1.6 Bonding Time

Geneva

   This 'big sister' thing isn't all so bad. I mean, I definately don't want one of my own anytime soon, but I guess she's pretty cute, even if she is smelly and loud... Speaking of loud, she started crying, so I shouted mum and put her back in her crib, before running off to shower.

   See, it was Saturday. My first Saturday as an official teenager, so I could go down to the arcade with my best friend, Maria. We played some army-space-blaster game. We skipped the intro, and it was hilarious because neither of us knew what we were doing. Maria's sister, Abigail, is pregnant by my cousin, Marlon. They're not much older than us, but I know my mum had me young so I don't suppose it'll be a tragedy.
   "She's HUGE now, like, she looks like she could pop any second." Maria twittered. "It makes me feel a bit sick when I see her belly, like, it looks like it could just pop. It creeps me out, like, I think her skin might split and the baby will just fall out." She made gagging noises and I giggled. My cousin had recently moved to our town, because of the impending baby.

    A few days later, it was Aria's birthday. Her first act of toddlerhood, was to mess her nappy, and giggle. My mum looked exasperated, but me and dad just burst out laughing. We'd made plans to go to the gym together. I didn't like the weight I was, and dad kept saying he was getting a 'middle-aged spread', so we'd agreed to go together.

   On the drive over, dad asked me if I was being bullied over my weight.
   "No!" I replied, kinda surprised at the question. Nobody had ever mentioned my weight, it was just a personal issue I had with myself
   "You know if anyone ever says anything, you can tell us." He didn't believe me. "I want you to know that you're gorgeous the way you are, you don't have to be thin to be pretty."
   "Yes, dad, I know." I groaned. "I want to be a police officer when I grow up, I need to be able to pass the training."
   "Oh really? You've never mentioned this before?" I looked at him, he was beaming at me.
   "Oh, sorry, I've been thinking about it a while now." I shrugged.
   "Well, I'm proud of you. That's an honourable career to choose."

   At the gym we talked about all things police-force. How to enroll, when to enroll, where to enroll. What the physical test would be like, what the final exams would be like, what the training would be like. Which area I wanted to work for, traffic, homicide, forensics, patrol... I'm still undecided on that one.

   As we were leaving, dad handed me the car keys. I just stared at him questionably.
   "Every copper needs to drive, why not learn now?" He smiled, getting into the passenger side. Shakily, I climbed into the drivers seat. I didn't even know the basics! "Well, to start with, belt up." He prompted, pulling his own seatbelt on as I did the same. "Look in the footwell. Those peddles are go, stop, and gear change. Remember 'ABC' - Accelerator, Brake, Clutch. That's the order they're in if you ever get confused." I nodded, already a little overwhelmed. He explained a little more, before he made me pull off. It was terrifying! It took me ages to pull out of the car park because I couldn't work out how fast cars were coming at me. Dad was really patient though, and when we eventually arrived home he said I was a natural and wouldn't need all too many lessons.


Nazari

   "Shit-munt!" Aria giggled. I'd decided to take the opportunity to help her with her speech while Ernesto and Geneva were out. It wasn't going too well.
   "No. Chip. Munk." I sounded it out really slow for her.
   "Shit. Munt." She laughed even harder. She thought it was a game. I had heard somewhere that not making a big deal out of toddlers swearing would make it less appealing. I think that advice was wrong.

   "Shit-munt, shit-munt, shit-munt!" Aria chanted, giggling. I sighed. That advice was definately wrong. I heard a screech of breaks and then a car engine clunking outside. "Twat?" Aria questioned, and I stared at her while I tried to work out what she meant.
   "Do you mean 'what was that'?" I clicked what she meant. But that was yet another swear she knew now.

   I stood, and handed Aria her bottle. My back was killing. This being heavily pregnant with a toddler thing was no fun.
   "Mum! I drove!" Geneva burst through the door, startling me a little.
   "Well done." I smiled. Ernesto really was brilliant with the girls, and so supportive.
   "I'm gunna go shower." She stopped and posed, flexing her biceps. "An afternoon at the gym and I'm already a bodybuilder." She joked, dancing off to the bathroom.
   "Don't worry about turning the engine off or shutting the front door!" Ernesto called as he walked in. He pecked me on the cheek as a greeting.
   "Thank you." I smiled at him.
   "For what?" He asked. "I had to shut the door because it's starting to frost over already out there."
   "Not that, for being wonder-dad." I wrapped my arms around him. "Now, wonder-dad. Rundown-mum needs a nap." I kissed him before pulling away towards the bedroom.
   "Get some rest, this baby is kicking your ass." He looked a little worried, so I shook my head to reassure him before closing the bedroom door behind me.

Geneva

    I got out the shower, and Westly had texted me.
   Westly: Abi had bby boy cld Kenyon xx
   Geneva: K thx xx I replied. He'd put kisses. Why did he put kisses?

    Westly was the reason I even knew Maria. We'd been best friends as kids, and I used to go to his house and we'd sing karaoke together. Maria and I got closer as we got older. I started to like-like Westly and I didn't think he felt the same, so it had been awkward.
   But he'd sent kisses. Another text came through.
   Westly: Its bn a whyl... Meet @ libry 2mo? xx
    Geneva: K :) xx  Then again, maybe I'd been wrong about his feelings...



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Aria is too cute <3
Aria is said 'Ah-ria'. Yes, it's that simple.

Also, points for who can spot the crazy inconsistency in the pictures ;)