Very early Monday Morning
Last time we left off, Tamara had been admitted to hospital for premature labour and Salvatore was on the phone telling his mother that the labour
had been stopped.
Salvatore!
“Ah nurse” said the Dr throwing his gloves in the bin “Is this the father?”
At her nod he said “Too late I’m afraid.”
“What?!” yelled Salvatore.
“Too late for the birth. Your twins
have already been born and are
being wheeled down corridor C to
intensive care.”
Salvatore stood with his mouth
open. He had not one but two
babies and they were in intensive
care!
“Tamara?”
“She will be going back to her room
shortly. How about we step out in
the waiting area?”
Nurse Margaret went off to do
other things, leaving Salvatore with
Dr Evan’s.
The Dr and Salvatore went
out to the waiting area.
Salvatore sat down rather
shell shocked.
“You have to understand Mr
Mobacy that premature sim
labour is much faster than
normal labour and
delivery.”
“But it had been stopped.”
“Only momentarily; once a
baby or babies decided to
be born that is it.”
The doors opened and Tamara
came out on her bed with the
Alderley pushing, he paused for
them to greet her. She barely
opened her eyes to mumble
“Drugs...good, no triplets.”
Salvatore leant over and kissed
her “You did really well Tams.”
“Come we will walk down to
intensive care together” said
the Dr watching Salvatore.
Salvatore looked back at
Tamara unsure of what to do.
“She will sleep, don’t worry.”
After washing his arms up to his elbows Salvatore was allowed inside the intensive care unit. They passed a rather tiny baby; Salvatore couldn’t help
but stop and stare.
Dr Evan’s seemed to read his mind. “That baby was born a whole day early; your boy’s are considerably larger and stronger.”
“Boys?”
“Yes, here they are.”
Salvatore stared at the two
little babies lying on the
warming beds. He had two
sons!
“How can my boy’s be so
much larger?”
“Your wife had them only
five hours earlier then full
term.”
“But the sizes, I don’t
understand how they can
be so different to that other
baby.”
“Sim babies gestate at a very rapid
pace over the three days of
pregnancy, so the few hours
difference between the little girl
over there, to your boys, to a full
term baby is quite immense in
terms of growth.”
“That’s incredible; I had never really
given it any thought.”
“Most people don’t, which is why I
like to explain this to new parents.”
“Now they are born their growth
will slow down considerably, but
you will see by about lunch time
today they should be large enough
to take home and from there they
should grow and age normally.”
“Thank you so much Dr.”
“The pleasure was all mine Mr
Mobacy. Obstetrics is a fascinating
field to work in. I never tire of
seeing them grow, literally before
my eyes.”
Salvatore knew he should go to bed; it was now 4am and he had only had about three hours sleep the entire night, but how could he leave the boys
alone? The boys? The poor mites didn’t even have a name that he could tell the nurse when she had asked. They had only settled on one boy’s
name, Riccardo; as they had only expected one baby. He guessed the eldest should be Riccardo, but which one was that? He gently touched one of
the baby’s soft warm skin. “What shall we name you hmm?” He jumped back as the baby gave out a soft grunting sound.
“They do that.”
“What?” asked Salvatore
startled.
“That grunting sound, it’s
normal” said the NICU
nurse smiling.
“Oh good!” Salvatore was
quite relieved. “I wasn’t
too sure if...”
“If you had done
something wrong?”
“Yeah.”
“You are allowed to touch
them, they aren’t that
fragile. Just be gentle and
quiet and they will be
fine.”
The nurse got a bottle and deftly
picked up one of the babies.
“I was here to feed and weigh
them, would you like to feed the
other one?”
“Oh no” said Salvatore his eyes
going wide. The very idea of
picking up one of his tiny son’s
filled him with trepidation.
“I was just off to bed, if that’s all
right?”
“Of course it is, you look like you
could do with a good sleep. Some
parents like to help others don’t;
it’s quite alright if you don’t.”
Salvatore relaxed, the nurse
seemed genuine and not
judgmental so he thankfully went
to bed and left her to it.
The hospital bed might not have been the most comfortable, but Salvatore was asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. Waking up, he looked out
the window. It was obviously quite late in the morning.
“Darn.” He hadn’t intended to sleep so long. He quickly threw on his clothes and went to Tamara’s room.
But it was already empty and her bed made.
He hurried down to the ICU and stopped. In the right crib was a little girl, probably the one from the incubator the day before and in the left was a
large pale looking boy.
“Excuse me Sir!” said a sharp voice behind him.
“Hands must be washed
thoroughly and non family
members must wear a mask
at all times.”
“But I’m_”
“Not a family member of
either of these two babies.”
“Sorry, I’m looking for my
wife and twin sons, they
were in here last night, the
other nurse knows me.”
“I’m the day nurse, nurse
Michaels left four hours
ago. Now what is your
name?” she asked sharply
without trace of a smile.
Salvatore felt like he was in
the principal’s office. Not
that he’d ever been sent,
but he was sure this is what
it must feel like.
“Salvatore Mobacy.”
The prune faced nurse
whipped out a folder and
quickly glanced down her
list.
“Your son’s were taken for
their neonatal exam at Dr
Evan’s office half an hour
ago.” She looked at him
disapprovingly. “They may
have even been discharged
by now.”
“Where do I go?”
“You will find Dr Evan’s
office down the hall and to
your left.”
“Thank you!”
“And don’t run!”
But Salvatore had already gone.
He knocked on the door
with Dr Evan’s name on it
and barely waited for a
reply before coming in.
“Thank goodness I found
you all.”
“You’re just in time to take
your family home Mr
Mobacy” said the Dr with a
smile.
“Sorry I’m late. I overslept
and then I couldn’t find
anybody...” Salvatore
trailed off as he stared at
both babies.
Joanne was holding one
while Tamara picked the
other one up off the
examination table.
He couldn’t believe how large and plump they both looked.
“They are both really fine?”
“Perfect health. Take your
boy’s home and enjoy them.”
Salvatore shook Dr Evan’s
hand. “Thank you so much.”
“They may be a little bit
smaller than average, but
nothing noticeable.”
Salvatore nodded and gazed in
wonder at his son’s again. The
change over the last nine hours
had been tremendous.
“Say hello to Papá,
Romero.”
“Romero, you thought
of another name.”
“Do you like it?”
“Yes, that’s a great
name, they go together
well.”
Turning to his mother he said,
“So this must be Riccardo. Hi
there little guy.”
“We were just about to get
them dressed; your father is
searching the hospital for
you.”
“Sorry about that. So who’s
watching the girls?...Not
Alice?”
“I trust the servo more than
your father now Salvatore. I
was hoping Dr Evans could
see him, but he needs a Dr
who specializes in such things,
plus he has to be willing,
which he isn’t.”
“Well you two get the boys
dressed and I’ll go search for
Papá. I hope he hasn’t gone
too far and gotten himself
lost.”
After checking the more obvious places upstairs, Salvatore went downstairs to check the front desk and cafeteria. He’d had no breakfast and the
smell of apple and cinnamon pancakes made him feel even hungrier.
“Aw Papá, why couldn’t you have been down here drinking coffee.”
He quickly grabbed a bottle of iced chocolate and guzzled it while continuing to look.
Salvatore went back up to
Tamara’s room. They were
ready to go home.
“So he hasn’t come back
then?”
“No, and I’m worried” said
Joanne.
“Could he have gone up
stairs?” asked Tamara.
“I shouldn’t have thought so,
but I’ll go check. It’s not like
it’s a huge hospital, we can
always ask them to page him
over the PA system.”
Salvatore got to the top of the stairs and looked around. Down the far end he could see large glass windows overlooking the general maternity
nursery. The nurse Tamara had seen yesterday was in there talking to a mother. Perhaps he could ask her if she had seen an older man wearing a
green shirt. He didn’t get the chance to as a loud scream came from somewhere to his left.
“My breast milk!” Screamed Samantha.
“Aarrggh! Breast milk!” Luigi would have spat the coffee out, but unfortunately he had already swallowed that mouthful and two before that.
*Basically Luigi is saying "How dare you leave your breast milk in the refrigerator where unsuspecting people might use it. You are an unfit mother!"
Salvatore and some of the
nursing staff quickly arrived on
the scene.
“How dare you!”
“What?” said Samantha taken
aback
"Come osi lasciare il latte nel
frigorifero dove le persone
ignare potrebbero usarla. Tu sei
una madre inadatta donna!"
“Now you just wait a cotton
picking minute!“ said Samantha.
She had no idea what had just
been said to her, but she didn’t
like it one bit.
“We all know about you and
your twins.”
Samantha’s eyes flashed, she’d
had it with people calling her
trailer trash and the rumors that
Brandy Broke was the father of
her twins or worse a stray dog!
“Now you look here! I don’t
care what rumors you have
heard they are all untrue! Have
you people no brains? How
would that even be possible?!
I’m a teacher and a
respectable married woman.
Also, what do you expect to
find in the kitchen of a
maternity unit? Whiskey?!
Luigi made a dismissive noise
and waved her off like she was
a pesky fly.
“Mr Mobacy we can’t have
your father upsetting the
patients, please take him
home” said nurse Margaret.
“Yes, of course.” Said
Salvatore, who was bewildered
by what exactly had happened.
The other nurse gently
removed Samantha Ottomas
who was now ranting about
Brandy Broke and dogs, back
to her room.
“Papá what were you doing?”
“I was trying to have a quiet cup of
coffee! Can you believe that
woman just leaving her breast milk
in the fridge?”
“Papá this is the kitchen of the
maternity unit, women do leave
their milk in the fridge. You’re
supposed to go to the cafeteria.”
“Well I couldn’t find it.”
Salvatore sighed and wondered if
he would be getting his father out
of constant jams now. “Look the
nurse said if we clean up nothing
more will be said.”
“About what? Her causing a
scene?”
Salvatore just shook his head and
went to rinse out the coffee cup. It
had been one heck of a day and it
was only lunchtime.
Monday Morning main house
Rosa bounded down into the
kitchen and stopped short.
Alice was cooking, which was
most unusual. Normally it
would have been her Nonie
cooking up omelettes, waffles
or pancakes.
“Where’s Nonie?”
“The hospital, your mother
had the baby early.”
“Oh...is she okay? Is the baby
alright? Is papa there? What
about Ari?”
The servo made a metallic
sound which could be taken
for a growl.
“I don’t >beep< know. Your
sister is still asleep.”
“Oh fricken >beep< said the
servo as black smoke arose
from her omelettes.
Alice was not the most
domesticated of servos.
“Papa says friken is a
naughty word.”
“Then you >beep<
shouldn’t say it. Now I will
have to >buzz< make some
more!”
Rosa watched the servo
hunt around for some fresh
ingredients for the
omelettes, all the while
grumbling about not being a
domestic servant.
Rosa wasn’t altogether
comfortable with Alice, but
at the same time she was
fascinated in how she
sounded and how she had
been put together. Not fully
robotic and not fully simlish,
but something in-between.
It fascinated her.
“What? Is my butt running
oil?!” snapped the servo.
“No!” The last thing Rosa
wanted was to get into
trouble with Alice.
“Shall I go check on Ari?”
she added in quickly.
“If you like. Don’t wake her
up!”
“I won’t” Rosa called as she
ran out of the kitchen and
left the grumbling servo to
her cooking.
Rosa ran to the nursery, she wasn’t in her toddler bed. Next she ran to her parent’s room, but Ari wasn’t sleeping on her napping mat either.
What was that splashing sound she heard coming from the bathroom?
“Oh Ari! Not the toilet, that’s
gross!”
“Hehe it’s fun!”
So much for Ari being asleep, her
little sister was sopping wet!
Rosa wondered what she should
do. She was too young to give
Ari a bath, but maybe she could
get the wet nightie off. She did
not want to tell Alice that her
sister was playing down the
toilet, she might blow a gasket!
“Hold still Ari! It has these
tricky buttons down the
back.”
“Sorry Rosa, I didn’t mean to
get wet.”
“But why the toilet?
“Because it’s fun!”
Rose frowned and struggled
with the tiny buttons.
Sticking your hands down a
toilet sure didn’t sound like
fun to her. Her sister might
be having her big kid
birthday tonight, but for
now she was still just a
toddler who liked doing
toddler things. After
undoing two of the buttons,
Rosa managed to tug and
pull the nightie off over her
sister’s head before tossing
it into the bathtub.
Just in time too, as Alice came bustling
into the bathroom looking for them.
“Rosa your breakfast is_ buzz-a-beep-
beep! What is going on in here?!” Alice
was very good at sniffing things out and
this smelt very fishy indeed.
“Oh see you don’t have to worry Alice, I
took Ari’s wet nightie off myself. I was
just going to get her some clothes.”
“You need to >buzz< eat breakfast and
so does your sis_hang on >beep< why
was her nightie wet?!”
“She was just having some water play”
put in Rosa quickly. No need to tell the
servo just where the water was if she
didn’t ask. She didn’t want Ari to get
into trouble.
“Water play?” The servo gave off a
metallic rattling sound which was her
version of a shiver; she hated water.
“We don’t have >buzz< time for water
play! It’s 7 o’clock, and you have to
>ping< get ready for school!”
Thinking about school made
Alice forget about the wet
nightie.
“Quickly now!” >buzz
beep<! She picked up Ari
and shooed Rosa back to
the kitchen.
“Are you okay Alice?” Rosa
was nervous about how
many buzzes and beeps
Alice was making. What
would happen if she ran
amok with no adults at
home?
“I’m >ping< fine! Or I will be
>beep< once you are >buzz<
at school!”
Both girls sat and ate their
breakfast, but not nearly fast
enough for the servo’s liking.
Rosa liked to cut off small
pieces while Arianna demanded
to use her spoon. Watching the
toddler chase chunks of fruit
around and around her bowl
quickly made Alice impatient.
“Can’t you >beep< hurry it
along? Just use your hands and
>buzz< shovel it down!”
Rosa screwed up her nose and
stared at the servo. “Yuck. A
lady should always use her fork
or spoon.”
“Oh fricken >beep<!”
“Naughty Alice!” said
Arianna
Don’t you mind her Ari,
you’re doing really well
with your spoon. “
“Rosa you need to >beep<
get dressed now.”
“But I haven’t finished.”
“Too bad! We’re going to
be >beep< late on you first
day if we don’t hurry!”
“Okay, okay. I can be really
fast you’ll see!”
If it was one thing Rosa did well
it was run quickly. She sprinted
upstairs, got dressed and ran
back down again.
“Come on Ari it’s time to stop
dancing and get you dressed.”
“No >beep< we must get into
the car now” Alice said,
scooping up the toddler.
But Ari can’t go to the school
with us in her underwear!” said
Rosa shocked.
But Alice was already hurrying
to the car with the complaining
toddler tucked
unceremoniously under one
arm.
It was futile trying to get out of
Alice’s grasp; the servo could
easily hold a grown sim under
each arm if she needed to. This
however, didn’t make dealing
with an angry toddler in a car
seat much easier. She still
needed her two hands to do up
the buckles.
“Just hold >beep< still!”
demanded Alice.
“No! I want my clothes!” cried
Ari. At four and a half she knew
you didn’t go places in your
underwear.
Rosa sat glumly on the other
side of the car, she didn’t like
seeing her sister upset. Maybe
it was her fault, maybe if she
had left Ari’s wet nightie alone,
Alice would have changed her.
She just knew this would be
the start of a horrible day.
To Rosa the school loomed up as large and frightening. No matter that there were plenty of bright colours and that there was a playground in front of her, the school seemed massive and it went up it seemed nearly to the sky. She stared up to the small level at the very top and wondered if it might be the home of a dragon that swooped down and ate children. She didn’t have long to think as Alice came around with Arianna in tow and
grabbed her hand.
>Buzz beep!< “Hurry up, we are already late!”
Alice hurried her into the front office. There were already a few children there, who turned and looked at them as Alice
pushed the glass doors open with a bang. Rosa wished she could have sunk into the
carpet.
“Wow!” Said the blond haired boy his eyes as big as saucers as he looked up at Alice.
“It’s only a servo” shrugged the blond girl. “Our father has hundreds of the things.” The black haired boy gave her a quizzical
look.
“The Mobacy family I hope?” said the
woman. Rosa gulped, the woman had a
disapproving mouth and her eyes looked
pale and scary. Maybe the school didn’t
need a real dragon when it had her.
“Sorry we are late.” Said Alice.
“School starts at 9 o’clock sharp and we
expect students to be punctual” she said,
her lips a thin line.
Arianna clung to Alice, not making a
sound. Maybe if she was really, really
quiet no one would notice she was there
in her underwear.
“The other parents have already left, but
you may as well stay until the children
leave the office.” The stern faced teacher
turned back to the other students.
“Now as I was saying; we have
two primary classes. Class one is for
those who don’t know how to
study and class two for those that
do. Does anyone know how to
study?” She looked at the blond
haired girl.
“No Miss Trotter” said Simone.
“But I’m sure I will learn very
quickly.”
“I’m sure” said Miss Trotter looking
unimpressed.
The black haired boy had excitedly
waved his hand around the entire
time saying “me, me, me.”
As soon as the teacher looked at
him he burst out “I know how to
study!”
Miss Trotter regarded him coldly.
“Mr Landgraab the fifth, please
lower your voice and wait quietly
to be called upon.”
“Yes Miss” he said more subduedly.
“Anyone else?”
The blond boy said No, his eyes
never leaving the servo.
Rosa just silently shook her head when the lady looked at her.
“You should say, no Miss Trotter.”
Rosa tried to repeat what the lady said, but her voice came out like a squeak which made the blond girl giggle; and not Rosa noticed, in a nice way.
Miss Trotter just shook her head and
turned to the teenage girl sitting on
the couch.
Rosa breathed a sigh of relief that she
could go back to not being noticed.
“Miss Cooke, could you take this
young gentleman to primary class
two.”
“Sure thing.” The girl didn’t seem
fazed by the stern teacher at all. Rosa
wished she could be like that.
“No it is not a ‘sure thing’, it is yes
Miss Trotter” said the woman in the
aggrieved voice of someone who has
repeated herself many times.
“Sure_ I mean yes Miss Trotter.”
“Miss Mobacy say goodbye to
your... caretaker.”
Rosa swallowed nervously, so far
the school seemed rather horrid
and full of very proper rules. If this
was her teacher she was going to
be very miserable indeed. She
hugged Arianna for longer than
normal and wished her mama
would suddenly appear. But she
didn’t; only Alice was there and
even if she had been close to her,
cold hard steel could not replace
warm arms.
“Goodbye Rosa. >beep< I’m sure
you will have fun” said Alice.
“I don’t think so” sniffed Rosa.
“Are you crying?” asked Simone.
“You are a baby.”
But Rosa didn’t have to answer as
the stern lady had clapped her
hands for silence.
“Right, class one form a line and
follow me.”
Rose looked around, the classroom she had been led to was bright and cheery and it even had a hamster against one wall. The young teacher looked
up from helping a boy with a warm smile, although it dropped a little as she saw the three children.
The three already in the class started whispering, but immediately stopped as Miss Trotter frowned at them.
“Three?” said Miss Philips
coming over. “You said there
would be two.”
“No it’s three; surely you can
cope with one more child. Or
do you need me to stay?” said
Miss Trotter frowning in
displeasure at the thought.
“No, that’s fine Miss Trotter,
thank you for the offer, but I
can mange six just fine.”
“Good, I would hate to have to
tell Principal Cooke that he
needs to hire yet another
teacher. I will let you get on
with it then.”
Miss Trotter’s eagle gaze swept
over the classroom before leaving.
Miss Philips felt like making a face
behind her back, but with six
children watching her she could
only sigh softly. The last thing she
wanted was help from Miss
Trotter, however challenging
having six children might be.
James had just learnt to study so it
was certainly doable if she used
the afternoon to teach the Butler
twins. The older woman’s
disapproval of her was obvious;
she was probably looking for ways
to show her up. Telling her to
expect two and getting three
children was no doubt done on
purpose. Well she wouldn’t give
the sour woman the satisfaction.
So long as all the children had their
work done by going home time
everything would be fine; hectic,
but fine.
She gave the three new children a sunny smile. “Welcome to class one children, I am Miss Philip’s and today we will be doing some arts and crafts as well as learning how to study.” Yes there was no need for Miss Trotter to find out that the craft and painting would be done on a rotating roster,
with study happening at the same time, not at all.
Miss Philips was such a warm enthusiastic teacher that Rosa couldn’t help but smile back. Maybe school wouldn’t be quite so horrid with this lady as her teacher.
Monday Morning at Vincent, Ray-Ray and Bernardo’s House
Bernardo ran in waving Monday morning’s paper “Have you seen this!”
His father Vincent quietly looked up from his eggs and continued eating. He was used to his sons sudden outbursts, probably the price of watercolour paints had
gone up or something else trivial.
“You actually went and bought yourself some new clothes!” exclaimed Ray-Ray excitedly.
“No Mama! I couldn’t care less how my clothes look.”
“Well I know that!” said his mother. “You never even changed
what you grew up in!”
“The creator went and put something in called a default.”
“Well thank plumbob for that.”
“That is not what I am talking about. Have you seen this?!”
Bernardo stabbed his finger at the paper while waving it under his
mother’s nose.
“Berni I can’t focus if you do that, hold it still.”
Ray-Ray squinted and peered closer.
Handsome black haired, blue eyed
family orientated 27 year old male,
who enjoys watercolour painting and
bees; seeks family or knowledge
seeking female for a serious life long
relationship. Only apply if you are
willing to have lots of children.
5 Maple Lane Eredita or call 477321910
Townies needed for scientific
experiments.
Make lots of money! No skills needed.
Apply 15 Death Road Eredita.
Eredita Prep School
Monday September 5th
“Hot Norwegian blond. Call Frida at_”
“Not that! The one beneath it, do you know anything about this?!”
“Handsome black haired, blue
eyed family orientated 27 year old
male, who enjoys watercolour
painting and bees; seeks family or
knowledge seeking female for a
serious life long relationship. Only
apply if you are willing to have
lots of children.”
Hot
Norwegian
blond. Call
Frida for a
good time
at 047
655333
Spring Sale!
On seedlings at Cromer’s Nursery
“Oh dear” said Ray–Ray looking up.
“Oh dear?”
“Yes, I told them 26, really I did.”
“Madre! You wrote this?!”
“Well how else are you going to find yourself a girl? Please don’t be upset,
I just thought you could use a little help, what with the way you have
been moping around the house since the shrinks visit.”
“I don’t need my mother’s help in
finding a girl!
“Plus I have these big wants for
engagements, weddings and grand
babies going unfulfilled! I’m an elder
and not one of my three children has
given me even one grandchild!”
“Madre! Ma sei pazzo?! Go and
bother my brother then! Or should I
pay some female to carry my sporn?
The gardener is outside, her mouth is
large but I’m sure she is fertile.
Would that make you happy?!”
“Show some respect” growled his
father from the table.
“Sorry mama.”
Berni tossed the paper on the table and sat down heavily.
“Did you have to say, handsome? One look at my
snozzle and they will be fleeing for their lives.”
“Don’t.” Said Vincent stabbing his fork into the
table. “Don’t you ever diss the nose son. The nose is what sets us SimItalian
Ausimtralian’s apart. Your nose is something to be
proud of.”
“Yes Papá” sighed Berni. He knew the quickest way to get
his father off his back was simply to agree.
His father somewhat placated laid down the fork. “What
you need to do is get a job.”
“I have_’”
“Not a job! I know you don’t want in on the family
business, I can respect that-I think. You know if you change
your mind they can always use a hand down at the
restaurant. It helps the family and it’s totally >cough< legit.”
“Papá!”
“Hey there are plenty of legit things you can do down there,
it’s no shame to wait tables and it would pay more than
that.” Vincent had once again picked up his fork and waved it the extremely large jar of Honey sitting on the table.
“Selling jars of $10 honey on the roadside does not constitute a job.
Now if we slapped a label on it saying it had healing properties
and flogged them off at $50 a jar you might be on to something.”
“Papa’ we have already talked about this at least three times! I
am not turning my bees into crooks. It’s against their religion!”
Vincent just shook his head and went back to eating his eggs. He was at a loss to understand all
three of his overly nice children, but his middle son was in a league
all of his own.
Bernardo turned back to his mother “You need to cancel
this ad, monks do not marry.”
“Berni I noticed you ditched your gown a week ago and I
can see your hair growing back.”
Berni sighed and put his head into his hands “Being a
monk of the order of the bees was just too hard! I
couldn’t take being the daily sacrifice; I’m a failure all
around!”
Ray_Ray put her hand on his shoulder. “Just you wait son,
soon you will have piles of mail and lots of lovely girls
ringing the door bell!”
“Mumma mei save me.”
Vincent snorted, retrieved the paper and went to read
the obituaries. It was best to keep up on such matters.
By the time the school bus dropped Rosa back home it was five o’clock, a long day for a six year old. What she really wanted was to go to her room
and stay there, but the balloons outside reminded her that it was Arianna’s birthday party, which meant seeing even more people. She sighed and
dragged her feet up the few stairs to the entrance way of their house.
“How was school sweet heart?”
“Mamma! You’re home!”
Rose tossed down her bag and
flung herself around her
mother’s neck.
“Papa and I are so sorry we
couldn’t be there with you at
school for your first day.”
“That’s okay” said Rosa. The
big hug made her feel lots
better and she would rather
not think about school at all.
“Is the baby here?” she asked eagerly.
“They are”
“They? There’s more than one?!”
Tamara gave her a happy smile. While twins were not something she had wanted, she would not be without either one of her baby’s now.
Tamara led Rosa into the nursery. Her sister’s toddler bed and the chair had gone to make room for the new cradles. Rosa quietly peeked into each
one. She would have loved to play with the babies, but both were fast asleep.
“Look at their tiny fingers!”
“I know” said Tamara smiling. “Hurry and get changed now, everyone is in the living room. Your papa has been making a surprise for Ari’s birthday out in the back garden.”
“Ohh what is it?”
“You will just have to find out after Ari blows out her candles!”
Rosa got a big hug from her Papá when she entered the lounge room and held his hand while her Mamma brought her sister to the cake. Her aunt
Alisa was there as well as a boy who must be her cousin Adriano. Like her he was now a big kid. He gave her a shy wave across the room and she
waved shyly back. She liked her cousin; he was quiet like her. His younger brother’s Bru and Sarbello were there as well, but they were rather noisy
and boisterous.
Arianna eagerly blew out her candles. She couldn’t wait to be a big kid like her sister.
Arianna looked around the room, she hoped everyone was watching.
“Yah! Look at me! Look how tall I am!”
Arianna quickly grabbed a slice of
cake, followed by Rosa and
Adriano.
“Can you believe the girls are
already six and five?” asked
Salvatore stroking Tamara’s
cheek. “It seems like only
yesterday we got married.”
”Let’s not think about that,
otherwise I’ll have to think about
turning thirty and I don’t want
to!”
“Thirty, sixty, it won’t matter so
long as we have each other.”
Salvatore and Tamara danced
slowly while everyone else
danced the traditional birthday
smustle.
“Don’t you want to get changed” asked Rosa
“That can wait; I want to see what Papa set up in the backyard!”
“Oh yeah!” said Adri “Let’s hurry.”
Both girls turned their heads at a snuffling noise and watched their cousin in horrified amusement as he shovelled the cake into his open mouth.
“Mmm good cake Ari!” he
mumbled with his mouth
full.
“Yuck!” said Rosa. She had
barely had a mouthful while
her cousin licked the
remaining icing off his
fingers.
“You’re so gross Adri!” said
Arianna screwing her face
up.
He gave a loud burp and
giggled.
“Last one out back is a
rotten egg!”
“I haven’t eaten my cake
yet!” complained Rosa, but
the other two had already
run off.
They soon found out what the surprise outside was, a jungle play tower!
“This is so cool said Arianna and then she laughed. “Look I can see Nonno doing the smustle through the window!”
“Hey Ari, what’s over there?” asked Adriano. “Through that gate?”
“I don’t know. Rosa what’s in there?”
“Just the grave yard.”
“The grave yard!” exclaimed
Adriano.
“Yeah, that’s where our great
grandparents are buried.”
“Gee Rosa; you don’t seem
scared at all.”
“I’m not, should I be?”
“Well yeah! Ghosts are scary!”
Adri frowned and stared
towards the fenced off area as
if a ghost might suddenly
appear.
Rosa shrugged. “They haven’t scared me. Great grandfather waved at me one time when I was little.”
“Wow.” Adriano stared for a moment longer and suddenly looked scared again “what time is it?!”
“I don’t know, I don’t have a watch and I can’t tell time very well yet, can you?”
“Not really, but I think it’s getting late.”
“I’m going back inside!” yelled Adriano jumping on the pole. He knew ghosts came out after dark and if it was about to get dark he wanted to be
inside the house!
“Should we tell him great grandfather likes to float around downstairs?” asked Ari.
“Nah better not, boys are easily scared by such things.” Both girls giggled together before heading back inside to play with their cousin.
Down in the basement at Angel’s and Ashley’s House
Why am I sitting in this?”
“Because it’s more comfortable”
said Angel. “You might want to
close your eyes while I do the spell.”
“I don’t think I can go through with
this” said Ashley wringing his hands.
“I mean, what if something goes
wrong? This is death we are talking
about Angel! I’ll try some more
potions, whatever you like.
Anything is better than this!”
“I understand Ashley.”
“You do?”
“Well of course I do.”
“Gosh! Thanks honey! You
know I really thought you
would tell me to man up and
grow a pair.”
“No need for that.”
“I already did it for you!” said Angel flipping the remote control switch.
“WHAT HAVE YOU DONE NOW?”
“Tricked my husband for his own good is what!” >Cackle<
“You can expect a call for him shortly.”
“BETTER WAIT AWHILE, THE PROCESSING GRIM IS RATHER BACKED UP.”
“How many of you are there?”
“NOT ENOUGH IN THIS HOOD THAT’S CERTAIN.” Said Grim before disappearing with Ashley.
Two hours later.
“So is he processed yet?” ..... “Good, I’ll pay top dollar to get him back.” ..... “He did what?! I’ll kill him!”
Generation Four Birthday photo shoot
“Yah
photos!”
Arianna Mobacy (Ari)
Neat: 7
Outgoing 7
Very lazy 1
Very serious 1
Very Nice 9
Hobby: Science
Al-Luigi-Salvatore-Ari
“Ones
enough
isn’t it?”
Adriano Rosi (Adri)
Cousin
Neat 5
(So why did you eat your
cake like that?!)
Shy 2
Somewhat lazy 4
Playful 8
Nice: 6
Hobby: Tinkering.
Al-Luigi-Alisa-Adri
Francesca Rosi
Cousin
Yes Alisa had another
baby.
Al-Luigi-Alisa-Francesca
Leo Garth
Cousin
Lottie’s little rocker.
Al-Luigi-Lottie-Leo
“I got the
crummy game
camera!”
“Oops?”
Luisa Mobacy
Second cousin (Nic’s
daughter)
Neat 5
Outgoing 7
Very Active 10
Very Playful 10
Very mean 0!
Hobby: sports
Al-Angel-Nicoli-Luisa.
Also she loves to follow the
camera!
Massimo Mobacy (Mo)
Took awhile to grow this one
up due to the plot last
chapter, but here he is
finally. I think he has an
interesting face.
Neat 7
Outgoing 8
Active 9
Serious 3
Mean 1
His personality is close to
generation two’s. (Angel,
Vincent and Luigi)
Hobby: sports
Al-Luigi-Tony-Mo
“Dats all
folks!”