Create a Family With a Twist 2

[kitkatcookie]

cw: substance abuse, neglect [mentioned]

Sojourner " Sosie " Georgette Brosgol (30) is Blythe’s aunt, Ella’s wife and Romeo’s momma. Associated constantly with the bears she studies, not just through her scrapbook of photographs taken during trips around Canada, they’ve always been Sosie’s favourite animal, not that she could give some soul searching explanation or site a meaningful childhood experience; but growing up, she’s determined it’s the meaning itself that’s important to a person, not finding verbose justification. She’s a very quiet, composed person who has a lot of patience, and has a natural talent at giving advise thanks to how disarming she is. When she and Ella were just friends - meeting through a tranquilliser module assigned to both of their degrees, albeit diverged massively beyond the basics thanks to pharmaceuticals and zoology being such different fields - Sosie was one of the few non-family members Ella felt comfortable opening up to unprompted, creating a bond that turned out to be the groundwork for their eventual romance. Nothing was especially planned or painstakingly deliberated by the couple, it just slowly became apparent they worked in that way, and frankly it’s what’s always been such a source of happiness to both women.

Childhood was quiet for Sosie - raised by her single mother without any siblings - however there was a shadow of sorts that helped Ella become more relaxed around her. Sosie’s mother was raised in a household dominated by drugs, alcohol and self-loathing, having parents who were incredibly codependent on one another, all the while neglecting their daughter in the pursuit of oblivion. The further you delve into her family history, the more dysfunction and despair becomes apparent, a cycle Sosie’s mother is proud to have broken, which is why she kept her birth surname to inspire hope in her own daughter, and Sosie passed it down to her son. Her father - a soldier - was tragically killed in the line of duty when Sosie was only eight months old; something that pains her as he was a loving, attentive parent in the short span of time they had together, although she admits in a way it’s comforting knowing he wasn’t disregarding them. She and Ella have agreed their next child - as they’re confident they want at least two, seeing how Romeo adores his cousin Blythe and the way the Michanae girls’ love one another - will have the surname Brosgol-Simonson, in tribute to the man Sosie sadly never had a chance to get to know herself.

Hearing about the hell Ella, Meg, Eugenie and Tracy endured was awful when the first proper conversation occurred between Sosie and her wife, when they were still on a friendship only basis; however it explained a lot of Ella’s mannerisms and discomfort around new additions to their university friend group. While she never patronises or dismisses Ella’s boundaries, Sosie spoke on her behalf - with permission - about why she seemed hostile or disinterested to newcomers and helped smooth things over, allowing for calm to be restored. Ella is mindful that she isn’t burning herself out though, as Sosie did used to have an issue with not making it clear when her own life and schedule were becoming too hectic to listen to everyone else’s issues; creating a balance that works perfectly for both of them. Her best friend is the first person she told about their romance - unsurprisingly Meg and Eugenie knew first on Ella’s end - and they’ve been inseparable since they were only 11. Sosie’s best friend, who uses they/she pronouns, is Native American, and also works with animals - they bonded on the school playground with imaginary rescue games that became so intricate only they could understand the rules in the end - however they’re a vet, something Sosie admits she couldn’t stomach due to how surgery always makes her feel dizzy. They’re also a avid about crotchet and have made numerous hats, blankets and jumpers for Romeo, as well as Blythe, Tracy and Olive since meeting the wider family. While she cannot crochet to save her life, Sosie’s got a talent for woodwork surprisingly, and has made numerous pieces of furniture around the home in her spare time; exercising her interior designer aspirations that the bears usurped to claim victory over.

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Ella belongs to yours truly

[moonwriteen]

(tw: uncesored death of a spouse and parental estrangement )

Peizhi " [name_f]Paige[/name_f] " [name_m]Chen[/name_m] (33) is a woman who recently got a job offer in [name_f]Canada[/name_f]. Normally with how attached she is to her family she wouldn’t take the chance to work in [name_u]New[/name_u] Brunschwick as an International Operations Manager for her company, preferring to stay in Shanghai. However , after her husband [name_f]Gerel[/name_f] " [name_u]Gary[/name_u] " died in a biking accident the year before , she couldn’t bear the pain of being reminded of the love of her life by the city - she decided to start over and take her two children - 5-year old son and another son, a 3-year old (who wasn’t affected by the one child policy due to technically having been born in Mongolia , the native land of his father).

She therefore emailed [name_f]Meg[/name_f] Michnae - the one person who could always give her advice in the most dire situtations and vice versa. The two have been friends since their school days , having connected through a penpal project in their schools - [name_f]Paige[/name_f] attended an international one that taught her [name_f]English[/name_f] and was a boarding school. That’s also where she met [name_f]Gerel[/name_f] , a Mongolian student - even though she wasn’t meant to sneak into the part of the school meant for boys, she did it for [name_f]Gerel[/name_f] anyway and they had been a couple since they were 15 up until [name_f]Gerel[/name_f] died at 35. [name_f]Meg[/name_f] Michnae knew about the relationship between [name_f]Gerel[/name_f] and Peizhi from the start , even when it was just Peizihi’s initial infatuation mixed with a whole lot of fear. [name_f]Meg[/name_f] was scared too - especially of her father and his abusive ways - but encouraged Peizhi to follow her heart and reassured her she wouldn’t be caught by the boarding school teachers. Additionally , [name_f]Meg[/name_f] helped both Peizhi and [name_f]Gerel[/name_f] pick their “realistic [name_f]English[/name_f] names” as
her friend asked her to do it - that’s how they ultimately became [name_f]Paige[/name_f] & [name_u]Gary[/name_u], although their sons’ [name_f]English[/name_f] names were decided entirely by [name_f]Paige[/name_f] and are a lot more adventurous , taking a lot of inspiration from the Victorian era that [name_f]Paige[/name_f] is deeply fascinated by since her middle school history class.

[name_f]Paige[/name_f] 's mother worked tirelessly in a factory and her father was a part-time taxi driver and part-time dealership manager. She doesn’t have much of an emotional connection to them because of how far removed she became from them as a result of always attending boarding schools and visitng them only on holidays, but she is grateful to them for having always supported her financially so she could prioritize her education. She majored in Business Administration at one of the univeristies in [name_f]China[/name_f], currently has a Master’s Degree and has climbed the corporate ladder consistently for several years , eventually gainign the position of International Operations Manager at her company. She barely took 2 weeks of maternity leave with each of her sons and worked from home even when she was sick. Now, having lost [name_u]Gary[/name_u] , she sees this as a mistake that she made - seeing as her sons are devastated by the loss of their father, who they developed an ultimately deeper emotional relationship with because he had more time even if he was working quite hard too as an IT specialist.

Having contemplated it through e-mails with [name_f]Meg[/name_f] a very long time, [name_f]Paige[/name_f] decided to ultimately move to [name_u]New[/name_u] Brunschwick and now lives in Moncton. [name_f]Meg[/name_f] couldn’t help her move and manage the countless boxes that she had because at the time she was sick with a particularly hard-hitting case of the common cold , as was her eldest child [name_f]Olive[/name_f] - [name_m]Clement[/name_m] took care of them while [name_f]Ella[/name_f] , [name_f]Meg[/name_f] 's sister , took the task of helping [name_f]Paige[/name_f] move along with her wife [name_f]Sosie[/name_f]. Both [name_m]Romeo[/name_m] and [name_f]Blythe[/name_f] ended up in the care of [name_f]Meg[/name_f] and [name_f]Ella[/name_f] 's mom , their grandmother. [name_f]Paige[/name_f] was infinitely grateful for the kindness of [name_f]Sosie[/name_f] especially and they immediately hit it off because of how much [name_f]Sosie[/name_f] was willing to share about Moncton as a city, and how much passion she had for bears - not excluding the native Chinese panda bears. [name_f]Sosie[/name_f] recommended for [name_f]Paige[/name_f] to visit the VanDerHeisen’s antique shop for interesting Victorian-inspired furniture and home decor, which [name_f]Paige[/name_f] actually did. There she met the owner’s wife - [name_f]Elysa[/name_f] - who just happened to stop by her husband’s establishment to bring him lunch that he had forgotten when leaving for work. From one word to another it turned out that [name_f]Elysa[/name_f] 's daughter [name_f]Godelieve[/name_f] is friends with [name_f]Meg[/name_f] 's daughter, [name_u]Tracy[/name_u] and they attend a ballet class together. She decided to sign her older 5-year-old son up for the ballet class because she wanted [name_u]Tracy[/name_u] and her son to make friends just how [name_f]Paige[/name_f] did one day make friends for life with [name_f]Meg[/name_f] 's mom. So far things are looking good for her family - her older son has even taught [name_u]Tracy[/name_u] and [name_f]Godelieve[/name_f] some Chinese , not minding the bullying he might recieve for doing a “girly thing” like ballet. [name_m]Even[/name_m] though [name_f]Paige[/name_f] is still quite struck by grief, she feels like thanks to [name_f]Meg[/name_f] she has a chance to build a strong support system in [name_f]Canada[/name_f] and eventually move on to do great things, making [name_u]Gary[/name_u] proud.

[CherryBomb50]

Uncensored Warning for pet euthanasia (not graphic).

[name_f]Halona[/name_f] [name_f]Satima[/name_f] [name_f]Tabi[/name_f] (32) is a mutual friend of [name_f]Paige[/name_f] and [name_f]Sosie[/name_f]. She’s Native American, mostly of Choctaw tribe descent and uses she/they pronouns. She is a single parent to a little girl adopted from [name_f]China[/name_f], who has a “realistic English” first name and Chinese middle name, along with her original surname kept. [name_f]Halona[/name_f] really values those staying true to their tradition and has gotten a lot of help from [name_f]Paige[/name_f] for advice on keeping her daughter close with her culture despite being raised by someone outside the culture. [name_f]Halona[/name_f] themself is still close with their culture as well too and she and her young daughter celebrate the multicultural household. Halona’s daughter is close with the other young children of the other families and immediately clicks with Paige’s children. Their daughter loves to explore things and meet new friends.

[name_f]Halona[/name_f] is also a vet and completely understands Sosie’s stance on why she wouldn’t be a vet. In fact, [name_f]Halona[/name_f] didn’t like vets when she was a young girl. She felt like she “couldn’t forgive“ (although she did even up forgiving) the vet for putting down her first pet dog. She felt betrayed that the vet would “kill” the dog when vets are “supposed to heal animals“. However when she got older and understood death much more and why her old, sickly dog was being put out of her misery, [name_f]Halona[/name_f] felt bad for misjudgment and respected vets a lot more. Sadly, [name_f]Halona[/name_f] has had to put pets down but she’s been as comforting as possible to the owners and reassured them that the procedure is painless and their animals are at peace. But most of all, she loves healing and treating animals and nothing makes her happier than seeing a pet happier and healthier. Among [name_f]Halona[/name_f] and their daughter, the two currently have 2 dogs, a cat, a bunny, a hamster, a bird, and 2 fish. [name_f]Halona[/name_f] may consider adopting more children in the future but no matter what happens, the pets will always outnumber the children.

[kitkatcookie]

[name_f]Violet[/name_f] Yíyǔ [name_f]Tabi[/name_f] (2) is Halona’s daughter. Thanks to being so young, and a naturally quiet child, she’s not considered easy to read, hiding behind her mom around unfamiliar people, and even when she’s comfortable, she isn’t talkative. Violet’s clearly inherited her mothers’ love of animals though: with the older of the two cats, a tortoiseshell named [name_u]Sky[/name_u], being her clear favourite. [name_u]Sky[/name_u] almost always sleeps in Violet’s room, and the little girl is just starting to get into art, with cats being her favourite subjects when she isn’t doodling her usual abstract pieces, which only her mom’s allowed to know more about. [name_f]Halona[/name_f] never pushes [name_f]Violet[/name_f] into anything, and is clear even if her daughter becomes more outgoing, she’s not going to rush her into anything such as attending preschool or going to socialise with large groups of unfamiliar kids. The two are going to attend swimming classes once [name_f]Violet[/name_f] turns three though, something the little girl has become more excited about given time.

Halona’s adoption process was made easier as [name_f]Violet[/name_f] had been agreed on referral to an agency before she was born. Her biological mother’s reasonings have remained private - having not been disclosed to anyone outside of [name_f]Halona[/name_f], the medical professionals and social workers - but it has been agreed on that once Violet’s a little older, she’ll have the opportunity to access this information herself. There was nothing dramatic or salacious about her reasons, she merely didn’t feel the right person to raise a child - exacerbated by her recent divorce from her ex, who was firmly against fatherhood himself - and wanted to see [name_f]Violet[/name_f] going to a person who would fully love, support and embrace her the way she felt the child deserved. Violet’s original case worker has kept [name_f]Halona[/name_f] updated regarding her biological father as well - who signed away his parental rights - as he’s now involved with a woman who has a young son, and there’s some belief it may cause him to renegade on his former disinterest.

[moonwriteen]

Honghui " [name_m]Hector[/name_m] " [name_m]Chen[/name_m] (3) is one of [name_f]Violet[/name_f] 's friend’s and [name_f]Paige[/name_f] 's younger son. He loves going to [name_f]Violet[/name_f] 's house and hanging out with her animals - especially the two fish - that they have - veiltails named [name_u]Onyx[/name_u] & [name_f]Opal[/name_f]. [name_m]Hector[/name_m] is quite mad about fish ever since he watched " Finding [name_m]Nemo[/name_m] " with his 5-year-old brother and now won’t even let the family go one week about rewatching it or asking for a new picture book about the ocean. [name_m]Hector[/name_m] is quite loud and outgoing , never being afraid to say exactly what he wants - unfortunately , he has a tendency to annoy his younger brother and put the blame on him when he makes a mess , however [name_f]Paige[/name_f] can see right through it. [name_m]Hector[/name_m] and his brother are not really on bad terms though - [name_m]Hector[/name_m] is the one to give his brother confidence when he’s feeling shy while the brother repays him by getting him to calm down or reading with him (he’s just begun learning how to read but [name_f]Paige[/name_f] motivates him to train everyday and it actually helps the whole [name_m]Chen[/name_m] family bond. [name_m]Even[/name_m] though [name_m]Hector[/name_m] is extroverted and rambunctious , he actually behaves patiently and caringly towards the shyer and younger [name_f]Violet[/name_f] , who appreciates that. They love to draw together , even though [name_m]Hector[/name_m] has a wider range of topics to take inspiration from than just cats - from fish through his family to even the boxes that the family has to deal with while moving. [name_m]Hector[/name_m] won’t admit it to anybody , but he actually sees his older brother as a role model , so naturally he wants to do everything that he does and he’s been begging his mother to sign him up for a ballet class. However, the ballet school only accepts children 5 and older , so he has a whole two years to wait. [name_m]Hector[/name_m] also wants to be the same kind of role model to [name_f]Violet[/name_f] as his brother is to him, so that’s why he always behaves nicely around her and tells her all the stories from his new kindergarten and even asked [name_f]Halona[/name_f] if she can go there too with him - which actually made [name_f]Halona[/name_f] rethink whether or not she wants to sign her daughter up for kindergarten and she’s still internally debating , not without the help of a co-worker at the vet centre who has been a huge support to her lately , and [name_f]Halona[/name_f] has started to think he may even be a good dating material.

[CherryBomb50]

Warning for abandonment and bigotry.

Maro Kaimana Hayashida (32) is Halona’s crush and co-worker at the vet centre. He feels Hector is interested in a pet but will let Paige make that decision for her sons on a friendly and age-appropriate pet. Maro is biracial, having a Japanese father and Hawaiian mother, however his father doesn’t contact him and hasn’t done so since Maro was a baby. Maro’s parents never married and Maro wasn’t a planned pregnancy and truthfully his father wasn’t the nicest of people, acting as if Maro wasn’t his and running off. This may have been for the best since Maro’s father was unfortunately very bigoted and wouldn’t have accepted Halona liking him since Halona used she/they pronouns. Given Halona’s crush, he’s not super aware of this but he knows he and Halona are closer with one another than the other co-workers. They’re both cool with mild touches like pats on the back and knuckle-touches, but they feel awkward hugging or holding hands yet with each other, despite both of them secretly wanting to do that with one another. Maro thinks he’s falling for Halona too but he’s afraid to look into that further because he’s unaware she feels the same. Hector and his older brother have awkwardly said, “Maro wants to marry Halona!” in front of Maro when Halona wasn’t around. Maro awkwardly laughed, something he tends to do a lot when nervous, and muttered, “Hahaha can you two maybe not say that anymore? Just because well, hahaha.” Paige, just catching on that Maro and Halona are mutually attracted, asked Maro why he was so awkward about her sons’ joke. Maro just replied, “Hahaha, well…you can’t spell ‘embarrassment’ without ‘me’…”

After many years of believing he was an only child, Maro has recently found out he has younger paternal half-siblings, one being Yumiko, who sadly became estranged after coming out as genderfluid. Maro also has a younger paternal half-brother, who had been involved in betraying Yumiko after they came out. Maro knows Yumiko travels a lot and he is aware they have bad blood with most of their family, but Maro is supportive and would love to reach out to them. Maro is quite shy but he wants to find the missing link in his family and reach out to Yumiko. He’s not as aware of the Hathaway family however, and the thought of their grandmother’s suspiciously haunting ways would scare Maro but he knows it’s worth it and he’d want the chance to try to meet Yumiko.

Yumiko was created by @kitkatcookie.

[kitkatcookie]

Yuanjun " [name_m]Gideon[/name_m] " [name_m]Chen[/name_m] (5) is Hector’s older brother and the slightly more subtle child when it comes to Halona’s interest in [name_m]Maro[/name_m]. Compared to [name_m]Hector[/name_m], [name_m]Gideon[/name_m] does have clearer memories of his late father - not by much but what he has mean a great deal to him given the circumstances. He does strive for independence, something that [name_f]Paige[/name_f] knows could cause some conflict when Hector’s old enough to begin attending ballet classes too, as [name_m]Gideon[/name_m] enjoys them as something that furthers his individuality, as well as giving him opportunities to spend time with his friends. It isn’t like he resents or rejects his little brother’s company when hanging out with [name_u]Tracy[/name_u] and [name_f]Godelieve[/name_f], but it’s obvious [name_m]Gideon[/name_m] isn’t the type of boy to want a mini me of sorts; expressed in how he’s always praising and encouraging Hector’s art work [Gideon isn’t a confident artist with pens or paint by any means, it’s dance where he shines, and he has been considering gymnastics classes too].

Recently - to the half-concealed joy of his mother - another boy began attending the same class as [name_m]Gideon[/name_m], and their mutual experiences being bullied [or at least questioned in impolite ways] has led to the duo becoming very close. There are other boys attending ballet of course, but the new classmate is much quieter like [name_m]Gideon[/name_m], and they find a quiet confidence in one another; both being the older one of two brothers’ - although his friend’s sibling is just an infant. What also fascinates [name_m]Gideon[/name_m] is his friend has half-siblings - being the child of a second marriage for both parents - and so learning about the blended family of his new pal has proven very positive, as well as eye opening. There’s no way he’d ever approach them - the eldest is 17 and teenagers are absolutely terrifying as far as Gideon’s concerned - but he has an upcoming playdate where he’ll meet his friends’ paternal half-sister who’s 12, and [name_u]Tracy[/name_u] has been his greatest advisor when it comes to the matters of older sisters [which [name_f]Meg[/name_f] and [name_f]Paige[/name_f] find absolutely adorable].

[moonwriteen]

(tw: parental strictness and homophobia )**

[name_f]Loretta[/name_f] [name_u]Marie[/name_u] Kretschner (41) is [name_m]Gideon[/name_m] 's ballet teacher and the mother of one of the boys in the ballet class , although not [name_m]Gideon[/name_m] 's newest friend. Ballet has always been her passion and she spent most of her childhood training it - her first class occurred when she was 6 and she had a moderately succesful career as a professional dancer up to age 26.

That’s when she got pregnant with her oldest daughter , who’s now 15. She is now a mother of five - three boys and two girls - who she and her husband adore dearly , even though [name_f]Loretta[/name_f] tends to be the much stricter parent while her husband is the “fun one " who always cuts them some slack and takes them on fun trips where once a semester they skip school to spend a day close to nature - which, given the captivating landscapes of [name_u]New[/name_u] Brunschwick , is not particularly difficult. Being a typical Commander type she’s a natural leader and a rational discussions are the only way for her to actually discuss rules in the home and in her class - even then a disagreement is no good reason for questioning her authority. She has trouble connecting emotionally to her children - and her eldest daughter , who’s an ENFP , rebels against her regularly because of that because she feels like [name_f]Loretta[/name_f] can be a tyrant who stifles her personal expression , while all she wants for her is to hold herself to a certain standard and actually achieve her goals instaed of just being the dreamy social butterfly that she is. Her second eldest son - a 12-year-old , and her husband are the daughter’s closest confidants and as [name_f]Loretta[/name_f] 's husband jokes " teens will be teens , you won’t just nullify the rebel phase”. She shows certain favouritism to her 10-year-old daughter - the third eldest - who has a similliar personality to her when it comes to following her own schedule , setting goals and following a rigid routine, however she’s the shyest and quietest of her siblings , being a typical introvert. Her 8-year-old son has the same kind of dance-related inclination as [name_f]Loretta[/name_f] even if he thinks that ballet is not the way for him and dances hip-hop because , quote - " It’s cooler ". That leaves her youngest son - a 5 year old - to dance ballet , and even though she’s the teacher , she holds her son to a higher standard than most of her students because she believes the boy has true talent and that by being lax for him she would lose her reputation as someone who commands respect among the children and motivates them to give their all with actual focus. She doesn’t tolerate commenting on other’s performance during the lesson as she doesn’t want them to get to the children and discourage them from bettering themselves or their movements. She emphasises flexibility and stretching as well as synchroisation in her groups - knowing that to have ballet skills is not only to be in tune with your own body but also know how to cooperate with other dancers. She’s glad that she has four boys including her son and [name_m]Gideon[/name_m] in the class , because not only does it allow her to choose sequences where both a boy and a girl dancer are required for the recital to work , but also shows her that gender roles are not as strongly engraved in the hearts of parents - one of her most talented student was a 15 year old guy who could have gone for a professional ballet-related scholarship to [name_f]Russia[/name_f] but his father forcibly removed him from the activity and sent him off to a boarding school in northern [name_f]Canada[/name_f] becuse he was adament the dancing " turned " the boy gay - it didn’t , he was like that from the start and [name_f]Loretta[/name_f] was the first person that he told about it because he was so afraid to tell his parents. [name_f]Loretta[/name_f] to this day regrets that she didn’t attempt to console the boy and simply told him off for " disclosing personal matters in class " without recongising how distressed he truly was behind close doors and how his talent for dancing had been turned to nothibg by his father despite [name_f]Loretta[/name_f] trying to intervene. She knows how this feels like - she herself never recieved support from her own ballet teacher either and after getting pregnant she told [name_f]Loretta[/name_f] that sbe "destroyed her career " and " her adventure with ballet is over " because she has no chance to going back to the profession once she becomes a mother. Only her husband and his love of nature & adventure taught her the subtle art of not really basing your self-worth on an authrority figure , so she became determined to prove her teacher wrong by becoming a mother five times over and still managing to connect her life to ballet by channelling her passion to the younger generation.

[kitkatcookie]

[name_f]Grace[/name_f] [name_f]Abigail[/name_f] Kretschner (15) is Loretta’s eldest child and free spirit who prefers doing things her own way, even if this absolutely contrasts with her mother’s ethics and way of organising things. Working in an organised chaos that only makes sense to her, [name_f]Grace[/name_f] feels her mother doesn’t always understand or respect her way of pursuing life: which is primarily made up of spending time with her friends, ice-skating practice, and going for long walks to try figuring out the best meand of achieving her goals. [name_f]Grace[/name_f] wants to become a counsellor - something she’s only confided in her best friend about - but doesn’t feel able to voice this desire, as she doesn’t quite know what reaction this will reap, and the idea of being disparaged is something she really can’t handle, not even in contemplation. Ice-skating is another thing she and [name_f]Loretta[/name_f] clashed over, with competing seldom being what [name_f]Grace[/name_f] wanted - in spite of her obvious talent and love of the spirt - and subsequently whenever her mom entered her in a contest, she’d not practice properly and just make up a routine, something never approved of by judges to put it lightly. Now, [name_f]Grace[/name_f] doesn’t compete - which makes her very happy, as she can’t handle pressure well [unless it’s a request of a friend to provide a listening ear] - and merely attends her lessons for recreational pleasure; her dad having mediated when [name_f]Loretta[/name_f] was at the end of her tether when it came to her older daughter’s antics.

To spare her friends any conflict, only a few come over to the Kretschner home - those in the know where mother-daughter discord is concerned - and [name_f]Grace[/name_f] prefers spending time with them either outdoors or at their houses. Her large social circle and evident popularity at high school have won both reverence and insecurity from her siblings, as her reputation as being such a sunny, engaging spirit will be hard to follow up, especially as Grace’s kindness is what people recognise a lot, and she tries to make time for as many friends as possible, homework be damned. It’s her sister who particularly can feel a point of comparison - helped by their contrasting relationships with their mom - and while the two don’t have any conflict [they actually spend a fair bit of time together, as [name_f]Grace[/name_f] always gives her sister clothes she no longer wears that can fit], she does feel her older sister’s aura is difficult when she thinks about her much smaller social scene and lack of acknowledgement as a well-liked person.

[name_f]Every[/name_f] extended family member has pointed out the irony of Grace’s middle name. She adores her dad openly - his personality meaning he understands her ways of doing things a little better, especially her conviction where emotions are concerned - and confides in him the most. He’s the only family member [name_f]Grace[/name_f] is debating telling about her career hopes, as she knows he can mediate if she and her mom clash; although [name_f]Grace[/name_f] hopes to avoid this, as she hates seeing him put in the middle. Really, she doesn’t enjoy or want to disagree with her mom so much either - and she’s very much in support of how [name_f]Loretta[/name_f] views her students, which is a value they get along over when it’s apparent - but merely wants to feel like her choices and decisions are valid, even if they’re not the way her mother would personally go about them. Currently, Grace’s big goal for herself is obtaining a drivers license once she turns 16, a mission she’s firm about successfully completing, to allow further freedom as well as proving she can be responsible, even if it isn’t always recognised or understood.

[I_meme_it]

Charles ’ Charlie ’ Matthew Kretschner (12) is the second of Loretta’s children and in the conflict between his mom and sister, firmly falls on the side of Grace. He’s not as openly antagonistic, very much being the quiestest of the brood, but likewise finds himself dealing with frustration and uncertainty due to Loretta’s strictness and demands when it comes to performance. Many would argue Charlie has it easy in this sense: he’s already proven himself a natural for writing essays, being a darling of his middle school’s English department for how he’s naturally excelled in crafting discussions and arguments.

In many ways, Charlie wishes he could exchange his ability for more social confidence, as he’s always admired how his older sister can just click with people. He feels a bit of a cliche: wearing glasses, being academically talented and having a naturally introverted nature, but his dad always assures Charlie that what’s important is being an excellent friend, not just accumulating dozens of them, qualities all his children have learned from him.

Charlie’s social circle is much smaller, but he’s always there for his friends, and they play D&D on weekends or go on bike rides about town to find places to hang out and talk. He also is involved in taekwondo, something that surprises people given his shyness, and does enjoy competing, something he and Grace joke about a lot given her antics with skating. Charlie doesn’t consider himself exceptional at this by any means, however he’s somewhat relieved, as he knows if it became too promising his mom would insist on upping his practice, taking the time he keeps to read his favoured fantasy books or comics passed down from his dad to him.

Because of their difference in interests - and the fact his younger sister is very close with their mom - Charlie tends to be a little distant from his brothers, however with his 8-year-old sibling expressing an interest in a new form of dance that isn’t Loretta approved, they’ve started to bond more, as Charlie’s very encouraging of his passion for hip-hop. What his brothers’ aren’t aware of is Charlie’s always known they call him ‘Deputy Lieutenant’, while Grace is the ‘Commander’, given they’re usually the first to disagree with their mom. Given his own newfound interests, their 8-year-old brother is wondering if he should call himself ‘Junior Lieutenant’ and join their troops.

~

@GoldenNebula88
@chamwue
@jinxed_peach

[kitkatcookie]

[name_f]Olivia[/name_f] " [name_u]Ollie[/name_u] " [name_f]Sophie[/name_f] Kretschner (10) is the middle child, second daughter and Loretta’s favourite, not that it’s stated properly but everyone in the family’s aware. Although she isn’t a ballet dancer, Ollie’s very talented at ballroom, jazz and jive, having decided to pursue alternative forms of the art when she found the pressure of her peers got too much, and [name_f]Loretta[/name_f] quickly accepted this decision due to their closeness. She also briefly tried skating, but when faced with the natural gift of her sister, [name_u]Ollie[/name_u] decided against pursuing it properly, although this isn’t something she likes to linger on much [and when this is mentioned, usually by her little brothers’, Ollie’s temper is riled: a rare occasion within the family dynamic]. Ollie’s other favourite pastime is devoting herself to the birds who frequent the neighbourhood the family lives in, changing the feeders and having made a little house with the help of her father.

What isn’t acknowledged as much is the fact [name_u]Ollie[/name_u] finds herself isolated among the five siblings. Her younger brother’s have always been a rambunctious duo - regardless of their dancing interests becoming unique to themselves as they’ve grown up - and the bond between [name_u]Charlie[/name_u] and [name_f]Grace[/name_f] is impenetrable; leaving her as the one without a partner where siblinghoods concerned. The bond with her mum somewhat makes up for this, helped by the manner in which [name_f]Loretta[/name_f] constantly compliments her use of postit notes and a large calendar chart, but she feels especially detached when [name_f]Grace[/name_f] and [name_u]Charlie[/name_u] reignite their war for autonomy, and her younger brothers busy themselves amidst the chaos. [name_u]Ollie[/name_u] has confided in her friends about this: she’s part of a small, tight-knit circle who are rigorous and devoted to their particular passions and hobbies, having controlled and composed natures, with shyer demeanours and a shying away from the spotlight.

These evident differences mean [name_f]Grace[/name_f] and [name_u]Ollie[/name_u] have a complex relationship. They aren’t hostile or enemies by any stretch - as some would assume given their polar opposite relationships with their mum - but [name_u]Ollie[/name_u] finds herself wishing she could take on some of that social talent and ability to easily connect with her peers. She does feel cool inherting her sister’s clothes and sometimes has tried mimicking Grace’s mannerisms in the privacy of her own room, however it never deels quite enough, and [name_u]Ollie[/name_u] doesn’t want to become a carbon copy of anyone else. It’s why she declined her mum’s offer to take her to get a haircut, as [name_u]Ollie[/name_u] sometimes worries people think she just wants to emulate [name_f]Grace[/name_f] - who’s name is bought up at the school she attends, thanks to her friendships with classmates siblings - and that’s not even approaching how her mother would react to such a notion.

[CherryBomb50]

[name_u]Corbin[/name_u] [name_m]Keith[/name_m] Kretschner (8) is Ollie’s younger brother but not the youngest. He’s the 4th of 5 Kretschner siblings. He loves the cool vibe of hip hop and if he could, he’d breakdance. He watches lots of breakdancing videos but secretly doesn’t have the nerve to actually try them. He’s still an über fan of hip hop and has a friendly rivalry with the youngest, a 5-year-old boy who believes ballet is the best. He loves chocolate and loves to get sugary energy before dancing. [name_u]Corbin[/name_u] even has some fun hip hop costumes he wears but he’s learned the hard way not to dance with the costume in the rain. [name_f]Loretta[/name_f] insisted at least [name_u]Corbin[/name_u] slip on something that isn’t the costume, and he did…he slipped on a rain puddle.

[name_u]Corbin[/name_u] loves seeing [name_u]Ollie[/name_u] dance and although he still insists hip hop and breakdancing is best, he’ll never skip a recital of hers and that’s a choice. He postponed a sleepover with a friend to attend one of her recitals. [name_u]Corbin[/name_u] has a bit of free spirit in him as well, although not in the way [name_f]Grace[/name_f] does, but he can draw inspiration from her. [name_u]Corbin[/name_u], being the only other C-named child, loves Charlie’s spirit and wild imagination and definitely wants to be the “Junior Lieutenant” of the group. [name_u]Corbin[/name_u] adores watching videos and has recently enjoyed cake pops and find them a delicious, casual, and fun dessert. One thing he could work on is sleeping: [name_u]Corbin[/name_u] still never likes to go to bed.

[jinxed_peach]

[name_m]Samuel[/name_m] ‘Sammy’ [name_m]Rodger[/name_m] Kretschner [5] is the youngest of the Kretschner clan. He and his brother [name_u]Corbin[/name_u] get into frequent friendly fights over the ‘superior’ style of dance. [name_u]Sammy[/name_u] takes after his mom and prefers ballet, though he’s tried out other styles as well, he just keeps coming back to ballet.

He’s a typical five year old otherwise and is full of energy and is largely unaware of the effect that his mother’s drill sergeant like parenting. There’s something else he, and the rest of his family are largely unaware of as well. [name_m]Samuel[/name_m] is not a Kretschner.

As a baby in the hospital’s nursery he was accidentally switched with another child. Nobody knows this, though various family members have commented on how ‘unique’ [name_u]Sammy[/name_u] is compared to his siblings but the dots on exactly why have never been connected and it seems that, at least for now, they never will ne.

[CherryBomb50]

[name_m]Samuel[/name_m] ’ [name_u]Sal[/name_u] ’ [name_m]Roger[/name_m] [name_u]Everly[/name_u] (5) is the other boy involved in the unknown switch with [name_u]Sammy[/name_u]. Having the same first name and alternately spelled middle names was nonetheless a recipe for confusion disaster. The [name_u]Everly[/name_u] family is from [name_f]Canada[/name_f] but in a different city, although in the same province and time zone. They’re unaware of [name_u]Sammy[/name_u] or the Kretschner family and would be in disbelief if they heard their son was switched. [name_m]Samuel[/name_m] was Sammy’s maternal grandfather’s name, and [name_m]Roger[/name_m] was Sammy’s paternal grandfather’s name. However, they don’t have [name_u]Sammy[/name_u] - they have [name_u]Sal[/name_u]! Sal’s personality type is closer with Loretta’s than with his own parents but with [name_u]Sal[/name_u] only being 5, they don’t look too into it. [name_u]Sal[/name_u] also loves music and dancing but hasn’t yet picked a favourite style. He adores blackberries and fresh air, getting lots of energy that way. He isn’t into sports but loves games like Hide & Seek and [name_m]Tag[/name_m].

[name_u]Sal[/name_u] is the youngest like [name_u]Sammy[/name_u] but he’s not going to be the youngest for long; his mother is pregnant - 9 months pregnant. [name_u]Sal[/name_u] only has one older sibling, who is noticeably taller than him, but again the family chalks this up to [name_u]Sal[/name_u] being so young.

[kitkatcookie]

[name_f]Gemma[/name_f] " [name_f]Gem[/name_f] " [name_f]Christina[/name_f] [name_u]Everly[/name_u] (9) is Sal’s older sister, and opposite in many senses. Unlike him or either of their parents, Gem’s absolutely enthralled by the matters of justice and investigation, having already announced her intention to become a detective when she’s older; something the family’s endeared by, but her mum and dad can’t help worry sometimes thanks to the associated dangers of the field. While not the most outgoing personality, she’s capable of standing her ground and expressing her opinions when she feels compelled to, but usually Gem’s happier going with the flow and encouraging compromise when needs be. Her teachers consider her to be the second-in-command of her friend group - for lack of better words - as [name_f]Gem[/name_f] is close with a lot of introverted personalities, and isn’t afraid to speak up for her friends if needs be.

Unlike [name_u]Sal[/name_u], only Gem’s middle name is an honourific, thanks to her paternal grandma’s first name already belonging to a cousin within the family. Her middle name is actually the name her maternal gran was almost given - until her parents settled on [name_u]Hilary[/name_u] - something she lamented over, as she found [name_f]Christina[/name_f] the nicer choice; hence why her daughter chose it for [name_f]Gem[/name_f]. When she isn’t solving crimes [the fictional variety] or asking her parents questions about the legal system, [name_f]Gem[/name_f] enjoys riding her bike in the neighbourhood with her friends or playing extremely private games with them, which are top secret. She’s also a very strong swimmer and has recently signed up for diving lessons, as she finds the motions so graceful and wants to learn how to emulate them.

[jinxed_peach]

cw: mention of past car accident

[name_f]Alanis[/name_f] [name_u]Brooks[/name_u] [name_u]Everly[/name_u] (formerly [name_f]Alanis[/name_f] [name_f]Raquel[/name_f] Brooks) [35] is [name_f]Gem[/name_f] and Sal’s mother, currently expecting her third child and due any minute. She loves how both of her kids have their own interests already, she herself began to pursue art when she was between their ages and has continued to love the subject now. She actually sees a lot of herself in [name_u]Sal[/name_u] and would be completely floored and devastated if she found out that he was not biologically hers since she feels like they are very similar. She’s got a pretty bold and memorable personality but in a much different way than [name_f]Loretta[/name_f]. Instead of critical and harsh, she’s spontaneous and playfully erratic. It was her firecracker personality that made her husband and eventual father of her children fall for her back in college. Though they didn’t meet in class, they met both working as waiters at the same greasy spoon nearby their university that supplied both food to drunk/hungover students and coffee and pastries to many local politicians. One of which is the father of Mr. [name_u]Everly[/name_u], he was sent to work at the diner as a way of ‘building character’ but instead he build a relationship.

His parents disapproved of the romance since their son was supposed to follow in his father’s footsteps and eventually get politics like the other men his his family. [name_f]Alanis[/name_f] was an art major who loved to sculpt with clay and paint with oil paints, when she met her future in-laws for the first time she had just come from class and wore overalls covered in paint. Not exactly a perfect first impression.

Everything that his parents hated about her was what he loved about her and he refused to cease their romance. They dated for the remaining two years of college and after graduation they moved away and out of the town which his father was the current mayor of. [name_f]Alanis[/name_f] started her own business selling her art and teaching beginner classes for both of her favorite mediums while her husband works from home in the tech field.

For a long time they had no contact with his parents. Until [name_f]Gem[/name_f] and Sal’s father was in a near fatal car accident. At the time [name_f]Alanis[/name_f] had been pregnant with [name_f]Gem[/name_f], her own family was clear across the country and while they expressed their support for her they couldn’t make it into town until a few days later. Alone and scared, she make an impulse move and called the Everlys. After explaining what had happened the older couple said they were on their way.

Upon arriving and meeting in the waiting room while her husband was in the operating room, the three embraced. Years of old wounds just starting to heal. The couple apologized for how they had treated her in the past, they had been following Alanis’ art career online and were amazed by her talent in such a way that that it had inspired Mr. [name_u]Everly[/name_u] to help get more funding to the art department in the schools back in the town. They had also revealed that they had been trying to think of a way to reach back out to [name_f]Alanis[/name_f] and their son but were unsure how to do it and afraid it would not be well received. The trio started to bond during the rest of the night while they waited to hear about the surgical results. Thankfully, a little after midnight they were informed that it went well and he would be able to go home in a few days.

Once her husband was able to be emotionally and physically well enough to speak to his parents again, they reconciled as well. His parents also extended an invitation for the couple to live in their guest house for a while since their son would need some physical therapy and rehab and [name_f]Alanis[/name_f] was nearing her due date, so a little help might be beneficial. The younger couple accepted and once they were back on their feet, moved back into the town in their own house where they’ve been ever since.

Now the grandparents are much more active in their grandchildren’s lives, with them both very flattered by the namesake given to his grandson. They’ve already arranged to take the older kids a few days a week and drop off meals for once the latest [name_u]Everly[/name_u] child arrives. Which judging from the contractions that [name_f]Alanis[/name_f] has been feeling, which are waay to painful to be braxton hicks, is about to be soon!

[Lindseylloyd052399]

Jumping into one week later!

[name_m]Braden[/name_m] “Brady” [name_u]Daniel[/name_u] [name_u]Everly[/name_u] (nb) is the newest member of the [name_u]Everly[/name_u] family, the son of [name_f]Alanis[/name_f] and the baby brother of [name_f]Gem[/name_f] and [name_u]Sal[/name_u]. [name_f]Alanis[/name_f] had a home birth with him, after two hospital births. The first 24 hours after the home birth was his gender reveal, which made [name_f]Alanis[/name_f] burst into tears, with her husband, her kids, her mom and her sister by her side, along with a midwife and doula. [name_u]Brady[/name_u] is doing fine

[kitkatcookie]

[name_u]Michael[/name_u] [name_u]Brooks[/name_u] [name_u]Everly[/name_u] [formerly [name_u]Michael[/name_u] [name_m]Stewart[/name_m] Everly] (36) is [name_u]Brady[/name_u], [name_u]Sal[/name_u] and Gemma’s dad, husband of [name_f]Alanis[/name_f] and Disappointment #1 to his parents - a nickname his big sister jokingly assigned him, as she’s Disappointment #2 in the wake of divorcing her husband: a man adored by the Everly’s for his influential status, regardless of the fact he was an absolute deadbeat of a husband and father. From a young age, [name_u]Michael[/name_u] was considered the problem child by his parents, on account of being far more outspoken and questioning where their authority was concerned; nothing actually that rebellious, but after three children - two boys and a girl - who accepted his authority, Mr. [name_u]Everly[/name_u] struggled with the onslaught of curiosity, never mind from the son whose former middle name was his own first name. Michael’s father was so furious when he learned his youngest son had changed his name to match his wife he threatened to cut of all contact, but everyone knew this was an empty threat: social status or genuine affection dictating the bluff is something [name_u]Michael[/name_u] doesn’t linger on, as he knows his dad won’t ever accept his choices and is at peace with this now, given how dearly he loves his wife and children.

Working in domain coding and website mechanics orchestrating, Michael’s freelance based career is ideal for spending time with his kids, who he dotes upon and embraces all their individual quirks. With [name_f]Alanis[/name_f] recovering from giving birth and tending to [name_u]Brady[/name_u], he’s taken on the responsibility of seeing [name_u]Sal[/name_u] and [name_f]Gem[/name_f] don’t go completely wild, something he knows they’d be capable of conspiring about if the notion took them. [name_u]Michael[/name_u] can be especially protective of his daughter, not just because she wants to enter a field of work known for its dangers, but primarily as her conception led to a huge row between him and his parents, who implied in numerous conversations that [name_f]Alanis[/name_f] deliberately ‘trapped’ their son, causing him to almost completely ice them out of the family’s lives. He credits his wife to helping him pursue what actually fulfilled and completed his life - a decision he’s incredibly grateful for - and will fight tooth and nail to see her treated with respect, thanks to how much brightness she always brings to his life.

For his contrarian ways, Michael’s undeniably a romantic, who writes little notes and poems for [name_f]Alanis[/name_f] whenever possible. They encountered a whole host of quirky characters during their time at the greasy spoon and laugh about the madness frequently, even more so when they meet someone who reminds them of those times. In spite of the conflict where Michael’s parents are concerned, his sister’s wholeheartedly supported the couple since they got together, and they frequently spend time with her and her children; with [name_u]Michael[/name_u] having defended her firmly when she filed for divorce about a month ago, as he never cared much for his lacklustre brother-in-law, who regularly went on trips to pretend he had no responsibility to his family. He is a bit more distant from his brother’s, who are the obvious favourites for abiding by family tradition and tend to speak up less, but still loves them dearly and encourages his kids to spend time with their cousins, not wanting his parents antics and prejudices to divide the family.

[jinxed_peach]

[name_f]Clara[/name_f] [name_f]Eileen[/name_f] [name_u]Everly[/name_u] [name_m]Arnold[/name_m] [39] is Michael’s older sister and the oldest child of the Everlys. Though she’s pictured here with her youngest, [name_u]Reese[/name_u] [name_u]Morgan[/name_u] [name_m]Arnold[/name_m] [1.5], she’s also the mother of two other kids, a 14 year old and a 10 year old who love their cousins [name_f]Gem[/name_f] and [name_u]Sal[/name_u], and are set to meet little [name_u]Brady[/name_u] soon. She’s well aware of how harsh her parents can be. She was often criticized while growing up for things like playing with her brothers after church in her [name_f]Sunday[/name_f] dress or for ‘lookin bored’ at her father’s political parties. She and her [name_u]Michael[/name_u] bonded over this and used one another as a lifeline in the home to keep one another from loosing it.

While her parents have thankfully changed a lot in years past and have become more involved and caring grandparents, they’ve been slipping into old habits lately. Her announcing her divorce definitely put a pressure on their relationship again and that strain on their parent-child interactions from her youth has been revived somewhat. Part of her is tempted to tell them the truth about her and her soon-to-be ex’s lives.

Fact is, they were set to divorce almost two years ago, they were in the beginning days of their separation when [name_f]Clara[/name_f] found out she was pregnant again. The couple had thought they were done having kids after their 10 year old was born, but her husband refused to get a vasectomy. They made do with condoms but apparently [name_u]Reese[/name_u] was determined.

She wanted to continue with the divorce proceedings but her husband begged her to stay, claiming that the baby was “a second chance for our love.” A sentence that she looks back on and cringes over the fact that she fell for it. They tried to make things work but even during her pregnancy she knew that they should’ve divorced. Once the baby was born there wasn’t much improvement either.

Her woes were usually confided in [name_u]Michael[/name_u] who urged her to divorce her husband. [name_f]Clara[/name_f] wanted to, but she was just too worried about supporting three kids as a single woman. So when she went back into the work force and got a job as a real estate agent with a firm about four months ago she finally felt ready and made the big announcement. And if the crap really does his the fan, she knows that [name_u]Michael[/name_u] and [name_f]Alanis[/name_f] will be there to help her out if needed.

[CherryBomb50]

[name_u]Taylin[/name_u] [name_u]Hutton[/name_u] [name_m]Arnold[/name_m] (10) is Clara’s second daughter and one of Reese’s elder siblings. [name_u]Taylin[/name_u] can’t wait for [name_u]Brady[/name_u] and draws pictures of her family a lot and she can’t wait to draw [name_u]Brady[/name_u]. Though she’s more of a cartoonist and loves drawing cartoon cats and dogs best. Since she was 6, she insists she won’t want to get married or have children and instead just have a house full of cute pets.

[name_u]Taylin[/name_u] loves school and she’s recently become bonding friends with [name_u]Ollie[/name_u] Kretschner. She knows nothing about the Sammy-Sal switch and has become friends with [name_u]Ollie[/name_u] naturally. [name_u]Taylin[/name_u] is part of Ollie’s friend group, with her devoting to drawing. She’s considered the “extrovert of the group” although this is mostly a joke, she’s actually an ambivert. [name_u]Taylin[/name_u] finds this funny because she definitely comes off as the most social compared to her more subdued and introverted friends. However if she were in a group of extroverts, all of them would think she’s an introvert. The real extrovert is the eldest [name_m]Arnold[/name_m] sibling and everyone in the family knows it. [name_u]Taylin[/name_u] isn’t close with her father but knows he was also in a family with strict ancestry. Taylin’s father was named after his father and grandfather and had the “III” suffix. Despite his pleas, there was never an “IV” carrying the name. The rest of the family is glad for that now, it would lead to pressure and favouritism. That being said, she’s glad she’s not the last sibling born and loves [name_u]Reese[/name_u] more than ever.