all your problems to her, that's what your
assistant is for!
Surprisingly, Mona just gives a jovial laugh. "Corporate life is never easy, there is
always someone giving them trouble, trust me on this." She gives you a sly look as
she enters her hand on her bag, looking for something. A moment later, she takes
out a brown, oval shaped object. "Perhaps, this can brighten your day?" She offers it
to you.
You accept it without saying a word, and you just stare confused at the potato given
to you. "...Why are you giving me this?" You asks uncertainty.
"Well…some friends I'm living with have a potato garden of their own, and they
just…give some to me." She shrugs. "I have some for me just in case. Perhaps a potato can brighten your day?" She asks not sure herself. "Though, let me tell you they work as excellent projectiles if needed."
You don't say anything and just pocket your new potato, not seeing a point to reject
it. After a moment, you decide to ask Mona something.
There are many things you should be talking about, like that failed raid with Burns,
how long would she stay, or anything else, but your mind can only think of one thing.
"Say Mona…I see you did visit Homer didn't you?" You ask with a resigned tone. You
mind going back to the memory of you trying to visit his house a few weeks back,
and finding Mona in the living room with him and his family." How…How was he?"
You ask, your throat suddenly feeling dry.
She stays for a moment quiet, and you fear she might not answer you. "Homer…he
is doing fine now." She begins, her tone taking a melancholic one. "He has
grown…somewhat. They have told me their side of the story about the dome." Her
face gets a happy look as she seems to recall something.
And then it turns sour, her gaze an angry look at you. "And you seemed to have left
the part where you were with the mob trying to kill him." She says in an accusatory
tone. She doesn't say anything else, just giving you a disappointed stare.
You stop looking at her and move your gaze down to the grass, not even bothering to
deny it. "I knew he would mention that." You sigh defeated. Just another REGRET to
add to your list. You kind of wish you actually keep count of how many you were at,
though you think that would make matters worse.
"That's all you're saying?" She asks back with an intensity that you were familiar
with. "He is your son! He made a grave mistake, but that doesn't mean you have to
get the pitchforks, you should have supported him!"
"It really should not have come as a surprise for me! You were always like this, Bitter
yo your own flesh and blood! How could Abraham Simpson!?" She asks again
expectant and disappointed at the same time.
"At least I was here to try and kill him!" You answer back with a snarl. The birds, now
scared, fly away once again. Not that you cared about that "And where were you
during all that? Chained down to another tree in the middle of nowhere?" You
continue, looking at her now, her face taking a surprised and undignified tone. You
notice her hands that are on her lap, tightening.
"Mona… it… it isn't as simple as you think." You start, and before she gets a
response out you continue. "We were trapped in a dome like animals in a zoo." You cut her off. "But there was no caretaker giving us food or cleaning the place, they left
us to die! To die Mona!" You say getting worked up. "People were scared, angry,
even terrified!" You remember the looks of the rest of the habitants of the Retirement
Castle, terrified of the thought of not getting more food or medicine.
During the whole event, Jasper was the only one there for you during all of this that
didn't give you the stink eye, ignored you, or even tried to kill you because of your
relationship with Homer. Without him, you are not sure you could have made it
through.
"We didn't know what to do, but discomfort was growing, and suddenly, it came to
light that our son was responsible for all of that." You sigh remembering watching
the news alongside the other elderly in the living room. "It was like a demon
possessed all of us, y'know. We just…stormed out towards his house, no questions
or anything." You finish lamely.
"I know what I did was wrong, but I couldn't stop being angry with him…maybe with
myself too." You admit to her as you look at the sky, noticing how clear the skies are
today, nothing like the turmoil inside your head. "I think…deep down I feel
responsible for this too, Homer became like that because of me. I'm a screw up of a
dad aren't I?"
The way you treated Homer during his childhood is one of the things you will always
regret, you wish you could just…turn back time and do everything again like in those
cool movies, but you are old enough to realize that's foolish thinking, even for your
standards.
With thoughts of all of this becoming a mistake, you start to get up, just wanting to
get to your mansion and watch a marathon of Matlock.
But then you feel a hand grasp your shoulder, stopping you from getting up. She
turns your head to look at your ex-wife, a conflicted expression clear on her face.
"Perhaps…perhaps it's not all your fault." She says with a defeated tone, with a sour
look on her face. "It…didn't help that I wasn't there for him either. I'm not so blind to
not know that. I always knew that assisting those protests wasn't a good idea."
"And yet you still did it every single time." You couldn't stop yourself from snarking
back. But you immediately regret it as she flinches and looks away.
"I could never stop myself. I…I always thought I was doing the right thing, and…that I
could do both things, being a mother and an activist. I thought I was making a
difference" She says with a sad tone. "Ahhh, the curse of being young." She shakes
her head.
"Sometimes, I…I have these thoughts." She starts saying in a tense way. "That
maybe…just maybe, us getting together all those years back was a mista-"
"It wasn't a mistake." You cut her off with a sharp tone, you turn around and grasp
her shoulders, looking directly at her. "It. Was. Not. A. Mistake." Your heart palpitates
like crazy, you should be worried about getting a heart attack, but you couldn't care
less at this point.
"You know why? Because of Homer." You say with a tone of confidence and finality.
"He managed to do what we couldn't in our lives, have a family." You get closer to
her, your nose touching. "He is without a doubt better than what I could be, even with
all his faults."
You let her go after finishing, your chest feeling heavy and feeling your breath
lacking. You close your eyes, trying to get some rest.
"...You mean it?" She says in a voice so low, you could barely hear her.
"Yes…without a doubt." You answer and that's that. Conversation seems to end. No
one says anything for a while, both of you just lay there, in silence.
When you open your eyes you find the sun is starting to come down. Good Lord,
how long have you been here, Time does seem to go by quickly. You turn your head
to the side and you find Mona staring at the ground, her face with a pained
expression. You can guess what's eating her.
"I…will deal with Burns…somehow, and you are not wanted by the government
anymore. You…could just stay here, be with Homer, be the mother he needs." You
comment after a moment. She isn't looking at you, but you know she is
listening"...But you need to stop. You…you can't keep doing your protesting thing
forever. Sooner rather than lather, you have to call it quits."
"You have a chance I wish I had, don't…don't squander it please."
After saying your piece, you manage to get up and finally start walking out of the
park. Its getting late and you have more paperwork to work on. Maybe I finally have
time to work on that advertisement to hire some housestaff. You are not cleaning the
whole mansion by yourself.
"I…I will try." A voice sounds behind you, and you look back to see her standing too.
"...Thanks Abe." She says giving you a grateful smile.
You nod to her. You feel as though your relationship with her wasn't all quite fixed
yet. But it was a start, and that was enough for now.
"If…if you need any more help, I wouldn't mind lending a hand, I might have some more free
time after all." She says with a small grin.
"I will keep it in mind. Thanks Mona…for your time." You say as you continue your
walk, feeling thrice your age.
"Oh Abe…one more thing." Her voice was clear to hear as you were exiting the park.
"Not sure if you were aware, but… that pendant you are wearing? It's been glowing
the past few minutes."
WAIT WHAT?
"Wait what???!!!"
Rewards:
You managed to have a meaningful conversation with Mona. Relationship with her
might not be fully mended, but it's getting there!
Mona has decided to stay in Springfield for the time being. Unlocked Mona as a Full
time Hero Unit. Mona Opinion Raised by 10!
You found out your Pendant glows for some reason? You might need to check that
out. Options to Investigate the Pendant Unlocked.
