Dear Diary, my parents left right after the twins’ birthday, much to my disappointment. I was convinced something wasn’t right, but there wasn’t time to dwell on it at the moment because these kids are crazy.
“Mother, I want to go swimming. I saw the pool,” Rosetta said, adding the bit about seeing the pool, I’m sure, in case I tried to divert her.
“Can’t you call me mom? You make me sound so old. Anyway, it’s getting late and we have a busy day tomorrow. You and Holden need to go to bed. We have a really nice room for you.”
“When Father talks about you, he calls you mother.” She wrinkled her nose as she imitated what she thought Xalen sounded like. “He says, ‘And what did mother say?’”
“Well, he’s very formal, isn’t he?” I sighed.
“I am standing right here and can hear the both of you,” Xalen said with a small smirk.
Chuckling a little, I turned back to Rosetta. “You need to get your pajamas on.”
“I refuse to sleep in the same room as a boy!”
Holden immediately looked worried. “I can’t sleep by myself!”
“And why can’t you?” Xalen asked him with a gentle tone.
“You won’t believe me – no one does.”
“You can tell me, son.”
“Yes, tell us what the matter is,” I said in an attempt to encourage him.
“He’s a crybaby is why,” Rosetta chimed in.
“That’s enough,” I firmly said. “Go on, Holden. You can tell us.”
Tears rimmed his eyes and his face turned bright red. “There’s a monster that follows me everywhere. Ever since I can remember.”
“He wakes me up all night,” Rosetta complained. “I’ve never seen anything.”
“Shh…” I said to her.
Xalen bent down and took our son in his arms, whispering something in his ear. When he finished, Holden nodded, clinging onto Xalen as if his life depended on it.
“Okay, Daddy,” I heard the child say.
“Okay, then,” Xalen said with a reassuring smile.
“All right, you two, get into your pj’s and then we’ll be along to tuck you in,” I instructed.
“Come on, I’ll stay with you,” Rosetta said with a large, resigned sigh.
Holden tried to smile at her as he followed her into their bedroom.
“I’ve never seen Holden so worried. He seemed fine as a toddler. Well, he did cry a lot at night but I thought he had tummy aches or something. What did you say to him?”
Xalen took my hand and kissed it before saying, “I told him our room is right next to theirs and that he can wake us up anytime he needs us.”
“That’s all good, but maybe you should have told him there are no monsters to be concerned about.”
Xalen regarded me with a somber expression. “But you know that is not true.”
“You don’t think there really is a monster following our son!” I exclaimed.
“No, of course not. It is difficult to tell him there are no monsters or ghosts when I have dealt with so many.”
Was this our first disagreement? How bad would it get?
“I think it’s wrong not to reassure him that his monster isn’t real.”
He shrugged easily and said, “Perhaps you are right. I am still learning how to deal with children.”
I squeezed his hand as we walked down the hallway toward the children’s room. “I reckon we both are.”
It was such a relief to know this wasn’t going to be a huge fight. We were both dealing with a situation we weren’t accustomed to, so it was good we could talk about it.
Upon entering the bedroom, we noticed Holden crouched on the floor, his eyes scanning the area under his bed.
“Are you looking for monsters?” I asked.
He responded without moving away from what he was doing. “No, just the one.”
“Come on, Holden,” Rosetta loudly complained. “I want to get this sleeping over with so we can go swimming in the pool.”
“Okay, okay,” he sighed.
As Holden climbed up onto the bed, Xalen and I hugged and kissed each of them.
“Father, maybe if you looked around the room, I’d feel better.”
“Of course,” Xalen agreed.
I stepped aside as he moved around me to look in the bathroom, in the closet, and under the beds.
“I think you are free and clear, son, but remember what I told you. We are only in the next room.”
“Can we watch TV?” Rosetta asked as she sank down into the bed and I pulled the covers up to her chin.
“Not tonight,” I whispered, brushing her bangs out of her eyes.
“I’m very sure watching TV would get Holden’s mind off of monsters,” Rosetta pushed.
“All right, time to tuck in,” Xalen announced.
With another resigned sigh, Rosetta sank down further into the cozy bed and closed her eyes.
Holden was still resistantly sitting on top of his covers. This was really bothering him more than I realized, so I made a mental note to speak to Susan and Momma about this. Maybe they noticed something, too, and could give me some words of advice.
“Look, your sister is already asleep,” Xalen told the small boy.
Finally, Holden snuggled down, yawning and we were able to coax him to sleep, too.
“Our children sound like grownups,” I whispered to Xalen as we closed their bedroom door.
“I suppose that was the way with me as a child and my sister as well. We were expected to behave a certain way.”
“I’m not sure I like how formal they are. They need to be kids. To play and be goofy.”
“They will. I promise,” Xalen said.
“What should we do now?” I asked with a grin when we were alone in the living room.
“Give me a moment to think of something,” Xalen said, his eyes twinkling at me.
Every kiss felt magical and I couldn’t believe I’d waited my entire life to feel like this. In my heart, I knew, he was the only man I would ever need.
That night, my mind swirled with strange and restless dreams. Every time I woke up with a start, I couldn’t remember what it was all about. Instead, it left a sense of dread wadded up like a tight ball in the pit of my stomach.
But I could remember the feeling of the dreams… it was as if I was flying haphazardly and without direction… much like I’ve seen honeybees do… watching my own family. Only somehow, I knew it wasn’t me actually experiencing this. It felt more like I was in someone else… no, something else.
As I woke again with a pounding heart and beads of sweat on my forehead, that ball in my stomach settled even further there like a heavy brick now, increasing my frightful perceptions. My shoulders trembled as an anxiety I couldn’t rid myself of overtook me.
For a while, I forced my eyes closed, gradually attempting to release the tension in my body. I had just started to drift off again when Holden bolted into the room, screaming bloody murder.
“Daddy, daddy, daddy, daddy, daddy – ”
I blinked against the light as it came on and Xalen popped up automatically, startled.
” – What? Oh, Holden,” he said.
I started to get up, too, as Xalen spoke calmly to our son.
“Did you have a bad dream about the monster?”
“I thought I was but no, I was wide awake just like I am right now!” he screeched. “Itisrealitisrealitisreal!”
He glanced at me, holding back frightened tears.
“Oh, honey, it’s okay,” I murmured.
As Holden began to describe the monster and what happened to Xalen, I mumbled, “I’ll check on Rosetta.”
It stood to reason, in my book, that if we’d been scared awake by Holden, she may have as well. Besides, I still felt unsettled myself, so being able to put eyes on my other child, I figured, would make me feel better.
She came out of their room as I reached for the doorknob.
“Oh, you’re up,” I said.
“Yes, mother. Holden woke me up.”
“But you’re not having bad dreams like your brother?”
“I have bad dreams sometimes but they don’t make me scream like that.”
“What are your bad dreams about?”
“The monster,” she said matter of factly. “I’ve never seen him, though.”
The monster? Quickly, I searched the children’s room, Rosetta only steps behind me the entire time. Of course, there was nothing to be found, but something was picking at the back of my mind, something that felt forgotten yet I should know or understand.
The next few days were spent playing in the pool and attending the Summer Festival. It was a hot day, still, Xalen was dressed in normal Xalen “dressed down” fashion. The kids were cranky even though we let them get their faces painted and bought them ice cream cones.
“Can we go back to the house?” Holden asked.
“But a show is about to begin. You might like it,” Xalen said.
“I doubt it,” Rosetta answered. “We want to go swimming.”
“You’ve been swimming every day,” I said. “Today, we’re doing this and you’re going to have fun!”
Xalen gave me a side-eyed glance before saying, “Listen, children, let us try to enjoy this day at the festival. What is left to do?”
“Well, we already got our faces painted,” Holden said. “We ate ice cream, got funny pictures taken…”
As if on cue, Rosetta picked up the rest of the sentence. “… Got a family picture taken, had a water balloon fight and saw a magician.”
“Well, then, I know what’s left,” I said. The heat was oppressive but I tried to inject some excitement into my voice, regardless.
“What?” Holden asked.
“You haven’t roller skated yet! It’s so much fun!”
And so, Holden and Rosetta decided roller skating was worth a try since we weren’t going back to the pool yet. Xalen and I didn’t join them but moved into a position where we could see the next show as well as the kids.
“I need to talk to you,” I told him. “I’ve been thinking about it and I’m a little bothered about what you said the other night about the kids and how they’re expected to behave a certain way.”
“Technically, I mentioned my sister and I were raised that way.”
“Okay, I’ll give you that. It’s just that I don’t want our kids to grow up like that. They should just have fun and do kid things. They need to be themselves.”
“Even children must have some discipline and learn responsibility.”
“Okay, but I feel like they’re too formal… too rigid. Do you see it, too?”
His expression changed to one of concern and I could tell he was thinking about what I said. “I think they should have structure but also have fun. Perhaps when they begin with their tutor, we should mention this.”
I gasped. “Tutor! But they’ll be starting school!”
Xalen seemed completely confused. “No, they will have tutors as my sister and I did. As every Sprague child has had.”
I could feel my cheeks getting hot and my pulse racing. “Don’t I have a say in this? I don’t give a crap about what the Sprague tradition is – these are our children.”
He tried to take my hand but I pulled away.
“Marty, we talked before about how they might travel with us at times. How can they join us if they are in school? I suppose they could be enrolled in boarding schools but I think I would miss them too much.”
“Boarding – no!” My face was burning now and I knew it must be purple like a beet. With shaking hands, I pushed my hair behind my ears and took a deep breath. “We’re not farming them out to some cold, impersonal schools! They need us. You’ve seen how terrified Holden gets at night – he needs us. Rosetta needs us, too, she can’t take care of her brother at a boarding school! They need to be with us so we can take care of both of them.”
Throughout it all, Xalen remained cool as a cucumber. If his temper was flaring, he covered it very well. “Apparently, we have much to discuss.”
“Apparently!”
“Darling, I do not want to argue. But I also want to do what is best for Rosetta and Holden. I believe if we do what is best for them, the two of us will be happy, too.”
His words melted my heart like they always did, yet I was afraid. Having these two little lives in our care was a big deal and I didn’t want to make a mistake that might hurt them.
When I didn’t respond, he said, “We can work this out. Love conquers all, Marty.”
Love conquers all. It was so cliché but I could tell he believed in what he was saying. Love conquers all. So they say, whoever they are. Either way, it wasn’t as if I was going to let my marriage fail over this, so I had to agree that we could work this out.
The only problem was, who was going to compromise?
That night, we decided to let the kids stay up late so we could swim and, when it got dark, watch the fireworks that were scheduled to go off from the festival grounds. We were pretty sure we’d be able to see them from here.
Xalen and I were doing okay, I guess, but there was a certain tension you often sense when there are issues underneath the surface that need to be hammered out.
As the fireworks shot into the sky in colors of white, gold, green, red and blue, I glanced at my little family in the pool.
I never wanted anything to change. As far as I was concerned, Rosetta and Holden could stay this age forever. My husband could look at me with adoring eyes from now until the end of time.
Love conquers all.
Author’s Note: Shout out to Louise of Not Just a Book Sims who made the poses where Marty and Xalen are in each other’s arms in the living room. You can find that pose pack here: Stellar Romance. Thank you, Louise!
Also, just an FYI to the people who have requested interviews: The questions have been emailed to you. If you didn’t get the email, please let me know so I can resend it. Thank you!
Aaaannnnd one last thing! lol This Wednesday, another chapter of “It’s the 20s!” will be published. It’s entitled, “A Growing Suspicion.”
Thank you for reading!
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Hey. Nice story here. I enjoyed reading it. Even if love can’t conquer everything, it can put up a great fight. Stay positive and keep writing. Your stories are really good!
Thank you so much for your kind and encouraging words! I’m so glad you enjoyed it. I hope to be posting again very soon. 😀
Parts of this chapter creeped me out totally. Marty’s bad dream (I’ve had dreams like that and they are truly frightenin) and Holden’s monster. Something tells me the two are related and we haven’t seen the last of this.
These kids are going to be a handful, that’s for sure. Rosetta seems to be the bossier of the two and if not careful, could turn into a real bitch. Holden seems to be the gentler of the two, but I think there’s more to him than meets the eye.
Oh dang! Xalen and Marty have a hard situation on their hands. they should have done some talking about this long before the situation actually blew up. They see things quite differently when it comes to the kids. I just hope it doesn’t pull them apart. Love CAN conquer all, but that doesn’t mean it always happens. It depends on a lot of things – the situation, the kind of love involved, and the people involved in that love. I mean, if love COULD conquer all, Leo would have been able to bring Jilly back or save her, right? 🙁
I creeped you out! I must be doing something right! LOL 😀 Dreams like that are very frightening, I agree.
I think you’re also right that the kids will be a handful. I laughed when you said Rosetta might be a bitch because the first time I saw her after she aged up, I thought, “that kid has resting bitch face.” LOL
Ohhhhh, those are such good points about love conquering all. You’re so right.
Hello Rosmarymarie. I just love your site and the beautiful animations supporting your story. In my book you are a wife and a mother who is blessed.You are blessed with a husband, who clearly loves you. You are blessed with your ‘pigeon pair’ and twins to boot – how wonderful! I have always seen twins as a ‘double blessing’. Twins run in my family, uncommonly, in consecutive generations.
I am father, grandfather and great-grandfather to twelve precious souls. I count these, each one of them as, the greatest blessing in my life.
I have found that life is so interesting, exciting and varied, that I am totally reticent to offer advice to anyone.
Having said that, there is one statement to which I can solidly attest: “Love conquers all”.
To me, if I look back on the years of my life, fear was always my greatest enemy; the greatest monster I have ever encountered. From earliest childhood, I faced many monsters. Yet, the greatest of all was fear.
On the twenty ninth day of September nineteen eighty, I was introduced to Love. Those single four letters changed my life, because they were the first and most effective weapon I received to combat my fears (believe me, I had literally hundreds of them, in all shapes and sizes).
I invited love to be my lifelong partner and today I am a man of great peace and trust.
Thank you so much for your kind and wise words. I am so glad you stopped by and shared this with me.
My pleasure Rosemarymarie. I apologize for referring to you as the mother instead of your ‘Marty’, only realized later. Blessings – Peter
No need to apologize. 🙂 I’m a mother, too, so I took it all to heart as wisdom being shared with me. Blessings to you, too.
Hmm they have so much to discuss when it comes to raising children. I hope they can find a compromise but neither of them are exactly easily. I would have thought in their line of work they would have reacted more to Holden declaration of seeing a monster. The poor kid is obviously terrified 😟
You are so right about that. I think perhaps the lack of reaction is because they don’t want anything like that affecting their kids. They definitely should take a look at the possibilities, though. You’re also right that neither of them is exactly easy. Add to that the fact they grew up completely differently, and you have some problems there. Hopefully, a solution will make itself known.
Everything has been moving so fast!
Thank you so much! 🙂 You are definitely right about that! LOL 😀
When traditions meets modernity we have to deal with keeping the best of both. Only dialog can conquer all as well. It’s difficult first time but they won’t broke up.
I believe you’re right. They’ve been through too much to break up over something like this. They just need to talk some more.
Children arrives so quickly future parents think they can be in harmony to raise up them but they often wrong. They’ll go through. There is something that linked them more than the children, the monster under the bed.
Yes, that is a good point, too. 🙂
I’m really worried about Holden! And even though Rosetta said she doesn’t believe in the monster, she still has dreams about it, which is so strange! Definitely something going on there, I’m with Xalen that they shouldn’t rule that out. I think Marty wants to deny it so much (even though she has seen supernatural things) because she doesn’t want to believe her child is really in danger.
It was wrong of both of them to assume how they would educate the kids without talking about it, but these things happen, and it was an assumption made on both their parts. I’m more on Marty’s side with this argument, but I can see Xalen’s point too with them travelling so much. I wonder what they’ll come up with.
I think you’ve hit the nail on the head with this one. Marty definitely doesn’t want to believe her child is in danger and is therefore dismissive of the whole monster thing.
That’s also a really good point about how they both assumed how things would be with the kids although they hadn’t talked about it first. Hopefully, the solution will make everyone happy.
I’m worried that this monster is something more…. If Marty dreams about it, that’s a sign. Hmm I have to take Marty’s side on this one. The kids do seem a bit uptight for their age, maybe they could find a younger, more energetic and nontraditional tutor?
That’s a terrific idea! Someone who can relate to kids better and provide some fun. 🙂 You’re right to be worried about the monster but more on that later. 😀
Xalen, no! Marty has very good reasons to want her kids nearby, especially if they are dealing with night terrors and already behave to old for their age. If anything, they need public school, or at least private school nearby, so they could interact with others their age. I get it that Xalen wants the best for his family. But sometimes, what he thinks is the best might not necessarily be so.
Oh how true that is! It seems to me that he thinks his upbringing was very good, when in fact, he probably had too much responsibility as a child. I think school nearby is a good idea.
I hope in this case that love really will conqure all. Marty and Xalen have been through so much, and they love each other so much. Please find a way to let it all work out.
Holden looks so much like Leo, it is so cute, and when Rosetta’s hair is up her looks like Jilly. But I am more than a little worried about the monster. This feels like it is more than just a child’s imagination running wild.
I’m sure in the end, they will work something out but the key is to do that and yet avoid any resentments in the process. They’ve been through so much already, so I think they will decide on something they can both live with. 🙂
That’s a good point about Holden/Rosetta and Leo/Jilly. I honestly didn’t realize all of that until it was brought up. But I definitely see the comparison.
The monster is worrying, that’s for sure. I agree about it feeling like more than a child’s imagination running wild.
Love conquers all… with the sword of compromise.
Beautifully said! <3
I loved this chapter and Holden has my sympathy.
In sensitive people, the barrier for Subtle is thinner than other and they have to cope with that.
It’s important to take his fears serious, it would make not much sense, trying to make him understand,
that “his monster” isn’t real – especially when you know by yourself, others are.
Maybe he would say: Yes Mother, now I know they aren’t real, but he would think otherwise, because he knows better.
Even the best marriage never is without dissonances. Marty and Yalen had some before they got married.
How boring would that even be ? Cloudless sky all the time ?
The art to stay happy together is to resolve the differences, so that both can agree.
Up to a certain point it’s normal, that the kids are formal – because her father is.
Marty should know that by now. 😉
I prefer the idea, to have them into school when they are at home and a tutor, in which Marty can trust,
if they are travelling.
And of course, both kids are cute, love Rosetta too.
I agree with you about Holden and that they should take his fears seriously instead of just saying it isn’t real.
That’s such a good point about marriage and how boring it would be if there weren’t disagreements now and again. It’s so true.
I think that’s a good idea about the kids being in school while everyone is in town and then getting a tutor for when they travel.
I’m so glad you love the kids and think they are cute. 😀 <3
Another Great chapter, no surprise there! 😀
Thank you so much for your kind words. I’m so glad you enjoyed it. 🙂
Hm, sounds like the honeymoon is over! I still love these two together, but they are total opposites. Its gonna be interesting to see how they work this out. I know they will. After all, Xalen’s good with those words. Meanwhile, I think Rosetta is slowly morphing into a mermaid. XD And I also think that Holden might have more of his parents perception to ghosts than his twin does. This is gonna be wild!
LOL About the honeymoon being over. :O You are right that they’re opposites. They grew up completely differently and see life in totally different ways. I think you’re right that they will work this out. I mean, they’ve come this far, right? 🙂
A mermaid! :O Wowzas! 😀 Holden definitely has something going on there. LOL I can’t wait to continue the story. 😀
So Rosetta is the boss, huh? Those kids are a riot lol. (ahem) Love better conquer all for the Larochettes too! Just sayin…
LOL
LOL Rosetta is a handful! 😛 I’m glad you like the kids. I can’t wait till you see more of their personalities come through.
Oh I hear what you’re just sayin’. And I’m a little afraid. LOLOL :O
You better be! 😀
LOL! 😀
Oh dear…
That is quite the dilemma which has risen up between Marty and Xalen. They are quite different, so it is expected, but their ideals for their children are worryingly different. I do hope they can find a balance so their children can grow up both having fun and being appropriately disciplined, but I feel like someone’s going to be unhappy with the end result for the education problem.
Hmm I think the monster Holden is talking about is definitely real, since Rosetta and Marty have both sensed it, but I wonder where it is from and what it’s intentions are (probably bad). Is it connected to the vase they bought a bit back?
Great chapter <3
That is an excellent question about the monster and the vase! You will know in the near future, for sure.
I think the way you put the dilemma that Marty and Xalen are having was really good because you touched on all the main points. They grew up very differently, they don’t have the same ideals or expectations. I hope they find that balance, too, where there are no resentments between them and where the children can thrive.
BTW children all do their own thing when calling mom .. my baby calls me mum or mums .. mother comes from all of them when I am in trouble .. the older two it is mom <3 no matter the name the love is the same!
That’s a lovely way to put the whole “mother” thing into perspective. 🙂 I’m still mommy to my daughter and mum to my son. <3 You are right that the love is the same. <3
A monster huh .. am I sensing a mystery coming <3
You are so right on that one! haha 😀 <3
LOVE it
Me, too <3
I love the way Rosetta calls “wild” Marty ‘mother’, but Holden calls very proper Xalen “daddy”! I think my son was the only child of mine to call me ‘mother’, and that’s when he’s being “preachy”! lol It will be interesting to see what kind of compromise they make. A tutor would be fine if it’s the right person. A good tutor would also include social interactions as part of their education, and know they need to have fun, too! It might be difficult to find that “magical” tutor, someone to please both parents and kids! I also think Holden is onto something there, a monster under the bed or lurking nearby could be the result of his parents’ line of work! I think Marty may have to be the one to put it to rest. Trouble in paradise, but with all the love in that family, I think it will be solved to everyone’s satisfaction. I’m glad Xalen isn’t trying to mold Marty into someone she isn’t, and accepts her with all her quirks, which is what love is all about! Good chapter, lots up in the air, of course, so I will be anxiously awaiting next Saturday!! (and Wednesday!) ♥
I thought it was strange to hear Marty called “mother,” too. And yeah, Xalen gets called daddy! hahaha How is that fair? 😛
I think you’re right that if the tutor is the right person, it should end up all right. They need Mary Poppins! LOL
Holden’s monster… is it his imagination or is he seeing something truly scary? :O Stay tuned! LOL
I’m glad Xalen isn’t trying to make Marty into something else either. The great thing about it is that he really does love her for who she is. <3
Uh oh…. I don’t like how foreboding this last part was… their relationship can’t change, not those two!! <\3
Rosetta is hilarious! I think she's my favorite of those two! Not because I particularly appreciate this kind of behavior from little kids, but because I believe she'll make a very interesting (and funny) heir! She has the proper trait, right? 😀 – Although Holden and the monster (that sounded like a 90's movie, lol) will make for a great story, I'm sure!
But now… yeah, this whole education issue is going to leave one angry, I'm sure of it. And judging from Marty's words, I feel like this one will be Xalen… I hope they'll manage to get through this! 🙁
Not these two! :O Well, if it changes, hopefully, it will only be for the better. I think they are both determined to make it work. Let’s just hope there are no resentments along the way.
My gut reaction against the tutors probably speaks more of how it’s usually the rich a**holes that have tutors and then either don’t know how to interact with people their age or they just turn out to be dickwads. That’s probably the biased liberal in me, though xD
Either way I’m sure they will choose whatever is for the best. They both need a result where they are halfway happy. Maybe a school until they go away on trips, and then they have a tutor? Hmmm. There’s a lot to consider there.
The monster… a kids worst nightmare!
If they end up with tutors, let’s hope they are good ones who understand the importance of interaction. I also think it’s probably not good for them to grow up feeling like they are different or “better than.” There are times I feel this sort of aloofness in Xalen and I wonder if it is because of his upbringing or because of his job with The Inheritance. Perhaps both. lol
Let’s hope that whatever they decide, it will be a joint effort and not something one-sided.
This brings up a few interesting complications !
I hope it will be interesting. LOL I imagine, had things gone a different way, they might’ve sorted all of this out before having children. But, well… things often don’t go as planned.
I got this knot in my stomach. I had the same issues with my second husband and it did not turn out well. My boys have suffered for that compromise on my part and I regret not having stood my ground. It frightens me at this point and I’ve had those same dreams Marty did. It’s the fight or flight dream. The one where something is gnawing at you that needs resolution. Been there, done that. It’s like a card game, “know when to hold them, know when to fold them”. When you have little ones, it’s a hard place to be and if these two are like my two were, it will be very hard on them to have parents divided. I hope they can work it out.
I’m guessing those kids have the “sense/sight” their parents do and I can’t believe Marty is being so dismissive of it, knowing what she knows. At least Xalen is being honest about it, so that’s a plus on his part. It goes to show that marriage/parenting is a team effort and when it doesn’t work, it’s not one sided. Kid’s can manipulate parents when there is dissension.
Oh dear, what a problem that is. I’m sorry your boys suffered. I think as parents, we make the best decisions that we can at the time and hope for the best.
I see what you mean about Marty’s dream and something gnawing at you that causes it. Hopefully, Xalen and Marty can work this out before it grows into a bigger issue that the kids become aware of. You’re so right about kids and manipulation. It takes them all of five minutes to figure out when parents don’t agree and how they can work it. LOL
I meant to mention, too, that you’re right about Marty. She’s being awfully dismissive of the whole monster thing. It would seem, with what she is aware of, she would want to take a closer look into that.
Ah, I really wonder if there’s more to the monster thing. If it was reality, I’d say it’s just kids’ imagination, which also had an influence on Marty, but since it’s a story in which magic exists, I am not so sure. Does it still have to do with the meteor and how it influenced the family? Well, we know that Marty can see ghosts…
By the way, I love Marty’s outfit during the festival! And cute necklace.
Wow, Xalen really had influence on the kids. They are indeed very formal for their age and I do wonder what will come out of it, and what’s in store for the couple. Can’t wait to see what they decide as far as kids’ education is concerned. Xalen’s formality sounds almost as if he was some sort of a prince. Sebastian from Amy’s story instantly came to my mind! Anyway, I will be waiting to see how it all unfolds.
I agree with you about the monster thing. That’s a good question about the meteor and what the scientists did to Mango. Marty can see ghosts because of it… so do the children inherit this ability or do they have some other ability altogether?
Thank you, regarding Marty’s outfit! I’m glad you like it. And the necklace, too. I’ve always liked those two together. 🙂
Yes, Xalen had a very formal upbringing, so it’s natural, he would behave that way toward his children. The kids’ education is something they probably would have discussed prior to having children, had things worked out that way. I see what you mean about Sebastian! 🙂
Thank you so much for the shout-out, Rosemary <3 I'm glad you could use the pack – you're very welcome!
Oh, so there's trouble in paradise. I really think Xalen and Marty should try and find some middle ground here. They don't want the kids to grow up too wild – discipline is important. On the other hand, it is kind of creepy that Rosetta calls Marty 'mother'. And at the same time kind of a fun quirk – I like her!
It also seems like the family is being haunted by something or other, at least based on Marty's dream. There are so many unanswered questions and now this tension between my favourite couple. That's bad :O But unfortunately, I just have to wait patiently for the next one.
I’m glad you had those poses! 😀 <3
Isn't there always a little trouble in paradise? haha I think they should try to find some middle ground, too. Isn't that kind of strange with Rosetta and the whole "mother" thing? hahaha I'm glad you like her! 😀 I can't wait until the kids' personalities come out more.
Knowing this family, you're probably right about the haunting. We can't allow this tension to go on for long between Xalen and Marty, it just wouldn't be right. LOL
Oh I’m thinking a bunch of things after reading this chapter:
1) This is a good reason why couples needs to talk everything out before they even get pregnant
2) Doing what is best for the kids, shouldn’t mean one parent has to compromise what they also believe is right for the kids
3) Those kids are going to be a handful. Rosetta has her mother’s spunk and her fathers over confidence.
4) Damn they look so much like Leo and Jilly.
5) Holden’s story will be a fascinating one! Can’t wait to see what you have up your sleeve.
Lastly, does love really conquer all?
Those are all such good point! And I agree with all of them. It’s really crazy how much these twins remind me of Leo and Jilly, too. In this case, Holden seems to be the quiet one. LOL Leo the handful that drove Memphis up the wall. haha
I am really looking forward to playing these kids and seeing where they’re headed. At the moment, it’s all pretty open.
As for love conquering all… that is a good question. What is your opinion?
I think it depends on the love and the people involved.
Yes, I do agree with that, Bee. <3