CAF With a Twist 💖

[CherryBomb50]

[name_f]Amabelle[/name_f] “ [name_f]Amie[/name_f] “ [name_f]Kaia[/name_f] Fitzcarron (35) is Pete’s cousin and Alex’s older sister. She has one adoptive son via closed adoption and while she prefers open adoptions, she’s always wondered what made the parents opt for a closed one, although she’d never pry into it. Her son, a little older than [name_f]Sylvie[/name_f]. knows he’s adopted but doesn’t know the difference between open and closed adoption and [name_f]Amie[/name_f] will tell him when he’s older. [name_f]Amie[/name_f] feels odd being older than either of her maternal cousins [name_f]Sahara[/name_f] Willet or [name_m]Pete[/name_m] [name_m]Ricks[/name_m], alongside older than her sister, but she likes how everyone is at least 30 and that she doesn’t feel like she has to “babysit” anyone at any time even before then. [name_f]Amie[/name_f] was exceptionally kind to [name_m]Pete[/name_m] and happy seeing him, but she had no knowledge as a young girl about how his childhood was. She was a moral supporter as a cousin but wasn’t parentified in the slightest on this, especially since she didn’t know. How long had Pete’s stepfather known him before he married Pete’s mother? Regardless, it’s like he didn’t even bother to know him. She has no paternal cousins, with her father [name_u]Elliott[/name_u] only having one brother [name_m]Brando[/name_m], who has no children, meaning she’s older than any cousins overall. She wonders if [name_m]Pete[/name_m] has any paternal cousins but wouldn’t know since his father left him so long ago when he was so young. She’s grateful she isn’t related to Pete’s absent biological father but she never uses this as a way to make [name_m]Pete[/name_m] feel bad. [name_f]Amie[/name_f] currently works for a major railway so she sees so many people often boarding and leaving trains, but she doesn’t like to see screaming kids (or screaming adults for that matter) and while she watches people at times, she doesn’t want to feel like she’s supposed to be responsible and “babysit” them. That doesn’t mean she doesn’t love her son, she will defend him when he’s being mistreated by anyone. She’ll also defend her sister [name_u]Alex[/name_u], doing so a lot in childhood. [name_f]Amie[/name_f] didn’t do this as much in teenage and young adult years, realising [name_u]Alex[/name_u] could defend herself well, but still felt a rush to defend [name_u]Alex[/name_u] after that obnoxious husband and MIL. She would have defended her against her former mother-in-law anyway but she pretty much stood up for her sister a lot when she learned her then-husband was siding with his mother and not hearing [name_u]Alex[/name_u] out.

She’s met Pete’s girlfriend and believes the two would have much different parenting styles should they have children. That doesn’t mean either of them would have a bad parenting style per sé, but she believes it will be more difficult for the couple, rather than the child, to get along and work together. She’s tried to talk to his girlfriend one-on-one but obviously the decision to have children isn’t one to take lightly. [name_f]Amie[/name_f] sees that this woman wants to be a mother and would see [name_m]Pete[/name_m] as a great father-to-be. [name_f]Amie[/name_f] finds it flattering that she’d say that about him but she knows [name_m]Pete[/name_m] has as much of a right in the relationship as she does. [name_f]Amie[/name_f] herself had gotten unwanted compliments before such as, “You should start wearing that more often,” when she wore a dress to her sister’s wedding (to the immature deadweight now-ex husband) rather than the casual clothes she prefers to wear and “You should go to law school! You’d be so good!” which [name_f]Amie[/name_f] had already decided not to years ago. Some of these weren’t even true, like Pete’s own mother telling [name_f]Amie[/name_f] she has a beautiful voice and should stop being afraid to sing, even though [name_f]Amie[/name_f] is well aware she can’t sing. So quite frankly, she doesn’t get along with Pete’s mother either but doesn’t like to pry into [name_f]Jettie[/name_f] about what her relationship was like with her sister compared to what it was like with all the siblings together. [name_f]Jettie[/name_f] often seems upset over discussing her sister because she felt her sister was a nice woman growing up but became much aloof since the marriage to Pete’s stepfather, as if he’d made her that way. She feels her sister now only wants to tell people what they want to hear (not caring if they actually want to hear it) and shuts down when people have legitimate concerns or complaints. As for [name_f]Amie[/name_f], she still feels privileged in a sense, because her parents got along so well. [name_f]Amie[/name_f] loves going to the library and enjoys reading within the library’s calming atmosphere. She still likes to go see Brandi’s gym, especially the aquatics area.

[name_f]Amie[/name_f] feels in the heart of hearts that maybe Pete’s girlfriend thinks the 2 1/2 year relationship is going too slow. Obviously the topic of having children is a no-go, but how else has the relationship progressed? She’s left that to them but she knows deep down that there’s not much of a plan for marriage between the two, although she’s aware they live together. They’re committed and she doesn’t think the relationship will break up but she did feel a little bad over Pete’s reaction to being asked if he’s ready for kids. She hasn’t blamed [name_m]Pete[/name_m] though because she knows he feels bad and she hopes the same for his girlfriend. [name_f]Amie[/name_f] wonders if they’d buy a pet together but she isn’t going to give any unsolicited advice not the moment. She’s bonding more with [name_u]Alex[/name_u] and her two daughters a lot and sees a long sisterly relationship between her and [name_u]Alex[/name_u]. She knows she was planned and [name_u]Alex[/name_u] wasn’t, but she never brings it up unless [name_u]Alex[/name_u] does first. Also to be fair, [name_f]Amie[/name_f] was born farther from her due date and constantly kicked [name_f]Jettie[/name_f] when she was in the womb, something [name_u]Alex[/name_u] didn’t do as much. [name_f]Amie[/name_f] admits she would likely have laughed if her parents went along with naming her [name_f]Maryjane[/name_f] – something [name_u]Alex[/name_u] is relieved not to have! Amie’s son is close with [name_f]Sylvie[/name_f] and [name_f]Maggie[/name_f], exclaiming Maggie’s third birthday was the “funnest party he ever went to” and that [name_f]Sylvie[/name_f] is the “best person to play group games with”. [name_f]Amie[/name_f] wouldn’t change anything about her son’s relationship with his cousins and she’s happy for [name_u]Alex[/name_u] for being such a great mother to them.

---

NaNoWriMo [name_u]Day[/name_u] 1: 1053/50000 words so far. Don’t ask why I’m attempting to do this lol. [name_m]Even[/name_m] with This Guy, I didn’t even get a fifth of the way there last year although I wasn’t really trying last year. Wish me luck lol.

[kitkatcookie]

[name_m]Ruben[/name_m] " [name_u]Rex[/name_u] " [name_m]Alexander[/name_m] Fitzcarron (7) is Amie’s son and the cousin of [name_f]Sylvie[/name_f] and [name_f]Maggie[/name_f], who considers it his responsibility to guide the latter two - especially as he’s got some awareness of the antics of their grandma [which concerns him]. Of course this mostly focuses on the pretend games they play, however [name_u]Rex[/name_u] is much more compromising when it comes to creativity, which he considers himself lacking in. What [name_u]Rex[/name_u] always feels most comfortable is practising his mini scientific experiments, having an obsession with learning as much as he can about the world.

This is something he’s always so open with to his mom, wanting to ensure she knows that if he accomplishes anything profound, she’ll be credited for raising and loving him. No-one can compare to [name_f]Amie[/name_f] in Rex’s world, and he’s never shy about expressing this! When he was a little younger, [name_u]Rex[/name_u] deemed her the ‘transport expert’ - as he thought she knew everything and anything about trains - but he’s kept this moniker, although it’s a bit more tongue-in-cheek now he understands the reality of his mom’s work.

Aside from science - specifically chemistry, as [name_u]Rex[/name_u] is absolutely crazy about home kits to mix his own potions - [name_u]Rex[/name_u] enjoys vintage western films, which he watches with his granddad, practicing tricks on his bike [which he rides around the neighbourhood to see his friends who live nearby], and any form of iced sweet food. [name_m]Even[/name_m] in winter, [name_u]Rex[/name_u] wouldn’t turn his nose up to an ice lolly, something that’s caused his cousins to deem him a superhero: who else could handle such cold after all?

[olivelovesnames]

tw: abuse, neglect, favorite child

[name_f]Carolyn[/name_f] [name_f]Evie[/name_f] Matwell (7) is Rex’s grandfather’s neighbor, who loves to hang out when [name_u]Rex[/name_u] can’t be there…and even more when he is! They both share a love of the old west, and whenever [name_u]Rex[/name_u] comes to visit, the two of them watch their favorite old movies, bike around the neighborhood, and create their own wild west stories. [name_f]Carolyn[/name_f] loves when [name_u]Rex[/name_u] comes to town because of this. She has a book of all their stories in her room. Rex’s granddad (Elliott) suspects she has a little crush on him, but hasn’t said anything. [name_f]Carolyn[/name_f] spends a lot of her afternoons at [name_u]Elliott[/name_u] and his wife’s home, considering her home life isn’t that great. She has alluded to the neglect and abuse she is used to, but never really talks about it. [name_u]Elliott[/name_u] and his wife know that [name_f]Carolyn[/name_f] lives in the dilapidated house down the street and her parents are almost never home. They can’t really do anything right now because they don’t know much about Carolyn’s home.

Carolyn’s older brother, [name_u]Steph[/name_u], has always been the “favorite child”. At age 10 and almost 5’3, [name_u]Steph[/name_u] is a great runner and makes his parents proud. [name_f]Carolyn[/name_f], on the other hand, is quiet, likes to read, and daydreams all too much. She will sit on the fence in their backyard or go sit in the fields for hours just looking at the sky or reading a book. Her parents are almost “Matilda” parents, wanting her to “act like a modern day child”, not a “kid from the 60s”. [name_f]Carolyn[/name_f] doesn’t really care. She’d rather live on a ranch in the “olden days”, something she tells [name_u]Rex[/name_u] all the time. [name_u]Steph[/name_u] is the worst to [name_f]Carolyn[/name_f] and her parents just allow it. They don’t think their precious baby boy could be that bad. So [name_f]Carolyn[/name_f] prefers to go to Elliott’s house or play in the field behind their house. Elliott’s wife has a lot of older clothes in her attic and has given them to [name_f]Carolyn[/name_f] to wear, such as old cowboy boots, dresses, belts, and shirts. These are Carolyn’s absolute favorite outfits, though her mom hates them all, not surprisingly. She wants her daughter to look good, not like a “charity case from the 80s”.

[kitkatcookie]

cw: favouritism; cycles of poor parenting

[name_f]Joanna[/name_f] [name_f]Vivianne[/name_f] [Matwell] Maidstow (34) is Carolyn’s paternal aunt who - until recently - was estranged from her brother and his family. Contact was initiated by [name_f]Joanna[/name_f] after she had an extensive conversation with her wife - a trans woman, who came out 8 months into her relationship with [name_f]Joanna[/name_f] - and decided it was important to at least meet her niece and nephew. This was intensified by the fact [name_f]Joanna[/name_f] and her wife are also proud parents to two children now: a boy and girl of their own. Both of them were conceived through IVF, as her wife took measures before medically transitioning to have biological children some day, and they mean absolutely everything to [name_f]Joanna[/name_f].

Her son’s just celebrated his 4th birthday while her daughter’s a year old, and [name_f]Joanna[/name_f] and her wife take turns on a weekly basis with who’s the primary manager on shift at their business: an ethically sourced local crafts and gift shop catering to a wide array of interests. In her spare time, [name_f]Joanna[/name_f] knits and creates clay pendants for jewellery, having already made some gifts for [name_u]Steph[/name_u] and [name_f]Carolyn[/name_f], which were thankfully not dismissed by her brother and sister-in-law [although [name_f]Joanna[/name_f] was a little apprehensive when she visited with them].

What she’s come to recognise her niece goes through wasn’t a surprise in the slightest unfortunately. Favouritism is something [name_f]Joanna[/name_f] considers learned behaviour: her brother- her senior by a year - was the golden child for their parents, so him repeating this cycle with his son, [name_m]Stephan[/name_m], sadly isn’t a surprise, as much as she’d once hoped it could be avoided. Joanna’s tried speaking to him about this but he usually gets defensive, accusing her of unfairly comparing them and criticising his parenting for no good reason, so she’s backed off this subject for now, in case she loses contact with her niece and nephew because of the fallout. The two families have spent more time together and Joanna’s aware her sister-in-law hopes for her to put more pressure on [name_f]Carolyn[/name_f] about being feminine, but she absolutely refuses to conspire about this, wanting her niece to accept herself and be happy in her own skin.

[jinxed_peach]

tw: bullying, internalized bigotry

Aroofa ’ [name_u]Ruby[/name_u] ’ Durnaz Matwell (nee Alvi) [36] is Joanna’s sister-in-law and mother to [name_f]Carolyn[/name_f] and [name_m]Stephan[/name_m]. She’s well aware of how she enforces certain gender roles in her family, truth be told it’s sort of a trauma response. When [name_u]Ruby[/name_u] was eight years old she immigrated from Pakistan and was met quickly with opposition and harsh words from fellow students as she tried to adjust to the new world around her. The culture shock was hard enough to get past, the constant barrage of kids asking her things about her home country that eventually became less insensitive, uneducated questions and more just plain ignorant and hurtful statements.

Going to school was hard, and painful, eventually [name_u]Ruby[/name_u] felt that the only way she could ever be able to shake off the constant torment was to conform. She began to bury her cultural identity, demanding that her parents call her ’ [name_u]Ruby[/name_u] ’ instead of Aroofa, deeming her full name to be ‘too ugly and foreign’ and she no longer wanted to participate in her family’s traditions. She had taken her bullies’ words to heart and began to hate herself and her culture just as much as they did. She lost a part of herself, but she could finally walk down the halls of school without fear.

Years went by and soon she would meet Joanna’s brother, his own views of familial and gender roles would only reinforce Ruby’s own thoughts. [name_u]Ruby[/name_u] is terrified that her baby girl will be bullied relentlessly like she did, hence why she’s always on Carolyn’s case about acting and dressing more modern. Unfortunately from her own first hand experience she knows that most kids see different as another kind of ‘weird.’ What she does sounds harsh, but in Ruby’s eyes she’s truly doing some good for her family.

It’s a similar thing with why she’s always so busy and often away from the home. Her family didn’t have a lot of money growing up, she [name_u]Ruby[/name_u] is always trying to give her kids what she never had which manifests in her workaholic tendencies. She’s been especially focused on trying to make and save more money as of late considering her and her husband, Joanna’s brother, have recently tossed out the idea of potentially, maybe, possibly, just thinking about having a third child. Though [name_u]Ruby[/name_u] is wondering if her husband is just saying that to keep her mind occupied and off him and his extra curricular activities so he has more time to golf while she’s at work.

[CherryBomb50]

Warning for teen pregnancy, fatal car accident, permanent disability, and abandonment.

[name_f]Celia[/name_f] (previously Cecil) [name_u]Jensen[/name_u] Maidstow (34) is Joanna’s wife, who encouraged her to meet her niece and nephew, despite the views on Aroofa “ [name_u]Ruby[/name_u] “ Matwell. [name_f]Celia[/name_f] wishes [name_u]Ruby[/name_u] could reconnect with herself before having children but secretly hopes [name_u]Ruby[/name_u] doesn’t take any positions of power. She feels this would lead her to oppress her own people but paint it in a “fair” light because she is of their race and therefore “wouldn’t be racist”. She feels [name_u]Ruby[/name_u] would also do the same for gender and pass it off as “ok because she is a woman herself”. She accepts [name_u]Ruby[/name_u] as a victim as well in her life but she’ll never not feel bad for Ruby’s family. She doesn’t like to accuse [name_u]Ruby[/name_u] of disassociating with herself even if she does, just because she too was accused by people for “disassociation”, when she came out as transgender. Celia’s family growing up used to favour her older sister growing up but that changed when Celia’s sister had a baby at 17. They then favoured [name_f]Celia[/name_f], then known as [name_u]Cecil[/name_u], more but she didn’t want to hear it. She felt like their “default” and insisted they only said they cared because she wasn’t the one who had a baby on the way. [name_f]Celia[/name_f] didn’t support her older sister having a baby as a teen with someone she just dated months earlier. She also distrusted his family, the Blackburns. But she never blamed her sister for this, seeing their own parents were 18 when her sister was born and 20 when [name_u]Cecil[/name_u] was born. While [name_f]Celia[/name_f] and her sister’s mother shunned this, she did provide a roof over the heads of Celia’s two nieces, the other one currently 11 years old.

[name_f]Celia[/name_f] visits her sister often who has since been in a nursing home given her severe brain damage and dependence on a feeding tube. She genuinely went through pain when her niece [name_f]Cherry[/name_f] [name_m]Blackburn[/name_m] killed a married couple while recklessly driving, leaving behind their parents, five children, siblings, and cousins. [name_f]Cherry[/name_f] was unharmed and unjailed following a corrupt lawyer, and she walked free from the crime. [name_f]Celia[/name_f] always stated she “loved [name_f]Cherry[/name_f], but strongly believed she should have gone to jail,” and her belief was out of tough love. The retrial may actually happen after all, when news spread that the original trial misrepresented several pieces of evidence. [name_f]Celia[/name_f] has stayed silent on this although she did hug [name_f]Cherry[/name_f] after what she’s gone through emotionally, although her view has not changed. She really feels for her 11-year-old niece and wants [name_f]Joanna[/name_f] to have a meeting with her despite how hard it was for [name_f]Joanna[/name_f] to meet [name_f]Carolyn[/name_f] and [name_u]Steph[/name_u]. [name_f]Celia[/name_f] hardly ever did tough love with her children and loved them equally, so if she had this view, it was for the greater good. She credits her kids for being so sweet and understanding, alongside [name_f]Joanna[/name_f] and their shared business, about Celia’s life as a transgender woman. She feels everyone deserves to be who they are and she’s happy for who she is. Her hardest part in this was coming out to [name_f]Joanna[/name_f] in their relationship. She credits [name_f]Joanna[/name_f] greatly on how she took it alongside how she and [name_f]Joanna[/name_f] planned their IVF treatments accordingly for the sake of their daughter and son. Despite the insanity on both sides of the childrens’ families, the children are respected and defended from any hurt, and no excuses will be made should anyone be a threat to their children. [name_f]Celia[/name_f] loves how their children have been such sweet kids and she relives good childhood moments through them. She respects Carolyn’s grasps at her childhood enjoyment and envisions a life where she’s happy too.

Cherry was created by @wandering_willow.

[I_meme_it]

[name_f]Maleah[/name_f] ’ [name_f]Leelee[/name_f] ’ [name_f]Anya[/name_f] Maidstow (1) is [name_f]Celia[/name_f] and Joanna’s daughter, who’s recently celebrated her first birthday and absolutely is enjoying the carefree perks of being a toddler, which her brother sometimes grumbles about when he gets home from nursery. While her middle name is a direct tribute to her aunt [name_f]Anneliese[/name_f] - Celia’s sister - Maleah’s nickname was bestowed upon her by her brother, something that charmed her mom’s immensely.

She’s a bit high maintenance where affection is concerned, always wanting to cuddle with someone in her family, but it’s not a quality anyone can really hold against her given how adorable [name_f]Leelee[/name_f] is. It does sadden [name_f]Celia[/name_f] and [name_f]Joanna[/name_f] sometimes when she asks about her cousin [name_f]Cherry[/name_f], however right now isn’t the time for that introduction given the difficult situation regarding the crash and lives taken through this - something even Leelee’s big brother isn’t aware of and he’s an encyclopedia in his own right.

[CherryBomb50]

Warning for deaths, near-deaths, brief conspiracy theory mention, and aforementioned bad parenting.

Saiya Benazir Alvi (34) is a relative of Leelee, being the younger sister of Ruby Matwell. She often wears loose shirts and sometimes wears her hijab, but on special celebrations, she wears her entire Pakistani cultured clothing. She’s a mentor for teens so her casual clothing is a way she looks more approachable, but her tiny home is decorated to the brim in culture. Saiya is on distant terms with Ruby, growing up being very close, but then getting into feuds during adulthood. She’s less close to Ruby than her parents were during much of their twenties, with her despising Ruby but their parents reluctantly trying to peacekeep the two. However with her job, she’s trying to mentor her own issues as well, feeling she should be a better person by not having a grudge against her sister while simultaneously helping teenagers do better. But she still feels hesitant to befriend her sister again, especially after the way she treated her children.

Saiya enjoys Joanna a lot and feels their struggles to not be an absent sibling despite disliking their parenting. The two are close and it’s helped her feel better around Leelee and her 4-year-old brother although she too agrees to keep them out of the chaos on both sides of the family. She dislikes the Blackburn side of Cherry’s family, especially since they keep blaming the Maidstows’ influence for Cherry’s crash. The Blackburn family did go through a family member hospitalised and nearly dying (but surviving) before the crash happened, which Saiya knew and sent a sympathy card to, but didn’t talk to them any further when they directed the conversation to several conspiracies about how the doctors “wanted to kill” their relative. It was near impossible for Saiya to give support while disagreeing with their lies, so she had to keep her distance, and she’s glad Celia and Cherry do. While Saiya doesn’t want a “normal” nickname, she’s more than welcome to get a nickname from Maleah’s brother. Saiya herself is single, having been in a “boring” on-again-off-again relationship, having some regret over wasting her time by continuing to return back to keep leaving for the same reason. She didn’t find true love and felt both of them only came back due to loneliness. Saiya sometimes struggles with feeling lonely, not just in love but in life. She’s not afraid of being alone, but she’s just so overwhelmed. She often questions her emotions on whether she should really feel a certain way on her circumstances. The teens she mentors give her a lot of hope just by being there, and to help conquer her moments of having emotions she worries she “shouldn’t” feel.

[cara_murvolio]

MW: infidelity; underage smoking

[name_f]Eleni[/name_f] " [name_f]Ella[/name_f] " [name_f]Ramona[/name_f] Jarrow (19) is a former mentee of [name_f]Saiya[/name_f] who’s become her student, deciding to follow the footsteps of the woman who supported her so much through a difficult time. What led to [name_f]Ella[/name_f] being mentored by [name_f]Saiya[/name_f] was the divorce of her parents. It came as a massive shock to her when she was 14, as all of their issues had been hidden deftly from their two children - [name_f]Ella[/name_f] and her younger brother - so learning their family was going to be completely changing blew Ellas’ world apart.

It turned out that her dad had been having a long-term affair with a colleague, something her mom turned a blind eye to for the sake of their children, however it had become harder and harder to ignore, as he started no-showing family events to spend time with his mistress. Learning her dad had bailed on her cheerleading championship contest to spend the weekend with another woman devastated [name_f]Ella[/name_f], who responded by rebelling from the moment the dust had settled.

From the age of 15 to 17, [name_f]Ella[/name_f] smoked - something she knew her dad hated, as he often complained about it - and refused to listen to anything he asked of her. At one point she almost quit cheerleading as well, feeling it was ruined by the new knowledge about her fathers’ actions. She was so fixed on punishing him that she didn’t realise how her mom was gravely upset by this too, something [name_f]Saiya[/name_f] helped [name_f]Ella[/name_f] to recognise, and this started her changing for the better. [name_f]Ella[/name_f] still isn’t talking to her dad much, but she’s less hostile and tries to maintain some peace for her younger brother, even if she knows forgiveness won’t be for quite a while.

[I.have.no.idea]

TW: infidelity; underage smoking

[name_f]Junia[/name_f] [name_f]Tora[/name_f] ‘Junie’ Aguilar (45) is Ella’s mom. [name_f]Junie[/name_f] had [name_f]Ella[/name_f] and her younger brother at 26 and 28 years old respectively during med school which she and her former husband hadn’t planned on. They had gotten married at 25 after having fallen madly in love and [name_f]Junie[/name_f] became pregnant a year later. Her husband was there for the early years of his children’s years and slowly started going to work late, spending time away from the family… and she figured out that he had a mistress. She wasn’t very surprised since she had also felt that their passion for each other had gone but felt betrayed, she turned a blind eye on it for the sake of her kids.She grew up with her dad being villainized by her mom, which made her relationship with him very strained.

[name_f]Junie[/name_f] and her ex had many highs and lows throughout their marriage but both knew that they would be better off divorcing. She would have loved to wait till the children were both in college but hit a breaking point once he missed his son’s twelfth birthday pool party bbq and his daughter’s cheerleading championship, two events her children had been talking about for months and she hit him with the divorce papers as soon as she could.She would rather her children not have any expectations from their father than having them crushed. [name_f]Junie[/name_f] and her ex- husband decided that he would have the children on sundays and school holiday breaks but not summer break since the kids went to sleepaway camp and spent the summer with Junie’s grandparents in [name_m]Texas[/name_m]. The kids ended up hating their time with their dad. [name_f]Junie[/name_f] felt awful and would try to make them see the positive in him, since she had her paternal relationship strained and has had to work very hard to fix it.

[name_f]Junie[/name_f] didn’t mind Ella’s smoking as she had also started smoking once she had divorced her ex. She just made sure [name_f]Junie[/name_f] understood the health risks. Junie’s grandparents were appalled by the fact that their grand and great grand daughter were both smoking after having convinced them years before to stop and put a quit to it. They decided to quit together and still call each other if they have an urge to smoke.

[CherryBomb50]

Warning for unlikable character, controversial statements, cheating, and aforementioned death by drunk driving.

Angelika Nadine Eustis (39) is the mistress who tore things apart from Junie and her husband. While she was 6 years younger than him, she never had that naïve side of her, but liked to act like she was for the sake of making herself look less bad. Angelika was a club singer but she was never super famous, although she did star on a reality competition show. She made it pretty far and was invited back, but on her second time, did very horrible. She has released few albums and does genuinely have talent, but any talent she has is often overshadowed by her controversial takes. She wasn’t just going to stand in the spotlight, she was going to be dead set honest, even if it ruined the vibes of the people who brought her there. One of her most known examples was singing her heart out at a club and really engaging everyone, but ending the performance complaining and saying this was the worst club she ever performed at. Completely killed the mood but she kept on making every complaint, but it really showed on the kind of person she is. Once she stated to some people that one of the guys in a grunge band was hot “but his girlfriend is ugly and I wonder how he ended up with her”. She also stated about another club singer, “It’s a good thing she’s nice because she can’t sing for life.” Unsurprisingly, the public is mostly negative in their opinions of her. Some say she’s an idiot but she loves idiots – easier to spew her words at.

Not all her controversial takes were insults, some were actually morally messed up. She states that veganism is “slow starvation” and insists nobody is truly vegan since “they all had to have used an animal by-product somehow in their lives”. She then stated that if anyone’s ever sat on a leather chair or couch, then they’re not vegan even if the furniture isn’t theirs and that touching any animal is also “not vegan”. In addition, there was a family on a reality show with a stepmother whom most audiences disliked and wanted off the show. Angelika turned the tides too far when she exclaimed on social media, “If that big house they have ever catches on fire, I hope they all leave her behind!” Some people agreed with her but felt she took it too far while others were utterly horrified by that comment. Everyone just wanted this woman to leave, not die! It made a lot of people question her earlier remarks about her younger sister Bristol, who was in prison after driving drunk and killing her passenger friend. Even Bristol’s own daughter Bea was estranged and resented their mother, but Angelika was willing to grow it behind, despite the life lost. Needless to say Bea dislikes Angelika too. Even Bristol doesn’t think she deserves the defence. Bristol got released and her life was mostly ruined since then, but Angelika controversially defended her sister stating, “It was in the past, she’s learned her lesson, and I’m always going to defend my sister. Stop being mad at me because I’m always there for her. You just feel that way because you can’t admit you’re terrible siblings!”

So needless to say, Angelika is very unlikable with a lot of people, especially Junie. Junie feels her husband only had her as a mistress because she was a semi-celebrity. Junie’s children question how he was able to affair with her, wondering how she was able to keep any sort of affection without ruining it. Especially given the fact that he was obsessed with basketball but they knew Angelika believed basketball players “were the nastiest and dumbest athletes”. How did they know that? Because she told people, obviously. When she was caught, she insulted Junie on her smoking and said he’d be better with someone “who actually wants to be healthy” even though she knew a relationship with him wouldn’t last. She’s considered him “one of my top 5 men, but not the best overall”. It was like she always had to twist things into making it the least pleasant answer but she assured these were her real thoughts. Admittedly, Junie’s ex had become a better person for his family when he dumped Angelika and even more so when she left his picture for good, but there’s reason why they dislike him. Thankfully there’s not a ridiculous amount of people online hating Junie’s husband for being with Angelika even if he was in the wrong because he’s never been famous. He wants his family to forget it but they don’t. Admittedly to Junie, she would have found his cheating out sooner had she known he was with her…but she didn’t think her husband would be so foolish to try his luck with that lady Angelika.

Bristol was created by me.

Bea was created by @riverwarrior44.

[I_meme_it]

cw: favouritism; gender stereotyping

Joshua ’ Josh ’ Quentin Matwell (35) is someone Angelika has defended, although here it’s a little more obvious why, as he’s one of her most consistent venue owners willing to put up with her shameless nastiness. Unlike Angelika, Josh has a distant relationship with his sister Joanna, but his employee is happy to insist this is ‘valid’, as Joanna is just ‘disappointed in herself and jealous of him’. Technically Joanna did have a lot to envy growing up: Josh was the blatant favourite of their parents, praised for every accomplishment and achievement, while their daughter was given a lukewarm reception at best.

This behaviour has been repeated by Josh with his own kids - Stephan and Carolyn - but he’s firmly in denial, arguing with Joanna when she’s tried to point this out. After all, Josh has always been told of his inability to do wrong, so how could he be making errors as a father? Josh’s ‘helpful’ advice to Carolyn has been that she doesn’t need to bother with sports, given her brother’s naturally gifted. He sees this as the best way of supporting his wife Ruby, who believes tomboyish ways will get their daughter bullied, and given how his parents spoke of his inherent talents, Josh backs his wife 100%.

Recently there has been some discord in the marriage though, as Josh has been asking Ruby about conceiving for a third time. Really this is another echo of childhood, as Joanna would call it (woe betide her of course). Often she and Joshs’ parents would bemoan not having a third baby - who they planned on naming either Julia or Jacob, continuing their theme - which has manifested in Josh wishing to complete this for them. Deep down, he fears losing his status, as really, what could be worse than receiving Joanna and Carolyn’s treatment? Not that he’s self-aware enough to rectify things…at the moment.

---

Joanna was created by @kitkatcookie

Ruby was created by @jinxed_peach

Carolyn was created by @olivelovesnames

[CherryBomb50]

Warning for being a toxic family member with mentions of sexism and cultural discrimination.

[name_m]Jovany[/name_m] [name_m]Shepard[/name_m] Matwell (64) is [name_m]Josh[/name_m] and Joanna’s father, who also shares the harsh sentiment of parenting. He is the eldest child of his family and his wife was the eldest of hers. However in Jovany’s case, there actually are three children; him, the middle child who is also close in age, and the youngest. Both he and the middle were bullies to the youngest growing up, which took a toll on the Matwell dynamic. Admittedly the middle was slightly more favoured than [name_m]Jovany[/name_m] himself, mainly since [name_m]Jovany[/name_m] often got blamed for their misbehaving being the oldest sibling. Still, [name_m]Jovany[/name_m] didn’t care about this in terms of his own generation and instead passed this down to his parenting style with [name_m]Josh[/name_m] and [name_f]Joanna[/name_f]. [name_m]Jovany[/name_m] isn’t really someone to pity, since he never bothered to make any amends with the youngest and preferred to keep that isolation. He basically already invalidated the possibility of a good bond a long time ago, even if nobody really knows why he and the middle were such hateful bullies. It’s hard when [name_m]Jovany[/name_m] puts a vendetta on someone for a petty reason, something he does often. But in some way, it hurts more when he continues that vendetta but doesn’t let that person know why.

[name_m]Jovany[/name_m] would never do anything outside his gender role of being a man, which is why he often left his wife to deal with Joanna’s “woman stuff”. Granted he wasn’t as pushy on Carolyn’s tomboy appearance and personality but he was toxic when he stated she would never “be a man”, despite that never being Carolyn’s intentions. Ironically [name_m]Jovany[/name_m] is actually a marketing assistant under a woman, so he’s not against women being bosses, just as long as they stay feminine. He actually dislikes long hair on anyone, feeling women only do this to look pretty while people of genders that aren’t female do it because they don’t care – which in all cases, he will naturally take the person less seriously. Yet he completely contradicts this with his son because he favours [name_m]Josh[/name_m] so much, and normalises it more since [name_m]Josh[/name_m] ties his hair back.

He also normalises it in a sense with [name_f]Ruby[/name_f], but that’s because [name_f]Ruby[/name_f] isn’t wearing “that hijab at least”. While he was never racist towards Ruby’s skin colour, he seemed all-too content with her not being aligned with her culture, in ways he wouldn’t have acted with [name_f]Saiya[/name_f]. He isn’t specifically against her race and would still say the same about a white person if they were too close with a culture they don’t live in. He is very certain that [name_f]Ruby[/name_f] “should have legally changed her first name to [name_f]Ruby[/name_f] at the time she changed her last name to Matwell.” He supports her having a third child with [name_m]Josh[/name_m] despite the fact that there may not be any true guarantees how the third will be treated. He and his wife are shallow in personality and make some people turned off, such as [name_f]Junie[/name_f], [name_f]Ella[/name_f], and her brother. Though this family still supports the Maidstows and [name_f]Saiya[/name_f]. Admittedly [name_m]Jovany[/name_m] hasn’t talked to [name_f]Joanna[/name_f] and [name_f]Celia[/name_f] lately although he acts like [name_f]Leelee[/name_f] loves him and is happy he’s her grandfather…even though he’s never around for her. [name_m]Jovany[/name_m] rarely shows high emotion for anyone, yet still manages a very obvious way of expressing whether or not he supports someone.

[Lindseylloyd052399]

[name_f]Elaina[/name_f] “Laina” [name_f]Marie[/name_f] [name_m]Ramirez[/name_m] (26) is Jovany’s niece and the daughter of his youngest sibling. She tries to do the right thing and has been a sweet lady. She doesn’t get along with [name_m]Jovany[/name_m] and her parents don’t talk to him or the middle Matwell. She works at a shoe store. She has a co-worker her age who envies her. She has a great relationship and is liked as an employee. Yet her life is not perfect, and she’s been bullied in the past, like her parents. She also lives in a tiny worn-down apartment. She is terrible with music and sports but doesn’t show this. Navigating directions is a huge flaw for her. It’s understandable that her co-worker thinks this way, but she wants to be on better terms. To make up with this co-worker but also tell the truth on her life.

[CherryBomb50]

[name_f]Keysha[/name_f] [name_f]April[/name_f] [name_m]Mason[/name_m] (26) is Laina’s co-worker, who’s had quite some misguided envy. Being the older sister of [name_f]Sarah[/name_f] gave her a lot of support for her sister and her son [name_m]Beau[/name_m]. She loves Sarah’s partner for her, despite not knowing them well due to him being away in the military. [name_m]Just[/name_m] him being there for Beau’s birth was enough for [name_f]Keysha[/name_f] to be happy for their relationship. She often has to comfort [name_f]Sarah[/name_f] and [name_m]Beau[/name_m], especially since he’s away again, but she knows how badly they want to see him home. [name_f]Keysha[/name_f] had a military girlfriend while she was in college, though they didn’t end up together and split after a year. [name_f]Keysha[/name_f] insists it wasn’t because she was in the military but people often make bad assumptions about her that she did, which isn’t true. [name_f]Keysha[/name_f] isn’t very reactive however, so if she overhears bad stuff about her, she won’t do anything. She’ll just let them dig a bigger hole for themselves. Eventually people will find those gossipers to not be nice people and deep down, [name_f]Keysha[/name_f] is flattered when people talk about her. She wasn’t always this way, she used to be the type to be liked by everyone. But in college, she was suddenly loved by half and hated by half, a transition she found hard to get used to. She’s back to being liked by all, though she’s never understood why [name_f]Laina[/name_f] was loved by so many.

[name_m]Even[/name_m] before [name_f]Laina[/name_f] and [name_f]Keysha[/name_f] met, [name_f]Keysha[/name_f] knew about [name_f]Laina[/name_f]. She was a student of Laina’s mother who constantly talked about how amazing her daughter was. Granted mothers can love their children as much as they want, and [name_f]Laina[/name_f] wasn’t in the classroom, but [name_f]Keysha[/name_f] wondered for some time how special this [name_f]Laina[/name_f] girl actually was. Had [name_f]Keysha[/name_f] known about [name_m]Jovany[/name_m] and his toxic favouring of [name_m]Josh[/name_m], she’d know that Laina’s mother wasn’t nearly as overbearing in her praise. She also hadn’t known that Laina’s mother had been bullied a lot by [name_m]Jovany[/name_m] and the middle sibling and never felt like she had a place. When [name_f]Keysha[/name_f] met [name_f]Laina[/name_f], she liked Laina’s happiness and felt she clicked with Laina’s nature. [name_f]Laina[/name_f] was the new employee at the shoe store and was doing this because she needed another job to pay her apartment rent. [name_f]Laina[/name_f] was getting along so much better with everyone, which might just be a personality thing, though [name_f]Keysha[/name_f] ignored this and assumed the new girl just needed to feel welcome. Normally [name_f]Keysha[/name_f] wouldn’t care what others thought, but she knew right away that she hadn’t gotten that when she was the new employee.

[name_f]Keysha[/name_f] didn’t want to badmouth [name_f]Laina[/name_f], because she felt she’d be a hypocrite if she did. And it’s good she didn’t, since [name_f]Laina[/name_f] had a past of being bullied herself. But [name_f]Keysha[/name_f] was over it. She noticed [name_f]Laina[/name_f] wasn’t as happy-go-lucky after she passed the “new girl” phase, which [name_f]Keysha[/name_f] passed off as, “She’s not happy because she isn’t getting attention anymore. Sucks for her that people aren’t sucking up and they’re treating her like everyone else now.” [name_f]Keysha[/name_f] and [name_f]Laina[/name_f] had a conversation about their workplace and [name_f]Keysha[/name_f] was bringing up her fave sport shoe brand. [name_f]Laina[/name_f] told her that’s cool and she wished she was good at sports, but was terrible. [name_f]Keysha[/name_f] reassured [name_f]Laina[/name_f] it’s okay and that she just “needed to practice” (and not expect skills to come naturally to her, though she wouldn’t dare to say that part out loud). [name_f]Keysha[/name_f] was realising that [name_f]Laina[/name_f] wasn’t good at everything after all, but had to stop herself from going on a further tangent against her, since she knew what it was like. [name_f]Keysha[/name_f] asked [name_f]Laina[/name_f] if she had any other things she wasn’t good at, but was starting to regret asking that one. [name_f]Laina[/name_f] stated that music was something she was bad at as well, being unable to sing or play instruments. [name_f]Keysha[/name_f] was equally terrible and laughed this off. Though what [name_f]Keysha[/name_f] didn’t know was that [name_f]Laina[/name_f] wanted to be good at music, whereas [name_f]Keysha[/name_f] herself didn’t care that she had no skill.

[name_f]Keysha[/name_f] was sometimes on good terms with [name_f]Laina[/name_f], sometimes not. She often felt [name_f]Laina[/name_f] cared too much whereas she didn’t care at all. “I guess I should come off as sensitive too. Maybe people will like me,” [name_f]Keysha[/name_f] thought sarcastically. [name_f]Keysha[/name_f] often felt like she was the only one there at work who didn’t see Laina’s “greatness” though this was likely because the other co-workers were getting to see [name_f]Laina[/name_f] for how she truly was, not through rose-coloured glasses. Ironically there were some times when it seemed [name_f]Laina[/name_f] wanted to be like [name_f]Keysha[/name_f]. [name_f]Keysha[/name_f] worked less than [name_f]Laina[/name_f], especially since [name_f]Laina[/name_f] was always telling the boss to give her more hours. [name_f]Keysha[/name_f] assumed it was her way of kissing up and being the boss’s fave, not realising [name_f]Laina[/name_f] needed those hours because money was tight. [name_f]Keysha[/name_f] had a co-worker who she considered a great friend, though she knew this co-worker was hanging out with [name_f]Laina[/name_f] more. This was the last straw for [name_f]Keysha[/name_f], she was tired of pretending to like [name_f]Laina[/name_f]. But she didn’t want to explode with anger and seem like a jerk. Keysha’s friend wasn’t supporting her less just because she was on good terms with [name_f]Laina[/name_f] now. [name_f]Keysha[/name_f] knew her friends can interact with whoever they wanted. But that changed one day when [name_f]Keysha[/name_f] finally asked their mutual friend, “Okay I understand that you’re friends with [name_f]Laina[/name_f], and that it doesn’t mean you’re not friends with me, but why?” Her mutual friend just responded as expected, “Because Laina’s a very nice woman and I can be friends with both of you.” [name_f]Keysha[/name_f] responded, “But I thought you weren’t really interested in people like her. You know, how you want people to act normal and not obsessive about everyone trying to like them all the time.” Keysha’s friend didn’t understand and asked [name_f]Keysha[/name_f] to elaborate. [name_f]Keysha[/name_f] tried to elaborate but now she was starting to realize she thought too hard of [name_f]Laina[/name_f], “Well uh, [name_f]Laina[/name_f]. She’s so…nice and everyone likes her…yet she’s constantly trying to outdo us. So people could like her more and more and more!”

Keysha’s friend told her, “No she’s not. [name_f]Keysha[/name_f], I understand you and [name_f]Laina[/name_f] don’t have to be the best of friends. Maybe you don’t see eye-to-eye with her, but I’ve talked to her and she wishes she was more like you. And I’ve had to tell her that your life isn’t perfect, though now I have to tell you the same that hers isn’t either.” [name_f]Keysha[/name_f] was surprised. She really should have seen Laina’s perspective more. She felt awkward that her friend had to mediate all of this. Especially given Keysha’s had to mediate for [name_f]Sarah[/name_f] when she misses her partner, but didn’t like her partner’s family, but needed to give [name_m]Beau[/name_m] a good life. [name_f]Keysha[/name_f] felt bad for [name_f]Laina[/name_f] that she’s seen the other woman so awfully and felt she had to apologise. She wasn’t intending to immediately be BFFs after this apology, but she knew all too well what it was like to be misjudged. So the next time she approached [name_f]Laina[/name_f], [name_f]Keysha[/name_f] took a deep breath and stated, “Hey. [name_f]Laina[/name_f], I’m sorry I uh…came off on the wrong foot with you. I didn’t mean to think all those things I thought. It was completely out of hand and I know they aren’t true. You’re only human.” [name_f]Laina[/name_f] smiled and replied, “Oh no worries [name_f]Keysha[/name_f]. I just hoped you were okay. You didn’t do anything wrong.” [name_f]Keysha[/name_f] wasn’t sure if [name_f]Laina[/name_f] didn’t know or if she was just pretending not to know, like [name_f]Keysha[/name_f] herself did when others talked smack. She asked, “Are you sure? It’s okay if you aren’t alright with anything I’ve said. You can be honest.” [name_f]Keysha[/name_f] was expecting [name_f]Laina[/name_f] to either forgive her or to tell her the truth about what she didn’t appreciate. She didn’t predict Laina’s next move. [name_f]Laina[/name_f] sighed and told her, “If you said anything I wouldn’t be okay with, then I didn’t know about it. It’s just that I’ve been bullied a lot in the past and that my parents have too. I’m just trying to scrape by with funds, overcome that, and you don’t have to see me like this perfect idol or anything. [name_m]Just[/name_m] see me for me.” [name_f]Keysha[/name_f] really had underestimated Laina’s life. She knew from their mutual friend that [name_f]Laina[/name_f] wasn’t an all-star at everything, but [name_f]Keysha[/name_f] hadn’t realised until this point how she was ironically luckier in life than [name_f]Laina[/name_f] was. And the first time [name_f]Keysha[/name_f] actually felt bad for [name_f]Laina[/name_f]. Especially when [name_f]Laina[/name_f] then told her, “Keysha, if there’s anything you’ve gone through that you’re bothered by, it’s okay for you to go talk to me. It isn’t all about me. I’m sure life can be difficult for you too.” Words [name_f]Keysha[/name_f] never expected to be told by [name_f]Laina[/name_f].

Sarah was created by @Lindseylloyd052399.
Beau was created by @kitkatcookie.

[kitkatcookie]

[name_m]Kellan[/name_m] [name_m]Fergus[/name_m] Greenberg (24, they/he) is Beau’s paternal uncle, who jokes they see more of [name_f]Keysha[/name_f] than his brother given the different paths they’ve taken in life. Being just a eleven months apart in age means the brothers were compared often by people, not in a competitive way exactly, but their differences seemed to strike people more because of this small gap. Kellan’s always been the wilder one, impulsive in decision making and very disorganised, with an ability to laugh off just about anything. They consider it a mixed bag, as while being able to move on from embarassing situations or self-doubts is something very much appreciated, he also worries about seeming immature or irresponsible to others.

When his nephew - who’s celebrated his first birthday this year - was born, [name_m]Kellan[/name_m] also found his worries increased regarding their older brother’s safety. It’s not something that hadn’t come up before, however the fact [name_m]Beau[/name_m] now might go through something so catastrophic greatly concerned [name_m]Kellan[/name_m], and they’re hoping for an honourable discharge for their brother sooner rather than later, especially so he can spend more time with the family. Still, it doesn’t stop [name_m]Kellan[/name_m] joking their presence just proved too annoying for him every now and then.

Having just graduated from universtity with a degree in communications, [name_m]Kellan[/name_m] spent part of college modelling for the creative students, something they really enjoyed, prompting them to embrace gender fluidity more. Their pronouns weren’t something they really considered until meeting one of their now best friends who’s non-binary, but upon doing some introspection, everything clicked for [name_m]Kellan[/name_m] mentally. Within his family this is a first of sorts, however he’s received absolute support from his loved one’s, even if they don’t all necessarily get it due to generational gaps [not that [name_m]Kellan[/name_m] minds given they’re respectful and loving].

[CherryBomb50]

[name_m]Blaze[/name_m] [name_m]Min[/name_m] [name_f]Kim[/name_f] (24, xe/xir) is Kellan’s non-binary friend who’s been a friend but got even closer to [name_m]Kellan[/name_m] in recent years. [name_m]Blaze[/name_m] has one younger sister, [name_f]Olivia[/name_f] who loves piano. [name_m]Blaze[/name_m] himself prefers the keyboard as xir instrument of choice but the two are close with their love of the similar instruments. [name_m]Blaze[/name_m] has envied [name_f]Olivia[/name_f] admittedly for learning faster, but doesn’t think anything harsh against her. [name_m]Blaze[/name_m] knows xe’s always going to have people better than xir, though xe tends to envy more if they’re really talented or they are xir age or younger at the talent. Xe used to be the opposite- xe actually feared no one could relate to xir, seeing xe is a Black/Asian biracial and is also non-binary.

[name_m]Blaze[/name_m] has been a supportive person in Kellan’s life more and more, though it’s never completely clear when the transition from friends to best friends happened. The usual beliefs are when [name_m]Kellan[/name_m] came out or when Kellan’s brother was away in the military. [name_m]Blaze[/name_m] only knows Kellan’s brother a little due to the distance, though xe knows about the closeness the two Greenbergs had growing up. [name_m]Blaze[/name_m] doesn’t quite get along with Beau’s paternal grandparents, having been told there was always a rift. [name_m]Blaze[/name_m] doesn’t feel good about them reconnecting but dislikes the negative impact it has for [name_m]Kellan[/name_m]. [name_m]Kellan[/name_m] is separated from their parents and their brother, so [name_m]Blaze[/name_m] has often tried to be as welcoming as possible when [name_m]Kellan[/name_m] doesn’t have immediate family to turn to. Naturally this gives a bigger bond to [name_m]Kellan[/name_m] with [name_m]Beau[/name_m], since they are blood-related and can see each other at any time. Though there’s an understandable drawback that [name_m]Kellan[/name_m] misses their brother more. Seeing [name_m]Blaze[/name_m] is only a kids’ volleyball coach with no military relatives, xe doesn’t quite understand how discharges in the military work. Xe’s caught onto a secret that Sarah’s parents also know about, but haven’t told [name_f]Sarah[/name_f]. [name_m]Blaze[/name_m] knows very little about the details and is sworn to secrecy, but Kellan’s brother is coming home!

Olivia was created by @Lindseylloyd052399.

[Lindseylloyd052399]

[name_f]Jessica[/name_f] [name_f]Grace[/name_f] [name_m]Corbin[/name_m] (25) is [name_m]Kellan[/name_m] and Blaze’s friend. She also has a military boyfriend. She is the shoe store employee who helped [name_f]Keysha[/name_f] understand Laina’s perspective more. Her parents own a birthing unit. She can sing and juggle. She struggles hard to manage her T1D. She thinks [name_m]Kellan[/name_m] is right about his brother. Her own boyfriend always has extravagant ways to tell her he’s home. When they grew up, he did this with promposals. The next time he comes home, he wants to have a baby with her.

[kitkatcookie]

cw: deadbeat dad

Pettifleur " [name_f]Fleur[/name_f] " [name_f]Amelia[/name_f] [name_m]Dillard[/name_m] (28) is the sister of Jessica’s boyfriend who does her best to keep some sense of calm when her brother’s away and anything comes up that could cause worries. In the eyes of him, [name_f]Fleur[/name_f] can seem a little overly serious and stubborn in her mentality, however she’s concerned about what missing out on raising a potential child could do to him. Their dad was not part of their family for long, leaving when she was six and her brother was three, and although it’s not something they’ve spoken about at length, [name_f]Fleur[/name_f] isn’t blind to how neither of them want to put any theoretical children of their own through the same pain and uncertainty.

Worst of all was how much their mom had to alter things - moving back to [name_m]North[/name_m] [name_f]Dakota[/name_f] to be nearer her parents - and sacrifice her dreams in the moment for the good of them.

It’s that acknowledgement that made [name_f]Fleur[/name_f] as responsible and organised as she’s known to be now. Working as a junior solicitor, she’s always got plans for something and takes her career path seriously, as encouraged by her granddad, who she’s always been close to. She lives with her best friend, who she’s known since the first day of high school, however it’s only a fifteen minute walk from where her grandparents live, ensuring she can spend time with them whenever she has time. They also share their home with two pets - Fleur’s beloved cat, [name_m]Morton[/name_m], and her roomie’s iguana - who are basically family as well.

Seeing her mom’s also very important to [name_f]Fleur[/name_f], although things have changed now she’s got her pilot’s license finally and is pursuing her dream job, a source of joy for [name_f]Fleur[/name_f] and her brother. She accomplished this once they’d both finished high school and were more fixed in their paths in life, another consideration [name_f]Fleur[/name_f] does her best to emulate. The sense of greater support is highly valued by their family, and it’s what makes [name_f]Fleur[/name_f] wonder about gaining a niece or nephew should [name_f]Jessica[/name_f] fall pregnant before her brother is discharged.

[Lindseylloyd052399]

[name_f]Ripley[/name_f] “Rip” [name_m]Maddox[/name_m] [name_m]Dillard[/name_m] (25) is Fleur’s younger brother, whom she shares a remarkable connection with. He and [name_f]Jessica[/name_f] are truly in love despite the distance and battles. Although he isn’t ready for a child yet, his truth and meaning reign free.

[name_f]Fleur[/name_f] and their mother was a massive inspiration in how he lives his life. He misses them dearly as he counts down the days until a discharge could happen for him. He is a desired young man who strengthens his mother in her empowerment to finally reach her dreams.

He is always splendid with what he has and how it pushes him forward. His warm smile and strong voice captivate all who know and think of him. He is a team player with a compassionate spirit.