Down With The Sickness

Jenna had been nearly inconsolable since finding out Sophia was cheating on her. She refused to even be in the same room as her. She thought of moving out but she knew she'd never be able to leave the twins behind. Thinking about it, she knew she probably wouldn't get sole custody either. Despite having side lovers, Sophia was a devoted mother and would most likely fight for custody all the way to the highest court. It'd just be best to avoid it. So while Sophia was occupied with the children, Jenna tried to find ways to drown her sorrows. Food was her tourniquet. She ate and ate, even when she wasn't hungry, even when the food was spoiled. She just couldn't seem to stop.

Roselle, who often was in charge of the kitchen, worried about her stepmother. She tried to get Jenna to try doing other things to take her mind off things. At first, she refused and told the girl to mind her business but after a while and alot of badgering, she finally found other outlets. Sometimes she painted, sometimes she worked out. But in the end, she always returned to food. Eventually, it took a big toll on her health. She began suffering bouts of illness until finally, an untreated cold laid her to rest.

But her loss fell on deaf ears. The house seemed used to this sort of thing now. Henri grew up, not really affected by Jenna's death, but he still proved to be a bit of a handful. He simply loved to tease and prank his siblings. It was all in good fun, of course. It was just a way to break the monotony. Gabriel didn't appreciated the constant static shocks, however.

But he too was a strange child. All the children were shocked and interested when their mother bought a coffin. The elder children had an idea what it was for and kept their opinions to a low murmur. But Gabriel thought it was a new toy to play with. Sophia nearly lectured his ear off when she found him hiding inside it.

She was a stern mother at times, yes but only when the occasion called for it. Most times, Sophia was gentle with her children. She often took them out, to parks or recreation centers. One night, she took the entire family (leaving the twins with a babysitter) to the gaming society. She and the boys enjoyed a nice friendly game of Don't Wake The Llama.

Roselle and Daniel took to more mature games. Roselle entered (and lost) a gaming completion while Daniel found easy money on the billiards. He was a natural, his opponent said. It certainly boosted his already inflamed ego.



Games were fun but work was most important. Both of the teens searched the classifieds for jobs but only Roselle found one for her. She began working at the local aquarium. The hours were good, the pay was nice and she did enjoy playing with the dolphins but...the uniform left much to be desired.

Work didn't always end when Roselle came home. She was often put in charge of dinner and bedtime. She didn't mind it, though. A family girl herself, it was good practice for the future. Besides, her siblings just adored her flapjacks.

Lately, there was much talk about college during the meals. Roselle and Daniel had already secured their positions at Sparrowhill University. They planned on moving into a dorm with their respected lovers. Sophia managed to convince them to stay home for a bit more, at least until the twins were a bit older and could take care of themselves more efficiently. She dearly needed the teens' help.

Though, to be honest, she knew she wouldn't mind the vacancy in the house left by Daniel. He was a good boy, helped out often but...his lack of respect for other people's privacy was beginning to wear on her. The boy was lucky Sophia never was one to discipline her children.