Challenges of a mother

A Round Robin

Legacy

FABULARES

ANIMALIA

Welcome back to Fabulares Animalia, a Boolpropian

round robin legacy! Where Castoria Reisenden is

continuing her research of Riverblossom Hills. Last

chapter she married Andrew Martin, He moved in

with his teenage son, Jacob Martin.

After our wedding night, Andrew and I were too exultant

to sleep. We ended up tending the garden together.

Despite being distracted by my beloved’s closeness I

earned a bronze gardening badge.

“Cas? You alright?” Andrew asked as I had to work

very hard not to throw up on his shoes.

“I’m fine.” I told him, could I be pregnant, was that

what that strange lullaby was about. I would have to

pursue this futher.

My stomach settled down quickly, thankfully. After a

quick shower, my beloved and I settled down to play

chess. We both needed to increase our logic skill. I

must admit, Andrew is a little better than me. He

says he’s been playing games since he was Jacob’s

age.

Jacob returned home from school, his grades were

improving. Andrew said Jacob had been a little off since

his mother had died. I hope this is a good sign for our

relationship.

All of sudden my stomach expanded, I was pregnant.

It had to had something to do with the lullaby I had

heard. I wish I could contact my mother about the

incident. I was filled with joy, I was going to have a

baby. I had to tell Andrew right away.

But he was asleep. My poor love, he was exhausted

from our night time labors in the garden.

Jacob returned from work that day with a promotion. I’m

so very proud of him. He reached the top of the Gaming

Career for teens. All too soon he’ll be wanting to go to

college. We really can’t afford to send him, but he is

smart enough to earn lots of scholarships.

The next morning I told my beloved about our

upcoming bundle of joy. Andrew sweep me up in a

kiss so sweet and tender I thought I would melt.

Being pregnant made me so hungry, I felt like

I had to constantly eat. Luckily we could

afford to upgrade the kitchen a little so I could

eat more than Simfast and cereal. Though I

loved eating cereal.

The crops were constant maintenance. Though

both Andrew and I loved spending time outside.

It didn’t take long before he also earned his

bronze gardening badge.

I still went to work while pregnant. My bosses

weren’t pleased, but I didn’t care. We needed the

money too badly for me to stop working.

Sometimes both Andrew and I were at work and

Jacob was left home to fend for himself. He said he

liked the quiet. But I still worried about him.

All the girls in the neighborhood called him constantly.

He often wanted to invite them over for a party. I

denied his request. Our home was too small for a

crowd of girls. Especially when we weren’t home.

I entered my third trimester as soon as I got home

from work. I’m so excited my baby will be born soon.

Andrew made us cereal the next morning. He is great at guessing what I need. It was good that he

was in a good mood. I had neglected to tell him one thing.

“Andrew, There’s a naming theme in my family.”

“Like European names? I can handle that.”

“No, well, no so specific. I want to name our baby after a creature of legend.”

“Oh, I guess that’ll be okay. My aunt won’t like it.”

“I know. But it’s important to my mission.”

“She’ll have to accept then.”

Andrew had to go to work after that. I spent the

day tending the garden. The tomato plants were

almost ripe. I couldn’t wait to taste my home

grown produce.

That night I went into labor. It hurt a lot but was

over very quickly.

Even though I had to go through it twice. I gave birth to

twins, which is not surprising since I’m quadruplet myself.

I named them Chupacabra and Lechuza. Though it is quiet

impossible to tell them apart at this age.

I wanted six kids altogether. My beloved was all too

willing to try again right away.

Jacob cared for the newborns while we slept. I didn’t

even have to ask. I couldn’t have asked for a better

stepson.

We had to hire a nanny, while my beloved and I were

at work and Jacob was at school. I hated leaving my

little ones. But since I had gone in while pregnant, my

bosses expected me to come back right away.

“Thanks for you help Jacob.”

“No problem Dad.” Jacob said rocking Chupie back and forth gently. “I’m

glad you and Castoria had kids, that way you won’t miss me so bad when I

move out.”

“What happened to college?” Andrew asked.

“I can’t put you guys in debt like that.” Jacob said sadly, “Look at our

house, we don’t even have furniture. I’ll stay and help out with the little

until I can move out.”

Barely a day passed and my stomach swelled with

new life. We were going to be parents again! My

beloved would be so pleased.

This pregnancy was not as easy as the first. I felt

that I could do little more than eat and sleep.

Andrew and Jacob struggled to keep the house

clean.

All of us felt horrible when Andrew found the garden

choke in weeds. Our beloved garden had always been

well tended.

With Andrew’s help, we fixed the garden. He told

me what Jacob had said the previous day. My

heart sunk, I had hoped we could of sent Jacob to

college money aside. I had failed my stepson.

A lucky chance card gave Andrew a promotion to

Platform Jumper. I hope can use his bonus money

expand the house.

In the night I was awakened by my child growing inside

me. It was growing so rapidly. I wondered how were

going to manage three tiny children. Thank goodness

there are three of us to care for them.

That evening was the twins birthday, my darling

Lechuza grew up first. She was a happy natured girl,

always happy to greet a new face. She thankfully

patient to wait her turn to be changed and fed.

Jacob help Chupie, we weren’t able to afford cakes this

time around. He was only slightly shier than his sister.

Still has sweet as honey, my Chupie.

They loved each other very much. Talking in nonsense

phrases that obviously meant something to each other.

I could barely tear them apart to make them go to bed.

This night I was awakened again. By horrible pain, I was

labor again.

I gave birth to two more boys, Rookin and

Coyote. I shouldn’t have been surprised, but I

was. Our house was too small before, now it

would be absolutely cramped.

Once the newborns were settled in cribs in Jacob’s

room Andrew and I went back to bed. It took a long

time for me to fall back asleep. Mulling over the

problem of space in my head.

The mess downstairs made the decision for me. We

would move, rather try to fix this house. There was a

plot of land near Andrew’s Aunt’s.

The instant the newsboy came I snatched up

the paper and confirmed the listing was

available. We began packing everything we

owned.

Within two hours, we were there. Our new house. This

time we wouldn’t have to live in squalor.

That’s it for this chapter, sorry it’s taking so long to get my chapters out. I’m hoping

I’ll be making more time for them in the near future so I can pass the torch.

I named Castoria’s kids after local legends, thinking it would be fun to learn more

about my area. Some of the mythic creatures are rather famous like the

Chupacabra and others less so, like I had never heard of Lechuza. But that’s what

Google is for right?

Chupacabra is the goat sucking demon widely known to killed cattle and drain their

blood. Tasty. There are a lot of Chupacabra ‘spottings’ but most tend to a mange

infested dog or raccoon.

Lechuza is a home grown Texas legend of witches that turn into owls. Fortunately

they are not considered dangerous and seemed to like scary people on long widing

road trips.

Rookin is a legendary giant bull shark roaming the swamps of my dear neighbor

Louisiana. I’m not sure how valid this legend is. But Discovery Channel gave it a

special during a Shark Week.

Coyote is one my personal favorite Indian legends. He’s part of a lot stories and

cultures. And is always up to some mischief or other. Patricia Briggs, a favorite

author of mine, brings him to life in the Mercy Thompson series.