1.10 Weekend

Nazari

   "Have a good day..." I called after the girls. Aria started high school a week ago. Becca would be joining her soon. Geneva was all moved out, and soon to be alone as Maria was engaged to Nigel Martin, some guy I didn't particularly like that Maria was infatuated with... Geneva had a little moan about him every time we talked on the phone, he wasn't exactly an awful guy, he was just weird. Geneva seemed quite happy that Maria would move out with him soon, at least she wouldn't have to put up with Nigel being around every night. I hoped she'd find herself someone soon, I knew how dangerous it could be living alone, and even if she was a superstar police officer, I worried for her. Thinking how grown up my kids were, I felt old. Nearly as old as Chip, the chipmunk we'd had for like ten years now. If I'd knew how long he'd live, I'd never have agreed to getting him! But at least Aria got enjoyment out of him, the girl was animal-crazy. She prefered horses, but knew there was no point even thinking about asking for one, how the hell could we afford or look after a horse??

   But no matter how old I felt, Ernesto made me feel young again. And not only because he was older than me, but because he was always there. I don't know how I could have handled life without him, he'd been a rock to keep me steady, and although he'd never proposed to me and we'd never married, I found I was actually ok with that. By never having a real commitment, it made it more obvious we were both in it because we wanted to, not because we had to pay a lawyer to end it.

   But part of loving someone, is accepting their flaws. Chip died. Obviously Aria was devastated, even I was a little upset, the critter had become part of the furniture... That wasn't the problem.

   When the girls were at school, and I was out doing promotional stuff for my newest album, Ernesto went and got a puppy. He sent me a picture message, and I thought it was a joke. When he told me it wasn't I flipped. But it was too late. He'd already got it home and bought it a ridiculously pink bed and food bowl and some toys... We were stuck with it.

      But of course, both girls were delighted. Aria named her Ladybug, which I thought was a rather ridiculous name, except from the fact that the dog did have bug-eyes, so it fit a little.

   To make it up to me, Ernesto spent a few weeks clearing the wild brambles from the yard, and building a fence, and even planting a little garden. It was really sweet, and really made the trailer look more homely. I half wished we'd done it sooner.

   "I need some money for Saturday." Aria stated, scribbling something in her homework book. I was eating my dinner, I had a gig that night.
   "For what on Saturday?" I asked, it wasn't like Aria to ask for money, infact, none of my children had ever asked for much, I guess I'd been lucky.
   "Well it's Bex birthday on Friday... I want tickets for us to go to that spring festival in town on Saturday." I had to hold back tears. My girls were so close.
   "Oh cool, I saw an advert for that, it looks good!" Becca chirped up, smiling at her sister. I agreed to lend her the money, and listened as the two talked about the posters around town and what was going to be there.

   Soon enough, Friday arrived. My littlest girl became a real life teenager, and I felt like maybe I could be ok with that. It had been a rough ride raising them, but grown up kids are a true joy!

Aria

   "Twallan, you're crap at this." I teased. My sister is more of a book person than a sports person.
   "Yeah, whatever." She grumped. "So I can't throw a horseshoe? Big woop. Like my life is over right now." I laughed at her. She could get really moody sometimes. "Don't laugh at me, you try!"

    "All you have to do," I explained, taking a horseshoe and aiming. "Is work out how hard to throw it. And then it's just a case of keeping it straight. It's all maths really, should be easy for a brainbox like you."
   "Yes, well, it's not exactly a maths I understand." Becca watched me as I threw it and, predictably, hit the mark first time.
   "Ta-daa!" I grinned.
   "Yes, well done. You're every boys wet dream, you."
   "What?" I asked, confused as to why she'd suddenly mentioned boys.
   "Oh! Speaking of boys!" She mocked surprise and lowered her voice as she nudged me: "Isn't that Daryl Whitfield over there?"
   "Yes." I rolled my eyes. "Oh look, it's the same Daryl Whitfield that's dating Cathleen...." I gave Becca a look.
   "Yeah, since like yesterday. He clearly likes you!"
   "Yes. As a friend. He's with Cathleen." I didn't even like Daryl more than a friend, it was just Becca and Kenyons little joke. Kenyon is our cousins kid, he's our age, we hang out a lot. "But I am going to go talk to him, seeing as you're pushing me to him... But only as a friend!" I reminded her as I walked towards my friend.

   Daryl and I chatted and played horseshoes until it got dark. Becca played chess with random people, I didn't have the faintest idea how to play it, so this worked well for us both. Daryl was a bit older than me, but only by a few months. He'd still graduate before me though. Eventually Becca came over and told me we'd ought to get home. It was nearly curfew, but that's why we worked so well as a team. I have no sense of time and never know when to stop, but Becca has her head screwed on. None of us know where she gets it from though...

   Sunday morning we puzzled over our breakfast.
   "It's just not like him to not do breakfast..." Becca muttered, slurping the last of the milk from her bowl. Call us spoilt, but Dad has always cooked us breakfast. He's always up before us sorting pancakes or waffles or something, so us sitting at the table eating cereal is odd.
   "He's getting old Bex, maybe he's just tired today." I hated the thought, and quickly changed the tone. "Besides, we kept him up late last night because he wouldn't go to bed until we were home, and Mum wants us all out tonight at her gig, so he needs some sleep." There, that felt better.
   "True." Becca agreed, putting her bowl in the sink. "Wash my bowl please? I need a shower before we go out." I sounded an agreement through a mouthful of cereal, and she blew me a kiss as she headed for the bathroom.

   Kenyon stopped by to get the bus with us. We were going to Rodeo-a-go-go because they had a free bull ride day, where we could all ride the mechanical bull for free. We thought it'd be a fun change of scene before the concert tonight.

   And damn, was I good at it!

   NOT! But it was so much fun. We were definately coming back one day!

   And actually, seeing my mum perform was the perfect way to end the perfect weekend. It was almost a shame to have to go back to school, but I'd seen how tough life was without education, so if nothing else, I was getting that high school deploma!


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Yes, I spelt 'diploma' wrong. I just now noticed as I do my final proof-read before posting, but it's so hilariously ironic I'm keeping it.

1.9 Unthinkable!

Geneva

   Prom night! I was so excited. Dad had sat me down and had 'the talk' rather embarrassingly, I mean really? I've only kissed a boy once, and that didn't go down well, so why the hell would I do more??

   Anyway, all sorts of crazy stuff had happened, so I rang my bestie to talk it over the next morning.
   "Can you believe Misty Hague was wearing the same as me?" I giggled. "I couldn't afford to buy a prom dress, so I thought the last thing that would happen was that someone would be wearing the same as me!"
   "I know! But don't worry, like, you pulled it off soooo much better!" Maria laughed with me. "And anyway, yours was a, like, much better colour to go with the, like, decor! How did you know? Like, did you get on the planning committee?"
   "No!" I laughed again. I'd been lucky and worn a green dress that matched well with the under-the-sea theme, Misty's dress had been red.
   "I saw Westly went off with Laura?" Maria changed to a more sore subject, I'd had to tell her about the kiss incident, but I'd made her swear to act like she didn't know.

   "Yeah, I saw." I responded. "He avoided me all night, and I mean like avoided me. Like, really obviously went out of his way to not be near me. After that I just don't care anymore. I'm over him. I'm just sad he ruined a perfectly good friendship..."
   "Good!" Maria chirped. "I'm glad my stupid brother doesn't have the power to ruin my best friend! But seriously? Laura Avilla?? Isn't she, like, the school slut?" I laughed. "I mean it! I'm pretty sure she goes after anything with a heartbeat."
   "Oh, I'm sure she does!" I agreed.
    "So what about Ethan?" She pushed. Ethan was this guy I'd been texting since the whole thing with Westly.

   "Well, I don't know!" I was being honest, I really didn't know. "I mean, when we were texting I bought prom up, and he never asked me. And then when we got there, he was all over me, like getting me drinks and snacks and complimenting me..."
   "Well I know! That's, like, why I left you two alone!"
   "Yeah, well, eventually I had to go to the bathroom, plus he was really winding me up being so clingy! When I came back out he was on the dance floor practically assaulting any girl in sight! I think he must've tried it with Abi, that's why Marlon ended up in that fight..."
   "Oh my twallan, drama! I didn't even know there was a fight? When was that?"
   "Right after you'd claimed your crown, Mrs. Prom Queen! Who nominated you?"
   "I don't know, I thought you had?? But anyway, Chad, Mr, Prom King... Well, he's a good kisser..."
   "WHAT?!?! Tell me more!!"



Nazari

    The day I'd been dreading had crept up on me. My oldest baby was no longer a baby. All the things we'd been through together, homelessness, tantrums, first steps, first words, first days at school, pets, sisters.... She's stood strong through it all. Without meaning to she'd made me the woman I am today, she was the one I'd pushed myself for. If I hadn't had her I wouldn't have got myself together when my mum had kicked me out, I'd never have dared to move to a new city and rent a trailer off a dodgy guy in a warehouse, but I'd needed to put my baby under shelter. And look how she'd turned out! All the mistakes I'd made... It hadn't mattered. I felt so happy, yet so sad, like a part of me was dying as my daughter blew those candles out. But now I didn't have a baby to look after, I had a friend to confide in. I had to think of what I'd gained...

   And she was a beautiful achievement. I couldn't stop cheering, long after everyone else had stopped. I think Geneva was a little embarrassed, and young Kenyon thought it was hilarious....

   That night, the unthinkable happened. Some creep picked the lock on our door! I heard him sneak past the bedroom window, and after glancing out at how he was dressed I'd managed to call the police before he made it through the door. It was the door opening that woke Geneva. I told her I'd rang the police, but she insisted.

   She went out and confronted him! She wrestled him to the ground! And although he managed to push her off him, she'd kept him occupied long enough for the police to come and arrest him. It was then I realised she really was a grown up, and definately ready to be a police officer!

   As the officer told me herself, after I'd sent Geneva to bed and waited while the officer had got the theif to the car.

   Before we knew it, it was graduation! And graduating top of her class, I knew Geneva would make the squad easily. How did someone who never went to school end up creating a person as clever as my daughter?? I guessed her father must've been brainy, Aria was definately like her father, always on her phone to someone secret, so I worried Becca might be like me. I'd have to pay extra attention to her, make sure she didn't end up dropping out of school...

    We settled into a new routine. Geneva wasn't earning a lot yet as she was doing her training course, so she still lived with us. She intended to get a place with Maria when they could both afford it. But for now she spent most of her time at the gym keeping fit.

   The other two would go to school all day, of course, and in the evenings Ernesto would help them with theie homework and then they'd play silly games while I was out singing. I admit, I felt a little left out that I wasn't a part of the games, but I loved that the girls had a father who was as attentive as him. My little family was perfect.

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Hehe, I like all the prom pop-ups. I think I wrote most of them in. Except that Geneva was prom queen, but I didn't want her to be so Maria was because something had to happen to her!

Geneva gained the 'brave' trait, hence the robber event...
Becca gained 'friendly' when she secretly aged up. (That's her in the middle of the graduation picture. And yes, that is Ernesto in that strange outfit chatting on his phone, that's apparently his formalwear...) 

The kinda sad thing about Ernesto, is that he and Nazari have both had a wish to marry locked since Aria was born. But they've never been able to even ask to go steady, and I have no idea why. They're both on 100% relationship and completely in love, by this point Nazari even has the 'faithful' rep (Ernesto doesn't, but if you remember he had a few women on the go at the start) it's really sad that it seems unlikely they'll ever get that wish granted now :(